Why does my food get brought out by someone other than my waitperson so often at restaurants these days?

Question

It seems like particularly at chain restaurants (Fridays, etc.) our food is almost always delivered to the table by someone who isn't the person who's waiting on it. They don't know who ordered what, they aren't there to follow up with any problems that we initially see. I'd understand if occasionally someone who's not busy can deliver orders, but this seems almost the rule nowadays. What gives?

Answer 1

It is called teamwork. That way food does not sit back there and get cold while your waiter takes another tables order. If the service and follow up are that bad start going somewhere else to eat.

Answer 2

Employers are so tight now a days that the wait person is taking new orders while the cook is delivering the meal. The owner than does not have to hire a second wait person. It's all about productivity, you know that idea that if a business can't keep up with MacDonald's productivity, then it is not worth having. It is the method by which business turns everyone into a sucking machine connected to an automatic money counter.
Of course, the Republican answer to this problem is paying the wait person less money per hour. That way productivity can eventually replace people with artificial servers and fake food.
The productivity will be great!

Answer 3

As a server at a chain restaurant "outback steakhouse", when the food is ready the ticket and the food are passed though a window called "the line" to the manager or a expo.the job of a expo or manager is to "dress the plate"with sauce or garish.When the food is ready the "runner".that pretty much means anyone with a free second.Almost always my food is ran my someone else.When your working 3 or more tables in a very busy restaurant it is very hard to keep a eye on the ticket and make sure you run it.You can never time it right.The rule is after 1-3 mins you server should always check on you to make sure you got everything ok.If they don't either they are way too busy,which is not good for your service or she's just a bad server.Well did that clear it up?

Answer 4

its not just a random person who is not busy that is delivering th food, there is a specific person or people who are the food runners. they deliver all the food, that way, it gets brought out right when it is done, rather than having the food sit in the kitchen, waiting for the server to get to it. they should know who gets each item, as the ticket tells which position at the table ordered each item, if they dont know, then either the server didnt do their job and put in the information, like they are supposed to, or the server is not doing their job right, or the restorants computer system is WHAAACK, or you guys traded spots at the table. i recommend lowering the tip if the food runner doesnt know the positions of the food and is "auctioning" it off..."who had this? who had that?"....the servers tip the food runners at the end of the night, so you dont need to worry about who gets punished....by the way, without the food runner, you would just get your food later, and colder.

Answer 5

Restaurant employees know a days work together.If someone sees a table full of dirty dishes as they pass by that table, they pick up some dishes,if they see a tables entrees ready to be served ,they serve them,if someone sees a glass or glasses that needs refills ,they attend to it.
This is better customer service,helping each other out,so that there is less complaints on cold food. Also,the faster the server gets your order in,and the faster you food and eat it than you will leave sooner. This means you will be sitting less time and someone will be seated in your space.(faster service x
eating faster=new customers+more tips per hour)
if you have a problem,talk directly to the waiter/waitress that took your order. He/she will talk to the manager and you will get a free dinner or a gift certificate for next time.I hate it when a waiter/waitress doesn't write my order down but memorizes it , than i know that my order will be 50%right or 505 wrong.So....I agree with you.i am afraid to complain too much because someone might spit in my food.I hope that i helped you out some.Good-Luck dining out in the future.

Answer 6

Because your waiter/waitress has so many other tables to wait on. They take your order & try to touch base with each table as often as possible. The people who bring out your food are the runners. The wait staff tip these people out at the end of the night. (hopefully) It's not unusual. They work hard for little wages per hour like $2.00 & something,...so they all really rely on tips. Please tip well that could be your child, niece nephew.
Address the manager if you find a problem most places want you to leave happy. Word of mouth helps or hinders.
Everyone usually wants to see to it you're more than satisfied.

Answer 7

They are called expeditors. Many upper scale restaurants use an expeditor to insure food is delivered to the table promptly as soon as it is ready and not when your waiter is free to do so. After all, they are waiting on multiple tables. This also free's up the wait staff to concentrate on greeting and servicing diners recently seated. Nothing more aggravating than sitting at a table for 10 minutes before a waiter shows up, right. Don't complain. If more restaurants use expeditors the whole dining experience would be more pleasant for us all.

Answer 8

I hate that too. But like most restaurants, they work in teams. Your waiter or waitress, just takes the orders, while the staff in the back bring the food over. You lose touch of the dining experience when this happens. If there was a better solution, I hope that get to it. Dining out is getting to be a terrible experience nowadays.

Answer 9

Because they all help each other "carry." Sometimes there is miscommunication between the chef , the sous chef and the wait staff and the calling times get screwed up and your waiter may be helping another waiter "carry" to his table because your waiter wasn't aware that his food was up or salads were called.

It is cooperation. Sometimes... the captain will even bring the food so that he can ask if you are happy or need anything. and then theres the fact that everyone needs a break sometimes...

Answer 10

chain restaurants have people called "runners" whose job it is to run food to tables. I'm a waitress and I only like to take out my own food. Some places that isn't an option.