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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,155
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,155 |
What infuriates me are servers who repeatedly breeze past my table en route to other tables, after I've been sitting there for ten minutes, w/o even bothering to make eye contact. It's as though I'm completely invisible. I realize that I may not be sitting in their "station," but for God's sake acknowledge my existence and assure me that my server will attend to me sometime this century. It's simple courtesy. It "infuriates" you? I understand bad service is disapointing but no need to get your nose all out of joint that easily...and actually - no it isn't just common courtesy. The person that is breezing past you to other tables is tending to the customers in his/her section and likely hasn't even noticed how long you might have been sitting there unattended. They are hopefully providing their customers with prompt attentive, service. If you have a problem with the wait you're experiencing, find the host/hostess and say something. Most of the time the host/hostess can do something about it. Move you to another section, make sure the waitperson knows you're there. It takes an entire team at a restaurant to provide good service. It's not always the fault of the wait staff if there is delay or problem. In a good operation, everything runs smooth, but even in those there are hiccups. It's not my responsibility to help the restaurant learn to run smoothly. If I wait more than ten minutes or so, depending on how busy it is, I'm leaving. I'll tell the hostess on the way out- they can correct it for their other patrons if they want. Like I said, I find places I like, and frequent them. I don't like poor service.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,278
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,278 |
What infuriates me are servers who repeatedly breeze past my table en route to other tables, after I've been sitting there for ten minutes, w/o even bothering to make eye contact. It's as though I'm completely invisible. I realize that I may not be sitting in their "station," but for God's sake acknowledge my existence and assure me that my server will attend to me sometime this century. It's simple courtesy. It "infuriates" you? I understand bad service is disapointing but no need to get your nose all out of joint that easily...and actually - no it isn't just common courtesy. The person that is breezing past you to other tables is tending to the customers in his/her section and likely hasn't even noticed how long you might have been sitting there unattended. They are hopefully providing their customers with prompt attentive, service. If you have a problem with the wait you're experiencing, find the host/hostess and say something. Most of the time the host/hostess can do something about it. Move you to another section, make sure the waitperson knows you're there. It takes an entire team at a restaurant to provide good service. It's not always the fault of the wait staff if there is delay or problem. In a good operation, everything runs smooth, but even in those there are hiccups. HooBoy! I guess my nose gets out of joint easily too. This is a simple concept. You give a gratuity for good service. I do not have a single problem with that. The problem is, it is no longer a tip when it is included on the bill. My tip is up to me - NOT the restaurant. Heck - I get good service, I often give MORE than 20%. Bad service? I would just as soon NOT give tip. I do, but I do not like it, and it is not generous.Why the heck would I reward poor service? I never said don't tip what you think is fair or that your tip went anywhere but to the waitperson....did I? Heck, don't even think I implied that.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,278
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,278 |
I don't like poor service. Neither do I. And if it happens repeatedly, we don't go back. But chit happens sometimes and it isn't always your waitperson's fault.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,377
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,377 |
Yeah I remember my FIL leaving a $1 tip on a $50 meal check about 15 years ago while the rest of us would have dropped 10%. He remembered from his early days that was a decent tip. After he left we added a fiver to avoid embarrassment.
My point is times change and a 10% tip for good service today is an embarrassment. In high school I used to park cars at a fancy restaurant and about every two weeks an older gentleman and his wife would drive up in a beautiful Rolls Royce, they had to be in their late 70�s or early 80�s. The Rolls was fun to drive with the electric shift and all and I�d always park it away from any other cars. When I went to get it for him he�d get in and very ceremoniously hand me a quarter with a sincere smile and a �thank you, young man�. That was when a buck was a decent tip and 50 cents was considered kind of stingy. But I�m sure when he was young that quarter was a very generous amount and the guy was so nice and sincere in his thank you I never begrudged him for it. Now that I look back, he was probably a salesman and made all the money to get his Rolls by making people like it when he gypped them. 
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery.
Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,182
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,182 |
What infuriates me are servers who repeatedly breeze past my table en route to other tables, after I've been sitting there for ten minutes, w/o even bothering to make eye contact. It's as though I'm completely invisible. I realize that I may not be sitting in their "station," but for God's sake acknowledge my existence and assure me that my server will attend to me sometime this century. It's simple courtesy. It "infuriates" you? I understand bad service is disapointing but no need to get your nose all out of joint that easily...and actually - no it isn't just common courtesy. The person that is breezing past you to other tables is tending to the customers in his/her section and likely hasn't even noticed how long you might have been sitting there unattended. They are hopefully providing their customers with prompt attentive, service. If you have a problem with the wait you're experiencing, find the host/hostess and say something. Most of the time the host/hostess can do something about it. Move you to another section, make sure the waitperson knows you're there. It takes an entire team at a restaurant to provide good service. It's not always the fault of the wait staff if there is delay or problem. In a good operation, everything runs smooth, but even in those there are hiccups. Yes it infuriates me. Attempting to excuse it by saying that servers are tending to other patrons is hogwash because it takes zero time or effort to make simple eye contact. As I said, it's simple courtesy, to say nothing of good business. The fact is, many servers just don't want to be bothered.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,278
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,278 |
Yes it infuriates me. Attempting to excuse it by saying that servers are tending to other patrons is hogwash because it takes zero time or effort to make simple eye contact. As I said, it's simple courtesy, to say nothing of good business. The fact is, many servers just don't want to be bothered. Well, you got your opinion, I got mine. I'm not going to get all worked up over it. I'm usually there with my wife to have a nice date night out. If it takes a couple extra minutes, I'll deal with it and enjoy her company. If the service is bad on top of that, I'll tip appropriately based on my guidelines.
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,374
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,374 |
I waited tables through college. It is damn hard work if the restaurant was busy and the one I worked in was almost always busy. In addition to refilling drinks, carrying out food and busing our own tables, we had to mop, sweep, clean surfaces, fold silverware in napkins, slice lemons, brew tea, etc. It was the rare day that I got to stand around for more than an minute or two at a time. I consider it to have been harder work than most of the landscaping and yard work I did at the same time.
We were completely dependant on tips. My paycheck would sometimes be $15-25 for two weeks after taxes were taken out on my tips. Seems like a strange way to pay people, but it is what it is and has been for many years. Comparing tipping a car salesman or mechanic to tipping a waiter/waitress is apples to oranges.
Always remember that you are unique, just like everyone else.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,024
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,024 |
I don't like poor service. Neither do I. And if it happens repeatedly, we don't go back. But chit happens sometimes and it isn't always your waitperson's fault. My son waits tables right now. We were at a sports bar last night watching the hockey game, three of us. The waitress was good, but she brought out two burgers (not three) so I had to sit there waiting for mine. My son saw the look on my face and said "if the waitress is worth a darn she's back in the kitchen right now giving the cook an earful for not having all three ready at once, happens to me about once a week." Which is exactly what she was doing.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 7,952
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 7,952 |
When I go to Hooters I always hope for slow service. The longer I wait the more $$ they make! 
Fall seven times, stand up eight.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 29,383
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 29,383 |
You seem to be the type of customer my kids (all waiters/waitress while working their way through school) used to tell me about. Yeah, I stick with fast food joints if I were you. +1
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 20,683
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 20,683 |
in my mind 15% is a given
20% if the service is good
up to 50% if the service is really excellent along with the food
if service is bad I'll drop it to 10%
we don't eat out all that often unless traveling, so the tipping part of eating out doesn't really bother me, someone else did the cooking, the dishes, etc. I just sat on my fat arse and ate, if it's good I don't mind showing some monetary appreciation for such.
I'm pretty certain when we sing our anthem and mention the land of the free, the original intent didn't mean cell phones, food stamps and birth control.
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 7,177
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 7,177 |
I don't like poor service. Neither do I. And if it happens repeatedly, we don't go back. But chit happens sometimes and it isn't always your waitperson's fault. My son waits tables right now. We were at a sports bar last night watching the hockey game, three of us. The waitress was good, but she brought out two burgers (not three) so I had to sit there waiting for mine. My son saw the look on my face and said "if the waitress is worth a darn she's back in the kitchen right now giving the cook an earful for not having all three ready at once, happens to me about once a week." Which is exactly what she was doing. Hell of a game wasn't it?!?
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,024
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,024 |
Sure was. And always nice to be in a joint of like-minded fans when the game-winner in OT is from one of your guys.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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