I'm coming home...

Hey Readers!

It's definitely been a while since I posted anything. Life has been quite the roller-coaster,  but the kind I think I like...

For those who have never read my blog...Welcome! I'll make this a nightly treat!

So0o... tonight I come home from a closing shift at work.

My dishwasher needs to be emptied. My laundry is still in the washer...and luckily my cat (mind you is still in dis-array cuz her two feline friends moved out is f-ing crazy) is somewhat calm.

I take my nightly liquids (if you know me you know what that entails) and begin the cleaning process.

As most of you who work with me know, I consider myself what is hard to find...say it... A WORKING MANAGER!

When I come home...I'd like to relax, but when the above or my apartment isn't up to par... my O.C.D. kicks in and begin to organize and clean to what I expect my house to look like at...2am.

Do you ever come home and get annoyed that little stuff isn't cleaned up or just messy?

I'm the type who makes my bed before work, even if it makes me late (which isn't the case anymore) because if I come home...it makes me more calm. Try it!

Try coming home to my litter box smelling. Shitty kitty (Haha Noel). My dishes are still in the dishwasher... (oh wait, their mine...I think). The trash/recycling is never taken out...or in the wrong barrel... (f*ck me).

As a restaurant manager and as a working manager I bust my ass helping my team which isn't said for many floor managers or GMs. But, when I get home and spot clean when I'm suppose to breathe and "relax"...now I'm more tense.

I sometimes consider a new career in counseling  (I am an adult babysitter) or some type of organizational living, but I just don't know.

Who else gets home and does this extra cleaning?

I legit came home and...
1. Clean the litter box
2. Chang the laundry
3. Clorox wiped the kitchen
4. Took out trash
5. Emptied then dishwasher
6. Fold laundry

I need a true vacation where I have no worries.

Can I have an A-men!?

Where's your party meeting?

I sometimes wonder what is wrong with the people in today's world, When they enter a restaurant, I just keep singing "If YOU only had a brain..." Don't you..?.Servers? Few in far between there is a day...during a season...where you have a party... that you expect to be perfect... and make boat loads of money...

 I had a server the ready to take a party of 20 in the BAR AREA (some of you may want to call it a lounge). Which means there are segregated tables where guests, such as yourself, can order food and drinks (even just drinks) but ... a server will serve you.

The guests decided to not go to the table from the start, while it was ready and so was the server. Each person, ONE-BY-ONE went to the bar then to the table. Completely depriving the server of any alcoholic drinks on their check except food. Which we all know is shared or not eaten.

I'll give you another scenario. Many times in this "BAR" area guests who get drinks at the bar will take up a table. As much as this annoys the server, because it is their assigned section (not just open tables) they are okay with the fact more-so because they don't need to worry about you. "You didn't want table service or a server? You can go to the bar! So...F*ck off when you want a re-fill".

People I've experienced are 1. Pretty Cheap 2. Fake 3. Get a clue. 4. Tip your damn server!!! 5. You are awesome! 6. Thank You for understanding!

Boyoncé - 7/11

Teachers...I can love them...or... I can hate them!

This post is dedicated to OPRAH!

I learned early on in life that teachers are amazing. They are basically your moms while you are in school. These people are with you all day or for a full hour or so everyday. I mastered the teacher's pet definition when I was in school, before ONLINE-College.

Oprah re-assured me that teacher's were God's gift to earth. It reminded me that they were a select awesome group of people.

I became a server... I began serving groups of teachers at a Tavern in Nashua, NH.

I now know the following:
1. If a group of teachers are getting together, make a a note of who is getting what. They will always ask for the check to be split. They are going to claim they are the lowest paid profession. (I know a couple teachers making 70k or more)

2. Know what you are charging for and the pricing. They will make sure they know what price the menu says or any discrepancies) and how to tip 20% or less and nothing more than 15%.

If there is a grammatical error in your menu or speech, they win the case. No, you aren't in court or dealing with a lawyer, a teacher called you out and they taught you...YOU LOSE.

Overall, just be prepared for these guests, who love and raise our "Children of the future" to certainly be ready for a good time but to also be as critical of the service they get as they are about every book report or math test that comes across their desks. Today's lesson....be PREPARED!

"Waiting"

This is the majority of servers in America feel today. I can't quite go into detail about it anymore, because this wonderful person #ThadraSheridan nails it.

Server Dreams!

The other day I was telling one of my favorite bartenders how I had a weird dream...

"I had trouble sleeping, but when I did the dream right before, I thought I was late for work... I dreamed... That I was on a vacation on a tropical island (I always have wanted to travel to Figi) where people with me had specific orders and I thought because of my bar and server knowledge I would get their drinks and figure out how I would teach/tell their server how to ring it in later."

Unfortunately, it appears that in dreams your subconscious is your worst enemy. As I was trying to make drinks, I couldn't find drinks. One specific item was peach schnapps, which I think came from watching American Horror Story. Where Elsa offered a gentleman some schnapps in her tent. Who knows!?

The amount of time it took for me to configure the drinks and thinking about how they didn't have their drinks boggled my dream brain. I had failed... I thought to myself. Has anyone had these dreams? As a server or bartender? PLEASE SHARE! I want to know!

This has been a continuous pattern this week. I think maybe I could just be a little stressed or worried about the managing style I have.

Again..share your story!

Fifty Shades of Grey! -Beyonce #2

You're Welcome!

Fifty Shades Of Grey -Beyonce #1

Fifty Shades of Grey "The Movie" was announced earlier this year with a trailer featuring a re-make of Beyonce's "Crazy in love".

If this wasn't enough to get our #B-paws wet...

The newest trailer was aired tonight on ABC during a commercial break of "SCANDAL".Beyonce was featured again, but with her song "Haunted" from her surprise album "Beyonce". Olivia Pope is definitely handling this situation in America!


Beyonce #1




Beyonce #2

See next blog...

Coming Soon! Hating on Haters!

There will be a weekly segment on this blog with awful reviews from Google, Yelp & anywhere else I can find them. I want to just point out how horrible and mean people are to restaurants. Needless to say most of them have never worked in a restaurant or know what good service might be. 

What ever happened to giving good reviews? There is probably about less than 25% good reviews out there. 

It’s Closing Time...

It’s Closing Time

This has not happened to me in a while...BUT it does happen. (Read link above NOW!). I feel for the servers and I feel bad for managers who really have to endure the servers who ACTUALLY have to respond to the person who decides to stay at 9:58pm when a restaurant is set to close at 10pm. The guests tend to stay usually about an extra hour. Oh! and when the restaurant is corporate/chain/private group...etc... you must serve them with a smile. Your job may be on the line.

You will get a corporate person calling you first thing in the morning if you don't serve that guest...OR an Immediate e-mail to contact that horrible customer and apologize to them for being a douche.

Checking for Testicular Cancer! NSFW!

This is interesting... and might be the new trending thing for groups of guys to do. To help each other, of course!

Lego-style apartment transforms into infinite spaces

This is something I could live in... I want to try to do something like this to my room. Minus the kitchen and shower. Should be able to afford that...With the help of IKEA?!

Splitting Hairs!

Splitting Hairs... from your head to the food you eat at any restaurant.

I personally think hair found in your food isn't as gross as finding fruit flies in your liquor drink or just God Awful food!

Most of the time hair found in guests' food is there own. "How do you figure"?, you say...

Let's break it down... 1. Most kitchen staff are men who have really short or shaven heads. 2. Most restaurants require they wear a hat. 3. The servers are required to have their hair off their shoulders. (Although, I tend to catch a few touching their hair, which really pisses me off, and I immediately rush them to the restroom).

The funny thing is... most people find long women's hair wrapped around a chicken wing or at the bottom of their salad... How exactly does that happen? Unless someone in the plant who manufactures the raw meats or greens dropped hair out of their hairnets.

I just don't understand the logic... Is it that they don't want to pay for a full meal? Do they get off on writing bad Yelp reviews? Or just want to make the restaurant seem dirty? Either way, it's a growing issue. I keep looking at the hair and walk by the table and even though the guests swear it's not their hair (they must be color blind) it's an exact match.

As I sit at any restaurant or bar and watch other guests I see women are always playing with their hair even over their food. They are the ones who ALWAYS send back their food...from my experience...

Dare to Draw!

The photo attached is a quick sketch that my buddy Chris Murray quickly drew off a terrible facebook photo of mine.

Be sure to check out his blog and of course his talented art.

Lunch Tippers!

I have not served in about a year, but do manage and see that whether you are a on lunch or visit a restaurant during "lunch time", guests think that it's ok to TIP less.

Let me explain what happens in most restaurants during lunch time...

Most restaurants do their best, because management knows you have 30 minutes to an hour until you have to get back to work.

You are getting the same quality of service, while servers and especially cooks are supposed to be busting their ass to make sure you eat and get out in time.

I must say, there are times a ticket is missed or something may take longer (well done burger). Most of the time if this happens you get a comped meal.

Back to the subject, I don't understand why it's ok for guests to tip their server less than 20% just because it's lunch. Just my observation and opinion. 

On that same note, many restaurants have specials for lunch. For Example; 1/2 price burgers or just reduced prices on something on a certain day of the week. Many servers will put the original receipt in the check presenter to show the guests "what their bill should have been". Many guests tend to just tip on the discounted amount. 

I'd like the opinion of guests on what they think when they go out to eat and how they base what they are going to tip. 

Host/Server rants...

This afternoon as I was checking my Facebook, I came across a beautiful piece of work... It was a paragraph of what any server or host (those who actually have a brain) would think to themselves on any given day... but all summed up into one. 


My good friend Alycia shared the following with her friends: 
"I hate it when guests walk through a lobby full of people on a Friday night and says "you're not on a wait, right?". I hate it when guests don't read the menu. I hate it when I'm behind the host stand and guest ask me if they just seat themselves. I hate it when guests think they're being funny. I hate it that guests only want to talk to me when I'm running seven other tables. I hate it when parents let their kids make huge messes all over the table. I hate olives. I especially hate it when a guest walks in and refers to their child as "a half". I hate it when a guest complains to me about how their drink is not strong enough. I hate it when I ask a party if they're ready to order, they say yes and then keep on discussing what they want. I hate it that that always happens when I'm also running seven other tables. I hate it when I approach a table and they ignore me. I hate it even more when they call me back as I'm walking away. I hate it when a table tries to talk me when I'm clearly helping another table. It's a good thing that I actually like my jobs though."
Bravo! Love, Bravo! You made my day!

Source: Alycia Vasquez
Image: Dumb & Dumber. All Rights Reserved.

Nice people do exist...and get it!

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Iowa couple behind a goodwill gesture that went viral said they did it to serve as an inspiration for others.

Makenzie Schultz and her husband, Steve, were celebrating their six-year wedding anniversary over the weekend at a sushi restaurant in Cedar Rapids.

But the service “sucked.”

Instead of taking to social media to complain, Makenzie posted a picture of the tip they left.  The image took the internet by storm gaining over a million likes and 147,000 shares.

Despite waiting for 20 minutes to get water, 40 minutes for an appetizer and over an hour for their entrée, the couple gave a $100 tip on a $66.65 bill.

“People all around us were making fun of the restaurant and how bad the service was,” the Facebook post explained.

That would usually mean pitiful tips for the server. However, the couple from Cedar Rapids blamed their hour-long wait for food on staffing.

“That’s when I told my husband, ‘He’s working so hard and you can tell he’s so stressed out but he’s not letting on to us.’ When he came to the table he was very sweet and nice,” Makenzie toldWHO-TV/Channel 13. “That is why it touched me. We have been in his shoes.”

Source: WHNT

Dumb Questions!

No one says it better than The Bitchy Waiter,
In "The 20 worst questions to ask your server".

There he shares the most common questions any current Front of House staff, but specifically servers endure on a daily basis.

One of my favorite is...
6. "What's taking my well-done burger so long, did they have to go kill the cow?"

Stupid questions like these drive me crazy. Especially because as stated by the bitchy waiter as servers hearing stupid lines a million times.

One thing that really drives me crazy is similar to number 12...

12. "Can I get a little extra liquor in my drink?"

...Can I get less ice in my drink?
The answer... sure but it doesn't mean you are getting more liquor! If anything you are getting more soda or juice.

Think before you ask. As most Front of House staff say, everyone should work in a restaurant once in their life.

Be sure to check out The Bitchy Waiter!

Nguyean Vietnamese

I was recommended to try this little place in Swampscott, Massachusetts. It was presented when you walked in as "fine dining". The chairs and table sets were perfect. The server was super sweet as well. I was rather hungry, so I ordered a salad, couple pieces of sushi and some Sirloin Steak Pho. It was absolutely amazing! Our server Veronica gave awesome service, including some recommendations and seemed so knowledgeable about the menu. It was so good I woke up wanting to eat more. The good thing is I took home the leftover broth.

It was weird because as a restaurant manager all I do is preach guest service. So, when I go out to eat all I do is judge and look for imperfections. I was going to do this at this restaurant, but the second the food arrived and I realized I was in good hands, I had a great time out; without judgement and just happy as can be with my party. I will definitely go back.

Self Seaters

Ever have those guests who have never worked in a restaurant, who seat themselves?

Have you ever had those guests that walk up past the host stand and ask you if they should just seat themselves?

Question to them...When was the last time you went to a restaurant?

Essentially, every restaurant in 2014 now has a host stand and preaches guest service. This is to again essentially try to give you a "Disney World" experience. This is because of horrible websites like Yelp.

So, back to self seaters...

I had these ladies walk back up to the host stand and ask me if I'm the manager. They then go on to tell me that they sat down at a table where they did not have a server approach their table. The server got a drink order at the table next to them and brought that table drinks. Yet, hadnt gotten to them. "This is what you would call bad service", they said.

I apologized and asked them if they would stay and i'd take care of them (nothing free, of course) by giving them a better experience. They denied the offer.

I asked the 3 hosts to tell me where any of them could have been seated... not one specifically sat them. I had a couple servers that were too busy to notice and no clue what server wasn't watching their section.

So, out of 3 hosts and servers who had that section do not know where these women sat. Everyone did remember 2 african American women passing them or in the restaurant stopping to talk to me.

I guess a quick solve to all of this would be if people when they enter a restaurant find the host stand and kindly wait to be seated. Don't be stupid.