By Riley Nowlan (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: June 19, 2013
I believe it should be necessary for everyone to work in a restaurant at least once. If everyone continues to go out to eat, they should at least experience the other side of the situation.
As you may have guessed, I work in a restaurant. My job has given me insight to a world I had rarely considered when I was entering restaurants through the front door. I never thought much about the person serving me, or the people in the kitchen making my food exactly according to my very particular specifications, until I became one of those people.
I started as a hostess and became quickly aware that not everyone is as easy-going as I may have hoped. We were taught to seat customers evenly between each server’s section in order to guarantee the most efficient service. I could always understand wanting to be comfortable for your meal, but something I never could quite comprehend is why people would get so upset when I was unable to read their minds and bring them to the table they most desired. My reasoning was that the food will taste the same no matter where you sit, but multiple customers have made me question this theory.
I am now a full-fledged server. I can make Bellinis and Caesars, answer all your menu and nutrition questions and carry up to three plates at once (impressive, I know). I really do feel horrible when someone doesn’t enjoy their meal and I truly want to make customers happy, but sometimes it’s out of my control or it isn’t my fault. Sometimes my attention is captured by a large table or someone in the kitchen made a mistake. I will do everything to right the wrongs done against you, but it isn’t always easy, especially when I can feel hostility radiating from someone. Now don’t get me wrong, not everyone acts this way, in fact some customers are insanely nice and one of my favourite parts is making them happy. But somehow it always seems easier to recall the people who yell at you than the ones who smile.
It’s easier to serve people who work or have worked in a restaurant. They understand lengthy wait times, the unfortunate running out of menu items, or the mistake on a meal. So next time you go out and something doesn’t go your way please take a second to consider that perhaps your server is working a double shift, or the kitchen is short-staffed, or there is a table of 20 sitting across the room. Please take at least one moment to consider these things, and then feel free to request your food be fixed or discounted afterwards. I am sure I’m not the only one who wants to see the customer go home happy.
