Even before working in a restaurant, I thought the English language was just plain weird. Now, after working in a restaurant for three years, I realize that the English language is really screwed up. Double and triple meanings are tied to random words and phrases when working in the food service industry and shouting numbers never seemed so complex. Ever wonder what your server means when you're out to eat? Read on.
Runner
Food runner. This one is easy. They are the people who carry those heavy trays of delicious food to your table.
Follow
Someone to follow the runner with excess dishes.
86
We say something is "86'ed" when we are out of it. It does not mean we have 86 articles of something. 86 potatoes. We are out of potatoes. We do not have 86 potatoes left. 86 chicken tenders. 86 happiness. 86 sanity.
Comp
We have to take something off of your bill probably because you didn't like it or didn't know what you ordered. Example: "I had to comp the salad off of table 4's bill because he didn't realize our blue cheese was chunky." Newsflash: we will have significantly less comps if you simply read the menu.
Double
What we work. It's two simultaneous shifts. It can be a double if I open the restaurant at 10:15 am and stay until the dinner rush is over at 9:00 pm. Hence the reason we are crabby all the time.
Cut
No, I am not injured. No, I am not bleeding. When a manager "cuts" a waiter, they are taken off of the floor. This means, I am ready to do my sidework and clean up so that I can leave soon. Funny story, I once told a boyfriend I was "cut" at work and he freaked out and asked if I needed to go to the hospital. That's not the case, bud, but good try.
Behind
Another easy one, you may think. However, so many servers don't understand that if I shout "BEHIND!" I expect you not to move an inch or else my steaming hot quart of soup will be spilled all over your (hopefully but unlikely) clean shirt. Don't. Move.
Campers
You are a server's worst nightmare. You are the people who sit in my section for hours after cashing out. I am not making money off of you so please leave.
Stiffed
This means you didn't tip us or have tipped us poorly. Please don't ever stiff your server. Just, please.
Weeds
Not the show. Not the hassle of plants taking over your garden. It means I am slammed with work and I have no time to even consider taking a breath because I have to grab six refills, four sides of ranch, a highchair, two crayons, and clean up the smushed cheerios on the ground while getting a party of ten seated.
X-Top
2-top. 6-top. This is the amount of people in your party. A party of three = 3-top.
Reggae
I need something how it is regularly prepared. Reggae garden salad, no modifications.
All Day
This refers to the amount of something ordered in a particular time period. For example, if three servers shout for two garden salads at the same time, we would correct ourselves to say, "6 all day!"
Bank
This is the money I come in with in order to make change for you. My bank is usually no more than $20 in singles, so if you come in at the time we open and expect me to readily have change for $100, think again.
Dead Food
No, no, this food isn't bad. It's either old, incorrectly prepared, or extra, as known as my dinner.
On the Fly
I probably screwed something up. When I shout this, I mean I need something ASAP from the kitchen. "I need two bowls of onion soup on the fly!"
Yes we use weird lingo customers may not understand, but I promise we're not (that) crazy.
