drop the check

Definition

To present the bill to a table, usually done strategically to encourage lingering customers to vacate during busy service. The polite version of 'please leave now.'

Example Usage

Table 7 finished their entrees 20 minutes ago—drop the check so we can turn that table.

Origin

Front-of-house service terminology for bill presentation

Fun Fact

Skilled servers can 'drop the check' so smoothly that diners think it's genuine hospitality rather than a tactical eviction notice.

Source: Restaurant service and table management

Related Terms

Intermediate

chartreuse

A potent French liqueur made by Carthusian monks who apparently took their vow of silence more seriously than their vow of sobriety. Available in green (stronger) and yellow (merely strong), it's that mysterious herbal spirit that tastes like 130 secret ingredients and poor decisions. Also the name of the distinctive yellow-green color that looks great on vintage cars and terrible on bridesmaid dresses.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Intermediate

confiture

A fancy French way of saying 'jam' or 'preserved fruit,' because apparently 'jam' isn't sophisticated enough for culinary snobs. It's essentially fruit cooked with sugar until it achieves that perfect spreadable consistency, often featuring candied or preserved whole fruits. Say it with a French accent and charge three times more.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Beginner

glaze

The shiny, delicious coating that transforms ordinary baked goods into glossy masterpieces—or in pottery, the glassy finish that makes ceramics waterproof and pretty. Whether it's a sugary finish on donuts or a transparent layer on a painting, glazing is all about that final touch of edible or artistic sophistication. Pastry chefs and ceramicists both use the term, though only one version is safe to lick.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Advanced

poolish

A pre-ferment made with equal parts flour and water plus a small amount of yeast, left to ferment overnight to develop complex flavors in bread. The bread-making technique that requires planning ahead but rewards you with superior crust and crumb.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Advanced

nappé

The correct consistency for a sauce to coat the back of a spoon in a thin, even layer without immediately running off. It's thicker than water but thinner than your excuses for overcooking the sauce.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Intermediate

skunked

When beer has been exposed to light and develops a distinctly unpleasant aroma reminiscent of its namesake animal. It's what happens to your imported beer in the clear bottle after sitting on the shelf too long.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Translate This Term

See “drop the check” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on X Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Beginner

Incubator

A program that nurtures early-stage startups by providing office space, mentorship, and a false sense of security. It's ...