Can I say something?

Hi friends. This post is a little bit angry, a little bit frustrated, but mostly a little bit for your information. Consider it tips and tricks to being a fantastic customer, wonderful guest, and just an all around good person. 

I work as a waitress in Logan, and while I get my fair share of bad days and bad customers, I also have some rather incredible people come in and genuinely kind customers that give me reason to stay with this job. I love being able to work and interact with tons of new people on a daily basis, and the fast paced environment is perfect for my attention span. 

Today, though, was incredibly frustrating. 

Let's say, hypothetically speaking of course, that you and your family go out for a nice holiday brunch on Memorial Day. 

You all order specialty drinks, place large meal orders, and add dessert, appetizers, and some minor requests throughout the course of the meal. 

When you are finished eating, as your waitress clears your plates [which have very little, if any, food left on them] and asks how everything was, you respond with a not-so-courteous "Would you be offended if we complained?" 

When she asks what's wrong, you say, "The portions were way off, the food was bland and awful, and it took nearly 15 minutes to get to us. The service was alright, though." 

She responds, "I'm sorry! Would you like another order of pancakes? The times have been a little off all morning, we've been a lot busier than we expected! Is there anything I can do better?" 

You say, "No, we're fine thanks. Can we see a manager?"

So she gets the manager. Who you proceed to argue with about the "changed portion sizes" and "cold food." 

Then you go to pay your bill, and complain to the host while doing so, all while mocking your server's comments and their manager's attempt to fix the problem. [and you're not wearing shoes, in a public place, the whole time this is happening. HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING, of course.]

And then maybe, just maybe, you don't tip your waitress on your $100+ bill. 

And that, my friends, is the problem. 

We servers are trained to answer questions, solve customer's problems, and involve our managers whenever needed. We are in charge of getting drinks, serving the food, and keeping customers full and satisfied. 

However, we are not responsible for the portion sizes or the time it takes to get the food from the kitchen to the table. We do everything in our power to have food out in under 15 minutes, 20 at the very most. We have cooks remake the food if it's been sitting too long, is too cold, or doesn't look right. 

Our job is to keep the customers happy, because they control what we're paid. 

As a server in Utah, the hourly wage is $2.13. After taxes, our checks are minimal, even after working 20-35 hours a week. [Over the last pay period, I clocked nearly 64 hours. My paycheck was less than $80.] Our income is based solely on tips, and if those don't come through...we don't make money at all. 

My point is: 

Always tip your server. 

Unless the service itself is what was bad, of course. It's not their fault if the cooks took twenty minutes to make your food correctly, and they have no control over the amount of food you are given. 

AND please, please, please tip on the pre-coupon/discount amount if you use a coupon. Just because you got free/cheaper food doesn't mean your server did any less work--the food is discounted, not the service. [For example, Free Pie Wednesday at the VI. Drinks are two dollars and something cents. Pie is taken off. Tip on the total amount INCLUDING the pie. Gift cards too. If you're not actually paying for your food, leaving a tip should be easy!]

If you have a problem, complaint, or concern about something, please tell your waitress. It's our job to take care of you. If it's a big enough deal, we will always get our managers involved, and the problem will be solved to the best of our ability. 

Ask to talk to a manager, or leave a note for the owner if there is a problem. 

But please, for the sake of all of us servers out there, don't take it out on your server's tip. 

That's all. I'm done ranting now. 

Happy Monday, folks!