Quote:
Originally Posted by lovecda
Waitstaff meet hundreds of people. It's unreasonable to expect them to remember you until they've served you at least 2-3 times.
|
Why would I expect that, huh? Why should it matter if I have been there before? Just take my order. That's your job as a server.
Quote:
|
More than likely they've found that being personable and identifying with someone's meal choice generally gets them better tips.
|
Not if you are *DELAYING* someone that already ***KNOWS** what they want, NO, you aren't going to get more tips. Especially if they are in a hurry like on their lunch break or something.
Quote:
|
If it's anything other than water (which can be refilled from a pitcher at the table), yes, this can be annoying.
|
Even water is annoying if they do it every tad bit. Like once, at Houston's(this is a chain restaurant we have here that's a bit more upscale looking and prices are listed as whole dollars(for example $9) rather than $7.99 for example. Some server not even our own kept refilling my water every freaking few minutes and it was 3/4 full every time even. So I feel that you are wrong with that as far as them being TOO attentive. There is a such thing.
Quote:
|
However, it's important to keep in mind that there may be extenuating circumstances beyond the waiter's control (for example, if it's extra busy there may not be enough clean glasses around to get another for you)
|
That's true, but then I expect my server to tell me about it. I also feel the manager should be ordering more glasses. Similar situation happened to us that they were out of utensils at a seafood restaurant we had gone to. Our side salads were served, nothing to eat with. Our waitress had to clean more.
Quote:
|
There's no excuse for this.
|
Thank you.
Quote:
|
I assume you mean iced tea. In this case, taking your glass or bringing you a new, full one would seem to be most appropriate.
|
Taking your glass, no, I disagree unless the customer wants it taken. Thank you for agreeing.
Quote:
|
Not terribly good for business, but if you haven't been a pleasant customer or if there are lots of other people to serve it's understandable.
|
You agree, but then disagree, which is it? It's NEVER UNDERSTANDABLE to ****MAKE A DECISION THAT ISN'T YOURS*** when you aren't the person *PAYING* the tip.
Quote:
|
Studies show that waiters who personalize the check, draw smiley faces, etc tend to get greater tips than those who simply throw down a check.
|
That's my point, it's ********SELFISH and SELF-SERVING as well as it's NOT REAL, meaning that it's acting rather than TRULY MEANING what is doodled on the check. They are just doing it for the tip, NOT because they mean it from their heart. Even if they do, if they really did, they'd be *CONSIDERATE OF CUSTOMER'S TIME* by not doing such a thing to delay anyone's service, because that affects other tables that need things too. How would you like your food hot ready to leave the kitchen, but your server is DOODLING AWAY on another customer's check or even your check, huh? How would YOU like it if you were eating something very spicy and had nothing to drink due to a server doodling? Just think about how WASTEFUL of time it is to do this and it's NOT REAL. It's not like they mean what they write.
Quote:
|
Common sense dictates doing what the customer requested first.
|
Thank you, but a lot of servers don't feel that way for some WEIRD UNGODLY KNOWN REASON?
Quote:
|
No biggie fishing out a lemon. Personally I prefer them served to the side, but whatevs.
|
When you have lemon taste in your drink when you don't like that or seeds in your glass, that's not fun and you aren't supposed to have it like that.
Quote:
|
I've never served, but I assume most servers have a system for this. Personally, I have an excellent memory, so it wouldn't seem to be a problem depending on the person serving.
|
You seem like the lazy servers, sorry, but can you honestly say you have NEVER forgot ANYTHING in your lifetime without writing it down and rereading the list? If you can't, then don't act like you are perfect.
Quote:
|
If a server is forgetful, writing stuff down seems to be a no-brainer. However, a server with a good memory shouldn't need to do that. I worked lunch rush at a fast food restaurant with a line out the door and orders rung up at the cash register four steps down from where I was taking orders. At first, yes, I had to write orders down to keep track of them even though I was just cutting the meat and getting the bread. However by the time I was three months into the job, I could remember and "queue" in my mind 30+ unique orders at a time--not just meat and bread, but also garnishing, sides and drinks. Any waiter with a reasonable amount of experience and knowledge of the menu should be able to do the same. In four years at that job I never once screwed up an order no matter how busy it got.
|
That's great that you did, but 99.9999% of people are not that good with their memories in general. I fully disagree 100% with you. I feel if you forget or mess up something, to me I would take off more tip because of the lack of *EFFORT* to show you *CARED* at least to write it down.
Quote:
This isn't a difficult assumption to make. Typically when someone asks for the box, his or her dining experience has drawn to a close. It's not unreasonable to give you the check at that time.
|
Sorry, but I fully 100% DISAGREE! Why should there be any "ASSUMING" or "DECISION MAKING" when it's not your ******TIP MONEY****** PAYING for the experience, huh? It's VERY UNREASONABLE to just give the check without asking permission first. I don't care if the customer ordered dessert. We have ordered bar drinks *AFTER* a dessert before. You act like that people have to go by a script that "because most people" doesn't mean everybody, every single time. Sometimes we have asked for the check knowing we were full, other times we have asked for the check WHEN we order our dessert that *WE* ask for the check. Other times if we don't know if we want anything after a dessert, we wait and see. Some CONTROL FREAK SERVERS decide to bring us the check without our permission to. That's just wrong. It's NOT THEIR DECISION, IT'S ********OURS**********!
Thanks for agreeing.
Quote:
|
Servers who are personable generally earn more tips. If you're appropriately stand-offish you'll quickly give them the correct idea that you don't want conversation, you just want them to serve you and nothing more.
|
I disagree. If someone is on their lunch break or in a hurry or waited an hour for a table, guess what, YOU SURE WOULDN'T WANT TO WASTE TIME EITHER WHEN YOU ARE STARVING(after waiting an hour for a table for example).
Greeting "Hi my name is Springs1 I will be your server today, can I start you all off with something to drink", should be fine. This one waiter we had many years ago asked us how was our Mardi Gras(it was Mardi Gras day that day) and did we go to any parades AFTER waiting 15 minutes for a table. That's VERY INCONSIDERATE. How would you feel if you hadn't eaten all day and then waited 15 minutes for a table for someone to do that? This was around 5p.m. on that day. We answered it, but next time someone does that stuff that we don't know the person, I will ask nicely "Can we please order, we are really thirsty and hungry." I mean WHY should I have to say that when you go to a restaurant to *EAT AND DRINK*, DUHHH! If I wanted chit chat, I'd sit at the bar.
Quote:
|
Indeed. Most waiters I have met are extraordinarily apologetic when something isn't right. Even when it's not their mistake.
|
Not here. Most servers don't apologize.
Quote:
|
Sensible complaint as long as you're being expedient in your requests. If not, it's reasonable to assume that you're finished making requests so the server can move along and help others as well.
|
I 100% disagree, because a good server would *ASK* "Anything else I can get you all" *****BEFORE LEAVING THE TABLE! Most are not writing things down, so they walk away so you can't ask anything more. It's done intentionally I feel, because they are lazy.
Quote:
|
Sometimes one person at a table stands out as the leader and it makes sense to ask that person who seems to be the outspoken one of the group. However, it's more polite to ask around or ask generally.
|
Totally 100 ZILLION PERCENT DISAGREE! The tip is coming from the ENTIRE PARTY'S OPINION, NOT JUST ONE PERSON'S. You aren't serving just that one person, you are serving that entire *PARTY* worth, so if you skip people, you are making yourself be ran.
Quote:
Some people have good memories.
Some people have good memories.
|
But no one is perfect, so WHY ACT LIKE IT OR RISK IT?
Quote:
|
It's called good service. It's a waste of time to ask about commonly-requested things like ketchup with fries.
|
No, you should *********ORDER IT IF YOU WANT IT JUST LIKE I ORDER THINGS I WANT. If I want water, I ask for it, I don't assume my server will bring it.
It's not a waste of time, because not everyone likes ketchup. It doesn't matter what is "commonly requested", because not everyone likes it and there is no ONE BIG TIP, it's comes from ***********INDIVIDUAL******** PARTY'S, NOT JUST SOME.
Quote:
|
Some mistakes may not be so obvious, especially for a newer employee. But still, if a waiter can't remember the full order, he or she should consider writing things down and confirming with someone more knowledgeable if he or she is new..
|
Most are. They should be comparing their written order and if they don't know the menu, the menu as well to the description of the food they are getting ready to serve for obvious errors.
Quote:
|
Depending on how busy the server is and things out of their control (such as when food is done), this is completely understandable. Other people like not having lukewarm food too.
|
I wasn't talking about lack of control issues. I was talking about once a Red Lobster waitress had our 2 entrees that we had ordered WELL BEFORE the customers at another table were even seated, well our waitress had their 2 side salads and our 2 entrees on the same tray. She served their side salads first off the tray and our 2 hot entrees after. THAT is what I am talking about. She should have not even put those side salads on her tray and just went to bring ours. If she did have to put both on the tray, she should have given us ours first, PERIOD, since we did order WELL BEFORE that couple was even in the building even(Not busy, got seated around 11:15a.m., so there was no wait for a table or anything like that even).
Quote:
|
That is aggravating. A good server will not give customers the "hard sell." But simply asking/encouraging isn't a bad thing for the restaurant's profit and may be required by company standards.
|
Thanks for agreeing. I am not talking about asking. I am talking about you say "Can we get the check please", they say "Would you like dessert?" We answered it. THAT'S AGGREGATING. I am also talking about "Would you all like a dessert or coffee or anything else", "No", Server - "Come on, you know you want it."
Quote:
|
There is no excuse for a seasoned waiter to not know the menu unless there is a major overhaul of the menu. However you have to be gentle with newbies.
|
The thing is as far as newbies go, I have been to some restaurants the FIRST TIME(only spent an hour or hour and a half at most, knew more about the menu items than they did as far as what we ordered like been overcharged, once ordered an item which the waitress rung up something not even an option on the menu, etc.). So I fully disagree. As a server, you learn the menu by when you ring up something, you have a menu IN YOUR HAND as well as the written order, then compare the two as to what the menu description has vs. what the customer said. You have to go with both in order to put in an order and charge the customer correctly.
Quote:
|
Depends on what it is. But it seems more intuitive to ask first unless a customer seems impossible to please and is being a nitpicky pinhead.
|
WHAT THE HELL???? So you are saying a STRANGER should get to ORDER FOR ME, WTH??? If they want to pay my tip, they should do that. In other words, MY MONEY, MY DECISION ONLY, NOT THEIRS!
How is it "intrusive" if I decide I don't want the item if I can't have what I ordered, huh? That's just being **********CONSIDERATE AND THOUGHTFUL*********. It's VERY LAZY AND UNCARING to just decide to order for someone and then they send you back. How do you feel then? Pissed that you had to do more work, well WHY didn't you be thoughtful and considerate to ASK PERMISSION to substitute something since they are out of something?
I can't believe you would say such a thing. So there's NOTHING you hate the taste of? I mean for example, most people don't like anchovies, so let's say you hate them, if the server decided that for you, I would think the taste would still be on the pizza, I don't know never ate anchovies, but do you get my drift?
What if the customer is ALLERGIC? You just put them in the hospital because you decided to not ask. That's not nice.
I can't believe you think this is OK!!!
Quote:
|
There's an old saying in the service industry: "The customer is always an idiot." Customers aren't expected to know what's on the menu or what something normally comes with. It makes sense for a server to repeat what you said back along with "That normally comes with x, y and z. You'd like it with a, b and c instead?
|
The thing is, if the customer says ONLY, then I would go with that and not ask "Do you want pickles or tomatoes" if they didn't state those things. I don't need to know the menu if I know what items I normally like on my burger.
I do agree with you in a way, because of stupid customers that don't know how to order or they just maybe forgot to ask for something, so I see how you are thinking, but it's irritating for someone that does know what they want is all.
Quote:
|
No one does this. It's pointless and wastes time. You've already mentioned how much you hate it when a server wastes time.
|
Read my post on reddit. It's too long to copy and past here, but THAT'S WHY it's not pointless or a waste of time. I am SO SICK of servers forgetting those things. It's all because laziness.
Why Don't Restaurant Servers Write Down *ALL* Request and Orders? : rant
Quote:
It makes sense to do this, even if the previous server wrote it down. Can't trust other people's notes.  It is unreasonable to offer it to the wrong table though.
|
You didn't read this one. I said YOUR SERVER is the person that took the order, NOT when another person wrote anything.
Quote:
|
Depends. Did you ask for extra?
|
I did ask for extra.
Quote:
|
Just because more of the condiment will fit in the cup doesn't mean that it's not a full serving of said condiment.
|
YES IT DOES! I am ordering that container, which is my "SIDE" of ranch for example.
Thank you for agreeing.
Quote:
|
Who's going to complain about good service like that?
|
WHO says it's good service? It's not good service. It's CONTROL FREAK SERVICE THAT'S MEAN AND VERY INCONSIDERATE OF MY TIME. When I wanted to switch, they weren't there at my table, they were fixing me a refill I didn't want. That's not nice. A NICE person *******ASKS******* me what I want.
If you want this, WHY DON'T **********YOU ORDER THAT WAY "Can I get refills without being asked throughout my service please?" IT'S NOT GOOD SERVICE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT'S NOT YOURS! HOW THE HELL CAN YOU CALL THAT GOOD SERVICE? Good service is when you dictate EVERY LITTLE THING IN THE SERVICE. In other words, to get what *YOU* want for *YOUR MONEY*.
Quote:
|
And you can always refuse if your dining experience is about over or if you don't want anymore.
|
That's not the point. I have refused it before I even got my food even. The point is, my time has been wasted. If I am finished, my server is wasting time getting refills when I want my damn check, DUHH! You seem to love control. Why don't you just tell your server "Control my dining experience please", because that's what seems to float your boat.
Quote:
|
The only excuse for a server *not* to give refills without asking is if refills cost extra.
|
But it does cost extra in the tip. ARE YOU STUPID? You act like the service is free. No server should be controlling anyone else's money without their consent. The only excuse to ever do this is if the customer said they wanted this, otherwise, NO server should be CONTROLLING SOMEONE ELSE'S SERVICE LIKE THAT, which they are *PAYING FOR*, NOT THE SERVER. If the server wants control, THEY SHOULD BE PAYING ME A TIP.
Quote:
|
A lot of people don't like getting their check until their dining experience is complete. Personally I'm not one of those, but whatever floats your boat. It's nothing to be offended about.
|
You didn't ****READ****, did you? I said *********WHEN *I* ASK FOR MY CHECK AND THE DESSERT, I WANT MY CHECK FIRST since there's no reason to make me wait longer than necessary for something you just print out compared to making a dessert takes more time. Whatever you said has NOTHING to do with this.
Quote:
If you're concerned about the order in which your courses will arrive, just let the server know.
|
My point was, they should be *ASKING ME* since I don't know? A Macaroni Grill got served my side salad before our appetizer. At Outback, got served my side salad after our appetizer. Neither place I asked for the side salad before or after the appetizer. Why can't they ask me because I would think the most fastest thing should be out first since people are HUNGRY. That's just my opinion.
Quote:
|
Can't be picky when you insist on having a full glass here, but previously complained about getting refills. Servers try to do the best they can, but when given contradictory indications are less likely to be helpful.
|
I haven't contradicted anything. They can *ASK* is my point rather than assume or ignore. OFFERING is the key.
Quote:
|
I've never seen this happen. Nonetheless, it wouldn't be overly bothersome if it happened. On noes! Someone's judging me! It's an everyday experience for some of us.
|
It's happened a number of times to us. It bothers me, because they are rushing me out.
Quote:
|
Umm...I can't recall a time when appetizer plates have come *after* the appetizer. Either they're already on the table when the appetizer comes, or they're brought simultaneously.
|
I can LOTS of times. Sounds like you don't eat out often or with newbie servers.
Quote:
|
Nothing's wrong with that.
|
Yes there is. It's NOT THEIR DECISION! Do you want someone to tell you how to spend your hard earned money? I bet you don't, so don't tell me how to spend mine. In other words, my server should be *ASKING* NOT ********TELLING ME********** what they are going to do, but actually ******ASKING IF IT'S OK WITH ME*******. THAT IS WHAT WOULD BE NICE. IT'S NOT NICE TO TELL ME "I WILL GET YOU ANOTHER COKE", LIKE WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO TELL ME I WANT ANOTHER COKE??? You didn't ask, you are DICTATING. That's not how service goes.
I DICTATE WITH MY TIP, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND, GOT IT? If my server wants to control my dining experience, they need to pay me a tip.
Quote:
|
It's comforting language, reassuring you that under their watch your glass will not go empty.
|
NO, there's some NICER ways to say it that's not controlling. For example, I think it's rude for a customer to say when they order "Give me the burger and fries." I tell my server" I would like the burger and fries or I may say "I want the burger and fries", but I sure as hell don't act like they are non-human like someone people. Understand? There's a way to say it that's NICER "Would you like another coke", NOT "I WILL GET YOU ANOTHER COKE". I mean really, which one SOUNDS NICER AND MUCH MORE CONSIDERATE AND POLITE WITHOUT BEING CONTROLLING, HUH? "Would you like another coke" is much more nicer and not controlling.
So NO, it's not comforting language to control my tip money.
Quote:
|
That's classified under "excellent service."
|
HOW when that's dictating my TIP MONEY?
Quote:
|
And you're always free to say, "no, thank-you" in response, even if it is a statement rather than a question.
|
The point is, you are at least admitting it's not a question to say "no thank you." What I usually do is if the person says that, if I want something else I say "Can I get a dr. pepper instead?" The thing is, it's nicer to have asked my permission than to have tried to DICTATE MY SERVICE like that without my permission.
It's MY TIP MONEY, I RULE IT, NOT MY SERVER!
If you want your server to rule your service, TELL THEM when you are greeted. They will dictate everything that you want if you tell them to.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
There's some other way to make gravy
Then, the lesson in flossing!
