The Gujarati Thali restaurant's signalling system

While watching Scam 1992, Bhatt teaches Harshad the finger signalling system. My son remarked, "That looks so complex! These signals are so subtle." 

And I remembered that the same system works in the Gujarati thali restaurants, and possibly, other Gujarati businesses too. 

What is a Thali restaurant 

Most Indian meals are multi-course by default and they are a riot of textures, spices, flavours, and aromas. 

Representative Image: A thali from Rajdhani restaurant, taken from the internet 

The Gujarati and Rajasthani thalis are the best known examples of these multi course meals. The South Indian Wedding food is another one. 

But in Gujarat and Rajasthan, these thali restaurants are very popular. 

How the system works 

If you have never been to one, here is how it works: 

When you sit down, someone brings a basin and pitcher to help you wash your hands. As soon as you're done, a server appears with the salad and starters. Once you reach main course, your thali fills up pretty quickly. As you eat, the servers move around silently, serving people near you, keeping an eye. If you finish dal on your thali, for instance, a server will appear out of nowhere and offer to refill that bowl. If you want dal, great for you. But if your heart desires something else, and you mention that to the server, the relevant person will be at your table in under two minutes. How does this work? 

My dad explained this to me. The servers don't talk or shout across the hall. They raise their free arm and gesticulate. Servers at the other end of the hall also can see this. The server with the relevant item (each server moves around with a serving tray that has 1-4 items, ready to be served) moves to the right table and person immediately and serves. There are gestures for what is needed where and by whom. 

Sometimes, two separate servers move towards a table on seeing the gesture, but on seeing a colleague has reached, the other turns back to focus on tables they have not visited for a while. 

The other thing that one notices about these restaurants is that you cannot tip an individual server. As you leave, the tip box is at the counter. You place it there. If you try to tip an individual, very likely the effort will be frustrated. 

The Thali restaurant experience is a lot like eating at a wedding. मनुहार or cajoling one to eat more is a necessary part of the service (or used to be). You feel well taken care of because someone arrives to refill even as you finish an item. Needless to add, these are all you can eat kind of service, but unlike a buffet, where you have to get up and fetch food every time, in this case, the food comes to you. 

You might think that a service like this will need a high server: guest ratio. You'll be surprised to know that most Thali restaurants I've been to managed with just the right number of serving staff. They don't appear to be an overwhelming number within the restaurant. 

Any other places where the finger signal system works? 

If you know of any other place where this finger signalling system works, please do share. (The examination hall is not a valid answer :) )