Every now and then you are going to get some tables that you not only want to avoid, but eventually it becomes necessary that you DO avoid these tables.
I had a table of two sweet little old ladies the other night…..they told me how they hadn’t been out to eat together in a really long, so I can only imagine how much they had to talk about. That’s fine….take your time….enjoy your chat…..however, they seemed to want to include me in the chat.
I started out by asking them if they would like a glass of wine….yes, one ordered wine….but the didn’t want wine because she had a scratchy throat and a cough, and then wanted to explain about how long she had had the cough, what she thought had caused her current condition, what she thought she should do about it….etc….etc…..etc….. I finally had to cut in and tell her she needed tea, with whiskey and honey. She thought that was a splendid idea……whew…..that gave me an escape route. But, I had to bring the drinks back to the table….which opened up another conversation I did not have the time to participate in. So, how to avoid the table without seeming rude, next time you have o go back there, have items on your tray for more than one table, drop their stuff off first, and if they try getting long winded again, just look at your tray and tell them you have to go drop this off at another table…then take the long way around so you don’t have to pass by their table too closely.
Don’t be upset, this isn’t rude, ignoring all your other customers would be rude….this is simply a matter of time conservation.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Unexpected slammin' Sunday.......
Holy guacamole! What a Sunday!
We usually meander through Sunday’s. Between two o’clock and five o’clock, there’s usually very little, if any activity. But not yesterday, they just kept coming in. Of course there was one of those Murphy’s Law things going on, we were short a server.
One server who started at 3:00, came in with 15 chilidogs and a gallon of root beer for all of us. They were from a little place that’s makes their own root beer. Really good stuff.. On a typical Sunday, we would have had time to eat, chat, check the reservations, get ourselves acclimated for the evening. But not yesterday! If you wanted to eat a chilidog, you had to do it on the fly. And I mean on the fly….it doesn’t look good to take a bite of something, and then walk out on the floor chewing food.
It seemed like every time I turned around, all I heard was “You’ve got another table.” Then I got a group of 11 and a group of 6, simultaneously! Wtf ! Plus what you’ve already got going, and they just kept coming in….. This was not a good day for one of the servers to have a massive hangover …. But she powered through it.
We were all in hyper mode, we had to be, there was no choice. But when you work with top notch people, everyone there is pushed to the limit, you help each other out, it’s amazing what can get done!
Oh sure, you’re always gonna get the guy who has to find something to complain about….. (I got him)….. He made some sarcastic comments about the amount of time it was taking for the food…..but you can’t take the bait, just go TOTALLY professional on him, and if his comments bother you, never let it show. (Actually, I think the others at the table were a little embarrassed by his behavior.)
At the end of the night, when all is said and done, it’s a really good feeling to know you just rocked it out and kicked ass!
We usually meander through Sunday’s. Between two o’clock and five o’clock, there’s usually very little, if any activity. But not yesterday, they just kept coming in. Of course there was one of those Murphy’s Law things going on, we were short a server.
One server who started at 3:00, came in with 15 chilidogs and a gallon of root beer for all of us. They were from a little place that’s makes their own root beer. Really good stuff.. On a typical Sunday, we would have had time to eat, chat, check the reservations, get ourselves acclimated for the evening. But not yesterday! If you wanted to eat a chilidog, you had to do it on the fly. And I mean on the fly….it doesn’t look good to take a bite of something, and then walk out on the floor chewing food.
It seemed like every time I turned around, all I heard was “You’ve got another table.” Then I got a group of 11 and a group of 6, simultaneously! Wtf ! Plus what you’ve already got going, and they just kept coming in….. This was not a good day for one of the servers to have a massive hangover …. But she powered through it.
We were all in hyper mode, we had to be, there was no choice. But when you work with top notch people, everyone there is pushed to the limit, you help each other out, it’s amazing what can get done!
Oh sure, you’re always gonna get the guy who has to find something to complain about….. (I got him)….. He made some sarcastic comments about the amount of time it was taking for the food…..but you can’t take the bait, just go TOTALLY professional on him, and if his comments bother you, never let it show. (Actually, I think the others at the table were a little embarrassed by his behavior.)
At the end of the night, when all is said and done, it’s a really good feeling to know you just rocked it out and kicked ass!
Friday, October 15, 2010
When eating at the bar.....
An excerpt from the book……The Ordering Ritual…..
Many of the regular customers know that statements like “We’re ready to order now!” will be met with a response not heard in most restaurants, such as “Good for you” as I keep walking to the other end of the bar. Or, “I don’t see a cast on that arm, write it down yourself. And remember, spelling counts. If you are going to use abbreviations, make sure that are restaurant approved. If I can’t understand it, you won’t get it.”
Or, there’s always the ever-so-popular line, “We’ve decided!”
“Okay, it’s about time. You’ve been studying the menu to so long you should have imprints of it on your corneas, the kitchen is ready to close, and we’re out of most of the specials. Maybe you should go take a remedial reading course so you can speed up this process. Either that, or I can give you the picture menu next time.”
Then there was the guy (who was a very regular patron) who misread the description of a particular chicken dish that was on the special card one evening. When his food arrived, he ranted and raved that that was NOT what he had ordered! I showed him the card again, but he was on a roll and not ready to admit he screwed up. He said he would eat it anyway. Like he had any choice in that! It was either eat it or wear it, in which case he could receive the nutrients through osmosis, as it seeped in through his skin. I, personally, would find eating it more enjoyable.
The next day, before ordering dinner, he did acquiesce that he had misread the special card the night before. He was quite sheepish about ordering his food for the evening. I asked him if he was SURE he knew what he was ordering. He quietly replied, “Yes, I’m sure. I read the menu thoroughly.”
“GOOD! Because if you complain tonight I’m going to serve it to you suppository style!”
Many of the regular customers know that statements like “We’re ready to order now!” will be met with a response not heard in most restaurants, such as “Good for you” as I keep walking to the other end of the bar. Or, “I don’t see a cast on that arm, write it down yourself. And remember, spelling counts. If you are going to use abbreviations, make sure that are restaurant approved. If I can’t understand it, you won’t get it.”
Or, there’s always the ever-so-popular line, “We’ve decided!”
“Okay, it’s about time. You’ve been studying the menu to so long you should have imprints of it on your corneas, the kitchen is ready to close, and we’re out of most of the specials. Maybe you should go take a remedial reading course so you can speed up this process. Either that, or I can give you the picture menu next time.”
Then there was the guy (who was a very regular patron) who misread the description of a particular chicken dish that was on the special card one evening. When his food arrived, he ranted and raved that that was NOT what he had ordered! I showed him the card again, but he was on a roll and not ready to admit he screwed up. He said he would eat it anyway. Like he had any choice in that! It was either eat it or wear it, in which case he could receive the nutrients through osmosis, as it seeped in through his skin. I, personally, would find eating it more enjoyable.
The next day, before ordering dinner, he did acquiesce that he had misread the special card the night before. He was quite sheepish about ordering his food for the evening. I asked him if he was SURE he knew what he was ordering. He quietly replied, “Yes, I’m sure. I read the menu thoroughly.”
“GOOD! Because if you complain tonight I’m going to serve it to you suppository style!”
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Some tips for putting on a golf outing......
Now, I realize this may be a little out of season, but it’s what was on my mind, so I don’t care, I just wanted to give you pointers if you’re planning on putting together a golf outing for your bar crowd.
First of all, you have to realize exactly what it is you’re doing. You’re putting on a golf outing, (pause), for a bar.
You’re going to have many types of golfers……The one’s who may or may not drink on the golf course, but they’ll certainly have a drink when they’re done…..
And then there’s then one’s who like to a couple of beers on the course, hey, why not?
We mustn’t leave out the one’s who bring a cooler along…..always hoping it will fit into the basket, but invariably have to set down by their feet…..it’s annoying…..
But there’s always the guy who’s gotta go the distance…he’s gotta show the world that he loves drinking AND golf. (He’s got to show everyone that drinking is not the only thing he does.) His cooler has a trailer hitch on it and he’s hooked it up to the back of the golf cart.
These people would never know each other if they didn’t like drinking and all happen to do it at the same place.
The bottom line is, everyone wants to play in a fun outing…..nobody wants to help you put this together, they just wanna have fun…..so that puts you in good position……you are in control, you decide all the rules, you pick the golf course, you decide the price, you get to decide what to do about food, how much the prize money is….everything you say goes, just don’t ask them to help…..you rule….take advantage of it…….oh, and you golf for free.
First of all, you have to realize exactly what it is you’re doing. You’re putting on a golf outing, (pause), for a bar.
You’re going to have many types of golfers……The one’s who may or may not drink on the golf course, but they’ll certainly have a drink when they’re done…..
And then there’s then one’s who like to a couple of beers on the course, hey, why not?
We mustn’t leave out the one’s who bring a cooler along…..always hoping it will fit into the basket, but invariably have to set down by their feet…..it’s annoying…..
But there’s always the guy who’s gotta go the distance…he’s gotta show the world that he loves drinking AND golf. (He’s got to show everyone that drinking is not the only thing he does.) His cooler has a trailer hitch on it and he’s hooked it up to the back of the golf cart.
These people would never know each other if they didn’t like drinking and all happen to do it at the same place.
The bottom line is, everyone wants to play in a fun outing…..nobody wants to help you put this together, they just wanna have fun…..so that puts you in good position……you are in control, you decide all the rules, you pick the golf course, you decide the price, you get to decide what to do about food, how much the prize money is….everything you say goes, just don’t ask them to help…..you rule….take advantage of it…….oh, and you golf for free.
An interesting point to ponder....
Two women came in on Sunday afternoon to check the place out, and sample a couple of entrée salads for a baby shower they were planning. They decided to sit at the bar. It’s very rare when anyone sits at the bar on Sunday, so I don’t bartend on Sunday, I work the floor. But it was the middle of the day and pretty slow, so I had a chance to chat with them. They were wondering where I had worked before, so I told them I had worked at a corporate restaurant for a couple of years, and prior to that I was the bartender at a place a few miles down the road for 25 years. One women looked at me and said, “Wow, either you really like the restaurant industry, or you’ve had one miserable existence all these years.”
No one has ever actually said anything like that to me before…..so I had to stop and ponder for a moment……(as I was smiling to myself)……she’s either got a really bad misconception of the restaurant industry from hearing too many horror stories, or she was a server in a previous life, wasn’t cut out for it and therefore it was a terrible experience. I mean “miserable existence” is pretty powerful language.
So how do you explain to someone that you’ve actually had more fun than most going to work all those years, without it sounding sugar coated? After all, she seemed to have some strong notions that this is an undesirable way to live.
I gave her the Readers Digest version of how I had my own business for 7 years servicing the real estate industry, and between real estate taking a dive and the internet, I was put out of business and lost everything. Hopefully now, she has a better understanding that there are worse things in life than working in restaurants.
No one has ever actually said anything like that to me before…..so I had to stop and ponder for a moment……(as I was smiling to myself)……she’s either got a really bad misconception of the restaurant industry from hearing too many horror stories, or she was a server in a previous life, wasn’t cut out for it and therefore it was a terrible experience. I mean “miserable existence” is pretty powerful language.
So how do you explain to someone that you’ve actually had more fun than most going to work all those years, without it sounding sugar coated? After all, she seemed to have some strong notions that this is an undesirable way to live.
I gave her the Readers Digest version of how I had my own business for 7 years servicing the real estate industry, and between real estate taking a dive and the internet, I was put out of business and lost everything. Hopefully now, she has a better understanding that there are worse things in life than working in restaurants.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
It's a good time when........
Back to Saturday….after THE big game……
As soon as THE big game ended Saturday evening, it was if the flood gates opened up, everyone left their cocoon of a television room and ventured out into the world. Some still wearing their various football regalia. Around here, it’s a pretty even split of who is for Michigan, and who is for Michigan State. So we saw people in their green and white Michigan State shirts, and people in their maize and blue Michigan shirts. So after a mediocre start to Saturday night, all of a sudden we were in full swing. The dining room filled up, the bar filled up and the lounge was full. The singer was singing and no longer had to compete with the noise from those watching the game. Of course there was still talk of who won the game, or who should have won the game (in the minds of those whose team had lost.)
The bar was filled with friends of mine, friends of the singer, and those who came up to the bar when the wedding reception they were at downstairs was over.
Then something unexpected happened and the crowd all became one. Ah, the power of music and a few cocktails…..the singer started singing Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” Up until this point it was unbeknownst to me what a great sing-a-long song this was. The funny part is, they were all singing a part that had no words….the singer would get to the words, “Sweeeeeet Caroliiiiiiine…..” and the crowd followed with “Da da daaaaa,” with much hand clapping and bar slapping to accompany this….pretty soon the whole lounge was singing along……
What football game?
As soon as THE big game ended Saturday evening, it was if the flood gates opened up, everyone left their cocoon of a television room and ventured out into the world. Some still wearing their various football regalia. Around here, it’s a pretty even split of who is for Michigan, and who is for Michigan State. So we saw people in their green and white Michigan State shirts, and people in their maize and blue Michigan shirts. So after a mediocre start to Saturday night, all of a sudden we were in full swing. The dining room filled up, the bar filled up and the lounge was full. The singer was singing and no longer had to compete with the noise from those watching the game. Of course there was still talk of who won the game, or who should have won the game (in the minds of those whose team had lost.)
The bar was filled with friends of mine, friends of the singer, and those who came up to the bar when the wedding reception they were at downstairs was over.
Then something unexpected happened and the crowd all became one. Ah, the power of music and a few cocktails…..the singer started singing Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” Up until this point it was unbeknownst to me what a great sing-a-long song this was. The funny part is, they were all singing a part that had no words….the singer would get to the words, “Sweeeeeet Caroliiiiiiine…..” and the crowd followed with “Da da daaaaa,” with much hand clapping and bar slapping to accompany this….pretty soon the whole lounge was singing along……
What football game?
Monday, October 11, 2010
When football rules......
It’s fall…..the leaves are turning…..the weather gets a little crisp and cool…..and football rules. It’s just a fact of life.
We had a few events scheduled at the restaurant on Saturday, and it’s a given that college football will be going on all day, all evening. So it becomes imperative that the men at these gatherings know where the television is .
The first event was a baby shower. Now, why men and boys are even at a baby shower is beyond me, but that was their cross to bear. One guy asked me where the nearest television was, (or do we have one that could be brought downstairs to the room they were in. Yeah, that would have gone over well) so I told him to follow me, and I’d show him where the television was located. As we started walking, I said it was over the river and through the woods…..as we journeyed down a hall, through another banquet room, up the stairs, around the corner to the bar, and there it was! Shining like a lighthouse beacon in the night. (He wanted to catch the Ohio State game) I also showed him another route that involved a different staircase and a the dining room he would have to go through, but now at least he had two escape routes.
The other men who were stuck there wanted to leave in time to catch THE big game in the state that afternoon, Michigan vs. Michigan State. This game was due to start at 3:30. At 2:00, the grandpa at the baby shower asked me how long before they needed to be out of the room, as they knew we had to set up for another party that evening. I really think he was hoping I would tell them they had to leave now. I said “You’ve got about an hour.” He quickly announced to everyone that they had to start clearing out now, because we needed to reset the room. He was a man on a mission. (lol)
There was also a wedding reception early in the evening. There was a group of men who kept running upstairs to check on THE big game, alliances between Michigan and Michigan State were equally split .
I asked a couple of them, “Aren’t they serving dinner now?”
“Yeah, we had a salad so far, they’re serving the next course, we’ll just catch whatever course we can.” They never took their eyes off the screen while telling me this.
What did we learn from this? No matter what the event, ya just can’t mess with THE big game. And so it’s always been, and so it always will be. Hey, kept my bar busy, I’m not complaining.
We had a few events scheduled at the restaurant on Saturday, and it’s a given that college football will be going on all day, all evening. So it becomes imperative that the men at these gatherings know where the television is .
The first event was a baby shower. Now, why men and boys are even at a baby shower is beyond me, but that was their cross to bear. One guy asked me where the nearest television was, (or do we have one that could be brought downstairs to the room they were in. Yeah, that would have gone over well) so I told him to follow me, and I’d show him where the television was located. As we started walking, I said it was over the river and through the woods…..as we journeyed down a hall, through another banquet room, up the stairs, around the corner to the bar, and there it was! Shining like a lighthouse beacon in the night. (He wanted to catch the Ohio State game) I also showed him another route that involved a different staircase and a the dining room he would have to go through, but now at least he had two escape routes.
The other men who were stuck there wanted to leave in time to catch THE big game in the state that afternoon, Michigan vs. Michigan State. This game was due to start at 3:30. At 2:00, the grandpa at the baby shower asked me how long before they needed to be out of the room, as they knew we had to set up for another party that evening. I really think he was hoping I would tell them they had to leave now. I said “You’ve got about an hour.” He quickly announced to everyone that they had to start clearing out now, because we needed to reset the room. He was a man on a mission. (lol)
There was also a wedding reception early in the evening. There was a group of men who kept running upstairs to check on THE big game, alliances between Michigan and Michigan State were equally split .
I asked a couple of them, “Aren’t they serving dinner now?”
“Yeah, we had a salad so far, they’re serving the next course, we’ll just catch whatever course we can.” They never took their eyes off the screen while telling me this.
What did we learn from this? No matter what the event, ya just can’t mess with THE big game. And so it’s always been, and so it always will be. Hey, kept my bar busy, I’m not complaining.
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