Something I've tried to be conscious of when coming up with things to talk about during my tenure here at Random Enlightenment is writing about topics that Mark might discuss. Each post I've done I've been able to "Tag" without adding any categories that Mark hadn't (with the exception of the "Guest Blogger" tag, that was me), and today will prove no different.
While it's been a couple of years since I was a server in a restaurant, I have spent most of my working life in the hospitality industry. In fact, it was yours truly who got Mark hired on at the Olive Garden (I hope I don't need to apologize for that Mark!). To be honest, I've never left a job where I didn't get someone else hired on there before I left. If my employers knew of this trend they might never let me recommend anyone...
Anyway, using my experience as a server, I'm going to give you a few tips to help you get better service while you're out at a restaurant. Keep in mind these won't always work because quite frankly you might have a bad server.
1. Acknowledge your server.
If you're in the middle of a conversation when your server approaches the table, put it on hold for a moment and talk to your server. You can always pick up where you left off. As a server, standing there while your guests chatter away when you have other tables that need you as well is a huge frustration.
2. Listen to the person taking your order.
One of my biggest pet peeves working at the Olive Garden was the following conversation:
Jay: Can I get you something to drink while you look at the menu?
Guest: No, I'll just have a water.
You have no idea how much the smart alec that lurks within me wanted to bring out a glass full of ice.
3. Don't up and change tables without asking.
"Oh, that booth in the corner opened up, we should grab it!" If you want to be hated, please, change tables without asking. Actually, let me clarify; during the afternoon when the place is empty, not a big deal. Change tables unannounced when the place is packed? Hatred.
There is a reason for the hatred. When a restaurant is busy, there is a system to how people get seated. It's a combination of the following factors:
- Spreading tables out so the server doesn't have to start serving multiple tables simultaneously
- Ensuring that all servers get a table before starting the rotation over
- To ensure there is a server still working in that section (as business winds down staff start going home)
-To ensure you get seated as soon as possible
The Olive Garden has a sheet they use to help time how long you will have to wait for a table, and usually you get seated at the quoted time or sooner. People arbitrarily moving throws that all off. As well, the server that started serving you is now taking a table away from another server, or they'll have to trade, and either way it's a headache.
Just ask first. They won't say no. But they won't hate you either.
4. Put your cell phone away until you've ordered.
If you get seated and are talking on your cellphone, often your server won't approach your table until you're done; they don't want to interrupt your conversation. If your phone goes off, give them a call back once you've ordered. You'll get faster service that way.
5. Be cheerful, or at the least polite
If you treat your server nicely, they will do things for you. I know if I personally had a very pleasant person(s) I would do little things for them like bring them extra after-dinner mints, maybe give them their coffee for free, things like that. Now, it's not your job to make the server happy, you are there to receive a service, but if you're polite then there's no reason for the server to not provide you with great service.
Really, you can boil all of these down to "be polite", now that I think about it. If we all treated each other the way we'd like to be treated, the world would be a better place.
With great power comes great responsibility!
--JBo
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