Here's the first of our weekly questions for folks to blog and discuss...
Scenario: The bar is packed, and the waitress is trying as hard as she can, but the service is bad because she has too many customers to keep up with. They need more staff, but that is the manager's job... right? How much if any do you penalize the waitress at tip time?
Based on the following story from our weekly newsletter from John@EBeerSnob.Com:
Whiskey Problems
M and I let ourselves get a little too hungry before heading to downtown Little Rock yesterday for lunch. We were all excited about seeing our little Hoggies play some hoops, and wanted to celebrate with food and beer. We chose to try out the new restaurant in the River Market, Big Whiskey’s. I’d received a lukewarm rating from one of the readers (see review next week), saying that the beer selection was above average, but that no one knew anything about beer. With a name like Whiskey’s, you’d expect a different specialty, but this is a beer newsletter so a gig is in order.
They were busy when we arrived, but not completely sold out. We picked a table that had not been cleared, electing for the location in front of the television. Fairly quickly the initial debris was cleared, but it was several minutes before our server arrived to complete the job. She was obviously harried. She wiped the table with a wet towel, and then set our rolled up silverware on the still wet table. She took our drink orders and was long gone. We wiped the table dry with the cocktail napkins.
After several more minutes we borrowed a menu from an adjoining table and were quite impressed at what we saw. It was creative and different. There were several things to try from appetizers to main dishes. After several more minutes the table next to us gave us the other extra menu, so hey, M and I now had our own menus, thanks to the fine service from the couple seated there. The problem was the service from our server, never spoke with her again. After thirty minutes we still did not have a beer and had not ordered any food.
Even more irritating was that there was a photographer hired to photograph the place roaming about. Every time a waiter would literally come flying out of the back, he’d stop them and photograph the food. We’d had enough, we walked out.
If they don’t solve some very basic problems, the pictures of the food, and the wonderful descriptions of the same in the menu won’t make any difference. This restaurant will soon become another of a long list of failures of this location. The place already suffers from terrible parking; they can’t afford to vex any customers.
We quickly scurried down to the reliable Flying Saucer and within fifteen minutes had both food and beer. Katherine was our waitress and though we were quite high maintenance, handled us with grace, a great spirit and efficiency. She did not recognize me or know of the newsletter as best I could tell, so this apparently is just her normal great everyday self. The Flying Saucer trains their staff well, and supports them.
They were busy when we arrived, but not completely sold out. We picked a table that had not been cleared, electing for the location in front of the television. Fairly quickly the initial debris was cleared, but it was several minutes before our server arrived to complete the job. She was obviously harried. She wiped the table with a wet towel, and then set our rolled up silverware on the still wet table. She took our drink orders and was long gone. We wiped the table dry with the cocktail napkins.
After several more minutes we borrowed a menu from an adjoining table and were quite impressed at what we saw. It was creative and different. There were several things to try from appetizers to main dishes. After several more minutes the table next to us gave us the other extra menu, so hey, M and I now had our own menus, thanks to the fine service from the couple seated there. The problem was the service from our server, never spoke with her again. After thirty minutes we still did not have a beer and had not ordered any food.
Even more irritating was that there was a photographer hired to photograph the place roaming about. Every time a waiter would literally come flying out of the back, he’d stop them and photograph the food. We’d had enough, we walked out.
If they don’t solve some very basic problems, the pictures of the food, and the wonderful descriptions of the same in the menu won’t make any difference. This restaurant will soon become another of a long list of failures of this location. The place already suffers from terrible parking; they can’t afford to vex any customers.
We quickly scurried down to the reliable Flying Saucer and within fifteen minutes had both food and beer. Katherine was our waitress and though we were quite high maintenance, handled us with grace, a great spirit and efficiency. She did not recognize me or know of the newsletter as best I could tell, so this apparently is just her normal great everyday self. The Flying Saucer trains their staff well, and supports them.
5 comments:
No penalty for the server, she's doing the best she can under difficult circumstances.
But if I get bad service... why tip? How else can I send a signal that I'm not happy?
Talk to the manager. If you can't get to him/her before you leave, call the next day during a slow time and ask to speak to the manager.
I will not leave a "normal" tip for bad service. If a server can't handle his/her workload, it's THEIR JOB, not mine, to say "hey, I need some help here" to their manager. I am coming in, choosing to spend my time and cash at a particular business. It is the job of everyone on staff to ensure that my experience is good enough to warrant more of my time and money. If a manager, co-waiter, busboy is not interested enough in supporting a co-worker ensure that their business is successful (i.e. I have a good time), then that is not a place that should stay in business.
I know that sounds harsh, but with all the choices I have, even in LR, of good places to eat and drink, I'm not paying for bad service and I'm not making return trips where I've had it.
Harsh Sister EY
Can't leave a regular tip because if the staff is happy, nothing will change. I will always speak to a manager about crappy service and bad food. I am in sales and want my customers to tell me when something is not right.
Mike
www.bigfoamyhead.com
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