|
WanderingMinstrel I posted:I hate customers so much, gently caress the holiday season, kill everyone It's certainly company party time. I just hate it cause like 90% of my station is apps/bar food/deserts since no one gets salads in the winter. And of course with everything going on the company card everyone orders apps and desert. There's a chance we may end up 86ing either key lime pie or creme brulee, since prep can only do one or the other since they both take so long to set. They made two full sheet pans of creme brulee yesterday and we went through one... And three whole key lime pies. Not to mention 40 something brownies, but those don't need to spend a day to set. And the worst part of large parties is impatient servers who want all 30 of their deserts in the time it takes to walk from the pos to the kitchen.
|
#
?
Dec 11, 2015 20:07
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 8, 2024 20:53 |
|
|
AA is for Quitters posted:It's certainly company party time. I just hate it cause like 90% of my station is apps/bar food/deserts since no one gets salads in the winter. And of course with everything going on the company card everyone orders apps and desert. Seriously, man, those are ALREADY READY and just waiting, plated, back there. Why should it take SO LONG?!
|
|
#
?
Dec 11, 2015 20:12
|
|
|
I must be the only one who can enjoy a nice salad in the Winter 
|
|
#
?
Dec 11, 2015 22:12
|
|
|
Samizdata posted:Seriously, man, those are ALREADY READY and just waiting, plated, back there. Why should it take SO LONG?! I wish we had room to plate in advance. Still the stuff we just need to plate is the easy stuff. I hate the servers who are willing to serve cold brownies because I can only nuke 2 at a time or they burn. So when someone orders 10 of em, even using the microwaves on the line, it still takes like 5 minutes since we only have 3 of em, since they don't get that much use. (we cheat on our loaded baked potatoes abs microwave the cheese and bacon, and we nuke our wild rice back to hot.)
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2015 02:10
|
|
|
AA is for Quitters posted:I wish we had room to plate in advance. Still the stuff we just need to plate is the easy stuff. I hate the servers who are willing to serve cold brownies because I can only nuke 2 at a time or they burn. So when someone orders 10 of em, even using the microwaves on the line, it still takes like 5 minutes since we only have 3 of em, since they don't get that much use. (we cheat on our loaded baked potatoes abs microwave the cheese and bacon, and we nuke our wild rice back to hot.) Ex-BOH guy here, so you know I was snarking hard, right?
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2015 03:53
|
|
|
Oh I know you were. I just really wish we had the room. But the cooler on the line is tiny and barely holds enough unplated desserts. And to have to run up and down stairs to the walk in wouldn't be worth it.
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2015 05:50
|
|
|
AA is for Quitters posted:Oh I know you were. I just really wish we had the room. But the cooler on the line is tiny and barely holds enough unplated desserts. And to have to run up and down stairs to the walk in wouldn't be worth it. Well, crap. Your post as well as the rest of the thread has met me regret not realizing how lucky I have been with some of my previous gigs. EDIT: Also, I realize I am  y enough not to reliably realize if I have crossed that line you're not supposed to cross while trying to be funny.
Samizdata fucked around with this message at 06:25 on Dec 12, 2015 |
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2015 06:16
|
|
|
The flow hood is out and apparently the coolant was drained out of the central air system so it didn't freeze over the one or two nights it came close to freezing here (???) and it Costs Money to refill before we're clear of any future freezing temps so we just breathe the same air all day as it fills up with the smoke and steam and aromas of however hundred many covers we serve that day. And when I'm getting pains in my chest like I smoked a third pack of cigarettes after being next to the grill's burnt aerosolized debris and fryer's batter fumes all day, and then fifteen minutes before the end of my shift "oh hey can you sear eight cases of chicken" with the sous attempting to pawn it all off on me before I guilt him into at least loving helping. Well. That pisses me off. Frankly.
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2015 07:02
|
|
|
A Man and his dog posted:I must be the only one who can enjoy a nice salad in the Winter I can Get Down with a salad in midwinter, and I live in Michigan. Willie Tomg posted:The flow hood is out... A couple restaurants ago, the place I worked was in an area with a really fragile power grid—outages were common, at least one a year during the summer storm season in July-September. But sometimes you got a weird one, like the day after we opened, February 14th, 2012... At about 7 the power cut. Hoods down, lights out, emergency spotlights on, and a full dining room. The FOH staff put out candles and handwrote tickets, and the kitchen cooked all the seated tables... in the dark. One of our line leads happened to have a shitton of flashlights in a bug-out bag in his car (along with some machetes and occasionally a Glock, he's an interesting guy...) so we were able to see for the rest of the night, even after the batteries of the emergency lights ran out. It was an important bonding experience for the staff though. So, on another note: How do you folks feel when you go out to a restaurant and you realize that walking into the kitchen and imparting a little knowledge would improve their product greatly? How does one go to a business owner and say, "your cornbread muffins are dry and kind of flavorless, and the sides all need work, but your barbecue is solid" without sounding like a shitheel? Or do you just keep it to yourself for when you open a barbecue joint?
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2015 08:25
|
|
|
Note that this advice is assuming your chef and/or owner aren't egomaniacs or anything. If you think you can improve a dish, make your changes and present it to the chef/owner. Be ready to explain what you did, why you did it, and if possible, how it will affect food cost. Even better is to do a side by side comparison - hell, make it blind. Important parts to changing a dish are to make sure that the new recipe is easily repeatable - if other people in the kitchen can't do it, or if it's far more labor intensive, it won't fly. Similarly, be prepared to train other people on how to do it. If you can make your changes without dramatically impacting ordering, that's even better - if your recipe needs saffron butter made only by Buddhist monks in a specific village in Nepal, that's not gonna work either. Don't be scared to just make the change and present your case, just try to make it simple for the rest of the crew to adopt if the change(s) really do improve the dish. Edit: I skimmed your post and misread it as being a place you worked, not a place where you were a customer. It is me, I'm the idiot. Shooting Blanks fucked around with this message at 10:40 on Dec 12, 2015 |
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2015 10:19
|
|
|
battlemonk posted:How do you folks feel when you go out to a restaurant and you realize that walking into the kitchen and imparting a little knowledge would improve their product greatly? How does one go to a business owner and say, "your cornbread muffins are dry and kind of flavorless, and the sides all need work, but your barbecue is solid" without sounding like a shitheel? I would never do that poo poo for free. I save it for Yelp. I'm sure that makes me a lovely person in some way but I don't care. Like when there are fundamental problems with the basic execution of food I tend to just choke it down (like tonight at Applebee's when the shrimp were pale as a sheet and rubbery as gently caress but I was high and super hungry [see also: how I ended up at Applebee's in the first loving place]) or I send it back. Since I'm BOH I try to be real simple about it with the server since it's not their fault. Just like "hi these breaded shrimp are cold on the inside and the breading is sloughing off, could you send it back?" The only statement I make is in declining a different meal, because guess what? Your kitchen sucks and doesn't deserve another chance. I've spoken to a manager exactly once in my life and it was only because our server was avoiding us. Like basically every time I've had a bad experience I know exactly what was done incorrectly and how to fix it. And I'm generally sad, since you asked how I feel. Few things depress me more than bad food. I'd only speak to an owner if I was trying to get a job, and I wouldn't want to be the guy who started working there to fix all the poo poo they're doing wrong.
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2015 10:20
|
|
|
SHUPS 4 DETH posted:I would never do that poo poo for free. I save it for Yelp. I'm sure that makes me a lovely person in some way but I don't care. Like when there are fundamental problems with the basic execution of food I tend to just choke it down (like tonight at Applebee's when the shrimp were pale as a sheet and rubbery as gently caress but I was high and super hungry [see also: how I ended up at Applebee's in the first loving place]) or I send it back. Since I'm BOH I try to be real simple about it with the server since it's not their fault. Just like "hi these breaded shrimp are cold on the inside and the breading is sloughing off, could you send it back?" The only statement I make is in declining a different meal, because guess what? Your kitchen sucks and doesn't deserve another chance. I've spoken to a manager exactly once in my life and it was only because our server was avoiding us. I'm just imagining some dude bitterly telling a server in his best eastwood voice "Your kitchen sucks...they don't deserve another chance" before going home and writing up an angry review. "few things depress me more than bad food". we live in a world where many people in developed nations do not have access to abortions. get a grip dude.
|
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2015 07:32
|
|
|
I was almost drunk enough to go back to the kitchen and offer to teach them how to shuck oysters one time but my dining partner talked me out of it.
|
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2015 08:09
|
|
|
Unless you have some kind of personal relationship with the owner or chef there's no polite way to tell them how they can make their food better. Which is for the best, because while I'm sure your suggestions would be great 99% would be inane, more costly, or turn the dish into something completely disgusting that whoever suggested it only thinks is right because their mother was a terrible cook. Edit: https://youtu.be/25lIafv-Sfs Air Skwirl fucked around with this message at 08:18 on Dec 13, 2015 |
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2015 08:16
|
|
|
Always Sunny Always OwnsSimoom posted:I'm just imagining some dude bitterly telling a server in his best eastwood voice "Your kitchen sucks...they don't deserve another chance" before going home and writing up an angry review. Simoom posted:"few things depress me more than bad food". we live in a world where many people in developed nations do not have access to abortions. get a grip dude.
|
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2015 09:05
|
|
|
Skwirl's pretty much spot-on. 99% of the time, the cook/owner in question is either going to be incapable of changing the recipe, aware the recipe sucks but more focused on saving money, and so on. They may even simply not care about your opinion, especially if they have hundreds of other people order it every day without complaint. Relationship matters too - As a server, I know that food shouldn't be sold after ten minutes sitting in the window. Telling my boss that isn't going to get me anywhere though. As a guest, I can freely tell them to take their stringy, dry chicken back and maybe give me some fresh food, but I do so understanding full well that there's no point in making a scene because if they cared about food quality they wouldn't have sold something subpar in the first place. Aside from being a highly trusted/respected friend, you're not going to have that magical movie moment where a person decided to change their way of doing business because of an inspirational heart-to-heart with a dissatisfied guest. On a completely unrelated note, I absolutely love gratuity.
|
|
#
?
Dec 14, 2015 04:18
|
|
|
Discendo Vox posted:All right then, a related question because I am a ball of privilege-aware neurosis; We should start a Neurotic Diner's Club. "For those who wish to dine the best, and be the best diner." Suspect Bucket fucked around with this message at 04:39 on Dec 14, 2015 |
|
#
?
Dec 14, 2015 04:37
|
|
|
SHUPS 4 DETH posted:Always Sunny Always Owns You are not a disappointment, the post just seemed sort of odd, like you go out attempting to have the worst time possible so you can write bad things on the internet at a later date. I'm sorry for telling you about abortions. I was just repeating what a lady standing outside of the bus stop with some pamphlets was telling me earlier that afternoon, tbh.
|
|
#
?
Dec 14, 2015 17:49
|
|
|
Simoom posted:You are not a disappointment, the post just seemed sort of odd, like you go out attempting to have the worst time possible so you can write bad things on the internet at a later date. I'm sorry for telling you about abortions. I was just repeating what a lady standing outside of the bus stop with some pamphlets was telling me earlier that afternoon, tbh. I get where you got that impression, absolutely. I never expect to have a bad time except at national chains and I don't yelp those. I don't walk in sneering or demanding special service. I go in hoping for the bare minimum, which is "not gross food that I don't feel nauseated paying money for". It's not a high bar. My wife is a server and we seem to have the worst luck in going out anywhere for years now. Working in kitchens makes me acutely aware of when a kitchen doesn't give a gently caress at all and it sucks when it happens, because I just wonder, you know, why not put out the best plate of food you can? I make bar food but I never think "oh well this can just go out as is even though it's garbage". No, I'm going to properly season and ensure the quality of your peanut butter bacon cheeseburger even though I think it's gross and I think you're gross. I guess since that's my job I expect the same integrity from every kitchen and so often it's sorely lacking. It also happens at my 'straunt when I'm not there and I hate that too. We re-make so much stuff that day crew couldn't be bothered to make well and it's been a point of frustration for months since they keep setting us up to fail every day. Oh it's wing night? Better cook them in such a hurry that 1/3rd of them are still raw. Oh it's burger night? Better not stock up on buns. And no one gets in trouble for it - night crew is just expected to pick up for their slack even though we have fewer staff and (minimum) triple the volume. And I know that filters through to the guest experience and when I find myself on the business end of a lovely kitchen I just feel defeated. It's a stupid confluence of stress but that's where I"m at. I've been at this gig for over a year now and I fully understand why they can't reliably staff nights. Also for real access to abortions is a legit concern and I didn't mean to play it off like that. Abortions for everyone imo
|
|
#
?
Dec 14, 2015 22:42
|
|
|
Straunt is a hard syllable to say.
|
|
#
?
Dec 14, 2015 22:44
|
|
|
How do I tell the guy that owns the bagel shop that the afternoon staff can't loving put cream cheese on a bagel in an sensible manner? It's a fuckin 6" disk guys, you aint doing stucco work.
|
|
#
?
Dec 14, 2015 23:08
|
|
|
In a huff, duh. 
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2015 08:57
|
|
|
bongwizzard posted:How do I tell the guy that owns the bagel shop that the afternoon staff can't loving put cream cheese on a bagel in an sensible manner? It's a fuckin 6" disk guys, you aint doing stucco work. leave a detailed message and/or picture on their facebook wall
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2015 10:21
|
|
|
mindphlux posted:leave a detailed message and/or picture on their facebook wall Angry internet posting is always the answer.
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2015 16:08
|
|
|
Ask for the cream cheese on the side and do it yourself?
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2015 20:12
|
|
|
Thumposaurus posted:Ask for the cream cheese on the side and do it yourself? Seriously if putting cream cheese on your own bagel is an issue I don't see how you can handle actually feeding your own self with cutlery,
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2015 04:21
|
|
|
When my aunt has a hyper-detailed list of things to ask for just so she can get a bagel and cup of tea from Dunkin' Donuts, you can understand why "gently caress it do it yourself" happens in the industry.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2015 08:41
|
|
|
bongwizzard posted:How do I tell the guy that owns the bagel shop that the afternoon staff can't loving put cream cheese on a bagel in an sensible manner? It's a fuckin 6" disk guys, you aint doing stucco work. Have you tried talking to the staff ?
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2015 09:06
|
|
|
Vorenus posted:Seriously if putting cream cheese on your own bagel is an issue I don't see how you can handle actually feeding your own self with cutlery, That would waste a little plastic cup every time and also I am a busy and industrious fellow and take my bagels to go. I did post that right after using a pocket knife to re-spread so tempers were a bit high. And It must be anonymous because what if it goes wrong and I end up blacklisted this is like the only good bagel place around here.
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2015 01:05
|
|
|
bongwizzard posted:That would waste a little plastic cup every time and also I am a busy and industrious fellow and take my bagels to go. I would think bagels to go would automatically come sauce on the side. In big news for me, I'll be taking over my restaurant's bar come the new year. Pretty nuts. High volume (for my city) farm to table local seasonal all the etceteras. I've been bartending here for 2 and a half years so I know I can handle it. But all of a sudden I'm in charge. Very exciting. I know I'll make numerous mistakes (already have), but managing orders + staff + prep + new menus 4 times a year + events + whatever else is a little daunting. I've learned a lot from this thread and the assorted others (gen chat, ask me about bartending, cocktail thread to name a few) so I wanted to thank everybody that bothers to post about the ridiculous life that we live. I'm not exactly fishing for advice, but I would definitely not turn any down. There are a few posters here to whom I've paid particular attention - make no babbys, kenning, and bloody ghost titty to be particular but not complete (can't forget pile of brown who is an IRL friend) - and I'm sure they/you have at least one axiom to 'tend by. Again, I've learned so much just reading the various industry related threads that I would be remiss in not saying so. I've obviously worked very hard at my craft to get to where I am in such a short time period (0-60 in 3.5 years), but this place is a great resource, and I only plan on improving and moving on to bigger and better things, so I thought I'd open up a new conversational thread that would likely help many more people than just me: namely, managing a bar.
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2015 08:41
|
|
|
an important aspect of managing a bar is free drinks for local sous chefs
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2015 08:46
|
|
|
pile of brown posted:an important aspect of managing a bar is free drinks for local sous chefs As long as you still tip on the free drinks.
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2015 10:37
|
|
|
Skwirl posted:As long as you still tip on the free drinks. But what if the drinks are only discounted? Do you tip on the full price or do you tip on the discounted price?  I was offered a job by a table the other day for the second time in 4 months. Between myself and others, I've seen job offers for everything from other serving jobs and receptionist positions to sales gigs at highly reputed logistics companies. Is it common to get a job offer based on giving great service or is it the equivalent to trolling college campuses for people who don't know any better?
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2015 12:48
|
|
|
I always went with dollar a drink
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2015 16:27
|
|
|
Our accountant has caused enough bounced paychecks that my bank has been holding mine for six days now. After I fix the fact that my account is $530 in the hole, I'm going to fantasize about breaking the accountants kneecaps with a baseball bat. In reality, I can't do anything about it.
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2015 16:35
|
|
|
I didn't know people tipped based on drink cost. Somewhere along the line I learned $1 per drink, always, forever. Even if the drink was comped (especially if it was comped?).
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2015 19:55
|
|
|
It's been a dollar a drink since I was a kid in the 80s, so that's probably a lovely tip now.
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2015 20:05
|
|
|
Splizwarf posted:It's been a dollar a drink since I was a kid in the 80s, so that's probably a lovely tip now. yeup.
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2015 20:06
|
|
|
Splizwarf posted:It's been a dollar a drink since I was a kid in the 80s, so that's probably a lovely tip now. Depends on the drink. Beer, either bottle or draught? Unless it's some crazy 750ml bottle, a dollar per drink is fine. Highball, $1-$2, but definitely expect to tip more at cocktail bars.I typically just do 20% and make it easy.
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2015 20:11
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 8, 2024 20:53 |
|
|
Vorenus posted:But what if the drinks are only discounted? Do you tip on the full price or do you tip on the discounted price? I tip a dollar a drink, 2 if it's a cocktail that involves a shaker or a strainer.
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2015 20:16
|
|