Lone Waitress

On the Verge

2010-06-11T06:46:00.000-07:00

I have been on the verge of quitting the bar lately. Every week I get several calls to work for someone hours before the shift. The longest notice I have been given was roughly 12 hours on Memorial Day. The Tuesday opening bartender wanted me to work for her.

The final straw came yesterday. I had worked the lunch shift and was just turning down my street looking forward to nothing more than a shower when my phone rang. When I saw it was work I thought maybe I had a check left open or something so I answered. It was my boss saying that he needed someone to work that night at 5. It was 3. I told him I'd rather not, the nice way to tell your boss to F off. He actually told me that sometimes we need to do things we don't want to do and that they needed someone to work. I get that, but it's not really my problem, is it? I already worked that day and I work open to close on Fridays. Seriously, piss off. He got mad and said he would call me back.

He never called me back so after an hour of waiting around smelling like grease and bar I finally called him. He was cheerful on the phone and had found someone to work. Great. But then he asks me about working Sunday and Monday. I hate being put on the spot about working. Is it strange that I like to take a minute to think about it? I told him I might be able to do Sunday, but I'd let him know for sure the next day. Several hours later I got a voicemail from him saying I would be working Sunday. Does he not listen?

I am seriously close to quitting. I am tired of people only asking me to work last minute, but asking others in advance. It really backs me in to a position where I always have to say no and the owners think I am not willing to help.

I really think they need to hire more employees. Let one of the waitresses cover bar shifts and hire another part time waitress. Two waitresses and four bartenders are not enough to run a place smoothly.

I never thought I'd say this...

2010-06-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I miss waitressing on Friday nights. I have been bartending for about a month now and have seen the other side of things. People at the bar are annoying. They may not be rude in the same way as customers at tables, but they are rude. The thing I miss most about waitressing is the movement of it all. Bartending I feel like I am in a little box, moving back and forth. Sometimes I feel like I am in a pinball machine, bouncing off one side of the bar to another. It's like a crazy dance and at the end of the night all I want to do is sit down.

One thing I am thankful for when bartending is not having to serve on the patio. I hate the patio. That will never change.

Things are changing

2010-04-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

I learned today at work that one of our bartenders who has been acting like a manager has actually been given the title. I'm not sure what this truly means since there are only 7 employees in the front of the house. To me it would be more appropriate to call her "head bartender" since we don't really have a need for another manager. It's been a long time since I've worked for a manager that was not part owner, but I seem to remember managers being people that had to help out when it got unusually busy and coordinate scheduling. I hardly see that happening with this girl. I don't often use names, but the bartender I am referring to is Chris.

Another development is the bartender that got fired. Out of respect for her I am not going in to any more detail than my last post about why she is no longer with the company. I will say, though, that I have been given her Friday night bartending shift. I am excited to begin this as it should mean better tips and a bit more fun than waiting tables. I will, however, miss some of my regulars. There are quite a few that I have been serving on Friday nights for about 2 years now and a handful are a pleasure to serve. The girl replacing me on Friday nights is not what I would call fast, but I am trying to stay optimistic about her ability to handle the rushes we sometimes get.

On a more personal note, my dog and I have passed the Canine Good Citizen test and we are on to the next challenge. Soon we should be registered with the Delta Society as a therapy team and will be able to visit hospitals, schools, and nursing homes.

Oh Wow...

2010-04-22T16:40:00.000-07:00

So the drama of a small bar has reached its height. I can't really go in to too much detail now, but here's the basics:

One of the people at my work got fired today. Not sure if this will actually be a permanent firing or a temporary one. I guess that depends on how rehab goes.
The waitressing shifts were promptly given to a new waitress who wants to quit her other job. No biggie since no one else wanted the shifts. The bartending shift however...there is drama. None of the other bartenders want the shift, but I do. I already waitress that night so they need to find a person to take my shift. It's a Friday night, a good night to waitress (especially on a one server floor). For some reason no one wants the shift. They don't want to work weekends. I have no idea what is going to end up happening with this, but I am staying out of it. Yes, I want the shift, but they all know that. Either I get it or I don't.

I have decided that I like not being involved in the drama. I'd much rather hear about it than be pulled in to it!

Not a Darn Thing

2010-04-08T15:16:00.001-07:00

Nothing much is going on at my work lately other than some employee drama. Yes, even with a small group of employees there is plenty of drama. I think it comes with the heavy drinking that seems to be a requirement to work in the industry. I prefer not to drink much. We're talking maybe 3 drinks a month or less. Maybe this is why I am not really good friends with the other people I work with. They all seem to make plans together that I am left out of. Don't get me wrong, there's no sadness in that for me. With the stories I hear about their outings...I'm better off staying at home.
So this post is taking a more personal turn isn't it? I guess that's bound to happen when business is slow and the weather is keeping the oddball customers home.

Things may be changing at the bar soon. Two of the employees seem close to confessing to drinking problems and another insists on coming in late every shift. Keep in mind there are less than a dozen of us. I will be happy to stay out of the whole dramatic thing. I have enough to worry about with school and other obligations.

This semester makes my first at a local university rather than the community college. It's amazing how little community college did to prepare me for "real" college! I am finding that my grades are not as good as I became accustomed to. I have had to dedicate more time to each class than in the past.
Also, after 6 months of training my dog will be testing for the AKC's Canine Good Citizen test in less than a week. If we are able to pass this test we can move on to our ultimate goal and begin training as a therapy team. I can't wait to become therapy certified and begin visiting local nursing homes and hospitals.
Lastly, I am possibly going to be involved as a witness in a lawsuit pertaining to an accident I was involved in over 2 years ago. That, my friends, is no fun. Trust me. Even the anticipation of this is no fun.

I know this is not the type of post you have come to expect from me, but sometimes there's nothing going on at the bar. I just can't stay silent until something happens.

Patio Days

2010-04-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

My work will most certainly be opening the patio today since it will be roughly 80 out. Next week will be back to the 60's, but the bar doesn't close the patio on a day to day basis. While I enjoy the summer and the business the nice weather brings, I hate the crazy people who want to eat lunch on the patio in sweltering 95 degree weather, the people who can't let go of summer in the end and want to sit out there when the weather drops back in to the 60's, and the people who expect to receive service when it begins to rain.

This is the first place I have worked that had a patio. Is it normal to run it like this? My boss's attitude is if someone wants to sit out there, we serve them no matter the weather. What would you do in this situation? I am tempted to tell people that there is no table service when the weather is wet, sweltering hot, or cold to the point that I want to wear a coat. Would you?

How is this my fault?

2010-02-25T06:50:00.000-08:00

"Hey, that lady said that she waited for 9 minutes before she got a drink when she came in." Manager G started in. He was pointing in the direction of the entire bar area of the building.

"Which lady?" I ask, straining to see beyond the people at the bar to the tables. I didn't have anyone sitting on that side of the building, but it was possible I missed someone if they were standing.

"That one." He continues pointing in the same direction.

"At a table?" I ask.

"No. M______." He finally tell me. M______ is a woman who comes in several times a week. She is friends with Chris and Stacy and is usually very nice. She came in at 2 in the afternoon. It is now about 8 at night.

"But she's at the bar." I tell him, confused.

"She said that when she came you were sitting at the bar ignoring her. She said she looked at her watch to see how long it would take to get a drink and it was 9 minutes."

What is this? I am waitressing!

"I didn't know where Chris was when M______ sat down so I gave her a chance to come back. She hadn't asked me to watch the bar, and I had tables I was taking care of. After about a minute or two I started looking for Chris to tell her someone was at the bar. She was talking with a customer on the restaurant side but was on her way back to the bar so I didn't say anything. It was only about 2 minutes."

"Why didn't you get Chris right away? Or get the customer a drink? She said she was pissed because she thought you were the bartender and you were ignoring her." His tone is angry and accusatory. I am actually getting in trouble for this. M______ knows I don't bartend on Fridays. She's friends with Chris and knows she works every Friday. But then, she can't complain about her friend, can she?

"G, no one asked me to watch the bar. I have talked to the girls about this and they prefer I don't help their customers unless they ask me to watch the bar. Besides, it was only a minute. I didn't know where she was and for all I knew she'd be back in a minute anyway."

"Well I don't believe that at all. We all help each other out here. We like helping each other out!"

"Yes, but I didn't want to step on her toes." I give up. Somehow this has been made my fault. "I'm sorry G."

How the hell can the bartender not doing her job be my fault? Is it part of my job to know where the bartender is all the time, to track her down no matter where she is to let her know immediately when a new customer comes in? To help her customers when she is not there? I can tell you, no one does it for me.

This is crap.

The party that made me cry last year

2010-01-30T07:33:00.000-08:00

Remember this? This group scheduled another event for a recent Friday night. I found out when I came in for the first half of my double that day.

This year, there was no second server asked to come in, no second bartender, and almost no manager. The day manager had to leave early and the night manager had to come in late so the third manager came for the interim. Since he is also an owner, and was not "really" working, and the party consisted of several of his friends, he sipped coctails the entire time, never forgetting to ask me from time to time if I needed anything.

I did my best to keep up with the party, but since it was an open bar many of them simply walked up there. I caught them sometimes, sometimes I didn't. No one really cared either way which was wonderful.

Near the end of the open bar I was making my round back to the dining room when I saw two guys rush in to my path. My path happened to be through the employee area containing the pass through for the kitchen. Before I could say anything, the host of the party, and friend of our owners, said loudly "Can we help you guys?"
One of the two said aggressively that they wanted to order food and they had been waiting 15 minutes for service. I knew this was bull but politely told them I would be more than happy to take their order. They walked back to a table and I followed with two menus. There was a third person sitting at the table and I apologized for not bringing enough menus but was told it was OK. I proceeded to take their drink order; two long islands, no ice (as I was told 4 times), and a water for the one with no ID (no I can not accept a traffic ticket. I need a photo ID). While I was carding the guy who wanted the second long island the first started ordering their food. It wasn't a complicated order, but with two different food items and one drink order being told to me at once I decided to write it down. I asked them to please wait a second and pulled out some paper and a pen. While I'm doing this they repeat their order. As I am writing the drink orders I again ask them to wait a minute. They repeat their order again. Annoying and rude since this is all being done with an attitude on their part. I begin to write slowly. After a second I repeat part of the order to prompt them to continue from there. They speak slowly like I am not intelligent enough to understand normal speech.

I make their long islands, which look like diarrhea in a glass since it is mostly mix rather than liquor. Upon bringing the drinks and set ups to the table the most obnoxious of the three begins to ask me "Hey girl, what time you get off baby?" and "Damn, you sure are fine from behind." I ignore the second comment and, to the first, respond that last call is at 1:30. "You got a man baby girl?" "What his name?" I smile and walk away without answering.

Every time I walk past the table the obnoxious one asks where their food is. The first three times I tell him it is still cooking and I wil bring it out as soon as it is ready. After that I ignore the question.
Finally their food is ready. When I deliver it the obnoxious one asks for more ranch. I run something to another table and then proceed to get the ranch. As I am at the condiment station (sad ranch is considered a condiment now) I overhear a confrontation between the host of the party and the obnoxious guy at the table. I quickly get my manager and a verbal confrontation between the two men and the obnoxious guy ensues. After about a minute, my manager gets fed up and kicks them out. He delivers their bill himself and makes sure they pay it. Do I even need to say he's my favorite of the three to work with?

So I don't think I will be crying over a talk with management this year. As annoying and uncomfortable as the situation with the three guys was, I'd prefer that to getting a lecture from management that makes me tear up and fear for my job.

Is this exceptionally difficult?

2010-01-23T07:50:00.000-08:00

I had two different tables the other day confused over what starting a tab means and what paying as you go means. I didn't think it was a complex concept.

I brought one girl her beer and asked if she wanted to pay as she went or start a tab. She asked if she could just pay after she had her beer. Umm, yes. That is running a tab. I told her sure and asked for a card or an ID to keep the tab open. She gave me a credit card and told me she wanted to pay cash at the end. I assured her that was fine, but she continued telling me she didn't want to see any charges on her card and why do I need a card anyway? I again told her I could hold an ID instead of a card, but she said it was OK.

The other table ordered a round that totaled over $20. When I brought the round I posed the same question. One of the men at the table gave me a very confused look and said "I guess we'll figure it out on the next round." Seriously?
I politely told him that unfortunately I needed to either give my bar money for the round or a credit card or ID to keep the tab open. Again I get a confused look, but he hands me money for the round.

It seems these things happen in groups. I won't get attitudes about holding cards for tabs for months and then suddenly everyone takes issue with it. For two years I have been posing the "pay as you go or start a tab" question in the same way without any confusion and suddenly no one gets it.

On another note, I had the most annoying child in my section the other day. The parents allowed the kid to unroll all the silverware on my newly-set tables while I was checking with the kitchen on their food. 40 sets of silverware that needed to be rewashed and rolled because parents couldn't be bothered to watch their own children in public. The same child was also stopped from pushing open the front door and leaving the restaurant by a customer drinking at the bar.

Hungry

2010-01-17T08:52:00.000-08:00

I am tired of not being able to eat the meal I order (and have to pay for) while I am working. That is all.

Annoying People Come in Groups

2010-01-16T06:49:00.000-08:00

It was a Friday night and I was almost ready to be cut. There were 2 hours til close, but I had only had 2 tables for the last few hours and they were getting ready to close out. Being at the bar for 13 hours without a chance to sit for even a minute had made me tired and my feet hurt. As I was bringing the check to the first of the two tables ready to close out a couple of girls walked in the front door. They stood by the bar for a few minutes before turning and walking to the dining room and seating themselves. With an internal sigh I walked over to greet them. After taking their drink order the second of my tables asked for their check.

I quickly ran the check out to the appropriate table and went back to the POS. As I was ringing the drink order in, 2 young guys walked in the door and up to the register. They needed a table. With another internal sigh and an outward smile I grabbed menus and sat them at a booth, taking their drink order immediately. When I returned with their drinks, the taller of the two said they were ready to order. His friend looked at him and said he needed more time. I told them I would return shortly.

After dropping off the drinks for the two women, another table walked in. I seated them and asked for their drink order. They spent 5 minutes asking me the prices for various drinks and beer, as well as our drink specials for the day. In an attempt to speed up the process I told them our specials were listed on an insert on the table. One of the kids (they were all between 22 and 24 but acted like kids) told me, as a joke, he couldn't read. After finally extracting an order for food from one of the four and drink order from another I told them I would return. On my way to enter their order, I gathered the check from the earlier table and went to the register to close it out. As I was doing this, the tall guy came to the register and started telling me his order. I smiled and entered the order before scooting off to the bar to gather the drink for the kid's table.

The kids had a few more questions and the proceeded to play argue with me standing there. After a minute of this I asked if they would like me to return. The illiterate guy ordered a drink. Back up to the POS. The tall guy was there waiting for me. I told him I would come to his table in a second, thinking he would sit back down. Nope. He waited at the register for me as I dropped off the drink that had been ordered. Smiling, I told him I would have come to his table to get his order. Keep in mind, tall guy and his friend were not waiting long, and I was visible to them the entire time, so they knew I was occupied. Maybe they aren't used to going out to restaurants? He seemed to prefer to order at a counter.

Eventually tall guy's table and the kids were fed and happy. The kids split their check and one paid while the other joked he was going to walk out on his as he sauntered over to the bar. I told him he would need to close out with me if he were sitting there and promptly got his check, which went unpaid for another 30 minutes though he ordered nothing. Seems he preferred to lean against the bar making out with his girlfriend. Tall guy and his friend paid and left.

Throughout all this, the two women had issues with their drinks. First, the mai-tai had too much juice so I added more grenadine making it a sickly bright pink. The the long island had too much sour so I added more coke, making it look dark brown. Their waters also tasted "wrong".

I practically ran out the door as soon as all my tables were closed out at last call.

I Was Right

2010-01-02T06:55:00.000-08:00

Last night there were 16 people in the bar when I arrived. Between 5 and 9, only 8 new people arrived, and most of the people already there left.

The bartender called in sick and since I am also a bartender there, they decided that I could work the bar. They felt they didn't need a waitress after all. I was a bit upset about this at first. I had tried to get that night off a month ago but was unable to find someone to work the shift. In the end, they decided they didn't need a waitress so I should have been sent home.

All in all, I had a fun night. It was all regulars there and they were playing music all night. One of them offered to play any songs I wanted to cheer me up. When my songs came on, some of the regulars asked who played the songs and I admitted it was me. They cheered. I guess they liked my taste in music.

We ended up closing at 10. I doubt they will try to be open next year.

Open New Year's Day

2010-01-01T07:31:00.001-08:00

My bar has decided that we will be open today. Not just during the day, but at night as well. I am not hopeful for the evening. Even the clubs and college bars are closed today. If anyone is going out drinking tonight, it's going to be the college kids.

Management thinks that we will be busy because it is a Friday. I think it will not be busy because it is New Year's Day. Let's see who's right.

Ordering by Colour

2009-12-27T06:41:00.000-08:00

"What NE beer do you have?" The man on the other side of the bar was wearing a Nascar shirt under a flannel and ripped jeans. He had pronounced "NE" like "any".

"I'm sorry?"

"NE beer...no alcohol." He replied.

"Oh, we have O'Douls." I said with a slight smile, trying not to laugh.

"What kind?"

"The original."

"Red or green?"

"We have the original, in the green bottle."

"OK. Green O'Douls."

Later, they ordered more "white sauce" for their wings. The waitress asked if they wanted ranch or bleu cheese. Their reply? "The white sauce. White."

Sometimes I feel obsolete

2009-12-17T15:38:00.000-08:00

44. 3. 15. 7.
Number of people at the party: 44
Number of hours the party lasted: 3
Number of drinks I served: 15
Tips made off those drinks: $7

I stayed late today to work a holiday party. The party started while I still had several lunch tables, so after getting the first to arrive's round of drinks I checked on my tables. When I returned (the party was on the bar side of the building) there was a small group at the bar. No big deal, I'll get them next time. Except I never did.
Several people started tabs with the bar.
Several others told me they wanted to see what we had on tap and did not want me to recite the list to them. "I'll just look." and while they were up there they just ordered from the bartender.
People were sitting at the bar and crowding around the tables making it impossible to serve them. Every time I checked on them I was told they needed nothing but several seconds later would see them at the bar.

I hate holiday parties.
How would you feel in this situation?

Other People's Parties

2009-12-11T06:52:00.000-08:00

Anyone else hate working these?

My bar tends to have many parties scheduled the week before Christmas. Lucky me, I get to work 3 of them. One is an afternoon party that ends a few hours after I usually am able to leave work. Because of this party, I have to skip a class I have been taking that night every week for the past few months. The joy.

The next day there are two parties scheduled. One of them we have no time on yet. The other is for 100 people. Management has decided that they want a second person working that party with me, which would be great except they want to station her at a beer tub "since most of them drink beer anyway." This means that majority of the people taking up tables on my shift will be going to her for their drinks and I will be left with the few stragglers that want mixed drinks. Part of me understands why the person they are bringing in gets to do the beer tub, but the other part of me thinks this is incredibly unfair.
This is my shift. I depend on this shift to pay my bills and giving majority of the customers to the person who is not usually scheduled to work this shift cuts in to my pay. I will have almost no extra tables on that day with the party of 100 and possibly the other party, 20 people, taking up all the tables and standing space in the bar. Not to mention that these are cash parties and I am not getting gratuity for either. And being cash parties, the customers will not feel like they have to wait for the server to come by and will probably just go to the bar.
Management is so disorganized too. No one can tell me how these parties will be set up, when they end, or when one of them starts! I don't know if there will be a buffet or if I will be taking orders off the menu. How can they expect me to provide good service if they can't give me any idea about the structure or plan of the party?

OK, complaints over. Now I will suck it up and just work the parties the best I can.

Stupid Things Customers Say

2009-12-06T06:32:00.000-08:00

Customers say some really silly things, don't they? Sometimes I am so appreciative of these little comments and questions. They make me smile, laugh, and give me plenty to talk about with other employees.

1) "I'll have the half pound angus burger, with cheese and mushrooms. Can I get that with Swiss?" Basically a Mushroom Swiss Burger off the menu. Why they can't just order what it says on the menu I will never understand. Another variation on this is the customer that orders the "half pound angus burger" and wants to know what they can get on it. We have a menu for that exact purpose. And all our burgers are half pound angus, so just order from the menu. No need to specify. I will not try to slip you the kids quarter pound burger just because you didn't say you wanted the half pound.

2) "Do you have a bathroom?" Umm, yes. We have a bathroom.

3) "What beer do you have on tap?" After listing the dozen that we carry they order a basic Miller Lite.

4) Asking me what comes on a sandwich. Our menu contains descriptions of all items, so read it. Yes, I know what comes on the sandwich, but just read.

5) "Is the [random item from the menu] any good?" Do you really want to ask me this? If you like pasta and sauce then you will like the mostaccoli.

6) At the end of a bartending shift I will tell customer I am leaving and ask if they want to close out their tab or just have me transfer it to the next bartender. After telling me to leave it open they will catch me on my way out the door, "Oh, are you leaving? I guess I'll tip you next time."

7) "Smile!" Do I need to elaborate on this one?

8) "You are more friendly when you're bartending." Um, yeah. I suppose that when you are sitting at the bar and I am waitressing, I may not seem as "friendly" (i.e. talking to you for more than two minutes). Think about this...I have customers sitting on each end of the restaurant, whom I can't see when I am standing at the bar talking to you. I have twice as many customers than the bar and must walk three times more to serve them than the bartender. They are all drinking at different paces, and I (surprise!) do not have time to stand around and chat with you. I am working. I am talking to my customers. You are not my customer. Yes, I enjoy talking to you, but I enjoy making money more. Ironically, the same people that say this when they are sitting at the bar make it a point to tell me that I am a better waitress than specific others who, I might add, do stand around talking to the bar customers instead of their tables. I know alcohol has certain effects, but can we at least try some higher thinking here?

The Holiday Season is Upon Us

2009-12-02T06:11:00.000-08:00

This will be my third holiday season at the bar. Over the last two years I have noticed a trend in customer attitudes and comments during this time.
Customers tend to complain about me during this time. Since I cannot see a difference in my attitude or quality of service, I can only discern that it is the customers that change as the holiday season approaches and shortly after; between November and January.
Customers get more demanding. Maybe this is because they are shopping for everyone they know and spending copious amounts of money on things they will be giving away and probably want to keep for themselves. Maybe it is that at the bar they are spending money on something they cannot keep and expect me to fill them with a happy, warm feeling they can take home with them. This I have no problem with other than it is difficult to know what will have that effect on each person, and that when I am serving 75 plus people I may not have the time required to fill each one with squishy warm feelings as they munch on their hot wings and down more cheap beer than I could drink in a week.
Maybe the retail stores are to blame. During the holiday season, retail workers tend to up their game. They greet customers with more enthusiasm than they have shown all their customers combined throughout the rest of the year. They follow customers around the store and seem to fall over themselves to help each one with their every need. Please don't mistake me here. I am not saying anything I mean to be taken in a negative manner toward these employees. I know they have to deal with their own brand of annoying customers and irritable managers and I applaud their ability to keep the smile on their faces and the annoyance out of their voices. However, when customers are flooded with this type of customer service in stores, which they all are due to the amount of shopping everyone does in preparation for the holidays, they tend to expect this level of service everywhere. I am more than happy to give them my best customer service, but the levels and type available at a bar or restaurant is different than that at a retail store. I am unable to follow customers every move anticipating what they need. I think they would be annoyed if I were to do a table check every 5 minutes, though this is what they act like they expect.
I have already seen customers begin their ridiculous complaints (Dine-in only Specials, Charging for juice, and some jerk who thought getting my attention meant sitting there in silence ). This year should be fun.

At least Let me Say Sorry

2009-11-29T09:41:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while I will cover the night shift behind the bar. Usually it is a day that I am already working so I end up being there for a solid 15 hour shift. Working the night shift is much different from the afternoon shift. During the afternoon, people rarely do shots, usually eat food, and are not there to get wasted. At night it is a free for all of drunken patrons trying to get as drunk as possible before last call.

One of the nights I covered happened to be karaoke night at the bar which always brings in a large group of winners. Some of the tables weren't tipping the waitress so she gave up on them and let them come to the bar. This is fine with me as it means less for the bartender to take a hit on tips than the server. Most of these people go to the bar anyway, so they didn't take offense to her absence. I did notice, however, that the same people that never tipped me when I waitress were tipping me as the bartender. Pretty messed up.

One group in particular got to me and the waitress that night. There are small two-top tables right along the sides of the bar and many times people at the bar will confiscate these tables to accommodate a larger group. This group ends up ordering from the bar rather than the waitress out of convenience. I had a group of about 9 doing just this that night. 5 of them were at the bar and the other 4 were at two of these small tables. They were rotating where they were sitting throughout the night.

At one point I was so busy I felt like my head was spinning. People were at the bar two deep and the waitress couldn't get past them to serve the tables so it seemed like everyone was coming up to the bar. People were also ordering "chilled" shots like mad. "Chilled" shots take longer to make. Not by much, but they do. If I have someone waiting for a bottle of beer I am likely to get that before beginning the shots. Anyway, one guy from this table/bar group had moved to sit at the bar. I was making my rounds slowly enough so that if someone needed anything and I wasn't noticing they could call out or flag me down while I was refilling the obviously empty drinks. Soon I hear the waitress calling my name. She explains to me that this guy at the bar asked her for shots. She told him she couldn't serve him because he was sitting at the bar but she would tell me. He argued with her that he had been trying to get my attention for a long time and would go sit at a table. After saying this he got up and stood by the table. She still felt uncomfortable with this so she told him she would get me. He sat back down at the bar. As soon as she told me I went over to confirm his shot order. He denied needing anything several times before telling me that he had been trying to get my attention for a long time and I "missed it". I began to apologize, but he cut me off saying "you missed it." The person next to him needed a drink so while I was getting their order I tried apologizing again, but he cut me off with the same remark. This happened one more time before I walked away without another word. He then got up and went to a table and ordered the shots from the waitress. I am not ashamed to say that I chilled those shots good and they were probably quite watered down. You don't have to like that you couldn't get my attention, but what does being rude to the bartender accomplish really?

When she delivered the shots, the guy (she says) yelled at her about telling me he wanted shots. I really don't see the issue here. He wanted shots, couldn't get my attention, the waitress got my attention, and I tried to serve him immediately. I don't think he was trying very hard as I was on that side of the bar serving others and would have heard a "hey you", "excuse me", or seen someone waving at me. I had even served the person to his right and his friends to his left during the time he was sitting there. One of the orders was for chilled shots which means I was standing there for a good 30 seconds pouring them. In my experience, this would be when people who needed something would get my attention. I am not a mind reader and was too busy to stop and ask every person at the bar if I could get them anything.
After all this, the guy's girlfriend goes to our manager and complains about us. At first he was a bit upset about the customer complaint, but after we both told him the same story he made a joke about it being a full moon.

On a more annoying note, a regular came in with his wife. They sat at the bar and had a few beers. During this time, as is the custom at my bar, when they needed another beer they would put their empty bottle in the ditch at the edge of the bar and I would crack them open a new one. The wife's beer was in this position so I cracked her a new one and took the husband's money. Before I got to the register they started calling to me that she didn't want another beer. I made a joke about the empty being in the ditch and she said "I was just giving it to you." Again, I am not a mind reader. If you use this system to quickly get another beer, I will not know when you are ready to stop if you continue to perform the same action.

Product Names and Their New Meaning

2009-11-28T07:22:00.000-08:00

When you have a customer come in and ask for a soda by a brand name, do you tell them the brand you actually have? In our society certain brand names have become synonymous with the product. For example, when you need a tissue, what do you typically ask for? When ordering a vodka mixed with an energy drink, do you say just that or ask for the brand name you know and is most common?

At my bar, we typically don't tell customers that we have an off brand energy drink or the exact brand of soda we carry, unless they ask. Do you agree with this practice? What do you do at your restaurant?

Party Night

2009-11-26T07:54:00.000-08:00

The night before Thanksgiving. One of the biggest bar nights of the year. I had the pleasure of waitressing on this night.
It was busy. It was so busy I could barely get to my tables on the other side of the bar. There were people standing everywhere. About 2/3 of the group were friends with the bartender so they chose to go straight to the bar for their drinks. I understand that and didn't mind; I had other tables. Unfortunately, the other tables were paying cash so they felt no obligation to wait for me. It turns out even the people who had tabs with me didn't feel any obligation to wait for me either, even though I had their credit cards. They began going to the bar. They told the bartenders that they had a tab, thinking that it made no difference if their tab was with me or the bar.

I wish I could give every table a few pointers to the bar experience. Opening a tab with the waitress is not the same as opening a tab with the bar. Who you open the tab with holds you card and has to claim the sale. It does matter. I am fortunate enough to work at a place where I can transfer tabs to other people (i.e. the bar), but not all places are like this. If you open a tab with the server, that's who you should be ordering from. If you move from your table and it's crowded, you should let the server know. We may not be able to use our superhuman powers to find you in a crowd.

If you tip the bartender per round, tip the waitress the same. Usually the waitress is navigating through crowds to get your order, then back to the POS computer, then to the bar, then back to your table with a tray of drinks/food. The bartender only needs to reach in a cooler to grab your beer and does not have to fight the crowds. Who do you think is working harder?

If you stop ordering from the waitress when she is busy and prefer to go to the bar on your own, and she checks on you for over an hour without you ordering one drink from her, do not expect her to continue to come back. She has other tables that are actually ordering and tipping her. Do not flag her over after 3 hours of going to the bar yourself to tell her you need something. Every time you go to the bar, she loses money to another employee who is already making more per sale than she is. Some waitresses will not, but many will ignore you. I personally might check on you if I am nearby, but I will not make a special trip through the crowd, getting stepped and spilled on, just to see if you need anything. You are a lost cause to me and taking up space in my section. Get your own drinks if I'm not around. It's what you've been doing all along anyway when I was around.

I realize this post sounds very cynical. I am not always so critical of customers and their actions. That being said, when the bar is backed up three deep and the waitress is standing around bored, there is a problem. This is a common problem at my bar; tables bypassing the waitress and going to the bar. Some bartenders tell people there is a waitress, most do not. I went in to work expecting to make money last night, needing to make money. Instead, I stood around watching others make money and having to fight through crowds to serve the few tables that were allowing me the pleasure of waiting on them. I went home smelling like brewery from being spilled on so much with 1/4 of the money the bartender made...and there were two of them so they split tips.

Charge for juice

2009-11-22T06:52:00.000-08:00

I was bartending the other day and actually had a waitress. I never have a waitress. It was fun to have someone else to talk to, but I felt bad because she was having problem customers and I know how terrible that can make your night, especially when it happens in the beginning.
We had a certain alcohol on special that day. One customer at a table wanted it mixed with juice. We charge $.25 for mixing juice because we do not have juice on our bar gun, only in cans. At the end of the night the customer decided to leave a note on their tab telling the waitress that it was BS that they were charged $.25 for juice. Their drinks were only $3.25 because they were on special.
So often lately I have been receiving complaints on things that are on special. Our half price food doesn't have enough meat/potato/fries. "I can see why it's half price!" The drink specials don't have enough alcohol in them, even though we make them the same and are notorious for heavy pouring.
I know the economy is bad, That's why we are running the specials we are. I know this situation is making people unhappy, but it does me no good to short you on anything. I am counting on your tip to pay my bills. Besides, you're already getting a deal!

Dine-in only specials

2009-11-20T07:07:00.000-08:00

I have many regulars at the bar. This usually makes for a nice shift. Regulars are more understanding when you are busy, keep an eye out for you when you need to get through, and move quickly out of your way. Sometimes, though, regulars expect special treatment because of their frequent patronage. This causes problems for management and employees, as well as other customers.
Currently at the bar we have dine-in only food specials that are meant to bring in new customers. It is clearly stated in several places that these specials are dine-in only. I am annoyed and amazed at the people who order the specials to go and then complain to me when they are charged a higher price.
Yesterday I had a regular come in and order one of these specials to go. I accidentally entered it as the special price and my cook corrected me. See, the cook won't even give me the order if it is entered as a special to-go. When I presented the check to the customer, he complained about the price. I explained to him that it was a dine-in only special, but he proceeded to tell me that he comes in all the time and spends money so he should get it at the special price anyway. While I understand his logic, I can not comply. First, it is not my rule. I have the cook and owner to catch my mistakes and there is no way for me to get the order to you if it's not entered correctly. Second, offering special pricing for regulars is a slippery slope. What defines a regular? Someone who has come in for years? months? or every day for a few weeks? Since we can not advertise such exceptions we can not offer special pricing for "special" people.
This goes along with asking the bartender to buy you a drink because you have spent money. You came in to a business to purchase services and goods. We are open to make money, not friends. While I love my regulars, I can not and will not risk my job so you can save a few dollars (and not tip me on the free drink). If you want a free drink, make nice with the owner and let him tell me to buy you one.

Standards of Service

2009-11-04T11:12:00.000-08:00

Since I have no stories of my own to tell, I figured I would post something different.
I recently read an article in the New York Times about what one person is having their wait staff do at a restaurant they are opening. While I think there are some very good ideas in the article, some does contradict what many places have us do. I also noticed a conflict between what customers want from their servers. Granted, some of this depends on the type of restaurant you work at, but for the most part I have found customers desires to be unique. Another thing is that some of these rules/suggestions are just plain impossible to adhere to every second of the shift. We are human, not perfect beings, and making mistakes, while they should be few and far between, are bound to happen.

Do not announce your name. No jokes, no flirting, no cuteness.
Many restaurants require their staff to do this. Many customers will ask for your name if it is not given. What is the harm in a customer being introduced to the person who will be serving them for the next hour or longer? I do agree that not flirting, jokes, or acting “cute” with your customers is a good idea. Since these are not people you know very well, it is safer to stay away from anything that may offend.

Do not interrupt a conversation. For any reason. Especially not to recite specials. Wait for the right moment.
So now we have unlimited time? Not to sound overly harsh, but are they there to order something or just talk? Contrary to what I would prefer and customers would believe, I do not have unlimited time. I have other customers that need something from me and when I approach your table it’s your turn. If you stop talking two seconds after I leave the table, I may not be able to come back right away. I try to never interrupt a customer. Usually when the server approaches the table people are polite enough to stop talking and place their order.

Do not take an empty plate from one guest while others are still eating the same course. Wait, wait, wait.
Many of my customers would consider not removing an empty dish or glass bad service.

Know before approaching a table who has ordered what. Do not ask, “Who’s having the shrimp?”
While this is ideal and what we strive for, sometimes if a group is large enough, or the same dishes were ordered with slight changes, we forget. If customers play musical chairs we may not give you the correct plate and will have to ask. I don’t remember your face when you order sometimes. It’s what seat you are in that helps me get the right food to you.

If someone likes a wine, steam the label off the bottle and give it to the guest with the bill. It has the year, the vintner, the importer, etc.
Great idea, but is this really possible with every customer? If the bottle is not empty it would be irresponsible, and a violation of some codes, to remove the label.

Never touch a customer. No excuses. Do not do it. Do not brush them, move them, wipe them or dust them.
Can I place the same standard of behavior on my customers? Please?

Never say, “Good choice,” implying that other choices are bad. Saying, “No problem” is a problem. It has a tone of insincerity or sarcasm. “My pleasure” or “You’re welcome” will do. Do not compliment a guest’s attire or hairdo or makeup. You are insulting someone else.
While I understand the point of this, I highly doubt that my customers are stupid enough to think that a compliment for something means an insult for all else. I think saying “no problem”, while very casual, is OK. It’s all about tone of voice.

Do not discuss your own eating habits, be you vegan or lactose intolerant or diabetic.
Trust me; I would love to not tell customers about my personal eating habits. My place of work is very casual and customers frequently ask me about menu items. How about not asking the server what they prefer?

I think many of these ideas are a great ideal and standard for employees, as long as the owner/manager realizes that they are dealing with the biggest variable there is; humans. Customers are all different, as is the staff. While you can set the rules for your employees, you cannot guarantee that the customers aren’t going to make it difficult for them to follow those rules, or that they will not desire a different experience than your rules would provide. I think the most important thing any restaurant can have is not rules, but trustworthy employees that are able to judge what type of experience the customer is looking for and to provide it.

Original article: http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/one-hundred-things-restaurant-staffers-should-never-do-part-one/?scp=1&sq=50%20things&st=Search

Halloween Past

2009-10-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

Since I am not dressing up for Halloween at the Bar, I thought I would share some of the crazy costumes I had to wear in the past for serving jobs.

When I worked at a college sports bar it was mandatory to dress up. We had themes for the first two nights leading up to Halloween and could dress however we wanted on the actual day. The first day was "cops and robbers". Rather than have the bartenders be robbers, as the waitstaff thought, they wanted to be the cops and got their way. We all thought it would be nice to dress up the bar like a jail, but instead, the cops were stuck in the box of the bar while the robbers ran around free. Even customers commented on how funny this looked. The costumes for this night were ridiculous. All the bartenders dressed in dark blue or black slacks and blue button-down shirts with cardboard badges. Some had handcuffs, but most did not. The waitstaff's costumes were even worse. Most of us dressed in all black. A few went out and bought orange jumpsuits or stripped costumes, but most did not. All night we were asked what we were supposed to be.
The next night was pirate night. Unfortunately I was not scheduled to work that day. I would have preferred it to cops and robbers night for sure.
On Halloween night we were allowed to dress how we wanted, as long as it was "sexy". Basically this meant we had to shop at Lovers Lane for the costumes. There was a Raggety Ann, a butterfly, a Lion, Dorothy, Rainbow Bright, a girl scout, football player, and of course a cheerleader. Dressing up was fun, but I was so self conscious the whole time. If you have ever seen costumes from this store you would know that there is basically nothing covering you! Thankfully we had 9 bouncers scheduled that night because we needed every one of them. I personally had someone slap my rump, try and pull parts of my costume, lift the skirt, and even spill a shot on me as he was trying to place it for an unauthorized body shot. Despite the customer debauchery, there was great camradery between the staff. We were all watching out for each other and having a small party of our own.

Most recently, I worked at little dive that was having a "party" for Halloween and required all the staff to dress up. I was tired of the sexy garb, so I chose to be a zombie. I wore the obligatory short skirt, though not too short for comfort, a ripped and "bloodied" shirt, and used makeup to make bruises all over myself. One of the cooks got freaked out when he saw me, forgetting it was Halloween, and thought I'd been in an accident.

This year I am not obligated to dress up. Since I am working the day shift and will be the only employee there, I will not be. This will be my first Halloween off in 4 years. Part of me misses the fun of dressing up for work. Part of me is happy I will be getting to come home and pass out candy to the little kids that come to my door. That has always been my favorite part of the holiday anyway.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Nothing spectacular

2009-10-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

Things at work have been so slow lately that there is nothing really to post about. No annoying customers, fights, running the server, bad tippers, or management mistakes. Nothing that sticks out in your mind at the end of the night.
Maybe something will happen this weekend. It will be Halloween after all...

Sometimes Bosses can be...

2009-10-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

Ridiculous. They can. We all know it.

I was tending bar on a night we host karaoke. Although this event can bring in good business, ours attracts people who nurse one beer or try to get a glass of free water for the whole evening. I had the pleasure of serving a couple who spent a total of $15 on drinks and bought one small app in the 6 hours they were there. They spent less than $4 an hour. Not a huge deal. Whatever, right? Would have been except they ordered a "bucket" of beer. Bottled beer put in a bucket with ice. We've all seen this right?

The bucket they ordered was split; half one type, half another. One of the beers was on special if you bought a bucket of it. I charged them full price, $1.50 more than the special price. They didn't order the special, right? They come in every week. The specials haven't changed in the two years I have worked there.

They complained to my boss. About $1.50. He bought them both a beer. He bought them both a beer because they felt I overcharged them.

Am I the only one who sees the issue with my bosses reaction? I can understand wanting to keep customers happy. Really, I do. I want them happy too. I think buying one of them a beer would have been good enough for this situation. Basically, he bought them the equivalent of about 1/3 of what they spent all night.

I'm going to be honest. This is a rant.

2009-09-19T06:46:00.000-07:00

It was 4:00. I had just ordered my lunch and sat down to eat when a group of 5 walks past me on to the patio, seating themselves. I quickly take my food behind the counter and go out to take their order. They order two Mike's with glasses of ice, a wine, and two bottled beers. I tell the man ordering two beers that I can only serve him one at a time and he says OK. I ring in the order and see I have another table, one guy, by the bar as I'm pouring the drinks for the patio table. Setting the drinks on a tray, I quickly walk out to take the guy's order.
He asks me for a draft beer and I ask if he would like to run a tab or just pay for each round.
He says start a tab.
I ask for a credit card.
He says "Are you serious? I'm not giving you my credit card. Why do you need that?"
I explain that I have a trainee coming in soon and I have to show her how to start and handle tabs. He is not happy with this explanation.
"I am NOT giving you my credit card." He says loudly. I say OK and get his beer. When I serve it to him he tosses a five dollar bill at me.
After bringing him his change I take the drinks out to the patio. This didn't take as long as it sounds and happened in a matter of 2 minutes, so they were not left waiting long. As I set down the last drink I ask if they would like to start a tab or pay for each round. They all agree they want to start a tab. I ask if anyone has a card I can hang on to for the tab.
"Do you really need a credit card?" One of the ladies asks in a nasty tone.
So I tell them the same thing about training someone.
"Fine. We'll pay cash and make your job twice as hard since that's what you really want. This is ridiculous. I guarantee your tip won't be as good either." She sounds so nasty. "Just bring us the bill."
I stared at her for a second, dumbfounded by the outburst. It is rare people get so irate over things like this. The only other time was over a glass of water.
I quietly hand her the bill, take the money, and return her change with a smile. I want to ask her if she has ever been yelled at for just doing her job and if she thought she deserved it. She is a teacher, so I know she has been.
Instead, I tell my bartender I'll be back in a minute and sit in the back until I cool off.

Don't most places hold credit cards for tabs? Why do people act like I'm going to clear out the bank accounts? I'm sorry your word isn't good enough when I have to pay for walk-outs.

Another Trainee???

2009-09-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

Ally just let the bosses know she can't work weeknights. She only worked Sunday through Tuesday, so she's down to Sunday.
This means I have to train again! I really don't like training. It slows me down and my customers don't get the service they expect. Friday night is a bad night to train.
The bosses want me to train all our new people. Fine, but not on Friday. Have me come in on a Tuesday or Wednesday or something to train. Also, maybe have the trainer not working by herself...

Tipping Habits

2009-08-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

Friday at the bar was so slow. I worked open to close and had about a dozen tables all day. By 11 pm I had $60 in my pocket for the day.

Stacy started talking about wanting to leave at 9 pm. By 11, she was holding her stomach and saying she didn't know what was wrong with her, but she felt like shit. Manager G thought she was faking. I didn't care. Fifteen minutes before this, I had a group get drinks from the bar and walk out to the patio. Yes, the patio. It was around 50 degrees. I knew they would be staying until close, so to avoid serving them I offered to let Stacy go home. She was out the door less than 10 minutes later.

I ended up making $80 in that last 2 1/2 hours behind the bar. It was still ridiculously slow, but people tip bartenders more at a sports bar.

Earlier in the night I served a family from Austria. Their English was poor, so it took a while to take their order, but they were very nice! I thought that they were from Germany because one of the adults kept saying "Danke" every time I gave her something. At the end of their meal, after picking up the check, I said "you're welcome" in German. It was an attempt at being polite/clever. When they all looked at me with blank or confused faces I asked if they were from Germany. When they informed me they were from Austria they did not seem at all offended, but I was slightly embarrassed. I recovered quickly with "Oh, well it was my pleasure, really. Have a wonderful night." I guess "Thank you" is the same in Austria and Germany, but not "You're welcome." Who knew? They left me $5 on $78 leaving me to wonder what the tipping habits are in Austria.

Miscommunication?

2009-08-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

Two typical lunch customers, ladies, sit at the first booth in the dining room. I serve them two sodas and give them a minute to peruse the menu. When I return to take their order I realize they are high maintenance.
Lady one asks for the second special of the day. Straight forward, great. The second lady asks what Spinach Pie is. I explain to her that it is feta and spinach wrapped in a flakey crust, a Greek dish. She takes another full minute to look at the menu as I am standing there. She finally decides on the Greek chicken. When I ask her what side she’d like I am opening a can of worms.

“Do you have Greek potatoes?”

“Not as a side option, no.”

“No Greek potatoes?”

“No, I’m sorry. All our sides are listed at the top of the page. We have fries, potato salad, chips…” I trail off and let her read the rest.

“I’ll have a salad. Do you have garlic dressing?”

“Yes, we do. Just to let you know, the salad will be an additional charge of a dollar.”

“Oh, it’s not a side?”

“It is, but there is a slight charge for the salad.”

“And you don’t have Greek potatoes?”

“No Ma’am. Not as a side option. Sorry.”

“I’ll just have special one.”

Special one happens to come with Vesuvio potatoes (which are not Greek potatoes), as stated in the menu. When I deliver the food she makes a comment to her dining partner loud enough for me to hear. I let it roll off my shoulders.

When they are finished eating I drop their check and take an order from another table. As I am walking past the ladies to enter the new order in the POS, I am called to quite rudely.

“Miss!! Ex-cuse me! Miss!”

I turn and smile. “Yes ma’am.”

“I need change for this, now.”

“Certainly.”

I walk to the POS and enter my order in before getting her change. This takes all of maybe one full minute. When I return with the change, the other woman shoves the presentation book at me. “You can take this now.”

Several minutes later, the ladies are all closed out and ready to go. I am getting drinks for another table, my back to them as they get up.

“Have a great day!” they call to me.

I turn and smile. “You too!” I call.

Later, when I retrieve the payment booklet, I see that they have given me a $2.00 tip on a $19.85 check.

Thanks.

The King Regular

2009-08-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

One of my regulars, others teasingly call him "the boss", is trying to get me fired, I believe.

A little background on him, other than my posts: he shows up 15 minutes before we open Saturday, Sunday, and every holiday or day he has off work. He spends his vacation time at the bar. The owner's father buys him his first beer every day he is there. He is friends with the owners and frequently goes to sports games with them and invites them to his home. OK, now we can continue.

He hasn't spoken a word to me in about three weeks now, and refuses to make eye contact. When I have a conversation with someone he is sitting near and he wants to jump in, he acts like it is a conversation between just him and the other person, like I am not even there. While it doesn't bother me that he isn't speaking to me, the stories I have heard on the matter do bother me.

He told Chris, the weekday bartender, that I saw him standing outside and intentionally made him wait before I unlocked the doors for him.

He told another regular that I saw him and made him wait 15 minutes before letting him in.

Yet another regular was told that I saw him and did not let him in, so the owner's father had to unlock to door for him. Then the owner's father proceeded to yell at me, asking "Don't you know who this is? You let him in right away!"

At least one of my managers knows about this; the one that believes all this man's stories. Fortunately, I have several regulars sticking up for me, saying that I would never do something like that, that they were there that morning, etc. When the story was told that I got yelled at, this manager was standing there. I laughed and said "If your dad had to yell at me, don't you think you would have heard about it, [Manager G]?"

Stuff like this makes me dread going to work. I am currently thinking of ways I can avoid being near the front door so I can truly and intentionally not let him in this weekend.

Changes Part 2

2009-08-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

It seems this was all planned. About 2 weeks ago an old employee was rehired to serve two shifts a week. The same two shifts that the bartender that is quitting works. The new/old employee, May, was a bartender and waitress that was let go for an attitude problem right as I began working at the bar almost two years ago. Now, after two weeks of being back, they are having her replace the bartender that is leaving. Seems pretty planned, right?

Although I like May, I feel a bit slighted by the situation. Everyone who works at a bar knows that being a bartender is a promotion. You make more money for less work, plain and simple. After being fired for having an attitude problem with customers, May is being "promoted" after two weeks back. It is what it is though. At least the newbies have shifts now!

Changes

2009-08-27T07:30:00.000-07:00

Management has hired three new girls for three shifts. Manager G wants to give each two shifts a week to work. Obviously math wasn't his strong subject in school.

One of the three girls they aren't expecting to make it through training. That leaves two girls for three shifts. Still doesn't add up. After asking me if I wanted to give up a shift, I reminded Manager G that if I did that I would need t pick up another shift and he would still be one short. It is beyond me how owners and managers of restaurants do not understand the concept of working for tips. If you schedule an extra server, I lose income. If you take a shift away, I lose income.

Several days ago I found out that one of the bartenders has submitted her two-week notice. This leaves two bar shifts open. I have no idea what management plans on doing with these shifts. Most likely the other bartenders with seniority will grab them up, especially since one of the shifts is Sunday and football season is upon us. One possible solution I can see is giving two of my lunch shifts to these new girls, making a total of five shifts for two girls (a much better equation), and me taking the two bar shifts. Financially, I could give up both lunch shifts and only take one of the bar shifts and still be ahead.

I work today so I may ask the manager if they have the situation handled yet. If not, I'll offer my solution.

Trainee

2009-08-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

I had a trainee yesterday. She reminds me of a waitress we had almost two years ago, only not as ditzy. She's very nice and so eager to learn. It was surprisingly OK training her, and I really dislike training. Manager T hired her the night before and asked her to come in for the lunch shift the following day. Manager G told me that they specifically wanted her trained with me the first day because I am the best trainer they have. A compliment from Manager T?

I thought it would be busy, so the plan was to have her seat people and get their drinks, and then run food when she had time. Having this be the first day of training allows someone to get accustomed to the table numbers and drinks without getting overly stressed. This is not how it worked out. It was so slow that, while she ended up seating and getting drinks for several tables, it was not enough to fill her time. We ended up doing the classic trainee-follows-the-trainer training. After the lunch "rush" ended I suggested she leave and come back at 5 since it would be busier then. She agreed (eagerly) and left for a few hours.

When she returned it was indeed busier. I had three tables in the bar area. It was a great chance to show her how to cocktail. I did my best at explaining how to take the tax off the checks containing only alcohol before cashing them out, how the bar must close checks if a manager can not be found, how backups work, and to just call for the bartender to let them know of any special mods to the drinks. All in all it went well, although I know she was a bit confused at the end of the night. Less so than I would have expected though.

We had four tables for dinner, all at the same time. We got a bit jammed up so I did a few things on my own without showing her to catch up. One table gave her their food order when she was dropping off their drinks. She took the order, only forgetting to get the burger temp, very well. I sent her back to get the missing information, which I think will help her remember in the future.

With no serving experience at all, I was pleasantly surprised with how well she was doing by the end of the night. She picked up quickly on the little personalities we have to show the customers as waitstaff, she is quickly learning the POS system, and her enthusiasm is not failing yet.

She is due back for training tonight with the last girl I trained, Nina, (just a few months ago). She starts at 6, which is when I am due off, so I will stick around if they need me to. It should be interesting; tonight is karaoke. Karaoke is a whole different type of serving. The hope is that she will be ready to be on her own Tuesday. If I were training her tonight I could assure that. I haven't worked with Nina since her training was completed. I know she's a good waitress, but I'm not sure how her training skills are.

Keep your fingers crossed for my newbie, Ally.

Now Hiring

2009-08-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

Attention:

The Sports Bar is now hiring. We don't know what shifts we are hiring for. That depends on if we like the other girls we have just hired. More shifts may be available soon!
Please stop in to apply so we can make notes on your application and ask our regulars what they think of your physical appearance. No need to apply of you are over the age of 35, have hair shorter than your shoulders, are slightly overweight, or are not "pretty".
No experience is required. Apply today!

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Yes, I know it is not a new concept, hiring pretty girls. It just seems that this practice is a bit exaggerated where I work. I have seen numerous experienced waitresses apply over the last two weeks. I have seen their applications ignored by management because of reasons I can only speculate (and have above), or because they were not around to see the person applying. Hello! That's what interviews are for. Call the person and have them come in, talk to them! Applications do not contain enough information to determine if a person will be a good hire.

I am so frustrated. So, so frustrated.

Who raised these people?

2009-08-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

Friday night I was told there would be a softball tournament that weekend. Knowing this allowed me to prepare before the multiple teams entered the bar. The field is nearby so when the teams are in between games, they come in to the bar to grab lunch and beer before playing their next game. Teams always want water, pitchers and pitchers of water. Saturdays I am waitress and bartender.

I get to work 20 minutes early Saturday morning. As soon as I enter the building, before even setting up the bar, I fill 7 pitchers of water three quarters full so I can add ice to them when it is time to serve them. Pitchers of water take a while to fill with a bar gun, so this should save me precious time later.

By noon the bar is filling quickly. Two teams have already walked in the door, three tables are seated in the restaurant for lunch, and a man is sitting by himself at a table, but he is wearing a team uniform so I know more will join him soon. As I am rushing to get beer and sodas for the teams I am thankful I had the foresight to prepare water. I have already gone through three of the seven. Manager J is working today so I know I will be fine. The teams walk to the bar to order (thank you) and all is going well. As soon as the orders have been entered, the lunch tables’ orders are up and ready to be taken out. As I am running these, two more teams walk in the door. With Manager J’s help everything is running smooth. I am having a great time being so busy, although it feels like a continuation of the previous night.

The last team to order approaches the bar. I am still busy and feel hurried to take their order so my cook can get it started. He is quite busy in the kitchen as he is alone as well. The first man to order compliments my tattoos before giving me his order. I thank him and am ready to move on to the next person when his voice interrupts their order.

“What are they, the tattoos?” He is referring to the ones he already complimented me on. Funny that someone should like something without knowing what it is. I could understand him saying he liked the colour or the style without knowing, but this particular line of questioning has always struck me as odd. I know what is to come and have my canned answer designed to cut the questions short.

“Japanese symbols,” I begin.

“What do they mean?”

“Honestly, they have a very personal meaning that would be hard for me to explain to someone that doesn’t know me, but thanks for the compliment.” Usually this stops the questions.

“Do they mean love?”

“No,” I reply as I turn to his team mate and ask what he would like to order.

“Well what do they mean? Tell me anyway.” At this point, his friends are making quiet comments to him to cut it out and just let me take their orders.

“Like I said, it really won’t make sense if you don’t know me.” I again turn to his friend.

“Are they your favorite sexual positions?”

OK, that’s it. I can humor questions and comments about personal things, things that strangers should not ask someone they don’t know. I can handle rudeness, demands, and even the occasional drunk trying to pet my arm. I refuse to be spoken to in this manner. Who raised this man, who is old enough to be my father, to think that asking someone a question like this is OK?

“No. Honestly hun, I’m by myself today. I don’t have a waitress, and I’m a little busy. I appreciate your compliment on my tattoos, but I don’t really have time to discuss them right now.” I say, looking him square in the eye. His friends, to my surprise, back me up and I hear several voices restating what I just said; “she’s busy man”, “leave her alone”, “I’m hungry.”

After the teams leave I have two people at the bar. It doesn’t pick up again until 30 minutes before I am scheduled to leave. My relief is 30 minutes late, but I don’t care because she called to let me know. I am working again tomorrow, so I just want to get off my aching feet and watch TV. Tomorrow will be a long day. I am bartending from 11 until whenever it is slow enough to close. Ugh.

Hell of a Day

2009-08-15T07:41:00.000-07:00

“Excuse me! Excuse me!!”

I am taking an order from a neighboring table when I hear the woman from 33 calling. I ignore her desperate cries and ask the gentleman from 34 what side he prefers with his burger. As soon as I have the entire order from 34 I turn to the woman.

“Yes, what can I do for you?” This said in my firm server tone meant to convey my feelings of annoyance without crossing the friendly customer service line.

“Is this Diet? It tastes like diet.”

“No, its regular just as you asked for. If you don’t like it I can get you something else. “This woman and her male dining partner have been at their table for an hour and a half during prime lunch hours. Not usually an issue, since there are no sections, no servers waiting to turn a table. Today, though, they were seated on the patio which only holds 9 tables and the restaurant had three tables waiting for patio seating.

“It’s terrible. Are you sure it’s not Diet?”

“I poured it myself. As I said, I can get you something else if you don’t like it.” The two of them come in for lunch at least twice a week. They are always equally demanding; saying they are ready and then making up their minds as I stand before them, server pad in hand, yelling “miss!” across the restaurant to get my attention when I am clearly walking in their direction already.

“I had regular yesterday and it didn’t taste like this.”

I fought the urge to argue with her. I served her yesterday and she did not order a nonalcoholic drink of any kind. “Would you like something else?”

Finally she decided on a different drink.

This was not the first round of desperate “Excuse me!”’s from table 33. In fact, it was about the fourth time they had interrupted me while providing service for another table. Finally they are ready to leave and although I am on my way to table 31, I pause to hold the door open for the couple. As I turn to table 31 I hear “Excuse me! Miss! Miss!!”

Apparently table 31 has learned that this is appropriate behavior. Thanks 33.

Eventually, lunch is over. Several hours later, dinner service begins as well as the after work drinking crowd. It starts with a group of 4 getting their own drinks from the bartender. I continue to check on them regardless. Another table migrates from the bar to a table. They also seem to want to get their own drinks. Within a half an hour of these two tables, a third sits in the bar area; regulars who insist on being served by the waitress. I get them a round.

On the restaurant side, I have been sat a two top on the patio, a group of four in a booth, and two at a table. Orders have been entered for two of the three tables, and the last is on no hurry. I make another sweep of the bar area where I get a round for the one table allowing me to serve them. Everything seems to be going well. Then it happens. A group of four seats themselves in the restaurant, a three top seats themselves on the patio, and a man requisitions three tables for the party of ten he is expecting. I rush to get drinks for the self-seaters while running food for the others. Another group walks in and sits in the bar area. I swing by and grab their drink order, then rush food out to the couple at table 6. They have a coupon that states “Dine in only” but have ordered two steak dinners and a pizza in a to-go box. When I deliver the dinners the woman tries to hand me the pizza server saying they are already getting full. I politely tell her that the coupon they are using states dine in only. She looks at me in shock and says “But you don’t really care. I mean, you don’t need to say anything.” Awed by this, I tell her that the owner is here and he knows what they’ve ordered. While we don’t mind people taking home leftovers, ordering to-go voids the coupon.

While handling this, I receive another table on the patio; a team, 20 people. Now I am slammed. I quickly grab their drink order and ask Manager G to get three pitchers of water. I power walk to the bar and deliver drinks to the table in the bar area, making one more sweep of the tables there before rushing to get the rest of the drinks for the team. Food is up in the window so, drinks half filled, I run the food lest it get cold. After all drinks are delivered I grab the food order from the team. As I am entering it, Manager G comes up to me and says one of the tables in the bar area is looking for me. It happens to be one of the tables that have been ordering from the bar. I tell manager G this and say I’ll go over in a second. As I finish entering the order, the phone rings. It is another table, regulars, asking for their waitress. I guess this is the final straw for Manager G because he tells me I need to stop ignoring the bar tables and serve them. He is fairly angry, but I tell him that they have all been going to the bar, save one table, and I don’t understand why they feel I am ignoring them. Since Manager G said one table wanted a round, I enter it in the POS only to find that they have asked the bar for it. Great. I scramble to catch up. Since Manager T is now here, and it is his custom to give away the house, rounds are bought for many tables, the team is given 98% off their bill (This does not have to do with the service they received), and I am even picked up off the ground by a drunk man very happy to have received a round on the house. Manager T walks around with a tray of shots, giving them to every customer at the bar and surrounding tables. Drunk man leaves me less than 10%, and the team only gives me $30 after paying $5 for their (way) over $100 bill.

When everyone closes out, no new tables replace the ones that leave. I have the same two tables from 10 until last call at 1:30. I am happy to leave.

The beer thief returned last night

2009-08-11T07:08:00.000-07:00

He ended up sitting on the patio and surrounding him was a small group of regulars. I was running 6 separate tabs between the two tables. Anyone who cocktails knows how much of a pain this is. If your POS system is set up where you can type in a name or number to label the tab it is much easier. My POS system is not set up this way. In order to start a tab I must enter a table number. Say I have three tabs at table 12. I would enter them as tables 12, 112, and 122. Only three numbers are allowed, so having more than three tabs per table makes it a bit more complicated. When the Beer Thief started his tab I had to enter an obscure table number.

I am a fairly organized person at work. When I am holding a credit card for a tab I make sure to wrap a copy of the tab around the card so there is no mistaking which table the card belongs to. Since I also had a table inside that had three separate tabs, I began a list for quick reference. While still irritating, it made the multiple tab situation much easier to handle.

The Beer Thief and his friends sat outside for several hours. When it began to rain, slightly harder than a drizzle but not enough soak through the umbrellas on the patio, I figured they would head in. I was wrong. I served them for another two hours in the aggressive drizzle. One regular made it a point of coming in and complaining to the bartender about my lack of attention to her water glass.

Typically when it rains, the patio is closed. I have to work outside when it is 60 degrees and people still want to sit outside. I have to work outside when it is 90 degrees and people still want to sit outside. I do not think it is unreasonable of me to not feel I should have to work outside in the rain, light drizzle or downpour. I did not completely ignore the group. There is a small awning over the doorway outside and I was regularly stepping out under it and calling over (only about 6 or 7 feet) to ask if anyone needed anything. I decided this was my best option when I was caught in a conversation with one of the people at the table while I was being rained on. Eventually they came in and sat at the bar when it didn’t stop raining.

Please keep in mind that these are regulars. By regulars, I mean people who spend upwards of 4 days a week at the Bar. They know how things work, and they know the bartender doesn’t share tips with the server. Several of them refused to close out their tabs with me, insisting that they would tip both the bartender and me individually. At the end of the night, the bartender was given the payment and tip. She split it herself and gave me my share. I’m not sure I trust the split. In this case, she said she split it 50/50. Not exactly fair when they sat outside in the rain and had my services for 4 hours and hers for 2.

I was entering an order for another table when manager T came up to me and said “If you have a tab with [beer thief] you’d better give it to him. He’s leaving.” I pulled the tab from my book and asked manager T if he would stop him for me and give him the tab since I was caring for another table. Manager T agreed and went to stop the man. I was getting drinks for my table when he came up to me with a daunted look on his face. “[Beer thief] didn’t leave you a tip.”

I gave him a blank look and said “That stinks, but it happens.” In my head I was livid. The bartender came up and asked manager T what was wrong. He told her and she grabbed money off the bar. “He left this on the bar.” Handing it to me “Take it.” It was better than nothing.

About an hour later, beer thief’s friend came in and asked the bartender where the money he had left on the bar was. She told the friend that it was only about $12 and she had given it to me because he didn’t tip me. The friend didn’t press, but didn’t seem happy that I had received the money. I would have felt bad, but it was left on the bar when the man left, and was not asked about for an hour. If it had not ended up in my pocket, it would have been in the bartender’s tip jar.

Good Days

2009-07-27T14:51:00.000-07:00

I had an unusually nice day at work today. I picked up the lunch shift so some of the employees could go to a training class I did not need to attend. I watched the bar and the restaurant for about two hours before the bartender returned from the class. It wasn't too busy for me to be alone, and Manager J was there. I truly enjoy working with him; never is there a time I feel overwhelmed when he is there.

There was a personal issue for the bartender when she returned so I ended up watching the bar a bit longer than planned. No problem for me as I made some additional money because of it.

In addition, my last table of the day was one of my favorite customers. When I first met him, he was a bit irritating as he ordered his beer "High Lite" and lectured me when I gave him the wrong kind. He usually comes in with his wife for lunch once a week now. After serving him for over a year I have grown to adore him and look forward to them coming in. They are the regulars who can order something wrong but still have it come out right because I know what they meant to order. They are also the only people I know who tip a waitress better than a bartender.

Today he came in with his extended family. They had a family reunion over the weekend and were having one more meal together before everyone returned home. It was a larger group (over 10), but so easy to care for. Everyone took turns ordering and no one spoke over another. It was a pleasure waiting on them.
Days like today remind me why I have stuck with this industry as long as I have.

Found on Facebook

2009-07-27T07:23:00.000-07:00

I have been discovered on Facebook by several customers. I really don't feel good about this. I did not, of course, accept their friend requests and have since taken my picture off. But I do wonder how these customers got my last name.

I have to say that this puts me in a strange and uncomfortable position. I am supposed to be friendly and sociable. I am supposed to be approachable and nice. How far does that go though? Do I need to accept these people in to my personal life as well? Do I need to read updates on Facebook about them going to the Bar tonight or their vacations? Censor myself so they never read a word about how I feel concerning my job? (Because of this last one, I had to decline a request from someone I really am friends with because he is Facebook-friends with one of my managers.) I don't write about work there like I do here, but I don't need customers reading updates like "I don't feel like working today" or "not in the mood to wait tables today", etc. We all have those days.

I began using Facebook to keep in contact with friends that have moved away and family that lives out of state. These are the only "friends" I have. I post things about my job and personal life that I don't feel appropriate for customers to know. If I wanted them to know I would tell them. What's next, someone finding this blog? That would be a disaster. Of course I could avoid all the drama and simply censor myself in most aspects of my life, but I think that would be ridiculous.

Has anyone else been found online by a customer?

Spray-on Tattoos

2009-07-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

I love people who seat themselves in an empty section or the outdoor patio, after walking right by the “Please wait to be seated” sign. I always drop menus by when I see them and take a drink order, but sometimes it takes a few minutes for me to see them sitting there.

Today I had a lady seat herself on the patio at a dirty table; the only dirty table. When I saw her I brought two menus. Since she was on the phone I walked away to take care of my other tables. When someone joined her I went back to get a drink order. Upon bringing their drinks the following conversation ensued…

Man (to me):”We’re ready to order.” Turns to woman “Are you ready to order?”
Woman: “I’m not sure. What’s pizza bread?”
Me: “It’s French bread baked in the pizza oven with sauce and cheese.”
Woman: “Oh. It has sauce? I don’t know. Go ahead and order I can decide later.”
Man: “There’s Sauce on the pizza burger?”
Me: “Yes, everything that is listed in the menu is on the burger. We can leave something off if you want.”
Man: “I don’t know what burger I want. I know I want a burger, but which one?”

After me standing there for almost two minutes in awkward silence, they finally ordered; pizza bread and a pizza burger.

At the same time I had this table, I had another who asked to be seated at a table. As soon as I placed the menus down they asked to move to a booth. As I reached the booth I was going to seat them at, they asked to sit on the patio. Upon taking their drink order one of the men proceeded to ask me if my tattoos were “spray on”. I looked at him and paused before answering “Yes” with a silly grin to show I was joking. I walked inside as his question of “How much did they cost?” was drowned out by an airplane going overhead. He thought I was serious. Later he asked again how much my spray on tattoos cost me. I told him I didn’t know and that mine were real. He gave me a shocked look and reached out to touch one of my tattoos. I pulled away quickly so he was not able to make contact. He continued to point, however, and asked if one after another were real. I replied “Yes, they are all real” to each question. I don't know anyone over the age of 10 who has a temporary tattoo. I'm a little old for that. How old do these people think I am?

The best thing about lunch shifts is that they are short and rarely do people sit for longer than an hour.

Serving Differences at the Bar

2009-07-22T16:48:00.000-07:00

When I wrote my most recent post on a 20% tip not being enough, I anticipated some would disagree with my view. I think this is a good opportunity to discuss the difference between serving dinner and serving cocktails. Please keep in mind, this is only my opinion based on my place of employment. I understand that all restaurants are different and what is appropriate at my restaurant may or may not be at yours.

Serving Dinner entails bringing several rounds of drinks, which may or may not be alcoholic, to a group of people whose main purpose at the restaurant is to eat. These diners may or may not drink enough to feel the effects of any alcohol. If they do, they typically will remain calm and maintain decent behavior for a public setting. There are two reasons for this; alcohol has less of an effect on a person’s system when food is involved, and they are most likely with people who have not had as much to drink as they have and do not want to be seen behaving poorly, i.e. embarrass themselves or their partner.

At the end of the night, after dealing with complaints, multiple refills on sodas or coffees, and a nice game of “run the server”, a 15-20% tip is left (on average) to the server. After the table has been cleaned, another group is sat and the server begins again.

Serving Cocktails means running drinks to a table that may order an appetizer to share among a group of 4 or more people, or may not order food at all. Over the course of the night, these customers will become increasingly rude without knowing it. They will drink faster, requiring the server to monitor their intake lest they be over-served. As everyone in the group is drinking, no one is worried about acting like a fool since all their friends are also behaving poorly. Grabbing the waitress to ask for a drink, to see her uniform, looking down her shirt openly, commenting on her body, and asking for one item at a time five times in a row, is all common behavior. Also not uncommon is throwing up on the washroom floor and using half a roll of toilet paper to cover it up. When this happens in the ladies washroom, a female server must do the preliminary clean-up.

At the end of this very eventful night, after trying to walk out on the check before realizing the server is holding your credit card, a table may ask to close out. The standard question from the server will be something like “Would you like me to charge the card I am holding?” Answers to this question range from “Sure, go ahead” to “NO!!” to “That’s why I gave you the card, right?” with a nice sarcastic tone and roll of the eyes. For all her work, the server is typically left a 25-40% tip depending on service and if the house bought a round. By this time, it is past last call and time for clean up.

The Party and The Beer Thief

2009-07-18T07:15:00.000-07:00

Last night Laura and I worked an open bar party of 30. Since no gratuity was collected (thanks again manager T), we decided to share the party and rotate the tables. Stacy (bartender) was busy, as always, chatting with her customers so I got all my own drinks and many for Laura on the open bar tab. This is normal procedure for Stacy and me so I thought nothing of it.
Open bar lasted from 7 to 9 and was fairly tame, save for one older woman who was drinking her chardonnay like it was water from the fountain of youth. As a favor to the regular who's mother was hosting the party, I did a last call for the open bar. This is not normal practice for open bar. As a thank you, the mother came up to me as I was speaking with some of her guests to yell at me that the open bar was not over.

I calmly looked at her and said, "The open bar ends at 9, in 10 minutes."

After arguing with me for a few minutes, I directed her to Manager J to work something out. They decided on running a tab for any drinks that her guests wanted.

During the party, Laura and I were still taking tables. I was filling a tray to take out to a larger group when one of Stacy's regulars took a draft beer off the tray while I was getting another drink. Just took the drink right off the tray! When I returned I asked him if he had taken the beer but he wouldn't answer me, just gave me a drunken grin. The guy standing next to him told me he had. When I went to take it back, I was told he had already taken a drink out of it. Really? What the hell. I looked at the thief, some guy who had won the lottery several years back and was quite rich, and told him he had better finish the drink since he wanted it so bad. Now I can think of several other reactions I could have given; taken the beer and dumped it out, added it to his tab, or demanded he give me cash for it immediately. Later, when I told Stacy about this she said she puts up with him because he tips her well. Well, he isn't tipping me.

The group stayed in their private room until 10 and then the remaining members (about 15) moved to the bar for some shots. After a round of those, the party was down to 7 people. The tab was closed at 11 and the host designated an equal tip for Laura, myself, and the bartender. I am grateful for my tip, but am a bit jealous of Stacy. On top of the tip from the party, for whom she worked a total of one hour for, she also received $50 from the millionaire.

When is 20% not enough?

2009-07-16T15:55:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd have more to post about my second day of doubles, but I don't. Saturday was karaoke, but that didn't start until 10. I tended bar from 11 am until 6, and then waited tables until close. Between 6 and 10 I had 2 tables. Thrilling.

At around 9 a table came in and sat at a high top near the bar. I served them drinks and some appetizers. Shortly after the food was gone a few left and the remaining 4 men went out to the patio. One of the three had a tab with the bar, but asked to keep it open. I figured this meant that he would be sitting at the bar majority of the night. I was wrong. He remained sitting at a table, ordering rounds for his friends, and then closed out his tab at the bar before he left. He tipped the bartender 20% and me nothing. Very nice.

His friends spent the evening flirting with me. Since it was not busy I chatted with them, even spoke to them about school and my degree. I try and keep it superficial with customers, but the older man told me that he was a Sociology major so I figured we'd have something to talk about. Boy was I off my game that night. The Soc major began telling me that my degree is a waste of time and money. That I would be better off continuing to waitress all my life. This last remark was accompanied with a snort and a loud laugh, like he had made a great point with his remark. They were happy with their service and kept telling me how fast I was in getting their drinks. They even tried to order me off the "special menu". I laughed at this remark, in the way we do when humoring someone. I rarely do this. My usual reaction is a deadpan "No" while I continue to wait for their real order. The reason I have stopped humoring people? Because it gets me nowhere. I don't make more in tips when I humor them, nor are they nicer or more fun to wait on. If anything, they become more obnoxious after. I actually get a better reaction from people when I don't humor them, but that is for another post.

I should have remembered myself. These "gentlemen" ended up staying for a total of 5 hours and running up a tab of about $75. After running the credit card of the Soc major I sat at the bar and chatted with the bartender since we were both bored. Soc major came in and handed me the book with the cc slip in it and walked off to the washrooms. Upon opening the book I realized his card was still there and the slip was blank save his signature. I waited for him to emerge from the washroom and then brought him the book. I handed him his card and said "I need you to fill out the tip and totals for me." He said OK and I walked off. When they left I picked up the book to find that I had been given a $15 tip.

Not sure if everyone agrees with me here, but for bringing drinks to a table for 5 hours, that's not really a good tip. After a certain point, you need to add to that 20%.

***EDIT*** I realize I perhaps worded this last bit improperly. My meaning in this instance is simply that for the amount of running for this table, the being hit on and lectured, and the comments from the men saying that I was "so fast" in bringing their drinks, I would have expected more than 20%. It is my experience (and understanding) that a 20% tip is given for average service; good service. According to these men, my service was above this level and their expectations.

Rehersal Dinner

2009-07-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

I have tried to write this out nicely so it is a quality piece of writing, but I have found that my brain is on vacation at the moment. Sorry in advance.

I really enjoyed working this party! It has been a long time since I could honestly say I had fun working a party. Usually they are nothing but a pain.
The whole dining room was reserved for the party. We had it all set hours in advance, but continued to seat people there for dinner, letting them know we had a party coming in and offering to seat them somewhere else if they wanted a more leisurely dining experience. Everything went fine; no issues, no complaints. Kinda boring for story-telling purposes.

During the day, management made the mistake of leaving the booking slip out where I could see it. It was because of this I learned how much gratuity would be collected for the party. I had already agreed with the other server that I would take the party alone so I could leave when it was over as I was working her shift the next night (making my Saturday a double, as well as that Friday). I knew I would be working by butt off for it, but the gratuity from that party, minus the busboy's cut, would make up for the slowing economy.

This party was a 70 person rehearsal dinner. All attending were very nice and actually respectful of the busboys and myself. I was able to get everyone their drinks quickly, received many compliments, and was even pouring my own drinks from the bar since the bartender was feeling exceptionally talkative that day (not that I care).

I stayed after the open bar ended to continue caring for the almost 45 people who had remained. They were already drunk, but began doing shots. Their rounds were roughly $60, yet they were not tipping. After 2 more hours of this and no tips, their numbers were down to a point where I could leave. I told manager T I was ready to leave and we began cashing me out. As he handed me the gratuity from the party, he told me that he would give the busboy and the bar their tip-out from the party. I reminded him that I got all my own drinks for the party, thinking that the bartender should not get tipped-out on what she did not do. He replied that he was only going to give her $10. I am not pleased and here is why:

Gratuity paid by the party: $280
Gratuity I received: $140

So the busboy's gratuity from the party is about 50%? I helped him set up the room and bring out the buffet. He did not help me prebus the tables, bring out drinks, refills, etc.

Am I being totally unreasonable in being upset about this or am I justified?

Quick Question

2009-07-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

I'll post the story later, but right now I would like to know what you think...

How much of the collected gratuity from a party should the server receive? And how much of that should the bus staff and bartender receive?

Weddings and Dildos

2009-07-09T14:28:00.000-07:00

Over the next two days, the Sports Bar will be hosting a rehearsal dinner, a dildo party, and karaoke. Lucky me, I will be there for all of the fun as I am working doubles on both days.

All I can hope is that I will be leaving Saturday night having been blessed with good tips given by people who know how to act appropriately in public...OK, I guess I'll settle for good tips. Oh, and that the tone-deaf lady doesn't show up and want to sing the whole Gwen Stefani catalouge.

Still too much to ask for? How about just getting out of there before I fall asleep on the bar despite the karaoke, which almost happened last time I tried to work these two double shifts back to back.

Missing something?

2009-07-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

I know that my cook made a slight mistake with your order. He mistakenly told me the marinara was in the dish to the left and the meat sauce was in the dish to the right. I apologize I did not tear into your meal to check for myself. I apologize that I was not able to see through the mound of cheese baked on top of your pasta made to order with "extra, extra" cheese to see my mistake. I am sorry that you were too busy talking to hear me tell you when I delivered the dishes that my cook told me which was which and politely suggest checking before I leave the table. You must have heard me say that I prepared the dishes myself and mixed them up on purpose.

I am deeply sorry that when the mistake was discovered, your meal was replaced in less than 2 minutes. Maybe I did not apologize enough, or you wanted more than the round of drinks the house bought you. It is possible that yelling at me did not bring you enough satisfaction. You are correct; I am an idiot, and I am sure your "retarded friend" could have gotten your order right, unlike myself.
Thank you for your 9% tip. This leaves me only having to pay a small amount in taxes for having the pleasure of waiting on you.

Just a bit of advice from the idiot waitress...don't leave your credit card behind next time you leave the waitress a bad tip. You are lucky as I am not one to act out of spite. Your card will safely be waiting for you Sunday when we reopen after the holiday. I only hope that you needed it for your fourth of July celebrating.

No words...I need more privacy

2009-07-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

I think all managers and restaurant owners should have to work the floor and the bar at least one night each. Maybe we could avoid stupid mistakes and high employee turn-over this way.

I found myself discussing the second-server situation with manager G today.
I found that he doesn't know what T told her about the shifts, so he doesn't know if this is temporary or not. He also brought up that 15 hours is a long day and he'd be tired if he worked that long. "Now you can leave earlier and not be tired since you work Saturdays now."
Uh, thanks. I've been doing the 15 hour Friday, open Saturday thing for over 8 months. Suddenly you're concerned?
"It is a long day, but I like it. I'm not too tired to do my job right." was my response.
My bar has not had a two server shift for over 4 years. Now that business is down and they are having to cut menu prices they suddenly decide that they need to have two servers? I am so confused.
There is also a party of 30 coming in at 3 tomorrow. They are not having Laura come in for this party, only for the dinner hours. Seriously, are my managers living in their own world? They are going to have me handle a party of 30 plus our normal after work groups, and expect me to be just fine alone, yet expect dinner to get too busy for me alone? With the party, tomorrow afternoon proves to be the same as any Friday night dinner shift. I can not stress how ridiculous this is.

I am finding comfort in thinking of my options right now. There are a few restaurants in the area that I could probably get a job at. Some do not serve alcohol. How wonderful it would be to not have to deal with drunk people AND crappy management at the same time.

One another note, and perhaps more interesting, a lady from one of my tables opened the stall door while I was using the bathroom. After saying she was sorry and going into the other stall (while leaving mine wide open, mind you), she proceeded to ask me when the cook was going to make pot pies again as she loves them oh-so-much. She also informed me that they needed more iced tea at her table "when [I] have a moment." Is there anything quite as awkward as bringing iced tea to a woman who has seen you sitting on a toilet with your pants around your calves less than two minutes earlier? I wish we had employee bathrooms.

Bachelorette Party in April

2009-06-30T16:41:00.000-07:00

This was surprisingly uneventful, but disturbing.
They arrived 30 minutes late in their party bus that took up the length of our small parking lot. I guess the mother was in charge because she walked in first.
"Where's the bathroom?" She demanded, plastic cup in hand, leaning a bit as she spoke.
"Around the bar." I told her trying to hide my amusement.
She stumbled outside to inform the rest of the group where the restroom was. When she returned she asked for a food menu and proceeded to order half the appetizers we offer along with 3 extra large pizzas. After entering the order, I show her to the party room and help my busboy clear a space in the middle for the dancer. After discovering that they want nothing more than pitchers of water, I set up plates and napkins for the food and leave the lady and the girls to their giggling drunkeness. Shortly after this I hear the woman telling my boss that she does not appreciate his employees intruding on her party. I wonder why they ordered food if they didn't want service and how I can possibly bring it to them without entering the room.
I hang out at the bar with the bartender and an off-duty employee until their food is ready. I have no other tables and the bar is dead. I end up giving one girl from the party three martinis and offer to bring them out for her as I am their waitress.
"Uh no. I'm a bartender. I know how to carry drinks."
So sorry I offered. I forgot I should have known. How silly of me.
When it is time to deliver their food, the dancer is doing his thing. My busboy and I take the food in to the room as quietly as possible and I catch a glimpse of the stripper in his bright red thong bikini and unbuttoned cop shirt giving who I believe is the bride-to-be a lap dance.
The only other time I returned to the room was after hearing glass break. I slipped in and swept up the shards while getting death looks from the mother. The stripper was now on his back on the ground doing I have no idea what. Possibly humping the air? One of the women asked me to get them some lotion and hand sanitizer.

They spent about $80 and tipped $20. Great considering I did next-to-nothing, but I still hope I don't have to work too many of these parties.

Manager T is the Bane of my Existance!

2009-06-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

Remember the manager that didn't care when I fell at work? The manager that believed drunken customers that I was rude over his own experience with my professionalism (see January)? Here we go again...

It was a slow Friday night at The Bar. I have one table on the patio, a strange man that comes in several times a week and his date whom I've never seen before. As I wander in after checking on them, I see the boys filing in one by one. "The boys" are a softball team, only one of which is old enough to drink. Not all of them order food, and they will drink about 7 pitchers of water while they are here. Tonight there are 12 of them. They begin to seat themselves, walking right past the "Please Wait to be Seated" sign and me as I say "How many tonight?" I shrug and continue to the bar for the beer my patio table needed as my boss, T, goes to see the new table.
When I return inside I see T getting several pitchers of water so I ask him what else is needed and get it. While dropping off the table's drinks they ask T if they canhave separate checks. I am standing right there, server book in hand, pen poised to take their order. Are they unsure I can answer such a complex question? Maybe they have forgotten that for the previous two weeks I have complied with this same request?
"For all of you?" T asks.
"Yeah." one of the boys says.
"Uh, no, we can't do that. We can give you two checks, but not twelve. We have an ATM in the front you can use." T says with authority and walks away, leaving me standing there smirking on the inside. Serves you right for ignoring me and asking T. I would have said yes.
I give the boy an innocent look as he says, "But you did it for us last week."
"Yes, I did, but now my boss said no and I have to go by his decision. Sorry. I would have done it for you."
I take their order, which ends up being 2 appetizers and 4 sandwiches. I refill their water 3 times before their food comes out.
Shortly after delivering the boys their food, 3 people walk in and begin sliding tables together that run the length of that section of the dining room. Not only does this set up block my path to the patio door, it also sits close to 4 other tables rendering them "unseatable." Within minutes, the whole group has arrived, 35 in all. I am familiar with this group as well; separate checks by family (there are more kids than adults). Thankfully they are ready to order their food as well as their drinks, so after checking on my other tables (the boys and 2 others on the patio), I begin.
As I open my mouth to ask who is starting, a woman from this group turns to T, who has walked up beside me, and asks for separate checks. I am dumbfounded. Seriously, what is going on?
He begins to ask how many, but I interrupt him, as politely as possible, and say "I know how they want this split. It's OK."
After taking their food and drink order, I ask T to help me fill several pitchers of water while I put the order in the POS. He does, and I get the remaining drinks when I have finished. Have I mentioned that I pour my own drinks from the bar?
As we are waiting for the order to come up, I get sat again, and then again. Both are two-tops. I cheerfully deliver their drinks, gather their orders, and enter them in the POS.
Here's where things get messy. One after the other, 2 four-tops come in. After I get their drinks delivered, one is ready to order. They want dinners that come with salads I have to make myself. I make the salads quickly and deliver them, get refills for the boys on their water, the large party on their water and sodas, as well as another bucket of beer and cocktails (all while searching for the right check to enter these on). After delivering the drinks, I take the orders for the other four-top and am entering it in the POS when T comes up behind me.
"We still need an order for those people and the other table right." This is not a question.
"Nope. All the order are in. Just help me run food when it comes up and I'll be fine." I reply.
"Really? Oh, OK." T says with a surprised look on his face.
When the food begins to come up my bartender and busboy (who has been helping the cook) help me run the order to the large party out. T takes a round of plates (i.e. two) out to the table and then disappears. After all the food is out I make sure it is satisfactory and refill drinks yet again. I run food to the other tables, refill their drinks as well, and wait for my turn at the POS as T cashes out the boys. Several minutes later T tells me the table on the patio wants to order. I get their order immediately and apologize that they had to alert my manager.
"It's OK. We only told him because he was out here. We could have waited just the same. We aren't in any hurry at all." I thank them and scoot inside to enter their order.

All in all, the night went off well. I was able to handle all the chaos without issue and was compensated with good tips for the night. The major accomplishment was the large party's 8 separate checks were all correct despite that they were spread all over the table and were not sitting together. I felt good. I did well and I knew it. No complaints, no mistakes, no unhappy customers.

The next night, T told Laura that he wants another server on Friday nights because he has to help me run food and asks her to work. She can't that Friday and it's two weeks before I find out about the request.

Back...finally

2009-06-28T05:20:00.000-07:00

I had to discontinue my internet for a while due to the economy's toll on my income. I have finally been able to reconnect it, although I am worried this will not last long.

Several updates...Katie the waitress is gone, Nina the waitress is in. I have been successfully working open to close on Friday and opening on Saturday morning for 8 months now. I have not taken any days off in that time.

This year has been slower than last. Usually over the summer I am able to make enough to supplement the slower winter months. This year I am just breaking even.

Last Friday we were closed due to storms, and next Saturday we are closed for the holiday. Ugh.

To all my friends here, I am sorry I have been missing and hope this doesn't happen again. I do need to ask for your help. Being in the same industry, your advice and input is greatly needed:
Last night I found out that another waitress has been asked to work with me on Friday nights. The manager that asked her said that they want another server because they "have to help [me] run food." They do not have to help take orders, get drinks, prebus, get refills, take carryout orders, or take payments. They only have to help run food when I have large parties because all the food is ready at once and we do not have food trays to take the food out. The waitress they asked to work is the one who told me, no one else has spoken to me about this. I am hurt by this, and angry. They are taking away half of my income!
I need help figuring out how to bring this up to management. The other waitress has agreed to work the shifts. Our hope is that after a few weeks of working together we can sit down and tell the manager that it isn't necessary to have both of us there.

Please help! Any and all responses will be greatly appreciated.

I'm back

2009-03-26T08:03:00.001-07:00

I have been unable to write for quite some time due to a very heavy class load at school. It's been so slow at the bar lately...BUT
tomorrow night I have a scheduled party of over 40 for a bachelorette party with a dancer...please help me!

And the problem was...

2009-01-25T20:18:00.000-08:00

After thinking long and hard about every aspect of the previously mentioned Friday night I have come to the following conclusion of where the problem occured.
After the open bar ended at 10 I received a party. They are regulars that come in every week and I adore them. They are polite and easy to care for as well as being organized. If I come by to check on them they make sure everyone hears me speaking and asks for what they need at once. They never play run the server. Being that these are great customers that come in every week with a group of 10 to 35 people we do our best to take care of them quickly and efficiently.
Most of the people from the party were hanging around waiting to hear the outcome of the 15 item raffle. While the numbers were being read off the group crowded around the server well at the bar and at the server station where we keep napkins, silverware, and our personal items like purses and coats. This area is obviously not someplace a customer should be standing. The way the Bar is set up, a server walks through the server station to reach the server well at the bar. Needless to say, this group was in my way. Usually I let people know they should not be standing in the server areas, but I was too busy at that point to say anything so I simply worked around them. On my way to the server well I said "excuse me" loud enough to be heard. On my way back through with a full try of drinks I felt the need to speak a bit louder since they had their backs to me. I have had people back up into me and spill an entire tray mostly on me, breaking glasses and wasting time, and wanted to avoid this happening then. Several times the men standing in my way apologized and I gave them a cheerful "it's OK" as I walked off. I usually don't get that much from customers. It's nice when they are polite and realize that you are trying to do your job. At some point I also had to disturb the ladies standing at the server station and using it as a table so I could reach the silverware and napkins needed by my customers. One of the women was the wife of the man running the party.
I believe that the wife complained that I was rude because of all the loud excuse me's and making her move when I needed to retrieve items from where she was standing. Also, I don't doubt that after the twelfth time having to say excuse me to the group I was no longer smiling idiotically. By no means was I rude, but to a self-important woman I guess it would be seen as rude for someone like me, a mere server, to ask her to move. I treated them no differently than I have people in the past.
Women customers sure can suck.

Strange Day

2009-01-25T19:11:00.000-08:00

I picked up a Sunday bartending shift. There were no good sports games on and it was brutally cold so business was...not really there. I served about 25 people in hours. I worked with the same manager that gave me the talk the day before so I was a little uncomfortable starting off the day. My worries were unfounded as he treated me no different than he had before the talk.
At the end of the day we were missing two credit card receipts. I remembered the tip amount on one of them but not on another. I ended up losing the tip since we couldn't find the receipt. When I got home I remembered the amount was $11. The transaction had been closed before I left so I couldn't get the tip later.
The strangest thing about the day happened when the owner came in to talk to the manager. It's a family business and this is not an unusual thing. I chit chatted with his wife for a minute. She commented about it being slow and I told her that it had been that way all day. Later, as I was walking by where they were sitting, Jerry (the manager) handed me a ten dollar bill and said it was from the owner. Stunned, I said thank you and asked what it was for. Jerry said "It's a long story" and the owner said "Because you're a nice girl."
Whatever the reason for it, I don't think I have to worry about the talk anymore. It's not every day the owner hands money to an employee and tells them they are a "nice girl." Beyond that, I felt appreciated and that is one of the best feelings an employee can get from an employer.
What a mind f*ck of a weekend.

Bring me to Tears

2009-01-24T16:50:00.000-08:00

It's Friday night and there is an open bar party. This event was scheduled over a month ago, but I found out about it the weekend prior when another server told me she would be working with me Friday. I was surprised and felt a little sour about the management not telling me since they had known for so long.
The party is scheduled for 7 and will run for 3 hours. I don't know if the house was including a tip for me and Kate. Kate arrives at work at 6 and we try to work out a plan of attack for the party. Since we don't know how many there will be or which side of the bar they will be at we decide to play it by ear. There could be as many as 150 people!
The party begins to arrive at 7. Kate takes the first round of drink orders while I continue to care for the few dinner customers we have. Kate lets me know after delivering the first round that she did not receive a tip. We laugh it off and try to make a joke about it. By 8 the dinner tables have left and Kate and I are both caring for the party. Kate quickly figures out which tables are tipping and only serves them. This leaves me with the tables that are not tipping. I take it in stride, making jokes with Kate and the bartenders about how I am not making any tips. It is, after all, my job to serve customers whether they tip me or not. When the party is over I have made $2.
Kate leaves as soon as the party is over and I am on my own. Most of the party-goers have left and the remaining people are paying cash and have begun to tip. Go figure. With every tip I receive I give a big smile and a genuine thank you.

The next day I am scheduled to work the bar. When my manager gets in I let him know how the party went. I told him I made $2 and that we had to turn away several tables that came in for dinner because we had no seating. I suggested that next time we reserve a few tables so we can still seat customers.

About an hour into the day my manager asks to speak to me. I stepped iff to the side with him and he starts.
"I had a couple of complaints about you from the party last night."
"Really?" I ask, genuinely confused.
"The guy in charge said that he had people from the party coming up to him telling him that you were really rude. They said that you were complaining about not making any tips and that you had an attitude problem. We can't have people like that working here. These are customers, people who live in the neighborhood. We want them to come back. We can't have employees being rude to them."
"Wow. Jerry, you know me better than that. I would NEVER be rude to a customer. As far as complaining about them not tipping me...it would make me uncomfortable to say something to them about it. You know me better than that." I am floored. I wasn't happy about the way the party had turned out, but I felt I had handled it with my usual attitude. I have never been told I had an attitude problem with a customer. I know better than that!
"Well, we can't have that here. I've let girls go for that. You can't be rude to customers."
"Jerry, you know me better than that. I usually get compliments, not complaints. I admit that I was joking around about not making any money. One of the people from that party probably overheard me. I am very sorry that happened and I assure you it never will again. I will be more careful in the future. But I promise you I was not rude to anyone last night and I really don't feel that I had an attitude problem."
At that point my barback let me know that someone at the bar needed a drink and I returned to the bar nearly in tears. I got a beer for the customer and excused myself. I stepped outside to clear my head and my eyes.
The rest of the day went quickly, though I was fighting back tears for 2 hours after the talk with Jerry. Several times during the day I was told that I was "on top of my game" for offering another drink when one was almost gone. One customer, who had been gone for 3 weeks, told me that he had missed my smile and was happy to see it again. These are the comments I am accustomed to hearing, not that I have an attitude problem.
I managed to make it home before I broke down. I guess I thought my managers thought more highly of me than to believe I would treat customers in that manner. I believed that I was thought to be a good employee. I realize that there may be other factors that contributed to the view of my actions the night before. I know that I was not rude and did not have an attitude with the customers. I'm embarassed that I made the huge mistake of mentioning tips within hearing range of the customers, but don't believe that was the only perceived problem. What the hell happened??? I guess I am not the valued employee I thought I was...

Are you a grown up?

2009-01-22T13:43:00.000-08:00

I have cut down my hours at the Bar so my run-ins with diners have been restricted. I did, however, have the supreme luck of running into the type of diner that makes servers want to spit in their food, serve them things that have been dropped on the floor, etc. This encounter lasted a mere 45 seconds.
The lunch rush of the day consisted of 7 tables coming in at noon and closing out their tabs at one; all at once. As I was at the register closing the last tab, two guys, who looked like grown up adults, walked in. My boss, who was at the front on the phone, grabbed two menus and handed them to me. I took them with one hand and continued to hit the proper buttons on the screen to close the check I was handling.
"Can we just sit?" asked one of the guys.
"I'll be happy to seat you in just a second." I say flashing him my customer service smile as I hit the last button needed to close the check.
"One second, OK?" I say, again smiling, as I walk 3 feet away to grab two sets of silverware. None of the tables had been reset since the tables were vacated seconds before. As I walk the 3 feet back to the guys at the register I confirm the number of people in their party.
"Just the two of you today?" I ask.
"You know what, forget it." one of them says. They turn around and walk out the door.
They were obviously upset at having to wait seconds to be seated and did not understand why they could not be seated the second they walked in the door. While the Bar only runs a one person floor and there is no need to worry about who's next up to get a table, we do ask that customers wait to be seated when dining in the restaurant area. This serves many purposes, one of which is to make sure each party is seated at a table that has been cleaned and set. True, there would have been little harm in letting them seat themselves, but they would have waited for me just the same, even longer. There was little harm in having them wait.
Is this a case of poor customer service on my part? Simply impatient customers? I can't imagine they were in a hurry since they left to go elsewhere (I assume), which just took more time than waiting 30 seconds.
Well, to the guys that are not grown up enough to wait their turn, the women who run their waitress for lemons for their water, and the people who do not tip the server or bartender (or only tip the bar) at an open bar party, I have my eye on you.
I am done being treated like a lower life form by customers. I will continue to provide excellent customer service and dining experience to those who treat me like a person. I will continue to do my best in all cases where I am being treated with respect. Not too much to ask for right? In all other cases I will not be rude, but I will not smile and eat shit. Should be interesting...

Holidays are Hell at a Bar

2008-12-18T06:53:00.000-08:00

Another party on a Friday. This one was booked for 20 people so we set up the back of the dining room for 25. The host arrived on time and the rest trickled in over the next hour. While they were arriving I was caring for a party on the other side; a group of 14 after work impromptu drinkers. As with all big groups, none of them could get it together and after returning with the drinks that two of them had ordered, another had decided she needed a drink. Upon returning with that, two more needed drinks. Gotta love running the server.
I was not instructed on how the party in the dining room would be handling the tab, so I asked the host. He got surprisingly agitated and informed me that he would not be paying for everyone to drink. Only what he ordered was to go on his tab. I ended up with 15 separate tabs for the 30 people that showed up. Several people were paying cash. The whole thing was almost more frustrating than the previous party of 80.
At first they stayed at their tables. We added a two more tables when the party reached over 25 people. I had a table of three in another part of the “L” shaped dining room eating dinner and enjoying a few drinks. After a few rounds the members of the party lost all inhibitions and began migrating towards the diners. The whole thing was like a storm. They began in the back and, one that table was messy with plates and empty cups and bottles, they moved to a clean table. The group was so dense that I gave up trying to buss the dirty tables. I could not get through the group without being asked for a drink. When I wasn’t bringing drinks to them, they ignored my presence and refused to budge their fat drunk asses from my path so I could clean the tables.
Eventually, my diners left due to being surrounded by a large group of loud drunks. My party on the bar side evidentially forgot they had a tab with me and began paying cash at the bar. I closed out their tab before they could decide to leave. The tip was minimal but the lessening of my frustration made the trade worth it.
Finally, after several hours of drinking, some of the tabs began to close out. I was left with three hours to go and a group of the most unruly of the party-goers. During the remainder of their time there several friends of the group arrived and sat at a table, shielded by their friends who were standing around the last of the clean tables in the dining room. I brought them their first round which they sucked down like it had been months since they tasted alcohol. As I attempted to get back to them to take an order for a second round, less than 10 minutes after the first, I was blocked by their thirsty friends demanding drinks. My thought process with this was if I could get their drinks quickly, they would let me through to the new comers. When I made it to them they looked at me like it had been an hour since they had seen me.
“We thought you forgot ‘bout us.” Said one woman with a particularly unattractive pout.
“No. I’m sorry. I was getting a round for your friends.”
“Well we’ve needed a round for a long time now. Go get it. Same as before.”
“Ok. I will be right back.”
As I turned to retrieve drinks, they stopped me and changed their order three times. When I finally got to the bar with their order a man from the larger crowd came up to me to order food for the grumpies. This provoked the rest of the large group to order food including my least favorite thing to serve to a group of drunken people, saganaki. After they had all been fed, they closed out and left. I was beyond relief. While cleaning the mess they had left in the dining room I discovered that no tip had been left by anyone paying cash. Should I have been surprised?

Serving the Boys in Blue

2008-12-12T06:47:00.000-08:00

Several Fridays ago I experienced the worst of all holiday parties. It was a Christmas party but they refused to call it such (I feel your pain Banquet Manager).
A week before the event I was enjoying an after shift drink and overheard one of the party planners telling my boss about the party. Some people attending thought the cover was too steep, that they should receive more drink tickets, and wondered if the cover included tip for the waitress. A red flag and a loud alarm went off in my head. This was an 80 person party on a Friday night that would close my entire dining room and they were concerned about having to tip the waitress on top of paying the cover?
Finally the fateful night arrived. It was snowing and the bar was almost empty at 5. "At least we know it will be busy later," my bartender says.
At 7:30 the first couple for the party arrives. They want to wait for others before they pay their cover and receive their drink tickets so they paid cash for a drink. No tip. At 8:00 on the dot they asked me if they could start ordering and give the tickets later.
"I'm afraid I need to exchange the tickets with the bar to get the drink. You can get them from my manager. He's at the front register." I replied.
"Can you go get them for me?" The guy asked with a roll of his eyes.
"I'm sorry but no. I'll see if he can come over though." I said and turned to find the man in charge of tickets.
Eventually the couple got their tickets and their drinks,still no tip.
Shortly after 8 the rest of the party started trickling in. The dining room filled up within an hour and left very little room for walking and serving, but I did my best. There were several people who gave me a dollar for every round I brought, whether it was one drink or five, but most gave nothing. After two hours of this, majority of them were nicely buzzed and decided they needed to rearrange the tables.
While taking a drink order from a nontipping group at an unmovable booth, I was bumped by a table being dragged across the floor. When I turned, there was a long table set up behind me. As I weaved through the new floorplan of the room I realized continuing to serve this group was going to be extremely difficult.
Cause and effect. I was quick at retrieving drinks from the bar because I pour them myself. The bar and I have an agreement; I keep my tip out to her and get my own drinks, she only has to worry about her own customers. It's a good system, especially when we're busy. Unfortunately, delivering the drinks was not as quick and easy. Weaving through the dining room meant orders being called out to me at random by people I wasn't looking at. If I wasn't looking at them, I didn't know who to bring the drink to. I did my best, but it all got a bit confusing.
Eventually, some of the group decided to go to the bar for their drinks. The best spot at the bar to stand,they decided, was the server station and the opening to the bar. We had a crowd five deep standing in the very path I needed to walk to get to the bar. There was even people standing slightly behind the bar blocking the entrance. Every time I went in I had to say "Excuse me" to have them mover a quarter of an inch. When I had my drinks and was exiting, again I had to say "Excuse me".
This continued for another three hours. Because of this large crowd, the manager had to come behind the bar and serve only this group. Several of them made comments about how I would not help them, to which I sweetly replied that I was only allowed to get drinks for my tables. In the time it took for one guy to get his drink from my manager, I had taken four rounds out to the tables.
At the end of the night I had made less than $2 per person for six hours of running-my-ass-off service. My coat, hung in the server area (the walkway for employees between the dining room and bar), had been spilled on. Our regular bar customers had left hours before we closed because the party group was "taking over" the place.
Next year, if this group returns, I'm going to suggest setting up a bar on the dining room side, 86 the server, and add a $3 charge per person to the cover as tip. Wishful thinking, I know.

Update: Hand That Tips

2008-12-10T07:01:00.001-08:00

I spoke with one of the managers and they gave me permission to be as rude as I feel I need to be to this guy. Unfortunately, I am not a confrontational person so I have been brainstorming ways to get it to stop passively. The girls at work have agreed to get in on the plan.
I am friendly with a few of the regulars, and one of them came up with the idea that we should just let him think we are dating. Comments have been made in front of the problem customer and after one day there are no more obscene gestures or touching. Let's hope this lasts.
I know it may not be the most mature way to handle the situation, but atleast no one is getting yelled at or made to feel uncomfortable. Other customers don't need to see me get lippy with the guy.

Slapping the Hand that Tips

2008-11-29T07:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was terribly slow. I made one third of my normal Friday amount. I was lucky enough to have a few tables of very nice, very well tipping families. Today it's bartending til 6 and serving til 2am. A part of me hopes it will be busy, but I am working with the manager that doesn't help out at all and is oblivious to what is going on (see my post on falling during a shift).
I am trying a new approach on fighting fatigue during my long shifts. It worked beautifully yesterday. Instead of hitting the coffee pot like a fiend all day I drank water. I also stayed away from the fried food we serve and opted for peanut butter and cashews most of the day. My energy level was high and I was able to sleep well, unlike when I use coffee to stay awake.
Other than staying awake I have another issue to deal with. There is a regular at the Sports Bar that has been making little comments and making gestures (some very obscene) at me since I started there. It has recently crossed a line. Yesterday when I took a break and left the bar the customer told another customer I had left to "take care of business" because I don't have a boyfriend. When I heard this I was shocked. On another occasion this same customer passed behind me and grabbed me by the waist, holding on to me. I was so shocked at the touch I didn't say anything at the time.
Saturdays this customer and I are alone in the bar for about 45 minutes before anyone else shows up. I know I have to do something today, but I have to be very careful. He is a customer and very friendly with the owners. Why can't some guys just take a hint? He's in his 50's, married and has children. I have heard that the other girls at work have had similar problems with him but they solved it by fighting with him. I don't want to go that route.

No holiday for the server

2008-11-28T06:52:00.000-08:00

Sports Bar is closed on Thanksgiving so I had the day off yesterday. Lucky me, that translates into two 15 hour doubles over the next 48. Actually, 39 hours.
I have a problem saying no. A few weeks ago the Saturday night server asked if I would work for her this weekend. I knew that the Saturday bartending shifts were close to being mine, but I said yes anyway. Why did I do that? I don't want to work two doubles in a row,let alone a Saturday karaoke night. I said yes because I feel guilty if I say no. In the restaurant industry we get no paid holidays or vacation days and only having 3 servers makes the shifts hard to cover. I have this strange idea that if I don't have plans, I should be working. Great for making money, but not so good for my health sometimes, and certainly not for my social life.
Some people call this a good work ethic; being on time, covering shifts, not calling in sick. I call it a problem. The root of the problem I do not know. One thing I do know is I need to start saying no to picking up shifts. I already work 7 shifts a week, 6 days. Its reasonable not to want to work extras after all that.

Check it out!

2008-11-24T17:22:00.000-08:00

I hope you all have checked out Banquet Manager's blog. If not, today is a good day to start! (I am a guest blogger)
All of the blogs I have listed on my page I read as often as possible. I thoroughly enjoy their posts. Highly recommended.

Sunday Fun

2008-11-21T07:17:00.000-08:00

It seems as though everything will work out. One of the night servers wants my day shifts so we just need to hire a part timer for her Monday and Tuesday nights.
This week has been rough on me between work and school. I worked on Sunday last weekend and am working Saturday this weekend so it will be a 7 day week for me.
Sunday I encountered a common problem in the sports bar industry. There was a Bears game on and I had several tables seated to watch it. One table consisted of two guys,one of which asked for a draft which we have on special, the other for water. I gave them a menu as they said they would order later. After 5 glasses of water for the one and 2 drafts for the other I asked if they would be ordering anything off the menu. They said no. I regretfully informed the water guy that he would have to order something, anything, as my manager would not allow me to continue to serve him only water. I suggested a soda, a bottle of water, a draft, or simply an appetizer. He raised a huge stink and could not understand why a business would insist that he pay for a $2.00 item while sitting there for 3 hours.
Water guy had no money apparently, and his friend said to order something and he would cover it. Water guy proceeded to order 6 drafts. The two guys were by far the most difficult customers I had during the game. When one was down to a few gulps of his beer I would stop by and offer another. Every time I was told "Maybe in a minute." I continued to care for my other tables and was flagged down minutes later by the guys looking for another beer. They would then have to wait for me to finish with the table I was serving at the moment and get the draft from the bar. Annoying as it was, I was still a good little server and never even rolled my eyes. I was, of course, rewared for this at the end of the game with a $2 tip for 4 hours of work on a $24 tab.
After the game my bartender left and I took over the bar. I was blessed with a table of 8 celebrating a birthday an hour before close. One of the women at the table asked what stouts we had. After listing the 3 we carry she informed me that those were not stouts. OK....she then asked about wheat beers and selected one from the list. Of course we were out of the one she wanted, but no one had informed me of this. I sold her something else and went back to tend bar.
At the bar I had two men from out of the country. Their initial order was easy, two drafts. After that they began asking what the strongest American beer on tap was, what bottled beer we had, and where each was bottled. As I'm tryingto answer their questions,a table walks in for dinner. My kitchen is closing in 5 minutes so I let them know they will need to place their order soon. While taking their drink order they want to know what beer we have from the South Pacific. What?
Sundays are usually an adventure. I'm wondering if Saturdays are going to be similar...

I feel like I'm on a swing...

2008-11-18T14:01:00.000-08:00

Hooray for meeting goals! I have officially been offered the position of bartender on Saturdays at the Bar. I, of course, accepted. The manager that spoke with me yesterday about it agreed that I can cut down on my serving shifts during the week so I have more time for school and am not working 7 shifts each week. Today I spoke to another of the three managers and told him the same thing; I wanted to give up my Monday through Wednesday lunch shifts. This manager was less agreeable. He told me that just because they wanted me to work Saturdays didn't mean they wanted to lose me during the week. After I made a few good points about the number of shifts I pick up per month already, the number of shifts the night girls want to take off, and how working less during the week opens me up to be more "on call", he agreed to ask the third manager about it. I also made it clear that I could still work all 7 shifts until the end of the year, giving them over a month to find a new girl and allow me to train her to perfection.
Part of me thought I should wait a bit before bringing the issue up to the most high strung of the managers, but being honest and up front has worked so far with them so I decided to continue down that path. I hope I haven't screwed myself.
If they're smart they will see that this is a good move all around. Hiring a fourth server means having a fourth person to pick up shifts. As it is it's difficult to get anything covered because one of the other two girls either already worked that day or is at school or with kids. Out of the three of us there is one mother and two full time students. It can't hurt to have another server. Also, when I was part time at the Bar, when I first started, I rarely said no to covering a shift. I wasn't working alot, needed the money, and had the time. Getting me back to that place can only help them out.
So the waiting continues. Two steps forward, one step back.

In the Running

2008-11-15T09:31:00.000-08:00

One of the servers at the Bar had a death in the family this week. I offered to work for her on Saturday night, but she really needed Sunday for the wake. She spoke to the manager on duty about it and he approached me about the shift. I had plans Sunday, but after telling him this I felt bad. This girl lost a family member. How selfish am I? I can reschedule my plans, so I did.
As a result, my boss has promised me next Saturday's bartending shift, the head bartender has announced that she will back me for permanently covering the shift, and several regulars have made it clear to management they are very excited I will be bartending.
I think I'm getting closer.
On another note...I would love to be writing more but business has been so slow nothing is going on! I guess the economy is keeping out the odd ducks.

Help me Up

2008-11-12T06:55:00.000-08:00

Ironically, yesterday the bartender that works Saturday afternoon, and has been at the Bar for 10 years, quit. A shift is open. I have to fight for this, but seniority is not on my side. I feel that I have earned the opprotunity to take a bartending shift through a year of hard work and going above and beyond for the Bar.
Every morning I arrive at work 20 minutes early. I finish the sidework that has been left by the night server and turn on the heat. Then I go to the office and print the specials for the day if they were not done the night before. I am the only employee that picks up this task. The others wait for the manager to do it when he gets there. Waiting for the manager means that the specials are being inserted into the menus while customers are there. By doing it before we open I am able to complete the task before any customers arrive.
After doing the specials I move on to the bar. I take the fruit out of the cooler or cut fruit as needed, turn on the bar TVs and speakers, pull the covers off the liquor, fill the sinks, and prepare the bar rags. By this time a customer has arrived and is sitting at the bar. I serve the customer(s) until the bartender arrives. She is always 15 to 30 minutes late for work. When she does arrive I receive no compensation for taking care of her first customers. During the next 3 hours I watch as the bar fills up and the bartender gets busy while I care for the 5 to 7 tables I will get for the day.
When I have been allowed to cover bartending shifts I always receive positive comments from the customers. They say I am fast and attentive. They also compair me to the other bartenders. The comparisons I am uncomfortable with because they usually say things about the faults of the other bartenders. It is also frustrating to hear that I am great at a job that I can not have.
So today and over the next few days I will be fighting for this shift. It is more than just being able to bartend. It is that I feel I have earned the opprotunity.
A little more than that, I have been trying to figure out a way that I can work less days and make the same amount of money. Being that I live in an apartment with no roommate I can't afford a cut in pay, but my full time work schedule is overloading me. I do not want to compromise school, just to work less days. If I got this bartending shift I could afford to work 3 days a week instead of 5 and have more freedom in choosing classes.
Wish me luck and I'd love to hear any advice anyone has!!

Server vs Bartender

2008-11-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

I made the mistake of accepting fill-in bartending shifts at the Sports Bar. Why is this a mistake you ask? True, bartenders make two to three times as much as servers per shift. Their tips average higher per tab and they usually get tips immediately when people pay by cash per round. This was a mistake because it made me realize just how much waitresses get screwed.
The first bartending shift I covered at the Sports Bar was spur of the moment. My bartender came into work feeling dizzy. She made it through lunch but it was clear she needed to leave. After my tables had cleared out she was approved to go and I took over the bar as well as continuing to take the few tables that walked in. Most of them ended up sitting at the high top tables in the bar area where I could keep an eye on them. When they initially sat I came from behind the bar and approached their tables. Upon greeting them I politely told them that there was no server and that I was bartending but would be more than happy to get them anything they needed. After delivering their drinks I went back behind the bar and continued to serve the customers seated there. After several minutes a man from one of the tables walked up to the bar and asked me if there was a server. Uh…no. I thought we had covered that already. He proceeded to ask me for two menus. I collected two menus from the other side of the bar and turned to give them to the man but he had returned to his table. Sighing, I walked out to the table to deliver the menus.
Please don’t misunderstand, I don’t mind multitasking and doing the job of both waitress and bartender. It keeps me busy and the tips are usually phenomenal when people see that you are doing both. What I don’t like is the attitude that some people have regarding the service industry. The Sports Bar is a very low key and laid back place. While I pride myself on giving great service to customers I, in my disillusioned way, expect to be treated with respect by the customer as well. He had already walked up to the bar, what is the harm in waiting to take the menus back with him?
Now I am allowed to cover bartending shifts when no one else wants them or the Sunday bartender asks for the day off. We have had an agreement for the past 8 months that if she asks I will say yes. It is the only shift that is “mine” to pick up. Being that I work 6 shifts there a week and go to school in the evenings I am not available for the others that may open up for the night (on the off chance that the other bartenders don’t want to pick it up). This week the Sunday bartender injured herself and needed the weekend off. Since it was a game day, another bartender snatched up the shift before I could say anything. I worked all the slow summer Sundays and the bye week and my reward is having seniority pulled on me and losing out on a $500 plus shift.
Seniority should only count to a certain point. I understand the concept, but being that the turnover is low among the bartenders no one has the change to move up the seniority ladder. I will always be the last for opportunity even though I am the lowest tipped employee there due to my regular shifts being lunches.
My mother did teach me that life is not fair but that’s not going to stop me from saying that the Sunday situation was not. Being that most places make an employee work up to the position of bartender I am better off where I’m at than starting over somewhere new. In the meantime my frustration will continue until I am kindly thrown a bone by one of the superior bartenders.

I can count on it

2008-11-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

One thing I always liked about waiting tables was the randomness, the aspect of daily change. You saw different people every day, you were an anonymous server. I don't have that at my current job. I can see almost exactly how today will play out. During the lunch shift I will see the same people; the guy who has one Honeyweiss and then water, the guy that always orders wings and never requires me to even check back, the two ladies with iced teas that always order a dinner special for lunch and then sit for 2 hours talking. After 4 there will be the usual after work guys, the MDG 64 in a bucket to keep it cold, two Coors bottles at a time because he drinks so fast, and the couple that will drink a pitcher, then order their dinner and another pitcher. At night I will have some dinner tables and my group of 25 at 10:30. When they leave I will have nothing for the remainder of the night and will probably get off work at last call.
There is no change, no anonymous serving. I miss this. It becomes tedious and boring when there is no change in the daily schedule. Maybe if I started working somewhere else I would miss the structure and reliability of the Bar, but today I miss randomness and change.

More Work, Less Pay

2008-10-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

Business has slowed so dramatically at Sports Bar that I am left wondering if I will be able to afford my apartment, let alone things like food. I'm sure the story is the same everywhere, but I am seriously thinking about seeking employment elsewhere.
Monday I made a whopping $11 on the lunch shift. Because business is so bad the bosses have been cutting hours. The SA doesn't work Mondays anymore and as soon as lunch hours are over I am free to go. This works well for me as I have more time for homework and am freed from tipping anyone out.
Tuesday the SA didn't show up for work or call. Wednesday was the same story. I fear we have lost Ramon. This doesn't really present a problem with the bussing of tables as I am perfectly capable of doing this myself. The problem appears in the other duties our SA performs. The bar isn't being stocked, the floors are unswept, the dishes unwashed, and bustubs overflowing. I'm not sure that they will be filling the position since it is so slow. My job description is about to expand.
Yesterday morning was an indication of things to come. When I arrived at work I had to take all the chairs down from the table, roll silverware, set up the bar (my bartender was late), and not only put the specials in the menus, but actually type them out on the office computer. After an hour the place was finally set up (45 minutes after we opened).
I had more tables than I had Monday or Tuesday, but they came in one at a time. I would receive one table and, upon cashing them out, would receive another. I ended up staying at work until 5 and making less than $10 an hour,including my hourly. Beyond frustrated, I apologized to my bartender for being so crabby.
Today,in an attempt to make the day go better, I will be taking my own bustubs to the back of the house and washing my own dishes. It's not right that my cook would have to do this, I might as well help out. Besides, with business the way it is it will atleast provide something to keep me busy. The bartender working today has been complaining that she is getting sick so I will offer to send her home and complete her shift. If I have to stay past the lunch hours I atleast want to be doing more than caring for one table at a time!
I'm heading in early today so I can finish setting up by the time we open. It's going to be a long day.

No Waitress Necessary

2008-10-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

Friday was fairly slow at Sports Bar. The economy is killing business and good tips. A new trend I have noticed is business guys tipping less than 10%. This happened with several tables this week. I could spot them when they sat because they made jokes about the stock market crash asking what our "crash specials" were and then ordering the cheapest thing they could from the bar and the most expensive menu items.
Being as slow as it was, by 8 pm I was starting to get tired. Knowing I had 6 hours left I made some coffee and drank a few cups quickly to get a quick energy boost. Then it happened; something that I would try to keep from bothering me for the rest of the night, but would still sting when I woke up in the morning.

I look at the clock with dread. It's only 8:30 and Sports Bar is dead. So much for Friday night.
"This is one sucky Friday night." I say to my bartender. She looks up from her cell phone and laughs.
"Yeah,so much for making good money tonight."
She turns away to help some thirsty customers and Red Shirt Guy walks up behind me. Red Shirt Guy is friends with one of our beloved regulars. A sweet guy who stays for many hours on Fridays, I have often given TJ a ride home from the bar so he can leave his car. We always go through a drive through and he buys me dinner before I drop him off. He is one of the few bar regulars that, when sitting at a table, allows me to serve him, waits for me rather than going directly to the bar, and tips me the same as the bartenders. Tonight TJ and Red Shirt Guy are sitting at a small table right next to the bar and are going to the bartender for service. This doesn't bother me since it is a table the bar regulars usually spill over to and I rarely serve anyone that sits there. Their choice, not mine, but I have accepted it.
"Tell Stacy there are no paper towels in the men's room." Red Shirt says.
"Why tell Stacy?" I turn to him confused. She can't change the towels in the men's room.
"Because I don't know who else to tell."
"Oh. Well you just told me." I replied amused by the guy.
"Well tell her for me so she can take care of it. She's the bartender."
"She can't take care of that, but I'll tell someone." I'm less amused.
"Just tell her. She's the bartender. She's the most important person here. F**k the cooks and the managers. They don't do anything." Red Shirt says with the tone of an ass.
"What about the server?" I ask with a little smile, hoping to turn the conversation around.
Red Shirt looks at me with something resembling agitation. "People can serve themselves. You don't need a server."
"OK. Well that's nice." I say as I turn to find my SA to refill the paper towels in the men's room.
About an hour later I am talking to the bartender and standing in my usual spot next to the opening for the bar. Red Shirt walks up and pushes past me to get behind the bar. He stands next to Stacy with a menu in his hand.
"I wanted to order food but I guess I have to talk to the waitress." He says with not so much as a glance my direction.
I am amazed at this guy. What the hell is his problem? He places his order with the bar and goes back to the table. I want to tell TJ what an ass his friend is, that he's being rude...but I don't. It eats at me for the rest of the night. My manager asks me what's wrong at one point. When I tell him his only response is not to let jerks like that get to me. I know this. I know it's silly, but there are so many reasons why it does bother me.
The economy stinks right now. Tips are down in general, customers are coming in less. My wallet is taking a hard hit. It's more than that though. There is a bar nearby that cut all their servers. They only run bartenders and let the customers go to the bar to get their own drinks and order food. This scares me. What if Sports Bar does the same thing or decides that they don't need a server on the slower lunch shifts? Good for my bartenders, terrible for me.
Another reason Red Shirt's comments bothered me so much is because of the dynamic of the bar. The bartenders serve the same amount to half the customers a server does. They make two to three times the money. The bartenders at Sports Bar have little to no "sidework" at the end of the night. The put the fruit back in the cooler and the spill mats by the sink for the barback to clean. A server is in charge of the silverware, replacing the specials in the menu, the specials board at the door, the salad station, setting the tables, and refilling condiments among other things.
To hear from someone, even a complete ass, that my job is unnecessary is hurtful. I already get the short end of the stick and to hear someone say what I already know so many bar patrons think sucks. It just sucks.

Goodbye World Series

2008-10-07T05:53:00.000-07:00

The Cubs and the Sox are both out of the world series. While I am thankful that this means no more nights staying late and waiting for the crowds my managers are sure will come (but never do), I am going to miss the money that it promised.
Friday night there was a Sox playoff game and the Sports Bar was packed! There was not an empty seat in the place. The day bartender stayed after her shift to help me run food, drinks, and check on tables. I even had people sitting on the patio and it was roughly 50 degrees outside. Probably more on that later. This and last week have been hectic for me as I moved into a new apartment, have three tests in school, and two papers to write. I barely have time to do the homework let alone for any pleasurable activities, including this blog. I plan on taking some time after class tonight to sit on my ass and enjoy the cable I have for the first time in three years.

Sports

2008-10-01T06:25:00.000-07:00

Just a short rant I need to get out.
Working at a sports bar during the playoffs really sucks. Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that both Chicago teams made it to the playoffs, but my work schedule is now screwed.
Two weeks ago I made a doctors appointment for tomorrow afternoon. This is not normally a problem as I leave work at 3. Now there is a Sox playoff game at 1:20 tommorow afternoon and I have to reschedule the appointment. Since I don't know what the playoff schedule is for next week I can't reschedule until I do, but the office has a two week wait for appointments. Looks like no doctor for me until the playoffs are over.
I also have an unimaginable amount of homework, am moving on Saturday, and have been asked to work that night since there is another playoff game then. Being that Sports Bar has a total of three servers I can't get anyone to cover my shift or come in early so I can keep my appointment or not have to work Saturday.
With both the Sox and the Cubs in the playoffs I stand to make good money over the next month. This is a good thing as this is the time of year business starts to drop off. I am thankful for that, but today, I hate baseball.

Pick up artists

2008-09-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

I have seen many posts on this issue, but what the hell. Here’s my two cents.
Hitting on the waitress.
I’ll start off with my theory on why this is so common.
I have been in the industry and out on the town enough to have observed many instances of guys hitting on the waitress, but not on, say a group of single women sitting at the table next to them. Why is this? I believe it’s because the waitress seems “available” simply by the nature of her job. She is friendly and keeps coming back to talk to you. She offers something many men are looking for; the desire to please. Most forget that this is her job. My brother says that guys hit on the waitress or bartender because that's "just what you do" when you go out with the guys.
I have the odd “luck” of getting hit on by guys frequenting the bar. They are not sitting at tables and therefore are not tipping me. Since they are customers of the bartender that cuts down on my obligation to be…”available”. Some may say that is a bad attitude to have, but I am there to make money. It’s not that I am unfriendly, simply that the conversations are awkward and forced. Also, they have been drinking at the bar for some time before approaching me so the combination of tipsy or buzzed patron and tired sober waitress does not make for good conversation. Also, and most importantly, I strongly feel that it is a bad idea to get involved with customers.
That being said, here are two examples of the guy you do not want to be at the bar.

A few years ago I worked at a bar whose main customer base was 20-something college students and corporate types. To place a drink order for a table the server had to stand at the server station at one end of the bar and wait for a bartender to come over. The server station was set up with a stack of trays, garnishes for drinks, straws, and coasters. It was obviously not the place to sit if you were a customer. It was located at the narrow end of the bar so there was no customer seating directly next to it.
There was a guy named Tim that would come in on the nights I worked and stand next to the server station at the bar so he could talk to me while I waited for drinks. This was distracting and intrusive. He probably thought he was being smooth or something by standing where he knew I would have to talk to him. Problem was I would often come across as rude because I was trying to work. I would interrupt the one sided conversation to order my drinks from the bar and when they were ready I would take them out. At first I would apologize and excuse myself, but eventually it got old and I would half ignore him. I figured he would understand that I was there working. Guess not because this continued for weeks. He asked me out a few times until I finally told him I had a boyfriend and pointed to one of the largest doormen employed at the place. I tried to reject him nicely but some people just don’t get it.

More recently…these both happened on Friday nights at Sports Bar. My bartender and I have an agreement that I fill my own drink orders and do not have to tip her out at the end of the night.
It’s been a busy night but is just starting to wind down. I’m behind the bar filling a drink order for one of my remaining tables when a guy at the bar started calling my name.
I look up to see what he wants.
“When you have a minute I want to talk to you.”
“OK,” I say a little apprehensively.” You can talk to me while I get these drinks.”
“When you have a minute I have a question for you.”
Is this guy hard of hearing or just dumb?
“OK, well I have a minute now while I make these drinks. What do you want to ask me?”
“I want to ask about your tattoos.” He says as he leans across the bar and reaches for my arm.
I take a step so I’m out of reach.” What about them?”
He leans even further and grabs my arm. With his other hand he starts rubbing the tattoo on my upper arm. I step back and pull my arm from his grasp.
“What’s your question?”
He asks where I got them and what they mean. I sigh and give him the scripted answer I give everyone specifically designed to discourage further questions. As I grab the drinks I have finished making he asks me to come back when I have a minute.
I tell him when I have time and make a mental note to look busy for the rest of the night. I still have 3 hours to go. A while later I am serving a table of regulars on the patio and see the Bar Guy sitting with them. I know he’s not friends with any of the people at my table so I pull aside one Daniel, one of the regulars.
“Did he just wander out here?” I ask.
“Yup. Don’t know why but he’s staring at you. He’s kinda creepy.” Daniel says as he glances over at Bar Guy.
Daniel returns to the table and I ask if anyone needs anything.
“I need you to talk to me when you have a minute.”
Will this guy ever quit?
“OK, but I am busy right now. Maybe when I have a minute I’ll find you.”
I walk inside to the POS. As I’m entering the order Bar Guy comes in and walks up to me.
“Listen, I just want to talk to you for a minute. Why won’t you talk to me?”
“I’m sorry, but you do understand that I am at work right? My table just ordered something so I have to go get it now.” I look him in the eye as I speak, wait several seconds, then walk away.
With an hour to go until close I start closing side work. Since the kitchen is closed I start with the specials board. I am kneeling on the floor by the board when I see someone walk up next to me. Bar Guy.
“Hey, looks like you have a minute now.”
“I guess.”
“Listen, I am just trying to talk to you, get to know you. Maybe ask you out. Do you want to get dinner sometime? You’re really pretty.”
I put down the marker I am using, prop myself up with one hand and lean back slightly to look up at him.
“OK, to be honest with you, I work here full time and I go to school full time. I barely have time for myself let alone to date. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m not interested.” I pick up the marker and continue to write the weekend’s specials on the board.
“Hey, I understand but I’m just asking for dinner, maybe coffee. Not too much of your time. You can’t be too busy for that.”
“I appreciate the complements and the offer, but really I’m not interested.” I say without looking at him.
“I’m just saying, I’m a man, you’re a woman. You have needs. I get that and I can help you.”
At this I stand up and walk away. “Thanks but no thanks. I’m not interested.” I say as I walk away.
He goes back to the bar and stares at me for the rest of the night. He asks the bartender to call him a cab and calls my name again. I ask him to hang on a minute and go outside to check on my table. I hang out and talk to them for a while trying to kill time and waiting for his cab to get there. When I see it pull up I go inside and tell the bartender. I slip into the kitchen before he can say anything else.

I am not going to give any advice about the proper way to pick up your waitress of bartender. It’s almost always not a good idea and I am biased. I am not a fan. I know some people consider it “part of the job” but there is a line. Just be careful not to cross it. I guess I’ll leave it at that.

Training Day

2008-09-26T07:51:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of summer, management hired two new girls to replace the one they fired. I was excited because this meant I would have two people to possibly cover shifts. Maybe I could really take that vacation I had been wanting.

Both girls seemed nice and were eager to get on the floor on their own. Being a small place, Sports Bar doesn’t require weeks of training. The length of time you train depends solely on your trainer’s opinion on how you’re doing.

The first server to be hired worked one shift on her own. The next morning she called and quit. The second server, we’ll call her Elle because I honestly can’t remember her name, made it through training.

Elle’s first day of training was a Friday night. Because we were short staffed I went from working Monday through Friday lunches to an added Tuesday, Friday, and every other Thursday closing shift. This week I had worked Thursday so I was on my third double of the week.

Elle came in at 2 to fill out an application. After learning of her extensive experience at popular bars in the city they hired her on the spot.

Elle was told to come back at 7 that evening but she comes in at 6:30. I am beginning the transition from cocktailing for the after work crowd to dinner with families and couples. I am bouncing from the dining room to the bar and out to the patio. When I see Elle I smile and tell her to hang out by the bar and I’ll be over to show her around as soon as I have a second. By 7:15 I have given her the tour and warned her that things get crazy on Friday nights. “Just stick by me and watch what I’m doing. Since you have experience all you need to learn is the computers and the customers. Most of them are regulars on the bar side. You’ll get to know them. The dinner crowd can get hectic.”

She agrees to stick by me but after about 45 minutes I lose her to a conversation at one of my tables.

I have 5 tables on the patio, 6 in the dining room (including a party of 7), and 5 cocktail tables remain in the bar area. I have no time to try and steal Elle away from the table until I go out to the patio again.

I finally grab her attention and tell her again to just stick by me. By 9 she starts to help me. I have her getting drinks and running food to tables to become familiar with the table numbers and menu items. I am tripping over and running into her at every turn. I can’t work like this!

“Elle, why don’t you play around on the computer for a while. Get to know the mod screens and let mw know if you have any questions.”

Free, I make it through the rest of dinner without a problem. When one of my last tables closes out and I look around, Elle is nowhere to be found. I finally locate her talking to customers at the bar. I cut her and tell her to come back tomorrow to finish training.

The next night Elle beats me to work. There are 5 softball teams sitting at tables so we have to jump right in. After all the customers are settled and have their food our first dinner table walks in.

“Do you want to try taking that table?”

“Yes!” Elle replies with such enthusiasm I am filled with hope that her performance will be good and her training will end tonight.

Elle takes about a third of the tables that walk in for dinner, roughly 4 tables. I take the rest and keep an eye on her from a distance while she serves. She seems awkward and stiff at the tables. I’m not seeing even echoes of the experience she says she has, but maybe it’s just because the setting is unfamiliar. When tables leave I walk by and scoop up the tips left on the tables. I am keeping her tips separate from my own so I can give her a portion before she leaves. When she notices me taking the tips she approaches me.

“Am I supposed to be giving you the tips I make?”

“Uh, yeah. I’ll give you some at the end of the night but since you’re still in training you don’t make tips.”

“Well that doesn’t seem fair!” She says with more attitude than I was prepared for.

I can feel my blood pressure rise. I can’t believe the path this conversation is about to take.

“What doesn’t seem fair?” I ask with a little edge of my own.

Where did this girl work? I have never worked at a place that allowed you to keep tips when you were in training. Getting anything at the end of the night was lucky and meant you had a nice trainer. Who is this girl?

“Nothing. I just…I’m doing all the work and you’re taking my money?” She stares at me hard. Her face full of disbelief and anger.

“When you’re in training you don’t make tips. Since you are using my server number I have to claim taxes on all your sales. Plus you are making minimum wage while I am making my regular hourly. You don’t make tips on training.”

“Whatever.” She says as she slams the money from her pocket on the counter. I turn around and grab food that has come up in the window. I don’t have time for this.

When I come back from delivering the food the money is gone. An hour later she asks if she can go home and hands me a wad of cash. I count out some money and hand it back to her. I let her go home but tell her to call on Monday to get her schedule.

She never calls. I’m a little relieved though. She didn’t seem like she had any experience in a restaurant.

Guess I’ll have to keep working all those doubles and not take a vacation.

More Feta

2008-09-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

I’ve been at work for an hour and a half and my first table is walking out the door; a pair of guys clad in casual dress office apparel straight out of the GAP catalogue. Upon taking their drink order I was surprised that one ordered a draft. As they walked past the front register where my manager was standing I overheard them ask “Do we pay here? We just left it on the table.”

“On the table’s fine guys. Thanks.” My manager says barely glancing up from the paperwork in front of him. He always decides to do paperwork on the counter next to the register instead of on the office. I’d better go get the money off the table I think. I seriously dislike when people just leave cash on the table.

I walked out on the patio to collect. My busboy, SA from here on, Ramon, was already cleaning the table. Under the mustard I spotted the check and cash. I picked up $21 and walked inside. Pulling the check to the top of the pile I stopped dead in my tracks.

Total: $22.18

Cash in hand: $21

Shit. My first table of the day and they didn’t even leave enough to cover the bill. I turned around and walked back outside. I searched the patio, table, condiment caddy, and even surveyed the area around the patio hoping some of the cash had drifted off in the wind. There was barely a breeze and no rouge bills to be found.

I walked back in and handed the check and cash to my manager. “They didn’t leave enough to cover the bill. They shorted me.”

He studied the check, counted the cash, and then studied the check again. I had new tables being seated and work to do. “If you could take the soda off the bill then what they left would be enough. Can you do that? It was my first table of the day and I don’t care about the tip, I just don’t want to have to pay the difference.”

Thankfully he felt bad and agreed.

Shortly after the mathematically inhibited GAP guys left, I figured I could easily make up the lost tip on a table of regulars just finishing their meal. For the first time in 3 months we had the woman’s favorite soup. I approached the table.

“Can I get anything else for you this afternoon?”

“No. That soup is so wonderful. You should make it every week” stated the woman. I was hoping she’d say that.

“It is wonderful. Would you like to take some home with you? They don’t make it very often and I’m not sure when we’ll have it next.”

“Oh, what a wonderful idea! If you can do a quart I’ll take that.” Her eyes glowing. She reminded me of my dog when I had a treat in my hand.

“We don’t usually sell soup by the quart but I’m sure we can do that. I’ll be right back.”

I hustled into the back and told my head cook, Hector, I needed a quart of soup. He found a container to put it in and told me to charge for 7 cups of soup. After packing the soup nicely for her I talked my boss into letting me charge her a bit less.

I brought out her soup and ran the husband’s card for the tab. $54 up from $46. I know I gave them good service so I was anticipating the tip would reflect that.

$7 like always. So much for that.

Around the time I usually leave, 3, a table sat in the bar area. A table of regulars that usually sit at the bar. The problem with bar regulars sitting at tables is they will place orders with the bartenders directly if their waitress is not there the second they desire something. This means that whatever they end up tipping their waitress must be split with the bar separately from the tip out at the end of the night. Also, waitresses get tipped less than bartenders as a rule. Unfortunate but true. At the Sports Bar I know what the regulars tip the bartenders, especially when they charge. I process all charges for the bartenders and their tips from charge tabs.

The bar regulars order a water, a sprite, an iced tea, and “light vodka and iced tea with lemon.”

As I deliver their drinks I ask if they would like to order.

“Oh, we’ll be here for a while honey. Not yet.”

At least I brought some homework with me this morning.

As I take care of the bar regulars a couple moves from the bar to the patio without letting anyone know. I decided to let them come in and get their own drinks from the bar. I’ve served them before and they have never tipped me. I notice they are leaving the bartender $2 a round. At least she’s making some money off them.

The bar regulars close out with me at 4:30 and leave half the tip they would have left the bar. At 4:33, two ladies walk in dressed in skirt suit combos and carrying those super corporate leather trapper keepers, unzipped with papers peeking out at every angle. They walk up to the bar with cell phones in hand and looking so very important.

“What can I get for you ladies this afternoon?” Jen asks.

“We need menus. Menus.”

When Jen returns with the menus they have new demands.

“I want a chardonnay on the rocks. You know how to do that?”

“Yes, I think so.” Jen replies with a little bite in her voice.

“I want black cherry vodka and iced tea with a lime. Not a lemon, a lime.”

“Sure thing ladies.”

When they receive their drinks they seat themselves at a table.

Great. I stall greeting them.

After a few minutes they walk out to the patio. Their drinks are almost empty so I decide to go out back and have a cigarette, of course. As I smoke I wonder what I did to piss off the restaurant gods today. I take a long, deep last drag of my smoke before snuffing it out and walking dejectedly back inside.

Walking outside with my best fake smile I greet the ladies and ask if they are ready to order. They are, of course, not ready.

Before ordering they both spend 20 minutes talking importantly on their cell phones. Their eventually order? One Greek salad. At least I don’t have to wait for the kitchen to make anything. I take time to make a nice looking salad and even throw on a little extra feta and Greek olives. I deliver the salad and another iced tea cocktail. Now they need another wine on the rocks.

“Jen, what did that lady have in her chardonnay? Lemons?”

“Nothing. The other had lime in hers.”

“Well she has something now.” Wonder where she got the lemon wedges.

As I deliver the wine I notice they are large slices of lemon. The bar cuts their lemons in tiny triangles. She must have helped herself to lemons from my drink station. Lovely.

“Can I have some more feta? There was only, like, two pieces in this salad.”
“Sure.” There was definitely more than two pieces in the salad. I made it myself. I should know.

I ring in $1.00 misc food on her tab and bring out the feta.

I know she’ll be unhappy about the charge, but I am positive I am not getting a tip from them before I leave and I won’t be here when she gets her check.

When my relief waitress arrives I give her a heads up on the charge. She giggles and says she can’t wait to give them their check and claim ignorance.

Tipping Tips

2008-09-17T07:58:00.000-07:00

1) If you are sitting at a table and paying cash,tip the waitress when she brings your drinks. I am amazed at the number of people who sit at tables and then don't tip per round. After bringing them upwards of 4 rounds totaling $15 or more they leave a few dollars on the table.
2) A good tip is 20%, not 10%
3) Pay attention to your server. If they take a long time getting your drink,maybe they are busy.

Text Message Breakup

2008-09-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

I know they say good help is hard to find. The last few months that has proven true at my bar.
The Sports Bar is a small beer and shot place with a separate dining area for lunch and dinner patrons as well as the late night underage crowd. The bar area has seating as well. All together the dining room consists of 21 tables ranging from 2 to 6 tops. The bar area has 10 tables, and when the weather is nice there is a patio with 8 tables. There are no sections, no rotated seating, and no hostess. On any given shift there is only one server working the floor. This is one of the reasons I applied for a job at the Bar.
I had been working at a place that had no less than 3 servers working at a time. Most nights we were fighting over tables. There were sections that were unfair and assigned (some sections had over 10 tables, including a "party table" seating 20, while some had 5 tables consisting of only 2 and 4 tops) and customers were asked to seat themselves. There were nights when one server would have no tables and another would be in the weeds with their entire section full.
Most servers are coming from places with sections and multiple servers. In fact, I have never been to another place with only one server working the entire floor unless someone called in sick or quit. It can be difficult and overwhelming at first, but when you count your take home at the end of the night you realize it is totally worth it. I have made one third of my rent on a lunch shift, and my entire rent in 2 weekend shifts. I love this aspect of my job.
At the beginning of the summer we fired the only other server the Sports Bar had (yes, there were only two servers). One of the bartenders picked up two of the shifts while we looked for a replacement. We hired 2 new girls about 3 weeks later. I trained both of them on the second half of doubles and their first nights with me were Friday night, our busiest night by far. After training both girls a few times, the first worked her first shift and called to quit the next morning. The second never showed up after training (there is a story on this but I will tell it later). We were able to hire another girl who worked all summer until she went back to school.
After she left we hired two more girls, both part time. One is OK, Katie, the other...
In the middle of the lunch shift I received a text asking if I could work Katie's shift that night. I told her I was sorry I couldn't but gave her the number or the other server and a bartender that sometimes covers serving shifts. As the lunch crowd began to thin out I received another text from Katie. "I hate 2 do this but i can't get no one and its 2 much stress have them mail my check i quit" I replied telling her to call the boss. She sent me another text saying she was not going to call. Great. Now I was left with the unpleasant task of telling the boss that the server that was supposed to be there in 4 hours was not coming in ever again.
Who quits their job by texting a coworker?
I ended up staying at work past the point of making it to class.

Less than 10%

2008-09-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

~If you are looking at the menu and your server says "I'll give you a few minutes" don't get up to find them the minute you decide what you want. We know you want to order, we are just taking care of our other customers while you decide. Approaching me to place your order while I am with another table can give the impression that I am neglecting you and offering poor service.
~There is a reason for the large "Please Wait to be Seated" sign at the front of the restaurant. Please do not walk by me as I ask you how many in your party (with menus in hand) to seat yourself or seat yourself on the patio or around a corner (especially when the restaurant is empty). If you do and you don't receive immediate service please do not give me attitude.

Today started off OK despite the fact that my restaurant was recovering from a weekend of flooding. My bartender was late, as always, so I set up the bar for her before setting up my dining room. The bar usually gets a few customers before I even have one table. After serving several customers at the bar she finally shows up. Shortly after, I get my first table. I was quite busy for a Monday lunch shift and was pleased that I was going home with more than $20 in my pocket.
At 3 I was getting ready to leave when a couple walked in the door. They spent a minute looking at the special boards so I finished making the pot of coffee I had started. When I looked up again they were nowhere in sight. As I was about to look in the dining room the man came up to the front and took two to-go menus from the holder. I followed him back to the table they had seated themselves at. I greeted them and asked if they would be placing an order for carry-out. They both looked at me like I was crazy. The man told me that they would be dining there. I offered to get them a dine-in menu and asked if I could get them something to drink. They said that they would need a while to decide. I gave them several minutes and then checked back with them. They were ready."We'll have two beers and two french onion soups." OK, ordering "beer" at bar...can you be a bit more specific? After listing all the domestic and import beers we have they choose a common import. *Pet peeve number 2- asking me to list all the beers we have, saying you don't know if you want import or domestic and then ordering a Bud or Miller. Most people know what beers they like. Just ask me if we have it.* They stayed for 2 hours and spent $25. The man paid with a $50 and left me $2. Although irritated I didn't give them bad service. As if that weren't irritating enough, by the time the couple left I had been sat 2 more tables, one of which were regular bad tippers. That's the business I guess.

Rainy Day at Work

2008-09-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

Friday night at work I was extremely busy. I was walking quickly from tables to the bar and back. It was wet outside and inevitably water was streaked all over the floor. Sometime around 10pm I was delivering a bottle of beer to a table of men and slipped on some water. I landed gracefully in a sitting position with my legs curved slightly. My knee took the weight of the fall. The men at my table all freaked out asking if I was OK. I found out later they all had daughters. I assured them I was and cracked a joke to break the tension. Some of the beer had splashed on the guy sitting closest to where I fell. As I was apologising to him, my manager came over and asked if I spilled beer on the guy. He said it wasn't that bad and that he was fine. The rest of the table told my manager I had slipped but he didn't seem to care about that. He apologized for me spilling beer on the guy and told me to bring another one to him on the house. His reaction to mewas very cold and not the least concerned. I was a bit surprised at this. Not only did he not care that I could have been hurt on the job at his place of business, but he reacted like I was clumsy for spilling on the customer (which was a minimal spill at most). I wish my other manager would come back to Friday nights.