I took a party of 15 for lunch. Technically, I shared it with another server, but we both got pretty busy...putting most of the weight on me. 10 of the 15 show up on time, but the host isn't there yet.
Hmm. Well, they have a set Family Style menu. Should I start the first course??
If I start it, she'll arrive, see the food, and say we didn't confirm the menu with her.
So I decide to wait. Let them eat bread and start on their drinks.
Then she arrives (15 minutes late) and freaks out:
"Where is the food??"
Great. I was probably going to lose no matter what I'd done.
Needless to say, we got off on the wrong foot, and she was on top of me the rest of the time.
Still left me 18%. Thank goodness.
Glad it worked out! I hate when the group has one straggler. I usually ask if they want to wait to order, or maybe get an appetizer to help with the wait. Usually they say, "Oh, we'll wait for them." Once the wait reaches 15 minutes, everyone's grumpy and decides to order w/o the other person.
ReplyDeleteThen, five minutes after they order the straggler turns up and is pissed they're going to have to wait longer than the group for their food. Then EVERYBODY'S grumpy and it's somehow your fault even though your ass was there on time to serve them and it was the straggler's fault for not being on time to eat. Sheesh.
Glad it turned out well for you, but people can be so stupid.
The HOST was fifteen minutes late to her own dinner, and had the unmitigated gall to blame you for..what? Not following her wishes? Does your restaurant advertise telepathic servers, or something? It is HER responsibility to show up before her party arrives, and iron out any snafus ahead of time. If she can't do this, and ends up late...any disappointments of hers are her fault alone. She should sit the fuck down, and enjoy her goddamn party, even if the first course was *gasp* a few minutes late...just like her.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly why restaurants shouldn't seat incomplete parties. It makes straglers responsible for themselves, to their group, and takes the heat off the hapless server.
When I was in college I worked in a restaurant, and had situations like this left and right. You know if you would have served the food you would have been in trouble still. So, better to smile and say "I didn't want it to be cold for when you arrive," then to have to take it back because it's cold and you didn't wait for her. And hey, still an okay tip...
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