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Apr. 27, 2006 When I am not busy spewing my liberal propaganda, I like to wait tables at a local restaurant for a full-time job. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am a server (not a waiter). This profession is timeless and honorable in every sense of the word. But, unfortunately, it is one in which no one has really any respect for. At least that how it seems. Sure, you throw me a decent 20 percent tip from time to time but I know I am better than the way you treat me. Here are some examples of how a server is mistreated and some advice on how to correct the problem. One, do not get angry at a server in a busy restaurant for not being at your beckon call. You did not bother to cook that night and chose not to eat at a fast food joint. It is not their fault that you have become accustomed to on demand everything. Just remember: This is their place of work and they are doing their best to make sure you throw them a bone at the end of the meal. Trust me, we appreciate paying our bills with your gratuity. Two, do not assume that a server is there to be either your entertainment or your punchline. We do not appreciate becoming part of a joke to amuse our client. And, for the most part, your client does not appreciate seeing a bully picking on a helpless person because we have to be nice. Servers, host, managers and cooks are doing our best to make your experience good so you come back. Keep your comments to yourselves and realize this a professional relationship. Three, stop being so damn demanding. My favorite example is the person who constantly, CONSTANTLY, needs attention for every little detail. If you need something, speak up right away because, pal, you are not my only table. In fact, most servers are dealing with upwards of 28 guests at once and your needs slow down the ability of the server to balance a load of work. And, the more we run, the worse your service becomes because we are only humans. Number four kinda goes with number three. It is the question we least like and want to smack customers for. Here is the scenario: A server is taking care of a table with a bunch of guests when one of the guests decides to ask "so, what do you do besides this?" As if it was not bad enough that I make my income off of working in a food-filled, often messy, often hectic environment, then I need someone to ask me what I must "really" do for a living. Is it not enough to realize that you are in my workplace and I am serving you? Is it right for a customer to assume that this is like a stop over on the way to the executive washroom? I am not moonlighting as a server. I am a server because, just like the rest of Americans, I need to make money to cover my bills. I might have other interests but it is not the time nor the place to discuss my life. "People assume that I am an actor," one of my colleagues said. He wasn't. In fact, a lot of people who work in restaurants, at least the full-time employees, are just people trying to make ends meet. I have coworkers that are single parents, college graduates who cannot find work in their fields, writers, dancers, students and other things. So, the next time you are out on the town and you feel like getting impatient with a server or feel like passing on some frustration, think twice. We don't come into your workplace and taunt you, do we? And remember that we aren't trying to ruin your night so don't lose your mind if a mistake is made. More often then not we can fix it. Peace. ------------ About the author: Nicholas Olson is a long-time journalist who has been a columnist at his college newspaper and is currently a military journalist. Email: nicholasjolson@yahoo.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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