I Cant Go Out to Eat Anymore!

post from So You Want To Be a Banquet Manager... on 06 July 2008 06:35:00 AM. © So You Want To Be a Banquet Manager...

Did you ever wonder what it was like when you could go to a restaurant or a friends wedding without spending most of your time critiquing everything about the place or the service?

It?s gotten so bad that I need to sit facing a wall or the corner of the room just so I don?t see what?s going on.

Since I?ve been banquet manager, I just can?t enjoy myself when I go out (which isn?t too often because I work too many damm hours).

When I do go out to eat, it?s usually at a ?theme restaurant? that is supposed to provide quick service (since I?m normally so impatient). I just can?t stand it when the waitress (where are all the guy waiters?) comes to the table and gives me the same prepared speech that she has used for 10 years; ?Hi, my name is Bambi, and I?ll be your server. Can I start you off with a drink from the bar??

Start me off? What am I a race car driver or something? Do you see Mario Andretti sitting here? Change your damm opening speech once in a while!!!

Then she may ask ?Do you want to give me your orders now or do you need a few more minutes?? We?re still reading from the damm menu?s, do you think we?re ready yet? What ever happened to watching when the guests put down their menu?s to then approach the table for the orders?

What about when you have this ugly guy waiter that insists on crouching down at the side of the table to ?look you in the eye? when he talks to you? What the hell is this? If I wanted to look him in the eye I would stand up when I gave him my order. If he is trying to get more personal by doing this he?s right. Now I get a better wiff of his bad coffee breath!

Then when the food comes, don?t you hate it when the waiter, or food runner, has to say ?Who gets the Chicken Marsala?? ?You ordered the burger, right??

Who teaches them this crap? What ever happened to proper order taking? Does anybody know how to take orders by seat number anymore? We do it in Banquets, why can?t the average restaurant do it?

Also, ever hear about the 2 bite or 2 minute rule? I was taught that as a waiter (which was a very long time ago for me) you must check back with the guests to see if they are happy with their meal either within their first 2 bites or 2 minutes of dropping the plate. This never happens. I am usually finished with my meal and thinking about getting out of this place before she even realizes she was supposed to check in with me.

Then when I go to a wedding, I can?t help but look for stains on the carpet, light bulbs out on the chandelier, foot marks on the doors to the service hallway, or to watch and see how many waiters leave the salt and pepper on the table even though he?s serving coffee & cake. I look at the waiters and see if they are serving from the left and clearing from the right and if they pour beverages directly from the pitcher or bottle instead of taking your glass off the table to pour it on the side. I even find myself looking at my watch to see how long it takes them to serve between courses!

I know, I know?this is crazy but I can?t help it. My whole career is based on trying to instill in my staff the ?proper? way to serve our guests and provide to them a level of service that they don?t even know they deserve. We should ?WOW? our guests.

They shouldn?t be saying; ?Wow, at least they didn?t put the service charge on the bill?.