Restaurant ethics

Why wouldn't you tell a server to his or her face that the service was sub-par? Why be subtle about it? They should know their flaws, so they can improve. That way, when you do tip less, they know exactly what you mean.

 

My roommate in college was an HRTM major and he worked in the food service industry for years and his take on bad service, bad food, etc., was that you need to alway tell them when things aren't what you want. It's a service industry and if they aren't providing up to par service they will lose customers and they know that.

They know you have a choice in where you take your business and so do all customers. If you have a bad experience, chances are others will, too. Unless problems are nipped in the bud. And if you are a waitress and you can't provide good, honest service then you are in the wrong industry.

 

that part bothers me more than the glass of wine at $2 more. a friend of mine (he's not even a close friend, but a good guy and we get along well) owns a restaurant in a city i visit infrequently for work and for fun. last time i was there, he didn't want my money for lunch even though i insisted on paying because work was paying. the server received a tip the cost of lunch. and that night, he didn't charge for any beers or the shots i had. he kept telling me my money's no good at his place.

i understand restaurant owners can't do that regularly with their friends. but every now and then, a drink or appetizer on the house goes a long way in getting your return business and, in turn, you can recommend the place to others.

i was on work trip recently and stopped at a restaurant where the owner/chef has a cookbook out that my wife and i use often. it was between lunch and dinner when i walked and the place wasn't serving. but the owner/chef was sitting at the bar writing that night's menu specials. i chatted with the guy, told him much i enjoyed making dishes in his cookbook. i returned the following night, and the chef walked out of the kitchen, saw me at the bar, and hooked me up with an appetizer and dessert. i'm a bit of a food goof, so i sent the guy the cookbook and he returned it signed.

 

Or you could send a letter bomb.

 

For the same reason I don't want to take someone's damn phone survey for a chance at a gift certificate. It isn't my job to coach them up, and I sure as heck don't want to spend my lunch hour getting in an awkward confrontation with a stranger about their lack of talent in their line of work.

 

Tell your friends, they may not know what's going on. Kids suck in food service, just suck. Just try ordering a "regular" coffee at Dunkin Donuts. You get their version of regular, which is extra cream and extra sugar. "What? That's how I regularly have it!" Kids suck at food service.
Did I say that already?

 

They needed to ask you or charge less -- but if you don't complain, it won't get better.

Had an opposite moment of that once. Back in the pre-kids days of disposable income, a group us went out to a dinner and ordered a couple of bottles of a good red. When we asked for two more bottles, the waiter said that they were out. Unprompted, the manager came over to us, and apologized because he said they should have told us that they were nearly out. He then gave us two bottles of a similar (but more expensive wine) at the price of the original bottles that we ordered. That place got my repeat business.

 

Some kids or, better yet, some people suck at food service. Not all of them.

 

Mikey's right. Adult servers are not immune to incredible suckitude.