The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-03
SILENCE RESTAURANT.
4 Unique Concern Where Orders for
Food Are Given by Signal.
From the Chicago Tribune

fOOu are GtNeH ny Sl&nuls
From the Chicago Tribune.
The other day man slipped into Mon
roe street lunch room, ordered medium
boiled eggs, and when he had done so he
ducked instinctively that the walters
voice might pass over his head; but it
didn't
The waiter snapped his fingers vigor-
orously, looked across the room and then
raised his right hand with the thumb and
forefnger held to form a circle and the
other three fingers in the air. Then he
turned to an urn to draw the coffee quiet
.ly and in good order.
"Aint you going to order my eggs?"
be asked fearfully.
Eggs is ordered, sah-got 'em on the
fire now" said the waiter
How is that?" asked the customer
suspiciously.
II ordered EN- as soon as you gave me
the order" said the waiter "Al got to
do is just that" and again he made the
cabalisuc sign with his thumb and fore
finger above has head.
AHS HtlIe man was almost overcome by
surprise. AT last he had found the place
ne so long had sought, where he could eat
in quietness. When he had finished the
eggs and coffee he sought out the mana
ger of the house and said:
L want to buy ticket to eat here the
rest of my life. And / want to find Csit
some things about this system of yours. I"
The manager took him aside and told him
the secrets of the queer messages which
passed from waiter to head waiter and
back to the kitchen. The distance is too
great for waiter to walk back and trans
nit every order to the cooks, and then re-
turn to his customer Years ago two
walters who should go down to fame for
their services to dyspeptic and unhappy
mankind devised a system of signals for
all the articles on the bill of fare. Al
hrst the system was quite simple and the
signs were few, calling only for the prin-
cipal things on the card, but il has
grown with time until now there are over
l5O articles of food which can be ordered
by waves and motions of the hand. No
sytem like it,
A head waiter or his assistant stands
IN the center of the floor during the rush
hours and keeps an eye on the walters
behlnd the long counters surrounded nv
stool climbers" If a customer orders
roast peer medium, the waiter snaps his
myers to attract the attention of the
head waiter. Then he makes a cut across
ms left hand with his right and sticks IN
ms rlght thumb. Instantly the head wait
er repeats the signal to a man in the
oaeh ROOM VINO transmits 1t to the cook
ana the roast beef Is being prepared he
lore the waiter who took the order oo,,Ia
nave gone five feet toward the kitche,,
ana there is no noise or fuss about il. IF
shail steak is ordered the waiter holds
ms right hand at the hight of his head
pam out, fingers Joined. If 1t is to he
iheoiuIn' ne clenches his hand Quickly and
tets MS thumb project. If the customer
wants II well done the open hand SIGN 4
toi4o"eu Dy TWO quick blows of the RIGHT
fist on the left palm. ~
The eye of the Interpreter n,ns+ - -,
TO catch the changes in the signs foY q'1ioA
tam move of the hand following anotho,
Wpat certain move means if orioin.ii,
u4spiayed. II an oyster stew is called for
instead OF shouting stew one" in strident
'oheS' as is the custom in many restou
rants OF The lower price variety. the waite,
snaps MS fingers, and when he has caugL,
the eye of the interpreter he extends bis
lett arm with the fist closed ana tho
.nutlo IN the air If the order is half n
dozen fried oysters, the right band l.
"AN.i Vic iHBeIS spread far
apart For ham and eggs the waller nlanas
his right palm against his cheek. that he.
ing the signal for fried ham, and then ex.
tends his arm with the palm of the hand
up and the fingers closed, which means
fried eggs.
Some Of the signals are continuous mo-
IONS indicative of some process through
which the food must pass Thus. an order
lor corned beef hash is transmitted by
shaking motion of both hands backyard
and forward, indicating how well shaken
the ingredients of the hash are before be-
ing served. For baked beans the waite,
holds up his right hand and beckons ran
idly with his four closed fingers. For liver
and bacon the waiter scrapes his right in.
deX niger with the forehnger of his loft
hand. showing how the bacon Is sliced
and then places forefnger over his side
about where he thinks his liver is located
Pork sausage, too, is a signal easily lis
cernbble. The waiter links his two rtfIe
fingers together indicating the links Of
sausage