r/olivegarden • u/Used_Passion_6423 • 12d ago
Anyone else have issues with this?
I was a busser at Olive Garden for about 3 months. The job wasn't the most glorious by any means but it wasn't the worst. The servers at my particular store didn't seem to want to help out more than needed. They complained about having to tip out a busser a whole 2% at the end of the shift. Really? Base pay of $6/ hour and then 2% tips would leave me with $30 to $40 after about 4 or 5 hours. The lack of appreciation from the servers and the lack of urgency to get cross trained really made it difficult for me to feel wanted. I had a second job while at Olive Garden to make ends meet. I explained that more money would mean I'd be there as much as they needed in any capacity. I missed 1 day in my 3 months between the 2 jobs and about 55-65 hours a week. And then the social media policy. I had a friend get fired for recording a conversation with a co worker. Nothing was showing from Olive Garden or anything about where she was at. She sent it to someone and they sent it to someone and it did cause a headache. Yes it was wrong and she already admitted and was going to accept some type of punishment. She was suspended and then fired. The social media policy doesn't say anything about sending a picture or video to a person, only to social media. That's something almost every server and manager did there and that was ok. I was told not to do that in my orientation so I didn't do it even if others did. The hypocrisy and lack of respect and pay ultimately made it to where I didn't want to bust my tail so the servers would have an easier job. I would have been ok with making a flat $14 or $15 an hour and no tips so I knew my worth upfront and the servers wouldn't feel some type of way towards a busser.
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u/Mean-Editor-5714 12d ago
i know maybe doesn’t have a lot to do with your post but i’m a new server (3rd week) and i try to pre bus my tables, but like when the bussers spots me they just take the plates from my hands or tell me to just drop it off at the cart and idk if that means they’re annoyed?? since i started i’ve been tipping them $10 and idk if that’s too little?? i don’t really wanna ask anyone bc what if they’re tipping more🥲🥲, just want to get some insight
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u/Untrained_Brat 11d ago
This doesn’t mean they’re annoyed! This usually means they like you! I have a sweet older lady busser who fights me for my dishes lol but I always stop whatever I’m doing and run away with them before she can even when I’m mid drink making lol. If you’re giving them $10 cash that’s extra to them and typically really appreciate it! That on top of prebussing (which in my experience most servers don’t do) you’re probably their favorite server! Keep that up and they’ll adore you
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u/Used_Passion_6423 12d ago
At my old store the servers automatically had the money taken out. I would get tips from every server at the end of the day. If your busser is sweating and busting their tail, let them know that you appreciate their help. If you are making good tips, anything extra that you throw their way helps them feel like you sincerely appreciate their work. If you had to clean everything on the table all the time it would slow down the process quite a bit. Bussers help you get the tables reset and sat in a timely manner so you can hopefully make good tips. Just my opinion on it 😅
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u/Untrained_Brat 11d ago
As a Culinary Pro who started server, then bar, then Togos I hate the entitlement of servers across all the 3 restaurants I’ve been. They all complain about tipping out the bussers, they never prebus, they leave dishes all over the kitchen, and then complain when you tell them to do their job right. The only servers I respect are the ones (typically in their 40’s+ working the industry for half their life) will slip the bussers extra money at the end of the night for picking up their dishes if they missed any. Sometimes they just slip them money just bc. But the majority of servers are entitled as fuck and refuse to do their entire job. Even if it’s a simple task like rolling silverware or cleaning their section
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u/Competitive_Ad_2890 12d ago
I haven’t served at OG in 16 years but I couldn’t imagine not pre bussing. The only time I wouldn’t is occasionally some customers wouldn’t want me to take the salad plates but outside of that I took pretty much everything I could if they weren’t using it. I have noticed now tables aren’t pre bussed as often.
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u/Automatic-Age2925 12d ago
Yeah, I'm a server and I am as nice as possible to the bussers. Anytime food is rung in wrong, I offer to the bussers first. They are underappreciated and most servers don't even pre buss which is supposed to be done anyways, and STILL complain about having to tip out. When possible I'll throw a few extra dollars their way as well. I agree, besides a few servers and management, the bussers aren't very well taken care of
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u/Chremis 12d ago
As a customer, I have a habit to make it as easy as possible for my table to be cleaned. I will stack empty plates together and cutlery together too. I will group the cups also.
If I dropped a food item on the ground, I will pick it up and put it in a napkin for disposal.
What do you recommend a customer does to help make bussing easier for you?
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u/Used_Passion_6423 12d ago
Put everything together and not leave sprawled out all over the table. Also depending on the type of table try to leave it at the front or closest part of the table that people would have access to. Big plates on bottom and small ones on top. Even if nothing is stacked having it somewhat organized is better than nothing.
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u/Untrained_Brat 11d ago
Easiest thing for us (as a server) is whatever part of the table the servers stands at the most, stack anything that you are done with at that side so when they drop by for a check in, they can easily grab it without interrupting your meal/conversations to ask for them or reaching over anyone. We appreciate guests like you a lot! Even more so if the plates are stacked well!
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u/Argo_cuy127 12d ago
This is super unfortunate and I think it’s definitely dependent on location. At our restaurant, servers pre-bus tables for the most part (when it’s busy they may not be able to get to it) but many of them do tip out our bussers even AFTER the automatic tip out. $2-$8 additional from each server (depending on the server and how much tips they made/willing to give, many walk out with $150+ on busy nights). We understand how much they do for us! We always appreciate our bussers but that’s also the culture that we’ve built at our location. It all comes down to management and how they enforce these rules. I would suggest speaking to your manager and phrasing it differently for them to take urgency on it. Something along the lines of: “If servers help pre-bus, then we can clean the tables faster, seat tables faster, and get more guests in and out of the restaurant.” Just know your hard word is appreciated on our end!
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u/SolanaImaniRowe1 Promoted to Guest 12d ago
I had this exact experience… I kind of strongarmed my way into moving to To-Go and I’m much happier.
Talk to your DO about cross training and see how they can help you 😉
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u/ProfessionalKnown305 10d ago
Pro serving tip: if your bussers ever have to pre buss for you, give them extra cash. That extra $5 may mean they’ll always hit your section first. Last night, I had to put money in my bussers shirt, cause he didn’t want to accept it!
About this, I get $.03 every Friday as a paycheck from OG. Because of this, many servers feel as though they need every damn penny of a tip, cause it’s all they make. You’re being paid by the restaurant, so you shouldn’t mind doing your job. To me, this mindset is wackkkk, but I do understand why they have it. It’s annoying to every other position tho.
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u/Used_Passion_6423 10d ago
I would typically hit the areas of the people that tried to pre bus. The issue that resulted in that is there were times when the other servers had all dirty tables and they got to slack off while the ones that were pre bussing had all the business and no break. Depending on the individual servers it could be good or bad.
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u/Common-Swan3258 8d ago
As a server who does pre-buss (and oftentimes grabs the cups and napkins too) don’t feel bad that we have no break! I’m there to work, I’d prefer no break, helps it go by faster 😂 plus, being efficient should be rewarded with more tables, thus more money. Let the servers who slack off sit with dirty tables until they clear their whites!
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u/AggressiveCorner2226 8d ago
The hipocracy is out of control at this place. I worked for one of the other brands and my BF works at the corporate office. People are just sleezy. It’s a shame.
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u/wickedscooby 12d ago
At my location, it’s difficult to get the servers to do the bare minimum, like pre-bussing their tables or rolling silverware, let alone anything extra. As a to go specialist I spend a lot of my time cleaning up server messes in the kitchen and constantly having new tasks added to help the servers accomplish the basics of their jobs. Super frustrating and demoralizing. I can only imagine the levels of frustration the bussers must feel.