Check...Please

"Check Please" was my first ever blog. I really enjoyed writing blog entries especially about a subject that I had a lot to vent about. I actually didn't realize how much I had to say until I started writing these entries.

Working in a restaurant for so many years while going to school full time was definitely a challenge and finally I was able to benefit from doing so by writing these blogs for class.

Coming up with a new topic each week, whether it was planned or just came to me from a recent experience gave me something to enjoy writing about. 

Not only did I like writing these blogs but I also like how I was able to write about my experiences working in restaurants. 

Hopefully everyone learned a thing or two, or at least was entertained by some of my stories.

And remember to always ask nicely, CHECK PLEASE. 

COINCIDENTLY

COINCIDENTLY my last post was about all the mistakes i've made, and recovered from... this weekend I made one of the biggest and worst mistakes a server could make.


Saturday was a busy day since it was nice out and there were games on and naturally, I was how we say in the restaurant biz "in the weeds." Overwhelmed with the amount of tables I had I forgot to put in an order. I noticed about 45 minutes later than my table still didn't have their food. In a rage I went back to the kitchen demanding to know where my tables food was. To my surprise there was no ticket, to my ultimate surprise there was no order in the computer. In a panic I ordered the food and had no choice but to take the blame. I had to go over to the table and tell them I forgot to put their orders in, but that the next round of drinks was on me. All in all it was a $40 but my table was very forgiving. 


Funniest part to this story... the following day I had the entire table again, on Mothers Day. I made sure I put their orders in and gave them the best service ever! 

Server Moments

I may have not experienced senior moments yet but i've definitely experienced SERVER MOMENTS!

1) "Oh, has anyone come up to you yet?"

2) "You meant you wanted the salad with steak... not the steak?"

3) "Are you ready to order? ...Oh, you don't have menus yet...?" 

4) <completely forgetting about a table entirely and going up to them acting like you were just giving them space and you didn't want to rush them> "Still enjoying yourselves over here?" 

5) "Yes, I will be right back with your water" <10 minutes go by, I get thirsty and realize my table I forget to serve probably is too> 

6) Never bringing over the extra ketchup, salad dressing, glass of ice, another round of drinks, steak knife, salt and pepper, extra napkins, olive oil and cheese.... the CHECK...the CHANGE!

7) <going over to the same table twice asking them the same question within 2 minutes>

8) Forgetting to fire the second course and not realizing until the bus boy comes up to me asking if they should set the table for dessert when they didn't even get their main course...

9) Speaking so fast I not only studder but lisp and semi spit on the people I am speaking to

10) Forgetting to put in a special request in like "sauce on the side" and blaming the kitchen...woops

To be fair my "Server Moments" have occurred when I was completely in the weeds and overwhelmed... only on occasion have I slipped up on a slow or regular night.

To all servers out there, you know what i'm talking about. For all restaurant goers, I apologize in advance if any of the above (or worse) have happened to you. 

Dine out on Monday's

Monday's are the most dead day and night in any restaurant, unless of course there is some sort of sporting event going on and the restaurant has tv's. But other than that this is the night that no one wants to work. Think about it, every one just spent all their money on the weekend and since Monday means back to work it also means back to the routine of dining in. But for those wise diners who don't like big crowds, want better service, and BETTER DEALS dine out on Mondays. You not only will get up to half off the menus (some places offer) but you will get a more intimate experience. Restaurants are great on the weekends too, don't get me wrong, but they don't have that laid back vibe that Monday's have. So do yourself a favor and do an online search of restaurants near you to look for the best deals. You won't be sorry! 

This industry is addicting

This industry is addicting...


A funny thought came across my mind today. I was thinking that soon I will be graduating and starting my "real job" and a feeling of sadness came over me. 
I literally got mad at myself because after all of these years not having weekends, working long hours, and being bitched at by hungry people, you would think this would be a welcome moment. But no, it's not and i'll tell you why. The restaurant industry, although tough can be very rewarding. The feeling you get when you see a couple, or friends out, or even a family satisfied and genuinely enjoying themselves and the place you work at is very enjoyable. Also, the money could be amazing...at times. But the hard work is what really keeps you going. Working hard and getting rewarded is not something you experience in many jobs. Most jobs are paid hourly, or by salary. Serving and bartending is something that the harder you work, the more money you will make.


I think I will get over the fact that I will have a real life soon. One that is structured, predictable, and stable. But in the mean time I'm sad because I actually worked very hard over all these years just for it to kinda end.


My advice though for everyone and anyone. Work in the restaurant industry, in any position. Experience what it's like. If you like it stay and work your ass off. If not, leave and appreciate all the people who work out of the kitchen, and in. 


And most importantly, remember to always ask nicely.


"Check Please" 

To auto-grat or not

To auto-grat or not


I'm sure every one is aware of the little message at the bottom of menus stating that the service will be included for parties of 6 or more. For us servers this is both a blessing and a curse.
In some cases it is a life saver to have the gratuity included. For starters, you have an idea of what you will be paid for the work you are doing, secondly, you don't get screwed. 
In my experience it has worked to my advantage having the service included. There have even been cases where people have added to the gratuity which of course is welcome since we are only allowed to add a certain percentage which is the basic minimum.
However, in some cases when parties grow over the course of a meal or sitting to drink it makes it hard to keep track of how many people are at a given table. Sometimes it is hard to track down a manager and have them add the gratuity. Also, sometimes people get offended and feel the server is being sneaky when the service is already included. It also makes it awkward when it comes time for "should I bring you over some change." Recently I had a table that started off with 5 guys just drinking. Since our policy is 6 or more I wasn't thinking of adding the service. As the night went on several friends came over to order drinks with me but when the check came it was back to the original 5 guys. Since my manager only saw 5 people he was unable to add the service. When it came time to bring the check over I just figured the guy would take into consideration that I not only served him and his 4 friends but all of them for a couple of hours and that the service was not included. This is an awkward moment though because of course you never want to actually say this to your customer. However, I guess/would like to think that he assumed the service was already added and left me with 0 when The bill was well over $200...
If only auto gratuity didn't exist perhaps I wouldn't have been stiffed? 

10 Tips for a better dining experience. For you and me

I originally started this blog because I was stumped on what to write about. I realized that most of my time has been spent either at school or work but enough is enough about school, we all know what that's like. But not everyone knows about restaurants or what goes on behind the scenes.
I decided to write a few tips and tricks for people, like you, who have never worked in a restaurant.


Here are 10 tips that will make yours and your servers time more enjoyable:


Tip #1: If you are ready to order, stop looking at your menu. We come over to your table when you don't have your head buried. We think its rude to keep going up to you if we don't think your ready, we don't want you to feel rushed. 


Tip #2: If your waiter is MIA. Don't go looking for a manger and get the server in trouble. Simply look around the restaurant, someone (most likely your server)  is bound to come over to you almost right away. This is the sign for, I need or want something but don't know who to ask.


Tip #3: If you are in a rush, DON'T GET YOUR MEAL COURSED. If you insist on an appetizer, tell the server you are in a rush and don't have time to wait for your meal to be cooked while your app is being eaten. Ask for it all to come out at once, or as soon as you get the app to "fire" your meal. 


Tip #4: If you have allergies, to ANYTHING, tell us! Even if the ingredient is not in the food it may be near the food you are allergic to.




Tip #5: If your silverware LOOKS dirty, don't make us feel bad about it. Dishwashers leave water marks and we don't always have time to shine your silverware. We will gladly get you a new set, no attitudes and dirty looks needed.


Tip #6: If you are with a big group of people and plan on using one million credit cards, make a plan ahead of time. Don't ask the server to make separate checks for everyone, it takes forever to do and is a pain in the ass for the kitchen to keep track of all your food when its on separate checks. This could be resolved very easily. Pay cash or simply split it evenly. When you say "30 on this card, 10 on this card" you often leave us short because you didn't include tax... 


Tip #7: If you think we are the ones making your food, think again. The kitchen (Chef) will literally scream at us when we are asking where your food is. It's not easy for us so try to be patient. 


TIp #8: If you are starving and expect your food to come out fast but your friend orders a steak well done... ask your friendly kindly if we can bring your food out first. It makes it awkward for everyone when you are starving and wondering why your food is taking so long when you ordered a salad.


Tip #9: If you are going to make your server run around like a chicken with no head, at least tip well. I understand not everyone has extra money to throw around but we don't work for free. When you make us go above and beyond than give us a standard or below standard tip, thats just mean. 


Tip #10: If you get a server that truly made your night, tell a manager. Managers often only get complaints about their staff but when there is positive feedback it is good for everyone. It doesn't take much to do, so why not make someones day. 

Unethical?

Unethical?


Spending a lot of time in restaurants and having down time in between rushes has left me with a lot of contemplating. 


A few weeks ago when I first started my new job I had a group of middle aged people come into the restaurant. It was a Sunday afternoon and usually if it's a weekend (or weeknight) people will be looking to drink, this is not out of the ordinary especially at my job. Being more of a bar than a restaurant I of course offered our drink specials. This group in particular ordered their food first and started off slow with just a beer each. But a few hours went by and more and more drinks were ordered. Since we all live in the city area I just always assume that no one drives, however this was not the case. 


One beer turned into mixed drinks, mixed drinks turned to mixed shots, mixed shots turned to straight shots of liquor. Over the course of a few hours my table managed to rack up over a $400 bar bill (they were at most 6 people.) Although at the time I didn't know they were driving I started to feel uncomfortable at the amount of alcohol they were consuming. And that is when I over heard one of them say something about driving home. I froze in my tracks, mid way to the table with another round (on the house.) 


This is where I was tested, morally. Continue to walk over to the table with free drinks which will in turn make my tip higher. Or walk away and refuse to give them anything else to drink with the notion that I may be yelled at and not tipped. 


The choice was obvious but instead I tried to play it cool. I went over to the table tray in hand with water. The group got my hint, stayed for a few more hours, ate, relaxed and continued to drink... their water. 


However, this situation could have gotten bad fast. Now I ask my tables more questions before I server them alcohol. "So, do you live around here, come here often." etc. just so I can get a better idea of what they are planning to do after they leave. 


Although some people may think everyone makes their own choices to do stupid things, it is always the responsibility of others around watching as well. 


Until next time. Check Please! 

no check necessary

I've seen my share of cockroaches working in restaurants. Cockroaches although extremely disgusting are a reality for people in the restaurant industry. However, controlling them and taking action again infestation is what separates a good restaurant from bad. Even though extermination could be very stressful, a lot of work, and EXPENSIVE it is a necessary precaution.

Today I will share three of the many times cockroaches and I have crossed paths.

Story #1: 

A few years ago I worked at a restaurant that was very clean but since the dumpsters were close to the back door a cockroach would scurry in on occasion. One morning I came into work and we already had customers in the restaurant. On my way to get their drinks I noticed laying on its back what looked to be a huge dead cockroach. I knew I had to get rid of it quick so I got the broom, my plan was to sweep it outside. Well little did I know, cockroaches not only play dead when they are stuck on their backs but they... FLY! As I swept it the roach flipped back over, lifted off the ground and flew into my face. I dropped the broom and ran full speed into the dining room flailing my arms forgetting of course there were customers in there. When I stopped and realized I was being stared at I quickly apologized and said I saw a spider... LIE! I don't know where the mouse sized roach ended up but I was just glad it wasn't in my hair.

Story #2:

It was a busy night and I had to run down to the basement to get wine. Since the box was laying there for a while in a dark and semi-damp place it became a breeding ground for roaches. As I reached down to grab a bottle of wine I noticed the inside of the box seemed to be moving. I took a closer look only to find thousands of baby roaches not only in the box but on the bottle that was in my hand. I again reacted in the same way as I first did, dropped the bottle and screamed running upstairs. My boss assured me this was yet again a rare occurrence, I just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Story #3:

Luckily this story did not involve a restaurant I worked in...
While out on a romantic date with my boyfriend and I were were busy finishing up our appetizer. The waiter came over and brought over our entrees which looked great. We were so happy to finally find a moderately priced and great quality restaurant. The ambiance was relaxing, portions were large, what a perfect place, until...

I noticed my boyfriend wasn't really listening or looking at me while I was talking. Although this may seem like a typical male trait it usually isn't the case for my boyfriend. His eyes kept wandering behind my head to the bench I was sitting on. Finally I said, what is the problem? He looked at me slowly and said, "do  you want me to ruin your meal right now? Turn around."

What was right next to me scurrying about was a medium sized roach. I slowly stood up and grabbed a napkin. I didn't want to make a scene because there were other customers in the restaurant and hey, it wasn't my first rodeo with the pest.

The manager noticed me standing, swooped in, crushed the roach and said dinner is on me.

Question is, will we ever return?? We'll see.

A$$hole

While working in the previous restaurant there were a lot of situations that required biting of the tongue. Even though it seemed hard to do, the consequences of not doing so could end up with you kicked to the curb. Since I didn't want to lose my job, no matter how tempted I was I would keep my thoughts to myself. This was not the case with my co-worker, we will call him Ben. Ben was a big guy, jock type build with a quick temper. Although Ben and I worked in a very professional environment we would always come across customers who didn't act in such a way.

 One warm summer night Ben was busy working outside on the patio. Since it was a pre-theater time everyone wanted to get in and out before their shows. But no one considers this when they order their three course meal and well done steak. Needless to say this one particular guest was very unhappy when he realized that his 45 minutes wasn't enough to enjoy his meal and impress his much younger and prettier date, pre-operah. Well, Ben did not hold back when explaining this to the guy. The guy however, to cover his embarrassment called Ben an a$$hole and threatened that he better get his food immediately. 

Let's take a minute to give a small background on Ben. He grew up in the hood, in Detroit. Is about 6'4 and used to play collegiate division 1 football. Despite the very uptight and professional environment, despite the fact that Ben was wearing our ridiculous uniform which consisted of a crisp white shirt, vest, tie, long apron, black slacks and shined shoes, despite all this, Ben, needless to say didn't bite his tongue. Ben got in this guys face, leveled down to him, grabbed his collar and said

"You take that back or I'm going to punch you in your pretty f****** face. 

"I'm sorry, I take it back"

"Ok, I'll get your steak" 

This situation, unlike this guys steak, was rare. Had Ben been caught he would be fired immediately, or worse... a Yelp or Zagat article would be written about it. 

Luckily for everyone (especially that guy) no one was harmed.

Ever since this incident I had no problems holding my tongue because I knew if I had a problem I had one big coworker just waiting to finish what he started. 

Is it worth it?

Working 12+ hours on your feet is hard. Working weekends with no day to rest from class and my internship is even harder. Although I've always thought of myself as a money driven person I recently have found myself thinking...


Is it worth it? 

Sure, the money could be great. But at what cost? Missing family birthdays, time with my boyfriend, and other 22 year old social life experiences. I work through the weekend with the only time for myself being to sleep.


It worth it? 

Not to mention what the work consist of. Constantly running around being attentive to people, serving food and drinks and watching people my own age have fun with their friends.

Is it worth it? 

Being a hard worker is more a curse than a blessing. The truth is I am hooked. Working long and hard hours for cash, the whole grind experience, its just appealing to me. I am always on the go. When I have nothing to do I can't stand it. But HELLO I am missing out on being young and going out and enjoying life.


Is it worth it?

I'll keep you posted.

"How Waiters Read Your Table"

I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal that touched upon the subject of how waiters give service at restaurants. The article talked about how waiters are now being trained to judge a table by the vibe they are giving off and than tailoring their service based on that “vibe.” Examples included a couple fighting and a business meal.

I thought this was an interesting article because when you are a server you need to know how to deal with different and sometimes difficult customers. However the article failed to touch upon a few other types of customers that I have come across in the past.

This is my re-write of:

“How Waiters Read Your Table”

Children are so cute, except when in restaurants:

When approaching a table with kids… Wear gloves, a mask, and a space suit. Bring over a spray hose, plenty of crayons, and hide the knives and salt and peppers shakers. If possible bring out the kids food first to keep them distracted!

Star struck:

When you have a table with a celebrity filter every word that comes out of your mouth. All you are thinking about is the movies they were in, the songs they sing or the work they've produced. When a very well know basketball player came into my job I made a remark along the lines of, our lasagna is really big also and probably will fill you up, no one else could finish it alone... Way to go Rachel... I hid the rest of the night.

No Entiendo:

When you have a table that doesn't speak English don't try to communicate using hand signals. You end up looking like a caveman and will most likely get the order wrong. Try to find someone who speaks their language and if not just order something everyone likes and hope for the best.

Just what the doctor ordered? :

When the lady at your table looks like she is going to go into labor any second yet is ordering raw fish and bottles of wine, say a prayer and hope that is just what her doctor ordered.

Milk the cow:

For first dates, be extra nice to the women, bring over a candle, make fancy suggestions, be very attentive but also be sure to give space. Making the nerves of the guy calm down will only help everyone out, getting them drunk in the meantime will make for a great goodnight first kiss. If the guy really wants to make a good impression he will shell out a lot more for a tip than usual. Win-win for everyone!

Here is the link below for anyone interesting in checking out the original article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204909104577237152011781364.html

"ARE YOU AN IDIOT?!"

"ARE YOU AN IDIOT?!" The old man screamed to me.

Many time I've wondered this myself working in the restaurant I worked in.

Note to self: never be a reservationist in a high volume/ pre-theater restaurant EVER again!

Before I became a server in this particular NYC restaurant I was their reservationists/hostess. Basically, I did everything under the sun. I dealt with so many rude and demanding people that when someone was genuinely nice it took me by surprise. I learned that when people are brought up being fed with a silver spoon they expect everyone to treat them that way. In reality I despised these people and it killed me to give into their sick and twisted games they loved to play. However, as soon as I punched in every day I found myself feeding these people, literally and metaphorically with a silver spoon.

BUT, I wasn't always successful hiding my deep rooted, innate feelings and sometimes I just couldn't keep it inside.

For instance... It was a warm spring Saturday night around 7pm. Just a side note: This restaurant sat over 200 people, and within 1-1.5 had to have them out and to their shows.

At the time I was responsible for taking deliveries over the phone, checking the food before it went out, opening and closing checks, taking reservations, answering questions, cleaning and fixing menus, and doing anything else my managers asked me to do. To say the least I WAS BUSY!

I remember standing in the middle of the office wearing high heels and a phone headset, answering each call saying"please hold" while checking to make sure all the food was prepared the way it was supposed to be. The office was filled to the brim with delivery orders, phone calls were pouring in, and my head was spinning. To add to this mess, the delivery guys did not speak English OR Spanish, great. The phone kept ringing and I finally answered. "Hello, please hold" in the most polite voice I could. And thats when I heard the dreaded aggravated voice of an old man. I stayed on the line.

"Yes sir, how can I help you. What is your last name"  I knew why he was calling.

Had I not had a headset on this is where I would have placed the phone 5 feet away from my ear.

"I am 80 years old, I have a broken hip and could have walked over faster than this delivery is taking."He screamed.

Looking at his delivery ticket I notice his order was placed 25 minutes ago. And he lived IN THE SAME BUILDING AS THE RESTAURANT!

I understood this guy is old, I understood he wanted to take advantage of the delivery option. I understood, I really did. But not that night.

"Well sir how about you come and pick it up then" I say nastily.

I brace myself.

"ARE YOU AN IDIOT?!" The old man screamed to me.

"Yes. YES I AM!" I scream back.

"Well I want to speak with your manager." 

People who love to get free meals


This is how a meal should be... For Valentines day/ birthday my boyfriend Dave took me to Foxwoods. We dined at Craftsteak house and had an amazing meal and over all great dining experience. The courses flowed together perfectly, the timing was impeccable, the atmosphere amazing, and most importantly the food and the service was the best. The servers were friendly, inviting, personable, professional, and assertive. An all around great experience. However, this is not always the case. 


People don't realize that going out to eat is more than just getting a good meal. The dining experience is just that, an experience. The other thing most people don't realize is us servers are well aware of that. Our job is to make your experience fun, relaxing, enjoyable, and comfortable. Servers have the huge responsibility of not only delivering great food on time, but great service. However, some people take advantage. I've learned that there are people out there who actually want to make your life miserable. Being demanding, rude, and actually just mean is the worst thing you can do to a person, so what justifies this? Just because we are getting paid does not mean you can be an asshole. I've often reflected, what is worse... a table that is nice and leaves little or no tip or a table that is rude, demanding, and belittling and leaves a great tip. 


The hardest thing I had to learn was not our extensive wine list or complex menu but how to be nice and friendly to people you wouldn't be nice and friendly to in the real world. I just give these people the benefit of the doubt and say to myself they are miserable and are just looking for a free meal and an ego boost. If you are one of these people next time you sit and feel the urge to be mean simply say, check please!  

Intro

Check please! is a blog about my past and present experiences working in the restaurant industry. This weekly blog will feature stories from my perspective working in restaurants and also being a guest in them. I will post weekly pieces of my journey from start to finish over the next few weeks. This journey will be exciting and sad, boring and overwhelming, gross, but above all, delicious. I’ve found over the past few years that working in the restaurant industry, especially in NYC gives you a tough skin, fat wallet, and no social life but the appeal on both ends as a worker and a guest just keeps people wanting more and more. The restaurant industry is one of the toughest places to work, crazy chefs, all spanish-speaking kitchen staff, and servers striving to be stars can be found in all restaurants no matter how big or small. But whether the meal was horrible or great it all comes down to that one last thing, check please!