13 things your waiter/server won't tell you

terry78

My name is Stefan, sweet thang
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http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/user-post-13-things-your-waiter-wont-tell-you-479179/

1. Avoid eating out on holidays and Saturday nights. The sheer volume of customers guarantees that most kitchens will be pushed beyond their ability to produce a high-quality dish.

2. There are almost never any sick days in the restaurant business. A busboy with a kid to support isn't going to stay home and miss out on $100 because he's got strep throat. And these are the people handling your food.

3. When customers' dissatisfaction devolves into personal attacks, adulterating food or drink is a convenient way for servers to exact covert vengeance. Some waiters can and do spit in people's food.

4. Never say "I'm friends with the owner." Restaurant owners don't have friends. This marks you as a clueless poseur the moment you walk in the door.

5. Treat others as you want to be treated. (Yes, people need to be reminded of this.)

6. Don't snap your fingers to get our attention. Remember, we have shears that cut through bone in the kitchen.

7. Don't order meals that aren't on the menu. You're forcing the chef to cook something he doesn't make on a regular basis. If he makes the same entrée 10,000 times a month, the odds are good that the dish will be a home run every time.

8. Splitting entrées is okay, but don't ask for water, lemon, and sugar so you can make your own lemonade. What's next, grapes so you can press your own wine?

9. If you find a waiter you like, always ask to be seated in his or her section. Tell all your friends so they'll start asking for that server as well. You've just made that waiter look indispensable to the owner. The server will be grateful and take good care of you.

10. If you can't afford to leave a tip, you can't afford to eat in the restaurant. Servers could be giving 20 to 40 percent to the busboys, bartenders, maître d', or hostess.

11. Always examine the check. Sometimes large parties are unaware that a gratuity has been added to the bill, so they tip on top of it. Waiters "facilitate" this error. It's dishonest, it's wrong-and I did it all the time.

12. If you want to hang out, that's fine. But increase the tip to make up for money the server would have made if he or she had had another seating at that table.

13. Never, ever come in 15 minutes before closing time. The cooks are tired and will cook your dinner right away. So while you're chitchatting over salads, your entrées will be languishing under the heat lamp while the dishwasher is spraying industrial-strength, carcinogenic cleaning solvents in their immediate vicinity.

From Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip-Confessions of a Cynical Waiter by The Waiter (Ecco/HarperCollins)
 
3. When customers' dissatisfaction devolves into personal attacks, adulterating food or drink is a convenient way for servers to exact covert vengeance. Some waiters can and do spit in people's food.
And they should be fired.
 
Having worked in the restaurant industry for a few years, I agree with most of these.
 
10. If you can't afford to leave a tip, you can't afford to eat in the restaurant. Servers could be giving 20 to 40 percent to the busboys, bartenders, maître d', or hostess.
Screw percentage. I tip according to the service.
 
I'm not saying I don't tip at all, just how well I'm served is the factor on how much.
 
rdogstv.jpg
 
I could've told you guys all of this
 
I learned most of these by watching Waiting.


I don't eat at restaraunts all that often anymore.
 
this should be titled "13 things that are common sense".

i wish it were a law that everyone be forced to work at least a year in fast food.
 
And they should be fired.

Or the customers could stop being a prick with a stick on their ass.

this should be titled "13 things that are common sense".

i wish it were a law that everyone be forced to work at least a year in fast food.

**** that hard, I worked nearly 3 months fast food...it sucked. Well, it sucked the last 3 weeks under new management. Before then, it was passable but not good work/pay.
 
this should be titled "13 things that are common sense".

i wish it were a law that everyone be forced to work at least a year in fast food.

Real restaurants aren't anything like fast food.......I worked a year at Burgerking when I was 17 and there was way more fun then work going on, no matter how busy we were. Restaurants are serious business, it's hell until the end of the night. Then the fun starts
 
"4. Never say "I'm friends with the owner." Restaurant owners don't have friends. This marks you as a clueless poseur the moment you walk in the door."

What if you ARE friends with the owner? My dad is very good friends with the owner of a bar in Manhattan.

"6. Don't snap your fingers to get our attention. Remember, we have shears that cut through bone in the kitchen."

Is that a threat?

"9. If you find a waiter you like, always ask to be seated in his or her section. Tell all your friends so they'll start asking for that server as well. You've just made that waiter look indispensable to the owner. The server will be grateful and take good care of you."

How does that make the other waiters look?

"12. If you want to hang out, that's fine. But increase the tip to make up for money the server would have made if he or she had had another seating at that table."

What do they mean by hangout? Like if I have a long meal? How about whoever is paying the bill gets to decide how long they stay?

"13. Never, ever come in 15 minutes before closing time. The cooks are tired and will cook your dinner right away. So while you're chitchatting over salads, your entrées will be languishing under the heat lamp while the dishwasher is spraying industrial-strength, carcinogenic cleaning solvents in their immediate vicinity."

They're using products that contain carcinogens to clean the plates et al? That's reassuring.
 
Hell yes. I only tip when it's deserved.

You got that right. I'm never rude to waiters, so people who give me attitude and poor service get nothing from me. If they give great service, I tip very well.
 
You got that right. I'm never rude to waiters, so people who give me attitude and poor service get nothing from me. If they give great service, I tip very well.

I'd rather give a 50 percent tip less often but when it's deserved than a 15 percent tip arbitrarily.
 
"4. Never say "I'm friends with the owner." Restaurant owners don't have friends. This marks you as a clueless poseur the moment you walk in the door."

What if you ARE friends with the owner? My dad is very good friends with the owner of a bar in Manhattan.

Don't be a ***** and throw that around, you're not entitled to special treatment

"6. Don't snap your fingers to get our attention. Remember, we have shears that cut through bone in the kitchen."

Is that a threat?

Once again, don't act the ***** and snap your fingers at people...it's rude

"9. If you find a waiter you like, always ask to be seated in his or her section. Tell all your friends so they'll start asking for that server as well. You've just made that waiter look indispensable to the owner. The server will be grateful and take good care of you."

How does that make the other waiters look?

If you have a waiter that you like (and the 2 restaurants I go to regulary I have favorites) what's wrong with asking for them?? makes the waiter feel good and you know that will reflect on the service


"13. Never, ever come in 15 minutes before closing time. The cooks are tired and will cook your dinner right away. So while you're chitchatting over salads, your entrées will be languishing under the heat lamp while the dishwasher is spraying industrial-strength, carcinogenic cleaning solvents in their immediate vicinity."

They're using products that contain carcinogens to clean the plates et al? That's reassuring.

and again...this is about not acting the **** and going somewhere you KNOW full well is supposed to close in 10-15 minutes....if I go somewhere late, its usually to a 24 hr diner or something like that
 
One thing I try to do is say thank you whenever a busboy fills my water glass or takes away my plate. They are the backbone of any restaurant and are the most invisible at a restaurant.
 
3. When customers' dissatisfaction devolves into personal attacks, adulterating food or drink is a convenient way for servers to exact covert vengeance. Some waiters can and do spit in people's food.
What kind of idiot yells at the waiter before they bring your food? ...if you are mad at your waiter wait until they finish bringing you food THEN you can let them have it.


8. Splitting entrées is okay, but don't ask for water, lemon, and sugar so you can make your own lemonade. What's next, grapes so you can press your own wine?
lol, thats so ghetto. Does anyone actually do this? :hehe:
 
I'd rather give a 50 percent tip less often but when it's deserved than a 15 percent tip arbitrarily.
I'm with you there. Usually I give a normal 15% tip, but if the service is bad you get nada. Last year I was at Chili's with my girlfriend, and our waitress was very inconsiderate. She would never come around to give me refills, we had to wait 20 minutes before she asked for our drinks and order, and she gave my girlfriend the wrong meal. When we wanted to get her attention to change it she would either ignore us or not be around. My girlfriend then noticed that she was sitting in another booth talking to a bunch of guys she probably knew from high school. I was like, "FTB, she's not getting a tip."

Now on the flip side, I'll tip more than 15% for someone who goes out of their way for exceptional service. One time, ironically at the same Chili's, I had a waitress that was ultra accommodating. It's like I didn't have to ask for anything, and she made good conversation too. It also helped that she had a really really nice ass too. I don't tip women for having a big booty, but it sure does help.:woot:
One thing I try to do is say thank you whenever a busboy fills my water glass or takes away my plate. They are the backbone of any restaurant and are the most invisible at a restaurant.
I try to do that too. People need to hear "thank you" to know that they're appreciated sometimes. I don't understand how people give their servers a hard time. They're doing the best they can in an under appreciated position. They're not slaves that bend to your will, they're your ambassador to the kitchen.
 
What kind of idiot yells at the waiter before they bring your food? ...if you are mad at your waiter wait until they finish bringing you food THEN you can let them have it.
If the person is dissatisfied with their food, then there's a good chance they'll send it back. I think that's when this happens most often, but I wouldn't know to be honest.

Then there are appetizer items, drink items, etc. to be considered for complaint. I mean, you're right, it IS idiotic, but that's the way it goes.
 
Real restaurants aren't anything like fast food.......I worked a year at Burgerking when I was 17 and there was way more fun then work going on, no matter how busy we were. Restaurants are serious business, it's hell until the end of the night. Then the fun starts
yeah, i worked at wendy's for 6 years and PF Changs for 4 years. wendy's was awesome, but it helped that i worked with awesome people who were tons of fun. PF changs just sucked. such a crappy uptight company.

but i mentioned fast food in my original post because i think working there instilled me with far more respect of people in the food industry than pf changs did. i took far more away from that job, and i think its something everyone should experience. people need to understand how demanding these jobs are. and not necessarily because of the tasks one needs to perform, but the tolerance towards general society that is necessary to perform them. i walked away with such an understanding of the working class, and a far greater tolerance to other people, and by recognizing the sheer lack of common sense i dealt with everyday with customers i became more aware and conscious of my own common sense.
 
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