13 things your waiter will not tell you

Luc_H · #1 07-14-2008, 08:58 AM

This from Reader's Digest. Sound advice for the most part.

Waiters Share Restaurant Stories | Advice and Know-How | Reader's Digest

Luc H.

elizabethbryce@ · #2 07-14-2008, 02:15 PM

Is this the reason why I shouldn't go out on dates anymore with my husband? Thanks...I will have a big think about this one....maybe we can just play cards or something on our date night...

tessa · #3 07-14-2008, 02:15 PM

the dates been altererd on that article , either that or they are projecting in to the future\
it was dated august 08.... huh ??

Luc_H · #4 07-14-2008, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tessa

the dates been altererd on that article , either that or they are projecting in to the future\
it was dated august 08.... huh ??

It refers to the issue. This article appears in the Aug 2008 issue which is probably out all ready. (Magazines seems to come out 1 month in advance...)
Luc H.

Greg · #5 07-14-2008, 04:23 PM

Pretty much spot on with 2 exceptions that immediately come to mind:

1. Spitting in food. I have never seen that happen in 20+ years in restaurants. It's sensationalist drivel and it was irresponsible to include it on the list.

2. The bone-cutting shears. Cooks don't allow servers access to those. We let them use serrated knives to cut fruit with, and begrudgingly at that. And we laugh at their knife skills the whole time.

All in all, it sounds like someone trying to write like Bourdain, but coming up short.

tessa · #6 07-14-2008, 05:04 PM

are more well mannered today than they were 20 yrs ago

bundens · #7 07-18-2008, 11:37 AM

wow ...most of that is spot on...except the part about restaurant owners not having friends...they do..it's just they don't come in the restaurant making a formal announcement so in part that is a correct statement.

what they said about holidays and weekends is so true. Before I became a cook, I always knew that it was busier and everything but I never realized just how much the quality really does suffer..and it's not just in the form of service but actually more so in your plate. I can make a dish well on the weekends but I can make it stellar on the weekdays. It also lists my other pet peeve which is wanting a special dish or making an absurd amount of changes to an existing menu item on a busy night.

ask me to cook you food not on the menu or way different I will do it gladly when not busy with checks out the butt on a Saturday morning breakfast. (o well, nature of my work, can't be too mad)

but...

I also want to add..that having your food messed with does happen.
I used to be in the pizza biz and my coworkers have made some flooroni pies if you know what I mean...they've snot rocketed, they've spit....drooled (inadvertently)...but we were in the delivery business and people can be ungodly rude and plain out ridiculous.
I haven't seen it done in a restaurant setting but it certainly is done in the pizza and fast food sector.
and for the most part servers are not allowed on the line...or near our bone cutting instruments..

Salliem · #8 07-20-2008, 06:43 AM

I have never seen anyone spit in food, which is just disgusting. I have been on both sides..was a server for one year...and have spent 29 years in the kitchen and I can honestly tell you I have never seen anyone do anything to anyone's food that would most definitly get them fired.

lentil · #9 07-20-2008, 09:01 AM

I worked with a guy once who, after the 3rd time the steak was sent back AT closing time, spit on it, threw it on the floor, stomped on it, then put it back under the broiler, only to have the customer tell the server it was the best he'd ever had. I'll admit that the guy was a jerk and would have been fired if anyone of any importance had been around.

It does happen.