If you go into a restaurant these days the person who seats
you is usually your server for as long as you are in your seat, however, if you
are observant and have worked in a restaurant at any point in your life, you’ll
notice a few interesting things that will make you very upset. Recently I went into a chain restaurant on a
holiday and was appalled at what I saw as I observed the restaurant, tables
were cluttered with dirty dishes, meanwhile, there was a line out the door
waiting for a table. The manager looked
at the dirty tables and went back to her cup of coffee, while her wait staff
floundered and didn’t bother to clear those dirty tables. The coffee cup was dirty on the rim when it was
delivered to my table, glass with my orange juice was also dirty. Other customers
around me were nervously waiting for their food, at the tune of about 25
minutes for pancakes and eggs. The cook apparently wasn’t a short-order cook
because he couldn’t deliver orders in a timely manner. He was to busy hitting
the bathroom often enough to get my attention. The wait staff was no cup of tea
either, they were terrible, and it’s not just the wait staff at that one
restaurant, I’ve noticed this same lack of attention to details at other
restaurants I’ve been to lately. Servers aren’t enjoying helping customers, except
a few, however, this new crew of servers wonders why their tips are lacking that
20% amount, then they bitch about the customers when they don’t make any money
for the nights' shift.
Back in the day when I worked in restaurants as a waitress
or bartender, I was required to fill condiments, restock the bar and ensure
that the next shift isn’t floundering when they enter the restaurant when my
shift was over. I never complained about tips, because I took care of my
customers to the point where they always tipped me over 20%. As a result of
my experience as a waitress and bartender, I start at 30% when I sit down at the table in a restaurant and deduct from there based on the service, I am offered
by the wait staff.
My suggestion to those in the service industry who are
reading this blog post, I would suggest that you think twice before you go to
work on your next shift. In the meantime, I would suggest that when you enter
that restaurant next, you look around and observe the customers and their
table. If their coffee cup is half empty, grab the coffee pot and walk around
and offer to refill their cup, the same goes with their water or soda glasses. If
there are dirty dishes on the table remove them and ask them if they’d like
something else. Fill the condiments in between taking care of tables, fill the
sugar, salt and pepper shakers. Set the table up with silverware and napkins to
help save YOU time when the rush comes in. Put a smile on your face too. Leave
your attitude at home and come to work with a good mood and personality so that
your customers feel you are happy they chose your restaurant for their meal.
You’ll get more tips that way. I never
walked out of a shift with less than $250 bucks in my pocket in tips. If you
treat your customers the way you want to be treated when you go to a restaurant,
you’ll make more tips and be happier to go to work. If your manager refuses to
bus a table, you should seriously consider changing restaurants because that
manager is a waste of space and not a leader.
Author Elizabeth Kilbride is a former political operative,
author, scriptwriter, historian, journalist, business professional, and
creative artist. Although she has been out of the loop for a while, she is back
with a powerful opinion and voice in how this country and the entertainment
industry has gone off course. She is determined to bring to light the issues in
a clear and opinionated voice.
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