Tuesday, December 2, 2008

We're All Facing "Difficult Economic Times"...

Um, Yeah - I noticed.

I tried to explain that to my mortgage company, but they didn't really seem to care.
Anyway - Last weekend, some of my regulars came in for a visit. Jokingly, I asked where they had been, and the wife - who was never really a friendly person to start with, looks right at me and states "Well, some of us have to cut back in these difficult economic times." As if I am the sole reason for their economic troubles.

In fact, people like them are the reason for MY economic troubles.

So we've been painfully slow lately. So we have to work harder to make the tips - with no guarantee that they'll even be there. No sweat. Just turn the nice on, come out of your shell, and start enjoying yourself on the job.

I have found that if I am willing to stay and close the restaurant, I am still able to make some money. People are simply looking for the best deals. No one is simply throwing money around any more. If you want that 20% tip - You'll now have to WORK FOR IT. And don't let it get you down if you only get 10%. Many people assume that we get paid an hourly wage, so if they don't tip well, it won't make that much of a difference. So let them leave and move on to the next table.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well said! That is a great attitude you have.

purplegirl said...

Our business has been sucking a hind tit lately too. $57 on a double today, for example. Trying to stay positive but it's getting harder and harder.

Anonymous said...

right ... business is down.... way down .... so you don't necessarily want to go switching ships right now ... because the in house, long termers are the ones doing ok in these times... a newcomer, even in a good house is still at the bottom of the totem pole... we will get through it... you can't go table by table or it will drive you nuts!!!

Anonymous said...

oh dont get me started. I am lucky even if i get €20 a day from my waitressing job but €20 between a lot of people is how do you is getting slimmer by the day. Oh if only i could win the lotto or marry a millionaire.

Anonymous said...

I'm in banquets don't forget so I may not have the right, or same, take on things. My hotel has thankfully been very busy right up to this week. All is well, but I don't want to count my chickens...

Otherwise, now's the time to appreciate all the "cheap tables" that don't tip much. Some is better than none.

Merry Christmas to all.
So You Want To Be a Banquet Manager

Jenny said...

Doesn't it seem like there are two kinds of people- people who tip 20% automatically because they are smart, and people who need to see you reaallly work for it before they go above 10?

Ribeye of your Dreams said...

Ya know, I thought it was just the economy that was killing tips at "the Restaurant that Shant be Named". That proved to be wrong as people are still spending oodles of money where I work. Then I thought it might be my own attitude but I realized that I'd been hateful and such since I started, and it's not changed in its level. I finally realized that the clientele has changed since I first started working for "trtsbn" and it hasn't changed for the better. Our money started going down when the clientele started changing.. I know it's not the same at every restaurant, and I know it's not the same as every city or state...I just wish my economic problems were helped by staying till close every night...

The sad thing is that my store is one of only 3 out of 54 in the company that finished the fiscal with a record year... too bad the servers don't get any shares of that profit!

Oh, just to let ya know, RagingServer.com is now back online after a long and painful hiatus. Glad to see you're still here!

totalfailure said...

"Well, some of us have to cut back in these difficult economic times."

then stay home cranky

Waitress4Life said...

After years of going back and forth between waitressing jobs, I finally lost the passwords to this blog... But I haven't given up! Or lost my absolute desire to share the JOYS of the restaurant world!!
Join me on the blog I CAN access and will be updating (hopefully!!) far more frequently in the near future!!
It's great to be back... I really need to vent! Waitress4Life
waitressagain.blogspot.com