Flippingtables

Where The Hell have you been?.....

2015-01-15T23:47:00.001-05:00

Hey, where the hell have you been?!?!?!

Okay, so I fell into the (got a better, more fitting) cliche life of being too busy: pursuing happiness, got out of full service restaurants. I now work 50 hours a week in a cushy corporate management position rather than working 65 hours a week without benefits in order to pay the bills and support a family.
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Current Events

2012-10-26T01:37:00.000-04:00

With all sincerity, I love to hate and I hate to love what I do. Yeah, like most of us probably. Let’s just say my job is nothing to brag about at my upcoming twelve year high school reunion.

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Lady, You Just Mind F*ucked Me, And I Think I Like it!?!?

2011-07-28T01:16:00.001-04:00

I left a slower then typical restaurant a little while ago having received a 70% gratuity on a $97.00 check. And I'll tell you why...
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The Bastard Actually Did It!

2011-06-03T00:52:00.000-04:00

I finally realize that my feet have been aching for hours as I feel how tight my back has become from running and lifting, then prebussing and juggling an overwhelming amount of weight in pasta and chicken and seafood dishes, all which are piled high inside of heavy as sin bone white plates and tableware. The Coheed blasting in my Jeep's speakers keeps me going as I realize, as I often do, that I should probably slow down
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No Soup for You!

2011-05-24T15:46:00.000-04:00

The Restaurant tends to operate more like a Mom and Pop establishment unlike large corporate restaurant chains, who tend to have Big Brother watching over them via the upper management goombahs. We don’t have soup everyday of the year.

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T.G.I.M.!!!

2011-05-16T23:23:00.000-04:00

It's been a very long and busy week and I am ready for a "day off" whatever that might be. Paying bills, refinancing the house, getting tires on the Jeep rotated, and balancing that with quality family time???

So as my work week ends and many others have just begun, I'll leave you some recommended light reading for all of us who fake smiles and constantly fight off the urge to choke rude people until they are blue. TGIM

The Eater...

2011-05-06T00:30:00.000-04:00

During lunch service the other day I was reminded of one of the infamous characters we have seen throughout our years of business here at the restaurant. The gentleman whom jogged this particular memory was laidback and didn’t seem to be in any hurry as he unpacked his breifcase onto the table capable of seating four people comfortably. (I had to repost this because it's one of my first posts from the previous site that I feel deserves more attention. Long live The Eater!)
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VOID: Object In Food: Fuck Me!

2011-05-03T21:44:00.006-04:00

Oh, It’s that time of year again, my friends, lifers and compatriots. Bug season is quickly approaching. Those little fuckers have the power to screw your lunch or dinner service up in no time!

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The Nightmare......

2011-04-27T22:53:00.002-04:00

Moments ago I was neck-deep in the most frightening, anxiety-ridden experience of my young career as an Italian restaurant server. My anxiety passes like some kind of a blurry, speed-driven hallucination; and I take a second, a deep breath to try and revisit the episode. What just happened? Just take a few breaths. Wow, it’s bad…ughhh, it’s really bad.

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My People, Our people

2011-04-15T01:20:00.004-04:00

My Thursday morning started as usual, nice and steady as we eased into a great and boarder-line hectic lunch rush. One of my first tables was a one top woman about my age, (too) late twenties if you must know pfft. As I approach her I see a book laying face down on the table and I definitely recognize it.
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Business As Usual

2011-04-10T01:26:00.001-04:00

Why I feel the urge to type right now, I couldn't tell you. I started the day by falling out of bed at 8:00 am feeling achy from a busier than usual Thursday at the restaurant last night. "I'm up, I'm up", I tell my wife. "You're awake you're not up!", she continues, "I don't hear any movement!" <Moan> I drag my tired body down two long flights of stairs and take care of my first priority by brewing coffee with my one year old boy on my hip.
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I'd Like The Table Near The Outhouse Please

2011-04-04T01:03:00.001-04:00

It’s inevitable. Whenever my wife and I take precious time out of our collectively busy lives and put our stomachs’ trust in the hands of other restaurant people, without fail, we always fall victim to bad dining experiences. Ok, so yes I must exaggerate for the sake of the story, but I have to honestly say that 70% of the time that we eat out at a full-service restaurant something bad that’s worth sharing with my restaurant friends always seems to happen.
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Write It All Down, You Indignant Prick

2011-04-04T01:00:00.001-04:00

If you let your guard down as a server, show a hint of hesitation or vulnerability-that you aren’t in control of the dining situation-you are so easily screwed and easily taken advantage of by that certain type of people who are on the hunt for hand-outs. (Disclaimer: The vast majority of my customers/diners/regulars are awesome people and don’t give us the run-around) There are just some diners that love the little amount of control and power that comes with “ordering” [from] a “server” (around).
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TGIM!

2011-04-04T00:57:00.001-04:00

Ahhh Monday, I dislike you as much as the next stiff, but my Monday stings a little less than my corporate brethren. Your Monday is my Friday and it has been for years. Beers get chugged for fun on Monday night at my house!

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The Eater

2011-04-04T00:55:00.001-04:00

Dear Plastic Place Mat Ladies,

2011-04-04T00:53:00.001-04:00

My morning at the restaurant starts with me barreling through the back door of the restaurant five to ten minutes late usually, clocking in then starting to set up our back service station if the other lunch server hasn’t already started everything. I work six days a week and my older brother, who also happens to be one of my best friends, is the chef and one of two of the managing owners of our busy Italian restaurant that has been opened six years as of last week! So I guess you could say I have a pretty “cushy” job. Over the last six years, I have been able to nuzzle myself into a very nice and lucrative position.
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It's Consumption That Consumes Me

2011-04-04T00:46:00.001-04:00

It’s my only full day off of the week and the baby is napping peacefully upstairs while my wife is preoccupied by some crafting project for our boy’s first birthday party. And where do I find myself during that sacred window of quiet free time? Well in my kitchen, of course!

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Strung Out In Atlantic City...Valentine's Day 2011

2011-04-04T00:37:00.001-04:00

It’s Monday, the last day of my work week, and I am dragging ass. Aaaand it just so happens to also be beloved St. Valentine’s Day. Joy! But I’m feeling good because this seems to be a very appropriate time for me to start writing this blog. It has been a long week and I, among others (confirmed by “ugh, i can’t wait to go on my spring break Caribbean cruise”), am not looking forward to the dinner service ahead of me. And, yes, I am already planning when my feet hit the sand too!
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Welcome To Flippingtables

2011-04-04T00:26:00.000-04:00

Thank you for taking the time to check out my restaurant life blog. I started this blog initially on another site and like Blogger better, so I am transfering my first few entries all at once and will pick up from here. It's great to hear feed back and stories from readers too!