Posted by TommyBoy23 So let's take a look at good service....your server is friendly, does the job, doesn't screw anything up, is polite, and seems to care if you're enjoying your meal. That's the base we'll work from. Let's work down to bad service...your server screws up, doesn't care about your dining experience, doesn't ask if you're enjoying your food, probably screws up at least one drink, and is nowhere to be found. That's the extreme...we're all human, so sometimes you'll be getting good service, minus the smile because the servers in a bad mood. Hey, people screw up...maybe the only thing wrong was that you asked for your martini on the rocks and your waiter brings it straight up...it's a mistake, it happens, not a big deal. Now let's take a look at excellent service. The excellent waiter has all the basics of the good waiter...he's polite, and friendly and cares about how you're enjoying the meal. The excellent waiter reads his tables. He can tell if his customers want to be left alone to talk or if they want to be entertained. He offers to answer questions you might have without you having to ask. He pays attention to small details...for example, you take the stirring straw out of your cocktail and put it aside...your server picks it up so it doesn't sit there on the table...same thing for empty sugar packets from coffee or iced tea or whatever. One detail I always notice is the breadbasket on the table. If it's empty, I offer more more bread. If the custom declines more bread, I remove the damn thing! If I notice that my carb-conscious ladies haven't touched the bread, I ask them if they'd like me to remove it (dude, how can you not eat bread, though?! I love it). If you're going to tell your waiter, "The service was excellent. We're going to tell the manager how wonderful you were," then leave an excellent tip. You got that Table 93, from a few Sundays ago?!!? Bastards. I think some people at my job might have started reading this board. If so, props to the "excellent" servers...Kevin, Andrej, Tom, Ashley, Caroline, and Christina (Patrick rocks, but he should try doing sidework maybe just one time, ya know...for sh*ts and giggles). ~Tommy
on 9/14/2002, 7:44 pm
In my last post I was about to address what makes service good or bad. I was reading someone's post (I forgot whose, I am sorry) about understanding when a place is busy and a server has a lot going on...very nice. When I dine out, if my drinks take 10 minutes to arrive, whatever, it usually doesn't bother me. If the drinks are taking 10 minutes because my waiter is standing around talking to his co-workers about who he's gonna be banging after work, that pisses me off. If the drinks are taking long because my waiter got caught up at an 8-top or because the bar is slammed, it doesn't bother me in the least. True, certain servers are far better able to multi-task and juggle multiple tables, while some just get slammed and look all frazzled. I used to freakout very easily...the past maybe, two months...I've been way calmer. I don't really get in the weeds anymore...when I start to, I take a breath and just calm down. I don't rush too much. Let's say you're a little busy...now you rush...whoops, you dropped a tray of drinks. Now you're in some really tall weeds. It's so much better to stay calm, ask someone to help you out. Ask a server who's not busy to maybe take a dessert order. It'll take him 30 seconds to do and can really save your ass. Babbling again...
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