I Am Not Tired From Work , Just Tired

A few people in the past have commented on the fact that working in the evening and getting up early in the morning with young kids can be tiring.

Well to be honest it is tiring during the Christmas break. Tonight I was dead on my feet. I did manage okay but with the young one up coughing in the night and both wanting to play games I am missing on my nap. Tomorrow I am going for a nap.

I had a table of 4 kids all paying with gift cards on one bill. They signed on the balance remaining on their last gift card and promptly left without leaving any tip on a $208 bill. Thanks and my tip out is $6 for serving you.

Another threesome came in and wanted tap water and they all ordered Prime Rib. They ate it all and then I see the guy on the phone with someone. Having asked for the bill already why would they be phoning in about a gift card? Anyway I see the 2 gift cards and $2 on top of them. One of them who was on his cell walks up to me and says , just wanted to let you know that I checked to see that gift cards were activated and they are so thank you for your great service and Happy New Year.

I say thank you and you too. He says the gift cards are all fine and the balance of what is left is for you. Okay I will see what they left. Well there was the $2 and the balance on the gift card of a $1.71. Wow! Thank you kind sir for that $3.71 tip altogether.

Some of the worst tips I have ever seen happened tonight. But granted I made some good ones too so it all evened out. But it was a brutally trying night. Imagine 60% of my sales came off gift cards.

One more night then off for two. Yippee!

Empower Your Weakest Server

You have a weak server on the floor. You know this just because that person seems to be holding back a bit. They appear to be hesitant in their manner and not going for it. Maybe scared of making a mistake. It could be this person is still not sure if this is the right career move for them.

Here is what you do. Give that person a really busy section and keep an eye on them. Don't give them an easy section because that will not build up their confidence. What that person needs is a shot in the arm. Empower your weakest link. Be there if they need you but watch from a distance. Of course don't let service suffer. Help if it is needed.

A good bartender or waiter never stayed in the business very long if they did not get that busy section early on. A cook never stayed on very long if all they ever did was peel potatoes. They had to have a busy night on the line. Everyone worth their salt got slammed in their section early on and that is how you get better. You learn to survive the night and make some money and get better each time thereafter.

So if you are in charge of training or running a team get those newly hired people in the thick of it as quick as possible. Especially this time of year when you get a lot of people in the festive spirit.

Get that new employee when their enthusiasm is the highest and give them more responsiblity quickly. People naturally want to do a good job and feel like they are contributing.

Just do it soon before they leave to go somewhere else.

5 Tables and That Was It

No need to go in great detail but $83 for a Friday night two weeks before Christmas is not very good at all. Yes I did it in 5 tables but I had one table that sat there for over two hours and left me a tip of $10 on a $75 dollar bill. It wasn't so much the gratuity but the time they took up on the table.

The nice thing was I visited where I used to work to see some additions they have put on their banquet facilities.I guess they all made about 3-400 dollars today. I had a couple of drinks bought for me and it felt like old home school week. It is nice to know if things get tough in the New Year there is always an option. That restaurant got us our condo. Changed our life around and am forever thankful for that.

You know I am blessed totally....