"Adventure's In Babysitting"

Hello all.  Yes it has been a very long time and I apologize.  I am just back from a much needed vacation and it was wonderful.

As servers we all have our stories about kids in our stations.  This will be my topic for today.

On my first day back to work I walked in feeling very refreshed and ready to make all the money back that I had spent on my vacation.  I checked out where my station was, as usual, and was just a little disappointed but hey, I was going to make it work.

The first table the hostess sat me was a party of four.  Two adults, husband and wife, and two toddlers.  One of them in a stroller and the other in a booster seat.

As I approach the table and introduce myself the two adults look at me with a blank stare.  Then their 4 or 5 year old proceeds to speak to his parents, Spanish I think.  Great, now I have to get through this table by using a 5 year old to translate to his parents.  This is going to be fun.  Oh, and on top of that, they were first time guests.

Here's a rundown on their order...they had drinks, apps, dinner, which by the way, they shared with their two young children, and dessert.

They seemed very happy and everything was going just so so when, as I make my way out of the kitchen with their appetizers, I run into the little boy that was translating.  He was standing right outside the kitchen, away from his parents.  I asked him if he needed anything and he just smiled so I took him by the hand and directed him back to his table.

These people were at my table for two very long hours and the entire time their 5 year old son was wondering around the restaurant and kitchen.  His parents did not budge from their seats one time to fetch his little behind.  I think I directed him back to his table 20 or more times.

Now, 99% of the time, I don't really have this sort of problem with children.  Most are very well behaved.  On this occasion, however, I felt more like a babysitter than a waitress.  I was so frustrated at the fact that these parents didn't seem to care about how their child was behaving and even more so, they expected me to watch over little Timmy while they enjoyed their meal.  I had three other tables to wait on, what the hell are these people thinking!

You would think that because I was able to be an extremely good sport and follow after their son for 2 hours and still make time for them that they would pitch in a couple extra dollars for my tip, but oh no.  After presenting the check, three different times I might add...three different credit cards, all declined, they finally gathered their belongings(kids) and made their way out the door.

SURPRISE SURPRISE.....CHECK-$78.67....TIP....drum roll please...$6.00.  WTF!!!!!!

"Just a Little Venting"

So, there's this girl I work with, Suzette.  She's a cute girl.  When she comes to work she always says hi to everyone with a smile.  When she greets her tables she is very professional and always describes the specials in a way that makes your mouth water before you even try them.  However........it seems as though she suffers from multiple personality disorder.

Each and every shift she moseys on into the restaurant with a mouthful of "Hi's".  As she makes her way to the back of the kitchen to get into uniform she goes through a transformation.  Kind of like a super hero.  Her entire person changes.  She turns from positive to negative in a matter of seconds.

Throughout the night she walks around the kitchen barking orders.  "We need glassware at the bar!".  "Someone needs to shine spoons for deserts!".  "Can someone empty the trash?!".  "Food runners please!".  "Does anyone in this place ever make coffee when they take the last of it?".  "Who took the last glass and didn't remove the empty rack?".  "Am I the only person that actually works in this place?".

No, no, and no!  I swear she thinks that the restaurant would not function properly if she weren't there.  No, she isn't the only person who actually does work.  She's just the only one who complains about it.  All night long we hear her scratchy voice complaining about this and complaining about that.  Everyone hates it when she works.

One time she actually started crying, in the kitchen of course, because she felt that no one was doing any work except for her.  Oh what a scene that was.  She was crying so hard that she could barely speak and what was being spoken was just a tad short from screaming.  She took it so personal.

My opinion,  she needs to chill the "f" out!

She's a pothead, nothing wrong with that but, if you're gonna smoke before you come to work at least smoke enough to get you through your 3 hour shift.  I'm tired of dealing with your attitude as you are coming down off your high.  Your tirades aren't working, can't you tell. 

For almost a year she has worked with me.  Not one single shift has passed without her whaling about what's not being done.  Nobody's listening!  We're hearing but we don't care.  Why?  Well, it may surprise you but, when you aren't at work spoons get polished, glassware gets taken to the bar, trash gets emptied, food gets ran, coffee gets made, and empty glass racks get taken to the dish pit.  The restaurant still makes money and isn't in jeopardy of closing it's doors because you didn't work that day.  Our ability to keep our jobs does not depend on whether you are at work or not. 

So, with that being said, Suzette, don't flatter yourself.  We DO NOT miss you when you're gone!!

"On Automatic"

Good morning all.  As I am sitting here with my coffee in hand I am searching through my mind trying to figure out which story I would like to share.  I have decided that, today, I will talk about automatic gratuities on parties.

At the place where I work we automatically add an 18% gratuity to parties of 8 or more.  I do believe this is the case in most restaurants.  Sometimes it's a good thing but most of the time it's a bad thing.

Back in the day we would be allowed to add the gratuity at our discretion.  This meant that if we had a 10 top and 7 of the people happened to be children we usually would decide to leave off the gratuity in hopes that we would get 20% or more as a tip.  Also, if we felt a vibe from the table that we may do better without the auto-grat, we would leave it off.  Most of the time this worked to our advantage.

Over the past few months, however, our managers have made it their mission in life to monitor this and have decided that, no matter what, if there are 8 or more people, we add the gratuity.  This happened because a specific server would get parties of  7, 6, and sometimes 5, and would add the gratuity because she thought she may be in jeopardy of getting stiffed.  She ruined it for everyone.

Anyhoo, my beef has to do with adding the grat.  I hate it!  In about 99% of the cases we almost always get ONLY 18%, nothing extra.  So no matter how well you take care of the table you're stuck with 18%.

I waited on a table last night, 15 people.  They received exceptional service.  Their cocktails stayed full as well as their waters.  They received all of their meals in a timely manner and they were served piping hot. The table was immaculately prebussed.  They also received 3 deserts on the house because of 2 birthdays and an anniversary.  When they left, the only thing on the table was napkins and water glasses.  They had my full attention the entire time.

I didn't receive not an extra dollar from any of them.  I worked my ass off to make sure they had an exceptional dining experience.  They told me how I took such great care of them and how great of a server I was and thanked me for an enjoyable night.

Complaining about this may make me sound unappreciative but who cares, I'm venting!  We, as servers, work so very hard to make our money.  With each table comes the opportunity for us to do whatever it takes so that we can make that 20% or more as a tip.  A lot of us go above and beyond just to get shot down.  A little extra would have been nice since, by your own words, I did a fantastic job.  A $19.93 check with an added 3.59 just doesn't cut it for me.  I usually get a $5 tip off of a $20 check.

Come on people!  If you really feel that your server was that awesome, then show them a little love and throw in a little extra.  I threw in an extra effort to make sure you had a great dining experience didn't I?  I scratched your back so why don't you scratch mine?

"Hardy Har Har!"

It's been another great week and I am loving every minute of it.  We were a little slow however, but I worked with what I had. 

I had a customer yesterday, a New Yorker, gosh I love these guys.  I sometimes wish I had their accent.  Sometimes when waiting on these fine Northerners I find myself mimicking a little accent but I don't think you can tell.

They were my last table of the night.  Father, wife, and grown son.  We talked a bunch which was nice.  They showed me pictures of their pets.  The son had a pet raccoon.  He had found her when she was just a few weeks old.  I found myself being dragged into a conversation of how smart and brave raccoons are and how big they get and so on.

Anyways, the point of my story today is about the father.  He was kind of like joke guy with a little twist.  He would order an item and then every time I brought him what he ordered he would tell me it was wrong.  With a straight face he said " I didn't order a martini.  I wanted Grey Goose, straight up, shaken well, with a little bit of olive juice, 3 olives, no vermouth, and in a martini glass."  Sounded like a martini to me, right?  That's how I kept referring to it.  So he would go through his rundown each time I would bring him something, and say it was wrong.  For a minute I thought I might have been going crazy or maybe my hearing was going.  Idk.

He would laugh after each encounter but it still made me nervous.  Of course I was laughing right a long with him.  Secretly, I didn't care for the jokes at all.  It made me feel like I was messing up(when I really wasn't) which caused me some anxiety.  I pride myself on paying very close attention to details when customers order and I have 99.99999999% accuracy.  This was kind of a tough table.

Needless to say, these customers enjoyed everything.  We had some laughs and I tried my best to keep up and catch on.  In the end it was worth it.  The check was $144.73 and they left me $40 for a tip.  I'd say I put on a pretty good front with this table...thanks joke guy(kind of) for making me feel anxious and then rewarding me for sticking it out:)

A Little "Tip"sey?

I woke up this morning in a fantastic mood.  Yesterday was a great end to a wonderful week and, it was my birthday.  As I grab my coffee and sit down to my computer I decided to check up on my fellow bloggers and read quite a few entries on tip sharing.  Guess what my subject will be today?

This topic seems to be a bit controversial.  It seems most of the issues include whether an employer is allowed to make you tip out an employee who would otherwise not get tipped, is the percentage too high or too low, or who deserves a tip out and who doesn't.  Today I will express my thoughts on who I think should get a portion of my hard earned money.

My employer requires all servers, and only servers, to tip out 3% of our total sales.  This gets divided between the hostesses, bussers, and the bartenders.  So, if I have a $1000 night, I am forced to tip out $30.  That's a lot of dough.  In most cases I still take home 20% after tip out but in some, it turns out to be way less.  I remember one time I had close to $800 in sales and before tip out I had $93.  Minus tip out...$69.  Terrible!

Let's start with the hostesses.  I feel that no tip out should be given.  Why?  Well, does it really take that much effort to walk people to their table?  I'm not knocking on the host, I too have held that position.  They do put up with some crap.  Customers aren't usually familiar with procedures that affect where they will be sat.  Like rotation, table size, how many staff are on duty, etc. Moving along, hostesses have the power.  If they like you, they will make sure you keep a full section all night.  If they don't, well, I think you get the picture.  So, If I have beef with a hostess and she doesn't seat my section like others then shouldn't I be allowed to not tip her the same way as her fellow hosts?

Next, we have the bussers.  They, for the most part, do a pretty good job.  Carrying around a heavy bus tub all night and having to scurry around the dining room to clear tables as fast as they can has to be exhausting.  But, yes there is a but, I think they should get paid minimum wage or higher to do so.  Not all bussers do their job but still get an equal part of the tip out.  Also, they pick and choose which tables to bus first.  If you haven't done your job as a server and prebussed your table, no matter how busy you are, they may choose not to bus it.  There is favoritism as well, same as the hostesses.  If you have beef then you will have dirty tables.

Lastly, we have our wonderful bartenders.  This is a position I have also held in the past.  At the establishment where I work we have 1 bartender on the well.  This person makes the drinks for only the servers.  Then there are two other bartenders that work the bar.  All 3 stay behind the bar all night.  The servers are responsible for running drinks, stocking and shining bar glassware throughout the shift, filling the ice for the bar, emptying their bus tubs, fetching their bread, emptying their trash, and running their food.  They are not required to tip out.  So, after doing everything for the bartenders, except make their drinks, tell me why they deserve a tip from me!

My final decision on this issue...I deserve ALL of my tips.  Not only do I have to wait on multiple customers at any given time, I also am responsible for making sure my tables are prebussed, the bar is functional, my own running side work is done, running my own food and beverages, and holding a smile on my face.  We servers have lot's of different responsibilities around the restaurant and we work hard at it so why can't we keep the money that we earn?!

"The Klumps"

This week was a really really slow week.  I was disappointed, but part of the job description in being a server is that you gotta take the good with the bad, right?

Though I didn't make the money I usually do, the customers were still there and I had to oblige.  Most were wonderful, as usual, however, yesterday I had a table that I almost let ruin my night.

They were one of my last tables of the night.  A couple and their 23 year old daughter.  Things started out really good.  I greeted them and we made small talk for a minute or so and then I proceeded to tell them about happy hour.  They each ordered the house Cabernet and appetizer...yes, they each had their own appetizer.  I scurried away to place their order.

Just a little info before I continue.  I open about 2 days a week.  When you open you kind of lose track of time and it usually feels later than it actually is.  I don't wear a watch so I am constantly looking at the computer to keep track of happy hour times.  So I know when to do last call, you follow?

Well, I had gotten a little busy because, of course, before the manager decides to cut me the hostess filled my entire station.  I'm gonna call this table of whom I am referring to today "The Klumps".

As I scan my section to see if everyone is okay I notice the Klumps have finished their appetizers and their wine was just about empty so I approach the table to clear plates and ask them if they would like another glass of wine.  I haven't had time to check the time so when they order their second round I inform them that happy hour was over so it would be regular price for the wine and would they still like to have it.  They reluctantly said yes seeming upset that I had not informed them sooner that happy hour was over and that if they had known, they would have ordered two at the same time.  They also asked if I was going to bring them their bread anytime soon, as if they were starving.  I apologized about the drink situation and told them I would bring their bread out right away.  They requested 2 loaves and LOTS of butter.

I quickly rang in their drink order noticing that there was 45 minutes left for happy hour.  Yay, this will surely get them in good spirits again and I feel I have a chance of turning this potentially bad experience into a great one.  I grab their bread and butter with fresh plates, make my way by the bar to check on their wine, and mosey on back to their table to tell them the good news.

As I set the bread on the table I inform them that I had been mistaken and that happy hour was still going on apologizing at the same time.  They give me smiles.  Whew, I'm in good with them again.  Or so I thought.  They notice that I don't have their wine and "Mrs. Klump" asks "Why haven't you brought our wine yet?".  I respond with a smile "I'll get those for you right away."  All the while thinking to myself and wanting to say "Bitch, I only have two fucking hands."  Pardon my french, this table was beginning to piss me off. 

I practically sprinted back to bar and returned with their wine at which time I noticed they had scarfed down the 2, yes 2, loaves of bread I had just brought not a minute earlier.  "Can we get some more bread and butter?  Make it two more loaves." 

Now, I'm hoping I don't offend anyone here but these people certainly didn't look like they had missed any meals and they definitely didn't look like they were wasting away to nothingness so I made a mental note to take my time on the bread just because, well, I'm the server and I'm in charge.  If they weren't going to be happy by now I probably didn't have a chance to make them happy by the end of dinner.  I threw in the towel and they were gonna know it. 

A little rundown on their total order...3 glasses of wine each, 1 appetizer each,  1 entree with an added on salad each,  6 loaves of bread total,  and they each ordered dessert.  This sort of kind of made me happy because it meant that their check total would be quite large and I had a possibility to get a pretty good tip.  Maybe I was jumping the gun a little when I thought I may get a decent tip.

The rest of the meal went perfect.  Everything came out in a timely manner and I made sure they had full drinks and bread.  I didn't speak but three words to them the rest of the evening.  Silent service.  I presented the check, which was close to $100, and waited for payment.  Cashed them out, they paid by credit, and said "Thank You".  After they waddled their way out of the restaurant I went to the table to clear glasses and pick up the check.  To my surprise, and what a surprise it was, they left me $8.  Yeah, you read right, 8 fucking dollars.  I'll apologize again for my language.

Now, usually when I get a tip like this, which doesn't happen very often, most of the people are extremely nice and I dismiss it as they just didn't know proper tipping.  In this case, however, I felt these people knew exactly what they were doing.  I had gotten the feeling early on that they weren't going to be happy no matter what and were probably searching for any reason to complain.  This would justify, in their minds, leaving a bad tip which in turn would relieve them of feeling guilty by doing so.

I'm going to go on a rant now.  I feel that if a person or people have the cash to go out for a $100 dollar meal then they should have the cash to tip.  I did everything I could to make these people happy and they just weren't having it.  On top of that, when the manager visited the table they said everything was fabulous.  The only thing that made them happy the entire evening was stuffing their faces with forks full of cheesy potatoes, steak, crab cakes, mussels, fried shrimp, calamari, bread, brownies, ice cream, and butter...I swear they used a cup full. 

They might have thought they were insulting me by leaving only $8 but guess what...I let them keep their damn $8.  Since I can't chase people out the door and lecture them on tipping etiquette I just decided that when I closed out their check I would leave out the tip all together.  They obviously needed it more than I did anyways.  Now they can get really excited when they realize they have an extra $8 to spend on their next dining experience.  I bet they're thinking about what they are going shove into their mouths right this very second. 

The rest of my tables tipped me extremely well which made up for the time the Klumps took up during the evening.  I give a big thank you out to them because if they had not been so repulsive and rude the rest of my customers may not have tipped me the way they did.  So....Thank you Mr. Klump, Mrs. Klump, and baby Klump for choosing me to serve you because without you I would not possibly have had one of the best money making nights of my serving career.

"You're the Boss....I Guess"

I haven't wrote in a couple, sorry, but life has been going pretty good in all departments lately.  I do have ONE complaint however.  My boss!  Technically I have 3 bosses, 2 of which are men.  The head honcho of the place is a woman and thank goodness for that.  I get along with all of my managers but one of them is slowly getting under my skin.

I have been in the restaurant business for 18 years now.  I graduated culinary school and have plans to open my own establishment when I retire.  Over the years I have rarely worked for women.  It seems that this business is dominated my men and I think that's a real shame.  In my opinion, and experience, I have come to realize that men seem to abuse their position of power more than women.  I'll explain.

My relationship with our GM/Owner is great.  She takes pride in her work.  She is stern but fair.  Very fair.  I like that about her.  I am continually taking notes.  Always carefully watching how she makes business decisions, her dealings with customers, how she interacts with staff, etc.  She has a work ethic that is out of this world.  She has had my respect from day one.  She is very serious about her business but can also let loose enough to have a normal conversation with one of her employees.  There is no favoritism or fraternization with her, which is one of the things I like about her the most.

Now, with manager #3.  He's a pretty laid back cat.  He's the executive chef.  Around my age...which I will not divulge.  He also takes his job very serious and doesn't play favorites, although he does hang out with some of the guys at work, outside of work.  Guys stuff, you know, like football, golfing, working out.  He can crack a pretty funny joke here and there and isn't afraid relax a little if needed.

Then, there is our Asst. Manager.  He's a big problem in my book although he will not ever know it.  Not only does he play faves but he is 100% unfair.  I am convinced that I have to constantly call out sick, show up late to work, not prebus my tables, make sure I don't run any food or drinks, and completely forget to do my running side work, to be able to get a good section on days that he works.  Those kind of employees seem to get everywhere with him when I can't get anywhere. 

I am an extremely great employee.  I always do ALL of my work and some.  I help anyone who needs it. I have, not one single time, never been late for work.  I also have never called out sick, I had my shifts covered by other employees instead, otherwise I would go to work regardless.  I keep my station immaculate and help others do the same.  I feel I sometimes am picking up a lot of slack but hey, whose keeping track right?  I have never had a customer complaint and my comps are one of the lowest there.

So tell me why this mf don't see that and reward me accordingly.  This summer he had taken an extended amount of time off, 3 months, and it was the most glorious 3 months ever.  Stations were rotated properly and everyone got a fair shot at making some really good money.  It was like we were all together in this thing we call hospitality and things ran so smoothly all summer long.  Then he comes back and everything goes down in shambles.  Ever since his return I have gotten a good station maybe 3 or 4 times. I haven't broke $100 one time.  However, during our slowest time of the year(summer), I made over $100 every shift.  I have not been allowed to clock in early, not once, but when certain other employees come to work 1, maybe 2, hours early they are allowed to do so.  This burns me up so bad I almost cannot write this entry.  What the hell!

He has reminded me why I have always hated working for men.  I'm not saying that all male bosses are like this but 99% of the one's I have worked for, have been.  I have been considering bringing this to my GM's attention but I really don't want to be a tattle tail or seem like a complainer.  What should I do?  HELP PLEASE!

"I've just been in a very bad mood for 40 years!"

I have a bit of a funny story today.  It involves 4 ladies, in their 70's I'm assuming.  They are dressed in their Sunday best.  Pant suits, heels, jewelry to match, big hair, and lots of make up with an attitude to match.  Oh, and they all have accents...New York or New Jersey perhaps.

I was scheduled to open this particular day.  We usually have 2 openers for the first couple of hours.  This is usually a good thing because we almost always get a nice little pop of business before the rest of the waitstaff arrive.

It was my turn in the rotation.  I observed 2 older women wander in.  David, the host, greeted them with a smile and asked how many in their party.  They informed him that there would be 4 and they would like a booth by the window.  He happily obliged.

After the ladies were seated I grabbed my bev naps and made my way to greet the women.  I was thinking to myself that it was just too cute, these ladies, all done up.  They must be having a girls night.  This was going to be fun...and easy...or so so I thought.

After introducing myself as being their server for the evening I was met with a look of disapproval from the woman who was in the #3 position at the table.  She expressed to me that she thought the young man who had showed them to their table would be waiting on them and the tone of her voice let me know that she was VERY disappointed.  I could tell immediately that this was going to be a tough table.  Both women ordered water with lemon and said they would like to wait for their friends to arrive before they ordered.  Fine by me!

Over the next half hour I checked on the ladies, each time being informed by #3 that her friends are coming and that they were not in a hurry but in a tone that was as cold as ice.  I told #3 that I was sorry and that I was not trying to rush them.  I was just making sure all was well and that they weren't in need of anything.

At this point, I have already come to the conclusion that #3 was probably the leader of the pack.  Let me elaborate.  She was very vocal, loudly vocal.  She seemed annoyed by everything and everyone.  She was going to be in a bad mood whether I liked it or not.  No matter how perfect I was going to try to make her experience, she was not going to be happy about anything.  All I could think..."Kill 'em with kindness!".

Finally, the rest of the group arrived.  I automatically brought them water, with lemon, and began my menu presentation.  I had not even gotten through an entire sentence before I was rudely cut off by, you guessed it, #3.  "I see that you have clams for your special tonight.  I don't like clams!  Do you have mussels?" she barked at me.  Now, if she would have let me continue with a description of our menu she would have been informed that we do, in fact, have mussels and that they were our most popular dish.  It took me about ten minutes to get through the presentation.  I have never answered so many questions in my life.  For a minute I thought I was being tested on my menu knowledge and when I returned to the kitchen I would be approached by my manager with a smile and a big pat on the back for doing such a great job.  Just daydreaming I guess.

Anyways, #3 proceeded to ask me question after question after question.  Mostly about the prices.  See, the clams were $13 and the mussels were $9.  She wanted an explanation as to why there was such a price difference since they were prepared basically the same way.  She couldn't afford $13.  That was just too expensive.  On top of that, she doesn't eat a lot so she wanted something small but filling.  In the end, after all the questions, she ended up getting the clams($13) with an added salad($3).  She ordered for the rest of the ladies at the table, and yes, she asked a million and 1 questions, and 20 minutes later I was finally done taking their order.  WHEW!

Here's a rundown on their order...1 appetizer, 4 salads, and 4 entrees.  Our steps of service are...drinks, appetizers, bread and salads together, dinner, then dessert with coffee.  After placing the order I made my way back to the table to refill water and inform the ladies that their appetizer would be out shortly.  Surprise, surprise!  #3, almost yelling, wanted to know why I hadn't brought the bread to the table yet.  With a great big smile on my face I replied that we usually serve the bread with the salads but if she would like, I would be "happy" to bring her bread out before.  "Well, what do you think?" she said to me.  Funny, I know what I thought and it didn't have anything to do with bread, if you know what I mean.

Making this long story short, the entire experience was a nightmare, and the tip definitely did not make it worth it, but I had a few laughs throughout the whole ordeal when normally I would have let it ruin my entire night.  Why?  Well, picture it.  Four older ladies, all done up, looking a hot mess, with New York accents, and grumpy as hell.  It's a little funny, right?

"No Negativity Aloud!"

As all of you are aware, I blog about my life as a server.  Some of my experiences are great, most are funny, and some are just plain bad.  The majority of the time I will be writing about my customers but, once in a while I will write about my coworkers.

A couple of posts back I wrote about Jessica and Jamie.  Jessica was the focus, as she will be today.

See, Jessica seems to have a monkey on her back these days.  When I first started she befriended me, which was great because most of the servers were really bitchy towards me and wouldn't give me the time of day.  Jessica was my savior.  She showed me the in's and outs on everything and helped me out a bunch when needed.  She was always so smiley and was very happy to help.  I appreciated that.

Recently, however, she has become a monster.  She comes to work mad, stays mad, and leaves mad.  Constantly complaining throughout her shift about why such and such got sat before her when she clearly was scheduled earlier, why so and so got an extra table when we are only aloud 3 at a time, why certain servers don't run drinks, or food, or do running side work.

Every time I walk into the kitchen I hear her complaining.  IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!

Now, I am almost always in a great mood.  I wake up happy, go to work happy, leave happy, and go to bed happy.  That might not sound realistic to some, and I haven't always been that way.  Over the years though, I have learned patience.  I've learned to let most things roll off my back and to not the negative affect my person.  Don't get me wrong, I do have bad days just like everyone else, I have just learned to handle them in a different way.  I stay composed, smile, and try to kill them with kindness.  It works for me.

I wish I could teach this to Jessica.  She let's all of the little things bother her and she holds on to it for quite a long time.  She has turned into such a negative person and I'm not diggin it.  She doesn't enjoy her job anymore and I just want to tell her..."Instead of repeatedly saying you're gonna find a new job, do it because you're bringing me down and I don't like it!". 

I have slowly started to separate myself from her because I am afraid she might break my wall down and pull me into her negative world.  I hope she catches on and either changes her attitude or she will be losing a friend.

How Hospitable are You?

Today was my day off.  Usually, on my off days, I spend some quality time with the kids, I have 3 girls.  I almost always take them out to dinner and ice cream.  This gives them some "mommy" time and allows me to get a rundown on some of the things that are going on in their lives.  They are 10, 11, and 16. 

Today I let them pick where they wanted to go.  Most of the time we go to a place where we can sit down but today they just wanted a burger and fries.  My middle daughter had a craving for some cheese fries so it was decided that we would go to a popular food chain that I will not mention.

So, after deciding what everyone was going to order I pulled into the drive thru and this is how the conversation went:

"Can I take your order?" - Notice there wasn't a hello or welcome or anything of such a nature.

Me: "Yes, I would like 2 regular cheeseburgers...."

"Is that it?" - I was rudely cut off.

Me: "No ma'am, I would also like 2 small fries, 1 roadhouse bacon burger..."

"Will that be all?" - Cut off again.

Me: "Um, no.  Could I get 2 bacon cheddar cheese fries please and that will be all thank you."

I heard a response but the words weren't recognizable.

Now, I am a bit irritated but I'm thinking that maybe this lady will change her tone once I pull up to pay.  As I make my way to the window I see it open and the woman sticks her head out the window to wait for me pull ahead.  I get to the window....

"$14.58" - then she walks away.

There was no "That will be $14.58 please." and not even a smile.  She just told me my total and walked away from me before I could even give her my money.  I then proceeded to sit there for 5 minutes, yes I counted,  all the while listening to her and her fellow coworkers make fun a customer that had just left.
She finally returned with my food and again I was greeted with...

"$14.58" - I say nothing and hand her exact change.

"Here" - She said as she handed me my bag.  She didn't say "Thank You" or even tell me to "Have a good evening".

What bothers me about this entire encounter was that the woman who had served me was a manager.  If the manager was presenting herself in that fashion I can just imagine how her employees carry themselves when working.

I have asked myself so many times over the years what ever happened to good old fashioned customer service.  Remember the days when you'd go to a place, any place, and be greeted with smiles.  People used to make you feel welcome and were willing, and able, to help you with anything you may need.  They always new the answer to your questions and were happy to oblige.

Nowadays, it's like nobody cares about anything.  You are made to feel like you are inconveniencing the person who you are asking to help you.  It's like you are being made to feel stupid.  Like, how dare I invade your personal space to ask if you may direct me the the women's department.  Or what the hell was I thinking when I called to get my account balance for my utility bill.  So irresponsible of me not to pack my lunch today and instead, I decided to patronize your establishment for some much needed nourishment.  I am such a terrible person.  BULLSHIT!!!

It just burns me up inside how these so called "customer service" people act.  What the hell did I ever do to you?!  Not a goddamn thing.  I deserve a little respect.  Especially since the money I am spending at your place of business contributes to your salary.  If you don't like your job then find a new profession.  If you do like your job then act like it.  If I am courteous and respectful to you then you should give the same in return.  I am sorry your day may not be going the way you wanted it to go but I am not "Crazy Larry" who just cursed you out for putting ketchup on his burger when he specifically told you no ketchup.  I am me, a totally different customer.  One who spoke nicely to you and said please and thank you.  I didn't raise my voice and even gave you a compliment.  SO GET IT TOGETHER PEOPLE!  Stop trying to spread your misery onto to me.  You'll be surprised at how a smile can make the biggest difference.  Just try it...at least when you are waiting on me, please?  Thank you.

Snitching on the Snitches!

So, after a week of being overcome by a bad case of the flu I was finally able to make it back to work.  The night started out just like any other.  A little slow at first, then a nice little rush, and then it was like a ghost town.

I was in an exceptionally great mood.  There was, however, a moment when I thought I was going to have to let the other side of myself show it's ugly face.  Which, by the way, very rarely is seen by others outside of my home...lol.

I was scheduled to close, along with Jessica and Randy.  Randy is a pretty good closer, comparable to me.  He's laid back and doesn't really complain if someone happens to skip out on doing their tables or sidework before they leave.  I'm the same way. We really don't mind the extra work as long as it isn't in excess.  It's not a big deal to us.  Jessica, on the other hand, is completely opposite.  I think we all know the type.  You know, the one's that watch everyone like a hawk and keeps a count on who does and does not do what they are supposed to do instead of worrying about themselves.  Then they run to the manager at the end of every shift with their list and "snitch" on those who weren't "following the rules".

Now don't get me wrong.  Jessica is my "at work" friend and she's pretty cool as long as we aren't talking about anything work related.  Recently though, she has almost become unbearable to work with.  On the night in question we emptied out pretty quickly and were down to closers 3.5 hours before closing time.  I was pretty psyched because I knew if we got a little busy that could be extra cash in my pocket.  This was not the case for Jessica.  I guess she looked at it as this would mean she would be able to pay extra special attention to everyone so she could make sure they did all their work before they high tailed out of there.  She zeroed in on one server in particular, Jamie.

A little background on Jamie.  She's a GREAT server.  She always has a smile on her face, and in her voice.  She gets tons of requests, and I'm not exaggerating.  She always does her running sidework, runs food constantly, and always follows the "full hands in", "full hands out", rule.  She never skips out on her tables or silverware.  She is always getting compliments on her service and has even received some really great letters from customers that have thought her service was exceptional.  Only one negative, she's best friends with one the hostesses so her station ALWAYS stays full, but that's another subject.  This one negative, however, is why Jessica always has one eye on her.

On this, very very slow night, Jessica had it out for Jamie from the beginning.  Unfortunately for Jamie,she fell right into Jessica's trap.  See, Jamie apparently didn't do any sidework before she left and Jessica was furious.  Of course, Randy and I really weren't paying attention and really didn't care but Jessica made sure her voice was known.  To us and to the MOD.

This is what bothers me.  WHAT'S THE BIG F*%#ING DEAL?!  It really gets under my skin these coworkers who just feel it is their duty to "keep an eye" on others and then run and tell, like a child.  This isn't kindergarten and we are not 5 years old.  "Oh, I'm sorry but I must have been absent on the day they promoted you to Manager".  I'll tell you this, you're not gonna make too many friends either.  And when that day comes, when you need someone to work for you or switch shifts with you, or maybe you just need a favor...well, let's just say sorry for your luck.  Nobody likes a tattle tale.

So Sorry....

I have to apologize for not posting in a while.  I have been overcome with a bad case of the flu.  I am back to work ronight and am looking forward to sharing some stories with you all soon.

Is It Really That Stressful?

Hello all.  I have recently came down with the flu so I am apologizing in advance if my entry today sounds random.  So back to bed I go...enjoy!

Waiting tables can sometimes be very stressful but is it really that bad? 

A few days ago, after a dry spell, business started picking up a little at work.  September is our slowest month of the year.  The entire waitstaff have been fighting for shifts for about a month now so it was a breath of fresh air to finally have a full house for the past few days. It was "good eatin" for all involved.

Sometimes, after a long, busy, night, after I am home and trying to wind down, I will go over some of the events of the evening.  One of the things that always seems to pop up is the story of the server that was so weeded he/she lost their damn mind.  I am picturing a scene from the Exorcist right now.  Red, bulging eyes, tongue flaring out of the mouth throwing obscenities everywhere, violent thrashing of the body...ew!

I have come to the realization that some of my coworkers are possessed.  I mean is it really that bad?  Sure, I have had many a night where I found myself in a position when I thought I would never get caught up, but nobody sees that part of me.  Cathy, one of my "at work" friends, said to me the other day, "Terry, don't you ever get frustrated, mad, frazzled when you are working?  You seem so calm all the time.  And why are you always smiling?  Do you like working here that much?" .  I responded, smile and all, " This is a piece of cake.  I love serving, that's all.". I really don't understand how serving could affect someone so badly that it caused them to completely lose their minds.  My thought is that maybe these people aren't very organized, in there heads and in their lives.

My job is the least stressful part of my life.  I get to meet new and interesting people all the time.  It's really weird but you know how some people escape from their lives by maybe meditating, taking a class, having a night on the town?  Well, my escape is work.  I only work approximately 20-30 hours a week but it's the best 20-30 hours.  Why?  I really don't know, I just really like my job.
If you are serving and find yourself slowly being pulled into insanity at work might I suggest something before you start randomly screaming at people for no reason?  Chill the "f" out!!!  Come to work with a plan.  Get yourself together man!  It is, however, just serving.  It's not that bad.

The Hostess with the Mostess...Not!

So, my night started out like every other night.  I walked into work with a big smile and was ready to make that money.  I am always anxious to see what section I have been assigned and am, of course, always hopeful that it will be a good one.

Every shift, as I walk in the door, I say hi to the host/hostess.  This is my signal that I am here and that they can seat me a table when they come to my name in the rotation.  Rotation, let's talk about that for a minute.  The servers at my workplace are put on a list from first in to last out.  It is procedure for first in to get the first 2 or three tables that come in and then the hostess is required to start rotation.  This is something that is almost always followed except when you have, we'll call her Marjorie, at the stand.

I stop by the host stand, per my ritual, say hi to Marjorie, look at the floor plan to see what my section will be and then make my way to the kitchen.  As I'm walking I notice my section is empty which excites me because I know I won't have to wait for my section to empty before I can actually start working. Or so I thought. As I get my uniform in order I take a second to look out into the dining room.  To my surprise, Marjorie has sat my section already so I scurry to the time clock to clock in, only 10 minutes early by the way.  Walking out of the kitchen I notice another server greeting my table, or so I thought.  Not only had Marjorie sat my section, she had this other server pick up the table as if she hadn't just spoke to me a few minutes before.

I instantly was irritated and this is why.  The server who took the table, well, his section was adjacent to mine, and empty I might add.  Now normally the other server would consult with you and it would be decided that you would just trade a table so we would be equal.  This, however, was not the case.  There was no trade.  On top of that, Marjorie proceeded to then fill his entire station.  This left me with only one empty table in my section (servers are only allowed 2 and 3 table sections).

Now, I'm seeing red.  I made my way back to the kitchen to wait for "Barry" so I could make another attempt to convince him to let me have one of his tables.  Not an option, so I make a joke saying "You have 30 minutes to get that table turned".  A few laughs were exchanged and he disappeared back into the dining room.

At this point I am not only growing more irritated with Barry but I am furious with Marjorie. See, Marjorie thinks that it is more important that her friends, all of which are single and have no children, are more important than everyone else and that they need the money more so she will ALWAYS proceed to sit and fill their stations for them regardless of where they are on the rotation.  She will always make sure her friends stations stay full all night until they are cut.  She seems to think that no one else could possibly need to make more money than her friends.  Like I don't have children to put through school, or a mortgage payment every month, car payment, utility bills, etc.

These concerns have been brought to the managers attention many times by numerous people and still nothing is being done.  Now, I could be like some of the other servers and confront her about the situation however, then I wouldn't make any money ever.  I can picture my section now, little mini dust tornadoes blowing by followed by the tumbleweeds.  It would look like an old, abandoned, western town...no one in sight.

Needless to say, my table was occupied for 2 1/2 hours.  On a night where I would normally break $100 not closing, I walked with $75.  So disappointing!

Anyways, I had to vent and will probably do so, often.  Any advice on how to handle the situation will be welcomed and appreciated.  Now I'm off to play another round of the "waiting game".  Ciao!

Introducing...The Waiting Game

Well, I guess I should start out by introducing myself to the world.  My name is "Terry" and as you may have figured out by my blog title I am a waitress.  I've been in the biz for a lot of years and consider myself a "service professional".

I am very new to this blogging thing but am really excited to start sharing some of my experiences and maybe learn a few things in the process. 

Over the past few months I have been reading blogs and articles related to the hospitality industry and have contemplated for quite a while now on whether I should start my own blog.  Going over the pros and cons.  Everything I have been reading so far has been very informative as well as entertaining and I can definitely relate to alot of subjects.  So, all in all, I think this will be a great experience for me and serve as an outlet to share my stories, vent a little, and possibly give/receive some advice from others who share in my pain...lol.

So, please, sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.