B: Now, was that fast enough for you?

[Hansman]

What does 'that' refer to here in this dialogue?

A: When is my food coming out?
B: Now, was that fast enough for you?

Does 'that' mean my food or the situation?
What do you native English speakers think? Thank you so much.

 

[tedmc]

It refers to the speed with which the food came out.

 

[Tarheel]

What does 'that' refer to here in this dialogue?

A: When is my food coming out?
B: Now, was that fast enough for you?

Does 'that' mean my food or the situation?
What do you native English speakers think? [...................]

I suppose the first sentence is possible. However, the second one doesn't make sense as a response. Also, a situation doesn't have speed-- fast, slow or in-between.

Is that a real or invented conversation?

 

[Hansman]

I suppose the first sentence is possible. However, the second one doesn't make sense as a response. Also, a situation doesn't have speed-- fast, slow or in-between.

Is that a real or invented conversation?

I invented "A: When is my food coming out?", gussing the situation and
"B: Now, was that fast enough for you?" is a sentence I saw in the movie the Flash, in which the main actor is waiting for his food and the waiter said the sentence, giving him the food and I was wondering what the 'that' means. What do you think?

 

[Tarheel]

The waiter was talking about the service. (The context makes it clear.)

 

[emsr2d2]

I invented "A: When is my food coming out?", gussing the situation and
"B: Now, was that fast enough for you?" is a sentence I saw in the movie the Flash, in which the main actor is waiting for his food and the waiter said the sentence, giving him the food and I was wondering what the 'that' means. What do you think?

This is why context is important. In post #1, there was no mention of the food arriving so the dialogue made no sense.

 

[Tarheel]

I'd have to have more context before I could guess why the waiter said that.

 

[SoothingDave]

The punctuation is incorrect in the second sentence.

That's an emphatic "Now."

When is my food coming?

Now. (As in here it is, I am delivering it right now.) Was that fast enough for you?

 

[Tarheel]

A; When is the food coming out?
B: Now! Was that fast enough for you? (Sarcasm.)

That server can forget about getting a big tip.

 

[emsr2d2]

The punctuation is incorrect in the second sentence.

That's an emphatic "Now."

When is my food coming?

Now. (As in here it is, I am delivering it right now.) Was that fast enough for you?

I agree that that's one way of punctuating it. It works if he says "Now!" as he puts the plate of food down on the table. However, if the waiter puts it down in silence, looks at the customer and says "Now, was that fast enough for you?", "Now" is simply an opener like "So" or "OK".