Princess and the Pea Soup
I think Los Angeles Times staff writer Leslie Brenner forgot one in her 25-point diners’ “bill of rights” from last month:
No. 26: The right to cluelessly demand whatever you want from restaurants, no matter the economic, social, and staffing realities of the hospitality business.
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Linked From: November 27th, 2007Washington City Paper: News & Features: Blogs
6:40 pm[...] offer up a “diner’s bill of rights” that strikes me as far more reasonable than the one that the Los Angeles Times recently coughed up like a half-digested corn dog. Besides, as a waiter [...]
10:11 am
How about the right to FART when you are leaving a restaurant which is traditional for Red Necks.
10:40 am
She is talking specifically about upscale, 4-5 star places. I guess journalists are not only not required to be able to write, but now don't have to be able to read, either.
Cripes, it't right near the beginning of the article, retard:
"At high-end restaurants in L.A., we pay dearly for the dining experience . . .
11:24 am
Mr. Schmoe;
The same economic, social, and staffing realities figure into every restaurant, no matter how upscale it is. My next column is about a very fine-dining restaurant in D.C. that can't find enough wait staff, period, let alone qualified wait staff to cater to every prissy diner's demands to be treated like a queen. Nor can every restaurant keep throwing around money on more staff, a never-ending bread service, free drinks, and loads of fresh, fancy silverware for every course just because some journalist wishes it were so. Nor can they afford to let you squat at a table indefinitely until the rest of your party decides to bless the restaurant with their presence. Nor can they open their entire restaurant when they have only enough servers to staff part of the floor. Restaurants, even the finest, try to do the best they can. Priss-ball diners need to develop more sympathy, not a goddamn bill of rights. But you probably didn't know any of this, because you're too fucking busy shooting off your mouth about stuff you know nothing about.
-Tim
12:50 pm
She should have added that servers need to stop having "Culinary Stockholm Syndrome." Nothing is worse than a server thinking that they deserve to be at a nice restaurant as if they were a customer. Telling somebody what meals to cook and carrying plates of food do not entitle you to anything. Just because you work at an upper-class restaurant do not fool yourself into thinking that you are upper-class and have any business there but to work.
And patrons should never have to see workers eating, particularly when dressed in their uniforms.
1:47 pm
Um, Schmoe: the line about "high-end dining establishments" is actually not mentioned until 5 grafs in, and then thrown out like an aside rather than clearly designed to guide the whole article. There is NOTHING to indicate she's solely talking about 4 & 5 star places.
And, even if she is: Love to see you throwing out the "retard" insult (always classy! What's next, "that's so gay"?) in defense of a woman who apparently doesn't realize that her ability to dine in a nice restaurant puts her in the top economic 5-percent of the entire world's population -- and yet still feels that she has the inalienable right not to be told her server's name. Who the fuck cares if the waiter tells you his name? Unless, of course, you want to make sure he's completely faceless, anonymous, meaningless so that you can shit with impunity on the guy who's running his ass off for $4 an hour plus the lousyass tip you'll give him because you had to suffer through the anguish of learning that his name is Steve.
Come the revolution, you'll be first against the wall. I hope the peasants smother you with your own white tablecloth.
5:34 pm
Um, Andrew, could you elaborate? That missive wasn't quite coherent.
You're arguing that servers shouldn't have the gall to feel they'd "deserve" to eat at the type of restaurant they're working in? Because they're "lower class"?
I'm confused. Also, more than a little angry. Kind of amused too. I didn't know they still made people like you.
11:55 pm
Clearly there's a standard of service that most people expect at a restaurant of any caliber, but I can't help thinking that Ms. Brenner, Mr. Schmoe and Andrew, among others I'm sure, are simply elitist assholes who need to constantly be reminded they are more 'special' than others. Are you really that insulted when the server offers their name (which is generally so you can identify them quicker; trust me, the server isn't looking to make friends with you either Leslie) or, when asked their opinion, if they tell you which they prefer? Honestly, how much of a prick do you have to be to be annoyed when your server asks if you're 'done working on' your plate; they're just trying to clear your table jackass, get over yourself and realize these people are trying to make a living. It's tough enough just doing the job without having to worry about upsetting the delicate sensibilities of the genius at the table. I'd like to venture a guess that the type of people who notice this kind of thing are the type that usually don't tip well anyway; it's food people, if you don't like it, leave.
1:47 pm
Frustratingly, I couldn't post this rant on the LA Times site, so doubtful Ms. Brenner will ever read it. She is probably too busy receiving shockingly poor service. Alas, I send it out in cyberspace nonetheless...
The author makes a few good points about what patrons want, however, I have one question for our clearly-in-love-with-herself hostess... have you ever waited tables to make a living? I believe I already know the answer.
For those of us who have, it is patrons like you - fussy, demanding, self-righteous - who make us want to jump off the nearest bridge. How dare you go into a restaurant and demand that your server remain "nameless?" This clearly indicates the kind of relationship you wish to have with "the lower classes," who shall cater to you in a servant-like manner (“Have Steve go fetch...”), all the while remaining anonymous. When I was waiting tables to pay the rent after college, I always introduced myself, and then could size up immediately (if not on my way to the table!) the level that a given table was interested in knowing anything about me. If they were interested in chatting, I chatted. And many were! And no, I wholeheartedly disagree with your "adjunct professor of hospitality" who claims that people don't go into a restaurant to make friends with the waiter. I regularly had customers who would come in and ask for me by name, as did other servers who worked where I did. Patrons need to feel like they can trust their server every time to ensure a relaxing experience, and developing a cordial, professional service relationship. where ALL names are known, is one way to do this. And believe me, any table that wanted to be left alone WAS left alone... it's easier for me that way, actually. But believe it or not, many people DO find it interesting chatting about life and food with servers (my favorite retort to the fussy, self-involved corporate types who would provide condescending instructions on the correct way to pour water from a pitcher with no ice? "Three years of graduate school, ma'am.") And if asked, why wouldn't a server want to give a personal opinion on a dish - who is in a better place to know what other diners have (or have not) enjoyed?
And the not wanting to "take care of" the bartender prior to transferring to a table indicates the writer doesn't give too hoots about "taking care of" the bartender. Service is a two way street, and something tells me this writer is the type that pulls out the calculator to figure out exactly 13-15% (if lucky!) when leaving a gratutity. Word to the wise folks... you want exemplary service at a place you love? Round up your check total (including tax) to the nearest $5 increment, double it and remove a few zeroes - THIS is your tip. "20% plus" is standard compensation for servers who work their butts off to try to make fussy clients happy, all the while making $2.50 AN HOUR... FAR below minimum wage. (And of course, ALL servers know the ass-backwards nature of tipping vs. attitude... the easiest guests to please are the best tippers, while you're lucky to get 10% from the most demanding ones, the ones who you've spent the bulk of your shift catering to.) If you can't afford to tip well, eat at home and save your precious dollars.
Nice to have a summary of what patrons might want, however as one myself now, and with the memories of my serving days firmly entrenched, I bend over backwards to make sure that my server feels comfortable with MY party. Call it compassion, call it Zen, or call it the recognition that life sucks for some people, and we should do whatever we can do to make this world a more pleasant place. (But perhaps that's why I vote Democrat and live on the East Coast.) Patrons get a 25-point list of demands, but servers really only get one – treat US like Very Important Persons, the same way you would want to be treated were you in our shoes. It's about mutual respect. Is THAT too much to ask?
3:41 am
Jason McCool, you are awesome. I just spent 4 nights at the "dive" bar I work at that was "lucky" enough to get a write up in a local paper. Needless to say, we were about 3 times busier than normal, with people who had never stepped foot in the place, who waved frantically, shouted orders, and never once said please or thank you.I realize that a bar is different than a 4 star dining establishment, but regardless your servers and bartenders are still human. You summed it up best in when you said "mutual respect." (Especially coming from people ordering $7 pitchers of miller lite when we have almost 40 beers on tap, and not tipping at all.) Anyways, your post was what I needed at the end of tonight. Thanks.
5:28 pm
McCool - I have almost zero experience in food service, and can't say I totally agree with you on tipping. BUT... I don't really think many of us realize the salary/wage situation of restaurant staff -- that is, what wages are like, how much tips actually amount to, etc. Perhaps folks could weigh in on this question: Are you to tip a dollar on a three dollar crappy beer? What if its canned? Thanks.
2:32 am
McCool has CLEARLY worked in the restaurant industry, hence his dead on insights. He is completely correct regarding hourly wage. Servers generally make $2.50 or less an hour. That amount to paychecks that cannot be cashed... because they for $0 (with the rare occasion of the
9:45 am
For 7 years I worked in restaurants as a dishwasher up to the manager and everything in between. It's been 5 years since I left the industry yet every time I go into a restaurant I never forget about my time in the trenches.
I jokingly tell my friends that I think it should be required for every person to have to work in the service industry at some point in their lives. Kind of like the mandatory military service that some EU countries have. The point is that you will never have an appreciation for how hard a dishwasher, waiter, bus boy, bartender, manager, hostess, etc. works until you are on that side of the line for any period of time.
I agree that the LA reporter was quite harsh in her demands for a restaurant meal.
To answer the question about tipping a bartender, I tend to stick to $1 per drink, especially if I intend to order many drinks in one sitting or I intend to frequent the establishment. However, if a bartender is slow due to the fact that they are busy chatting with co-workers or something else other than dealing with lots of customers then I don't necessarily feel inclined to tip as much (maybe $1 for every two drinks at that point). I don't always want to tip because how hard is it to grab a beer from below the counter and open it? But whatever. I tip and we are all happy in the end.