So as I said, this could be a functional place for people to come and vent right?
Over the past several years I have learned more times than not that no matter what the problem at a table, it will be taken out on me. Screaming child, bad day at work, husband made a comment about the mother-in-law, and then the traditional, cold food, burger not cooked to the proper temperature, we need a refill, all as I continue to try and see their glass as half full.
These are minor set-backs that I have learned to cope with along the path of choosing my battles. However, sometimes when tested to see how much we can take, certain battles seem well worth the fight. This past weekend I had the privilege of taking care of a family that to say the least, was quite needy. Every time I went back tot he table they needed something, not a big deal except for the small fact that I was serving them on our patio and the kitchen is clear in the rear of the restaurant. Again, not that I mind to make the journey, but when other people around them need attention too, sometimes it is necessary to refresh the kindergarten lesson that we al learn of waiting your turn.
This group incorporated two children with no manners, a father just trying to celebrate his birthday, and a wife and her mother who took, literally, 4-5 minutes to oder the burger that they were going to split. Doesn’t sound that bad, right? They took 5 minutes to order because, although the mother liked her burgers prepared medium-rare, the daughter wanted hers medium-well. They wanted me to have the burger, that they were going to split, prepared at two totally different temperatures! I explained that this was not possible, to which the wife turned to her mother and insisted that she be the one to compromise. The rest of the dining experience was interesting to say the least with the back and forth trips, special needs, and thier ability to consume beverages at the rate in which light travels.
Although taking care of these folks was a chore, the rest of my evening was spent taking care of kind and understanding individuals. Moral of the story, for every table that causes a thorn in my side, there are ten others that make up the simplicity of a rose.
As a child my mom always told me to choose my battles. Back then this meant, let your brother have the good swing. Now, I hold this lesson as a way to deal not only with those that I am taking care of, but also those in which I work with behind the scenes.
Life is full of choices. Who knew that working in a restaurant would help me to help make the choices of when to speak up, and when to listen, smile, nod, and call my mom on the way home to tell her all about it!
Until next time-
Amanda
2 responses so far ↓
Alexa // April 22, 2008 at 8:26 pm
As a fellow server, I too understand and can relate to these tedious and unrealistic expectations.
This weekend we were short a server. As a result, I was given an extra table in my station. No biggie, I have done this a hundred times before. At our restaurant we have a policy that everyone is to work as a team. Run the oldest drinks, salads, soups first. What has happened though is that management has allowed it to become every man for himself. So although the hostess double sat me and I was doing everything that was required of me to accommodate my tables, I received a complaint. While I was greeting my guests and while servers in the back should have been running my soup to the table, they ran their own. And there in the window mine sat. By the time I got around to getting back there to check on it, it was too late. My guests decided they no longer wanted the soup, and no matter what I offered them, I could not appease them. The moral of this tale is that I can’t be everywhere at once. The customer made sure in her complaint to state that I was a “dear” and had extensive menu knowledge and that aside from the soup incident was quite pleasant. It just annoys me. I think everyone should have to serve tables once in their life. Only then will you truly appreciate that behind the scene, that server is scrambling to make sure your needs and the needs of 12 other guests are being met, by running food, answering questions, putting in orders, running drinks, doing side work, giving menu presentations and still wearing a smile. It’s a lot harder than it looks and most of the time we make it look effortless. I just hope that some might take a lesson from this and give their server a little bit of slack. I’d like to see them do it better.
What’s worse, is that people only make the time to complain. Although I give fabulous service on a regular basis; (This is the first complaint I have had during my year and a half of employment there) no one ever bothers to write and mention the wonderful service they have received. Trust me, we would like to hear that we have actually done something right every once in a while.
amandatroy // April 22, 2008 at 10:27 pm
I know, right?!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every restaurant left comment cards on tables?
Even if it does mean taking the good with the bad, at Bob evans we used to get some great comment cards that were posted in our breakroom. Also, in taking the negative complaints we really just had the opportunity to grow.
So many guests do not take into account the number of people that we are taking care of, sometimes far exceeding 20.
Alexa I agree with you completly that everyone should have to serve at least once, even if only for a shift to see what it is all about. Either that or they should read Nickle and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich as she discusses her experience working in a restaurant as an undercover reporter. Honestly, it is one of the best pieces of literature that I feel I have ever read.