WaitStaff News and Bovine Scatology...
by Gary Stern of atlanticbreezes.com
A waitress from a Connecticut eatery recently wrote a “My Turn” column in Newsweek about the abusive treatment she received from customers. “Eating in a restaurant is an opportunity to take your frustrations out on a waiter,” she wrote. She said that male diners harassed her and most patrons showed her as much respect as passersby do winos.
Outspoken dining guide publisher Tim Zagat contends respect must begin with the waiters. “Our society from every standpoint does not take waiters seriously,” he says. “As a result, they are treated abruptly.” Communication between managers and staff must improve, according to Leo Meier, a Dallas-based restaurant consultant. “It takes constant communication,” he says. Frequent meetings, timely training and eliciting staff feedback can all lead to improved service.
Gary Penn, who runs the Los Angeles-based Professional Waiting School and Video Services, says there is a gap between restaurant managers and waiters. While waiters crave respect, managers complain that waiters don’t care, that they’re focused on their careers as musicians or actors, and that they change jobs with little justification or notice.
Randye London, who has been waiting tables for 15 years in restaurants such as the Greenery, Agora’s and Rathbone’s, enjoys her job. But she sees a lack of respect demonstrated by patrons and restaurant managers. “If I’m making a mistake, let me know,” she says, “but don’t talk down to me.” She believes that if waiters were treated as professionals, communication would improve. Managers can train staff to handle difficult patrons by doing role-plays about abusive clients. “When waiters are treated with respect and caring, it’s good for everyone’s business,” Penn says. Sfuzzi, a national Italian mid-scale chain headquartered in Dallas, recognizes the importance of waiters to the success of their restaurants. Two years ago, they introduced a training program, Uncompromising Customer Service. Waiters are trained in the technical aspects of the job, as well as how to deal with problems like serving the wrong food and errors on the check. Robert Colombo, c.e.o. and president of Sfuzzi, says the goal is to earn repeat customers and increase the bottom line.
Susie Southgate-Fox, vice president of human resources at Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, says managers need to “learn to see things from the waiter’s perspective.” Their managers spend two weeks working as waiters during their 12-week training. Restaurant management must lead the way by providing staff with basic health benefits and decent wages. In the food-retail field, Starbucks Coffee provides medical benefits to part-time employees (the majority of its staff). The program has reduced turnover significantly and raised productivity. K.C. Castro, a waitress at Shula’s Steak House in Miami Lakes, Fla., for 14 years, feels respected at her job. She occasionally encounters patrons who can be loud and obnoxious, but she doesn’t take their treatment personally. She focuses on providing timely service and making sure that guests leave satisfied with their dining experience. She says she earns a good living at Shula’s and she is covered by a health plan and profit sharing. The Waiters Association, founded earlier this year by Vivienne Wildes and Gerard Foley, is a Washington, D.C.-based group that promotes networking among waiters, managers and restaurateurs. “We’re presently offering a short-term medical policy with rates based on age, number of dependents and zip code,” explains Foley. The association would like to eventually offer a long-term medical policy.
A Waitstaff Bill of Rights
- Waiters will be properly trained.
- Waiters deserve to be supported by management when they are right.
- A waiter will never be humiliated in front of customers.
- Waiters will have their duties and responsibilities, and their company’s rules and regulations, explained to them.
- Waiters will be trained to handle all guests, particularly difficult ones.
- Waiters will be instructed on all products and services in the restaurant.
- When something goes wrong, management will never assign blame before knowing the facts.
- Waiters will treat customers the way they would want to be treated.
- Chefs and cooks will treat waiters with courtesy.
- Waiters will be respected as human beings at all times, even under pressure.
Related Information
March 5th, 2009 | 
my employer wants us to claim all cash tips in their computer to determine section size,is this legal,is this their business? i work as a server. THEY WILL SEE THE AMOUNT.THEY MONITOR.
Tracy, I don’t understand why they would need to know your cash tips and I don’t see what that would have to do with section size unless they are trying to weed out weak servers. I don’t believe there are any laws on the books to prevent this. It may depend on the state that you’re in.
I don’t think it is a good policy, but unfortunately it is their restaurant. I don’t really see how they are going to accurately track the tips anyway, servers can just make up whatever amount they want to tell them couldn’t they?
If a patron leaves without paying, is that the waiters responsibility?
Great question Joe!
It depends on the place of employment. In my experience most restaurants can not do anything to the server because it’s not the servers fault. More importantly though, forcing a server to pay for a walk-out would likely put the server below minimum wage for that shift and would be illegal. I do think that it could add extra scrutiny and other punishment (such as cut hours and lousier shifts) if it happens more than once to a specific server.
I work at a restuant named after a day of the week. (Can U guess?) two Saturdays ago we had the dreaded 8:45 AM meeting. I am 40 years old and have been working there since 2002. Oun new Kitchen Manager, Lets call him “Kevin” has it out for me I have no reason why.He’s about 23. At the meeting the Bar manager asked a question, i started to reply,”Kevin” ran from the offic and screamed at the top of his mouth” that’s why i fuc—- hate you,you talk too da– much. The whole staff’s jaw dropped. Iwas suppose to work that day, I told him I was not working in a “Hostile Work Environment”. So, he wrote me up and said if I go to coprorate He was going to fire me. I recognize the symptoms of not being able to contol your emotions, dark eyes, and always laughing, making himself the center of attention. I meet with my GM on MOnday the 5th, I have a gut feeling because I did not work my shift, he’s going to fire me. Any suggestions?
Hey Joe,
Sounds like a difficult situation. It also sounds like “Kevin” is digging his own grave. In my opinion, based on hearing your side of the story, you have a strong case for the GM to hear. A threat like he made about going to corporate is probably something corporate would indeed be interested in hearing about. Make sure you keep it professional and stick to the facts. I’d keep personal opinions out of it.
Good luck and keep us posted as to what happens.
o.k., i got fired from a job because some one in managment or had managment password charged a meal on a credit card that was on my checkout slip. now after i explained that there could be no way i could of charged a meal on credit card without the cooks,( who is family), knowing or the other waiter, ( who has been there for twenty years), i walked out with aceptance, and the next week, they with held my paycheck. now can they do that. please let me know what i can do. its not much of a paycheck, but its the princable of the whole situation.
Hi James,
Sorry to hear about your situation. As always I need to preface my comments with the fact that we cant offer legal advice.
I don’t really understand what grounds they have for holding your pay, unless they feel that you have stolen from them, and they are keeping it as reimbursement.
If there is no way you could have charged food without a manager password, how do they explain it? What exactly are they accusing you of?
Also, it sounds like you agreed to be let go, could you explain this a bit more?
so recently we have had issues with rolling silverware lately. Our GM has had it and everyone now has to roll even more. With all the side work and additional silver that has to be buffed and rolled-it’s usually 2-2 1/2 hours after we have been cut from the floor before we get out there.No tables just lots of cleaning and rolling. For $4 an hour! Is this legal? I live in Az which is apparently a right to work state.
Thanks
Kat