Why is it that allot of the guests that come to a restaurant are assholes? Did the restaurant industry just piss you off that bad? If that is the case, stay home. We really don't feel like dealing with you. For instance, just today I had a lady that was just plain rude. She was one of the ones who thinks her shit don't stink. She has probably been given everything in life with no questions asked. She wanted to accuse us of serving bad food. When the server brought it back to the kitchen, she tasted it, I smelled it and another kitchen helper smelled it too. Nothing seemed to be wrong with this plate. When I go to the table to talk to her, she just doesn't want to listen to me. I apologized for the plate, and I told her that we would never serve bad food and that maybe it just didn't fit what she wanted. She tried to tell me that for the money she was paying she expected the food to be great. Juicy, fresh and hot. I do understand that times are tough and when people go out to eat they do want to get their monies worth, but the plate cost $7.50. You can't go to a fast food joint and get a value meal for less than that now and days, and we actually served her instead of putting it in a paper bag. To end the situation though, I asked if she wanted something else and she declined so I took the meal off of her bill. She then wanted to argue with another manager that we didn't compensate her for it. She was being overcharge. Mam, what are you paying for? Your drink?
Once again, it is when we have ignorant customers like this causes us to think a little bit more when we go to a table who has a complaint. We understand that people make mistakes. Sometimes a guest will order the wrong thing. Do we fuss with them? No, we take that meal away and prepare what they wanted for no additional charge. But, when we as a restaurant make a mistake, Oh My God. You would think we were Hitler or something. It is because we are racist, sexist, age discrimination, or any other politically correct term there is out there. What ever happened to the days where it was a simple mistake and we were given the chance to correct it ourselves and do what we needed to do instead of having to pay for your meal, your guests meal, and your brothers girlfriends sister's friends meal also because you could not eat your meal at the exact time as them. It takes five minutes to correct probably.
That's it for tonite.....thanks for listening
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
little something for you to think about
Like I have said before, I have been in the restaurant business for a decade and I have had interesting things said to me. When I had first started out as a manager, there were numerous times where a guest would ask for a manager and when I got there they said that I am too young for a manager and that they wanted to speak to the real manager. There have been many times where, not only has it happened to me but probably every manager I have worked with, that a guest has accused us of being racist. We would not treat the other race like this. It is because I am ______ isn't it? Just once I want to be able to reply, nope it's just because you are stupid. Why do people think that we are trying to always get over on the guests? Do people realize that if it wasn't for the guests, none of us would have a job. Guests pay our checks, this is why I tell all managers that we need to take care of our guests. Unfortunately though, there are guests out there that do take advantage of us. They know what tricks they can do to get things for free or how to get something extra, or how to get the best service. People like this is why some guests get mistreated because we have gotten to the point where we don't know who is telling the truth and who is trying to rip us off. With this in mind, let me tell you a little something about the restaurant.
Did you know that the wage rate of a server in Virginia is 2.13 per hour and in California is not even 8 bucks an hour. So how do servers make money? Off of the tips that guests leave. Think of it this way. The average family of 4 comes out to dinner. You sit in a table and order drinks, apps, entrees and desserts bringing your total bill to around 75-100 dollars. Now, you leave the server 10 percent which is 7.50 to 10 dollars. You sat at the table and talked bringing your entire amount of time at the table to 1 hour and 30 minutes. This means that the server has made a whopping max of 7.13 cents per hour. The minimum wage in Virginia is just below that!! The problem is, this job is great for single moms because of the flexibility of the schedules. I know most people think of college students being the largest portion of servers but you are wrong. They do make up a decent amount, but a large quantity is made of single moms, teachers, and the ones that the spouses work during the day so the other works at night because they can't afford daycare for their child. But yet we can give AIG insurance company three bailouts but we can't help the single mom of one whose dead beat father of the child has run off and hasn't paid child support or just didn't want anything to do with the kid.
Something else for you to think about. You think that teachers, and police officers get paid poorly, check out a restaurant manager. (Before you get angry, I know that police officers risk their life to protect us and that teachers mold the minds of our youth to be the next generations, but restaurant managers are part of one of this worlds largest indulgence, FOOD, and we need to make sure it is healthy for you) The average starting manager salary in Virginia is around 32500 per year. Not bad right, but think about it. Teachers get paid to work Monday through Friday, and are off through the summer. Police officers get paid to work a 40-45 hour work week but they get paid for overtime. Now let's look at a manager. We get paid to work an average of 50 hours a week. Now, we do get lucky every once in a while and work 40 hours, but there are many times where we work upwards of 60-70 hours a week. And we don't get paid for the overtime, how is that for great? So, when you break it down for a manager making 32500 a year and working an average of 50 hours a week they get paid roughly around 11.10 dollars per hour to run a multi million dollar business. Most of us do it for the love of food opposed for the money.
These are just some things that you can think about next time you go out to dinner and you want to get something for free, or stiff the waitress, or even run out on your bill. It hurts us worse than you originally thought.
I know this was a little different from my previous posts, but hey, it is called restaurant managers rant....This is just my outlook on restaurants...
Did you know that the wage rate of a server in Virginia is 2.13 per hour and in California is not even 8 bucks an hour. So how do servers make money? Off of the tips that guests leave. Think of it this way. The average family of 4 comes out to dinner. You sit in a table and order drinks, apps, entrees and desserts bringing your total bill to around 75-100 dollars. Now, you leave the server 10 percent which is 7.50 to 10 dollars. You sat at the table and talked bringing your entire amount of time at the table to 1 hour and 30 minutes. This means that the server has made a whopping max of 7.13 cents per hour. The minimum wage in Virginia is just below that!! The problem is, this job is great for single moms because of the flexibility of the schedules. I know most people think of college students being the largest portion of servers but you are wrong. They do make up a decent amount, but a large quantity is made of single moms, teachers, and the ones that the spouses work during the day so the other works at night because they can't afford daycare for their child. But yet we can give AIG insurance company three bailouts but we can't help the single mom of one whose dead beat father of the child has run off and hasn't paid child support or just didn't want anything to do with the kid.
Something else for you to think about. You think that teachers, and police officers get paid poorly, check out a restaurant manager. (Before you get angry, I know that police officers risk their life to protect us and that teachers mold the minds of our youth to be the next generations, but restaurant managers are part of one of this worlds largest indulgence, FOOD, and we need to make sure it is healthy for you) The average starting manager salary in Virginia is around 32500 per year. Not bad right, but think about it. Teachers get paid to work Monday through Friday, and are off through the summer. Police officers get paid to work a 40-45 hour work week but they get paid for overtime. Now let's look at a manager. We get paid to work an average of 50 hours a week. Now, we do get lucky every once in a while and work 40 hours, but there are many times where we work upwards of 60-70 hours a week. And we don't get paid for the overtime, how is that for great? So, when you break it down for a manager making 32500 a year and working an average of 50 hours a week they get paid roughly around 11.10 dollars per hour to run a multi million dollar business. Most of us do it for the love of food opposed for the money.
These are just some things that you can think about next time you go out to dinner and you want to get something for free, or stiff the waitress, or even run out on your bill. It hurts us worse than you originally thought.
I know this was a little different from my previous posts, but hey, it is called restaurant managers rant....This is just my outlook on restaurants...
Monday, April 20, 2009
random stories and thoughts
These are just a few stories and thoughts that I have enter my mind every so often. I wonder:
Why is it that every Sunday, guests come from church to eat at the restaurant and they are the neediest people with the worst attitudes that we deal with all week. I thought that church was a place for praise, worship, and forgiveness. Evidently for our guests it is a place to be forgiven for being such an asshole the previous Sunday at the restaurant.
Why do you wear a white suit to a restaurant and get mad when you spill something red on it?
If you know that you can't afford to come out and eat, why do you still do it then complain about your meal so you can get it for free. I mean really, you say the food was bad but you ate the entire thing? What is that excuse, oh I was really hungry. What ever, So I end up paying for your meal and yet you still stiff the waiter. You can't even leave five bucks?
If managers are viewed as professionals, why do some dress like humpty dumpty. Tight spandex pants with toothpick legs with a big baggy shirt hanging down to cover the over sized rear. When things say one size fits all, they lie...some things are meant for one size fits all 13 year old girls.
A guest asks a server:
How do you fry your fish? I don't know, let me go ask a manager...
Hey, I need you to go talk to a table...OK, what's going on? Well I accidentally served the salad with the glove I used to mix it, still in the salad. WOW!! You couldn't see the big latex glove sticking out of the salad?
One server was having issues all night long, and kept coming to a certain manager for help. After about the tenth time, this manager is tired of dealing with it. So, I took their keys and card and decided to aggravate the server for a change. I go to find them and hold up the keys and card in the air and say, what did you do? The manager has just given me their keys and card and said I quit, I can't deal with them anymore and left. What did you do? I didn't do anything, I just messed up a couple of times. Great, now I have to call the gm and tell him that the closing manager just quit and I need them to come in to help me finish the shift. I didn't mean to, I didn't think they minded. Unfortunately, I had to stop the joke because the server got down on the floor and started to cry. I never knew that someone could be so gullible. The other manager came over and got their keys and said thanks for getting my keys from the bartender for me. The server got up, wiped their eyes and went on about their shift, of course to mess up again. But great news, they never went to that manager for about a week for help.
Where do you get your Atlantic salmon, is it from the ocean or the store?
You always know when someone is lying to you because it starts like this:
See, what had happened was....
Spoken by a former general manager of mine "How come the insurance company will pay for me to get Viagra, but they will not pay for my wife's birth control pills?"
Hope you enjoyed a few random thoughts of mine...stay tuned alot more to come!!
Why is it that every Sunday, guests come from church to eat at the restaurant and they are the neediest people with the worst attitudes that we deal with all week. I thought that church was a place for praise, worship, and forgiveness. Evidently for our guests it is a place to be forgiven for being such an asshole the previous Sunday at the restaurant.
Why do you wear a white suit to a restaurant and get mad when you spill something red on it?
If you know that you can't afford to come out and eat, why do you still do it then complain about your meal so you can get it for free. I mean really, you say the food was bad but you ate the entire thing? What is that excuse, oh I was really hungry. What ever, So I end up paying for your meal and yet you still stiff the waiter. You can't even leave five bucks?
If managers are viewed as professionals, why do some dress like humpty dumpty. Tight spandex pants with toothpick legs with a big baggy shirt hanging down to cover the over sized rear. When things say one size fits all, they lie...some things are meant for one size fits all 13 year old girls.
A guest asks a server:
How do you fry your fish? I don't know, let me go ask a manager...
Hey, I need you to go talk to a table...OK, what's going on? Well I accidentally served the salad with the glove I used to mix it, still in the salad. WOW!! You couldn't see the big latex glove sticking out of the salad?
One server was having issues all night long, and kept coming to a certain manager for help. After about the tenth time, this manager is tired of dealing with it. So, I took their keys and card and decided to aggravate the server for a change. I go to find them and hold up the keys and card in the air and say, what did you do? The manager has just given me their keys and card and said I quit, I can't deal with them anymore and left. What did you do? I didn't do anything, I just messed up a couple of times. Great, now I have to call the gm and tell him that the closing manager just quit and I need them to come in to help me finish the shift. I didn't mean to, I didn't think they minded. Unfortunately, I had to stop the joke because the server got down on the floor and started to cry. I never knew that someone could be so gullible. The other manager came over and got their keys and said thanks for getting my keys from the bartender for me. The server got up, wiped their eyes and went on about their shift, of course to mess up again. But great news, they never went to that manager for about a week for help.
Where do you get your Atlantic salmon, is it from the ocean or the store?
You always know when someone is lying to you because it starts like this:
See, what had happened was....
Spoken by a former general manager of mine "How come the insurance company will pay for me to get Viagra, but they will not pay for my wife's birth control pills?"
Hope you enjoyed a few random thoughts of mine...stay tuned alot more to come!!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Part 5....guest stories
So, we all know that working in a restaurant we deal with guests everyday. Some are great and some are just outright dumb. We all want to be able to say something to them but we can't in fear of losing our jobs....Well, here we go now...Here are a few stories that I have encountered over the years, but not all.(got to leave something for later)
This one is from one of the delivery drivers.."Do you realize how much basil smells like pot, I always think someone has weed on them when I deliver basil."
I want to buy a dozen of your *****..OK your total is 3.93..How many do I get in a dozen?
Does the sweet tea have sugar in it, or do I need to add it myself?
I know that I ordered the steak, but I got full of the bread and salad...could you just take it off the bill for me?
You know that you are the player when you bring your girlfriend in for lunch and then turn around and bring your wife in for dinner..only thing, make sure you don't get the same server...Hey, nice to see you back for dinner, is this your sister or was she with you earlier?
Look, I know that we all have our moments of stupidity, but if you trip over a big rock or a bush or some other type of landscape that was clearly visible, why are you going to try and sue me? We should have a bullshit clause in our insurance policy..
So, it is one thing to bring in a cake or some type of dessert for a birthday group, but how does one person walk into a restaurant, sit at the bar for a couple of hours then ask the bartender if they could order them something from the restaurant down the street?
Guests call the restaurant on a Friday night at 7:30pm..(busiest time of the day) and ask the manager or host on duty if they could track down their daughter for them...They are 32, black hair, light skinned, wears glasses or contacts, and is with her boyfriend....I'm sorry, you just named at least 75 people in my restaurant...any other details you could tell me about them, or would you like me to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for you as well?
There will be two of us for smoking please....(walks them to the smoking section) Why is there smoke in the smoking section?
Every year on Easter Sunday, restaurants will have competitions amongst the servers...Who has the funniest hat...I assume that on Easter, the bigger the hat, is the more christian you are...And let's not forget you have to have at least 1 bird, a flower and the spaceship going across the side to qualify..(no I am not making this up, people do wear these hats)
Can you walk me to my car, I am afraid that the black man over there is going to attack me. Which one mam, so I can look out for you. Oh, he is the one sitting over there. Are you talking about the one in the wheelchair? Do you think he is going to roll over your foot?
Mam, I am going to have to take your drink from you. Why do you need to do that? Well, unfortunately, it is against the law to serve anyone under 21, and since she is still sitting in a highchair, I would assume she is not quite 21.
Can you take this steak off the bill for me? What seems to be wrong with it. Well, I ordered it to be extra well done and it is too dry for me. So you asked for it to be extra well done? Yes, I don't want any juices in it. So you want it to be well done and dry? Exactly...Then once again, what is wrong with the steak?
One of my all time favorites...
Yes, I would like a Lobster tail with extra drawn butter, a steak cooked medium with a baked potato, with extra butter and sour cream, an order of your soup, and extra bread...OK mam, and what can I get you to drink...I'll take a diet coke, I am trying to watch my weight...So you want a diet coke to go with your steak, potato, butter, sour cream, lobster, and bowl of soup...No, let me change the soup to a salad with extra ranch dressing on the side....it is better for me...
Now, just so you know...I have not made any of the previous stories up...I have witnessed every last one and I still have sooo much more to tell you, but you will have to keep reading daily to hear them all....This is my life as a restaurant manager, and I wouldn't change it.
Hope you enjoy tonight's edition....tomorrows is already in the thoughts
This one is from one of the delivery drivers.."Do you realize how much basil smells like pot, I always think someone has weed on them when I deliver basil."
I want to buy a dozen of your *****..OK your total is 3.93..How many do I get in a dozen?
Does the sweet tea have sugar in it, or do I need to add it myself?
I know that I ordered the steak, but I got full of the bread and salad...could you just take it off the bill for me?
You know that you are the player when you bring your girlfriend in for lunch and then turn around and bring your wife in for dinner..only thing, make sure you don't get the same server...Hey, nice to see you back for dinner, is this your sister or was she with you earlier?
Look, I know that we all have our moments of stupidity, but if you trip over a big rock or a bush or some other type of landscape that was clearly visible, why are you going to try and sue me? We should have a bullshit clause in our insurance policy..
So, it is one thing to bring in a cake or some type of dessert for a birthday group, but how does one person walk into a restaurant, sit at the bar for a couple of hours then ask the bartender if they could order them something from the restaurant down the street?
Guests call the restaurant on a Friday night at 7:30pm..(busiest time of the day) and ask the manager or host on duty if they could track down their daughter for them...They are 32, black hair, light skinned, wears glasses or contacts, and is with her boyfriend....I'm sorry, you just named at least 75 people in my restaurant...any other details you could tell me about them, or would you like me to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for you as well?
There will be two of us for smoking please....(walks them to the smoking section) Why is there smoke in the smoking section?
Every year on Easter Sunday, restaurants will have competitions amongst the servers...Who has the funniest hat...I assume that on Easter, the bigger the hat, is the more christian you are...And let's not forget you have to have at least 1 bird, a flower and the spaceship going across the side to qualify..(no I am not making this up, people do wear these hats)
Can you walk me to my car, I am afraid that the black man over there is going to attack me. Which one mam, so I can look out for you. Oh, he is the one sitting over there. Are you talking about the one in the wheelchair? Do you think he is going to roll over your foot?
Mam, I am going to have to take your drink from you. Why do you need to do that? Well, unfortunately, it is against the law to serve anyone under 21, and since she is still sitting in a highchair, I would assume she is not quite 21.
Can you take this steak off the bill for me? What seems to be wrong with it. Well, I ordered it to be extra well done and it is too dry for me. So you asked for it to be extra well done? Yes, I don't want any juices in it. So you want it to be well done and dry? Exactly...Then once again, what is wrong with the steak?
One of my all time favorites...
Yes, I would like a Lobster tail with extra drawn butter, a steak cooked medium with a baked potato, with extra butter and sour cream, an order of your soup, and extra bread...OK mam, and what can I get you to drink...I'll take a diet coke, I am trying to watch my weight...So you want a diet coke to go with your steak, potato, butter, sour cream, lobster, and bowl of soup...No, let me change the soup to a salad with extra ranch dressing on the side....it is better for me...
Now, just so you know...I have not made any of the previous stories up...I have witnessed every last one and I still have sooo much more to tell you, but you will have to keep reading daily to hear them all....This is my life as a restaurant manager, and I wouldn't change it.
Hope you enjoy tonight's edition....tomorrows is already in the thoughts
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
part 4 employee stories
SO, I figured I would take some time and write down some things that I get told, asked, or just things I overhear from day to day. It is amazing what people say. There will also be some stories mixed into it as well. Hope you enjoy.
Now did you give that girl your cell phone number or the restaurants...cause if you gave your number than I can spot you 5 dollars so you can put some minutes on it so she can actually call you.
How do you consider yourself a pimp when you are in your 40's and still live at home with your mom.
I'm sorry, you confused me with someone who actually gives a shit
Who's you is?
I don't trust anything that can bleed for five days and doesn't die
Why does your wig look like a mullet today?
How are you going to be upset that you got fired when you showed up to work drunk and went around telling everyone that you were drunk and you needed help taking care of your tables.
I need that like I need a hole in the head
Lick that and tell me what it is
I can't have kids, all I can do is just make a mess
I am a monulet..do you know what a monulet is, cause that's what I is
How are you going to pay child support to your ex girlfriend, who still lives at your apartment and sleeps in the same bed as you?
When are you going to come over so I can suck your d***
I'm not a ho, I am just promiscuous
As I walk to the back to get an apron out of the closet a server looks at me and says " I don't do coke"...is that random?
How do you give a server a new apron and set them up for a payment plan on it?
Can you help me? I can't find the left handed crab crackers.
Why do you always have gay intendencies?
So, I have to fire this one server on a busy night because I caught them eating off of a guests plate. Now when I confronted them about it, it went like this. Did you just eat the ---off the plate? No, man..So I didn't just see you eat the ---of the plate? No...Then why do you still have a piece of it in your hand? Oh, that...I didn't think you would care...Well, I do and you are fired. Are you really going to fire me over this? No of course not...I just think you would be better suited for the unemployment line than serving tables... Have a nice day.
What ever happened to ---oh, they moved back home. Why did they do that? Their ex locked them up in a storage unit for 2 days so they felt they needed to get away from them for a while.
I got a job paying 75000 a year. I just bought my new BMW and getting ready to buy my new house. Oh really, then why is your suit wrinkled, you are trying to pick up more shifts, and you are still driving the beat up Nissan? Oh, I didn't want anyone to know.
What is an Amish handbag? What is a donkey punch?
You might think that some words are misspelled, but that is how they pronounced it.
There are so many more things that I have to tell you about that I will have to make another part to it later....Stay tuned for more to come...tomorrow is all about the guests....the things you want to say to them but you can't.
Now did you give that girl your cell phone number or the restaurants...cause if you gave your number than I can spot you 5 dollars so you can put some minutes on it so she can actually call you.
How do you consider yourself a pimp when you are in your 40's and still live at home with your mom.
I'm sorry, you confused me with someone who actually gives a shit
Who's you is?
I don't trust anything that can bleed for five days and doesn't die
Why does your wig look like a mullet today?
How are you going to be upset that you got fired when you showed up to work drunk and went around telling everyone that you were drunk and you needed help taking care of your tables.
I need that like I need a hole in the head
Lick that and tell me what it is
I can't have kids, all I can do is just make a mess
I am a monulet..do you know what a monulet is, cause that's what I is
How are you going to pay child support to your ex girlfriend, who still lives at your apartment and sleeps in the same bed as you?
When are you going to come over so I can suck your d***
I'm not a ho, I am just promiscuous
As I walk to the back to get an apron out of the closet a server looks at me and says " I don't do coke"...is that random?
How do you give a server a new apron and set them up for a payment plan on it?
Can you help me? I can't find the left handed crab crackers.
Why do you always have gay intendencies?
So, I have to fire this one server on a busy night because I caught them eating off of a guests plate. Now when I confronted them about it, it went like this. Did you just eat the ---off the plate? No, man..So I didn't just see you eat the ---of the plate? No...Then why do you still have a piece of it in your hand? Oh, that...I didn't think you would care...Well, I do and you are fired. Are you really going to fire me over this? No of course not...I just think you would be better suited for the unemployment line than serving tables... Have a nice day.
What ever happened to ---oh, they moved back home. Why did they do that? Their ex locked them up in a storage unit for 2 days so they felt they needed to get away from them for a while.
I got a job paying 75000 a year. I just bought my new BMW and getting ready to buy my new house. Oh really, then why is your suit wrinkled, you are trying to pick up more shifts, and you are still driving the beat up Nissan? Oh, I didn't want anyone to know.
What is an Amish handbag? What is a donkey punch?
You might think that some words are misspelled, but that is how they pronounced it.
There are so many more things that I have to tell you about that I will have to make another part to it later....Stay tuned for more to come...tomorrow is all about the guests....the things you want to say to them but you can't.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
part 3..managers stories
So, people have been asking about the story of the manger locking himself in the freezer, so I have decided to write one about some of the funny stories that involve managers, including the one who got locked in the freezer.
How does someone get locked in a freezer you asked? What happened was this manager was moving some things around and was stacking items in front of the doorway to the freezer. He then went into the freezer to get something out of it, when the items he was stacking fell over in front of the door. Now this wouldn't be a problem except for the fact no one knew he was in the freezer, so the items weren't a necessity to move so they laid there for a few minutes until someone went over there and moved them. When they went over there they heard someone banging on the freezer door, so they moved the boxes and opened the door to find him standing there shivering. Sad part was, he was moving things that were actually sat in the original spot to be thrown away. He was digging them out of the trash to put them back where they belonged. He was only in there for about 5-6 minutes. Yes, this is the manager whose wife buys all of his clothes, lays them out on the bed each day for him to wear, and cuts his hair.
Next story is about a manager who started to panic while trying to set the alarm. At close they went to set the alarm to lock the building when it kept showing that one contact point is not in tact. The easy way to fix this is find where the contact is and shut the door, or close the drawer or something like that. If upon checking all the points if they all seem to be fine, we have the power to just override the point until the next day,allowing the alarm to be set. (Let's not forget that the alarm panel tells you exactly what contact point is off to begin with, so finding it is pretty simple.) This manager couldn't find the point, called the alarm company where they couldn't remember the security code(written in the office Rolodex) so they couldn't get too much help. There were employees with the manager trying to calm them down with no help. The manager started to panic talking about they could not stay there all night, they had family at home, etc. They became so worked up they began to cry. Finally the manager figured out how to just bypass the contact and set the alarm and walked out the door.
I have seen great managers lose their temper in the middle of a busy night and do random dumb things. Once a manager was getting tired of employees letting trash fall out of the trash can and not picking it up, so he decided to take the trash can and dump it out on the floor in the middle of the kitchen and throw it across the floor. Constantly yelling, if you want trash on the floor, here it is.
Managers will get busy and forget the simplest things. I have witnessed a manger try to cook pasta with cold water. Forgot to get the water boiling first, and just added the pasta to it hoping it would be ready quicker.
At every restaurant anyone works at, you will find that each one deals with millions of dollars each year. If this was your way to make money, you would make sure that each dollar that comes in is accounted for and nothing is missed right? Explain to me then how a general manager that I had, who never finished high school, did all of his added and counting on his fingers. And if he counted to ten, he would stop, write 10 down, then count again on his fingers. He would then forget to count his thumbs resulting in the numbers to be wrong and he would start all over. A simple 2 minute task if he used a calculator ended up taking him 30 minutes sometimes.
I have seen managers get so overwhelmed working in restaurants that they will go lock themselves in the bathroom and cry for an hour and it didn't matter when. It could be in the middle of a Friday night and they would go cry. Not to mention that this manager also had a fear of social settings, she had panic attacks, anxiety problems and she was depressed. But, she was put in charge of a multi-million dollar restaurant. Anyone see something wrong with this?
Last thing. When you go out to eat at a restaurant, you expect the manager to be the one in charge, professional looking, well kept and groomed properly. You expect them to have the respect of the staff and to know what is going on. With these thoughts in your head, does this sound like a manager of a restaurant? Five foot tall, breath stinks so bad they cover their mouth to talk to you, and not to mention, that they stutter when they speak. Always looks nervous and has no idea what is going on. Is afraid to talk to you and is just going to give you what they can to shut you up and get you out of the seat so the next family can sit down. Next manager, teeth look like they have not been brushed in at least a month, looks as if they shop at a thrift store, and is afraid to talk to guests. A manager who looks confident, but is too busy leaning up against a wall to acknowledge that your server has forgotten about you. One manager who is too involved with the staff to discipline them in fear of them not liking them. A manager who will run from conflict and lock them self in a bathroom to avoid talking to you. A manager who will come by and talk to you, looks nice and everything but when they open their mouth, you get a bubbling idiot who never learned how to converse because they dropped out of school.
Now trust me, I am not trying to say that I am perfect and I don't have any flaws, but when my peers and coworkers are acting like this, I can't help but think, Damn I'm good.
Hope you enjoyed....more to come tomorrow...keep reading.
How does someone get locked in a freezer you asked? What happened was this manager was moving some things around and was stacking items in front of the doorway to the freezer. He then went into the freezer to get something out of it, when the items he was stacking fell over in front of the door. Now this wouldn't be a problem except for the fact no one knew he was in the freezer, so the items weren't a necessity to move so they laid there for a few minutes until someone went over there and moved them. When they went over there they heard someone banging on the freezer door, so they moved the boxes and opened the door to find him standing there shivering. Sad part was, he was moving things that were actually sat in the original spot to be thrown away. He was digging them out of the trash to put them back where they belonged. He was only in there for about 5-6 minutes. Yes, this is the manager whose wife buys all of his clothes, lays them out on the bed each day for him to wear, and cuts his hair.
Next story is about a manager who started to panic while trying to set the alarm. At close they went to set the alarm to lock the building when it kept showing that one contact point is not in tact. The easy way to fix this is find where the contact is and shut the door, or close the drawer or something like that. If upon checking all the points if they all seem to be fine, we have the power to just override the point until the next day,allowing the alarm to be set. (Let's not forget that the alarm panel tells you exactly what contact point is off to begin with, so finding it is pretty simple.) This manager couldn't find the point, called the alarm company where they couldn't remember the security code(written in the office Rolodex) so they couldn't get too much help. There were employees with the manager trying to calm them down with no help. The manager started to panic talking about they could not stay there all night, they had family at home, etc. They became so worked up they began to cry. Finally the manager figured out how to just bypass the contact and set the alarm and walked out the door.
I have seen great managers lose their temper in the middle of a busy night and do random dumb things. Once a manager was getting tired of employees letting trash fall out of the trash can and not picking it up, so he decided to take the trash can and dump it out on the floor in the middle of the kitchen and throw it across the floor. Constantly yelling, if you want trash on the floor, here it is.
Managers will get busy and forget the simplest things. I have witnessed a manger try to cook pasta with cold water. Forgot to get the water boiling first, and just added the pasta to it hoping it would be ready quicker.
At every restaurant anyone works at, you will find that each one deals with millions of dollars each year. If this was your way to make money, you would make sure that each dollar that comes in is accounted for and nothing is missed right? Explain to me then how a general manager that I had, who never finished high school, did all of his added and counting on his fingers. And if he counted to ten, he would stop, write 10 down, then count again on his fingers. He would then forget to count his thumbs resulting in the numbers to be wrong and he would start all over. A simple 2 minute task if he used a calculator ended up taking him 30 minutes sometimes.
I have seen managers get so overwhelmed working in restaurants that they will go lock themselves in the bathroom and cry for an hour and it didn't matter when. It could be in the middle of a Friday night and they would go cry. Not to mention that this manager also had a fear of social settings, she had panic attacks, anxiety problems and she was depressed. But, she was put in charge of a multi-million dollar restaurant. Anyone see something wrong with this?
Last thing. When you go out to eat at a restaurant, you expect the manager to be the one in charge, professional looking, well kept and groomed properly. You expect them to have the respect of the staff and to know what is going on. With these thoughts in your head, does this sound like a manager of a restaurant? Five foot tall, breath stinks so bad they cover their mouth to talk to you, and not to mention, that they stutter when they speak. Always looks nervous and has no idea what is going on. Is afraid to talk to you and is just going to give you what they can to shut you up and get you out of the seat so the next family can sit down. Next manager, teeth look like they have not been brushed in at least a month, looks as if they shop at a thrift store, and is afraid to talk to guests. A manager who looks confident, but is too busy leaning up against a wall to acknowledge that your server has forgotten about you. One manager who is too involved with the staff to discipline them in fear of them not liking them. A manager who will run from conflict and lock them self in a bathroom to avoid talking to you. A manager who will come by and talk to you, looks nice and everything but when they open their mouth, you get a bubbling idiot who never learned how to converse because they dropped out of school.
Now trust me, I am not trying to say that I am perfect and I don't have any flaws, but when my peers and coworkers are acting like this, I can't help but think, Damn I'm good.
Hope you enjoyed....more to come tomorrow...keep reading.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Part 2
Over the last few years of my career, I have been pleased to have hired so many great employees that have become mangers themselves or have been some of the top employees we have seen. Unfortunately, for every great person that I would interview and hire, there was at least 10 bad interviews. Here are some of the things that I have witnessed and been a part of during interviews over the last 10 years.
First step for getting a job is a great first impression. Do not come to my restaurant without a pen asking for an application. In my opinion, you just lost the job. I mean really, can you play football without a ball? No, why do you think that you can fill out an application without a pen. Next, dress appropriately. I don't care if you are 21 years old, you are blonde, blue eyed with big boobs and a fat butt. You need to be able to spell the word restaurant in order to work in one. You need to come dressed as if you are looking for a professional job, not entrance into a club. Booty shorts, miniskirts and tank tops with spaghetti straps are not a great idea for an interview unless you are looking to work for Hooters. And for the men, do not come in wearing a wife beater that you actually beat your girlfriend up in. The stretched out tank top down to your knees with holes in it, with the bedroom slippers on your feet that grandma got you for Christmas this year isn't cutting it. I mean really, this is a professional setting. We are looking at you to be our guests view point. If they want to see tits and ass, they will go to a strip club.
Second step, do not be nervous. Answer the questions we ask honestly and be precise. Don't give the simple yes or no answer. And think about the questions in regards to a business, not your personal life. The best ones are always after the question, how do you make people feel special? The best answers I have gotten, I got them a present for their birthday, I sent them a card, I took my mom shopping, or the best one, I make everyone feel special. You are applying for a restaurant position, how is this helping you. Of course you are going to buy birthday presents for people, and get cards for no reason. And the one who said I make everyone feel special...talk to your girlfriend. She thinks your a joke because she was the one in booty shorts with a tank top on trying to flirt her way into a job 15 minutes before your interview talking about she needs social interaction because she is bored sitting at home alone.
Do not hesitate to talk yourself up. We like confidence. But when we ask you what do you respect about your mangers and your response is I respected them, we think you are just an idiot.
Now this entire time we are talking to you, we are looking over your application and seeing everything. If it asks why you left your last job and two out of the three jobs you left because management issues, great chances your not getting hired. I can understand one manager having an issue with you but two separate places having issues, the issue is you. Don't lie, we are going to call those mangers and find out really why you left and they are going to say, they caused fights, something was stolen, or you just sucked. If you have had more than 2 jobs in the last year and all of them were in restaurants, you are considered a jumper. You bounce around trying to find the best money for that time and then go to the next one. This will cause us to say no, thanks for your time.
Which brings me to the discontinue. If after all the talking, reviewing, reference checks and everything we decide to hire you, congrats. If you are one of the hundreds that we don't hire. Sorry. Tips for you though. Do not argue with us about not hiring you. It is amazing what this people do. Like just because you start arguing talking about I have a master's degree in business, and i have 10 years restaurant experience, or my mom works here, or I have worked for this company before, do you really think that I am going to change my mind? Honestly, you just argued with me which once again explains why you left your other jobs because of management issues. You have the issues, not us.
So, through all this, the bottom line is this. If you are looking for a job, be professional. Would you go to a fortune 500 company in your pajamas? Why come to us then dressed that way?
Hope you enjoyed....part 3 tomorrow...more funny stories about the managers I have worked for then part 4, funny stories about employees that have worked for me, followed by the best of all, funny guest stories...you won't believe the questions I get asked.
First step for getting a job is a great first impression. Do not come to my restaurant without a pen asking for an application. In my opinion, you just lost the job. I mean really, can you play football without a ball? No, why do you think that you can fill out an application without a pen. Next, dress appropriately. I don't care if you are 21 years old, you are blonde, blue eyed with big boobs and a fat butt. You need to be able to spell the word restaurant in order to work in one. You need to come dressed as if you are looking for a professional job, not entrance into a club. Booty shorts, miniskirts and tank tops with spaghetti straps are not a great idea for an interview unless you are looking to work for Hooters. And for the men, do not come in wearing a wife beater that you actually beat your girlfriend up in. The stretched out tank top down to your knees with holes in it, with the bedroom slippers on your feet that grandma got you for Christmas this year isn't cutting it. I mean really, this is a professional setting. We are looking at you to be our guests view point. If they want to see tits and ass, they will go to a strip club.
Second step, do not be nervous. Answer the questions we ask honestly and be precise. Don't give the simple yes or no answer. And think about the questions in regards to a business, not your personal life. The best ones are always after the question, how do you make people feel special? The best answers I have gotten, I got them a present for their birthday, I sent them a card, I took my mom shopping, or the best one, I make everyone feel special. You are applying for a restaurant position, how is this helping you. Of course you are going to buy birthday presents for people, and get cards for no reason. And the one who said I make everyone feel special...talk to your girlfriend. She thinks your a joke because she was the one in booty shorts with a tank top on trying to flirt her way into a job 15 minutes before your interview talking about she needs social interaction because she is bored sitting at home alone.
Do not hesitate to talk yourself up. We like confidence. But when we ask you what do you respect about your mangers and your response is I respected them, we think you are just an idiot.
Now this entire time we are talking to you, we are looking over your application and seeing everything. If it asks why you left your last job and two out of the three jobs you left because management issues, great chances your not getting hired. I can understand one manager having an issue with you but two separate places having issues, the issue is you. Don't lie, we are going to call those mangers and find out really why you left and they are going to say, they caused fights, something was stolen, or you just sucked. If you have had more than 2 jobs in the last year and all of them were in restaurants, you are considered a jumper. You bounce around trying to find the best money for that time and then go to the next one. This will cause us to say no, thanks for your time.
Which brings me to the discontinue. If after all the talking, reviewing, reference checks and everything we decide to hire you, congrats. If you are one of the hundreds that we don't hire. Sorry. Tips for you though. Do not argue with us about not hiring you. It is amazing what this people do. Like just because you start arguing talking about I have a master's degree in business, and i have 10 years restaurant experience, or my mom works here, or I have worked for this company before, do you really think that I am going to change my mind? Honestly, you just argued with me which once again explains why you left your other jobs because of management issues. You have the issues, not us.
So, through all this, the bottom line is this. If you are looking for a job, be professional. Would you go to a fortune 500 company in your pajamas? Why come to us then dressed that way?
Hope you enjoyed....part 3 tomorrow...more funny stories about the managers I have worked for then part 4, funny stories about employees that have worked for me, followed by the best of all, funny guest stories...you won't believe the questions I get asked.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
the last few years part 1 of 5
So I figured that I should at least put down what has happened in the last decade of being a manager and than I can start with the new day to day stuff soon. I don't even know where to begin. So let's start at the beginning.
I started my management career under a general manager that had no business being a general manager. He never even finished high school. He was taught how to run a restaurant through his parents restaurant that they ran. Unfortunately, a corporate restaurant is ran differently than a privately owned restaurant. The man couldn't even make complete thoughts or sentences. One thing i did learn from him though, restaurants come second to family. It took me a decade and 5 restaurant companies to see what he meant, but now i do.
Under this manger though, I began to learn the power that we have over crew and the general public. The things that I could get new employees to do for amusement for others was great. We once told a server that their end of the night work was to empty out all the hot water out of the tea machine before they left. For those who have never witnessed a restaurant tea maker, the water line is run directly into the machine so that it always has water to brew. After the server filled up around 30 pitchers of water and kept asking how much it holds we finally broke down and told him the truth. Greatly, he was a good sport about it and laughed it off with us. Another time we grabbed a server and told them to go to the restaurant next to us to get some "cooking water" since we ran out and to hurry up. What's the difference you might ask? Nothing. Cooking water is water, that's the funny part. Ten minutes later he comes around the corner carrying a baby pool filled with water on a hand truck to the back door, where it wouldn't fit through the door. So he began to empty the pool out pitcher by pitcher. Really?!! I never knew that people were so gullible until I started to work here. I saw people blow in a plastic bag, tie it off and give it to someone to run next door telling them that they needed to borrow some fajita steam, and the employee runs out the door to bring it to them and then comes back asking for more. I've seen people go outside to change the flag for the day and came back in wondering where it was. We just kept telling them that it is in front of the restaurant and if we need to keep telling them where it is we will find someone else to do it who is capable. They would then go out there for 30 minutes trying to find it and never wanting to come in without the flag. Ive seen people go and buy a flag just so they didn't look stupid.
Some people might think this is mean, but it is just a little hazing of new employees. Consider a restaurant like a fraternity. Once you are a part of it, you are apart of something great. You will make friends that you will carry with you for life. I have also seen servers get job offers for fortune 500 companies due to the great job they did serving the boss or human resources manager.
For those who want to know more about pranks you can pull in a restaurant, you can ask the server if they have left handed crab crackers instead of right handed.
Hope you enjoyed it...part 2 is tomorrow
I started my management career under a general manager that had no business being a general manager. He never even finished high school. He was taught how to run a restaurant through his parents restaurant that they ran. Unfortunately, a corporate restaurant is ran differently than a privately owned restaurant. The man couldn't even make complete thoughts or sentences. One thing i did learn from him though, restaurants come second to family. It took me a decade and 5 restaurant companies to see what he meant, but now i do.
Under this manger though, I began to learn the power that we have over crew and the general public. The things that I could get new employees to do for amusement for others was great. We once told a server that their end of the night work was to empty out all the hot water out of the tea machine before they left. For those who have never witnessed a restaurant tea maker, the water line is run directly into the machine so that it always has water to brew. After the server filled up around 30 pitchers of water and kept asking how much it holds we finally broke down and told him the truth. Greatly, he was a good sport about it and laughed it off with us. Another time we grabbed a server and told them to go to the restaurant next to us to get some "cooking water" since we ran out and to hurry up. What's the difference you might ask? Nothing. Cooking water is water, that's the funny part. Ten minutes later he comes around the corner carrying a baby pool filled with water on a hand truck to the back door, where it wouldn't fit through the door. So he began to empty the pool out pitcher by pitcher. Really?!! I never knew that people were so gullible until I started to work here. I saw people blow in a plastic bag, tie it off and give it to someone to run next door telling them that they needed to borrow some fajita steam, and the employee runs out the door to bring it to them and then comes back asking for more. I've seen people go outside to change the flag for the day and came back in wondering where it was. We just kept telling them that it is in front of the restaurant and if we need to keep telling them where it is we will find someone else to do it who is capable. They would then go out there for 30 minutes trying to find it and never wanting to come in without the flag. Ive seen people go and buy a flag just so they didn't look stupid.
Some people might think this is mean, but it is just a little hazing of new employees. Consider a restaurant like a fraternity. Once you are a part of it, you are apart of something great. You will make friends that you will carry with you for life. I have also seen servers get job offers for fortune 500 companies due to the great job they did serving the boss or human resources manager.
For those who want to know more about pranks you can pull in a restaurant, you can ask the server if they have left handed crab crackers instead of right handed.
Hope you enjoyed it...part 2 is tomorrow
Saturday, April 11, 2009
coworkers
Why is it that most of the good managers out there always get treated badly but the ones that aren't any good always make it ahead of everyone? Ill tell you why, they can kiss ass better than most and they will jump when someone asks them to. Unfortunately, that's not me. I'm the one who always ask why I need to do something one way when it is better to do it another way, or I am always correcting my supervisors on the things they do wrong then want to argue with me about it. How is that right. I'm held to the same standards that you are held to but you can get away with stupid stuff.
I have seen and worked with a manager that obviously had no idea what he was doing. My supervisor told me this guy was sharp. What a joke. This guy looked like Franky Avalon and his wife dressed him everyday, or at least laid his clothes out for him. He was nothing better than a high paid buss boy. Any day you could find him sweeping the floor or cleaning off tables instead of actually managing the business. It got so bad the he was given his very own hokie( floor sweeper) with his name on it. This is also the same guy that locked himself in the freezer one night when pulling product out for the next day. Really!!!
As most of you might think, he eventually quit and went to another concept where I hear he does not like it.
Now I have a different manager that no shoes, no shirt, no service includes the staff as well. This manager looks as if they fell out of the trailer park face first, forgot to brush their teeth and grabbed someones clothes from their clothes line and came in to work. Sorry, this is an actual job not the line for a monster truck rally.
These two people are only a glimpse of what I actually work with, but what can I say. It makes the day go by and gives me something to think about. My life could be worse, just look around.
I have seen and worked with a manager that obviously had no idea what he was doing. My supervisor told me this guy was sharp. What a joke. This guy looked like Franky Avalon and his wife dressed him everyday, or at least laid his clothes out for him. He was nothing better than a high paid buss boy. Any day you could find him sweeping the floor or cleaning off tables instead of actually managing the business. It got so bad the he was given his very own hokie( floor sweeper) with his name on it. This is also the same guy that locked himself in the freezer one night when pulling product out for the next day. Really!!!
As most of you might think, he eventually quit and went to another concept where I hear he does not like it.
Now I have a different manager that no shoes, no shirt, no service includes the staff as well. This manager looks as if they fell out of the trailer park face first, forgot to brush their teeth and grabbed someones clothes from their clothes line and came in to work. Sorry, this is an actual job not the line for a monster truck rally.
These two people are only a glimpse of what I actually work with, but what can I say. It makes the day go by and gives me something to think about. My life could be worse, just look around.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
So it begins
So, I was getting tired of sitting around telling stories of working in restaurants to fellow employees, friends, family, and other restaurant employees. I was talking it over with my wife, and we were thinking of possibly trying to write a book about all the day to day things that happen in a restaurant, but face it, i can't read an entire book, why would I write one. This brings me to this. I have decided to do a blog so I can get out all my frustrations, funny stories or just things that people might want to know about a restaurant. I want to tell people that have not worked in a restaurant in their lifetime what we go through daily and to speak up for the ones who work daily but can't say anything in fears of repercussions.
We have all seen the movie Waiting... or at least know someone who has. Well I am here to tell you that it is the closest thing to life of a restaurant person that I have seen portrayed on tv. Still, not all of it is true. Really, the 5 second rule of food on the floor? The health department would shut restaurants down for that. Do employees have certain games that they play? Of course they do, maybe not showing each others privates but definately the hazing of new hires. Are restaurant managers clueless and incapable of being intelligent? Unfortuneatly, in every restaurant I have worked in there has always been one idiot. I guess we need it to make the other ones look better. Kind of like survival of the fittest. Which brings me to the first topic. Managers who shouldn't be a manager coming tomorrow.
We have all seen the movie Waiting... or at least know someone who has. Well I am here to tell you that it is the closest thing to life of a restaurant person that I have seen portrayed on tv. Still, not all of it is true. Really, the 5 second rule of food on the floor? The health department would shut restaurants down for that. Do employees have certain games that they play? Of course they do, maybe not showing each others privates but definately the hazing of new hires. Are restaurant managers clueless and incapable of being intelligent? Unfortuneatly, in every restaurant I have worked in there has always been one idiot. I guess we need it to make the other ones look better. Kind of like survival of the fittest. Which brings me to the first topic. Managers who shouldn't be a manager coming tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)