"generally it actually does, fine dining, for the most part, will have better service than McDonalds"

Can't compare apples to oranges. Servers get TIPPED, McDonald's employees DON'T, therefore, you cannot compare the two FAIRLY. Do you HONESTLY think the McDonald's cashier cares if I have my food right? They are getting paid NO MATTER WHAT THEY HAND ME, but servers don't. That little $2.13/hr is mostly nothing when they take out all the taxes, so that doesn't count for much.

 

Originally Posted by Springs1

"generally it actually does, fine dining, for the most part, will have better service than McDonalds"

Can't compare apples to oranges. Servers get TIPPED, McDonald's employees DON'T, therefore, you cannot compare the two FAIRLY. Do you HONESTLY think the McDonald's cashier cares if I have my food right? They are getting paid NO MATTER WHAT THEY HAND ME, but servers don't. That little $2.13/hr is mostly nothing when they take out all the taxes, so that doesn't count for much.

ok then, Bennigans vs fine dining, w/e generally the higher the class of resturant the better the service.

Pet Peeves: Lazy servers who could do better but just don't care to.

Springs you need to become someone's regular who can handle your needs. Only a handful of servers/Bartenders will be able and willing to accommodate your situation. However once you find a good server, pay them well (20%+) and continue to frequent that establishment. If you find time you should really pick up a part time job at a corp. restaurant, even if you plan on quitting two weeks out of training. Until you've ran a station of 4 tables successfully, you will likely never understand the absurdity of your own opinions. It is true that your experiences could have been improved if things more to your liking during your dining experiences. However life is too short to focus on people who, prior to having you at their table, have no idea how important a dining experience is to you. Start your meals off with a To Insure Promptness and see how your server responds. A little up front is sure to get their attention to how important of a guest that you are.

"However once you find a good server, pay them well (20%+) and continue to frequent that establishment."

We do tip 25% and higher LOTS of times to servers that do a wonderful job. We even tip over 20% when we have minor mistakes when the server is NICE and fixes the mistakes right away. However, you cannot get certain servers all the time or even if they are working, like one time I requested to have a certain server, even called ahead at Outback about an hour and still, would have had to wait 45 minutes to an hour if I wanted her, which if the customers are "campers" that sit and chat for hours, I could be waiting hours, so we decided to immediately get seated with someone else instead as mostly ANY SANE PERSON WOULD. We have waited 15 more minutes to get a certain server, but asking for almost an hour is not worth the hunger wait.

Also, when you try new restaurants, you have no clue WHO is serving you also.

I have had servers that know exactly how I like things. We are regulars at some restaurants.

"Until you've ran a station of 4 tables successfully, you will likely never understand the absurdity of your own opinions."

What's "absurdity" about my opinions? To have a server bring out the correct entrees, correct side dishes, nothing obviously missing or obviously wrong(meaning not something the server has to touch the food to see the mistake as long as they put in the order correctly), is not "absurd", it's EXPECTED of ALL CUSTOMERS, because they don't go out to eat to be handed OBVIOUS mistakes. Since I know how I feel about mistakes and how much condiments and substitutions I ask for, I would know how to treat a customer compared to some of these people that serve today that don't understand and could care less, but expect at least 15% anyways. I wouldn't expect 15% if I would make mistakes, but in their mind, they feel it's a RIGHT.

Like if I was to overcharge a customer by accident, I would expect to get stiffed just as I have done to some servers. The servers that have done this don't feel they should get stiffed or get a very low tip.

My point is, being a customer gives me much more experience than running 4 tables. Sure, it would be VERY, EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to get everything people tell you, but the really only way to keep up with it, is to have a check list such as:

table 5 - wants 2 refills coke, 1 refill sprite, 1 refill dr. pepper, one person wants one side of ranch, 1 person their food is not cooked enough, so I have to go get it when it's finished
Table 6 - napkins, 6 refills- 3 cokes, 2 ice teas sweetened 1 dr. pepper, 1 margarita on the rocks with salt
table 9 - wants their check, a box, ordered a piece of cheesecake for dessert
Table 4- wants to order a pina colada and 1 refill of coke

I would have to literally write down ALL request, then check off as I do them. That would be the only way I'd keep up. Lots of people ask for things one at a time, which I don't, but sometimes it's bad, because they forget sometimes one of the things you have asked for, because they DON'T WRITE IT DOWN.