I still wait tables. Yup, sadly being Thirtysomething doesn't mean that I get to quit that - yet. It's not my full-time job, it's something I do to supplement my more socially acceptable day job that pays less than I used to earn as a 3/4 time server.
Now, the majority of people will read this and think it doesn't apply to them. That's because you're probably not a horrible person and as a general rule you are not inconsiderate. I hate to tell you, but there's a darn good chance you've done these things but managed to justify it in your mind at the time. Of course, there isn't time for me to list all of my rants right now, but we'll start with a holiday favorite.
RESERVATIONS
There is a reason people make them - and reasons that most restaurants take them. They save everybody from getting frustrated. Or so they should. Now, I don't doubt that there are restaurants that don't hold up their end of the bargain, however, the majority of my serving experience was in an upscale chain restaurant (see definition of oxymoron) and like any good chain, they always erred on the side of the guest. So, if you made a reservation for say, 8 people at 6 o'clock, they would likely just not even seat that table during the dinner service before you arrived - just to make sure YOU got your table at the promised time. Which would mean that the server who started perhaps at 5pm would get the joy of watching an empty table for an hour. You may have heard this, but servers earn their living from tips and empty tables don't tip.
You cry out, but that's not my fault - that's the restaurant's fault! True. But it's how it works to make sure you don't have to wait. Now picture it being 6:10pm. No one has shown up yet. Now, the restaurant will err on your side once again, presuming that you must just be running a bit late. At last! The first member of the party arrives! And finally, by 6:45 you are all there. Joy!
Motherfu....
Sadly, that's a better case scenario. Chances are, at 6:45, there are either only 6 of you who are now coming (which means perhaps you could have been sat at another table, rather than two tables pushed together) or you are getting snarky with the 17 year old hostess because there are now 12 of you and you just can't possibly understand why there isn't another table you can sit at. Gee, if only you had made a RESERVATION.
Another favorite is the extremely large party. Oh yes, a reservation for 45 people please! So the restaurant calls in extra staff, fusses over getting the tables set up etc etc. And then 27 of you show up. Oops! you say, I guess we all couldn't make it. Chances are you people also order soup and salad for dinner instead of real entrees. So now the restaurant loses money because they had to turn down other reservations or walk in traffic while they waited to see how many of you were actually going to show up and the servers lose money because all the tips need to be split evenly and they are overstaffed by at least one person. The only potential winners here are maybe the kitchen staff because they are now overstaffed and can go for a few more smoke breaks.
Ok, enough of a rant on this topic for now, I'm sure there will be more; every week I'm reminded why I can't wait to give up serving tables.
Happy holidays! (*formerly known as Merry Christmas!)
No comments:
Post a Comment