Summer Help

[elbie]

I understand the problems, but one thing that really burns my toast is to be asked to wait in the lobby and wait for a table, when I see empty tables available just because they are short handed. I would rather sit at a table and wait for service than stand at the door. JMHO.

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by elbie

I understand the problems, but one thing that really burns my toast is to be asked to wait in the lobby and wait for a table, when I see empty tables available just because they are short handed. I would rather sit at a table and wait for service than stand at the door. JMHO.

The problem is once people sit, maybe not yourself though, they expect service to begin immediately or grow more impatient because they are sitting and see others served.


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[Newbiesaukee]

:

Originally Posted by joey2665

The problem is once people sit, maybe not yourself though, they expect service to begin immediately or grow more impatient because they are sitting and see others served.


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I was just typing the same thought. Maybe really comfy couches to wait on

[gillygirl]

Originally Posted by joey2665

The problem is once people sit, maybe not yourself though, they expect service to begin immediately or grow more impatient because they are sitting and see others served.


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Well, suffering from sciatica, I NEED to sit my butt down on some days.

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[tis]

Originally Posted by elbie

I understand the problems, but one thing that really burns my toast is to be asked to wait in the lobby and wait for a table, when I see empty tables available just because they are short handed. I would rather sit at a table and wait for service than stand at the door. JMHO.

I agree with you on this. I would be much happier to be seated at the table and wait a bit for my meal than wait in the lobby. But when I asked about this, I was told, as joey said, that people don't want to wait and the cook only wants to be seated only those that he can cook for. I do think it is not a popular decision though for most of us. I have heard lots of people complain.

[baygo]

Originally Posted by tis

I agree with you on this. I would be much happier to be seated at the table and wait a bit for my meal than wait in the lobby. But when I asked about this, I was told, as joey said, that people don't want to wait and the cook only wants to be seated only those that he can cook for. I do think it is not a popular decision though for most of us. I have heard lots of people complain.

Though some times we fail, I find it hard to believe that anyone in the restaurant business has any intentions other than to please a guests. I earned my first dollar in the business 51 years ago. I've had the fortunate experience to enjoy the tutelage of some very successful restaurateurs along the way. Seating a guest before being ready to serve the guest is universally understood to be a practice that is more likely to lead to disappointment for the guest as well as disappointments for other guest as well as additional stress on staff who hate to see a guest neglected which can lead to other mistakes that consume more time.


Once a guest is seated the clock ticks in double time. The guest who has to wait for the table is left with one complaint whereas the seated guest will now exaggerate the time it took for the server to come by, then the time it took to order drinks, then the time to get the drinks. ect..

My restaurant has a system that I can refer to, to find the actual time every step is taken. I have yet to encounter a guest who stated the time they thought to pass that has actually been reasonably close to actual time.

Yes, there are always exceptions to a rule however when attempting to please the masses it is better to play the odds. We only want you to be happy.

[tis]

Originally Posted by baygo

Though some times we fail, I find it hard to believe that anyone in the restaurant business has any intentions other than to please a guests. I earned my first dollar in the business 51 years ago. I've had the fortunate experience to enjoy the tutelage of some very successful restaurateurs along the way. Seating a guest before being ready to serve the guest is universally understood to be a practice that is more likely to lead to disappointment for the guest as well as disappointments for other guest as well as additional stress on staff who hate to see a guest neglected which can lead to other mistakes that consume more time.


Once a guest is seated the clock ticks in double time. The guest who has to wait for the table is left with one complaint whereas the seated guest will now exaggerate the time it took for the server to come by, then the time it took to order drinks, then the time to get the drinks. ect..



My restaurant has a system that I can refer to, to find the actual time every step is taken. I have yet to encounter a guest who stated the time they thought to pass that has actually been reasonably close to actual time.

Yes, there are always exceptions to a rule however when attempting to please the masses it is better to play the odds. We only want you to be happy.

I appreciate your reply. Not being in the restaurant business, I didn't realize that "seating a guest before being ready to serve the guest is universally understood to be a practice that is more likely to lead to disappointment". Until this summer I have never seen half the tables empty at a restaurant and yet there was an hour wait. I, personally, would be very happy to sit and visit with a couple of drinks alcoholic or not, if the server told us we would have to wait a while, rather than wait on a bench. But apparently I am not in the majority. I have heard the chatter and seen a lot of people leave when they see the empty tables and are told they have to wait so it makes me wonder. Probably this is more evident this year because of the shortage of help. I have never seen it like this before, ever.

[Mr. V]

The problem of finding workers is not a nationwide one; out here on the Left Coast there is no staffing shortage that I can see.

Portland has a vibrant restaurant scene with no lack of folks wanting and willing to work there.

I suspect that is due in part to the fact that a lot of younger folks have moved here because it's a "hip" place to live, a reputation fueled in part by the TV show "Portlandia."

Many arrive here looking for and taking whatever job they can find.

I understand the dynamic is completely different in the lakes region, a quasi-rural area.

One question as to the imported workers: where do they live while working in NH for the season?

I assume that the employer provides /pays for their housing?

If so, wouldn't this negatively affect the employer's overall bottom line profitability profitability?

[jeffk]

Originally Posted by elbie

I understand the problems, but one thing that really burns my toast is to be asked to wait in the lobby and wait for a table, when I see empty tables available just because they are short handed. I would rather sit at a table and wait for service than stand at the door. JMHO.

The problem is, it's not only YOU that has to wait for service. As people pile up, EVERYONE in the restaurant now would suffer slow service. Frankly, once I have gotten there early enough to be seated, I expect reasonable service at that point. Are you saying once you are seated you are willing to be totally ignored until previous diners are done? If not, than any service given to you cuts out of MY time and all others as well. Now a server has to deal with ALL of his customers being unhappy.

If you really mean that you expect NO service for up to an hour, I think that is magical thinking. Can you image 20 tables of people getting NO service for an hour while I and others finished our meals. I think it would get VERY ugly.

When I go into a busy, popular restaurant and they tell me the wait is an hour, I have the choice of stepping into the lounge, if available, and nursing a drink or two, waiting patiently, or going elsewhere. I know what to expect and no one else is inconvenienced because of my demand for service.

If your car dies, do you expect the dealership to fix yours ahead of everyone else waiting for the limited number of mechanics available? They might have 8 work bays but only 4 mechanics. Sometimes it can take a couple days to get the car looked at and parts received.

I agree it's disappointing not to be able to get service. I have seen many signs lately to hire cooks. I am sure the restaurants would LOVE to be able to accommodate more people and make more money. It's a hard problem to solve and the current way of dealing with it may not be perfect but I don't think this type of suggestion would work well.