Dealing with waitstaff......

[beefcheif]

K, here is the question, how do you deal with waitstaff who feel the need to constantly tell you something about the plate you serve up..... basically those ones who are always trying to get some sort of power over you and your dishes...... know what i mean? oh, and i cant fire them....

[oldschool1982]

Just look at them , take a breath, smile and say.... Thank you for your input. I'll have to take that underconsideration when I have time.

Just remember that the serevr may not be just trying to undermine you but rather the opposite. They are mearly relaying what feedback they have received from the guest.

The FOH/HOH highway has to be a two-way street or to state it a different way... There are a few savvy servers out there that have also been Chef's at one time or another. I've done it that way. Keeps those interpersonal skills honed.

[Rivitman]

They do my bidding or else. period.
Waitstaff seem to feel like everyone on the other side of the pass is afraid of public interaction. I don't need them intrinsically, I'll serve it myself at the drop of a hat. And I'll do it better and with more style.

They might want me to do it 'their way'. I tell them if they want input they can tip me out since many make more than myself or my cooks do.

I see no need for diplomacy. If they wish to play games, thier plates are extra hot, and their tables come up last.

I am however, willing to entertain suggestions made well before or after service. During? I am completely unwilling. And annoyed.

[Beemerchef]

Originally Posted by Rivitman

They do my bidding or else. period.
Waitstaff seem to feel like everyone on the other side of the pass is afraid of public interaction. I don't need them intrinsically, I'll serve it myself at the drop of a hat. And I'll do it better and with more style.

They might want me to do it 'their way'. I tell them if they want input they can tip me out since many make more than myself or my cooks do.

I see no need for diplomacy. If they wish to play games, thier plates are extra hot, and their tables come up last.

I am however, willing to entertain suggestions made well before or after service. During? I am completely unwilling. And annoyed.

God! you sound so much like me!!!... HOWEVER... I don't get annoyed any more... that is what I say... and then... I get terribly so annoyed! I am done with my present situation, but all the help where "amateurs" as I called them... ALWAYS... I MEAN... always forgetting the tray... even telling them the story that I get in my car everyday and have to run back to the house to get it... does not phase them... It has been up to the Owner to hire better staff and PAY!!!... I always said... you pay ^%$#... you get ^%$#...
I have been used to work with the best all my life... specially as a personal Chef for high end clients... the past year has been a frustration!!!...
I know... I am not divulging a solution... as I do not have one!!!
yet...

Be well... Ara

[TheAvatar]

You know, no matter where I go and no matter what style or quality of restaurant I've worked at, waitstaff are always the same.

Generally, because I'm young, a lot of career waitresses and waiters try to tell me how to serve this or how to present it, or in what portions, etc. I especially hate it when they criticize the plate they're serving after we paged them and they waited 20 minutes to come and get it....I hate sending out plates like that, and more often than not, they whine about it.

Honestly, you just have to be a tough SOB. Don't be rude, but don't be friendly. If you're in the middle of something that's obviously important, then stop. Everything. Look at them straight faced and ask, "What can I do for you?" in a neutral tone. They typically get the hint and get out of your face, or, they politely, and above all, quickly, ask you their question.

One thing that I thought was a good idea was putting one chef in charge of dealing with the waitstaff, and he woudl filter through the BS.

Oh yeah, another thing I've done is favor certain members of the waitstaff that perform above and beyond--clean, polite, on time for food, precise in their orders, organized, and considerate. They get a free dinner every so often.

Other than that, if all else fails, call them stupid and light something on fire and get back to cooking!

[boosehound]

currently im not saposed to yell at waitstaff, but occasionaly hot pans WILL FLY and i wont think twice or appologize for it EVER. i will not work 80+ hours in a very small understaffed kitchen to listen to some bi**h tell me the lamb is not MR and watch her touch it and continue to tell me how she is right and i am wrong. from there screaming usually ensues. " THANKS CHEF I GUESS I WASTED ALL THAT MONEY ON CULINARY SCHOOL" or a subtle " GET THE F**K OUT AND RUN THE GOD D*M FOOD" this will usually get the point across if it doesnt then it usually turns into a fun night(note heavy sarcasm) this doesnt happen often but when it does i dont stand for it one bit i put them in there place.

several other chefs i know i do side work for will fire someone on the spot instantly for such action without hesitation, they simply look at them inform them so and so will be taking thier tables to clock out and leave the property. when i asked why they do this he explaned... ive been here a little over 20 yrs, i dont need some newbe coming in here telling me how things are or how its going to be or what she thinks the steak is, so when it happens they are made instant example of and fired.

quite frankly i like that policy i wish i could adopt it my blood pressure would be so much lower!

[Someday]

I would say that how you treat people is more a reflection on you rather than the "offending" people.

I say maintain your professionalism, be an adult, and don't throw or scream or anything like that.

A lot of times the waitstaff is dealing with ignorant customers.

I know waitstaffs are, many times, frustruating, but dealing with it is a fact of life.

I try to adopt a positive attitude. Most of the time. Remember that many times they aren't asking questions for themselves, but rather for guests. If you are a good cook then you can multitask, and answer questions at the same time as cooking. I know I can. I can walk and chew gum.

Now, I know there are a lot of servers who don't know what they are doing, and ask stupid questions in the middle of the rush. I had one the other night. Pissed me off.

Came up to me in the middle of service, and asked me what Creme Fraiche was. That upset me. Not that he didn't know--on the contrary, I'm happy to answer questions about food in any way I can, in fact, I enjoy when the FoH takes an interest in really getting to know the food. I'll regal them endlessly with every little step we do to complete a dish, etc. But not when he asks me what Creme Fraiche is, in the middle of the rush, for a dish that has been on the menu for the last 3 months. I know he was asking for a guest, but HE should know the answer to that question. If it was a brand new item on the menu,. I could understand. But that kind of lackadasical attitude and non-commitment really bothers me.

I still answered his question in a polite way. If I have something to say to that guy I'll do it later, after service. Odds are by then I'll be less angry about it.

Like I said, take my advice however you want, but I think the restaurant as a whole is better served by positive relations b/t BoH and FoH. You wanna ge a n a-hole chef/cook, screaming and throwing things at the staff, be my guest. Odds are you won't have very good people working for you, and you and the culture you create won't attract good people, keep them on long, or inspire people to work above and beyond for you. Who wants to work in a place like that?

Having high standards is fine, but don't be a jerk for a jerks sake.

[Panonthefire]

Some of them can be helpfull with their critics, you gotta know who they are. I like to think that the good waiters can sell my food and help me make a name.
I also keep in mind that the waiters that I get along with can be good references in the futur(since everybody knows everybody in this field..)
they can also become my followers if I decide to open a restaurant or if I get a job as chef in another restaurant, they can come and work with me.

As for the other waiters, the ballB******, i like to ignore them or tell them to go fil up their clients glass of water or to go clean an ashtray...

[sucrechef]

I have found a cattle prod to be particularly useful

[markswill]

In my early kitchen years I definately was tested. Servers everywhere seem to have this uncanny timeing to spew their thoughts. I agree that before or after service and with a a bit of diplomatic urge, their ideas can be considered. The law has to be established though. Without a doubt...

[lentil]

Since you're all chefs, I know you'll appreciate this one. Well, probably not, but here goes...

I was working at this place that was supposed to be fine dining. The head chef was normally pretty good to deal with, but he found the worst possible times to start behaving like a fool. One particular night, I was crazy busy and he started calling me all kinds of pet names. I asked him to knock it off but he thought he was really funny and kept it up. I finished loading up my tray with 8 plates with covers when he got off his best sexist comment yet. So I threw the tray at him. I can still picture the look on his face.

Okay,I know it was immature, but it felt good for a few minutes.

[Panonthefire]

Originally Posted by lentil

Since you're all chefs, I know you'll appreciate this one. Well, probably not, but here goes...

I was working at this place that was supposed to be fine dining. The head chef was normally pretty good to deal with, but he found the worst possible times to start behaving like a fool. One particular night, I was crazy busy and he started calling me all kinds of pet names. I asked him to knock it off but he thought he was really funny and kept it up. I finished loading up my tray with 8 plates with covers when he got off his best sexist comment yet. So I threw the tray at him. I can still picture the look on his face.

Okay,I know it was immature, but it felt good for a few minutes.

good Gof him . any chef That loose it does will not get respect from is peers

[Salliem]

The restaurant where I work, on busy nights, the waitstaff upon entering the kitchen have to say "may I speak"....and then they have to wait till the chef says yes....

[lentil]

Originally Posted by Salliem

The restaurant where I work, on busy nights, the waitstaff upon entering the kitchen have to say "may I speak"....and then they have to wait till the chef says yes....

I don't think I would have lasted long there!

[Chefme]

When I work with difficult wait staff and they do anything annoying, or they start criticizing something, I tell them to stop and be nice. if they give me a hard time, I look at them straight in the eyes and tell them that at some point in time, they are going to ask me for something,(example their daily meal-free, most of the time something special) and when that happens, I am going to say no. I tell them that I am a nice guy, but if they are not going to be nice to me, I will not be nice to them either. (Now, I will not be mean to them, I will still give them their food as fast as possible because that affects the restaurant the most)Usually, they back away and act quite nice from there on. Now if they continue the behavior, I do what I said I would do. So when they ask me for something special, I remind them about our conversation. Now, if the behavior stops, then I go an extra mile when I make their food. Now, some times, if one of them is being an SOB, to show that being an SOB is not a good thing, I will be extra nice to the other wait staff when they ask me for something, usually food, and leave the one not so nice, with something very generic. This allows for the person with the bad behavior to realize that the bad behavior is not in his/her best interest. Usually, they back away from the bad behaviors because they know that if they are not so nice, it will affect them negatively, and if they are nice it will affect them in a positive way.
I think that as long as they see a benefit from being nice and a negative effect from being nasty, they will usually pick being nice.