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teleburst
Senior Member
Username: teleburst
Post Number: 1125
Registered: 06-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 18, 2006 - 09:40 am: | 
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Yesterday, I got triple-seated on top of two other tables at lunch. One of them was a guy I've waited on in several restaurants (he's a record company label president who's known for tipping around 15% but doesn't even bother to get it right...if it's 14.5, oh well).
As it turned out, he came in at the perfect time, because I was able to put him on the back burner and it probably saved my ass. Now, I'm not saying that he got bad service. He's usually doing business anyway and he only orders salads (he usually modifies them, but I was ready for that). The other people at his table only ordered salads as well.
Knowing how he tipped really took the pressure off of me, and for that I'm grateful Yeah, they had to wait a little longer for their food, but it all worked out in the end... |
vozveratu
Advanced Member
Username: vozveratu
Post Number: 824
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 18, 2006 - 11:21 am: |
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Seems to be the way I work, as well. Back burner is not bad for most customers and some don't like the attention if they were up front, but some customers want 'Only Burner' service and when they tip low or don't tip at all, it's nice to remember those people so they can get the back burner service in the future. |
hacinta
Senior Member
Username: hacinta
Post Number: 1284
Registered: 01-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 18, 2006 - 02:17 pm: |
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Its human nature guys. I would have done exactly the same thing. Even though on the other tables you were taking your chances 50/50. But with the record man you knew what you were getting. Even if you gave him stellar service with a shoe shine 15ish percent.
Formerly Jammie
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eeyore_conspiracy
Member
Username: eeyore_conspiracy
Post Number: 163
Registered: 06-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 07:28 am: |
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he's a record company label president who's known for tipping around 15% but doesn't even bother to get it right...if it's 14.5, oh well
So what is it that you're bitching about? Are you bitching about 1/2 of 1% -- holy fvck! That's 20 cents on a $40 entree! -- or are you bitching about his tendency to tip 15%? |
teleburst
Senior Member
Username: teleburst
Post Number: 1129
Registered: 06-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 08:35 am: |
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"he's a record company label president who's known for tipping around 15% but doesn't even bother to get it right...if it's 14.5, oh well
So what is it that you're bitching about? Are you bitching about 1/2 of 1% -- holy fvck! That's 20 cents on a $40 entree! -- or are you bitching about his tendency to tip 15%"?
The latter. Although I'm sure you would bitch at your boss if he reduced your bonuses arbitrarily by 1/2 of 1%.
Here's a guy who's worth millions. He runs quite a few labels and does much of his business in restaurants. Presumably he can calculate a percentage. I've waited on most of the label heads (and label wonks) in town at one point or another and they are all appreciative of the restaurant community. I haven't known ANY of them to be routine 15% tippers regardless of service. And before you say it, I remember the first time I waited on the guy a few years back before I knew of his rep as parsimonious. I gave him great service - only 15%. Since then, I've waited on him several times and until the other day, I gave him the same great service that I gave everyone else, even knowing that he doesn't tip "appropriately". However, when the sh** hits the fan, he's going to take the back burner. And I can tell you that every experienced server in this town feels the same about him.
Don't get me wrong - he's a pleasant enough sort. And other than changing menu items around, he's pretty simple to wait on. He doesn't need a lot of bells and whistles. But guess what? Knowing that and providing the type of service that facilitates his business at the table is part of great service. Knowing how he likes his business done is part of it. And that's what allowed me to put him on the back burner. If he was a demanding, "I want my food now"-type, it STILL would have helped me because I could have shifted him into the "get this table out of here NOW" category.
Of course, he doesn't get the genuine appreciation as a guest that the other guys do. Most servers just roll their eyes and say to themselves, "Oh well, time to go through the motions because I'm not getting anything from Joe". fortunately it doesn't bother him any. I guess the money saved is worth the souless experience <shrug>.
I really miss another label head who is now retired in Hawaii. He was always really pleasant and he enjoyed the act of dining out, whether it was with his family or when he was entertaining guys like John Fogerty. He made the server feel as important as the chef or the owner. And he was usually good for 25%. You don't think that people fought over the "right" to serve him? You betcha.
(Message edited by teleburst on August 19, 2006) |
vitalryan
Junior Member
Username: vitalryan
Post Number: 84
Registered: 03-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 01:45 am: |
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I do the same with dessert only customers... they are such a waste. I want a cappuccino, I want an iced latte, and I want an herbal tea, will you bring the box so I can select, oh, and we'll split a slice of cheesecake... Ok, so I have 3 bullsh11 drinks I have to deal with and go grab your dumb cheesecake that you are splitting between your 3 fat faces, for a $13.00 check, PLEASE... you are gonna sit and wait until I feel like taking the time to go get your stuff, most likely after I'm done making sure my other 3 tables are so well stocked and so happy, that I can spare the 5-10 minutes to get your junk to your table.
And your $3 tip may be a good percentage, but it's still NOTHING. |
vozveratu
Advanced Member
Username: vozveratu
Post Number: 827
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 08:49 am: |
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Last night, had four ladies share an appetizer and an entree. Bill came out to be about 40.00.
10.00 PPA, baby! Yeah! Do I make you horny, baby? |
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