Mother's Day Madness

      As most people that work in the restaurant industry knows, Mother's Day is the busiest day of the year. At my restaurant there are parties standing outside the door waiting for us to open at 11 a.m. It is one of the few days a year which everybody must work, no matter what. Lucky me, every Sunday I just work the lunch shift, meaning I will be able to make good money and still be home in time to celebrate Mother's Day with my family. Last year I made about $130 in six hours, making me very excited to make that same amount this year. Little did I know this year was going to be one of the worst days ever for me..not only at work but in my personal life as well. 
      
      Lets go back to Wednesday, May 7th. My cousin James has been sick with Cystic Fibrosis his whole life and lately hasn't been doing so good. That morning I got a call from my mom explaining to me that he was getting worse, and that night he passed away. Of course I wanted to be with my family at this time, but that meant driving up to New Jersey that next morning and having to call out of work (on Mother's Day weekend). I called my boss right away and explained my story to her. She was very understanding and sympathetic, but asked if there was any way I could be back to work on Mother's Day. 

      I was able to find a 6 a.m flight from New York getting me to Florida around 8:30 a.m making it possible to be at work for my scheduled shift at 11 a.m. Since it was booked last minute it cost me almost $300, but i figured I would make a lot of money at work and that would at least pay for half of the flight. 

      After having a few very sad days with my family it was time to go back home and get to work. I was tired, and upset that I had to leave my family, but I was ready to work and hopeful that it was going to be a busy and successful day. Little did I know, the total opposite was going to happen.

1) First I wasn't even on the floor plan because my manager was unsure if I was going  to make it in (even though I called to tell them I would be back on Sunday).
2) They finally found a place for me, but it was not a good section at all. At least I had a section now wand was able to make money.
3) Lets go over some of my tips from that day. 
- $6 on a $115 check 
- $8 on a $83 check 
- $6 on a $50 check 
- $10 on a $100 check
- Plus many others that lets just say, sucked!

     By the end of the day I was ready to quit. I had mane a little over $60, nothing like what I was expecting. The clientele was not good, not tipping, and not caring that while they were able to enjoy a nice lunch with their family, I was stuck working. I felt as though I should have just stayed in New Jersey with my family instead of rushing to work when it wasn't even appreciated. 

     Family is most important in life and I am very grateful to have such a close, loving, and supportive one. They made me feel that it was okay to leave them to come back to work. I was able to come for a little bit and they were happy enough for that. I hope all the Mother's enjoyed their day and it was filled with relaxation and love from their families. Hears to hoping Father's Day will be a success! 

     

How to 'Trick Tip' Your Waiter

      So last night I picked up a shift at work to try and make some extra cash for the upcoming weekend (my fiance's birthday). It was an okay night, pretty slow, not the greatest tips but not the worst either. Finally it was 10 p.m. and my last table was getting up. As they left I went to grab their receipts, say thank you, and finish cleaning up. Little did I know that they were about to play a pretty funny trick on me.

      When going out to eat at a restaurant you usually get a total of three recipes after you pay; one for the waiter to keep with the tip included, one for the table to keep with the tip included, and one printout of everything you were charged for. Once the couple left I opened the checkbook like I usually do and saw a $0.50 (written on the WRONG receipt) tip on a $60 check. They were still in the restaurant and I was so close to going up to them and saying something. However, before I did that I moved the top receipt only to find my copy with a $15 tip written on it; I couldn't help but laugh.

      For a second I thought that they were just another dumb young couple that wanted to rip me off, but I was wrong. About 5 min later, as the couple was about the leave the girl came up to me just to make sure that I ended up seeing the real tip. It was a pretty funny and good way to end my night. :)

26 Things That Piss Off Your Waitress

      So I was skimming through BuzzFeed (like I do all the time) and I came across 26 Things That Piss Off Your Waitress and just had to share it. There are many other who made their own list such as THRILLIST, CNN Travel, and The Forgotten Girl. Dealing with hungry people on a daily basis isn't always an easy job, but as a guest you can definitely help your waiter by being polite, understanding, and most of all patient. Although I thought these lists were very accurate, I want to share some more.

- Bringing Your Own Drinks (Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic)

      Going out to eat is all about the experience; the joy and ease of getting served on and not having to cook or clean. For many, part of that experience is ordering a nice glass of wine or a drink. We don't expect everyone to order an alcoholic drink, or even a soft drink for that matter. However, when people pull out their own water bottles, soda cans, or wine bottles..now that pisses me off! 

- Letting Your Child Cry or Run Around the Restaurant Like a Playground

      You're out to dinner, not at the park. Don't let your child run around or cry and throw a fit while you sit there and eat your food. I personally almost run over little children on a daily basis. Servers are carrying heavy trays up and down the restaurant not looking below, only in front so they don't run into an employee. There has been a few times where I have seen other waiters drop trays just to avoid running over or tripping over somebody's out of control child. Save the running around for the playground and control your children when going out to dinner. 

- Singing Happy Birthday, or Worse, Happy Anniversary  

      We get it, it's your birthday and you want the entire restaurant to know. However, until you work in a restaurant you don't understand how hard it is to get people to sing with you, especially people who actually know how to sing. We are busy trying to bring refills, food, dessert, and many other things to different tables. If you ask, we have to sing..but don't expect a massive group of people to serenade you. We try our hardest, so please don't complain if we suck at singing or we weren't loud enough. Oh, and there is no such thing as a "Happy Anniversary" song, so don't ask your server to sing that. 

- Sit at Their Table for 4 Hours on a Saturday Night

    A few weeks ago I had not one, but tow tables sit there for over 2 hours. There was about an hour wait in the lobby, and I was stuck with one table because the other two would not get. One of the tables was there for 3 hours and 45 minutes while the other was there 2 hours and 50 minutes. By the time they both got up the wait was finished and it was time for me to go home. 

    Servers are there for one thing, to make money. If you sit at their table of almost 4 hours and then tip them $5 that is not going to happen. I understand that you haven't seen your friend in over a year, but go home after dinner and then talk for as long as you would like. If you really want to piss off your waiter then sit at their table all night, but you really don't want to mess with another person's money. 

- Rushing Us

      If you are in a rush go to a fast food chain, not a sit down restaurant. Sometimes the kitchen is slow or short staffed, sometimes your server may have five or six tables to attend to, and sometimes the restaurant is just busy! If you insist on going out to dinner before your other plans please tell your waiter in advance so he or she knows to put a rush on your food and bring you the check right away. But if you don't tell us you're in a hurry and then get mad and rush them end..that will piss them off. 

MythBuster; Cracking the Most Common Myths About the Restaurant Business

1) Putting Your Silverware in Hot Water to "Kill Germs"

      NEWS FLASH; it does nothing for you!. When going to dinner, some people find the need to ask their server (me) for a cup of hot water so they can "sanitize" their silverware. In order for this process to work the water has to be extremely hot, boiling, which is pretty impossible to find in a restaurant. The hottest water we can fund is from the coffee pot, and that isn't even boiling. Although this may comfort some people, in reality killing one or two little bacteria's isn't going to do anything. The silverware goes through the same dishwasher as the plates we put your food on and the cups you put your mouth on, but yet you eat and drink from those just fine. If you think the silverware is that dirty you probably shouldn't be eating out in the first place. Next time you ask your waiter for hot water just remember it's not only annoying for them, but you look like a fool because it is not working.


2) We Are Doing This Job For Fun, Not to Make a Living

For some reason, some people think that we do this job for fun, that we enjoy waiting on people hand and foot, and that we don't do it to make a living. Oh, how wrong are you! I have never met a waiter that said "I don't need the money, I'm just here to have some fun." Odds are they are working their way through school or trying to support a family. For the most part as a waitress you make pretty good money. As long as the tips are good, it is a decent way of making a living. Going to school myself, I don't have much time to work but like everyone else I need money too. People go to the beach for fun, have some drinks, hangout with friends, not go to a restaurant and serve people on a Saturday night. However, there is no other job where you don't even have to work 30 hours and still make about $400-$500 per week.




3) Waiters are Uneducated and Work at a There Because They Can't Get a Job Anywhere Else 
Like I said in number two, many waiters are trying to work their way though collage so they are able to pay for an education and move on to a more upscale job. Although some people chose to leave once they graduate college, other don't because believe it not sometimes you make more money as a waiter then starting a new job in your field right after graduation. Many waiters and managers in the restaurant industry have at least a 2 year degree, some 4, and some even masters degrees. Waiters are NOT stupid, we are educated people just trying to make ends meet. However, when looking for a "real" job, many find that they will have to take a pay cut. When I graduate and land a job that I am interested in I will take whether I have to take a pay cut if not. I know in the long run it will be more beneficial to me and with time I will make more money, have better benefits, and finally have nights, weekends, and holidays off!

4) We Spit in Your Food When You're Rude

As much as there has been plenty of times where I wanted to do this, I know it is so wrong and disgusting which is why myself, as well as most other waiters have and will never do this. Of course there are exceptions, so don't be rude to your waiter, but odds are they are not going to risk losing their job to spit in your food. I have been tempted many times to do some pretty nasty things to even nastier people, because really they need to be taught a lesson on manners and how to treat people. But in the end, I know its not worth losing my job over.











5) We Get paid Minimum Wadge, You Don't Have to Tip Us

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! According to the United States Department of Labor, in the state of Florida the minimum cash wage for tipped workers is only $4.91. On top of that little pay, we also get taxed for the amount of tips we make throughout the week so we're lucky to get a $30 or $40 paycheck. Waiters depend on their tips to survive, so if you think you don't have to tip because we make regular minimum wage you are very wrong. We wouldn't complain as much if we did!
      




I hope I helped crack some of the most common myths in the restaurant business. If you have questions or myths that need cracking comment below.

Happiness at Last; Family Anonymously Buys Another Family Dinner in Front of My Own Eyes

     Saturday night was a pretty busy night at Olive Garden. I was working a double, and even though it was busy I was definitely not having the best day. They turned two of my tables into one for parties the entire night, I was not getting good tips, and I was just tired from a long week. However, one of my last tables was a family of four and they completely turned my night around.
     Just looking at them they didn't seem different, just a nice family going out to dinner to spend some time together. The parents ordered alcoholic drinks, children (were teenagers) soda, appetizers, full entries, and dessert. The father paid, left me $20 on $100 (my first good tip all night), I thanked them and figured they were going to leave.
     As I thought they were getting up the father pulled me aside and asked me if I knew who the server was for a different table. Sitting at the other table were two ladies and three very young children. I told the father of course and got her right way. We were all curious to what he wanted her for, and once we found out we were all in shock.
     He asked Patty (the waitress of the other table) if they were almost done eating and if so he would like to pay for their entire meal. We couldn't stop smiling. I've heard of people doing such nice gestures for people, but I never thought I would be able to witness it with my own eyes. As Patty was making sure her table was done I started talking to the father.
     He went on to tell me that every time he goes out to dinner with his family they always try and find one table with young children and pay for their bill. I wish I would have been able to get a picture of him and his family. 
     After paying the bill, and leaving Patty a $15 tip, he went over to the table and told the ladies what he did for them. The look on their face a pure amazement, happiness, thankfulness, and shock. They would have never guessed that would have happened to them, and neither would I. The father told those ladies to pass the good deed on and do something nice for somebody else. Let's just hope they did and so on and so fourth. If everyone did one good deed a day to a stranger and kept passing it along the world would be a lot happier and grateful. 
     I will never forget what happened that night. It gave me such happiness knowing that their really are nice people in the world that try to help others out any way they can. I know not everybody has enough money to pay for other people's dinner, but there are other ways to create happiness. 
     Try it out and go make somebody's day while also making yours :)

Tips on Tipping; How to Properly Tip Your Waiter

      Many people seem to be unaware of the proper amount to leave their waiter when going out to eat. They could be from a different country, or just never taught how to tip. There are many reasons why people tip the way they do and I'm here to help make sure all waiters receive the tip they deserve!

      In the article Tipping Advice, Messenger News explains the right way to tip your waiter and how many things are not their fault.

Should Not Effect the Tip:
- If the food is taking a long time.
--- Odds are the kitchen is behind or short a few people. Trust me, your waiter wants to get you in and out as fast as possible so they can make an much money as possible.
- If you don't like your food.
--- Your waiter did not cook your food so it is not their fault if you don't like it. Don't worry, you won't have to pay for something you don't like. Just be honest with us so we can get you something new.
- The prices are too high.
--- If you can't afford to tip then you can't afford to eat out. The minimum you should ever leave your server is 15%, but usually more as long as they were great! If the prices are too high choose a different restaurant.

Should Effect the Tip:
- Rudeness.
--- Your waiter should never give you attitude or be rude no matter how bad their day is. They have to put everything behind them and be friendly.
- Not Attentive.
--- Not getting refills in a timely fashion.
--- Not asking if your food was to your liking and/or trying to get you a new dish.
--- Totally forgetting your appetizer, main course, and not trying to make it up to you.
- Arguing with the guest.
--- Unfortunately the guests are always right, even when they are wrong.

      The price of living has gone up over the past 10-20 years, which is why it is important for people to understand that 10% is not the proper amount to tip anymore (as long as there was nothing wrong with the service). It is important to tip no less then 15% of your check. After all your waitress just served you your drinks, meal, brought you refills, and maybe even coffee and dessert. Also, don't forget that they are doing a lot of work that you don't see such as sometimes making your salads, gathering up your bread, and much more. Waiters only get paid $4.91 an hour so they depend on tips to make a living and help support themselves or their family.

      Tourists always eat out, and living and working in Florida more the half of our clientele seem to be  tourists or snowbirds. Coming from countries such as South America, Europe, and Canada, many are unaware of the tipping procedures in America. In other countries the waiters get paid more money per hour and some don't even accept tips. As a server myself I feel is is very important that when traveling to another country that you are aware of all the different customs that they have, including tipping when going out to eat. No matter if you are an American traveling to another country, or a foreigner traveling to America, you should always know Tipping Guidelines before going.

      If you are still unaware of how to properly tip your waiter or are just "bad at math" download the Tipping Calculator on your smartphone to make sure you always tip what you are suppose to!

Carnival Freedom Cruise Service Review; Post Vacation

 Laura, Naidu, Kim, Zainuddun

      Spring break is officially over and we all had an amazing time on the cruise. Based off of the reviews that I read before leaving, everything seemed to be pretty much on point. For the most part the service team was excellent, some better then others, but very good. We got lucky and got a great head waiter that cared about us, our needs, and made sure we always had a good experience with him. 

Night 1

      The first night in the dining room is always a fun experience. Although you are able to sit in a big table with strangers to help people make some new friends, we sat at a table just the four of us. This makes the dining experience a little more personable and romantic. 

- Head Waiter: Naidu from India 

- Helper: Zainuddun from Indonesia. 

      After introducing themselves both waiters seemed to be very friendly, personable, funny, very well trained. Just like most cruises, they staff was very international making some a little hard to understand. However, they seemed to make up with it through their personality. The service was fast, very good, and the food and drinks tasted excellent.

Night 2

      Tonight just so happened to be the BEST night of my life because the man I love asked me to spend the rest of my life with him and marry him! We were sailing away from Key West into the beautiful sunset on the top of the boat, just sitting there talking. All of a sudden he asks me if I love him, gets down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. Of course I said YES!! There was nothing that could run this day, or this vacation anymore. 

      - After getting engaged we went to the main dining room to celebrate. Having the same waiters every night, they already knew he was going to propose, so the staff was full of smiles and congratulations. 

      - Tonight was the first night of entertainment done by the entire wait staff. They sang and danced to the song "My Girl." Although it was not planned, perfect song for a newly engaged couple. 

Night 3                                                                             

      After a fun and long day at see with lots of sun, dancing, and drinking it's time to get all dressed up for elegant night. Everyone on the boat looked great with their fresh tans and beautiful dresses. 

      - Tonight they had lobster tail, Filet Mignon, and much more upscale food to create a once in a lifetime dining experience. 

      - The entire wait staff did some more entertainment tonight by singing a traditional Italian Song "That's Amore."

                                                                                                                                           

Night 4

      Tonight we ran into a little problem. Although nothing major, being a waiter myself as well as two other at the 

table, this kind of bothered us a little bit.

      - To our best knowledge, Naidu seemed to have about four or five tables that he had to wait on which could get a little confusing. When bringing us our first course (soup and/or salad) he put our order on the table next to us. When he realized what he did all he did was take it off their table and put it on ours. We felt as though he should have brought us a new bowl instead of giving us the one touched by other people. 

      - Another great night of entertainment by the wait staff! Tonight the did a wonderfully choreographed dance to Flo-Rida's "Apple Bottom Jeans." They got many of the guests involved teaching them the steps and letting us dance with them. 

                                                                                            

Night 5

      Tonight we chose to go all out and go to the Sun King Steakhouse on board. I have always wanted to try one of the specialty restaurants because I have heard nothing but good things about it. They had a great menu with food I will probably never be able to try again as well as over the top service. This was by far the best service and food we had the whole week. 

            - They charge $35 a person and you are able to choose up to three starters, one main course, as many side dishes as you would like, and one dessert. In total we spend $70 for two people; well worth the money for the amount of food they give you.  

      - The food tasted AMAZING! I was able to try escargot (something I will probably never be able to have again). I also ordered salad, soup, a wonderful Filet Mignon, (cooked perfectly) with a baked potato, steamed broccoli, and very tasty dessert platter. 

      - Service was superb. The waiter's had a big smiles on their face helping us navigate the menus, explaining what the have to offer, and what we are able to order. They showed us the different types of meats they had that night going over every detail. They even let us take the left over steak back to the room for a midnight snack! 

Night 6    
      It's the last night which means saying goodbye to this unforgettable vacation. Naidu knew all of our names by the second night making us feel very welcomed, loved, and cared for. Saying goodbye to the waiters is always a sad time, but they were sure to make it a happy occasion.

      - I was looking forward to this night all week because I have been wanting frog legs again since my last Carnival Cruise, and my luck they had them! They were just as yummy as I remembered.

      - For their final entertainment they sung us all a goodbye song. The head of the dining room had a very nice speech hoping we all had a great vacation and wishing everybody safe travels.

      Besides the main dining room, there are many other options for food that we took advantage of. Some good, some bad, but I have our personal reviews for all!

Breakfast/Lunch Buffet:

      - We went to the breakfast buffet only once (the morning of the second day). The food wasn't the best and there wasn't really much service since it is a buffet. However, there was staff going around asking if we would like anything to drink and if we needed refills

      - Each day there was a different theme such as Mexican, Caribbean, Italian. There was a good variety of food to choose from and my favorite, chips and salsa! I made sure to get them every day because they were so good! Just like breakfast, since it was a buffet there was not much service involved but they were going around making sure our drinks were full. 

      - Although the main food changed daily The Mongolian Wok and Deli was open for lunch every day with great food and great service. 

Breakfast in Main Dining Hall:

      - After not really enjoying the food in the breakfast buffet we decided to give the sit down breakfast a try. The food was much better; hot, fresh, and cooked to order. They even had a "sea day brunch" which included things like Eggs Benedict and french tat covered in your choice of cereal. 
      - The first time we went, day 5, the service was actually horrible. The waiter seemed like he did not want to be there shaking his had at us while we ordered and not one smile on his face. By far the worst service experience throughout the whole week.
      - However, we went back the next two days and asked for Nadiu who was amazing once again. He was happy, gladly took our order, and catered to my picky needs. He was wonderful at all times of the day!

Coffee Bar:

      - We didn't get a chance to try the coffee bar until day 5, but the service and drinks were amazing. We went back again on day 6 and the Batista remembered us, what we liked, and make or drinks just as amazing. She was very friendly, energetic, and helpful. She even held our chocolate covered strawberries in the back for about an hour while we went t go buy some pictures. She was such a delight! 




Room Service: 

      - My fiance and I ordered room service once; for breakfast on day 4. It came on time and it was fresh and tasty. No complaints there. 
      - The other couple we were traveling with, Kim and Andrew, ordered room service at least once a day at all different times. They said the food was great, sometimes better then what the buffet was offering. Room service is available 24 hours a day with no charge which is great. However, their only complaint was that it took a very long time for the food to arrive. It always came hot and fresh, but with 2,000 or more hungry people on board the food would sometimes take an hour or more to get there.