"Your job does not equal my job."
Dear business man/woman,
I am a server. I work in a restaurant. I serve food, work with food and generally know what I am talking about when it comes to the restaurants' menu. So please, sir/ma'am, don't come to me and try to tell me how to do my job, how the food should be cooked or when it should be coming out. If you don't like the way I serve then I would be more than happy to trade positions with you. If you know how the food should be cooked then save some time and money, and me the stress, and stay home and cook it. Then it will come out when and how you think it should.
So my dear business man/woman, if you would not like me to tell you how to do your job I ask that you would not do it to me.
Thanks so much!
buh-bye.
server Jon
This happens so much and is very rude. If you go out with someone, or if this is you, I and every other server ask that you would have it stopped. We would greatly appreciate it.
*This comes from a fellow server of mine.*
And just so you know I was informed by my wife that my writing stinks... just kidding... But she has said that it was hard to follow because of my laid-back writing. So I will trying to be better at my writing from now on. Just so that the one or two people reading this can follow. :)
Thanks for your time!
Server Jon
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Valentines Day
well today was great. My wife and i were able to have the day off and not go into work, and since 10:30 this morning we have been out and about doing stuff celebrating our first valentines day together.
starting the day off we went to get massages at Massage Envy in Colleyville, TX. they have a really good price thats $39 per hour, so we were like "yeah. lets do that." and it was great! really professional atmosphere really great staff. if you ever want to get a massage i would suggest going there. I don't know, but i might be able to write that off on my taxes since i serve and am on my feet for hours on end... hmmm.... idk
after that we were going to have brunch at Mimi's Cafe, but the movie that we were going to see started at 1:35 which after waiting would have left us with 15 to get our food, eat and pay out to get to the theater. So we just decided to go to Starbucks just to chill out and talk.
Then we went to go see the new movie "Valentines Day". it was pretty good. It's about a bunch of people who are somehow connected and good things happen to some and bad to others. It had funny parts, romantic parts, and kinda disgusting parts. (at least to me.) But the only thing that i have to complain about this movie is that we got there early and the theater was completely full so we had to sit in the very front area. but it was good.
After that we went to Red Lobster in Lewisville, TX and have a nice Valentines Day dinner. Our server, J.P., was probably the best server that we have ever had wait on us when we go out. he did a really good job.
Well today was great. And i'm so glad that i got to spend it with the most amazing woman in the whole world. And i'm even more proud to say that she's my wife.
And just in case someone is reading this, and they're not a server, just remember that the one serving you your piping hot bowl of pasta does have a life too. :)
Thanks. And happy Valentines Day!
starting the day off we went to get massages at Massage Envy in Colleyville, TX. they have a really good price thats $39 per hour, so we were like "yeah. lets do that." and it was great! really professional atmosphere really great staff. if you ever want to get a massage i would suggest going there. I don't know, but i might be able to write that off on my taxes since i serve and am on my feet for hours on end... hmmm.... idk
after that we were going to have brunch at Mimi's Cafe, but the movie that we were going to see started at 1:35 which after waiting would have left us with 15 to get our food, eat and pay out to get to the theater. So we just decided to go to Starbucks just to chill out and talk.
Then we went to go see the new movie "Valentines Day". it was pretty good. It's about a bunch of people who are somehow connected and good things happen to some and bad to others. It had funny parts, romantic parts, and kinda disgusting parts. (at least to me.) But the only thing that i have to complain about this movie is that we got there early and the theater was completely full so we had to sit in the very front area. but it was good.
After that we went to Red Lobster in Lewisville, TX and have a nice Valentines Day dinner. Our server, J.P., was probably the best server that we have ever had wait on us when we go out. he did a really good job.
Well today was great. And i'm so glad that i got to spend it with the most amazing woman in the whole world. And i'm even more proud to say that she's my wife.
And just in case someone is reading this, and they're not a server, just remember that the one serving you your piping hot bowl of pasta does have a life too. :)
Thanks. And happy Valentines Day!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
valentines weekend
Valentines weekend, for a restaurant owner one of the biggest weekends of the year, and the busiest weekends of the year. All the hustle and bustle of couples going out early to beat the crowds on the big "V-Day". That's cool. Thankfully my wife and i don't have to work on V-Day so we are planning a full day of going out and doing stuff. I'm actually really looking forward to it.
But anyways today was a VERY long day. I went in at 11:45 this morning and left at 11:30 tonight. with a short break thrown in there. (I think that we're supposed to get one legally...)
and of course there are a few things that i was thinking of today that i could blog about tonight. first of all i want to say that this blog is going to be from my personal point of view. I try to have a good attitude throughout the shift and try to make the guest at my table feel welcomed too, but i do hear from other servers what type of people they deal with. SO this is from my perspective..
Lets talk about a busy weekend such as this one! we, servers, get that you, the guest, sometimes have to wait a while before getting sat at a table, and when you do get sat your sever isn't ALWAYS there EVERY TIME you need them to be. But please do realize that we, servers, have typically about 8-12 OTHER PEOPLE including you that we have to wait on too. patience is a virtue.
tonight though, for me anyways, was not too shabby. i was exhausted from closing the lunch shift but during my short break i was able to get a redbull and you know what they say about those..."redbull, it gives you wings!" so i was having a great time seeing all the people on dates and stuff celebrating the big v-day together. besides some pretty poopy tips i also had some pretty good ones too. so thats cool.
but there are some things that i wrote down today that i wanted to talk about here. i don't even know who if anyone reads this, but its just something that i wanted to get off my chest.
so like i said for the most part my day wasn't that bad...at dinner...lunch was kinda crazy. it wasn't really busy but i kept having to pick up other tables in other sections which is ok because every table is money to a server.
My lunch shift started great. i was in a great mood and all and then around 1:30 and 2pm i had a table that was extremely rude. (word to the wise, don't be rude to the one that handles your food and can make your life not so good.) but like i said before, i try to have a good attitude and then when i go in the back, i let it out. :) so this guy was really rude and just kind of pushed the wrong button on Jon today. but anyways i'm not bitter or anything, i promise. :)
But lets just say that you go out and something doesn't quite go your way, please don't lash out at your server.
The one thing about this couple that really bothered me was that there was no communication, unless there was a complaint. every time i went to the table they were sitting there on their cool little smart phones. which brings me to say this, if you're going out with your significant other, talk with them. listen to them. if your cool smart phone is more important than your relationship with him/her, then it's not going to be to long before it's just you and your phone.
I really like my new phone i got, but i don't get on it when i'm out with my wife.
another thing that any server will think that i would like to talk about is "sitters"
"SITTERS: people who sit at a table well after they have already payed for their food, and cause the server to stay well after he or she had too." We get it that sometimes you just want to sit and talk to people that you don't always get to see, but that's what Starbucks, or your house, is there for. especially on a busy night try to be considerate that there are other people waiting for a table too. AND the main thing here is "Tables = Money " for servers. so if you're taking up our table with chatting you're causing us not to make rent. And i'm not trying to be a jerk or inconsiderate of you, the guest. no. that's what this whole blog is all about. Just letting you know what we servers go through, and think, sometimes...
One thing i did want to say, and this is not because my GM told me he was going to be reading this, but for real. I really do appreciate the management at Mac Grill. The whole team, i think, are the best managers i have ever worked for. i know that if i ever need anything, or am in trouble with a guest, i can go to them and they will help me out. i joke around a bit, but when i say this, i am being as for real as real can be. after working for some doozies, and hearing about some of my friends managers, i really am thankful for the leadership that we have at the mac shack.
So i know this was a lot. i don't know that i ever typed this much before. and i don't know that anyone even read this or finished reading. But if you made it through to this part, thank you. and hopefully next time you go out you'll know a little bit more about what your server is giong through.
But anyways today was a VERY long day. I went in at 11:45 this morning and left at 11:30 tonight. with a short break thrown in there. (I think that we're supposed to get one legally...)
and of course there are a few things that i was thinking of today that i could blog about tonight. first of all i want to say that this blog is going to be from my personal point of view. I try to have a good attitude throughout the shift and try to make the guest at my table feel welcomed too, but i do hear from other servers what type of people they deal with. SO this is from my perspective..
Lets talk about a busy weekend such as this one! we, servers, get that you, the guest, sometimes have to wait a while before getting sat at a table, and when you do get sat your sever isn't ALWAYS there EVERY TIME you need them to be. But please do realize that we, servers, have typically about 8-12 OTHER PEOPLE including you that we have to wait on too. patience is a virtue.
tonight though, for me anyways, was not too shabby. i was exhausted from closing the lunch shift but during my short break i was able to get a redbull and you know what they say about those..."redbull, it gives you wings!" so i was having a great time seeing all the people on dates and stuff celebrating the big v-day together. besides some pretty poopy tips i also had some pretty good ones too. so thats cool.
but there are some things that i wrote down today that i wanted to talk about here. i don't even know who if anyone reads this, but its just something that i wanted to get off my chest.
so like i said for the most part my day wasn't that bad...at dinner...lunch was kinda crazy. it wasn't really busy but i kept having to pick up other tables in other sections which is ok because every table is money to a server.
My lunch shift started great. i was in a great mood and all and then around 1:30 and 2pm i had a table that was extremely rude. (word to the wise, don't be rude to the one that handles your food and can make your life not so good.) but like i said before, i try to have a good attitude and then when i go in the back, i let it out. :) so this guy was really rude and just kind of pushed the wrong button on Jon today. but anyways i'm not bitter or anything, i promise. :)
But lets just say that you go out and something doesn't quite go your way, please don't lash out at your server.
The one thing about this couple that really bothered me was that there was no communication, unless there was a complaint. every time i went to the table they were sitting there on their cool little smart phones. which brings me to say this, if you're going out with your significant other, talk with them. listen to them. if your cool smart phone is more important than your relationship with him/her, then it's not going to be to long before it's just you and your phone.
I really like my new phone i got, but i don't get on it when i'm out with my wife.
another thing that any server will think that i would like to talk about is "sitters"
"SITTERS: people who sit at a table well after they have already payed for their food, and cause the server to stay well after he or she had too." We get it that sometimes you just want to sit and talk to people that you don't always get to see, but that's what Starbucks, or your house, is there for. especially on a busy night try to be considerate that there are other people waiting for a table too. AND the main thing here is "Tables = Money " for servers. so if you're taking up our table with chatting you're causing us not to make rent. And i'm not trying to be a jerk or inconsiderate of you, the guest. no. that's what this whole blog is all about. Just letting you know what we servers go through, and think, sometimes...
One thing i did want to say, and this is not because my GM told me he was going to be reading this, but for real. I really do appreciate the management at Mac Grill. The whole team, i think, are the best managers i have ever worked for. i know that if i ever need anything, or am in trouble with a guest, i can go to them and they will help me out. i joke around a bit, but when i say this, i am being as for real as real can be. after working for some doozies, and hearing about some of my friends managers, i really am thankful for the leadership that we have at the mac shack.
So i know this was a lot. i don't know that i ever typed this much before. and i don't know that anyone even read this or finished reading. But if you made it through to this part, thank you. and hopefully next time you go out you'll know a little bit more about what your server is giong through.
Friday, February 12, 2010
rough night...
Well tonight was one of those nights... the kind that really stink. It started out pretty good, but i ended up having barley any tables and the ones that i did were cheap! except for a couple. but we usually have a three table section that is usually full throughout the night. tonight however was a little different. i had at least one table open all night even after the host seeing that i did and me telling her...kind of irritating. but anyways, (and this is going to be a little bit of a complaining entry...sorry)
Oh and just so that this can be out there: Servers only make, depending on the restaurant, $2.13-$4 an hour which usually goes to taxes. and then we have to tip out our bussers and server supports 2.5% of what we sell. I think the biggest check i've ever gotten from the Mac Shack (macaroni grill) is about $50. Thats two weeks and about 63-70 hours later... So servers depend on TIPS for things like bills.
So needless to say, tonight was not a very good night. Had a SIX top spilt TWO entrees, a table tip me almost nothing after i gave them great service, and the wonderful teenager that tries to impress his girlfriend taking her to a "fancy" restaurant and tips barley anything...
And just to clear up any thoughts that might be going through your head, if anyone actually reads this, a recommended tip percentage is 20%. "WOW!" you might be thinking. "That's just outrageous!" Well my pastor back home used to say "if you don't have enough money to tip at least 20% then you don't have enough money to go out to eat." and i, and every other server probably, agree!
but anyways, if you're going to go out to a nicer restaurant, i know times are hard and the economy stinks, but be mindful that the person that is giving you your eggplant parmesan has bills to pay too, and you really are the one that determines if they will meet the date for that bill.
We are people too, not SERVANTS, but SERVERS. we're here to serve you, not be bossed around by you like you no what you're talking about and we don't. So please please please PLEASE be mindful of that next time you go out.
Thanks for your time and have a great day! :D
Oh and just so that this can be out there: Servers only make, depending on the restaurant, $2.13-$4 an hour which usually goes to taxes. and then we have to tip out our bussers and server supports 2.5% of what we sell. I think the biggest check i've ever gotten from the Mac Shack (macaroni grill) is about $50. Thats two weeks and about 63-70 hours later... So servers depend on TIPS for things like bills.
So needless to say, tonight was not a very good night. Had a SIX top spilt TWO entrees, a table tip me almost nothing after i gave them great service, and the wonderful teenager that tries to impress his girlfriend taking her to a "fancy" restaurant and tips barley anything...
And just to clear up any thoughts that might be going through your head, if anyone actually reads this, a recommended tip percentage is 20%. "WOW!" you might be thinking. "That's just outrageous!" Well my pastor back home used to say "if you don't have enough money to tip at least 20% then you don't have enough money to go out to eat." and i, and every other server probably, agree!
but anyways, if you're going to go out to a nicer restaurant, i know times are hard and the economy stinks, but be mindful that the person that is giving you your eggplant parmesan has bills to pay too, and you really are the one that determines if they will meet the date for that bill.
We are people too, not SERVANTS, but SERVERS. we're here to serve you, not be bossed around by you like you no what you're talking about and we don't. So please please please PLEASE be mindful of that next time you go out.
Thanks for your time and have a great day! :D
about me
well when i posted that last bit the clock said that it was the 12th already, but the blogger said it was still the 11th.
Anyways...About me. I dont know if anyone really cares or not, but this whole thing is about the life of a server (me) and the things that you don't know about the people who serve you at your table.
I am 21 years old and about 8 1/2 months ago i married an amazing woman Gabrielle who i love so stinking much! :)
WE have two cats Bella and Alex. I want a dog, but she said she wants to wait till we have a yard. We are planning on waiting about 5 years before we have kids but my mom really wants to have kids now... Sorry mom, not going to happen. but if it happens it happens and that it fine, but we're not planning it.
i was going to heartland school of ministry to train to be a youth pastor, but my money ran out so i'm trying to save money to go back to school. whether it's back there or somewhere else i don't know. but i was still interning with the youth department at the church, but have been out the past few months working. but i miss it so much there and hope to be back there soon.
But i am a Bible believing, God fearing, Holy Spirit filled Christian and am not ashamed to say it! One thing that kinda irritates me is when people call themselves "Christians" and then live like the rest of the world. Thats not right. it's either you live the life or you don't.
um..well i am a co-owner of a small graphic design business with one of my good friends. right now i'ts not really going like we want, but we did just start it a couple of months ago so hopefully in the next year it can start picking up. yeah that'd be nice.
but like i said before i've been working at Ramanos Macaroni Grill in Grapevine, TX for the past 2 years and a few months. I'm a developer server which is a server that helps train others to be great at their job.
I like doing stuff with my hands. I really like riding my bike, even though i haven't really done it in a while. i like exercising. And just spending good quality time with my wife. :)
I love God and i love telling people about the love of God and how much He loves His creation.
Well thats a little bit about me. it's not really that interesting, but i hope you know a little bit more about your server.
Anyways...About me. I dont know if anyone really cares or not, but this whole thing is about the life of a server (me) and the things that you don't know about the people who serve you at your table.
I am 21 years old and about 8 1/2 months ago i married an amazing woman Gabrielle who i love so stinking much! :)
WE have two cats Bella and Alex. I want a dog, but she said she wants to wait till we have a yard. We are planning on waiting about 5 years before we have kids but my mom really wants to have kids now... Sorry mom, not going to happen. but if it happens it happens and that it fine, but we're not planning it.
i was going to heartland school of ministry to train to be a youth pastor, but my money ran out so i'm trying to save money to go back to school. whether it's back there or somewhere else i don't know. but i was still interning with the youth department at the church, but have been out the past few months working. but i miss it so much there and hope to be back there soon.
But i am a Bible believing, God fearing, Holy Spirit filled Christian and am not ashamed to say it! One thing that kinda irritates me is when people call themselves "Christians" and then live like the rest of the world. Thats not right. it's either you live the life or you don't.
um..well i am a co-owner of a small graphic design business with one of my good friends. right now i'ts not really going like we want, but we did just start it a couple of months ago so hopefully in the next year it can start picking up. yeah that'd be nice.
but like i said before i've been working at Ramanos Macaroni Grill in Grapevine, TX for the past 2 years and a few months. I'm a developer server which is a server that helps train others to be great at their job.
I like doing stuff with my hands. I really like riding my bike, even though i haven't really done it in a while. i like exercising. And just spending good quality time with my wife. :)
I love God and i love telling people about the love of God and how much He loves His creation.
Well thats a little bit about me. it's not really that interesting, but i hope you know a little bit more about your server.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
the beginning
okay, well today is February 12, 2010 and the very beginning of my blogging. I've never blogged before but I've been wanting to write on this subject for a while, so here it goes.
Just a little about what this blog is going to be:
A little bit about myself and what I do and my life, and also, mainly, about the nights and days that I work at Macaroni Grill in Grapevine, TX. and what goes on.
I'm going to try to write everyday, but I'm not sure how well that is going to work out. I do want to write every time I work. Especially about those crazy tables that every server has.
Anyways i hope that if anyone reads these that you find them educational, and maybe humorous.
Have a great day!
Jonathan
Just a little about what this blog is going to be:
A little bit about myself and what I do and my life, and also, mainly, about the nights and days that I work at Macaroni Grill in Grapevine, TX. and what goes on.
I'm going to try to write everyday, but I'm not sure how well that is going to work out. I do want to write every time I work. Especially about those crazy tables that every server has.
Anyways i hope that if anyone reads these that you find them educational, and maybe humorous.
Have a great day!
Jonathan
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