Adieu to the sniffy waiter ONCE upon a time, service in a highbrow restaurant meant scorn draped in a veil of obsequiousness. Customers paid for the privilege of being coddled, patronised and subtly corrected on their French pronunciation from the moment they arrived. Today, the sniffy waiter is a rare species in London's top establishments, according to some of the capital's most distinguished chefs. The Gallic style of waiting has been one of the overlooked casualties of the financial crisis as even the starchiest restaurants adopt a more informal, American character.