1- The significant other drops the bomb.
And by that I mean the sign that you and your sweetheart pre-determined on the car ride over. Classics include: the kick under the table, the double wink from a distance, and for the more professional couples, the vocal sign usually involving some sort of tongue twister tango that leads you to the door.
2- The host/ess drops the bomb.
This involves an epic yawn or a sigh or maybe even an "alright, guys" that translates into a definitive "it's time to go, people."
3- The staff drops the bomb.
Restaurants make it uber easy for you, folks, so why... PLEASE tell me why are there still lingerers lingering about. I mean, we go through great lengths to make it clear to you: we turn on the lights, we turn off the music and if that doesn't work we give you the death-stare:
So please, take the hint and your lingering somewhere else. Or come back in the morning! Then you'll have all day.
TIP (for a compulsive lingerer): If you're going to stay until way passed closing time no matter what, make your servers slightly happier and sign your credit card slips and/or accompany your bills with the necessary cash and fork them over so that we can at least get all of our stuff done while we wait for you to leave. MERCI!
