Tip your waiters!!!!

[theogt]

You make a good point. Everything you said is true. On another note, there is nothing that will make me more mad at a customer then for the person to hold up an empty cup and shake it so the ice makes noice, implying give me a refill. If you do that to me I'll write off the tip as 0 and you will be waiting a long time to get your drink, unless it was in jest, then I would be OK with that. I think a lot of people are missing the point that maybe their service is bad because of how they treat the waitstaff.

Don't let their drink get to empty.

 

[Springs1]

Of course it does. While you may occasionally find a decent waiter at a TGI Fridays or Outback, you're kidding yourself if you think you aren't going to run into a ton of inexperienced wait staff as well. You don't become a good server overnight in most cases...it takes some time to learn the trade. As a customer, it's unfair to expect the same service at Chili's and Ruth's Chris.

I have ZERO experience being a waitress. The closest that I have come to it was serving customers in a donut shop/diner where I was counter help. The place had 2 booths, a counter, and some tables. I did do some duties a waitress would do like get refills, get orders, get condiments, bring the check(sometimes people would pay upfront like they do at Waffle House or Denny's). Even though I have NO waitress experience to speak of, I would know more about being a waitress than some of these idiots out there that serve us.

You may ask WHY? It's simple, when you dine out for years(since late 2000) 2-3 times a weekend(just about every weekend we have done this), you LEARN through EXPERIENCES of different things that can happen. I have learned also through the internet of some people's opinions about service as well.

Just recently, last month, my husband, I, and his grandparents went out to eat at a FINE DINING restaurant. Guess what? The waiter was terrible. We waited over an hour for our food with NOT letting us know anything. We also waited around 15 minutes to get a coke and a tea, which the wine was brought out WAYYY BEFORE the tea and coke. The waiter had to be reminded and even reminded himself when he brought the wine to say "I'll get you your tea", which he ended up not getting it or even bringing up the fact that my coke was forgotten either. Anyway, I had specifically ordered a side of ranch with the bread, another person brought the bread, no ranch. The waiter should have offered to bring that out ahead of time since we were paying HIM, NOT that other guy. HE was our waiter, NOT that other guy. I felt like I was at TGIFriday's or Chili's or Applebee's you know? My point is, you can be ANYWHERE and get bad service. For the 4 of us, the bill was $268, left 9% tip. Would have had a better tip, but the fact that the waiter didn't APOLOGIZE for his mistakes made his tip go much downer.

As a customer, it's unfair to expect the same service at Chili's and Ruth's Chris

It IS fair. My entree was $26 just the steak and side dish not counting the $3 add on I ordered. Just because a restaurant is expensive doesn't have ANYTHING to do with if the service is going to be good or not. I have had BETTER service at Chili's, Outback, Red Lobster, Applebee's, etc. than that time that I talked about above. Service really has to do with thinking about if that were YOU as the customer. MOST don't, that's why service is poor a lot of times at restaurants. That waiter wasn't thinking of our thirst, otherwise, he would have gotten the coke and tea ***BEFORE*** bringing out the wine from the bar. See, how I would be a CONSIDERATE, THOUGHTFUL waitress and how he wasn't a thoughtful waiter. I would think of how I feel, that I get thirsty myself and wouldn't want to wait unnecessarily for my drink that he was in control over. At the very latest, he would have brought the coke and tea with the wine, but not WELL AFTER with NO APOLOGY FOR FORGETTING THEM EVEN!! What kind of person does that? We were nice to him, but he wasn't nice to us in that sense. My point is, you can be at ANY restaurant and get poor service. More likely it happens at non-fine dining restaurants, but it still does happen at fine dining restaurants. It's all about the PERSON that serves you if they are **CARING** or not and if they are LAZY or not. If they aren't caring as the waiter at fine dining restaurant showed, what kind of tip should you expect for not apologizing for forgetting things? Be nicer, then the customers will be nicer, DUH!!! Do I need any experience to be a waitress to know that to think about people's time and getting things correctly as much as I possibly can to the customer? Of course I don't!! I know the menus at some restaurants BETTER than some servers, for REAL!! Some servers have no common sense.

NO, it's 100% FAIR, because it depends on the ***SERVER****, NOT THE RESTAURANT and OUR EXPERIENCE at the fine dining restaurant PROVES that.

 

[tomson75]

Umm..yeah.

Right over your head.

 

[theogt]

Who actually says "fine dining?"

I know. People who don't eat at nice restaurants.

 

[Hostile]

I'll be honest, I wouldn't want you serving me despite your claims of being better than all the waiters and waitresses out there. My apologies, but you never get a 2nd chance to make a good 1st impression. With the all caps shouting and ranting about color of french fries being some kind of big deal I feel like if I didn't like my food you'd think we were at the Post Office and shoot innocent people.

 

[Hostile]

Umm..yeah.

Right over your head.

Don't act all shocked.

 

[theogt]

Umm..yeah.

Right over your head.

I liked the previous version of this post.

 

[Springs1]

Again what you are missing here is that you don't get to tell the waitstaff how you want your fries. You can tell them how you want your steak cooked, you can tell them what sides you want, and what dressing you want on your salad. All of that is fair game. But when you get to something like how to cook something that is going to serve multiple diners - like a batch of fries - then you are out of line. When you ask for special stuff like that you are just putting the staff in a crap situation. Let's see, make a new batch for Ms. Batguano Crazy and delay either her order or everyone else's, or just serve her the fries the way the everyone else gets them.

Of course, I expect if your order were delayed because of this request, you'd have a whole 'nuther round of rants.

First off, everyone has a TURN, which means if 5 people want their steak well done, which there is no more room on the grill for one more and I only want mine medium rare, it's the SAME DARN THING!! WHY is that ANY DIFFERENT than fries? It's not.

You are the one out of line, because if I am PAYING for the food and the service, shouldn't I get the food exactly how I want it? If it was free, I could see maybe not getting what I wanted, but I am PAYING for it, so it's out of line to act like a person can't get what they want with their money It's out of line to think of other people's turns that are AFTER mine instead of WHO ORDERED FIRST!! If I ordered my fries lightly cooked before some other person's, guess what? The cooks can put a bunch in the fryer for another customer as well and just scoop out the amount that is for me EARLIER. They don't have to make a batch just for me. Even if let's say they did, if I ordered BEFORE some other customer or customers my fries, if mine takes longer, it's only fair that MY TURN GOES FIRST SINCE I WAS FIRST, DUH!! If anything mine should take LESS TIME to cook, so what's the complaint about, just that they might make a separate batch just for me, well it's MY TURN, so I should get that chance as others do with how they want their food cooked.

It's just like if you are in line at the store. If I have one item, behind 3 people that have basket fulls, the cashier isn't going to tell me I can cut, so I don't get WHY you think other should get to CUT in front of "MY TURN" or WHY you think I am wanting to "CUT" in front of their turn", when it's not their turn YET?

As I said in the first paragraph, my order gets delayed for 5 well done steaks, it's the same thing, but the difference is, it IS FAIR, because I should wait ***MY TURN****, just as the other customers that are next should wait their turn with their fries. What's fair is fair and what isn't isn't. You are out of line to think I should have to PAY for things that I don't want? You don't buy thing you don't like, do you or are you that stupid?

 

[theogt]

Oh, snap. It's bolded and underlined all caps!

 

[TheKey]

Don't let their drink get to empty.

Good point, but I'm not perfect. A bad job does not deserve a good tip, but it doesn't deserve being treated like dirt either.

 

[Springs1]

I hate generalizations like this. If you haven't worked in a restaurant you have no factual basis to make statements like this.

Actually, I do, because we have had MANY, MANY, MANY *EXPERIENCES* with bad service since late 2000. Do you go out to eat 2-3 times a weekend, which we have just about that since late 2000. Think of all the things we have experienced. Wrong entrees-one admitted putting the order in wrong(which also brought it out wrong himself), another admitted grabbing the wrong one from the kitchen), overcharges(all kinds from rung up wrong table on our credit cards 3x's to wrong prices that they could have noticed first by getting their manager to fix it before we had to find the error, to wrong rung up items, to extra items), servers assuming things such as wanting my appetizer with my meal just because we ordered 2 appetizers as well as 2 entrées when I NEVER ONCE said or implied such a thing, to servers being rude, to servers not giving us back our coin change without our permission to keep it, bringing out wrong side dishes or forgetting side dishes, forgetting condiments or wrong amounts of condiments, to getting drinks brought out wrong(dr. pepper was ordered, brought out sprite, like duh color difference), drinks wrongly brought from the bar such as asking for salt on the margarita, then bring it out without salt on the rim, to asking for no pickles(pickles on the plate or on a toothpick on top the bun) brought out by the server themself, servers that admitted putting in the order wrong even though some other server brought out the food, etc. Get what I am saying? We have been through some crap as well as good service as well, but what I am saying is, I have a LOT of room to talk about how it was the SERVER'S FAULT for all these things that happened.

Do servers make mistakes?

of course just like any other profession. But what matters is what they do to correct their mistakes.

What matters is not just what they do to correct the mistake, but if they are trying their very best. A LOT of servers out there are LAZY. Too lazy to compare the written order to the food, then bring you the wrong things that are so obvious to the EYES that the CUSTOMER can see it within 2 seconds of hitting the table. It DOES matter if they make many mistakes. Ever have servers make 5-6 mistakes IN ONE DINING EXPERIENCE? WE SURE HAVE!! That deserves no tip PERIOD, because that server doesn't care about their customers and isn't trying at all. I can accept one, two, small mistakes, but that many(5-6), you aren't trying at all. That's just ridiculous.

Also,Waiters depend on a lot of other restaurant employees to provide a good service. A lot of restaurants have 'food runners' whose jobs is to take the food to the table when it's ready. Sometimes whichever waiter happens to be in the kitchen and not too busy will also take the food to the table. If they don't look at the ticket closely they can take out the wrong sauce to the table. Which will have nothing to do with the waiter who took the order.

I know about this already. Most chain restaurants have no food runners, just other servers running each other's food, meaning no tip outs to the other servers that run the food that isn't their tables, which is WHY service is so bad when another person brings out the food, because there's no incentive to read the ticket by comparing that ticket to the food(assuming the ticket is correct of course).

As far as condiments go, those can ALWAYS, ALWAYS be brought out BEFORE the food is ready REGARDLESS of WHO brings you your food, so missing or wrong condiments that are served on the side that are wrong or missing are 100% the SERVER'S FAULT if they are wrong or forgotten, NOT that other server's fault. The person making the tip is supposed to **EARN** their tip by PREVENTING the mistakes they can from happening. That's why we are paying OUR SERVER and NOT THEM!!

If it's a busy restaurants (i.e., chains), chances are the kitchen staff will not make a separate order of fries just because someone wants them yellow. However, If they are willing to do that, you should be willing to wait a few extra minutes to get your fries.

They do at the chain restaurants I go to(Chili's, Applebee's, and Outback, etc.) Most of the time, I don't have to wait longer honestly unless the kitchen staff messes up.

Also, keep in mind you're not the only customer in the restaurant. If you're very picky and very high maintenance, a waiter will make a decision if he/she wants to spend too much time and energy on you at the expense of the other 4-8 tables that he/she is responsible for.

I know I am not the only customer 99.9% of the time, but we have been a couple of times at certain restaurants at unusual times(not near closing, just unusual times). Then they will get the tip they deserve for not caring about ALL their customers equally. What if all their customers are high maintenance? The server should care about ALL of them EQUALLY SO.

Customers can set the tone for the kind of service they receive. If you treat your waiter as a servant and expect him/her to jump every time you snap your fingers (which btw is a big no no) there is a big chance that you will get less than optimal service and maybe a surprise in your food to boot.

I treat them NICELY. I ask for things NICELY. I say "Thank you" when they bring me things. I am NOT a MEAN PERSON!!

Having said all this, i hold the waiting staff to a high standard for things they can control.

The waitstaff can control most things. If you read my first post, you would see all the things that are listed as far as food goes. They are in control of all overcharges, because they can get a manager to fix a mistake BEFORE they decide to give me the check with an overcharge on it. It's call being caring and non-lazy. There's not too many thing not in their control. There are some things, but most things they CAN VERY MUCH CONTROL before it gets to you wrong.

 

[Faerluna]

I have ZERO experience being a waitress.

I think Stevie Wonder could see that one coming.

 

[TheKey]

First off, everyone has a TURN, which means if 5 people want their steak well done, which there is no more room on the grill for one more and I only want mine medium rare, it's the SAME DARN THING!! WHY is that ANY DIFFERENT than fries? It's not.

You are the one out of line, because if I am PAYING for the food and the service, shouldn't I get the food exactly how I want it? If it was free, I could see maybe not getting what I wanted, but I am PAYING for it, so it's out of line to act like a person can't get what they want with their money It's out of line to think of other people's turns that are AFTER mine instead of WHO ORDERED FIRST!! If I ordered my fries lightly cooked before some other person's, guess what? The cooks can put a bunch in the fryer for another customer as well and just scoop out the amount that is for me EARLIER. They don't have to make a batch just for me. Even if let's say they did, if I ordered BEFORE some other customer or customers my fries, if mine takes longer, it's only fair that MY TURN GOES FIRST SINCE I WAS FIRST, DUH!! If anything mine should take LESS TIME to cook, so what's the complaint about, just that they might make a separate batch just for me, well it's MY TURN, so I should get that chance as others do with how they want their food cooked.

It's just like if you are in line at the store. If I have one item, behind 3 people that have basket fulls, the cashier isn't going to tell me I can cut, so I don't get WHY you think other should get to CUT in front of "MY TURN" or WHY you think I am wanting to "CUT" in front of their turn", when it's not their turn YET?

As I said in the first paragraph, my order gets delayed for 5 well done steaks, it's the same thing, but the difference is, it IS FAIR, because I should wait ***MY TURN****, just as the other customers that are next should wait their turn with their fries. What's fair is fair and what isn't isn't. You are out of line to think I should have to PAY for things that I don't want? You don't buy thing you don't like, do you or are you that stupid?

This proves you are missing the point. You are paying for the food, and you are paying for the service; except, you don't want to pay for the service.

 

[Faerluna]

Who actually says "fine dining?"

I know. People who don't eat at nice restaurants.

We always called it "fine dining" when I was working at Ruth's Chris. I felt like it just signified that it's going to put a hurt on your wallet to go there, as opposed to TGIF.

 

[Hostile]

I am NOT a MEAN PERSON!!

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

:wink2:

 

[Springs1]

This proves you are missing the point. You are paying for the food, and you are paying for the service; except, you don't want to pay for the service.

WHERE IN THE WORLD do you get that I wouldn't want to pay for the service? The waitress at Outback got 12%, because she BLAMED the kitchen staff by saying "I put the order in right" when I saw it within 2 seconds it was dark brown, that it was HER FAULT 100% for SERVING ME the fries dark brown. She didn't even apologize. WHY should I pay someone well that is mean? You don't blame someone else for something YOU could have seen yourself, EVER!! Then, not to even say you are sorry, that's just wrong.

I had a CARING waiter at Chili's tell the kitchen staff to recook some fries. THAT IS WHAT A SERVER SHOULD DO, NOT ATTEMPT TO SERVE FOOD OBVIOUSLY WRONG TO THE EYES!!

 

[vta]

Man, this is a hot topic. Who'd have thought such ire could arise from it? There are ***** in every aspect of your life, sometimes food servers, sometimes customers. That's the problem with customer service jobs, you have to deal with the ***** as well as the considerate.

I've never seen such a fundamental change in a persons outlook, like I did when a buddy of mine opened a video store. His attitude about people went South almost over night. Some people aren't cut out for customer service jobs, (like myself) and amazingly some people can take that junk all day and still retain a smile.

Sometimes you get crap service, sometimes you get someone who invokes enough generosity in you to tip beyond what's considered fair.

You might as well curse the sun for rising every morning, with all the substantive effect that rant will afford.

 

[TheKey]

WHERE IN THE WORLD do you get that I wouldn't want to pay for the service? The waitress at Outback got 12%, because she BLAMED the kitchen staff by saying "I put the order in right" when I saw it within 2 seconds it was dark brown, that it was HER FAULT 100% for SERVING ME the fries dark brown. She didn't even apologize. WHY should I pay someone well that is mean? You don't blame someone else for something YOU could have seen yourself, EVER!! Then, not to even say you are sorry, that's just wrong.

I had a CARING waiter out Chili's tell the kitchen staff to recook some fries. THAT IS WHAT A SERVER SHOULD DO, NOT ATTEMPT TO SERVE FOOD OBVIOUSLY WRONG TO THE EYES!!

:laugh2: :laugh1:

You maam are mean.

 

[vta]

We always called it "fine dining" when I was working at Ruth's Chris. I felt like it just signified that it's going to put a hurt on your wallet to go there, as opposed to TGIF.

I call it fine dining when a glass of wine costs more than the bottle.

 

[Hostile]

This proves you are missing the point. You are paying for the food, and you are paying for the service; except, you don't want to pay for the service.

...and look for any excuse not to.