I really need out of this business

[vikki]

Poll As many of you are aware, in THE REAL WORLD I am a server. So while the rest of you are doing end of the year reflections, thinking about New Year's Resolutions, and playing with your Christmas toys, I'm thinking about how much people suck. XD

Comments

[gisho]

Yeah, unfortunately, the kind of people who care about being polite to servers tend to be the people who already are. Although I like your choice of subtitle.

[vikki]

My hope would be that the subtitle would be a hook, haha. Sadly, I need a better regular title. Also, an audience. Sigh.

[yuushi]

Unfortunately, some customers are in need of a power trip and have only servers upon whom to take out their tyrannical fantasies. I sure have run into a few of those when I was a server!

One was so hell-bent on complaining that he even complained that I brought his food out before this other table's that had ordered before he did!

[vikki]

That is hysterical. I laughed. XD!

I find that servers should also remember that their guests are only human and have moods as well: for instance, people that first read as being on a power trip and won't let me get a word out, I tend to believe they had a really shitty server sometime in the past and no longer trust that I'll be able to anticipate their needs - like, say, refills. But that being said, the stories I could tell about powertripping guests ...

One time recently we opened 5 minutes late. our first guest was SO furious about it that he called my manager arrogant and minutes later stormed out to find someplace else to eat. It was kind of hysterical. His poor wife looked so embarrassed, though!

[yuushi]

Most definitely, when I got a real curmudgeon that start off gruff or complaining, I would give them about 3 chances and try to break the ice a few times before just writing them off as "ain't no way I'm getting a tip out of them."

I'd still make sure they had all they needed (refills, water, etc.), but I wasn't going to try to pimp any desserts or anything else like that.

5 minutes? Really? Wow.

The wife of the complainer I mentioned before was pretty mortified at her hubby's complaining as well!

[ratherastory]

My sympathies. I have never waited tables, but I worked customer service and am now a police dispatcher who deals with the public a LOT.

What you said applies to all of us: we WANT to help. That's why we're there, that's why we're paid.

Although, I am notorious for having once said to a client: "Ma'am, just because you don't like my answer doesn't mean it's not true."

So, uh, yeah. XD

[vikki]

Although, I am notorious for having once said to a client: "Ma'am, just because you don't like my answer doesn't mean it's not true."Seriously? GOOD FOR YOU XD That's awesome

[nerdcore]

I've had so many people tell me they're afraid to send back food because they're afraid something will "happen" to it. The fact that people still think that even in fine dining establishments that someone would be deprived enough to spit in their food (and on my watch, too) makes me so uncomfortably sick I can't even find the humor in it as a joke anymore. /sob

[vikki]

I've had so many people tell me they're afraid to send back food because they're afraid something will "happen" to it.
THIS YES YES. D= I'm really horrified myself.

I've worked in restaurants for 8 years - and none of them in fine dining - and even at Applebees, which isn't quite the Lowest of the Low (but pretty close) nobody ever did anything to anyone's food that was so gross. No matter how much we might dislike somebody, I think every server I've ever worked with would be disgusted by that sort of behavior.

The thing is, people are convinced that servers hate their guests and as a result a good percentage of people go into restaurants as if facing combat - ready to fight. Nothing could be further from the truth. If I were to write this handbook, the prologue/preface/whatever would be pretty much address this exact fact - and the fact that the subtitle is facetious, because nobody actually does that.

[ficwriter1966]

I have *great* sympathy (and admiration) for servers, because it's a job I know I couldn't handle. (Being that I despise "the public" even when I'm a part of it.) I'll readily accept "We've run out of [X]" or a delay in getting my food to me, or whatever. Really, there are only two things that bug the very life out of me:
1) The server pulling an "I hate this f'ing job and you're about one step above dog turds to me right now" attitude, and
2) Server(s) taking a long look at me standing/sitting there, and going back to their animated personal conversation with their co-worker while I cool my jets for 5 or 10 minutes. (Friendly's, I'm talking about YOU.)
Generally, though...I'll roll with it. Like I said, it's not a job I could tackle, so I admire anyone who does tackle it with a reasonable amount of good humor.