Do you have any idea what we go through??????

Question

Body: If you have ever worked in a restaurant this is for you. If you haven't...well read it anyways so you understand where they're coming from.

I THINK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE ARE TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RESTAURANT RECCOMENDATIONS

1. Don't ask me for your check, then wait till I run to a computer, and then all the way back to your table just to throw your credit card at me without looking it over. Why didn't you give it to me in the first place, if you weren't even going to LOOK at the bill?

2. Don't snap your fingers at me. Don't wave at me like I am blind. I see you, I'm busy.

3. Don't argue with me about the menu. We don't have whatever wild creation you are craving. I know the menu, and after all, I work here, remember? "Last time I was here they made it for me this way." Good for you, now go to Burger King and have it your way, then.

4. No, I don't want to split your check six different ways so you can all pay in cash. DO SOME MATH!

5. WHY do you steal my pens? Do I come to your office and steal your keyboard? It's something I need to WORK with... take my pen again and see if your wallet is still in your pocket when you get home.

6. What ever happened to please and thank you? It's bad enough only one person in your party speaks English, and I'll be lucky if you leave me 10%.... but the "Give me a Sprite" crap is just plain rude.

7. Does it REALLY matter if you sit at a table, rather than a booth? Do you not notice the hostess CRINGE when you ask for a booth after she already walks SLOWLY to the table so you can keep up? Do you sit at a booth at home? Nope. What's even better is when you don't FIT IN THE BOOTH and we have to move you back to that table. Smarty pants.

8. It's not your birthday. We know you are lying and NO we don't like singing to you. Do we look happy that we have to clap for you? Also, I don't understand why some tell their server 600 times "It's her birthday, it's her birthday" and still act like shocked and embarassed. We'r bringing you a microwaved brownie... get over it.

9. Just because you come here regularly does not make you special. This means you are a regular pain in the butt. Yay for you, needing extra everything. I cringe when I see you sitting in my section.

10. Read the menu, please. It's fact the people tend to order entrees that have PICTURES. I don't care if you didn't know that there are peppers in that meal, you should have gotten off your cell phone and read the menu. We don't cook surprises, idiot.

11. If you are in a bad mood, keep it to your self. Don't snap at me because you forgot to ask for lemon in your water. I'll be sure to bring it back with some snot in there, too.

12. Listen to me, please. I don't stand at your table and talk to you for fun. When I tell you I'll be right back with your side of cheese and a coke refill, I don't need you to say, "Yeah, hey and I need another coke." No kidding, man I just told you that I'm getting it.

13. The hair in your salad is YOURS. Sorry lady, but you're the only person in the joint with long, red hair. Nice try.

14. If your child is screaming, leave. You don't want to hear it, I sure don't... and I'm pretty sure you will notice all the dirty looks you're getting. I'll never understand why people try and sit through a meal with a raging beast child. I will be more than happy to pack your food to go. Just GO if you haven't got that parenting knack down yet.

15. If you think I am staring at you, pacing back and forth waiting for you to pay your bill so I can leave..... I am. When I tell you my shift is over and you agree to the check, GIVE ME YOUR MONEY. I have better things to do than watch you sip your melted margarita and ignore the fact that you owe me money.

16. This is a restaurant, not your house so re-arranging is forbidden. Yes, I mind if you move this table over to that one and take chairs over here. We sat you at that table for a reason, moron. Sorry you want to make room for all your friends who "just want waters."

17. Those nice people who smile at you when you walk in are called hosts. They will seat you. Don't get mad when you wander to a random table and don't get immediate service. YOU ARE A SELF SEATER, AND I HATE YOU.

18. When you WORK at a restaurant, and tip like crap... you should be shot. Especially at your own job... with your own discount. YOU of all people see what goes down, and know how hard we work. Show some respect, or join the rest of the white trash at Wendy's dollar menu. Then quit your job, cause I hate you, too.

19. You should never go out to eat and be in a rush. It's just not fair to anyone. If you walk into a place that has a 70min wait, why do you wait, and expect to get your food in 15 minutes? I don't care if you're trying to catch that 8:45 movie... Go tell the cooks who are crashing that you need your burrito before you watch the new Spiderman flick. I predict you'll get the finger. It's not MY fault the food takes a long time... especially your extra well done steak.

20. Don't take plates out of my hands unless I ask you to, and certainly don't reach for drinks off of my tray. Ever heard of balance? When I tell you a plate is HOT, I'm serious... so why do you grab it away from me like it's golden? I can put it down, ya know. Also, that water isn't going anywhere. I don't need your help I can manage to set a glass down. If I spill it on you, it's probably your own fault. Then I'm sure you'll tip me less just because it's an excuse to do so.

Now here's the ORIGINAL POST---

The next time you're out eating at a resturant, look at your server. Do you think they are really happy to be doing that job? The answer is no, they are not, but its what we do, and we do it for the money so please help them out. Its a tougher job than you think and you should pay them accordingly!

There are SO many people out there flooding the restaurants w/o any knowledge of how to tip. Here is a short guide for the general public to follow. Feel free to print out and store in your wallet and/or purse.



1. CHILDREN "THE LITTLE DEVILS":
If you have children, DO NOT let them, open and dump anything on the table (ie; salt, sugar, etc). IF YOU DO, you must leave an extra $5 for the server to clean up YOUR CHILD'S mess & to restock the now unusable wasted items. Don't get mad if you ask for crackers and your server tells you they're out when you just saw another table eating crackers with their soup -- can you blame them for not wanting to clean up the mess afterward? We are neither their babysitter nor their parent. The least you can do is pay us for the extra work. Also make sure you control your kids and don't let them scream or run around the restraunt. It's very distracting not to mention dangerous if they get ran over by a server with hot food in their hands.




2. "THE CAMPERS":
If you feel the necessity to stay for longer than 15 minutes after you pay, its an extra $3 every 30 minutes. We make our money from the tables. If you are in one and we can't seat it, we don't make money.



3. COMPLIMENTS:
Telling a server they are the best server they've ever had is not a tip. If we are good, let us know by leaving us more money. We cant pay our bills on compliments. Its not that we don't appreciate the praise, its just that if you say that and then leave 10% it's an insult.




4. TIPPING:
It is not 1960. Cost of living has gone up dramatically since then. 18% is the MINIMUM amount of what you should be tipping your servers. Remember, that steak is $12.99 not $22.99 because restaurants aren't required to pay minimum wage in most states! ($2.13 in Texas and New Jersey!) We are taxed on 10 percent of your meal automatically anyway, not to mention we have to tip out a percentage of our sales - your bill - to the hosts, bartenders, and bussers. So if you dont leave a tip, WE END UP PAYING FOR YOUR MEAL!! So move that decimal one spot left and multiply by 2 and your server will never be disappointed. ($25 = $2.50 x 2 = $5)



5. THE COMPLAINERS:
If you get a discount because of your food was prepared wrong or something, do not take it out of our tip. We didn't cook it. The cooks get paid hourly regardless if the food sucks. However, we only make what you give us. And don't ever leave a percentage on the total after the discount or comp -- always tip on what the total would have been.



6. THE LATE ONES:
If you come into the restraunt 10 mins before closing or any time near closing hurry up and order your food and get out. Closed means closed, not social hour. It is so rude to sit there and take your sweet time. We can't leave until you leave because we have to do sidework and clean the table you are sitting at. We don't want to stand there waiting for you for an extra hour just because you don't want to go home. We recommend 24 hour establishments such as Denny's if you wish to sit into the wee hours of the night.



7. THE TABLE HOGGERS:
If you only come in for coffee or a dessert, to do paper work, or to have a meeting, don't sit there taking up our booths for hours. We are not Starbucks or a hotel restraunt. If you want to sit for hours, go there or else you better leave a good tip for us and camping fee included.




8. THE GREET:
When we come up to the table to greet you and we ask how you are doing please let us know. We honestly want to know how you are doing. If you are in a bad mood we want to know that from the beginning. A confused stare or complete silence does not suffice as a reply to "How are you doing?". Also don't interrupt our greeting and say "I want coffee", "Can we get some bread," or "what are the soups?"



9. CELL PHONES:
Don't ever talk on your cell phone in a restraunt. This is probably the rudest thing to do. If you must be on your cell, at least keep your voice down in respect for other customers. If you are on your cell phone when we walk up to greet your table we will walk away until you get off your phone. Just show some respect and give us your attention for a couple of minutes.



10. TAKE-AWAY OR TO-GOS:
Always remember to tip the take-out order servers! They work just as hard as a server, and hardly ever get tips for it! WE DESERVE TO BE TIPPED TOO!



!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SERVERS READING THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please repost this so the word can get out, since so many people are uneducated about tips and our lives depend on this - at least for now......



SIGNED, YOUR FELLOW RESTAURANT WORKERS

Answer 1

wow you must work at a sucky job. why dont you get a new one if you hate it so much? because not everyone is rude like that. i really hope you dont live in the same state as me. all those rude ppl can stay there. but yeah if it sucks so bad get a new one

Answer 2

As far as the original post goes I can't find fault with that anywhere.
As for your own version of it, there are a few things that I could take exception with.
#3.- if someone has been to the resturant befor, and have had an item cooked special for them befor, they expect it the next time they are there, so you should find fault with the server who went the extra mile to make their customer happy. If you wanted to make their dining expierence as good as you could you would atleast attempt to get it made the way they request. (Simply say something like, "I can ask the cook if he can do it that way, but I can't guarantee he'll say yes" this gets you points and gets you off the hook if he says no way)
#4.- If you don't want to split the check for them after the meal, ask when you take the order if this is all on one check or will it be seperate. That takes care of your problem and theirs after the meal. If you don't do this, and they ask for the check to be split, you should expect to do so or expect as little as possible in the tip department.
#5.-They probably don't realize that they still have your pen, and you obviously don't either, for if you did you would have asked for it back. Besides most resturants provide pens to the servers, not make you supply your own, so it is actually not the biggest problem in the world, it just takes a minute for you to get another pen.
#7-Sometimes, a booth is nice for a bit of extra privacy. A table is so open, that most people really prefer booths. It isn't about what they sit in at home, it is about them being the customer, and the employees job to make them as happy as possible, that is also part of their job, not just seating them, or serving them.
#8 - i am embarassed for the people at the table and the servers for the "Happy Birthday" thing, I think it is stupid and annoying to the other patrons.
#9- If you have a regular customer, and you hate to see them-there is something wrong with you. These people whether they are pains in the butt or not, are the people who pay your salary, put food on your table, gas in your tank. And yet you seem to think that you are doing them a favor waiting on them.

Everyone of the ones not actually pointed out-
You seem to hate your job, you seem to hate the general public, and seem to think that you are above the duties of serving and what that entails. Maybe you should get a job where you do not deal with people. If you are not taking home a good amount in tips, I think that if you would take a deep breath and clear your head and then read what you wrote about the people you serve, and the attitude that must come accross when you serve them, you might have a good idea why those tips are sadly lacking.

Now befor you tell me to shut up, I will tell you that I have worked with the general public in a few different jobs and I know that there is that percentage of the public that think it is their job to make your job even harder, but to take your bad attitude at them out on everyone makes you as bad as them. I have been a server in a busy resturant, I have been a front desk clerkmanager at a hotel, (and with this job you get the joy of dealing with the pains in the butt all night or longer, not just how long it takes them to eat) so I know of what I speak.
Just calm down and don't let them get to you-you are making your job harder then it has to be.

Answer 3

I was a server for several years, so yes, I do know what you go through, but, serving is fun. I had the time of my life and now I sit under fluorescent lighting staring at a computer monitor for 10 hours a day. I loved the flexible schedule serving allowed for starters.

You will appreciate the good times someday. I miss those days with all of my heart. I learned alot about cuisine and wine. I met alot of celebrities. I had wonderful regulars who became lifelong friends as well as the regulars who would give us twenty dollar handshakes. My last day I bawled. My regulars all came in to see me off, each grossly overtipping for those years of contributing to the atmosphere and ambience of my restaurant.

Yes, you have the high maintenance ones, the crappy tippers, the screaming children, but there are so many good things too. Don't forget that. Also, think about this: your attitude is conveyed to your guests whether you realize it or not. If you start going in with a better attitude, your tips would start to increase.

Answer 4

I always thought that a tip was a special extra something for doing a good job. So my way of doing it is when my server has me smiling at the end of my meal I'll pay them. But if my server ignores me most of the time, doesn't have a smile on his/her face, doesn't ask if everything is ok or to refill my drink, have a bad attitude..and just plain lousy, then why the heck would I "treat" them a tip? For what? If my server was just "ok" I'd give them a little something. But I remember awesome experiences where my servers were just wonderful! Always happy, laughing with me, chats, very helpful, happy to serve, tops off my drinks...That's when I pull out bigger bills. Its what they deserve. So excuse me if I don't pay you $20 bucks for your lousy service even with the less-than-minimum wage salary you're making. This is a job, and you must do it well to "earn" your gift.

Also we like the booths cuz we don't have them in our homes! We got hard cold tables. Booths are more comfy and more private. If your restaurant has them, we want them. Besides , I always ask if I could have a booth.

And pictures on a menu does help entice the buds when deciding what to pick. Its good to SEE what we'll be getting.

Ok I'm done. Happy dining! =)

Answer 5

ok, this was THE longest thing i've read on the internet in awhile, but i did it because i've been a server for like, 8 yrs now. i have to say i relate to all this for sure, but people in general are just the way they are. the good tippers will continue to tip well, the bad tippers will still never tip. there will always be teenagers drinking water, rearranging chairs, giving you exact change down to the cent, and sometimes leaving you short. there will ALWAYS be people talking on their cell phones..that is until we get chips inserted into our brains in 100 years. but even then, people will be people. and if you weren't getting enough tips, you'd quit. but you, and me, know that a server gets paid more per hr. w/o a college degree, for a 4-5hr work shift, than most people do at all. so keep at it, keep being friendly, and who knows? sometimes people surprise you at what they know about good tipping.

p.s. this was long cause you put me in the novel-writing mood. =)

Answer 6

Sounds like you are unhappy with your profession. I know the public is rude. I work with them too and you gotta let it go just to stay sane. It is really a shame that the wait staff has to rely on the tips to survive. I wonder how it ever got that way---why can't they (you) be paid a decent salary and then the tips would be just that--EXTRA for good service. What seems to go around, comes around.....keep giving good service and keep the faith and it will come back to you! I wish you well.

Answer 7

You sound very bitter. Their are two sides to this issue, Many Servers are rude to their customers for no real reason. I tip based on service and I tip BIG when I get good service.

I hate when servers rant about how bad their jobs are, a lot of peoples jobs are hard - thats why it is called work. I am paying a premium to go out and eat and expect decent service.

Their are good and bad people on both sides of the table. Sometimes we have to put up with rude Servers who expect tips for doing their job poorly.

I have a member of the family who is a server so I know what it is like for them. Someone with an attitude like yours will never make as much in tips as someone with a good attitude towards their job and understand that people are paying their hard earned money to be served.

Answer 8

Umm. I'm not sure if you forgot this one or not but, don't yah hate it when people let their brats run loose in the resturant. I mean it's not my job to watch your kid.
And when your filling the buffet and you are standing there with a huge tray of really hot crab or what ever you've got and the stupid people just stand there like duhhhhhh?? Well get the hell otta my way before i throw this at you.
Or when you are walking in the dining room doing something and some guy walks up to ya and says you don't have any chicken wings on the buffet. Well excuse me I'll just go and pluck those wings off that live chicken we got in the back. And be right back your highness.
And when you bring back some cooked steak that they said they wanted rare. Then they look at you and say take this aweful thing back!! I wanted well done. Ah no ya didn't buddy you said rare and that is what I brought ya. So ya take the stupid steak back and let it cook some more. Then bring it back out and it still isn't done right. Or even worse, I didn't want well done, what happened to my rare!!??

I know exactly how you feel. And I wish people would give us a little common courtesy.
I bet most people that tip bad don't know we don't even make minimum wage!? We make like 3.20 an hour.

Answer 9

I'm sorry you feel this way,obviously you need some help.or maybe you just need to find another job.how can you possibly b**ch this much and still be able to say" The answer is no, they are not, but its what we do, and we do it for the money so please help them out. Its a tougher job than you think and you should pay them accordingly!" ~~if you know what kind of job you have then you shouldn't expect things to be different any day soon. its a job and its a dirty one, so you should quit if you're not happy, and if its for the money ~ then shut up and grin and bear it. this is the job YOU chose. we're not coming into your house and demanding you to serve us, we're just asking you to do your job. yes ~ you're right, there are people who don't appreciate their server, but then there are servers like you who feel that they are owed something at the end of the day. and if all doesn't go right, you have an attitude for every customer that comes in. being a server isn't easy and learn to understand that every customer is not the same. my best advice for you would be to quit, and leave the hard work to people who know what they're getting into.

Answer 10

Well said!! Never worked in a Restaurant Establishment, but can definitely see where you are coming from!! People are often so ignorant, and want the best for less. No respect for others.

Answer 11

I think you need to get another job. If I come in your restaurant and you are rude to me you get one cent. I usually tip 1.00 per person at least if they are good. I am there for food and nice waitresses well waiters are better. And this is the way I tip
1- If I have to ask for a refill you get no tip
2- If you are rude to me I am rude to you
3- I expect to get the food I ordered if you snicker to take it back you get no tip
4- If you snatch the menu out of my hand once happened I report you to the manager
5- If you don't put a drink that I ordered on the bill I add that to your tip
6- Be nice to me just because I might have a T-shirt on don't mean that I don't tip
7- Don't judge your customers because you "never know who the good tippers are"
8-The man that you think will tip because he looks rich won't tip so don't judge me when I come in your restaurant and there won't be any problems!!!