www.youtube.com/watch?v=batVj-IY3Bk

Marta Daniels ( http://www.howrc.com ) discusses campers, and the fact that they are holding a table hostage, and therefore they should tip the server more than they originally would.

I’ve been at my current restaurant for almost four years, so I’ve collected quite the crew of regulars.  I could probably write a book about all of them, but instead I’m going to share my Top Ten Most Notable with you.

1)The Family: During my first few months at the restaurant, a nice young couple came and sat in my section.  They were overflowing with excitement, and just had to share it with the waitress (me).  They were recently married, and she was even  more recently pregnant.  There is a hospital not too far from my restaurant, and they’d just come from the first ultrasound that they could really see a baby.  They excitedly showed me the picture, and I talked my manager into free dessert for them to celebrate, and it was really awesome.  They started coming in regularly, sharing ultrasound pictures with me, and when the baby was born they brought her in, telling her, “This is our waitress! She saw you before you were born!” Since then they’ve had another child, whom I saw prior to her birth too, so its almost as though I’m a part of the family! They tip me phenomenally too.

2. The Church Lady: Okay, she’s nothing like the Saturday Night Live character, for those of you who remember the Dana Carvey days.  She’s a one-top, every now and then she comes in with another person.  She is impeccably dressed and stylishly coiffed, and always comes in the afternoon, on a lunch break.  The first couple times I waited on her, she seemed stuck up. Very simple order, not fussy, good solid tipper, just a certain air of arrogance.  Then my husband and I attended the How Sweet The Sound gospel competition two years ago, because our church was competing.  We went to the concession stand to get something to drink, and I spotted the lady.  I debated whether to approach her, the arrogant air and all, but ultimately I went up to her.  She recognized me immediately, and we discussed the fact that our churches were competing, and I introduced her to Tyson, and that was it! From then on, she became a two to three time a week regular.  She always asks for me, only comes in when I’m working, and tips me phenomenally.

3. The Healthy Guy and His Girlfriend: This guy is a regular I share with one other server.  There were three of us that he preferred altogether, and one girl left the restaurant.  So he asks for me and one other server, and luckily we have relatively different schedules.  This guy is great.  He gets the same thing every time. Grilled fish, steamed veggies, and bottled water.  He’s very low maintenance, and he always tips $15-$20 on about a $40 bill (to us.  From what I understand, if neither of us are there he tips about half that to any other server, which is still quite good!).  I believe he prefers us because he thinks we’re cute, efficient, and friendly without being irritating.  He’s never hit on either one of us, which is great.  He generally comes in by himself, but occasionally he comes in with his girlfriend, who is extremely pretty.  She is a bit of a health nut too, but her choices are a bit more decadent.  She generally gets a cheese quesadilla and a side salad with ranch, and bottled water.  They are just the coolest, nicest people ever, and such an attractive couple! If Healthy Guy comes in and me and the other server happen to both be working, we make a discreet, yet mad dash to the front.  First one there gets to take him, thats the rules.  Good times, good times!!

Tune in for the rest of this exciting list!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhZ3xKeuSFo

Marta Daniels ( http://www.howrc.com/ ) explains why it is futile and ridiculous to wait until your server brings your bill to tell them the food was bad. You’re either a scammer, or ignorant, or both, and either way you need to get it together!!

In This Corner:

Red Lobster Server http://rlserver.blogspot.com/

1) How/why did you become a server, and how long have you been in the biz?
I became a server because it was a lot better money that the other food industry jobs I had been working. It was all about the Benjamin’s. I have served for almost 10 years, bar tended 3 years, and cooked 3.5 years, ran the whole kitchen 2 years, plus other odds and ends. other than hosting or farming, I’ve done all there is to do in the food industry.

2) What is the average tip percentage that you receive? What is your best advice for servers who would like to average your tip percentage?
My average tip percentage is 18%. I have a lot of regulars who tip me well. That is definitely above our store average. Assuming you are competent as a server and not vomit inducing ugly, to increase your tip percentage you must increase your bottom line. You must always be selling. Even when you have to make the customer think it was their idea. In nicer restaurants you have to be a bit more subtle, but you need to know every service point where you can add to the bottom line. I assure you I never miss an opportunity to up sell. While my tips as a percentage may or may not be higher than average on a given night, I can almost guarentee my guest average sales over time is higher than almost every other server where I work (the numbers are posted from time to time). I’d much rather make 15% of $5000 sales a week than 15% of $4200 a week. And you can influence by at least that much in a given week. Now multiply that over 50 weeks a year. And now by 10 years. It starts to add up quickly. I’m not pushy about it, I just suggest and remind guests of options. If they say no I move on immediately because that can reduce your tip if you don’t.

3) What are the best and worst things about serving and why?
Best thing about serving is cash in hand and no work to take home with you. Worst part is unreliable income and the disposable employee culture that is fostered in most restaurants.

4) What is the most important insight into the human psyche that you have gained waiting tables?
There are reasons stereotypes exist. There is trash in every population group.

5) What is the best advice you can give RCs (Restaurant Customers) on how they can be a better restaurant customer?
Turn off and put down your cell phone. Your Bluetooth makes you look like a tool, not someone important. The homeless guy down the street has one too, I’m not impressed. Show up sober. If you come in drunk, stoned, cranked up or cracked out you will be a sucky table. If you want to be a better customer teach your children how to behave before taking them out in public. If they can’t behave at your dinner table at home they aren’t ready for McDonald’s. If they can’t handle McDonald’s they aren’t ready for sit down dining. And leave your SUV sized stroller in your vehicle or at home. You don’t need the capacity for 72 diapers, 6 gallons of breast milk and a months worth of onesies for a 45 minute meal in my restaurant.

Lol! Those answers were hilarious- and highly informative.  You can tell this guy is a true veteran.

And In This Corner:

Bitter Waiter http://bitterwaiter.typepad.com/

A brief, one paragraph bio:
Having moved to Los Angeles to become an actor, after graduating from a prestigious school of journalism, I found myself with few options to support myself as I pursued my dream. Thus I reluctantly chose the part-time path of waiting tables, a land where people’s ignorance is palpable, stereotypes are alive and kicking, and where dreams go to die. My blog is the unabashed embodiment of my bitterness. No one is safe.

1) How/why did you become a server, and how long have you been in the biz?

I’d worked in restaurants part-time during college, but never with this much consistency, so off and on for 10 years.

2) What is the average tip percentage that you receive? What is your best advice for servers who would like to average your tip percentage?
Truthfully, despite the dark and hateful overtones of my blog, I’m actually a good server. 85% of the customers are fine and friendly, and they usually tip at least 20%. I’m insulted if I receive anything less.

3) What are the best and worst things about serving and why?

I have so much flexibility to pursue other interests. Unlike everyone else, my weekend is Monday and Tuesday, so I have the city to myself in the afternoons. The worst things are customers who clearly have no grasp of how difficult the service industry can be. Ignorance is the most annoying characteristic of any diner, and it’s manifested in everything from the tip to some of the inane questions I’ve been asked.

4) What is the most important insight into the human psyche that you have gained waiting tables?

Sense of entitlement can be a toxic mindset that is almost irreversible.

5) What is the best advice you can give RCs (Restaurant Customers) on how they can be a better restaurant customer?

Be patient. There’s a difference between a bad server and a busy server. You’re not the only person in your server’s section, and he/she is just trying to make a living like the rest of us.

Simple, yet these answers say it all.  Love that photo, lol!

So there you have it!! Vote for the answers you like best in the comments.  Remember, this is all in fun, obviously both sets of answers were great.  And check out these awesome server blogs!!   God Bless!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkb58NUWzZw

Marta Daniels ( http://www.howrc.com/ ) explains that asking for no ice in your alcoholic beverages does not entitle you to more alcohol, and asking for light pasta in chicken alfredo doesn’t entitle you to more chicken!

I have been in the hospitality industry for over ten years now. I started out washing dishes at a seedy little Thai restaurant in Adelaide, Australia – swiftly moving on to washing dishes at a big chain hotel. After a short six month stint studying hospitality management I graduated from dishes to waiting tables and haven’t looked back since!

I was lucky enough to secure a great full time waiter position at a ’boutique hotel to the stars’ in Byron Bay, where I learnt about my love for fine dining and hard partying! After all it is the party and backpacker capital of Australia and very hard not to get caught up in the backpacker life! This job led to many opportunities within the industry and I managed to use it to work my way up the rungs to restaurant and bar management – thankfully as a manager in Australia we don’t have to sacrifice tips!

I met some great mates in Byron and on the East Coast of Oz. Two of whom now help me run our Aussie waiter website – http://www.waitersfriend.com.au/ I also met my wife in Byron Bay who happened to be one of those Swedish backpackers and we have since moved to Sweden where she is working in a Michelin star restaurant and I am working on starting my own Aussie wine import business – busy times, especially with a new baby daughter and a new language to learn!

Cheers!

Shaun Cooper

What’s super awesome about this is that I featured Shaun’s friend Lee in the first installment of You Got Served!  The fact that Shaun is the 250th fan is an awesome coincidence! Life is crazy cool that way.  We’re looking to feature the 500th, 1000th (and so on)  fan, so please join our site on Facebook, and tell your friends and family!! God bless!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkpsgGpL9cE

Marta Daniels ( http://www.HowRC.com/ ) explains why you should NEVER tip a rude server!

How many times have you gone to a restaurant and been disappointed in the food, atmosphere, and or service, yet continued to return? Please take a moment to take the reader poll below. Check out my post “If Our Restaurant ALWAYS Lets You Down, Don’t Come Back! (For All of Our Sakes)” for more insight into a server’s perspective on this topic. Thanks for your participation! God bless!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=62snIIqjHxQ

Marta Daniels ( http://www.HowRC.com/ ) discusses rameikins, salt shakers and hot sauce bottles, and the fact that they are NOT included in the price of your meal, and the restaurant does NOT assume you take them home with you!

1) How to be a Better Restaurant Customer: http://www.howrc.com/
This blog has it all.  Its humorous, educational, inspiring, and interactive. Its got photos and videos, a chat room and guest posts, the works! And the author is a really cute, groovy chick.  This blog is clearly destined to release a book, Lord willing.

3) How Not To Do Things http://vandervecken.blogspot.com/ Vandervecken is relatively new to the server blogging scene, but his writing style is hilarious, and his posts are spot on! One of my favorite posts (mind you, they’re all excellent, this one really tickled me!) is called “Ask The Food Knowitall: Your Waiter’s Name is ‘Rumplestiltskin’ “ . I advise you to check it out, along with the rest of his awesome blog!

4) So You Want To Be A Waiter http://teleburst.wordpress.com/ This one is funny and informative, an excellent educational source for someone just breaking into the server biz, or someone who wants tips on how to up their game. He has an entertaining blogroll and an impressive amount of hits for someone who’s been server blogging for less than a year! I featured him in the second You Got Served post, and I think the people like what they saw/read.  I know I did!

5) Servernotslave http://servernotslave.wordpress.com/ This blog has hilarious anecdotes that entertain RCs, while simultaneously informing them about what’s not ok from a servers perspective.  This one has been around for almost two years, and received a hefty boost in readership when it was featured in a Reader’s Digest article.   The author has a large Facebook Fan base and quite a few Twitter followers.  Definitely a good read!

So that’s my current Top Five favorites.  I follow and enjoy several more on a regular basis that I couldn’t include, mostly due to profanity in the title and/or content of the blog, something I strive not to promote or endorse.  Hope y’all check out all of these awesome blogs! God bless.