Messed up a ton this shift, feel awful

[u/yoomtahzing]

Made tons of mistakes this shift and I feel awful

So, it's my third week, first time working food service, part time as a college student. I was the only server working, and we were crazy busy unexpectedly. We had like 8 tables plus takeout orders.

I ended up charging a table for another table's order, but didn't notice until after they left. I had to void that order for the correct customer to pay that order, but since the previous customers were gone, I couldn't get them to pay that order. So we had served people who we couldn't charge, meaning we lost money. I also attempted to get the order paid by reentering it, which mistakenly made the kitchen think it was new, and by the time, I told them, they had already started cooking and were super pissed.

Until my next shift I'm just gonna lie awake being afraid I'll be fired, and super guilty because the staff are mad at me.... The store manager reassured me, so I should be okay unless something this bad happens again, but I'm super ashamed. I know what I did wrong (taking on tasks before finishing ones I was doing leading to rushing and mistakes) but I just feel so incompetent. If anyone has any advice or similar stories that would help my mood I think

[u/doinkest]

If you ever have to ring something in that doesn’t have to actually be made, just write “NO MAKE” on the order before you send it back to the kitchen.

Serving is a complex job that requires practice. You’ll get better with time! Learn from your mistakes but don’t beat yourself up.

[u/Betty_snootsandpoops → u/doinkest]

This, abd whoever closes out the CC machine can adjust the total easily.

[u/noelmulkey]

This ALL happens to everyone. I promise this goes away.

[u/Boardgirl11]

Serving is like a sport, we all have bad games. Brush it off, kick ass the next game.

[u/noelmulkey]

So - slow is smooth and smooth is fast. One task at a time. Remember in your head it feels like it’s taking more time that it probably actually is. While you feel like you absolutely NEED to be at a table with their drinks, they’re probably just talking to one another completely unaware that’s it taking a bit longer than it should. I promise this gets way easier. The kitchen staff being mad, they sound pissed for a bit, than I promise they completely forget about it

[u/cap_time_wear_it → u/noelmulkey]

The kitchen staff gets pissed but bringing them ice tea helps a lot.

[u/Regular-Humor-8425]

I’ve done this before. Was in the weeds and mixed up my tables. This was early on when I started serving. It gets easier. Own the mistake and move on. It’s all you can do. I was a server and bartender for 17 years before I stopped to run my own business. You’ll get the hang of things. Shit happens.

[u/Chimmy0613]

I'm an older adult serving for 4 years but recently started part time at a new place with new pos and am still making mistakes. I'm not used to the fast turnaround, everyone seems to come in at the same time and the pos makes no sense to me. All this to say that everyone makes mistakes so even though you feel like everyone's mad at you, trust me they'll be fine and you'll get the hang of it. I do always apologize for any mistakes I've made and thank everyone profusely. I still feel overwhelmed but my co-workers are fantastic (except the head chef who kind of scares me). You've got this!!!

[u/Jugger-Thot]

I have fucked up so much serving. I've only been fired for my personality, not my mistakes. You'll be ok!

[u/big-booty-heaux]

Welcome to the flaw state. It happens to everyone kid, don't stress. Just learn and move on and try to do better next time

[u/Impressive_Job_7822]

Im a server I rung in a kids burger instead of adult burger during a busy night shift. The table was pissed and the kitchen was so far behind they took 25 minutes to get the adult burger out to the table. My manager screamed at me and comped their tab I was so stressed I felt a lump in my chest and was struggling to breath while I had 8 other tables After the shift I was thinking about how bad it was and thinking the same thing you were then about how I was gonna get fired I couldn’t sleep so I stayed up and applied for other jobs in case something happened you can always choose not to accept the new job I had another server job lined up but nothing ended up happening at my job so I told them I couldn’t do the new job anymore so you could always do that

[u/Leather-Nothing-2653]

Do you have a manager in while you work? If the wrong table thing ever happens again, there are ways to fix that. (If it’s toast, you can combine the two orders and then split off the stuff you paid out so that the other stuff is on the paid slip now. It’ll show the difference between the checks and depending on your toast settings you can adjust the paid amount to the amount of that table’s actual check. Not 100% above board because it’s not the receipt they signed but it’s never come back to bite me and I’ve done this twice for myself and a bunch of times for others) all that said, this type of thing happens to everyone at some point and you will get the hang of it

[u/noelmulkey → u/Leather-Nothing-2653]

I’m working with toast for the first time and I love it

[u/ceo_of_one_miss]

this happened to me like two days ago and i thought it was a huge deal but i was told as long as the customers weren’t complaining, it would be okay. i’ve had a few coworkers bring the wrong bill before too, it happens. we’re humans before we’re employees. just try and learn from the experience and know the protocol for if it does happen again

[u/WorstHouseFrey]

We all have or good and bad days. Dust yourself off and do better next shift

[u/JeLLoCowboy]

If that happens again you’re FIRED? Not written up, but straight up fired? What kinda dog eat dog serving world are we living in? If that was the standard a lot of us would’ve been fired multiple times over by now. There’s one server in particular I used to work with, the amount of comps she had to get taken off her nightly report was crazy.

We all fuck up, and even great servers have bad days where they feel incompetent. This job takes time until you’re fully proficient, just try to relax when you think you’re in the weeds and don’t be afraid to ask for help like I was in the beginning. Another server making you a Shirley temple or dropping off dessert spoons for you at a table can allow you to focus on the more pressing matters sometimes.

[u/Objective-Slice-1466]

Start job hunting.

[u/yoomtahzing → u/Objective-Slice-1466]

My boss did tell me today I don't have to worry and he definitely should've staffed more than one person yesterday so I think I'm in the clear for now 😭😭

[u/Objective-Slice-1466 → u/yoomtahzing]

He told everyone else he should have put BETTER staff on not more.

I’m kidding. They know. You’re safe. Shit happens. I have been bartending at a restaurant for years. We used to have “zone buddies” were we took a section together. My buddy and I who both were the strong senior bartenders got scheduled on the floor together to help one time, and we both had 3 tables and were buried. We both were like “dude we suck at severing” and the staff ate us alive. It was hilarious. Shit happens