Sunday, December 30, 2007

Servers are Complainers are Servers

I'm working on not complaining as much.

As a server (Yes we use this word not waiter or waitress), it seems inevitable that at some point every server will become a full-fledged complainer. Nothing will satisfy an experienced server.

Things servers complain about:

-Not enough tables
-Too many tables
-Not enough money
-Bad table sections
-Food comes out too slow
-Food comes out too fast
-Too many tables with not enough people
-Bad tips
-"Campers" (people who "camp out" for an extended period of time)
-Tables of two (never usually a money maker)
-Tables with kids
-Kids who order chocolate milk (we have to stir it up and make it ourselves)
-Parents who let their kids order, thinking it gives them some sense of responsibility, but really they just get shy and take ten minutes to order
-Not enough tables
-Sunday afternoon customers (are the stingiest tippers...because all the money went to tithing???)
-Not enough money
-Getting a whole bunch of tables at the same time
-Other servers are lazy
-Big parties who all order only water (Double complaints for lemons in the water!)
-Staying on the clock at not having enough tables

-Don't want to be at work, but don't make enough money....hmmmmm....


The list could go on and on. Basically, servers are never happy. I include myself in this list, though I am working hard to not complain. Complaining among servers festers and builds upon each other, and is not helpful. So I write this mostly to try to commit to making an effort to being positive.

Time to head back to work.

2 comments:

Amy said...

I never liked Senior menus. They would only tip $1.50 but that always turned out to be 10-15% after the discounts.

Keep at it! I don't know if you think about it much, but it's a great ministry to work in the restaurant industry. Your good attitude may affect people more than you know. (But you already know that I'm sure) :)

Hey, I'm thinking about putting pictures of you and Mike all over my mocha cans- what do you think?

Bevy said...

Remember what Bob Farrell, in the pickle video told the waitress when she was complaining at every customer she was given. He said to say "I Like You". After she grumbled about it for awhile, she started to say that, to herself of course, and her tips tripled. You ought to try it! Give 'em the Pickle, Melissa!