Almost all servers have said at one point or another that everyone in this world should serve once in their life. I'm not talking like "let me bus your table for an hour" serving, but an actual serve shift... or week. Where you have to greet a numerous amount of tables, pre-bus, deliver drinks/food/crayons/etc, check back in, grab refills, offer dessert, and get them out when the customer feels ready. Oh yah, and with an over exaggerated personality because apparently your normal personality isn't vivacious enough for the guests.
Most of us will say everyone should serve so people understand the power of the tip. Which I would agree on. While 20% is NICE, it is not mandatory or necessary. But if we are doing above and beyond for you, give you freebies, or treat your children like the little "god/goddeses" we KNOW they are, then we should deserve something in return. That hourly wage does not pay the bills. Not by a long shot. And speaking as a server who doesn't blow their money on booze later that night, I still say it doesn't pay the bills. Tell me to get another job? 1) I have one and 2) if I had another job, you wouldn't be able to eat now would you?
The other reason we servers make this statement is because then people would understand the flack we get in our day. I used to work at a bank, where I dealt with people's money, and people are more rude about their food. As if I'm purposely wasting their precious time because I can't say hi to them and grab them drinks within two minutes. It's not easy when six tables come in at once. It's not that we are understaffed or the greeter is doing a terrible job, but think about what can happen in a moment. Let's say a table comes in. Sits down in Server 1's section, and while that was happening two people walked in and sat themselves (because again, that lady standing at the front door means nothing) and then sits in Server 1's section again. While all this is going on, that greeter we forgot about at the front door? Well she's one of two greeters and she seats you a party of 12 because she didn't realize what just happened. See how fast it can get messy?
That was my night last night. While two tables were trying to check out, I had a party of nine, and four booths sat before I even had a chance to blink. I've served for quite some time, but it "ruffled my feathers" but I knew I what I could do with it. Then. Shit hit the fan. One wrong receipt paired with a credit card, and it destroyed everything. I was running around, exploding on my fellow servers, and trying to not look like i was a sweaty pig as I taped on a smile and hurriedly, but not too quickly, went to every table to get their order.
Bad performance on my part, leading to bad tip on their part. Unfortunate, yes. Did I move on from it? Of course. The beauty of serving is that even if you've had a bad "round" of tables... there will always be more. And those "more" have no idea that you did a terrible job a mere 10 minutes ago. The trick is not to have the tell-tale signs of defeat on your face. That all-knowing scowl, or the smeared makeup from tears. For my sake, none of those things occurred so I was able to move on.
Unfortunately my last table of the night spent $56.78 and left a crumpled up $1 bill. Good grief. It's an insult at that point. Of course I took it, but it was after I showed everyone and fumed for a while. This table was not affected by Hurricane ServerV nor did their order get mixed up. They were served with perfection, attention, and grace. Yet they were younger and full of attitude. And all servers know that that will never end well. Ever.
And that was that. So much for Mondays, (I knew I wouldn't do well on a Monday) it's too early in the week to have your soul destroyed.
Thanks for stopping by!
Always, your server
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