Like a well oiled machine...............

There are those nights in a restaurant, when everything is running full-tilt boogie…..there’s a line at the door, two of your tables leave at the same time, you get double sat, you run and get their drinks, and then something magic happens…..one table decides to sit and relax for a few minutes before ordering…Yes! That just bought you some time to get the other tables order, and check any other tables you have going…..you fell like you’re one step ahead, all night…..your food comes out on time…..no one complains about anything….everyone’s tipping 20%…the adrenaline flowed.…and at the end of the night….you’re feeling pretty good…..the timing is different every night…and tonight it was perfect…time flew by…..and then…..


There are those nights when the machine seems a little squeaky…..the party of four that wanted to relax flags you down and tells you they are ready to order while you’re in the middle of a wine presentation….the table next to that wants more butter…..three people at the next table are trying to order another round of drinks….the kitchen is yelling for you to pick up an order….you run to the computer to enter a drink order but there are two other servers waiting to use it, you run to the other computer, line there too……..you just remembered that you forgot to get coffee refills….the kitchen is yelling again, but this time it’s to let you know that they’re out of the salmon you just ordered…you go to get bread and someone just took the last of it…...you can’t wait for the night to end, you’re exhausted…..you dream of tazering everyone in the dining room and most of the kitchen staff……

It takes a lot more than people realize to keep the machine oiled…..

I was talking with a young accountant one time…..he said he worked in a restaurant for two weeks, and it was the worst experience of his life, and he would NEVER do it again….he thought any of us who worked in a restaurant had to be a little whacked out….but that doesn’t bother us…..he just wasn’t tough enough to hang…..