Good service vs. Attractive servers

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by btimbit

74% of steak errors are customer mistakes. Simply not ordering right or understanding the doneness.

But don't tell them that! Lol

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

But don't tell them that! Lol

Haha nope. 'No problem sir, we'll get another one right away'

Only in my dreams I get to say 'FU, I'll just throw money into the garbage then, dickhead'

[Cole436]

No sighting of Springs1, yet?

Let's be serious. We know what this thread was about.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

How steak is cooked is a bit of a different animal.

What I mean by the server should check is the order in general.

If I order a burger with no veggies with bacon added, and waffle fries instead of regular freis; and the kitchen makes a regular burger, no bacon with regular fries, I expect the server to check it before bringing it to me.

That said if that does happen and the server apologies and immediately corrects the error I'm happy.

As btimbit said I do judge more on how they fix mistakes than the fact they were made. I was just outlining what should be done to ensure the mistake doesn't happen in the first place.


As for it being a team mistake I agree that's how the restaurant should treat mistakes when dealing with the public. The server should never blame the kitchen, and a manager should apologize and deflect the blame on themseld without pointing a finger.

The only issue with "team mistakes" is that behind closed doors you have to identify the source of the issue in order to correct it.

[Springs1]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

What I mean by the server should check is the order in general.

If I order a burger with no veggies with bacon added, and waffle fries instead of regular freis; and the kitchen makes a regular burger, no bacon with regular fries, I expect the server to check it before bringing it to me.

That said if that does happen and the server apologies and immediately corrects the error I'm happy.

As btimbit said I do judge more on how they fix mistakes than the fact they were made. I was just outlining what should be done to ensure the mistake doesn't happen in the first place.

Let's say my server put in the order correctly and brought out my food to me in this case. I wouldn't be happy my server didn't ***TRY*** to catch obvious errors the didn't have to "touch" the food to notice it's wrong like regular fries aren't waffle fries and the way I order bacon extremely crispy that my server should be able to see the bacon even if it's a closed burger *IF* the kitchen staff cooked it to my specifications or even possibly see the lettuce or tomatoes hanging out that you could tell not to serve it that way.

My thing would be that the server didn't***TRY*** to at least get this. It's a server error once something like that gets to the table since it's obvious, not something covered up.

I would be impressed if my server came to my table to say the kitchen staff made it the wrong way and they are fixing it right now, THAT would make me tip very well like 30% range if everything else went smoothly that they caught it *BEFORE* they left the kitchen and didn't waste my time.

They are supposed to catch obvious errors. It's common sense. At Denny's before I ordered seasoned fries, our waitress(not someone else) brought me onion rings with my mini-burgers I ordered, our waitress should have caught that, it's OBVIOUS. Turns out, on our receipt she didn't charge me for the upcharge that was on the menu for the seasoned fries and even had mentioned it to me when I ordered even. So she put in the order wrong *AND* served it obviously wrong. Even if she would have put in the order correctly, she still was at fault for "serving" me something obvious. Good servers compare their written orders to the food to make sure they are serving the correct item or items or the correct way the food was asked to be prepared if it's obvious such as overdone fries vs. not overdone fries or sauce on ribs vs. no sauce.

I agree the issue shouldn't happen in the first place, but I don't agree it's a mistake though if they didn't check the order for obvious errors, that's just pure laziness and being uncaring. That's intentional when they do that. A mistake is unintentional, not intentional. It's intentional if they don't check over their written order with the food. That's no mistake there.

All I am saying is, I am not happy if they get it fixed, because they should have as you said caught it in the FIRST PLACE. Now I will give you that if it's only one side of ranch and they fix it right away, not a huge deal if they apologize, but if it's a wrong side dish, to me, they obviously didn't check anything and THAT would piss me off the NO EFFORT to *CARE* about what they were serving me.

I found this thread from someone mentioning my name.

As for it being a team mistake I agree that's how the restaurant should treat mistakes when dealing with the public.

I disagree. If it's really the kitchen staff error when it's not obvious, let me know so I can tip accordingly to not mess your tip up. If it's your mistake like you put in the order wrong, letting me know tells me how to tip. It's not a team mistake. It's either the kitchen staff or the server or another server if they run the food to me.

The only issue with "team mistakes" is that behind closed doors you have to identify the source of the issue in order to correct it.

It's not a "team mistake" EVER! You can't blame the kitchen staff even if another server runs the food for a wrong side dish for example if the order was put in correctly by the original server that took the order that has a ticket or computer screen order to compare the food to for obvious errors. It's the other server's fault. It's not a kitchen staff error.

If anybody brings out the food that isn't part of the kitchen staff with the order that was put in 100% correctly by the original server that took the order, but the problem was not obvious like the steak was medium not medium well as ordered as put into the computer, that's a kitchen staff error, NOT a server error.

Understand my point? There's no such thing as a "TEAM MISTAKE." It's either your server or another server or the kitchen staff that's at fault.

[Springs1]

Originally Posted by btimbit

There is no kitchen error or server error, same team, error is an error. That said, the server should also be able to tell by looking at it. Joint responsibility, like Maritime Q-Scout said.

As with all businesses, as a consumer I don't judge service by mistakes, but by how they handle and fix the mistakes.

I wouldn't know if it was medium rare vs. medium for example or even medium well. I would be able to tell if it was well done vs. medium rare though.

Error is an error same team as you said, NO WAY. It's either the kitchen staff or the server. In a case of medium rare vs. medium, that's a kitchen staff error, not a server error since the order was put in correctly.

There's no such thing as a team error.

If I was a cook and cooked it wrong, that's my error. If I were a server, but put in the order wrong, that's my error. If I brought out the completely wrong side dish and I took the order that's my error if I am the server. If I am a food runner and the order was put in correctly if I bring out a wrong side dish, that's my error.

Understand it's called BEING HONEST AND RESPONSIBLE. Someone caused this issue. It's not the entire team that caused it. It's IMPOSSIBLE!

I don't judge service by mistakes, but by how they handle and fix the mistakes

I judge WHY did it happen in the first place if it was a "mistake" or did my server not check a thing on my plate but I have the completely wrong food entirely for example. I judge how they handle it, but I also judge HOW many errors do I have and WHY did it occur. If I have 5 condiments missing, wrong side dish, sauce on my ribs that I asked none, you have to be kidding me if you think I won't judge based on that my server didn't take *******ANY EFFORT BEFORE THEY BROUGHT ME MY FOOD********. I judge if they took any *CARING and *EFFORT* into the job, not just how they handle it. It's no true mistake if they have that much wrong on your plate. That's just laziness and being uncaring on the job. To waste my time bringing me something with that much problems shows how little they *CARE* about making me happy. I judge them by the ************EFFORT************** they put into my service. If they put none, they will get ZERO TIP. If they put in some, they will get a tip based on how they handled it. If they were not apologetic and it was their fault 8%-10%. If they did apologize and tried to fix it in a timely manner, they would get like 13%-15%. It depends on the EFFORT *AND* how they handle it.

[Springs1]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

Keep checking on drinks (this should be done when there is about two sips left in the glass).

I disagree, I would rather have my server notice if I need something around 1/4 glass or a little under half-done rather than waiting until I am close to almost eating my ice for some more drink. Especially if it's a bar drink that takes a while to get.

[Street Pharmacist]

Yay!

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Springs1

Let's say my server put in the order correctly and brought out my food to me in this case. I wouldn't be happy my server didn't ***TRY*** to catch obvious errors the didn't have to "touch" the food to notice it's wrong like regular fries aren't waffle fries and the way I order bacon extremely crispy that my server should be able to see the bacon even if it's a closed burger *IF* the kitchen staff cooked it to my specifications or even possibly see the lettuce or tomatoes hanging out that you could tell not to serve it that way.

My thing would be that the server didn't***TRY*** to at least get this. It's a server error once something like that gets to the table since it's obvious, not something covered up.

I would be impressed if my server came to my table to say the kitchen staff made it the wrong way and they are fixing it right now, THAT would make me tip very well like 30% range if everything else went smoothly that they caught it *BEFORE* they left the kitchen and didn't waste my time.

They are supposed to catch obvious errors. It's common sense. At Denny's before I ordered seasoned fries, our waitress(not someone else) brought me onion rings with my mini-burgers I ordered, our waitress should have caught that, it's OBVIOUS. Turns out, on our receipt she didn't charge me for the upcharge that was on the menu for the seasoned fries and even had mentioned it to me when I ordered even. So she put in the order wrong *AND* served it obviously wrong. Even if she would have put in the order correctly, she still was at fault for "serving" me something obvious. Good servers compare their written orders to the food to make sure they are serving the correct item or items or the correct way the food was asked to be prepared if it's obvious such as overdone fries vs. not overdone fries or sauce on ribs vs. no sauce.

I agree the issue shouldn't happen in the first place, but I don't agree it's a mistake though if they didn't check the order for obvious errors, that's just pure laziness and being uncaring. That's intentional when they do that. A mistake is unintentional, not intentional. It's intentional if they don't check over their written order with the food. That's no mistake there.

All I am saying is, I am not happy if they get it fixed, because they should have as you said caught it in the FIRST PLACE. Now I will give you that if it's only one side of ranch and they fix it right away, not a huge deal if they apologize, but if it's a wrong side dish, to me, they obviously didn't check anything and THAT would piss me off the NO EFFORT to *CARE* about what they were serving me.

I found this thread from someone mentioning my name.

I disagree. If it's really the kitchen staff error when it's not obvious, let me know so I can tip accordingly to not mess your tip up. If it's your mistake like you put in the order wrong, letting me know tells me how to tip. It's not a team mistake. It's either the kitchen staff or the server or another server if they run the food to me.

It's not a "team mistake" EVER! You can't blame the kitchen staff even if another server runs the food for a wrong side dish for example if the order was put in correctly by the original server that took the order that has a ticket or computer screen order to compare the food to for obvious errors. It's the other server's fault. It's not a kitchen staff error.

If anybody brings out the food that isn't part of the kitchen staff with the order that was put in 100% correctly by the original server that took the order, but the problem was not obvious like the steak was medium not medium well as ordered as put into the computer, that's a kitchen staff error, NOT a server error.

Understand my point? There's no such thing as a "TEAM MISTAKE." It's either your server or another server or the kitchen staff that's at fault.

Mistakes WILL happen and should be FORGIVABLE as they are not crimes to humanity and your MONEY does not trump **human dignity** as you make mistakes TOO!!!!

[Springs1]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Mistakes WILL happen and should be FORGIVABLE as they are not crimes to humanity and your MONEY does not trump **human dignity** as you make mistakes TOO!!!!

As I said before though, I am not talking about mistakes. I am talking about if my server left the kitchen without checking my plate, now I have like 5 things wrong that are OBVIOUS on my plate from a wrong side dish, to sauce on my ribs I said none to 3 sides of bbq sauce missing. Those aren't mistakes if you have 5 things obviously wrong. That's being lazy and uncaring about what you are doing. A mistake is when you truly checked over the plate and then probably would only miss one or two things at most, not 5. Understand my point?

It's not a mistake if my server just brings out my food without checking it. That's lazy and it's being uncaring as well as wasting my time. It's just like deciding not to study for a test, then failing. That's intentional. Mistakes are unintentional. Gee I wonder why I made a "F" on the test, well DUH I didn't take any *EFFORT* to study, did I? We all expect our server to *CARE* about if they are wasting our time or not by getting our orders OBVIOUSLY right at least *TRY* to check it for the tip they want and expect.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Springs1

As I said before though, I am not talking about mistakes. I am talking about if my server left the kitchen without checking my plate, now I have like 5 things wrong that are OBVIOUS on my plate from a wrong side dish, to sauce on my ribs I said none to 3 sides of bbq sauce missing. Those aren't mistakes if you have 5 things obviously wrong. That's being lazy and uncaring about what you are doing. A mistake is when you truly checked over the plate and then probably would only miss one or two things at most, not 5. Understand my point?

It's not a mistake if my server just brings out my food without checking it. That's lazy and it's being uncaring as well as wasting my time.

Those are mistakes. By definition. Very few people go to work and want to do a bad job or don't care, even in the hospitality industry. I suspect missing five things is exceedingly rare as I've never seen it happen. Although, if you have 60 special requests per item I could see it

[Springs1]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Those are mistakes. By definition.

They aren't mistakes. Mistake is unintentional. You are intentionally not checking my plate.

For example, I have seen a waitress print out our check and just hand it to us without comparing the check prices to the menu prices. That's intentional when I had to show her where a dollar overcharge on an item I ordered as it came was. WHY? I *SAW* she didn't.

Another example of not a mistake. A waiter me and my husband had our food and another table's food, he brought it out on a tray and sat it on top the tray jack. I watched since I was hungry and saw he didn't get his pad of paper out to see WHICH TABLE had which plate of food. He put in front of my husband fried shrimp w/fries when my husband ordered crawfish au gratin w/baked potato. Turns out, our waiter admitted he grabbed the wrong plate from the kitchen. The thing is, he made 2 issues happen. One may or may not have been a real mistake that he did compare the written order to the food BEFORE he left the kitchen. I don't know, I wasn't there. What I do know was NOT a mistake was him taking the plate of food that was on the tray sat on top the tray jack that had the fried shrimp w/fries to put it in front of my husband because he DID NOT ********COMPARE THE WRITTEN ORDERS TO WHICH TABLE HAD WHAT******, which ******IS********INTENTIONAL that he didn't *******************TRY*********************** to get it right just like not studying for a test. Same thing. THAT was NO mistake. That was PURE LAZINESS not to have gotten his pad of paper out to check which table had which plate of food. Before he took one plate off the tray that he had it sat down on the tray jack, his hands were empty and could have gotten his pad out to see which plate of food was to which table.

The fact that he "WINGED IT" by GUESSING rather than truly CHECKING his written order that we saw he *DID NOT* do. THAT is NOT a mistake. That is being lazy.

While he didn't intentionally want to give my husband the wrong item, he decided to guess rather than check things. THAT is what is intentional.

Another example would be once at the donut shop/diner I worked for, it was busy so since drive-thru is supposed to be fast, one day I "WINGED IT" didn't check the box of donuts(the glaze donuts they made hot in the back) and so I grabbed a box for the next person in the drive-thru line without lifting the box. I was being lazy about it, but more because it was drive-thru that things are supposed to go really fast unlike eating inside. Well anyway, the person came back in and said they got the wrong box of donuts. I didn't make a real mistake. While it wasn't intentional I didn't mean for that person to get the wrong box, I did *******DECIDE TO NOT CHECK THE BOX AS I ************SHOULD HAVE**************. THAT WAS THE PART THAT WAS INTENTIONAL, understand? Remember drive-thru normally doesn't make tips, because we rarely got tips through drive-thru to have an incentive to get things right unlike when people eat inside or to-go orders that got picked up inside. Was I in the wrong, YES. While I wasn't intentionally trying to get the person's order wrong, I did intentionally decide not to try my best to get that person's order right. THAT is what is intentional. That makes it not a mistake. In my case, it was not really about laziness, more about trying to rush the drive-thru line that was out to the street that my boss at the time has fused when the line was that backed up, so that's why I WINGED it, but I should have taken an extra 5 seconds to look inside the box. That was intentional that I didn't check the box.

Now you understand? Was I right to do what I did? Of course not. Fast food(which we weren't fast food, but drive-thru was kind of like fast food), we were rushed to get people in and out, so that's why I did what I did. Was it good service? NO, not by any means. Was it caring? No, it wasn't.

Understand the difference now between intentional and unintentional things of what is a mistake and what isn't?

[Street Pharmacist]

Sorry, but not double checking everything does not make it less of a mistake.

And when you don't double check is because you were hurried, but when others do it it's laziness?

I feel bad about responding and will stop now as I fear this type of posting behaviour is not rational.

[Springs1]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Sorry, but not double checking everything does not make it less of a mistake.

YES IT DOES. If you don't study for a test and fail it, how is that not intentional?

I was intentionally risking getting the customer's box of donuts wrong. That's no mistake I made. That was intentional I didn't check the box.

And when you don't double check is because you were hurried, but when others do it it's laziness?

Yes, because I wasn't getting a tip for it. WHY should I work harder for NO TIP INCENTIVE while the server would get a TIP, huh? That's unfair.

I wasn't getting a tip for my job in drive-thru for that service. So you can't compare the 2. It honestly had NOTHING to do with that I didn't "feel" like it. It had to do with hurrying. For the servers, it has to do with "I don't feel like it", because most are lazy. I just recently asked nicely for a waiter to PLEASE POSSIBLY could he write my order down" and he bitched to my face about how he hasn't written an order in 12yrs. So YEAH, it's about laziness if you don't want to WORK for your customer's tip. I wasn't getting a tip for my actions whether I got things right or not.

I was also trying to prevent not to get yelled at again from my boss as well that the drive-thru line was out to the street. I was trying to HURRY the line, that's all. It's not that I didn't want to check it because I was being lazy. It has NOTHING to do with that. Drive-thru is a rush-rush mode unlike eating inside.

[PsYcNeT]

[Voodooman]

And the demon monkeys fly again!1! Let the glories of ranch dressing, BBQ sauce and the fine dining stylings of Denny's be told throughout the land!

Special thanks to all who trolled for this magical day.

[jroc]

But Springs1.... What if the server was hot??

[Hockey_Ninja]

She's baaaaaaaaack!

[Springs1]

Originally Posted by jroc

But Springs1.... What if the server was hot??

That doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is the service. While it is more pleasant to the eyes, if they person is a jerk or dumb as a rock, WHY would I give a care if they were good looking or not?

[missdpuck]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

She's baaaaaaaaack!

Wow, when I hit "last page" and saw your post at the top, I knew exactly who you were talking about!

How many other posters have that notoriety.