Yesterday I worked a double, 10:30 opening to 10:30pm. All day I had cheap customers and it pissed me off because I was initially in a great mood and doing great. I decided that if people were going to be cheap as hell, then I'd have to make up for it in volume. So I said yes to the hostess whenever she asked me to pick up a table.
The biggest annoyance I had was towards the end of the night. I had a party of 8 sat, and then before I could even get drink orders I was double sat. WTF hostesses? I understand we're busy, but if you want these people to get good service, you can't give me a large party, and then double seat me 1 minute later. And of course your tables act like they're the only ones in the restaurant and huff and puff when they don't get service at lightning pace. Hello, this is a busy Saturday evening with a 40 minute wait time; you're not going to get the same quick service you could get on a weeknight.
These last 3 tables were my biggest headache. Demanding and needy as hell. One was an old couple who felt the need to repeat their picky particular requests 3 times like I hadn't heard them, not letting me leave until they reiterated everything a million times. Then the old lady thought her medium prime rib was rare (it wasn't) so she complained, and then her husband jumped on the bandwagon and said his sweet potato was hard and he couldn't 'slide his fork through it like usual'. Over and over again I agreed to fix it and they just kept bitching and making expressions like they had sucked on lemons. I finally brought back fixed food and they were finally happy. What's funny is the old woman said "now THIS is delicious and perfect". But the prime rib she had just called rare? We didn't cook it any longer. All the expo guy did was throw it into the au jus pan for 3 minutes and throw it back on the plate. So it looked darker, but it wasn't cooked any longer. That's fine with me, her damn prime rib WAS medium just like she asked. I've seen rare prime rib. It looks waaay different than hers did.
The second table had 2 gift certificates and a coupon. They left these and $13 and said they were good so I wished them a good night. I go back, and get the manager to apply the GC and coupon. She tells me the GCs don't include their alcohol, so I needed to go ask for more cash to cover the bill. Of course I look out and the people are gone. The manager sighs and goes "They totally knew what they were doing" and thankfully discounted the check so that the $13 ended up going in my pocket as a tip.
Dealing with the 2nd table took like 5 minutes, so by the time I got back out to figure out how the large party's checks would be separated, they were standing up and glaring at me impatiently. I explained how I had encountered a problem with the last table and apologized for having it take so long....I really had no control over it. So I go to separate the checks, then run the cards and hand them back and they all thank me and leave the books on the tables.
Mother f*ckers. 1 left me 20%, another left me 25%....but the other 2 checks both left me 5%. Now I'm pretty sure that was on purpose; they were bitchy about having to wait. It wasn't my fault dammit! I gave them awesome service (when my other 2 tables let me...), ran my ass off for their extra sides, tons of beer, etc. My coworker friend said "Just tell them in your mind to eat a dick and move on". I laughed, fumed a bit, and then thanked the lord when I saw I was finally cut.
I had the lowest common denominator for customers yesterday. I wanted to cut a bitch by 1pm....by 10:30 I was seething. Ugh.
At least I broke my record for tips and made the most I have made at this job yet. Stupid tipshares....I had to pay out $34. Without that I would have walked with almost $200. Booooo. :P
Aloha
2 weeks ago
I don't like tipsharing based on your sales - it isn't fair because people never tip the minimum 15% - just doesn't work like that but you still have to tip on what the restaurant assumes you made based on sales.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness I have never worked at a place that did it. We were free to tip what we felt was fair - and in most cases the servers were fair to the bartender and busboys. Also? I have never in a server job ever had to tip a host/ess - I still don't understand that concept - they make more per hour then the servers.
Well, congrats on the big tips eventhough you had to pull your hair out to get it. :)
That is like our place. But when the tip out is high it should mean you made some money. Glad you did after all the running around.
ReplyDeleteMy daughters both waitress and I did during college so I feel your pain. No matter how hard you try there is always gonna be some asswipe who for whatever reason real or imagined is going to leave you a lousy tip.
ReplyDeleteWhen we go out the waitress is guaranteed a minimum of a 15% tip- if the service etc. is good it will go up to 20% or more. You can tell when a waitress is busting her butt- and I don't hold it against a server if we have to wait a bit if I can tell they are doing the best they can. As I always told my girls.. smile, be polite and silently curse the ones who are jerks- karma is a bitch and the asswipes will eventually get theirs!
Thanks guys.
ReplyDeleteSkippyMom- we do in fact tip out the hostesses because they make the same $4.25/hr that we do. I think it's horrible; pay the girls the regular minimum wage!