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What you expect from people who do not have proper training? Waitstaff are walk-ins from the street.
Most don't know anything about the job, but expect to get 20+% tip...
This is an interesting point you make. Ironically, I've noticed the chain restaurants typically offer more complete service. I think the reason chain restaurants typically provide better service is because their staff is trained in a more formal way. Sure, the food may not be great and they might come across as being robotic but you can tell they are also trained to follow certain protocols. Whereas if you go to a mom and pop restaurant, the food might be better but the service is most definitely not as thorough.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hemlock140
I don't know what restaurants you are all going to, but the ones I like have great service that seems better than a few years ago, like they are trying harder to get people to come back. Even at chains like Red Robin the wait staff seem to really care about making us happy. I suppose if you go to Denny's you might have a less positive experience but I don't really consider that a restaurant.
To be honest, I think the service at Denny's is often better than more upscale restaurants. At least at Denny's, the servers don't carry a chip on their shoulder. They are usually people who value hard work and will do whatever it takes to earn decent tips. Some servers carry a chip on their shoulder because they feel special to be waiting tables at a certain restaurant.
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Originally Posted by elnina
I hate when they place the bill on the table while I am still eating.
I don't understand why they leave the bill on your table while you are still eating yet fail to arrive to pick up the check when you are ready to pay??? I experience this routinely. The waiter will drop the check on your table. I will leave my credit card and he or she won't bother to come by for another 20 minutes. I will often have flag them down to pick up my check.
Or better yet, they will drop the check early yet when I offer to give them my credit card right then and there, they get annoyed because they wanted to leave the check, wait 15 minutes, and come back by and pick it up. No, if you are going to leave the check early then you can take payment early.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SATX56
It's because tips are no longer looked at as gratuities. You owe these people tips! I vote to make all food servers fully paid whatever minimum wage is fair. If the joint has to charge customers more so be it. Then we can all feel free to tip as we like. For service we see as deserving.
I agree. I would rather pay 10-20% more in prices than haggle on a tip. Then if the service is truly meriting a tip, you can provide that should you want to do so.
Last edited by azriverfan.; 02-12-2013 at 06:38 PM..
My wife and I are very tuned in to the feelings of others. We for the most part are very sensitive people.
Because of this we pick up on ques about a server's demeanor or mood despite the fact that they might be forcing themselves to be pleasant.
Julian
I am very nice to servers. My standard is 20% and will often tip double that with exceptional service. That being said, being nice doesn't always equate to better service. And often times, it can lead to worse service. When you are an overly nice patron, it's human nature to take advantage of that. I've observed that if you are exceptionally nice to a server, that server will perceive you as being an "easy" customer and will likely not be concerned offending you or may not pay as much attention toward you because they think you will not complain and/or will still tip well. I'm not suggesting one go to the opposite extreme and behave unprofessionally but I don't recommend that people go overboard with being nice. You want to be professional and civil but you shouldn't kiss the waiter's ass. And being the kind people that you are, you probably don't notice when you receive poor service because you are generally more tolerant.
I am very nice to servers. My standard is 20% and will often tip double that with exceptional service. That being said, being nice doesn't always equate to better service. And often times, it can lead to worse service. When you are an overly nice patron, it's human nature to take advantage of that. I've observed that if you are exceptionally nice to a server, that server will perceive you as being an "easy" customer and will likely not be concerned offending you or may not pay as much attention toward you because they think you will not complain and/or will still tip well. I'm not suggesting one go to the opposite extreme and behave unprofessionally but I don't recommend that people go overboard with being nice. You want to be professional and civil but you shouldn't kiss the waiter's ass. And being the kind people that you are, you probably don't notice when you receive poor service because you are generally more tolerant.
That's why I said that it works 95 % of the time.
For example my wife and I like to go the Steakhouse Chain called Longhorn we go there about ever two weeks.
Three of the servers and my wife and I are on a first name basis and because of this we get a nice table away from noise many times along with exceptional service.
Now that one of the servers has been promoted into management we have many of our appetizers and or deserts comped because once upon a time when she was a server we had just met we were kind enough to ask when her baby was due.
After having her as our server half a dozen times she had her child and went on leave.
During that time we went on our usual nights and brought a baby gift and gave it to the manager on duty to hold for her.
Once she had it she and her husband bought us dinner in the form of a gift card that they had held for us at the restaurant as a way of saying thank you.
She and her husband are now very good friends of ours and we frequently get together at each others homes for dinner.
All this because we cared enough to engage our server.
For example my wife and I like to go the Steakhouse Chain called Longhorn we go there about ever two weeks.
Three of the servers and my wife and I are on a first name basis and because of this we get a nice table away from noise many times along with exceptional service.
Now that one of the servers has been promoted into management we have many of our appetizers and or deserts comped because once upon a time when she was a server we had just met we were kind enough to ask when her baby was due.
After having her as our server half a dozen times she had her child and went on leave.
During that time we went on our usual nights and brought a baby gift and gave it to the manager on duty to hold for her.
Once she had it she and her husband bought us dinner in the form of a gift card that they had held for us at the restaurant as a way of saying thank you.
She and her husband are now very good friends of ours and we frequently get together at each others homes for dinner.
All this because we cared enough to engage our server.
That is wonderful that you became friends with your server but not everyone feels that way. I respect my waiter and see them as individuals but I also want to maintain some level of professional distance. I'm there to have a nice meal and enjoy my evening not to make friends with the waiter. I feel the same way about my dentist, doctor, lawyer and accountant. I respect them as individuals but my intent isn't to become personal friends with them when I employ their services.
Also, no one should be required to engage their server on a personal level in order for their server to do their job. It's called being a professional. They are required to do their job and offer the same level of service whether someone compliments their nails or not. If someone is civil and friendly, that is enough. A guest shouldn't be required to go further and ask their server about their personal life in order to receive good service. Yes, I'm sure if anyone did this, they too would receive great service most of the time but at what cost? There is something to be said for self respect. I couldn't live with myself if I had to offer compliments to the server just to get them to do their job.
Last edited by azriverfan.; 02-12-2013 at 11:59 PM..
That is wonderful that you became friends with your server but not everyone feels that way. I respect my waiter and see them as individuals but I also want to maintain some level of professional distance. I'm there to have a nice meal and enjoy my evening not to make friends with the waiter. I feel the same way about my dentist, doctor, lawyer and accountant. I respect them as individuals but my intent isn't to become personal friends with them when I employ their services.
Also, no one should be required to engage their server on a personal level in order for their server to do their job. It's called being a professional. They are required to do their job and offer the same level of service whether someone compliments their nails or not. If someone is civil and friendly, that is enough. A guest shouldn't be required to go further and ask their server about their personal life in order to receive good service. Yes, I'm sure if anyone did this, they too would receive great service most of the time but at what cost? There is something to be said for self respect. I couldn't live with myself if I had to offer compliments to the server just to get them to do their job.
So your saying you couldn't live with yourself if you had to be nice to people?
Look, my wife and I don't throw out fawning and fake compliments and remarks to manipulate the person waiting on us.
My wife was previously in pharmaceutical sales and is now selling specialized equipment in the medical field and I was a regional sales manager for a large paint company before changing careers.
Since our incomes are and were directly tied to actively engaging people and using psychological tools in order to sell products and ourselves it is second nature for us to be selling ourselves to the server at a restaurant.
It costs nothing, NOTHING to be nice to someone.
I have a great respect for those in the restaurant industry, especially servers since they have to sell their service to a customer concerning being attentive, prompt and courteous to what results in many times being a bunch of jerks, idiots and @sshats.
There are many times where people encounter a crappy server but from my perspective of eating out sometimes ten times during a work week having a smile on your face and a kind word to a stressed out and overworked server pays off in a HUGE way.
It's a two way street and because of the way we treat servers the majority of the time it pays off in a HUGE way regardless of the type of restaurant and the cost of the dining experience.
I hate when they come and ask me several times if everything is ok, while I have my mouth full, or need to interrupt conversation. Waiter should be attentive but not intrusive. He should keep an eye on the tables and patrons to notice empty glasses, plates or someone signaling them to come.
To me, this is the most annoying waitstaff error. They come to your table at THEIR convenience, which is always immediately after you've taken a bite of food, or right when you're in the middle of a sentence. Unfortunately, it seems that some restaurants consider that to be good service and encourage their waitstaff to do this.
When I worked as a busboy at a local restaurant, waitstaff was trained that when not in action, they should stand at the side of the dining room and be attentive to their customers, not to wander around randomly interrupting diners to ask if everything was OK.
Is it just me but do waiters/waitresses generally provide less service than they used to?....
Ever since the economy took a downward spin it seems the chain restaurants quality of service went down with its quantity of food. It seems as if they are doing me a favor. But in the non-chain restaurants, with the drop of customer counts, the service has excelled. My concerns are totalled reversed for them. They fill as needed, clear as need and check up more than necessary. My only issue is that once the entire meal is finished, for some odd reason, I can't find them to bring me the bill so I can leave.
This is NOT surprising and it "ain't" just restaurants either.
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