Autocar EDrron Maurice A. Smith D.F.o. aPoFTB EDrroR Peter Garnier AaatsTANT EotToBE Leonard A. Aytonr Ronald B$ker mtoLAND EDtroB Edward Eves ABT EDrroR Howard Vyte
12 JUNE T964
tAr{aotHo DtREoroE H. N. Priaub< r.a.e.
Around and About ^n NE of the pleasant aspects of motoring I I journalism is the travelling it entails. Ilardly \-, a week passes in which members of Autoar staff are not driving on the Continent as well as around Qssal lritain. Often we go farther afield. One out- come of this is the o<perience we accumulate of hotel service, prices and food. They vary enormously from country to country, area to area and according to season.
During the past five years the quality of food to be found at random in Britain has improved gready; menus are more varied, hours at which meals are served have b€en extended and the cooking is much better. In contrast, though the French still serve tbe most excitiag and exotic dishes to be found ia Europe, the cost in their country has risen alarmingly-ouuageously in some cases-and the senrice in general has not improved, Of coutse, thete are exceptions here, as everywhere else, and each of us keeps a private list of establishments.in several countries to which we return regularly for excelleot food and service at reasonable prices.
In the long run, the guests determine wherher hotels are good or bad. They do not return to the poor oues and should have the courage to complain and witbhold tips if service is below standard. On the subject of corlTEfrfa
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tipping, British practice is oow very confusing. Quite a number of hotels and restaurants have started to add l0 to 15 per cent service to bills, as is the custom on the Contiaeot, but many do not; it is therefore imporrznt to e-qrnine the bill calefully. On more than one occasion we have noticed people double-tip in efror.
Regarding prices for food, Great Britain is again in a strong position but there is a marked tendency for the British to go to, say, France, Switzerland or Holland, pay at least el per head for a dinner and then praise it to the skies in comparison with a 7s 6d soup, meat-and-two-veg and fruit salad meal at their local ino. Not surprising. 