I always wondered about this too..
It's something that was drummed into me when I worked in bars, restaurants and diners years ago, and when on the receiving end, was something I hated.

I find it very invasive, and as was posted, always seemed to happen at a key point in your conversation with whoever you were talking to.

Never knew the reason behind it, and it was always made worse when you were eating at the end of the waiters/waitresses shift, when after hours of asking this question, the 'table check' degraded to a simple 'you alright mate?'
(danniekavanagh did nothing constructive on, Fri 28 May 2010, 18:01, Reply)