How do hotel restaurants work in Egypt — queues, service, and tipping?

Chipped or broken crockery is common, and staff can be dismissive towards guests.

The dining hall is too small for the actual number of guests, making it very noisy. Visitors feel the hotel needs at least two more general restaurants.

Beach drink service is very slow due to a shortage of waitstaff.

Waiters often ask you to sit and wait rather than taking your order immediately, which can lead to long waits — not the most convenient system.

Tipping is essential — without it, food quality and wait times suffer noticeably. Staff are clearly tip-motivated.

The restaurant is compact with enough staff, tables get cleared quickly, but cutlery and napkins aren't always set up in time.

The main and beach restaurants have queues but they move quickly. The Sphinx restaurant on the 2nd floor is open for dinner only and is much quieter and more pleasant.