Two many waiters/waitresss ruin the meal....
By vivasuzi
@vivasuzi (4127)
United States
June 5, 2009 11:21am CST
I have been noticing a change in how restaurants work over the past few years and now it's even more apparant that the actual waitress/waiter who takes your order almost NEVER brings you your food. I'd say 9 out of 10 of my last trips to restaurants, someone else brought the food, and that someone else had no idea who's was who's or they forgot something that the main waiter didn't inform them.
Why is someone else always bringing my food out? They are like the "food toter". They won't ask if you need anything, they won't ask about refills because that's the main waiter's job. They just deliver the food and then your waiter might not come over to check on you til your almost done. We have taken to asking the "food toter" for things like drink refills and they most of the time say "I'll tell your waiter"
I think the annoying thing overall is that the "food toter" usually has no idea what I ordered and no idea if it's coming out correct. Maybe my husband wanted well done but the steak is medium rare, the food toter was just told to bring it to the table so they don't check on that. Supposedly the waiters nowadays are so busy they can't do everything themselves.
My solution: Instead of having 1 waiter waiting on 15 tables with food toters deliving the food, have 1 waiter wait on 5 tables and give each of those food toters their own table. The best experiences i have are when we have the same waiter from start to finish, bringing out the food, giving refills and getting anything else you need. Once you add additional people in, stuff just gets confusing and it becomes slightly less enjoyable.
What do you think about all this? Does this happen where you live? Do you ever completely forget who your waiter was b/c they hardly came to see you?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
8 Jun 09
There is an easy answer to that question. In Canada its customary to tip your restaurant waiter 15%. We just leave some bills on the table as we leave. This tip belongs to the waiter who served us, and of course he/she is trying hard to please. If there are several waiters, of course we cannot leave a tip, because the waiters would not know who the tip was meant for. ( This multiple waiter system would not work here because the Canadian Restaurant Owner depends on tips to augment the waiter's paycheck.)
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
10 Jun 09
Well the trouble here is that in the US the waiter has to split tips with EVERYONE including the bus boys, hostess, etc (supposedly). At least that is what they argue. So really you are tipping the service in general and not the waiter. Of course, if one person is attentive to us the whole time, I'm much more likely to leave a higher tip.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
6 Jun 09
I have a friend who is a manager at a restaurant...they do this to insure that your food is still hot when it gets to you....if someone that waited on you is swamped then someone else will bring the food out...I think in some cases I have noticed the shortage of waiter/waitresses and I am thinking part of this is because of the economy and them not wanting to pay more people then they have to...as most retail stores are also doing as I have noticed a shortage of cashiers etc too....waiting in line is now more times then not. It's not an excuse but a sign of the times...
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
10 Jun 09
Actually in my experience, I'd say 90% of the time at a restaurant I will see a group of waiters and waitresses standing around chatting. So in my opinion, they aren't that busy. A lot of times I'll even see MY waitress in the crowd laughing away with her coworkers well someone else brings my food. There's definitely not a shortage around here! Just last weekend I was out and there were about 10 waiters/waitresses in the corner just standing around chatting while 2-3 others waited on all the tables.