Waiting around

I am a server. A waiter if you prefer. I have been in the restaurant business off and on for over forty years. I have worked in fast food, casual dining, upscale casual, family, fine and banquet. I work at it, because I enjoy it for the most part. Like any job, there are good days and bad. I have given up many so called lucrative careers to remain in the hospitality/service industry. Some think of me as foolish, while others understand the importance of me being me.
Outright, I am going to please 90% of my guests. I call them “my guests” because I treat them as I would any guest in my home. That is my basic philosophy. Another 8% may become displeased with some aspect of the experience, but I will make every effort to satisfy them and put a smile on their face before they leave. The remaining 2% is a different story. You wouldn’t make their visit enjoyable no matter how hard you try. In fact they’re are, what we call, professional “moochers” who know how to work the system for free meals and other comps by calling into question the service or quality of food. They soon wear out their welcome at one restaurant and move on to another.

I’ll admit that you are not going to receive quality service on every visit. Restaurant management is a tough road to travel and sometimes personnel are hired for a body count rather than experience. A gum smacking teenager or even an older individual who has a blotchy work history just might ruin your lunch or dinner. They don't know the menu or the wine list. They don't even know the day of the week much less the soup offered. But there are other factors which can wreak havoc even if you have the most sophisticated experienced server at your disposal.

It is difficult for me to relate to a theory that each table in a restaurant will be assigned one server. It just doesn’t hold to any great economic sense. In any restaurant that I have ever worked a server will be assigned to a section with three to four tables and depending upon the time of day that assignment could reach anywhere from six to thirty-two. A good server will know how to manage the flow and work the tables accordingly. However, while attempting to manage the flow, the server often finds one table will take it upon themselves to disrupt the flow by thinking that they are the only ones in the house. What if your server is given a table of eight or ten guests in addition to all the other guests? Before the complete order is taken, everyone needs refills of water? Quality of service will suffer, but not for the lack of effort by your server. Yes, you go to restaurant for service, but remember there are others in the house also. Sit back, relax and let the server guide you.

Remember that after the server takes your order, it’s the kitchens responsibility to prepare the order. Your server has no control over the kitchen when it crashes. Don’t blame it on the server, let management bear the double barreled brunt of your shotgun. It’s their job to ensure the efficient operation of the establishment.

Ever consider what happens when the host/hostess decides to seat three or four tables at one time in one section? Of course not.

These are just a few issues. Please don’t feel that I am trying to absolve all of our sins, for surely we in the industry make mistakes. But please don’t feel that you can hold me in some form of contempt, because I don’t hold a prestigious job by your standards. I breathe the same air you do. My regular guests enjoy the service I provide. Then again, my regulars are just common ordinary folk who aren’t concerned about my lineage.
Anyone in the industry have something to add?