Where Have I Been...

HEY GUYS!!!!!!

I was just browsing on my Blogs and can't believe it has been since 2013 since I have posted on this blog. I was so dedicated when I first started it, but there is just so much you can rant/vent about when it comes to the restaurant/serving business.

Since my last post I have changed jobs, I mean I am still in the service industry but just in with a different company.

I have always told myself if I leave the restaurant/service industry business I wouldn't want to go back in, well I was wrong, LOL!!!! Still in the business of "Serving You" guess I just can't seem to step away from it. I mean the money is good and I really do love interacting with "some" people...yes some, all of you people aren't that bad.

(Photo Credit: Found on Google, random search. Associated with website: http://audubonpto.org/home/fundraising/restaurant-night/)

I wanna attempt starting this blog back up since I have had some new experiences at my new job. I won't make any promises since I have a personal life of course and so many other things going on in my life. So unfortunately this is not my first priority and can't be my first priority at the moment. I do want to thank those that actually take the time to come here and read what I have to rant about and those of you that can relate to these posts.

I know Instagram and Facebook have a lot of users that also post about Serving and the Life of a Server and I have been able to relate to a lot of those posts and can't help but repost. I was thinking of also doing shoutouts and giving credit to these awesome pages. Guess we will see how life goes and how often I can come back and post for you guys. I have missed blogging and seriously want to get back into it. Wish me luck!

Cell phone etiquette

Hey guys!!! Sorry that it has been so long but I haven't really had much to talk to even vent about lately that I thought would be interesting enough to you. So I apologize for being away so long but today I did have a bit of an experience that refreshed my mind of this blog of mine and gave me something to write about and also inform you guys on.

I'm going to call this a little course in cell phone etiquette :) yea that sounds about right! I don't know how many times I have approached a table, do my whole greeting splurge and realize I was completely ignored because the customer was on their cell phone the whole time. Talk about RUDE!!!!!! I find that to be so disrespectful and I don't understand how anyone would think that's ok to do. What bothers me even more is whenever the person decides to get off the phone and they act like no one has ever been over to the table to greet them.....hello!!!!! If you weren't so absorbed into whatever convo you were having, you would've heard me introduce myself and tell you I would return, but NO! Now it's my fault because you weren't paying attention to me in the first place. Sooooo sorry ( I'm sooooo NOT sorry!!!!).

I understand that sometimes you have to take a call, but at least acknowledge the server when they are talking to you. The least you can even do is make some kind of hand gesture letting them know to give you a few minutes until you get off the phone. Show a bit of common courtesy!!! I don't see that as being hard to do. You can even let the person on the phone know your at a restaurant and you will call them back in a few minutes. I mean, I didn't drag you into the restaurant, you are the one that walked in while on your phone on the first place.

I'm not saying that I have never done this myself (then again I am more of a texter) but I have the common courtesy to at least let the person at the other end (of the phone) hold on until I am done talking to my server. It's not so hard to do people. Our lives are so wrapped around technology that our common sense and common courtesy has gone out the window. I think it is about time to get it back!

Thanks for hearing me out and I hope those of you that do this horrible habit have learned a little something. Remember be nice and respectful to those who serve you and always remember to tip!

Until next time!!!!!

30 minutes or less.....I don't think so!!!

Well hello there!!!! Happy New Year to those of you that follow me or take the time to even read this blog. I haven't been posting as much as I should, and I plan on taking some more time to post my entertaining job ventures for you guys to read.

Me being the so lucky server that I am, my restaurant is located in an airport. In most restaurants you have what you call regulars, in airports you do get those occassionally but then you get (my favorites) the airport employees (yayyyyyy!!!!) yes I am being sarcastic.

I am not saying that all airport employees are annoying, high maintenance, and idiots but you do run into those kind occasionally.

Today, this topic came into my mind, thanks to us being busy at my establishment. I understand that not everyone brings in their own lunch or wants to eat fast food all the time but if you have only a 30 minute lunch break and see that a restaurant is jam packed and busy what makes you think that you will be out by the time that your 30 minute break is over?!?!? It doesn't take much common sense to see that's impossible, use your brain for once! 

Another thing is, what makes you think I am going to rush your order just because you though it was a smart idea to go to a restaurant that is busy as hell?!? On top of that, I know damn well that your tip is going to be the same it always is (shit!) even if I were to help you out....I don't think so....I am sure McDonald's will be happy to give you a good lunch and you don't have to tip them a dime!!

I would think that after receiving a 10% discount for doing absolutely nothing other than working in an airport, that it wouldn't be hard for you to leave 15%-20% tip. As I said, not all of airport employees are like this, but some of them are. You are no special than any other regular person that comes to eat in my establishment, so you can wait like everyone else. As it is said, FIRST COME FIRST SERVED!!!! I could careless how long your break time is and I am sure my fellow servers can agree!

Vouchers = FREE MEAL!!!!!!

Merry belated Christmas!!!! It sure has been a while since I made a blog post on this site, I have been putting all my time and energy on my other blog website, sorry :( But while I was at work today, something happened to give me something to discuss on my all about serving blog. You gotta love when customers give you something to write about, I know I sure do!!!!

So, today I want to discuss airport vouchers.

If you work at an airport restaurant or even food service place you know what these are, and if you don't, LUCKY YOU!!!!!

Food vouchers could be a good or bad thing, but most of the time they're no good! These vouchers are usually given to customers when the airlines have to compensate for something going wrong where the passengers flights are delayed, cancelled, or etc. They give the passenger a limit on how much they spend, and most of the time (extremely likely) the voucher doesn't include alcoholic beverages or included gratuity (Thanks airline companies!!)

The thing I don't understand is, how can someone come to a full service restaurant not have to pay for a meal or pay entirely for a meal and not tip out their server. Not only do I make aware that you don't get change back and the tip is not included but you still don't leave anything after you just ate for FREE!!!!!

I was one of those lucky servers that served on someone today that had one of these people with a voucher. Not only did he not have to pay a dime for his meal, he didn't leave me a dime for serving him either!!! What a waste of my time!  It wouldn't hurt you to leave a few bucks behind after being served and being able to eat for free. It's not my fault that the airlines messed up your flight or whatever. If you didn't want to tip or didn't have the money to, there were plenty of other fast food joints you could have used that voucher at!

I am just saying it is common courtesy, I understand its Christmas and all but I have bills to pay too!!!! So next time you get a free meal and decide to eat at a full service restaurant, it doesn't hurt to leave a few bucks, like I said you just ate for free!!! No expense to you, so shouldn't be hard to tip out, if not, a Big Mac sure sounds good!!!

Cash or Credit?!?

Someone has been MIA for a long while!!!! LOL!!! Hello World and sorry that I have been hiding from you. Can't say I have been too busy at work because business has had its ups and downs, but with the holidays coming up I am not surprised.

It's been a little tough also finding a new topic to discuss on my blog, but thank goodness I have my fellow coworkers to help me with ideas and topics to discuss and enlighten everyone with. 

Today's topic has to do with bill payment. 

When going out to eat we have the option to pay with cash or credit when it comes to paying the bill. When it comes to these two options man do I have some experiences as a server.

1. Paying with cash: Very simple and easy! I do have an instance where people don't realize or don't count correctly, or in some instances don't understand our currency (oh joy!!!) I am not trying to be mean or hurt anyone's feelings but, COME ON!!!!! Before leaving your table take the time that there is enough cash to at least pay the bill and tip your server. Its called respect, we take care of you the least you can do is take care of us. Thanks!!!!

2. Paying with Credit: An extremely easy option of paying your bill. You don't even have to do a thing other than sign a credit card slip and leave it! I want to emphasize the two words, LEAVE IT!!!! You don't understand how many times myself or a coworker of mine as had to go chasing after people because they take the signed receipt and leave an empty one. Not only is it an inconvenience to us and our customers that we are leaving behind, I don't want to get a daily workout in the middle of my shift, thank you!!!! Also, I lose my tip since you didn't leave the copy that you left it on. Another thing, when leaving a tip on a credit card slip and not signing it, also causes us servers to lose our tip, just a little FYI!!! 

It honestly isn't that difficult to write some numbers on a piece of paper, sign it, and leave it on the table.

Another FYI, just because you take the slip or don't sign any of them, you will still be billed for your meal, so don't think you are getting away with much when you do such a ridiculous thing like that.

Just because we are servers doesn't mean we don't deserve a little respect, last time I checked I am the one taking care of you and literally serving you, leaving a good tip isn't going to hurt you, let alone if you make me run after you for it.

Just a little food for thought!

Until next time....xoxoxo!!!!

Camping...Outdoors or Indoors???

Happy Sunday to all my followers out there!!!! I know it has been a good while since I have posted one of my grand adventures in restaurant land, but October has definitely been a pretty busy month for me. But I am back with a new topic that does happen often in my establishment, and they are called Campers!!!!

When you think of campers you think of the outdoors, pinning up a tent, and enjoying some toasty marshmallows by the campfire. How I wish that was the camping I was talking about. Working at a airport has it upsides and its downsides and this is a huge downside. Most of the time you have people that I have a long wait til their flight leaves and like to "hang out" or what us servers call it "camp out" and man do I hate it! Yes I said hate!!!

Campers or people that are camping out usually have just got off cruise ships or have been dropped way too early before their flight leaves. These people think it is ok to sit at a table for hours even after completing their meals. I had a few campers a few days ago while at work and man was it annoying. I don't mind if they sit their and tip correctly for me missing so many tables while they lounge, but when you under tip that's when I get angry.

I had two major campers in my section, one was a family of 4 while the other was a couple maybe in their 20's. I don't mind that people camp out because I totally understand you have a long wait, but at least compensate for the tables that you made me miss out on because your ass wouldn't move!!!

The family of four was nice enough to at least tip me 20% of their check but the couple didn't even have the courtesy to do that, not even 15%. You have the audacity to sit in my section for hours and be a pain in the butt ,none the less, they had me running circles for them and one of my other employees, and that's how you thank me?!? GET OUT OF HERE!!!!! That is not the way you say thank you to someone that has been running around for you for the last 3-4hrs and you barely ordered a damn thing to begin with!!!! Show a little respect, if you can't do that, there are plenty of food court areas in the airport that you guys can go to and hang out. Even better you can run around by your damn self down there and not have to worry about tipping anyone!!! Maybe that option is the best for you next time you are stuck at the airport all day. Just a little FYI for you cruise ship departers or for you that are dropped off way to early before your flight. Think before you waste a table at a restaurant. We are limited to a certain amount of tables and with you sitting there all day, we are losing money, so take some consideration and hang out at the main terminal for the remainder of your time so we can make income to live our lives.

Thank you for your gratuity!

Man, has it been a while since I have posted or more like ranted about something at work. But once again something has come across my attention to discuss about in my blog. Today I want to take about included gratuity on checks, me personally even if I wasn't a server, see nothing wrong when this is added on big parties or even on any check, regardless how many guests there are.

Recently, my workplace has reinstated included 18% gratuity on parties of 6 or more. I am not gonna lie I wanted to celebrate when I heard this great news!!! It sucks working so hard and running around like crazy for big parties and sometimes getting less than 10% on their extremely high bill. That is not ok and for those that do do that deserve to have the tip included.

Some people get mad when they see it on there, but why get mad when that is one less thing that you have to worry about. One less thing you have to decide and have to add up, its easier and less of a burden. Well, that is how I see it! I have been out with a group of friends and when they add the gratuity I don't get mad, I sign my check, if they were great, I even add more to the tip. 

I am not one to b*tch, but us servers work hard for our money, and if you don't know we don't make minimum wage on our paychecks. FYI, as of today, servers get paid $4.65/hr. That is not enough to pay any bills if you don't tip correctly. So leaving nothing means I make nothing. Every two weeks I am lucky to make $100 on my paycheck, EVERY TWO WEEKS!!!!! For those of you that can't do that math that is $50/week. You can't pay anything with that, actually I would be living on the street with that kind of money! 

So including gratuity on big parties does help a bit for me, and I couldn't be happier to have it back. It would be nice to have it included on every check, like some big companies do, especially in Florida. That's the thing about living and working here, this is a tourist location, many people travel here on vacation from other countries and don't understand our tipping procedures, so why not help them out??? Instead of us getting mad because they don't do their research prior to visiting another country and don't know the correct tipping procedures, I believe we should just include it so we can avoid that problem, and avoid us not making the money we need to make. That is just my opinion, so please don't shoot me, everyone is entitled to one.

Another thing I would like to discuss is people that dispute the fact of double tipping. Double tipping is when a check has gratuity already added to it and the customer adds more tip on top. I am no ones mother, if you don't take the time to look thru your bill and see that the tip was already added, why is that my fault??? Some restaurants menus state that tip will be included and the bill/check itself shows that the tip is included. I am not responsible to have to tell you that it is on there. If you ask me, I will answer you truthfully and tell you it is, but I will not bring it up to you. Before we added the gratuity to big parties, we were not allowed to tell you that gratuity was not included but if you asked me I would say it wasn't. It was also printed on the bill/check that it wasn't. So if you were to read it and see it you would know, but I was not allowed to point it out to you, so why is it any different now that it is on there??? So check your bill when it arrives and if you're in a rush you can't get mad that you double tipped, that's on you! Just saying!

Lets be generous and show respect when it comes to tipping your servers. Some don't deserve much because some servers are lazy and suck!!!! But for those that are hardworking especially running around because you are so needy, leave a good tip (18%+).