In an an anonymous survey by the U.S. Food Network Magazine, Chefs confessed their own peeves and sometimes surprising practices. Having worked in restaurants for over 20 years, here's my take on the 20 secrets. Though I am not a chef (by any means), I have spent good quality time on the line.
When they eat in somebody else’s restaurants, chefs say they steer clear of chicken and pasta, because they’re usually overpriced and the least interesting things on the menus. “I won’t pay $24 for half a chicken breast,” said one chef.
I only eat chicken and fish, so there is not much of an option for me. However, I do see how chicken and pasta can be boring.
25% said they snatch up food that’s fallen on the floor and keep cooking it.
I have been really tempted to do this, especially when we are busy and I am in the weeds. However, I have never done it.
Just three chefs confessed to recycling bread in bread baskets.
I used to work in a restaurant that did this. Table bread would go into a giant basket to be used later or to be used for breadcrumbs.
Specials are experiments, not a way to get rid of ingredients, the chefs said. Only five contended they make up dishes to clean out the fridge.
I worked with a chef who used the leftover bread from previous days to make bread pudding and leftover meats as soup. He rarely experimented with new products, just recycled old food to keep his costs down.
Several said they don’t get fresh deliveries on Sunday. So, yes, the rule about not ordering fish when you get out on a Sunday might hold water.
Yeah, I never order fish on Sundays or Mondays, especially here in Denver. If I were closer to the coast, I would consider it.
60% said customers who ask for substitutions are annoying. Particularly aggravating are customers who feign an allergy to get a substitution or vegetarians who bend their own rules, saying “a little chicken stock is okay.”
I disagree here. If a guest wants something substituted then they should get it. A restaurant has the ingredients so why not do it and do it with a smile? The guest is paying good money for food and they should get it the way they want it.
15% said what’s listed as vegetarian on the menu might not be 100 per cent vegetarian. One chef claimed to see another cook toss lamb’s blood into a vegan primavera.
Tossing lamb's blood into a vegetarian dish is just mean. Some people, especially people who have not eaten meat in years, will have serious digestive issues if they eat meat. Be kind to the vegetarians and cook them the food the way they like it.
50% admitted to coming to work sick or staying at work after they’re injured. Many said they’ve cut themselves, gone for stitches and gone back to work.
For sure on this one. In the restaurant industry, if you don't work you don't get paid. I work sick and hurt all the time. Just don't sneeze or cough in the food.
Nearly 60 per cent aspire to their own cooking show.
I can barely walk and talk at the same time. How do you expect me to cook food and explain it to the camera at the same time?
95% admit they push waiters to promote certain dishes to customers.
Duh! Push the high margin items to guests- that is how a restaurant makes money.
A restaurant bottle of wine can cost 2.5 times as much as in the liquor store.
Duh! Push the high margin items to guests- that is how a restaurant makes money.
75% of chefs copy from other chefs’ menus.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Why not copy something that is good and is successful?
Chefs are picky eaters. At the top of their least-favorite foods list are oysters, eggplant, tofu, sea urchin and liver. Just 15% said they’d eat any food.
I'd have to agree here. I like the food I like and do not, much, stray from the box I have put myself in.
Their favorite fast food chain is Wendy’s.
Chik Fil A or Sonic for me.
71% of chefs will give restaurant critics gold-plated service when they recognize them, while only 63 per cent would roll out the magic for celebrities.
I agree with the restaurant critic- what they write can make or break a store. However, I wouldn't know a restaurant critic if one walked into my house right now. I have served and cooked for celebs- most are uptight, cheap and expect the world when they walk in. Usually, celebs are a pain in the ass.
More than 50% have found customers up close and intimate in the restaurant bathrooms.
Totally. I have seen, especially late night, seen a man and a woman walk into the same bathroom to get their freak on.
75% have spotted roaches in their kitchens; 85 per cent rate their kitchens 8 on a scale of one to 10 for cleanliness.
Sometimes, no matter how clean you are, bugs and critters can get in the restaurant. Do what you can to mitigate and it can be taken care of. There is food everywhere, for crying out loud, there are going to be bugs.
The best restaurant in the U.S. is French Laundry in California, the chefs agreed. They tip 20 per cent when they eat out, although 90 per cent said they’d tip less if the service was bad.
Never been to French Laundry, but will go one day. I always tip at least 20% because I worked my tail off as a server and have gotten too many poor tips. I understand what it is like to live off of tips, so I try to go above and beyond.
65% said they earn less than $75,000 a year for a 60 to 80 hour week and most work holidays.
The most I ever made working in a restaurant was $55k and that's only because I squeezed every dime from the franchisee. I threatened to quit and he had no one else to manage, much less GM. He basically had no choice. I did earn it, though- 12-14 hour days for six days a week, all closing shifts.
Their least favorite holiday to work is New Year’s Eve, followed by Valentine’s Day. Although 54% are pleased when customers become engaged in their restaurant.
NYE and Valentine's Day are amateur nights. One is amateur night for drunks and one is amateur night for lovers. Stay home with you adult beverage of choice, watch Ryan Secrest and go to bed on NYE. For V Day, cook your lover something nice at home. Go out the night before or the night after.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
2010 NFL Predictions
Every other blogger is doing it, so why not me? I love watching football, but without having basic cable, which means no ESPN, NFLN, Versus, FSN, etc. (sacrilege isn't it?) I don't know as much as a true sports man should. Nor do I get to watch as much football or highlights as I would like. Anyway, here are my predictions for Division winners, teams earning Wild Card berths, the playoffs and the SuperBowl.
NFC
South: New Orleans
North: Green Bay
West: San Francisco
East: New York Giants
Wild Card: Dallas
Wild Card: Atlanta
NFC Title Game: Dallas def. New Orleans
AFC
South: Indianapolis
North: Baltimore
West: San Diego
East: New England
Wild Card: New York Jets
Wild Card: Pittsburg
AFC Title Game: Baltimore def. San Diego
Super Bowl: Baltimore def. Dallas
NFC
South: New Orleans
North: Green Bay
West: San Francisco
East: New York Giants
Wild Card: Dallas
Wild Card: Atlanta
NFC Title Game: Dallas def. New Orleans
AFC
South: Indianapolis
North: Baltimore
West: San Diego
East: New England
Wild Card: New York Jets
Wild Card: Pittsburg
AFC Title Game: Baltimore def. San Diego
Super Bowl: Baltimore def. Dallas
Football Season is Here- What That Means for Your Restaurant
The first thing it means is more $$$$! Business will certainly pick-up now that football season is here, however, there are some unintended consequences to football season.
Guests will show up more often and stay longer.
You might be thinking, "More guests and they stay longer? That means they will be ordering more and my revenues will increase. What's wrong with that?" What's wrong with that is that they may not order more- just stay longer. Instead of ordering beer after beer after beer for the entire NFL game, they will order a beer or two and finish with water or soda. Then they will sit until the entire 3.5 hour game is done. Not only is the guest not ordering anything to increase revenue, they are taking up a table someone else may want.
The College Football and NFL DirecTicket Packages are expensive.
Costs vary depending on the size of the restaurant, but fees for the DirecTV NFL DirecTicket package can be more than $10,000. Add another $5,000 for the college football package and you are shelling out at least $15,000 to show football. Add that to any promotions, signage and increased labor and food costs and football season is getting expensive.
You have to get the football packages because your competitors are.
You really don't have a choice but to get the football package because all of the restaurants down the street are getting them. If a guest comes in looking for a certain game and you tell them you won't have it, they will walk out and go to a place that does. Plus, they won't be back for any games during the season and they will tell their friends you don't have the good games.
Promotions can be costly.
Everyone has the football packages, so what are you going to do to differentiate your business from someone else? Offer some sort of promotion! Well, that promotion is costing you money every week you run it. $.50 wings during football when wings normally cost $.68? You are losing $.18 per wing. What does that do to food cost? Are you willing to sacrifice that cash per wing? Selling $2 domestic drafts when they are normally $3? Not only are you losing $1 per draft, but how many people who would normally order the $4 micro brew are now ordering the $2 domestic?
There is always a game on and you need to know what channel it is on.
There are football games on 7 days a week. College football games run Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Pro football is on Thursday, Sunday and Monday. Even if you don't care that Little Brothers of the Sick and Poor are playing Western Community College of Northern Alaska, one of your guests might. Be prepared.
There will be fights over the TV and the sound.
You think that people will want to watch and listen to the match-up between the #4 ranked team and the #9 ranked team? Guess again, they want to watch State U take on #24 in a meaningless game. Even with 400 TVs in your restaurant, this guest wants to watch this game on this TV. My advice, stick to your guns- put a game on a certain TV, let your guests know what games will be on what TVs (make a TV map) and don't change anything until the game is over. That way, no one gets mad when you change the channel.
Certainly, with football season here, traffic increases in stores that carry the football games. If you manage the season well you can make a really nice profit heading into the doldrums of the year (February and March).
Guests will show up more often and stay longer.
You might be thinking, "More guests and they stay longer? That means they will be ordering more and my revenues will increase. What's wrong with that?" What's wrong with that is that they may not order more- just stay longer. Instead of ordering beer after beer after beer for the entire NFL game, they will order a beer or two and finish with water or soda. Then they will sit until the entire 3.5 hour game is done. Not only is the guest not ordering anything to increase revenue, they are taking up a table someone else may want.
The College Football and NFL DirecTicket Packages are expensive.
Costs vary depending on the size of the restaurant, but fees for the DirecTV NFL DirecTicket package can be more than $10,000. Add another $5,000 for the college football package and you are shelling out at least $15,000 to show football. Add that to any promotions, signage and increased labor and food costs and football season is getting expensive.
You have to get the football packages because your competitors are.
You really don't have a choice but to get the football package because all of the restaurants down the street are getting them. If a guest comes in looking for a certain game and you tell them you won't have it, they will walk out and go to a place that does. Plus, they won't be back for any games during the season and they will tell their friends you don't have the good games.
Promotions can be costly.
Everyone has the football packages, so what are you going to do to differentiate your business from someone else? Offer some sort of promotion! Well, that promotion is costing you money every week you run it. $.50 wings during football when wings normally cost $.68? You are losing $.18 per wing. What does that do to food cost? Are you willing to sacrifice that cash per wing? Selling $2 domestic drafts when they are normally $3? Not only are you losing $1 per draft, but how many people who would normally order the $4 micro brew are now ordering the $2 domestic?
There is always a game on and you need to know what channel it is on.
There are football games on 7 days a week. College football games run Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Pro football is on Thursday, Sunday and Monday. Even if you don't care that Little Brothers of the Sick and Poor are playing Western Community College of Northern Alaska, one of your guests might. Be prepared.
There will be fights over the TV and the sound.
You think that people will want to watch and listen to the match-up between the #4 ranked team and the #9 ranked team? Guess again, they want to watch State U take on #24 in a meaningless game. Even with 400 TVs in your restaurant, this guest wants to watch this game on this TV. My advice, stick to your guns- put a game on a certain TV, let your guests know what games will be on what TVs (make a TV map) and don't change anything until the game is over. That way, no one gets mad when you change the channel.
Certainly, with football season here, traffic increases in stores that carry the football games. If you manage the season well you can make a really nice profit heading into the doldrums of the year (February and March).
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
14 Shifts Per Week- From Worst to First
In most restaurants (breakfast places not included because I have never worked in one), there are 14 shifts a server can work. Most restaurants are open Monday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. 7 days X 2 shifts a day = 14 shifts. Having worked in restaurants as a server for too many years to want to remember, I have worked all shifts. Here are my rankings, from worst to first in terms of money making probability, of the 14 restaurant shifts.
14. Monday Lunch
Everyone goes back to work on Monday and everyone spent a good deal of money the previous weekend. Motivation is high on Monday, thus, people will be more motivated to make a lunch and bring it to work rather than go out. Culinary-speaking, Mondays are not a great day for food because the delivery truck came earlier that day and the staff, usually, has not been able to prep what was on the truck. Also, stay away from "Lunch Specials," especially fish, on Monday. It is all leftovers from the weekend.
13. Saturday Lunch
Families are together, there are activities going on and eating out is not a priority. Another reason Saturday lunch is not a good shift is that the shift seems to drag on forever. People eating out on Saturday do not see the food as their main priority, they see it as an afterthought. They might be at soccer, doing some shopping or working around the house and suddenly realize that they are hungry. They mosey on in whenever they feel like it. Thus, the Saturday lunch shift can be really long but not really busy.
12 and 11. Tuesday All Day
There is nothing really special about Tuesdays. It is early in the week and people still have motivation to cook lunch and dinner for themselves and there aren't very many sporting events to draw someone in on a Tuesday. Some restaurants, seeing Tuesdays as a poor business day, may run a promotion that day. They may do a kids night, pint night or other food special to entice people to come in.
10 and 9. Wednesday All Day
Wednesday is hump day and people start getting lazy. They may not pack a lunch and decide to eat out instead. At night, they have worked three days so far and might not want to cook dinner, thus bringing people in. Happy hour business starts to pick-up in restaurants on Wednesday, seeing as most people only have 2 more days of work left. Again, another night to run a promotion.
8. Thursday Lunch
Lunches are getting better on Thursday. The end of the week is in sight and people are getting lazier. Some would rather sleep another 10 minutes than spend it making lunch. Workers who have spent all week in the office are getting restless and will want some fresh air, so off to lunch they go. Food trucks have been rolling in all week so food is fresh.
7. Sunday Dinner
It is the end of the week and people are trying to get back into reality after the weekend. Sundays are usually "Family Night" for people as they try to have a meal together at the house. Though many do have their "Family Night" out, thus, you might see a lot of groups. People try to get to bed early, get the kids ready for school and get things tidied up around the house before heading to work on Monday, so you will see an earlier crowd than normal. Another bonus for Sunday Dinner is, if your restaurant is open late, it might offer a "Service Industry Night" party. A "SIN" party's goal is to encourage other restaurant and hotel workers to come to the restaurant for cheap booze and drink. Service Industry people usually tip really well, since they are in the same position you are in.
6. Sunday Lunch
A lot of restaurants will do a Sunday Brunch which brings out a lot of people. The day can be really lazy, so the shift may drag on and on as a steady stream of people come in and out of the restaurant. Anytime you are able to go on a wait on a Sunday is a good thing- that means a constantly full section for a while. Another thing that will bring people into the restaurant for the Sunday lunch shift is any holiday (Mother's Day, Father's Day) or the NFL. People love celebrating at a restaurant and Sunday Lunch is the time to go. The NFL, as long as your store has DirecTicket, brings people to eat and drink for long periods of time.
5. Monday Dinner
Monday dinner is ranked this high for one main reason- Monday Night Football. It is the last football game of the weekend and it usually brings people out for some beers and for some wings. Another reason Monday night is good to work is that people have a tendency to wash down their Monday-Start-Of-The-Week-Blues with a tasty adult beverage. Thus, happy hour can be busy. The food truck has been to the store and cooks have prepped the days fresh food, so Monday night is a good night for food. However, don't eat the fish- fish is still leftover from the weekend and does not usually come in fresh until Tuesday.
4. Thursday Dinner
By Thursday night, people have gotten lazy- they don't want to cook and want to get out of the house for a bit. Hence, they go out. Plus, with one more work day in the week, they may do a little drinking. Stores usually have some sort of special for Thursdays to try and get people to start their weekend early and this benefits the server. Drink and food specials are available to entice people even more. Football games, sometimes NFL but always college, start on Thursdays which also bring people out.
3. Friday Lunch
This is the day everyone goes out for lunch. People are sick of brown bagging it, want to go out with some co-workers, or take a late lunch and leave for the weekend. The lunch crowd is usually steady on Fridays because of this. You also see a higher number of groups coming into the restaurant as well. Lunch shifts are usually long and can stretch into dinner shifts, with dinner patrons arriving Food is good because food trucks have been coming in all week and the kitchen knows to ramp up production. Another large order of food probably came in earlier in the day to ramp up for the weekend.
2. Saturday Dinner
Saturday dinner is the night people plan for- rarely does Saturday dinner happen spontaneously. People get dressed up, plan where they will eat, and head out and make a night of it. Saturday night is the night you see the most "complete tickets." A "complete ticket" is one that has at least one of the following- an adult beverage, an appetizer or starter salad, an entree and a dessert. Because people make plans for Saturday night, check averages tend to be higher, people tend to stay longer and people tend to wait through the waiting list to be seated. Other things that effect dining on Saturday include college football and special events. For example, most Homecoming, Sadie Hawkins, and Proms tend to be on Saturday night and attendees need a place to eat prior to the dance. Large groups will eat out on Saturday nights too.
1. Friday Dinner
Friday dinner is short, intense and has the best potential for making money. People start coming to dinner on Friday night early so they can get a couple of drinks from the happy hour menu. Then, they stay to have a meal. Because it is Friday night and people have plans, they drink, eat and get out to do their Friday night activities. Friday nights tend to get a lot of work groups who want to blow off steam after a week's worth of the grind. They also tend to get a lot of families because parents do not want to cook another meal, having cooked throughout the week. Plus it gives families a chance to get out of the house and blow off some steam as well. I write that Friday night dinner is short because people come straight from work or school or daycare without going home. So, they come, drink, eat and head home.
I have been working in restaurants for many years as a manager, cook, server, bartender, busboy and dishwasher. These may not be accurate at all restaurants, but it is my experience that this is the way it works. If you disagree, drop a line in the comment section.
14. Monday Lunch
Everyone goes back to work on Monday and everyone spent a good deal of money the previous weekend. Motivation is high on Monday, thus, people will be more motivated to make a lunch and bring it to work rather than go out. Culinary-speaking, Mondays are not a great day for food because the delivery truck came earlier that day and the staff, usually, has not been able to prep what was on the truck. Also, stay away from "Lunch Specials," especially fish, on Monday. It is all leftovers from the weekend.
13. Saturday Lunch
Families are together, there are activities going on and eating out is not a priority. Another reason Saturday lunch is not a good shift is that the shift seems to drag on forever. People eating out on Saturday do not see the food as their main priority, they see it as an afterthought. They might be at soccer, doing some shopping or working around the house and suddenly realize that they are hungry. They mosey on in whenever they feel like it. Thus, the Saturday lunch shift can be really long but not really busy.
12 and 11. Tuesday All Day
There is nothing really special about Tuesdays. It is early in the week and people still have motivation to cook lunch and dinner for themselves and there aren't very many sporting events to draw someone in on a Tuesday. Some restaurants, seeing Tuesdays as a poor business day, may run a promotion that day. They may do a kids night, pint night or other food special to entice people to come in.
10 and 9. Wednesday All Day
Wednesday is hump day and people start getting lazy. They may not pack a lunch and decide to eat out instead. At night, they have worked three days so far and might not want to cook dinner, thus bringing people in. Happy hour business starts to pick-up in restaurants on Wednesday, seeing as most people only have 2 more days of work left. Again, another night to run a promotion.
8. Thursday Lunch
Lunches are getting better on Thursday. The end of the week is in sight and people are getting lazier. Some would rather sleep another 10 minutes than spend it making lunch. Workers who have spent all week in the office are getting restless and will want some fresh air, so off to lunch they go. Food trucks have been rolling in all week so food is fresh.
7. Sunday Dinner
It is the end of the week and people are trying to get back into reality after the weekend. Sundays are usually "Family Night" for people as they try to have a meal together at the house. Though many do have their "Family Night" out, thus, you might see a lot of groups. People try to get to bed early, get the kids ready for school and get things tidied up around the house before heading to work on Monday, so you will see an earlier crowd than normal. Another bonus for Sunday Dinner is, if your restaurant is open late, it might offer a "Service Industry Night" party. A "SIN" party's goal is to encourage other restaurant and hotel workers to come to the restaurant for cheap booze and drink. Service Industry people usually tip really well, since they are in the same position you are in.
6. Sunday Lunch
A lot of restaurants will do a Sunday Brunch which brings out a lot of people. The day can be really lazy, so the shift may drag on and on as a steady stream of people come in and out of the restaurant. Anytime you are able to go on a wait on a Sunday is a good thing- that means a constantly full section for a while. Another thing that will bring people into the restaurant for the Sunday lunch shift is any holiday (Mother's Day, Father's Day) or the NFL. People love celebrating at a restaurant and Sunday Lunch is the time to go. The NFL, as long as your store has DirecTicket, brings people to eat and drink for long periods of time.
5. Monday Dinner
Monday dinner is ranked this high for one main reason- Monday Night Football. It is the last football game of the weekend and it usually brings people out for some beers and for some wings. Another reason Monday night is good to work is that people have a tendency to wash down their Monday-Start-Of-The-Week-Blues with a tasty adult beverage. Thus, happy hour can be busy. The food truck has been to the store and cooks have prepped the days fresh food, so Monday night is a good night for food. However, don't eat the fish- fish is still leftover from the weekend and does not usually come in fresh until Tuesday.
4. Thursday Dinner
By Thursday night, people have gotten lazy- they don't want to cook and want to get out of the house for a bit. Hence, they go out. Plus, with one more work day in the week, they may do a little drinking. Stores usually have some sort of special for Thursdays to try and get people to start their weekend early and this benefits the server. Drink and food specials are available to entice people even more. Football games, sometimes NFL but always college, start on Thursdays which also bring people out.
3. Friday Lunch
This is the day everyone goes out for lunch. People are sick of brown bagging it, want to go out with some co-workers, or take a late lunch and leave for the weekend. The lunch crowd is usually steady on Fridays because of this. You also see a higher number of groups coming into the restaurant as well. Lunch shifts are usually long and can stretch into dinner shifts, with dinner patrons arriving Food is good because food trucks have been coming in all week and the kitchen knows to ramp up production. Another large order of food probably came in earlier in the day to ramp up for the weekend.
2. Saturday Dinner
Saturday dinner is the night people plan for- rarely does Saturday dinner happen spontaneously. People get dressed up, plan where they will eat, and head out and make a night of it. Saturday night is the night you see the most "complete tickets." A "complete ticket" is one that has at least one of the following- an adult beverage, an appetizer or starter salad, an entree and a dessert. Because people make plans for Saturday night, check averages tend to be higher, people tend to stay longer and people tend to wait through the waiting list to be seated. Other things that effect dining on Saturday include college football and special events. For example, most Homecoming, Sadie Hawkins, and Proms tend to be on Saturday night and attendees need a place to eat prior to the dance. Large groups will eat out on Saturday nights too.
1. Friday Dinner
Friday dinner is short, intense and has the best potential for making money. People start coming to dinner on Friday night early so they can get a couple of drinks from the happy hour menu. Then, they stay to have a meal. Because it is Friday night and people have plans, they drink, eat and get out to do their Friday night activities. Friday nights tend to get a lot of work groups who want to blow off steam after a week's worth of the grind. They also tend to get a lot of families because parents do not want to cook another meal, having cooked throughout the week. Plus it gives families a chance to get out of the house and blow off some steam as well. I write that Friday night dinner is short because people come straight from work or school or daycare without going home. So, they come, drink, eat and head home.
I have been working in restaurants for many years as a manager, cook, server, bartender, busboy and dishwasher. These may not be accurate at all restaurants, but it is my experience that this is the way it works. If you disagree, drop a line in the comment section.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Restaurant Job Search Frustrations and How to Deal with Them
Wednesday, September 1, 2010, I was laid off from my restaurant job. The restaurant closed and I received a call 90 minutes before my shift letting me know that I need not come in because the restaurant was closed for good. This set off many emotions- sadness, frustration (this is the second time I was without a job in as many months), fear, anger and apprehension.
I was sad because I was enjoying working for the restaurant (The Counter at Park Meadows Mall, Lone Tree, Colorado). The people were nice and I was starting to get the hang of their unique way of doing things. I was frustrated because I would again have to look for a job; having just gone through this a couple weeks prior. I was fearful because I was, again, without a paycheck. I was angry because I had started the job two weeks prior and I was certainly not expecting to be laid off. I was apprehensive because I would have to go through the job search again and I hate looking for a job.
For those who don't know, the restaurant job search goes something like this: A restaurant will begin accepting applications at 2pm. Go in any earlier and there is no way you are going to get the job because restaurant people are too busy to talk before 2pm. The restaurant will stop taking applications at 4pm. Go in any later and there is no way you are going to get the job because restaurant people are too busy to talk after 4pm. When you go in, you are usually greeted by a host and you ask "Are you hiring?" The host will reply with something like "We are always taking applications.
"We are always taking applications..." is a big frustration of mine. Don't waste my time, your time and paper by having me fill out an application when you know good and well that you are not hiring but, rather, being polite. Straight up tell me if you are or not. If not, no big deal, I will move on to the restaurant next door. If you are hiring, please make sure there is someone who is available to talk to me. This is another frustration of mine- not having anyone to "sell" to. Being a server or a bartender is all about selling yourself to the guest so you can sell them some good food and drink. If I can't sell you "me," how am I going to sell your food?
My final frustration comes after the interview. If I get an opportunity for a formal interview, let me know, either way, if I got the job. It is common courtesy to call someone and let them know if they got the job or not. Sure, I would have loved to get the job, but I don't want to go days and days without knowing. Just tell me you decided to hire someone else or that I am not a good fit. I am an adult, I can handle rejection. Cowboy up and just tell me.
In review, here are my three frustrations and how to deal with them:
1. "We are always taking applications..." If you are taking them, great. If not, great. Don't waste my time, your time and paper if you have zero plans on hiring me.
2. If I take the time to fill out an application make sure there is someone for me to talk to so I can sell myself to them. If there isn't anyone, have me fill one out at a later date.
3. Whether or not I get the job, call and tell me. I hate waiting and wondering.
I was sad because I was enjoying working for the restaurant (The Counter at Park Meadows Mall, Lone Tree, Colorado). The people were nice and I was starting to get the hang of their unique way of doing things. I was frustrated because I would again have to look for a job; having just gone through this a couple weeks prior. I was fearful because I was, again, without a paycheck. I was angry because I had started the job two weeks prior and I was certainly not expecting to be laid off. I was apprehensive because I would have to go through the job search again and I hate looking for a job.
For those who don't know, the restaurant job search goes something like this: A restaurant will begin accepting applications at 2pm. Go in any earlier and there is no way you are going to get the job because restaurant people are too busy to talk before 2pm. The restaurant will stop taking applications at 4pm. Go in any later and there is no way you are going to get the job because restaurant people are too busy to talk after 4pm. When you go in, you are usually greeted by a host and you ask "Are you hiring?" The host will reply with something like "We are always taking applications.
"We are always taking applications..." is a big frustration of mine. Don't waste my time, your time and paper by having me fill out an application when you know good and well that you are not hiring but, rather, being polite. Straight up tell me if you are or not. If not, no big deal, I will move on to the restaurant next door. If you are hiring, please make sure there is someone who is available to talk to me. This is another frustration of mine- not having anyone to "sell" to. Being a server or a bartender is all about selling yourself to the guest so you can sell them some good food and drink. If I can't sell you "me," how am I going to sell your food?
My final frustration comes after the interview. If I get an opportunity for a formal interview, let me know, either way, if I got the job. It is common courtesy to call someone and let them know if they got the job or not. Sure, I would have loved to get the job, but I don't want to go days and days without knowing. Just tell me you decided to hire someone else or that I am not a good fit. I am an adult, I can handle rejection. Cowboy up and just tell me.
In review, here are my three frustrations and how to deal with them:
1. "We are always taking applications..." If you are taking them, great. If not, great. Don't waste my time, your time and paper if you have zero plans on hiring me.
2. If I take the time to fill out an application make sure there is someone for me to talk to so I can sell myself to them. If there isn't anyone, have me fill one out at a later date.
3. Whether or not I get the job, call and tell me. I hate waiting and wondering.
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