| 8/23/2007 |
EAT IT. JUST EAT IT.
|
I meant to blog this a while ago, but I was just thinning about it again.
Mark & I had a bad string of luck when it comes to restaurants. It just wasn't our week.
We started out at Red Robin one night. It was late dinner hour so the rush was fading. We were seated promptly and had drinks decently quick. After that.. it was like no man's land for our server. In the 10-15 minutes that we waited for him to come around again we'd already decided on an appetizer and our meal. Now this is a big deal. By his own admission Mark is not a quick decider. So for us to already know what we want... Quick! Get the server here before we change our minds!
In the meantime our server was flirting/clearing up a table of 15 college-aged girls. Finally he came by and took our order. A runner brought out our appetizer. Another runner brought out our food (almost too soon). Our server did a 'drive-by' and mumbled something about refills. But that never happened. He's getting shots for half the table of Debbie's.
When the check arrived, finally... I paid him promptly rather than wait even more for him to come back for it. He was tipped 'appropriately' as well as a comment card filled out on his behalf.
It's unfortunate because even tho we've had good (if not somewhat smothering) service in the past. It's typically the most recent visit you remember first.
The luck continued when we ended up at Old Chicago later in the weekend. After a couple of other dining options were shot down (not open yet, not in the mood, etc.) we showed up at OC about 10 minutes after they opened. We were one of three tables. Our waitress was very prompt about drinks and taking our order. It was there after that she got a large table and we never saw her again. We had to ask the hostess for our check. Again... she was tipped appropriately. This server was at least apologetic about her neglect, but it was really more like an excuse... "I had a big table." You also had two people helping you with that table. And we were your only other table...
I get that being a server is rough at time. I couldn't do it, because I'd end up telling someone off. So I appreciate when a server does a good job. Hell, I appreciate when a server does a mediocre job. What I don't get is why it takes 5 people to take care of a table and the service can still be lousy.
I can see the 'logic' of having someone runs the food out to you, thus freeing up the server to handle other tables. I can understand someone coming around and filling drinks. Most restaurants seem to do this. But when you've got multiple people, wouldn't the server technically be 'in charge' of the table. If he or she notes you need refills... send the refill person around. Come by and check to see how the food is or if we need something. I'd rather be smothered by our server than ignored or forgotten about.
So in the end, when the check arrives, who are you tipping? Say Refill Guy was attentive, but the server was incompetent. Someone else brought out your food and got you ranch on the side, but the server barely acknowledged you. It seems unfair that the server would end up getting a tip for something that basically amounts to taking your order and bringing the check.
If you're going to have that many people waiting on one table... wouldn't it be just as viable of an option to have those runners and refillers trained as servers who do more per table, but then are earning their tip more as well?Labels: food, rant |
|
I posted this @ 8/23/2007 09:28:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
|
|
