August 25, 2010

This takes the cake! Party of five come in and have a nice dinner. Afterwards, they tell me they have a birthday cake in the back for one of them. I go back to get the cake, open the box, and see an 8 inch cake in there with at least fifty candles on it! The entire top had candles on it. Now, I guess in their minds, I was supposed to light all of these candles. The cake would have caught on fire as well as my hand! So I decided to light one candle in the middle and take the cake to him. People, come on! Busy restaurant, busy server. We don't have time to light fifty candles! They then decided to try and light them. Didn't get too far. They did, however, offer me a piece of cake.

August 19, 2010

So, it's your birthday or someone in your party's birthday. You bring your own cake and have the server keep it "in the back" for you until you are ready for it. That's fine. When all of your dishes are cleared and everyone is ready for dessert, you ask for your cake to be brought out. Just keep in mind that your server is also waiting on other tables, and not just yours. They now have to go back, put candles on the cake, get plates, forks and a knife, and get the cake to your table without the candles going out. That's fine. After "Happy Birthday" is or isn't sung at the table, the cake now needs to be cut and served. Sometimes the birthday person does this, and sometimes it is the server. Once the cake has been cut, and the leftover cake needs to be boxed back up, the server must take it "in the back" and box it. Now, you would think with all that extra work and time spent at your table away from the server's other tables, that you would tip more than the usual amount you normally tip your server? You would think, but "no". Most people don't! It is an extra service you are being provided with. Please tip your server extra and it would be nice to offer them a piece of cake!!!

Another thing, when you redeem a coupon at a restaurant for a free appetizer, dessert, or whatever, the correct thing to do is tip on what the bill would have been before the aforesaid item is deducted from your bill. Most servers have to tip out for bussers, bartenders, hostesses, etc. a percentage of their sales. That item of food that I mentioned earlier is not deducted from the server's total sales. They are included in the gross amount of sales they have for the night. Sometime a server loses money on a table! Hard to believe, but it happens!

So the reason for bringing up tipping, is if you want to eat out but can't afford a proper tip, go to a place like McDonalds or stay home and cook!

August 18, 2010

It never ceases to amaze me what people do at restaurants. Tonight, a table brought in their own dessert! Now mind you, this wasn't a birthday cake, which is o.k. to do since the restaurant doesn't sell birthday cakes. This was a store bought package of pecan tarts! Just when you think you have seen everything!!! How do people have the nerve? That is so tacky! Why not just go home and eat your dessert if you are not buying it at the restaurant? And then to ask for plates and forks! Hello!!!!

Also, when you have a coupon for a free appetizer or dessert, you should still tip the server on it even though it was taken off your bill. We still have to tip out on the total amount of our sales even though there was a coupon.

My last table of the evening sat long after they paid their bill. Really? We close at 10:30 and you are still sitting there? Go home!!!! You are not eating, drinking, or doing anything else. Go to the bar and sit. That's why they have stools there. Or are they afraid they might have to order a drink?

Just another night at the restaurant!

August 17, 2010

I have been on vacation for two weeks, so I haven't been posting. Tonight was my first night back. Not much went on this evening except for a table asking for "a couple loaves of bread to go"! It never ceases to amaze me. I just charge them for it now!

One last thing, when you order salmon, please pronounce it correctly. The "l" is silent!

August 3, 2010

Back to work tonight after having a few nights off. I can honestly say nothing eventful happened tonight. It was so slow. It was not worth ironing my apron to go in. Such a waste of precious time!

Why is it when someone has a birthday at your table, somebody makes a point to let you know it? What do they think you will do? Give them all free meals? Come out and do a dog and pony show? Why does the server care if it's your birthday? I guess maybe it's so they are sure to get a free sundae with a candle in it. That's all I can figure.