Stretching

Im not always a customer hater. I hate the system that the business runs on as well. Today was an example of how the restaurant wanted one thing and I wanted another. I had patio today, a relatively bad section that no one wants. This is due to the fact that you have to go through two doors to get out, it is the farthest possible to the kitchen, its self seating, and it is an instant fill section. What I mean by that is that when no ones out there, no one sits out there. As soon as one person sits outside, its full. Sure its only 5 tables max but getting 5 tables at once is suicide.

On top of this happening like clock work, they also decided I needed two tables inside in another section opposite of patio. Great. I beg with pot hostess to not seat any more tables to me but she did anyway. She gave me this blank stare whenever I was talking to her. Thank god its her last day.

Having that many tables caused many problems. First, I dont have time for everything and I forget things now and then. I forgot a box and to scan a nice couples credit card.They sat there with nothing on their table for about 10 min. I felt horrible. Second, service quality goes down. This raises patron unhappiness (duh) and increases goof ups where a manager has to do his job.

Its memorial day weekend so we had quite a few people and I had a party from "Rolling Thunder". You know the people that ask for sweet tea and when you dont have it, look at you like youre denying them life.

Anyway, my gripe is that management put me in this position and fully knew what would happen. Then I get yelled at when I goof up. Even our best waiters couldnt take what they shoved at me. I was tired and stretched too thin.

Moral: Managers, hosts, and waiters are all different worlds, they rarely understand the other. I know, I managed, waited tables, and hosted.