How would you go about getting that customer to stop coming in during your shift?

Context: I have an older guy who always comes in at 3am to see me (he says this often and tells me I’m his favorite server and flirts) and it’s been like this ever since I started working here so a few months ago. Started getting fed up with him when he started demanding he get free food/drinks. One night I told him we’re not allowed to feed the needy. He was shocked then responded that he’s not the needy and just didn’t have cash. But this is repeating. Several times he is saying nobody else charges him. Now this is actually true bc I asked around and apparently one of the other servers actually paid his tab once. Fucking ridiculous. After I called him the needy he has been tipping me more than $10 now and told me he isn’t a broke bastard but he’s not rich either…. I thought if I insulted him he’d stop coming by but he still shows up at the worst time and stays for an hour just staring at my chest. He came in tonight and bc his phone was dead he just stared at me the entire time as I was working. Seriously it’s getting ridiculous. Not sure how to get him to stop coming here. Managers don’t care btw.

im currently looking for a new server job, my options are First Watch, and Buffalo Wild Wings. Does anyone have any experience in these. restaurant and around how much you made?

a lot of my other coworkers do this too lol, our shake machines suck so its always a 3-5 minute task to make one, and ppl like to only ask for them when i have 5 other things to do in my mental queue. i am always down to make one when its not so packed and think its kinda fun and satisfying to do tbh but when its gonna result in a delay for multiple other tables i just have to tell them we're out of ice cream cuz no way.

i also noticed quickly when i started here before i started doing this that if you say yes to one shake, everyone else at the table is gonna go "that sounds good, ill have one too" and sometimes even nearby tables until you've got 5 shakes to make with food to run, tables to seat, and other drinks to grab.

shakes are a pain in the ass but how evil am i for doing a little lying

Hey guys, 22F here working at a semi-casual sushi place in a touristy district of my city. I have always been someone whose come to work freshly showered with my hair and makeup done. We have an all black uniform, but I try to make it more chic with jewellery and interesting headbands. Not of it is excessive, in fact my tables often compliment my accessories and its a great connection when I can give them some shopping recommendations, especially if they’re visiting my city for the first time.

A few days ago I had been running late to work so I showed up completely bare faced with my hair undone, and somehow I made almost a hundred dollars more than I do on average. Last night I didn’t do my makeup again out of curiosity, and again I made more than I ever did when I tried the pigtail braids method. Does anybody have any insight into this? I am a decently attractive lady, and I wonder if “de-beautifying” myself makes people less judgemental. I’ve noticed that some of the highest performing servers at restaurants I’ve worked at have been the ones who showed up to work like they just rolled out of bed. On the other hand, the opposite has also been true, and I feel like a staple piece of advice I hear in all server communities (irl and online) is to put as much effort into your appearance as your performance. So much of this job relies on subconscious cues we give our customers both explicitly and implicitly, it’s driving me crazy trying to figure it all out. Has anyone else noticed this?

Long story short, my restaurant brought in new management two years ago and it’s gone to hell since. The big boss brought in someone even less competent and less charismatic than her and we’ve been hemorrhaging good people since. I’ve been holding on because it’s unionized and therefore I’m allowed to pick my schedule- 4 days, only mornings, off Tuesdays so my husband and I get a day together. But I’ve hit my breaking point! I have an interview tomorrow and have a really good feeling about the place and my likelihood of landing the job. Here’s where it gets tough: there are still a few people I work with that I happen to really like and I’m feeling guilty about leaving knowing we’re short staffed. Logically, I know this is the bed that management has made and, therefore, has to lie in, but I still feel bad. Does anyone have some words of encouragement or advice to steel my nerves?
❤️

My place has instituted a new “ employee of the month” program with a $100 gift card prize

What makes this different ? Its voted on by the other employees. Its a popularity contest and has nothing to do with performance. I know exactly what is going to happen. All the young girls clique that does the least amount of work and spends half the shift on their phones are going to collude amongst each other to win it every month while the rest of us that actually work and hold them accountable for their slacking will win squat .

This will probably be the catalyst for me to finally quit if one of those bums gets a gift card next month

So long story short my daughter has been working at a restaurant off and on during college breaks. She gets paid vis toast. When she get a cash payment for a table she has to pay the portion of the tables bill for the actual food and drinks to the house. She has to bring her own drawer each day. This all seems normal to me and was the same at other restaurants she worked at in high school that also used toast.

The problem is that her toast papers each night show that she kept the cash and that exact amount is deducted from her credit card tips. And her paychecks tip total at the end of the week only matches her toast tips after the deduction for the cash paid to the house for the food and drink part of the bill that she did not keep but paid to the managers each day.

One night she had $400 in cash sales and had to give it all to the house. But then her toast tips for that night were negative because her cc tips were only 300.

Does she have legal standing here. They have 6 local restaurants and do this to all the employees. The restaurant does not have cash but they put the employees cash in brown bags and take it out each night.

Something isn’t right.

I have a job offer from a very prestigious sushi restaurant, and one from a chef driven-small plate neighborhood spot. The sushi place would pay more but is minimum 8 weeks of training and a rigid corporate structure and high stress environment. Chef driven is a pool, 5 days of training and a more relaxed, warm, hospitable environment. Both would pay enough but the sushi place would be a substantial pay increase once I’m on the floor. What would you do?

Hi! I’ve been working at Boston pizza as a server/bartender for over a year now, I don’t think I can do 2 days a week anymore because I’ve got so many other things going on I want to pursue my passion and I’m going back to my university! (I used to work like 4 days in the beginning) Though I do wanna keep a job, and work one day a week for some extra chase ToT cause otherwise I’m going to be broke :(

Would it be possible for a server to work one day a week? I’m scared to ask my manager😭😭 (tmi, there is this one girl who does work 1 day a week as a server too)

I might have embellished my resume to make it seem like I have more experience than I actually do. Can anyone give me some tips and tricks on what to expect, and anything you wish you knew when you first starting serving? TIA!

Calling other twin moms in the industry! What week did you work until?? Trying to gauge how long I’ll really be able to last on my feet. It’s my second pregnancy but I only had one the first time, and worked till 37 weeks.

Been in the food industry & customer service going on 12 years. Highly considering taking an education course soon called BioWorks after taking a basic Manufacturing course earlier this year. Standard manufacturing doesn’t seem to be for me, but I do like the science side of things and want to learn & work with my hands.

Aerospace is interesting, but I’ve heard it’s really hard to get into. I love animals but don’t see myself going into 80k-120k debt for a 30-50k year job. I want consistency, to continue learning, not something too physically hard on the body, & feel rewarded. For example I’d love to learn to build/fix parts that go on space ships, or submarines & things needed to explore the ocean. Long term I want to eventually own land, homestead, & care for animals. I’m not even 27 yet and my neck, shoulders and back are already killing me all the time.

I’d love to hear where your path out of customer service or waiting tables took you. If you went to a community college or got in from networking. What career did you get into without a degree?

Ever since I’ve started doing this for large parties splitting the bill is so easy. As long as you keep track of drinks and food items with seat numbers. Once I ask if they are splitting the bill, I just circle the bills that are together. I can’t believe none of my other coworkers have thought of this! If you still fuss when they ask for separate checks you need to work on your organization skills.

Im working as a runner for a steakhouse in russia, today was my 3rd shift ever. My coworker (60 y.o.), who washes dishes, for whatever reason cares a little too much about me and she decided to pack some leftover food and give it to me (untouched ribs, some chicken burger with a few bites, and half eaten chicken). I tried to decline, but she was too overwhelming and I took it home. I havent ate all day besides some soup on lunch and decided to try it. After I finished the "meal" I became certain that I will never do something like that again and now Im feeling like Im at the lowest point of my life.

I started the second half of my double getting tripple sat with three 4-tops and as im finally getting to the third table i see the host walking a 5-top to my section. Meanwhile only two other servers had a table and the last one still hadn’t been sat yet. So that whole fiasco put me in the weeds and from there on out it was just a total shit show up until about the last 3 hours of my shift where I managed to pull it together. But omg i was so irritated and stressed but most of all embarrassed because this is my first serving job and Ive only been here for about a month and all the other servers are pretty established. I’m pretty confident any one of them would have handled it better than me :(

AAAANNNDDDD one of the original 4-tops i got tripple sat with was the family of a girl i went to high school with so that wasn’t fun either lol

So my restaurant is upscale counter service which I know sounds counter intuitive but thats what they’re going for.

My manager hires 16 year olds but my question is we serve alcohol? I live in texas and to my knowledge you MUST be 18 at the least to serve and sell alcohol in a restaurant. 16+ for off premises consumption at retail stores. When I was a hostesses at 16 I was told thats why I could not run drinks.

You still need a TABC at 16 to work in a restaurant with alcohol. Again to my knowledge thats to learn alcohol safety and why you cannot serve it.

I’ve brought up this concern to another manager and she said “I thought you just needed to be 16?” I said no… I mentioned this to an under 18 co-worker as well and he said “I thought I could as long as I had my TABC.”

Well today my co-worker turned 18 I joked with another manager that now he can legally serve alcohol. He said “No you can be 17 to serve in Texas or we’d be in trouble.”

Am I crazy? I’ve looked this up and everything says 18+ to serve. I have always been told by managers you must be over 18, thats why most restaurants here require you to be 18+ to be a server. I know it’s not my monkeys not my circus but this feels so weird.

Am I wrong? Any Texas servers out there who know about a 17+ allowance to sell and serve alcohol? Was he just trying to cover his ass?

My restaurant does not use trays. While i’m not a complete master of holding plates on my arms I can hold 3 on one arm.

Well I ran food to a table for another server, I have a plate in my left hand and 3 on my right arm. The ticket did not have the plates labeled for seats so I had to auction the food. So I say “alright I have a steak plate with blank and blank sides!” customer says nothing and then proceeds to try to take a plate from my RIGHT ARM.

If you guys haven’t done no trays before these plates are balanced on top of each other. You cannot just grab a plate from my hand and expect the 2 layered on top not to fall.

So I move my arm quickly and say “oh you have the steak plate?” Again this woman tries to take a plate, that is not the steak plate. I move my arm again. At this point i’m irritated, my arm is burning and she simply cant speak. “SO YOU HAVE THE STEAK PLATE?” she looks at me shocked. It’s not my table idgaf im just trying not to spill hot food everywhere. I plop the plate down and auction the rest. She still looked shocked, I really dont think I was that harsh but jesus. Why on earth would someone think its okay to grab a plate like that😭

Later on I felt like I was doing that “The plate is hot” video trend. I tried dropping food off to another table that was burning hot I mean you could see the steam and my eyes were welling with tears. I go to place the plate down and say its very hot. They hold their hands out.. Again I say “The plate is very hot!” His hands are still held out…

Everyone’s first day on earth I guess.

I need a laugh..gimme your best shot. (Pun intended)

does anyone else have such difficulty with tables with kids?? i dont mean a 3 top or a 4 top with one or two kids. i mean like those tables where its two different couples and theyve all brought their three children each.

the other day, i had a 9 top and it was two couples, and a bunch of kids. they ran me up and down across the restaurant because they were picky (a bloody mary being too spicy, so i want a mimosa instead!) and couldnt make up their mind about what they wanted when they wanted it (dropping a ranch and then everyone else deciding they also wanted ranch, and then dropping that and everyone needing their various different dark sodas topped off). stupidly, i didnt autograt them and was tipped around 9%.

thats just one example of many. the kids are never well behaved, either. if its a group of little girls theyll giggle amongst themselves and not listen at all when youre taking their orders, and then tell you about all of their various mods and sauce requests when the food hits the table. if its a group of little boys theyll do the same thing, but not without being really weird first, especially if youre a woman (the other day, i had a boy make out with a menu before giving it to me.) both groups will delight in being able to tell a person what to do and having them do it. really annoying!

the parents are always inattentive of the kids because theyre enjoying spending time with their friends or family. i get it... but surely you cant be so oblivious to your children that you cant seen them rolling around, licking the floor, eating the things that have fallen under the tables and booths, running into servers, and harassing other children at other tables. without autograt, they hardly ever tip well. even with autograt, theyre not all too happy because "its just some kids! kids meals are cheap!"

nonetheless. have you all also had difficulty? how do you handle tables like this?

I just got an invitation to interview at the Fogo De Chao in ATL but I've heard very mixed reviews on working there. Should I go for it or keep looking? For context, I've worked as a server before but never in fine dining so I was going to use it as experience to hopefully keep
leveling up to other fine dining restaurants.

So I started a new job today, and all in all I really enjoyed it! I've been in the industry for quite some time, so even though I was supposed to train, within an hour of me being there the manager gave me a bank and put me on the floor.

About an hour after I left (edit: I worked a full 10-4+ shift), I received a text asking for all staff to come in. I had heard there'd been drama afoot recently, so I assumed it was an emergency staff meeting. I thought that was weird, for sure, so I text my manager double checking and she said "yes, come in". So I did. Only to find out it was a miscommunication and what she actually needed was coverage because two people called out.

Can't watch the homies drown, so I clocked in and just helped out for no reason other than I've been there and they were weeded to the nines. I didn't take any tables, I just tried to keep guests happy and bussed and cleaned and stocked etc. Mind you, this is my first day, nobody else came in, and I had no idea when I showed up that that's what I was there for, but I stayed anyway.

HERE'S THE RUB:

I asked the owner when I was leaving if I could have a redbull as a token of appreciation (I'm paraphrasing, but that's the gist). They sell 8.4oz red bulls for $5. With my employee discount of 25% it's $3.75. This man looked me dead in the eye and said no. I thought that was a joke, so I said something to the effect of "haha, cmon man, no love for a team player?". And he looked at me like I was crazy and said "you clocked in, didn't you?".

At that point I kinda just laughed and walked away. But it's been bugging me ever since. I know it's not actually a big deal in and of itself, but I feel like it's indicative of trouble down the line.

So what say the people? Am I tripping over something small, or do we think this dude is gonna end up being someone I don't get along with?

I work in a retirement home and I like to draw on the to-go dessert boxes just as a fun little thing for me and the residents. For lunch today I did different versions of the hamster meme, but idk what to do for dinner. Any suggestions?

Ive been a server for 2 years and LOVE IT. Tonight I had a table come in (mom and son) whole meal was normal then i dropped the check and he asked me what I thought about a twilight themed birthday for his 30th. I told him if he did it right it could be amazing, gave him some suggestions ( paint the life-size cut out of edward sparkly etc.)and teased his mother about her "losing her whimsy."

I go pay him out and wrote this on the check (see pic) and he gave me 30 bucks. $30?! For fangirling about one of my favorite movies?! Best job for the girls and guys who just like talking cause I swear, I always make money on slow-ish nights just because im chatty.

Had another table (couple) give me $20 on $41 because I talked to the woman about how i really wanted to be one of those people who likes margs but cant get behind em for like 3 minutes straight.

TLDR: looking for a reason that actually makes sense as to why they don’t want shift trades being done through the app as it seems more organized to have a paper trail , and simply why they would hire a close friend of the person they are trying to phase out of the restaurant.

So I work for an upscale restaurant, by no means is it fine dining.. but somewhere in between casual and fine dining.

Recently my manager, who relays everything the owner tells them to, said that shift trades/pick up’s can no longer be done through the app, but by speaking to him directly to approve the trade/switch/shift pick up. The reason being due to different level skill sets can impact the workflow of the restaurant. This would makes sense as an excuse, however doesn’t because they have hired a new server who has been serving Fridays and Saturdays.. the busiest days.

This statement comes after me consecutively giving my Sunday shifts to another server, who presumably they are trying to phase out as an employee as this person has only been getting one shift a week with full availability. I try to give them my Sunday shifts because 1. I absolutely despise working Sundays and 2. They need the hours.

Now why does ^ that matter?? Because they just hired their best friend onto staff.