In some restaurants, you mat have a set schedule from week to week….in others it may vary from week to week….at ours, it varies every week. Depending on how many parties of various sizes we have booked, some weeks you may work a few days, some weeks you may be needed every day.
If you’re a nine to five, Monday through Friday person, this may sound horrible to you! However, we like the variation. (Personally, working nine to five every week chokes the life out of me.) Some may shudder at the thought of working Friday and Saturday nights, I love it! I figure I’m making twice as much, because if I wasn’t working, I’d be out spending. (Somewhere there’s logic involved)
We have a “Request Off” box. If you have something important (or not) to do, you write out the dates you need off, as far in advance as you can, and put the paper in the Request Off box. If possible, your request will be granted.
Sometimes things pop up suddenly and unexpectedly, like it did for me this week. I am scheduled to work a party at 11:30 a.m. Saturday morning. I found out I have to put on a funeral luncheon at church for 200 people. So I figured I’d look at the schedule, see who wasn’t working and get someone to cover it. As it turns out, this is one of the weeks where almost everyone is already scheduled. Time to scramble. One who requested the day off, is working a catering gig all weekend, so he can’t. Another said she couldn’t. But the options don’t end there……I sent a text asking someone else to pick up the Saturday, and then I’d take her Sunday, even though I had requested Sunday off to attend a baby shower for a good friend, I’ll just have to leave the shower early. I popped off another text, asking one who also requested it off, (but owes me a favor) if she could work it, but actually, since she’s still sort of new, she would go on the floor, and one of the ones on the floor would take the party, since they are gonna be there anyways.
But it doesn’t end there…..I still have one option left. There is one server left, (between school and work, this would stretch her schedule to the limit) but she said she would if I couldn’t find anyone else.
Whew! Somehow it’ll all work out…….
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Look over your shoulder.....
Wow! When I said it was the end of summer, I was hoping it was just figurative…..what happened to the weather?!? Last Saturday it was in the upper 90’s, last two days it hasn’t gotten over 60! I’m not gonna complain….it feels good to walk outside and not be enveloped in a never ending cloud of hot, humid air, that knocks the ambition right out of you.
Last Saturday we watched the storms blow in. We are only about 20 minutes east of Ann Arbor, and had the U of M football game on the television. We were talking about how hot it was if you were at the game, sitting shoulder to shoulder with 110,00 other people in 90 plus degree weather. Then we saw the storm move in there….they had to delay play and everyone got drenched. We figured it was no more than 20 to 30 minutes before it hit us.
The rain came in waves…it would rain for bit, then stop, then rain some more, then stop, repeat. At one point, the wind kicked in so hard, the busboys had to go out and stack all the chairs on the patio, as they were getting blown around. They got thoroughly drenched. You know, when it rains so hard, and the wind is so strong that it rains sideways. Even being under a canopy doesn’t help. There was no way they were gonna dry out, not without going through the spin cycle first. (Yes, they were that soaked)
The power flickered a couple of times, we were fortunate in that it did not go out. (Although I don’t think anyone would’ve minded, it would have put an early end to a slow night.)
Time to close up shop, we all had Sunday and Monday off for the holiday weekend.
As I look at the schedule for the week, we’re back to full steam ahead. The coming weekend is booked with a ton of banquets, all servers are scheduled, many for double shifts.
For everything there is a season, and here we go…….
Last Saturday we watched the storms blow in. We are only about 20 minutes east of Ann Arbor, and had the U of M football game on the television. We were talking about how hot it was if you were at the game, sitting shoulder to shoulder with 110,00 other people in 90 plus degree weather. Then we saw the storm move in there….they had to delay play and everyone got drenched. We figured it was no more than 20 to 30 minutes before it hit us.
The rain came in waves…it would rain for bit, then stop, then rain some more, then stop, repeat. At one point, the wind kicked in so hard, the busboys had to go out and stack all the chairs on the patio, as they were getting blown around. They got thoroughly drenched. You know, when it rains so hard, and the wind is so strong that it rains sideways. Even being under a canopy doesn’t help. There was no way they were gonna dry out, not without going through the spin cycle first. (Yes, they were that soaked)
The power flickered a couple of times, we were fortunate in that it did not go out. (Although I don’t think anyone would’ve minded, it would have put an early end to a slow night.)
Time to close up shop, we all had Sunday and Monday off for the holiday weekend.
As I look at the schedule for the week, we’re back to full steam ahead. The coming weekend is booked with a ton of banquets, all servers are scheduled, many for double shifts.
For everything there is a season, and here we go…….
Friday, September 2, 2011
Where did the summer go?
I can’t believe that (according to the calendar) it’s the last official weekend of summer. The temperature is supposed to be in the high 90’s today……that’s more like the middle of summer…or is this a trick of Mother Nature to remind us of what we’re about to leave behind …..by Monday the weather forecasters are predicting that it will be in the high 60’s…with rain in between. Yay Michigan!
Outside dining on the patio was a bust this summer. For the most part it was too hot for anyone to want to sit outside and sweat while dining. In one way it was a relief for the servers, if you’re hot just sitting out there, think how they felt having to run around.. It’s a good thing our uniforms are all black and you can’t tell by the shirts how much anyone was sweating….although the glistening faces were a dead give away. For those who sat outside and complained about the heat, (as though we could do something about it) well, it was your choice.
On the other hand, we welcome the end of summer……the end of the summer doldrums. This is the time of year we look forward to things to come, like being busier. No more summer vacations, no more bar-b-ques, no more graduation parties….back to eating out as part of your business as usual routine.
It won’t be long before we can no longer walk outside without a jacket on… we won’t be rolling up the sleeves on our uniform shirts….we won’t be dashing into the walk in cooler to cool off for a minute….but what we will be, is busier….and leaving work with more money in our pockets. …and that’s a good thing.
So as reluctant as we all are to have to give up summer…we welcome the next season. Before you know it, we’ll be complaining about having to shovel snow. It still amazes me how we’ve had busier days in the middle of a blizzard, than we had when it was in the high 90’s.
Outside dining on the patio was a bust this summer. For the most part it was too hot for anyone to want to sit outside and sweat while dining. In one way it was a relief for the servers, if you’re hot just sitting out there, think how they felt having to run around.. It’s a good thing our uniforms are all black and you can’t tell by the shirts how much anyone was sweating….although the glistening faces were a dead give away. For those who sat outside and complained about the heat, (as though we could do something about it) well, it was your choice.
On the other hand, we welcome the end of summer……the end of the summer doldrums. This is the time of year we look forward to things to come, like being busier. No more summer vacations, no more bar-b-ques, no more graduation parties….back to eating out as part of your business as usual routine.
It won’t be long before we can no longer walk outside without a jacket on… we won’t be rolling up the sleeves on our uniform shirts….we won’t be dashing into the walk in cooler to cool off for a minute….but what we will be, is busier….and leaving work with more money in our pockets. …and that’s a good thing.
So as reluctant as we all are to have to give up summer…we welcome the next season. Before you know it, we’ll be complaining about having to shovel snow. It still amazes me how we’ve had busier days in the middle of a blizzard, than we had when it was in the high 90’s.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
The New Season
Okay, the fall season is about to start, and we’re working on a new Double Take Impersonators show. We’ll kick off the season on Wednesday, September 21st. We’re still working on finalizing the program. We’ll have some old favorites….everyone loves to sing along with “Karen Carpenter“……our “Lady Gaga“ always packs a punch.…Michael James and his Neil Diamond Tribute absolutely rocks the house …“Cher“ is timeless and incredible… Marilyn Monroe is mesmerizing… . and we’ll have some new acts. And as always, we like to throw in a surprise!
We had Elvis in the last show, and we’re looking to bring him back. We’re also looking to add the Motown sound! We want to give the audience the most bang for their buck! There is a ton of very talented people around here!
Which leads us to my next show topic…..we are going to start an amateur night. Not just for impersonators, but for all singers…or comedians or anyone else with a talent they‘d like to show the world.….we’re still working out the details. We’ll be holding auditions, when these will be is yet to be determined, but we’ll be sure to let you know.
Gotta work a double today, so I’ve gotta get going….just wanted to give you a little preview of the fall season. Have a great day!
We had Elvis in the last show, and we’re looking to bring him back. We’re also looking to add the Motown sound! We want to give the audience the most bang for their buck! There is a ton of very talented people around here!
Which leads us to my next show topic…..we are going to start an amateur night. Not just for impersonators, but for all singers…or comedians or anyone else with a talent they‘d like to show the world.….we’re still working out the details. We’ll be holding auditions, when these will be is yet to be determined, but we’ll be sure to let you know.
Gotta work a double today, so I’ve gotta get going….just wanted to give you a little preview of the fall season. Have a great day!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
What part do you not understand?
This coupon crap seems to be never ending…..What part of “One coupon per table” or “No split checks” do people not understand? I’m gonna go out on a limb and assume they can all read English. They have no problem reading the menu….so why do so many people go stupid, when it comes to reading a coupon?!? Or…..think that we’re stupid and that they can scam us with ridiculous logic that’s already been tried a thousand times before.
We had two couples make a reservation the other night, they said they each wanted to use a coupon. Okay, if you want to use two coupons then you have to sit at different tables. They wanted to sit in the lounge, so we reserved two tables next to each other. When the first couple arrived, all the questions started. “Why can’t we use two coupons at one table?” So I answered (for the millionth time) “The coupon states one coupon per table.” “Yeah, but now we’re taking up two tables, you may need it for someone else.” It was gonna be a slow night, we really didn’t care, and you’re not that clever.
“Okay, what if I had a $20.00 coupon, and we all sat at the same table, can’t you just split up the check up and take the coupon off?” “No, it clearly states no split checks. We can take the $20.00 off the total, then you can just divide what’s left by two.” “Oh, we can’t do that.” Of course you can’t, no one can do simple math anymore!
After a few more questions, (that they thought were clever, I thought were stupid) I decided to approach this from a different angle. I leaned in a little closer, as if to take them into confidence….. “We have to do it this way, you would not believe the how many people try and scam us on these coupons.” “Ohhhh….” It worked, went right over their heads, they had no idea I was talking about them.
A woman called up and asked about the Tuesday Night all you can eat spaghetti special. Then she said she wanted to use her Groupon. No, you can have the special, or you can use the Groupon, but you can’t do both. (Again this is stated on the card the specials are printed on.) 99% of the time they try and pull some logic out of their ass….not gonna work…we’ve heard it all before. Look, we’re trying to bend over backwards to give you daily specials…quit trying to combine them all so you can whittle your tab down to nothing, it’s not gonna work. You’re probably the same people who don’t understand why you can’t use four coupons for the same item at the grocery store.
No one thinks “Scam Artist” is a very flattering term, but it’s what you’re all trying to be.
We had two couples make a reservation the other night, they said they each wanted to use a coupon. Okay, if you want to use two coupons then you have to sit at different tables. They wanted to sit in the lounge, so we reserved two tables next to each other. When the first couple arrived, all the questions started. “Why can’t we use two coupons at one table?” So I answered (for the millionth time) “The coupon states one coupon per table.” “Yeah, but now we’re taking up two tables, you may need it for someone else.” It was gonna be a slow night, we really didn’t care, and you’re not that clever.
“Okay, what if I had a $20.00 coupon, and we all sat at the same table, can’t you just split up the check up and take the coupon off?” “No, it clearly states no split checks. We can take the $20.00 off the total, then you can just divide what’s left by two.” “Oh, we can’t do that.” Of course you can’t, no one can do simple math anymore!
After a few more questions, (that they thought were clever, I thought were stupid) I decided to approach this from a different angle. I leaned in a little closer, as if to take them into confidence….. “We have to do it this way, you would not believe the how many people try and scam us on these coupons.” “Ohhhh….” It worked, went right over their heads, they had no idea I was talking about them.
A woman called up and asked about the Tuesday Night all you can eat spaghetti special. Then she said she wanted to use her Groupon. No, you can have the special, or you can use the Groupon, but you can’t do both. (Again this is stated on the card the specials are printed on.) 99% of the time they try and pull some logic out of their ass….not gonna work…we’ve heard it all before. Look, we’re trying to bend over backwards to give you daily specials…quit trying to combine them all so you can whittle your tab down to nothing, it’s not gonna work. You’re probably the same people who don’t understand why you can’t use four coupons for the same item at the grocery store.
No one thinks “Scam Artist” is a very flattering term, but it’s what you’re all trying to be.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
More day off stuff, specifically, golf......
I love having Monday’s off….while the rest of the world is dreading Monday morning….back to the commute and rush hour traffic…..I’m off to the golf course. Another picture perfect Michigan summer day.
There are usually three of us who play. I know that women have a bad reputation on the golf course for being slow, but that doesn’t hold true for all women. If there is no one in front of us, holding us up, we can play 18 holes in about 3 and ½ hours. (And that includes stopping at the turn to use the restroom and get a snack and a cold drink)
The golf course seems to be one of the last bastions of true male chauvinism. Since we play the same course all the time, everyone who works there, knows us. Many times when there have been only two of us, (and they pair us up with two men, to make a foursome,) the starter tells us that the two men groan upon finding out they have to play with two women. Then he laughs and tells the two men, “Good luck keeping up with them!” Ha! So there! Stuff it!
Granted, we don’t hit the ball as far as men, ergo, we don’t have to spend as much time looking for a ball that went into the woods or landed on another fairway. For some reason, men lose all sense of time when looking for a golf ball. They will spend an eternity looking! Just drop a new one and hit it! You’re wasting time! But of course, they will always have a rationalization for spending so much time looking.
The ranger drove by us yesterday and told us he had to tell the two groups in front of us to pick up the pace. Since we are usually the only women out there, you tell me who’s holding up the play.
Wow, got off on a tangent there……
Anyways…….we’re out there to have a good time. We don’t take it too seriously….bad drive? Hit another one! Lousy fairway shot? Hit another one! Why stress yourself out? What’s that? You think we’re wasting time by taking all these “mulligans?” We’re doing it BECAUSE we have the time! We’re right on the heels of the group in front of us…why just stand around on the fairway waiting for them to move along…..practice, take another shot! The group behind us has usually lagged so far behind, so they have no idea what we’re doing.
Okay, got that out of my system. All in all, it was a perfect day on the golf course. Then I got home to find that the dog had shit in the kitchen and the cat puked in my bed. Maybe we should’ve stayed and played another nine.
There are usually three of us who play. I know that women have a bad reputation on the golf course for being slow, but that doesn’t hold true for all women. If there is no one in front of us, holding us up, we can play 18 holes in about 3 and ½ hours. (And that includes stopping at the turn to use the restroom and get a snack and a cold drink)
The golf course seems to be one of the last bastions of true male chauvinism. Since we play the same course all the time, everyone who works there, knows us. Many times when there have been only two of us, (and they pair us up with two men, to make a foursome,) the starter tells us that the two men groan upon finding out they have to play with two women. Then he laughs and tells the two men, “Good luck keeping up with them!” Ha! So there! Stuff it!
Granted, we don’t hit the ball as far as men, ergo, we don’t have to spend as much time looking for a ball that went into the woods or landed on another fairway. For some reason, men lose all sense of time when looking for a golf ball. They will spend an eternity looking! Just drop a new one and hit it! You’re wasting time! But of course, they will always have a rationalization for spending so much time looking.
The ranger drove by us yesterday and told us he had to tell the two groups in front of us to pick up the pace. Since we are usually the only women out there, you tell me who’s holding up the play.
Wow, got off on a tangent there……
Anyways…….we’re out there to have a good time. We don’t take it too seriously….bad drive? Hit another one! Lousy fairway shot? Hit another one! Why stress yourself out? What’s that? You think we’re wasting time by taking all these “mulligans?” We’re doing it BECAUSE we have the time! We’re right on the heels of the group in front of us…why just stand around on the fairway waiting for them to move along…..practice, take another shot! The group behind us has usually lagged so far behind, so they have no idea what we’re doing.
Okay, got that out of my system. All in all, it was a perfect day on the golf course. Then I got home to find that the dog had shit in the kitchen and the cat puked in my bed. Maybe we should’ve stayed and played another nine.
Monday, August 29, 2011
We get the point, we really do, you're very obnoxious......
Friday night a few guys came up to the bar to get a drink before they went to their table. Now, obnoxious people always prove themselves to be exactly that, but one of these guys did it in record time. He was loud, kept throwing out comments…he ordered a beer, one of those that is sometimes served with and orange slice. The other bartender poured his beer and asked him if he wanted an orange slice…in a very sarcastic tone he said, “Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be served?” I turned my head around and said, “It’s a preference.”
He was also announcing that he used to work there, as though that would merit him special treatment. I’m really glad his time of employment was in the past.
We were relieved when they went to their table a few minutes later…however I was not lacking in sympathy for whoever their server would be.
Turns out they sat on the patio and consumed mass quantities of alcohol. The obnoxious ass was also throwing croutons at the server. Really guy, you are waaaaaaay too old to be doing things as juvenile as that.
As luck would have it, when they were done, they decided to come back into the lounge, there were six of them in all. Somehow he was feeling special enough that decided to lead his entourage through the kitchen, rather than going around the building, like all others do. The minute he came through the door, he was even louder than before. It’s really not imperative that everyone know where you are. He was so loud and foul mouthed, that people in the dining room could hear him. Time to cut him off.
I was not the closer that night and had just clocked out. I went in the back to get the manager, and told him he needs to keep an eye on this guy. He came in the lounge, as well as one of the male servers, who’s a pretty big guy. One of the customers, who’s also a good friend of ours was on his way out, but upon seeing this ass talking to the singer, and getting dangerously close to her, decided to stay. I decided to sit down at an empty table and watch the show.
There was no need for the ass to loudly sing along, he’s already proved to the world that he’s one of the most obnoxious people we’ve ever encountered. Next he resorted back to his middle school behavior and started jostling his friends and shoving them around. I must admit, I did smile when his glasses got knocked to the floor and the lens popped out.
THEN…one of the couples who were with him, were standing at the end of the bar, and starting fondling each other. REALLY!?!?!?
These people should not be allowed out in public. We know you’re all obnoxious idiots, and no one came out to see you keep proving this over and over again. And, if you’ve worked here, then you know that you CANNOT take your beer out the door with you…so why did you try?
I know that if the King of Obnoxiousville ever reads this, he is so clueless that he will never in a million years realize that he is the one I am talking about. His parents would’ve been really good candidates for mandatory sterilization.
He was also announcing that he used to work there, as though that would merit him special treatment. I’m really glad his time of employment was in the past.
We were relieved when they went to their table a few minutes later…however I was not lacking in sympathy for whoever their server would be.
Turns out they sat on the patio and consumed mass quantities of alcohol. The obnoxious ass was also throwing croutons at the server. Really guy, you are waaaaaaay too old to be doing things as juvenile as that.
As luck would have it, when they were done, they decided to come back into the lounge, there were six of them in all. Somehow he was feeling special enough that decided to lead his entourage through the kitchen, rather than going around the building, like all others do. The minute he came through the door, he was even louder than before. It’s really not imperative that everyone know where you are. He was so loud and foul mouthed, that people in the dining room could hear him. Time to cut him off.
I was not the closer that night and had just clocked out. I went in the back to get the manager, and told him he needs to keep an eye on this guy. He came in the lounge, as well as one of the male servers, who’s a pretty big guy. One of the customers, who’s also a good friend of ours was on his way out, but upon seeing this ass talking to the singer, and getting dangerously close to her, decided to stay. I decided to sit down at an empty table and watch the show.
There was no need for the ass to loudly sing along, he’s already proved to the world that he’s one of the most obnoxious people we’ve ever encountered. Next he resorted back to his middle school behavior and started jostling his friends and shoving them around. I must admit, I did smile when his glasses got knocked to the floor and the lens popped out.
THEN…one of the couples who were with him, were standing at the end of the bar, and starting fondling each other. REALLY!?!?!?
These people should not be allowed out in public. We know you’re all obnoxious idiots, and no one came out to see you keep proving this over and over again. And, if you’ve worked here, then you know that you CANNOT take your beer out the door with you…so why did you try?
I know that if the King of Obnoxiousville ever reads this, he is so clueless that he will never in a million years realize that he is the one I am talking about. His parents would’ve been really good candidates for mandatory sterilization.
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