Unbelievable: a restaurant employee on the cell phone! - Page 3

Dillbert · #31 07-09-2009, 06:52 AM

what Jim said.

if one works someplace or at some job where cell phones are not permitted and one is too stupid to give people a phone number where/how one can be reached, perhaps another line of work would suit one better.

once upon a time we had Model T's; now you can buy a street legal Formula 1 race car.
does that fact also create the inalienable driver's right to drive it 300 miles an hour through rush hour traffic?

once upon a time we used carbon paper for copies.
now we have color copiers; very good ones even.
just because one can, does not give one the right to copy $20 bills.

BuddingCook · #32 07-09-2009, 08:36 AM

Again, I've gotta greet with the anti-cellphone posters. Emergency situations aside, cell phones should not be permitted in the workplace. But as the OP stated, this definitely was not an emergency situation. If it was, the server wouldn't be at the table serving while on the cell phone. That is completely unacceptable. I don't agree that you should take the cellphone away from the employee, but its pretty easy to discern an emergency from a non-emergency. And I don't know any manager/boss/owner who would fire an employee if they were on the phone during a real emergency situation. But serving food, and talking to your friend about what someone else what wearing at the mall, is ridiculous.

French Fries · #33 07-09-2009, 04:13 PM

Everyone has emergencies nowadays! Gimme a break.

I am a teacher. I don't check my cellphone every 4mn or listen to my voicemails the minute I get them in the middle of a class just in case it's an emergency. Yes, of course, the convenience of my students comes before my potential "emergencies".

You go see a concert. The musician on stage doesn't stop in the middle of a song to listen to the voicemail he just got in the cell phone that was vibrating in his pocket, just in case it's an emergency. Yes, or course, the convenience of the audience comes before his potential "emergency".

I could find dozens other examples. Now you may think those are "extreme" example, because they are, but guess what: my wife is a computer programmer. When she's coding, she never checks her cellphone. When she's coding, she's coding. When she's on break, she checks her voicemails. Emergencies will have to wait.

Restaurants should be no different. Waiters are providing a service, they're not expected to check their cellphone in the middle of service, and the restaurant does not pay them to check their cellphone every 10 mn in case that last voicemail they got was an emergency. Check your voicemail on your break.

Dillbert · #34 07-09-2009, 05:47 PM

>>Gimme a break.

actually, I don't entirely disagree with the sentiment. but do note you qualified the statements "on your break"

going back to the OP, and going to my own personal dining experience, someone seating your party, or expected to be "waiting" on your table is not "on a break."

there's "use" and there's "mis-use" of technology.
imagine you're at the dentist getting your teeth cleaned, and then get left with a bunch of glop in your mouth because the dental tech's cell phone rings. is that acceptable? is it unreasonable to expect a waitstaff person to give their contacts the restaurant's phone as an "emergency" contact? how about the dental tech? why should the dental tech be required to list the office as an emergency contact whereas the waitstaff - in addition to paying attention to their _blinking_ job - be entitled to yap on the phone while you're looking for more butter?

back in the day,,,,, I did a _lot_ of business travel. my wife - with three small kids - had a list of all the plant phone numbers, and - being a creature of habit - the hotels where I stayed; domestic and international. and I always used them dang copiers to make sure she had a copy of my itenerary - - all the flights, all the hotels. you know, the old fashioned way . . .

in a restaurant one is paying not only for the food, but the privelege of "being served" the dang food. a watistaff yapping on their cell phone plopping the plate down with not even a break in their conversation is _not_ my concept of "service" - high, medium, or low end eatery.

there is a psuedo-defense for the employee permitted to carry an active cell phone. they cannot control who calls them. I have a cell phone. I get wrong numbers. I get spam "This is your second notification that your car warranty is about to expire." when my waitstaff's attention is diverted from their paying occupation to answer a cell phone, I am _not_ a happy patron.

if they take the call / voice mail on their break, _somebody_ is supposed to be covering their responsibilities and frankly, my dear, when they are on break, I don't give a hoot.

so I am completely in support of Jim's opinion: if you're working, _no_ cell phone, period. on or off. put it in your locker. if you're too stupid to give your next of kin an emergency contact number, you need to look for an occupation that does not require your attention.

and "I can multi-task" is _out_. see automobile drivers and cell phones / texting. or train operators and texting, or trolley operators and cell phones (train wrecks, death toll, etc.) the human brain is still the best multi-tasking computer on the face of this planet - but it is not exempt from attention lapse.

I have personally had to go to the host foh with the request: "Gosh, when the waiter is finished with his texting, could you ask him to bring us xxx" no, it's not a joke, it's not an exaggeration.

once when the tab arrived I wrote down "50% deduction for service staff phone deversion" - adjusted the dollar amount - and proffered cash. the cashier, who was on the phone, didn't even blink. rang it up, gave me my change on the 50% deduction, and I left. wonder how that hit the fan....

French Fries · #35 07-09-2009, 06:05 PM

Dilbert, I am the OP, and I agree with you 100%. Sounds like you thought I was disagreeing with you.. I was disagreeing with phatch.

I think a zero-tolerance policy is not unreasonable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dillbert

once when the tab arrived I wrote down "50% deduction for service staff phone deversion" - adjusted the dollar amount - and proffered cash. the cashier, who was on the phone, didn't even blink. rang it up, gave me my change on the 50% deduction, and I left. wonder how that hit the fan....

That's GREAT! I'll try that next time.

Dillbert · #36 07-09-2009, 08:28 PM

>> thought I was disagreeing with you

nope, if so conveyed, my apologies - you hit it on the button - "on your break" - not "while serving your customer" aka "while doing your job"

a break is just that - a break - if one wants to surf the net, or yap on the phone, get in a sky dive, whatever makes a break is a good deal. that's the point - unravel your brain for the break so one can concentrate 'as required.'

BuddingCook · #37 07-10-2009, 09:18 AM

Lol I love the 50% off thing, that is awesome! Definitely gotta try that, luckily I haven't been to a place where the server is on the cellphone. Honestly, that is unbelievable that that could even happen!

Just Jim · #38 07-10-2009, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuddingCook

I haven't been to a place where the server is on the cellphone. Honestly, that is unbelievable that that could even happen!

Stranger things have happened.
My wife and I went to a small place where we sat ourselves and started looking over the menu.
After a few minutes the waitress came out, holding her ticket pad in one hand, and in her other she was holding her pen......and a dirty baby clad only in a diaper.

BuddingCook · #39 07-17-2009, 11:49 AM

WHAAAT? Tell me that is a joke...I hope you got up and left lol

TheAutomaton · #40 07-18-2009, 12:00 PM

In a lot of family owned small-time restaurants the owners practically live there, so I guess the girl had to bring her baby with her...

BuddingCook · #41 07-20-2009, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAutomaton

In a lot of family owned small-time restaurants the owners practically live there, so I guess the girl had to bring her baby with her...

Yeah, but you don't bring a baby in a diaper to take an order...

Just Jim · #42 07-20-2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuddingCook

WHAAAT? Tell me that is a joke...I hope you got up and left lol

Wish I was joking.
Yep, we left.
If it had been a freshly scrubbed baby......but no, it had dirty face, torso, hands, etc.
There may have been a reason for this, but there's no excuse.

rgladso · #43 10-16-2009, 12:22 AM

wow that is amazing. I agree with you 100%, I don't know why people need to be on their cell phones 24/7, if it be texting or talking on the phone. I cant tell you how many times I have just wanted to rip the phone right out of these peoples hands. That is a new low though, I mean to be serving someone and talking on the phone at the same time! I would have told the manager right away. I understand people need to talk on the phone sometimes but not at your job and especially when you are not on break!

French Fries · #44 10-16-2009, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgladso

I would have told the manager right away.

Thing is, judging from her phone conversation, SHE was the manager. I don't think I've been back to that place, don't think I'll go back. Food wasn't that good anyway.

rgladso · #45 10-19-2009, 11:55 AM

wow that is amazing. I agree with you 100%, I don't know why people need to be on their cell phones 24/7, if it be texting or talking on the phone. I cant tell you how many times I have just wanted to rip the phone right out of these peoples hands. That is a new low though, I mean to be serving someone and talking on the phone at the same time! I would have told the manager right away. I understand people need to talk on the phone sometimes but not at your job and especially when you are not on break!