Is It The Desire to Look Good or Greed or Both

Last night was busy. Our policy in the restaurant is not to take any reservations on Friday and Saturday night. I have a very small section as there are a lot of servers on so I get a 3 top and the other tables are joined together to make an 8 top.

Some people are seated at the big table from the bar with their drinks. There is nothing I can do as we are all waiting for the remainder of the people to come and join. My hands are tied. I have a 3 top of women enjoying each other's company and this table which probably waited about 15-20 minutes for the rest of the party to arrive except for one person.

They say they will not wait so I get a drink order for the people who just sat down. When I come back the 8th person arrives so I go and get his drink. Finally I can take their order.

I punch it in and the meal goes accordingly. The new Manager comes to me and she tells me I need that table. I reply they have dessert menus so they may order dessert. She walks away looking a bit **** off. They do order dessert and she comes over and ask me if I have billed them yet. No they are having desserts. Well it was like someone who had a stroke.

Well I got the no acknowledgement from her the rest of the night. Well I am sorry but I am not throwing the bill at a table to screw up my tip without finishing the service. She later found another spot to put them. She had to turn some tables around which I guess she would rather have not done but hey with a no reservation policy people should be ready to wait when they arrive in big numbers.

The truth is this time of year when we get fairly big tables the people do not want to eat and run like they normally would. They are dining with friends they haven't seen in a while , or there is a family get together going on , or they are just co - workers going out and eating like kings cause the boss is paying for it. All good reasons to not want to rush.

As it turned out , they were very happy as were my other tables last night and it showed in my gratuities.

If I have campers especially this time of year so be it. Run up the bill and get a decent tip.

If there is only one thing I do not like when it comes to management is one who wants to jam the rafters and have me bill a table quickly and give them the bum's rush. It is greed at it's best and really self serving so one can look good.

Especially when there is a no reservation policy on Fridays and Saturdays anyway.