The best part about going out to dinner is the fact that you are assigned a "server." Ah yes, the person will will basically wait on you hand and foot and fulfill everything you could possibly desire all because you are eating at their restaurant. Little do most people understand, this server has many other tables filled with people that have this exact same idea that the server is theirs alone and there is nothing else that they should be doing except for focusing on them.
I am here to give you a news flash (as a server): you are not my central focus all of the time.
Yes, I am paying attention to you and when you need something, I try to be as fast as possible. Even with all of my other tables and other duties I have to complete, I will try my hardest to make sure all of my customers are satisfied. But I will admit, I am human and sometimes I forget things. I will forget that you asked for a water instead of your Coke. Another secret? Because I feel a high pressure to be the perfect sever, I will feel like I committed treason or homicide when I catch myself making these mistakes. But what makes me feel worse is if I am screamed at for making these mistakes. Trust me, running back to the kitchen to make things right or telling my boss about my mess up is already embarrassing enough without a customer yelling at me about it.
That being said, I want to reiterate this for those of you who have not worked as a server in the restaurant business before: I am your server, not your servant. No, you cannot smile at me or flirt with me to magically reduce the cost of your bill. No, just because you missed the lunch special by an hour does not mean I can override the system and give you the discount. I am not being paid $2.13 an hour to read your mind on when exactly you want to pay the bill or when I need to refill your drink. If I came around a few seconds ago to see if anyone needed anything or a drink refill, then do not call over my manager and give them your drink and say that you need a refill. If I had the kind of superpowers people expect servers to have, I would not be working as a waitress.
During my job, I have to do a lot more than just take orders and deliver food. I have to clean tables and pre-bus them as well as make sure there are enough dishes for the cooks and that there is enough silverware. I also have to roll silverware, set up the tables, sweep the floors (yes, even if they are carpet) and so much more. While I am doing all of this, I am also handling to-go orders and catering to my tables' needs. This is not a glamorous job. What you see is someone who looks like he or she just started their shift, but in reality this is probably my third double of the week, and I will not be leaving work until midnight.
As a server, I am trying my best to make sure you, as a customer, are happy and satisfied. I also want to create an atmosphere that will make you want to come back to and recommend it to your friends. I want nothing more than to make your experience amazing. But please realize that I cannot do the impossible, such as read minds or ignore every single other customer in my section to cater to your every need. So next time you are at a restaurant, try to think of the server as a person, not a robot.
