Everyone has a general knowledge of what working in the food industry is like. They may know from first hand or second hand experience or from a TV show or movie. Either way, most of the population knows the type of people that come and go and the issues we face. Whether or not it is at a high end restaurant or a McDonald's, we all get the same personality types.
Now, I know that there are many different articles about what it is like to be a waitress or waiter, but some people still aren't getting it! They don't know what it is like. Usually people are clipped and short. They know what they want, how they want it, and how fast they want to get it. The vast majority of the patrons I deal with on a day to day basis are somewhere in the middle between awful and perfect customers. They are polite enough and mind their own business. They order and they are on their way. That being said, there is another type of customer that I feel those of us in the food industry know all too well. They can be rude and condescending. They are a literal rain cloud that has the power to block any of the sunshine you may possess; just by how they speak to you.
They come at the worst time and even though you know that humans make mistakes, these people do not see you as human. They see you as a means to an end. They need you to supply goods, and let's face it, you need them to make ends meet. If they are not satisfied with their service, they will make it known. These people aren't inherently bad. They may just be having a bad day. We have all been there and snapped at others because of a mood they had nothing to do with.
That being said, they do make it difficult for the workers to like our jobs in the food world. And then, oh then, there are the angels sent to us from on high that are polite and kind and care about you as a person. They ask you how you are and make conversation to pass the time. They aren't rude, and if they have a problem, they will not shout in your face. No, these rare beauties will calmly explain their problem so that it is easier for us to resolve it. These customers are few and far between. But oh when they come it brings such a feeling of happiness! Im now going to just list a few simple rules that may help a few to be more like these angels!
1. First and foremost, please and thank you are crucial.
Believe it or not, many people have forgotten how nice it is to hear thank you after providing a service. I understand that it is our job and we get paid to do it, but I don't understand how it being our job justifies a lack of manners and common courtesy. It is so simple and yet so effective. It can also improve your service. If we are reluctant to come check on you because you have been unpleasant, it will affect how the rest of the night goes. And please don't be upset at your server for being timid if we feel that you snapped at us. Would you be excited or eager to try to pet the dog that bit you?
2. Tone.
The tone of your voice and its inflection can make a huge difference as well! I personally get flustered if I feel that a customer is speaking to me as if I am beneath them. As if talking to me is the biggest chore. Another thing that can happen is you come across as though you feel that we are incompetent. This can make some question if they are doing their job correctly and can affect the service negatively. It may not be intentional, but there is no way for us to know that. We cannot ask because that is entirely inappropriate.
3. If there is a problem that you would like addressed, calmly explaining it is much more effective than yelling in our faces.
It can get so much worse than yelling. I have had a woman tell me that she would never be returning, I have also had a man throw a salad back at me because it had cheese on it. I was too shocked to properly deal with the situations, so a co-worker had to come and assist me. This means that she had to leave other customers, making everyone wait longer, because I was flustered and too shocked to react. If they would have just said that their orders were wrong, I would have gladly reimbursed them or fixed their order.
4. The last thing I will mention is tipping.
Every establishment has a different set of rules for tips. Where some places may allow employees to keep all of their tips they make, others make them split it equally between all the workers in that shift. And while that can seem unfair at times, there is really no reason to be upset about it.
What we do get upset about is when a person or a group or people orders a great deal of food and doesn't tip at all. It may seem like greed, for us wanting tips so badly, but in all reality it is us struggling to pay for school, insurance, books, etc.
I had a group of people order approximately $60 worth of food as soon as we opened and they didn't tip. It is not only disappointing, but discouraging as well.
The last thing is that while Jesus is my home boy, a religious pamphlet does not replace a tip. Spreading the word of God is amazing, but unfortunately I cannot pay for food with the love of Jesus alone. We don't need any huge amount. Even one dollar is appreciated. It really is just about showing appreciation for a job well done.
These are what I feel to be the most important. All that we can really ask of you is to remember that we have bad days just like anybody else. That even though we may be upset, we need to smile and do our best to make your experience a great one.
It can be simplified into the golden rule. Treat others how you would be like to be treated. Try to pay attention to how you speak to your server next time, and if you think that it is good enough, then that is great! If you read this and start second guessing yourself, then you know what to look out for.
If there is any way that we, servers, could also improve, then please feel free to comment! This is about making people understand and there are two sides to every situation. But let's remember, there is a difference between being rude and constructive critisism. How to see you make a difference in someone's day!
