Cut Servers Some Slack....?

Question

I'm not saying every server out there is wonderful; yes some are horrible, some are mediocore and others are fabolous. But, honestly, serving is one of the most difficult jobs out there. It can be very rough and discouraging.

It's just like any job. I ask those individuals that really have a problem with servers to evalute themselves in their own jobs. Are you perfect all the time? Probably not. But don't think b/c you had one or two bad experiences at a restuarant make you think all servers are bad.

Not all servers are tip hungry, rude, slow or stupid individuals; do not degrade them as such. I am a server and I am also a full time college student. So many times I have been degarded and belittled by complete strangers (one time I was even on the verge of tears)

Of course, I am a very polite, so I have to say I just take people's crap. I also have to say, I am a pretty good server (I do make good money)

Opinions?

Sorry about the grammar. I wrote this quickly and I'm not going to re-edit the whole thing, now.

Answer 1

Rock on! I've been serving, cooking and catering for over 13 years now. It's really hard to paste on that smile and accept the abuse from idiots who were never taught any manners or common courtesy. I was once told by someone who knew me that I should have gone to college and made something of myself. I did go to college and I owned the place! I was so hot I went in the backstock and just wanted to scream. And of course they only left me $1 for a family of 5. Just because I owned the place. I had snooty attorneys complain because I didn't have 12 Heinekens cold enough. They left me $2 and had sat there for 3 hours.

I do banquet serving now in a different place, and everyone is SO KIND. It actually blows me away that they're not bitchy! I've just come to expect it over the years.

So yeah, to all people who don't realize what we go through, be nice. ***** about how overworked and underpaid we are when you get in your Lexus and drive away after leaving $2 for a $100 meal.

Servers unite!

Answer 2

I have had good servers and bad. You can tell if someone is having a bad day and if someone is just a lazy ***. I happen to be a wife of a of a 3/4 time college student (grad school ) who also works full time. When we go out to eat we usually go somewhere where the servers are also college students. We usually just wanna kick back, eat a meal, have a few drinks and not have to worry about anything. We treat our server like the hard working person they are. Please and thank you go a long way. We appreciate the little things they do for us and show it when it comes time to pay the tab because we do not get to go out much. We always tip well (40% or so) depending on the attention paid to detail. Little things mean a lot to me. Servers that remember us always are treated VERY well.

Answer 3

Amen. If more people had to work the opposite side of the counter for a while, they would realize that there are lots of things that can go wrong that are not a server's fault at all. And while I understand that hunger can make people irritable, that is no reason to treat a hard-working server like dirt.
Folks may not realize this, but often when a restaurant gets one or two good servers, they will overwork them and expect them to fill in on other jobs and shifts at the drop of a hat. So if your server looks a little less than perky next time you're in a restaurant, consider that this might be his/her second or even third double shift this week...and give him/her a lot of encouragement...and a nice tip!

Answer 4

I defintely agree with you. I'm a server as well, and i've had guests make me cry SEVERAL times. There are alot of people out there who still think that we are servANT's rather than servER's. It sucks alot because we can't do anything except smile and deal with it. Serving is a difficult job and people don't realize that their tip IS our income. I live in Florida and we only make $3.15 an hour (a year ago it was $2.15) and where i work we're forced to report all credit tips and 10% of our sales as cash, so by the time our paychecks get taxed we make about $20 a week, IF we're lucky. People need to wake up and realize that 10% is an insult when you're working to make tips which is what we LIVE on.

So for all of the people who go out and leave $5 on 50
or $10 on 100, or $4 on 35.... BLOW ME!

Answer 5

Well I've had more bad servers than good. When ever I am lucky enough to get a good one I tip very well. And I will tip even more if I have my 3 yr old with me and the server does a good job.

That being said I have worked as a server and a bartender before. Even had to take mandatory courses in culinary school on serving. And serving is not at all a hard job. Just like any job you have to leave your personal life and problems at the door. I mean really how hard is it to be helpful and pleasant? And to keep an eye on people's drinks?

I have little or no sympathy to servers that do a crappy job. If they don't like their job or if they have some personal issue that is affecting their job perfomance than they shouldn't be there. If you are getting paid to serve someone, have a pleasant additude, and to make that party's dining experince an enjoyful one then you do it . If you can't handle a job where you have to deal with the public then switch to the back of the house.

Answer 6

I agree. It is a hard thankless job. I always leave at least 15-20% if the server is horrible I go to management in a kind way. Its usually because I felt there was no way the workers could have kept up with the clients they had. Sometimes it managements fault for not having the proper staff on the floor. Sometimes its just an inexperienced server who should have had proper training before being thrown in.

Answer 7

I really give servers credit I personally could not handle all the rude people out there! My husband and I always tip well even if the server is not the best we always leave a $5.00 tip. People need to make a living out there!
Good Luck! Keep up the good work!

Answer 8

Thumbs up to you for asking !!
I have been in this industry for nearly 20 years.
I do still love what I do , and I am damn good at it too.
If not I would not still be doing it.
Thankfully in Cali we now get $7.50 per hour min wage (tipped or not).
I have learned that over the years that the good and bad all balance out by the end of the week/month and to NEVER let a customer make you cry EVER !!
Even if you don't feel like you are in charge of a situation, re-think it......you TOTALLY are !!
Don't sweat the small stuff.

Answer 9

Be polite, respectful, and attentive. Attentive, which potential they ought to experience like you frequently have an eye fixed on their table in case they prefer something. The worst component, is to be eating out, and also you're out of water, or something's incorrect with the food not right now, or you want catsup - inspite of. and also you're sitting there waiting, and prepared, and prepared. It makes it even worse, that you're sitting there gazing all of us else round you taking area of their food, and also you're merely sitting there. And this is even WORSE yet, in case you'll discover your server off gabbing with a co-worker or inspite of. This very last challenge seems the worst the slower a eating position is, which makes no experience, inspite of the indisputable fact that this is real. It receives sluggish, you adult men change into used to status round speaking, and that i'm over at this table waiting for 5 minutes for someone to even verify out me to ascertain waving my hands round persistently, feeling skipped over. All of those issues will bring about little or no tip for the server, and also make it a lot less in all likelihood your purchasers might want to also go back to that eating position.

Answer 10

I really give servers credit I personally could not handle all the rude people out there! My husband and I always tip well even if the server is not the best we always leave a $5.00 tip