Secrets that waiters aren't telling you

[LittleBoyBlue]

There was a commercial a while back. The couple was seated with the kitchen in view. The door swings open and the fat chef drops the steak, picks it up and pulls dirt and a cigarette butt off of it.

The woman at the table see it.

:laugh1:

 

[Hostile]

I hate to tell you, it doesn't happen often, but it does indeed happen. I Waited/Bartended to get through college. I never partook in messing with peoples food, but a few folks I worked with did. Not a shock, but they were some pretty low character individuals. They even had a code that they used when they wanted someones food "doctored" up.

I can assure you though, that it will NEVER happen unless you are a grade A Jerk to the staff at the restaurant. It is pretty much as simple as that.

And I repeat. I think the punishment for anyone who does that to someone's food or drinks and gets caught should be made to regret it in a most heinous way.

I have never been rude to a someone in a restaurant in my life and I never will be. I do not like the attitude of that lady Springs1. In fact I find her absolutely boorish and annoying. But I don't think it is right to screw with her food or drinks in gross ways.

I know it happens. I will never condone it.

 

[vta]

Such are the hazards of accepting the services of strangers.
I'm really not happy about anyone having to bring me food, because I know human nature dictates some are going to harbor resentment, function under preconceived notions or just be pissed at the bad experience they had with a customer right before you showed up/called.

I've had enough of pizza delivery boys with ear plugs in their ears asking me how much change I want, pretty much taking a tip for exceedingly late, cold lousy pizza, as some sort of given. I go pick it up.

I do eat out, but I try to do it at places where being a maitre 'd is a profession and one that pays well. Sure resentment happens at all levels, but if the place is expensive enough and you're not eating in the equivalent of a mess hall; the chef isn't rushing to fry up gunk and rush it out the swinging doors and the wait staff isn't being treated to mannerless goons who feel superior for having someone bring them food, chances are I'm eating less spit than I could be.

 

[lewpac]

And I repeat. I think the punishment for anyone who does that to someone's food or drinks and gets caught should be made to regret it in a most heinous way.

I have never been rude to a someone in a restaurant in my life and I never will be. I do not like the attitude of that lady Springs1. In fact I find her absolutely boorish and annoying. But I don't think it is right to screw with her food or drinks in gross ways.

I know it happens. I will never condone it.

I must say that if/when such behavior should happen, I too find it on the top of the VILE list of things to do to another human being. To insert one's own bodily fluids into another person food is right down there with Eagle fans in the gutter department IMO. That's like "prisoner to prisoner" stuff that I see on "Raw TV". Absolute bottom-feeder behavior.

About the worst I ever did behind the bar was to not serve ANYONE Perrier EVER! This was back in the early 80's and Perrier was a big Yuppy thing. It just bothered me personally that someone would get all dolled up for a Saturday night out and order a Vodka & Perrier. I'd have three cases off the stuff behind the bar, but would just tell them "we don't have Perrier". "Here's your Vodka and Club Soda", heaven forbid!!!

Keep in mind that the old saying "the customer is always right" ain't true when your a bartender. Because the customer is usually drunk or close to it, and belligerent and out of control "customers" is what you're usually dealing with. But even then, I never even considered spitting in someones drink. That's just inhuman.

 

[vta]

This spitting convo reminds of something from when I was younger and worked as a driver for a paper company. The owner was really a *******, a big time ******* who aside from being abysmally cheap, obviously enjoyed dumping on people.

When he found out a driver was a former financial advisor down on his luck, he proceeded to make this guys every work day miserable, until he just quit.

Anyway, he used to have me pick him up an egg sandwich on my earlier deliveries. It occurred to me one day that I could easily defile this clowns sandwich and he would never have known. As much as I hated the guy I couldn't do it; I felt worse about thinking it, than I did about beating the crap out of him, which eventually I came close to doing right before I decided I didn't care for the job much anymore.

There's something about messing with someone's food or someone who is eating that bothers me and I can't do it.

 

[bbgun]

Every now and then you hear about a fast food worker who slips something foul into a police officer's meal out of spite, but that's about it.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

Every now and then you hear about a fast food worker who slips something foul into a police officer's meal out of spite, but that's about it.

:laugh2: ... told from a bad man's perspective. LOL

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

VTA, that's because it's sick. That being said, I had a similar experience to yours when I once served a cop who gave me a ticket.

 

[vta]

VTA, that's because it's sick. That being said, I had a similar experience to yours when I once served a cop who gave me a ticket.

We-ell, the cop was doing his job. My boss's job wasn't being a prick, it was just is lousy nature.

If I had a problem with someone and caught them eating, I'd let them finish their meal.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

It will never happen, but the restaurants would be better off if they had some type of personality testing to hire these folks. The overwhelming majority of servers are really good people just looking to earn an honest day's pay. But then, they would hire one or two that made you wonder where their head was at. Those were always the ones that took things too personally.

 

[cowboyfan4life_mark]

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.



This is true. We had a waiter at one of our favorite places and recommended him to our friends. He actually thanked us because apparently our friends told him that he was recommended and by whom. He always took care of us and if he was busy, we waited.

Unfortune for us, he graduated college and since has moved on. Damn education!!

 

[cowboyfan4life_mark]

I read this article yesterday and enjoyed it.

I'll never forget, working odd-jobs in High School, I worked at this BBQ joint for about a year or so. We'd close at 11:00 at night and always tried to get a head start on the clean-up. The goal was to get the hell out of there by about 11:10 if we handled it right.

Most of the time, the place would be DEAD, I mean absolutely nobody in or out by about 9:30-10:00, and we had another hour to get through. So we'd start the clean-up, which is no small job at a BBQ joint. Sure enough, about half the time, somebody would come strolling in around 10:45 and order five BBQ Pork sandwiches, five fries, etc.................

The problem was that it takes almost the same amount of time to clean up after one order as it does cleaning up after the whole night. Used to really piss me off..................Now the "fish rots from the head down", so at that point, I'm mad at the customer, don't want to make his food, and I'm not getting out of there until mid-night. All because of this customer.

So what kind of food do you think he's getting? It's not gonna' be the "Chefs Special", I'll tell you that! It was usually whatever we had to slap together, get him out of there, and lock the doors before someone else came in for a late night snack.

Because you are trying to get out early, before your stated "closing time", you actually would get upset with the customer?????

 

[cowboyfan4life_mark]

About the worst I ever did behind the bar was to not serve ANYONE Perrier EVER! This was back in the early 80's and Perrier was a big Yuppy thing. It just bothered me personally that someone would get all dolled up for a Saturday night out and order a Vodka & Perrier. I'd have three cases off the stuff behind the bar, but would just tell them "we don't have Perrier". "Here's your Vodka and Club Soda", heaven forbid!!!

Why and why?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not attacking you in any way. But I just don't get this.

 

[lewpac]

I'll answer both of these inquiries here................

Because people are people are people. Some folks think that once people get to the work-place, or put on the job uniform, or punch a clock; that they leave WHO they are at the door. Their personalities, pet-peeves, likes or dislikes, dispositions, how they react, etc................

The "Perrier" thing was just something that ran through our industry in our little world. It just developed a life of it's own behind the bar. We all just decided, back then when the "yuppy" thing was a big deal, that people who ordered Perrier were snooty and uppity and putting on airs. The stuff is nothing more than glorified seltzer-water that, we decided, that people just MUST have in their had to be one of the "swells" at the time. So, in our little power-trip, we decided to not allow such a thing. Sounds stupid, but we were all just kids and we COULD, so we DID! Besides, it was a fun thing to do as well..............

With regard to the "closing early" thing..................first off, we weren't closing early. We always worked 'till closing time. But again, people being people, at THAT hour of the evening, we wanted to get out as soon as we could as ANY person would. So yeah, we'd cheat up a little on the clean-up and shutting down procedure. Hoping to get away with it. Sometimes we did, other times we didn't.

But again, I don't care if you're a cop, a school teach, a grocery clerk, a plumber, whatever..................everyone want's to leave work at the earliest time possible. Service industry workers are no different. Like I said, people are people are people. Just because a person works in a restaurant, don't think that they cease being a "people" like the rest of the world. There's nothing about a chef's hat or a waiters uniform that changes them from being a normal human being. Like everyone else, they want to work, do their shift, and get the hell out of there ASAP.

 

[cowboyfan4life_mark]

I'll answer both of these inquiries here................

Because people are people are people. Some folks think that once people get to the work-place, or put on the job uniform, or punch a clock; that they leave WHO they are at the door. Their personalities, pet-peeves, likes or dislikes, dispositions, how they react, etc.................

I agree with this one. Thats why if I have ever been mad at any company and call/visit them to complain, I am upfront with the person that I speak to that I fully understand that this issue has nothing to do with them as an employee. It is a company issue that I have.

The "Perrier" thing was just something that ran through our industry in our little world. It just developed a life of it's own behind the bar. We all just decided, back then when the "yuppy" thing was a big deal, that people who ordered Perrier were snooty and uppity and putting on airs. The stuff is nothing more than glorified seltzer-water that, we decided, that people just MUST have in their had to be one of the "swells" at the time. So, in our little power-trip, we decided to not allow such a thing. Sounds stupid, but we were all just kids and we COULD, so we DID! Besides, it was a fun thing to do as well...............

That is mean and as you said, a power-trip. But none the less funny and an honest answer.

With regard to the "closing early" thing..................first off, we weren't closing early. We always worked 'till closing time. But again, people being people, at THAT hour of the evening, we wanted to get out as soon as we could as ANY person would. So yeah, we'd cheat up a little on the clean-up and shutting down procedure. Hoping to get away with it. Sometimes we did, other times we didn't. .

Agree and disagree. Agree that most people at that age just want to get out. But the hours of operation are different than hours worked. Very seldom do I get out of work on time. One, thats just me. Two, if something comes up, customer service takes presidence. IMO of course.

But again, I don't care if you're a cop, a school teach, a grocery clerk, a plumber, whatever..................everyone want's to leave work at the earliest time possible. Service industry workers are no different. Like I said, people are people are people. Just because a person works in a restaurant, don't think that they cease being a "people" like the rest of the world. There's nothing about a chef's hat or a waiters uniform that changes them from being a normal human being. Like everyone else, they want to work, do their shift, and get the hell out of there ASAP

See above.


Again, I respect you lewpac as a poster and often agree with your thoughts but not everything in this case.

 

[daschoo]

i used to work in a bar and also work the bar in a restaurant and in both if it was quiet at the end of the night you would start getting things cleared up ready to go. if someone came in that late it would tick you off big time. as lewpac said its human nature

 

[lewpac]

i used to work in a bar and also work the bar in a restaurant and in both if it was quiet at the end of the night you would start getting things cleared up ready to go. if someone came in that late it would tick you off big time. as lewpac said its human nature

Back atcha' Cowboyfan4life.........................fair enough.

But I just gotta' respond to daschoo here, with regard to human nature and "my shift is done" stuff. This has nothing to do with the service industry, but the point is driven home EVEN MORE with this story:

I was driving home, two days before Christmas about a decade ago. I started to pass this truck going really slow, full of used tires. But there was this big dip in the road in front of me, and I didn't see this old guy down in there coming the other way. I wasn't even at the truck yet, just starting my pass, and I see this guys car coming, so I simply dip back behind the truck.

This guy, about 50 yard away, drives off the side of the road!

The cops come out, do their thing, and find it a "no fault" deal. As I did nothing wrong except not seeing the older guy coming because of the dip. However, a tow truck is called to pull the guy out of the ditch.

Everyone assumes that I'M PAYING THE TOW DRIVER, but I'm like "no one got even a ticket and it was a "no fault" deal, so I'm not paying the tow driver". (The old guy didn't have to drive off the road, he over reacted IMO) The old guy doesn't like this, so he tells the cop. The cop comes over to me, standing over me, and JUST GOES OFF on me. He's mad at me because "I'm not standing out here all night debating this crap" and "My shift is over already, and you already got me working when I shouldn't be out here" stuff! He's yelling and cursing at ME to pay the tow, or else he'll re-do everything and write me tickets. With all the courage I had, I told him that THAT was wrong, the investigation was done, and I was not at fault.

The point to the story is, even a cop, the supposed ULTIMATE PUBLIC SERVANT, was STILL a human being and was very aware that his shift was through, and it was pissing him off that he had to stand out there on the road when he shoulda' been showered and on his way home.

 

[WarC]

my mother told me a story about seeing an old man blow his snot all over some fresh meat in a grocery store once, it put her off on store bought meats for quite some time.

ive never worked in the food service industry and never witnessed anything like that myself. i tip very well, though. there are a few places i order from alot and i never tip less than $5 even for $10 sandwiches a couple blocks away.

 

[vta]

It will never happen, but the restaurants would be better off if they had some type of personality testing to hire these folks. The overwhelming majority of servers are really good people just looking to earn an honest day's pay. But then, they would hire one or two that made you wonder where their head was at. Those were always the ones that took things too personally.

It should happen.
In order to be a waiter, my father in law had to get schooling when he lived in Switzerland. It isn't considered a low brow job and obviously it's not for everyone and not for people just looking to get by. Being able to deal with multiple personalities in a position of service isn't a cut and paste type vocation.

 

[CATCH17]

I heard in Arizona that spittin in peoples food is a hobby.

Glad I don't live there.