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A couple of weeks ago, I came across an opinion about how bad service doesn’t deserve a tip. Being a former server and a veteran in the restaurant business, I was intrigued to see what somebody had to say.
I respect the opinions of others since they are entitled to them, but I also have my opinion as well.
During a typical shift, we either have a rush or a slow period. A rush is roughly around 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and again between 5 p.m. to around 9 p.m. During these times – either lunch or dinner and the busiest times when the masses come rushing in – the seating is double and the conversations kept short since. Servers are trying to attend to about four or five tables at time, making sure you get your food and everything else on time.
If someone other than your waiter asks for your drink order, that is our hostess who has for whatever reason double seated us and is trying to accommodate until we are able to get to you since we are serving two tables at a time (in addition to our other two tables already seated).
Once we get to your table, we would love to engage in conversation, but since we are trying to get other duties done, we are not being rude by not asking how your day is.
We are simply trying to get people their food since that is why they are there. I understand a waiter sometimes forgets about small things, but kindly reminding us or waving us down is all it takes.
Most servers believe strongly in teamwork. If one of us is busy getting drinks for one table and our food has come out for another one of our tables, an available server takes our food for us so the customer can enjoy hot food.
That is the third person helping us during the rush. During the lunch hour, a majority of our customers are on break from work and need to leave, so we hand them the check early in case they need to leave, but continue to ask them if they need anything just in case.
However, I can empathize with you when a server doesn’t check on you – that is our job. We may not be able to engage in a 10-minute conversation. We may have others helping out, but we DO NEED to check on you and your food.
I’m not trying to look for excuses. We do have our share of bad servers from time to time, but not all of us are bad.
Tips are our income since we only do get paid $2.15 an hour. Not leaving a tip because we didn’t stick around to talk is just inconsiderate.
I’m not trying to make excuses; I’m trying to demonstrate that unless a customer has taken a stroll in our slip-resistant shoes he or she should try to understand how everything works.
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