Great service is like porn…

…you can’t precisely define it but you know it when you see it. Also, it’s in the eye of the beholder. What might pass for great service in one dining situation might not pass for it in another. And, two people confronted with the exact same service might not agree with the characterization of the [...]

Wine of the day – Shiraz

Shiraz – named after a city in Iran of all places. It’s also known as Syrah, which is the name of the grape. The name Shiraz is courtesy of our Australian friends and it used to be that they were about the only ones who used the term. But American vintners have seemed to have started [...]

Quicksand

Every waiter who’s been in the biz for any length of time knows what I’m talking about. It starts like this: You get double-sat. No big whoop except that one of the tables needs a song-and-dance and some hand-holding. Still, it’s not that big of a problem. But the second table needs hot tea along [...]

I’m still here…sorta

Thus ends a very brutal three days (actually, the whole week since last Saturday has been fairly tough). Wednesday was one of the longest doubles ever. Not only did I get home fairly late Tuesday night (around 1am), Wednesday started at 10am and ended at 1:30am Thursday with only about an 70 minutes break time in between.  While that sounds [...]

New link added – Tips On Improving Your Tips

Be an early adopter to this new WordPress blog. But only if you want to improve your tips. http://tipsfortips.wordpress.com/ It’s pretty cool so far. You’ll find it a nice companion to this very blog, especially since it’s a lot more tightly edited than mine. Some interesting concepts so far, some that I’ve covered in the [...]

Why waiting tables isn’t like your job…

One of the things that anti-tip trolls always trot out is, “I don’t get tips for the job that I do – why should you”? Well, let’s compare your job. Are you paid minimum wage or less for your job? Are you required to read the mind and mood of your customer? Do you even have [...]

New link added – “Crazy Waiter”

http://www.crazywaiter.com/ I’m adding a link to a very nice waiter blog from France called Crazy Waiter. Full of vim and vigor, here is the “mission statement” from the creator of the blog: “This page is made by a crazy waiter working in an entertainment resort near Paris. There I’ve learnt that you’re part of the [...]

Top Ten Things a Manager Doesn’t Want To Hear From a Waiter

10. Am I cut yet? 9. Why are you cutting me? The previous two are often related to the waiter’s finances… 8. My battery’s dead (I’ve got a flat tire, there’s a wreck on the freeway and I’m stuck, I can’t find my car keys, ad nauseum). 7. I forgot to ring in 23′s entrees. [...]

Top Ten Things a Waiter Doesn’t Want to Hear From a Manager

10.  I need to talk to you at the end of the shift. 9. Don’t worry – I’ll make up your covers around 8:00. 8. You’ve got a deuce on 24 (this is just moments after you’ve picked up the check for your last table at 9:30). 7.  The clock-in window ended 2 minutes ago. You’re [...]

Top Ten Things a Waiter Doesn’t Want To Hear the Customer Say

10. Didn’t I sleep with you in 2006? 9. I’ve got these rolls of pennies… 8. Je suis désolé, je ne parle pas d’anglais. 7. You’re under arrest for serving a 19 year old. Could you please place your hands behind your back? 6. Your service was incredible. 5. Let’s see, all you have to [...]