It bugs me when I wait on people who clearly work in the restaurant business but they don’t feel comfortable “outing themselves.“ I personally would rather know if someone works at another restaurant, so I can take special care of the table and spare them the song-and-dance. Others think that telling your server you work in the business can be construed as a cheap ploy to get free shit. Any thoughts?
I simply prefer to dine and drink at establishments that I know and respect, and they know and respect me. Call it a “Good o’ Boys” club; it just makes sense to enjoy a night out with perks that are shared amongst those in the bizz. It also supplies valueable networking and insider info.
I am a Professional Chef, so this matter has invaribly been one of my greatest pet peeves. Obvisously, whenever I am in a restaurant of some note, or at least with a table-cloth, I will attempt to work the conversation around to this fact. I think its is deserving of the waiter/waitress and more importantly-me. I have been in some places where the staff wouldn’t care if you were President Kennedy; the service still sucked. However, I have also wentured into places where I was happy to not mention my involvement with The Business. I have found that it depends on the professionalism of the server. If they make the effort to “serve” me as a fellow “restaurantuer” then I will tip accordingly (and I tip well normally-at leasat 25%-wherever-cuz I know what these people go through). If however I’ve made it clear that I am a Chef of some note, and have worked the 34 years for some well-known restaurants/operations, and the server/sevice was marginal. well-then I will be direct and tell that person why they’ll never get a job working for me, and I left them (what I consider to be- a miniscul tip. If they ask, I will inform them why. If not, or I get dirty looks, I’ll just tell them that I expected better then what I got. Of course, I will tell them that I’m never coming back again either. I’ve also am not fond of “ratting” bad servers out to the Mgr., yet I did do exactly that once. I do not know how that servers day/nite was going, nor what other problems exist in the BOH, so I take some of that with a grain of salt as well. I think overall it is a bonus to let establishments know that you are involved in the business, as a restaurantuer/owner/chef. I have seen the difference myself.
OH MY GOD!!!!!! You people work in this industry so you should know better! There are only 2 reasons you would ever mention you work in the industry. First its so that the server knows he/she can skip the BS and just give you quality service. Second would be to get free stuff. If you don’t get great service or there is a problem with something you should know better that its not always the servers fault. If you work in the industry and tip less then 20% then you are worse then those who tip 15%. And you should never and I mean NEVER say anything to anyone, they don’t want to hear your crap. Just don’t go back!!!!!
If I mention that I am in the industry, it isn’t about getting “free” stuff. How disgraceful. It is the idea that I am a peer. Someone whom has toiled equally with that individual, one who may understand firsthand what that indvidual server has to go thru on a daily basis in order to take home some lousey paycheck. It is a way of establishing a bond. It works for the server as well; ie., whereas I may be more understanding of a given problem, and therefore not blame the server if my steak was over-cooked,esp. as a Professional Chef. Problems happen in the BOH just as they do in the FOH; hence they may still recieve a good tip-if the service was still good. Some others may blame the waiter for a myriad of problems which were never under his/her control, and the feeling is that their tip may suffer accordingly. I still feel it is my choice to inform a server. It is not my “way-of-life”, which sounds to me as if that was something you make sure to tell your server whenever your out in an industry establishment. Free “stuff”-I can have those things whenever I’m behind the line, there’s no need to get greedy at my table with my guests/friends/family.
I definitely tell bartenders and servers that I am a bartender when I go out. I don’t give away anything free, unless instructed by my employer, so I would never dream to ask for anything free. What kind of people go out and are not prepared to pay for what they ordered? I just want the bartender, especially, to know that I am an encyclopedia of drinks, and I know what a great, not good, drink should taste like. And if you don’t produce, I will leave only the bare minimum as a tip. I went to the Aspen Social Club on 47th about a month ago, and the bartender couldn’t tell me what wines they had, if the Riesleg was sweet or dry, and then proceeded to pour the wine onto my hand and the bar, and left me to wipe it up myself. She got $1. That is what generally happens when I don’t reveal that I am a professional.
I think that’s bit cruel and snobbish. If you are so great, why rub it someone else’s face? What person has to take pride in making someone else feel small? We all know this as server, that the biggest jerks are the ones take their anger out on the poor server, while the server is defenseless to do anything in retaliation. So she spilled wine on your hand - she didn’t chop your head off. Get over it. Everyone screws up, everyone. I remember a few years ago, as a waiter of 25 years, I was so nervous serving a big celebrity that I spilled RED wine while pouring it at her table, splashing a bit on her. I, of course, was mortified and apologetic, but she was so wonderful, she made me feel like a million bucks and tipped 30%. She then asked for me everytime she came into the restaurant, which was frequently.
Be generous because you are generous, not because you are trying to prove something. There will always be a variety of expertise and experience at any bar or restaurant. When you started out, did people pull this crap on you? You should be ashamed of yourself for holding your “superiority” over others as a threat. Go out to enjoy yourself, not to show off. There is no dignity in that whatsoever. (It also makes you the one everyone bitches and moans about when you walk through the door.) If the service is bad, let them know. It shouldn’t matter what field you are in.
I have been in the business a long time..BOH, FOH all around the biz. That said, the reason most of us identify ourselves is because what we do is a profession.A shared experience. Free stuff is great, but those of in the biz know that it doesn’t cost the server anything. Usually it’s something we wouldn’t have ordered anyway so it’s just a nice touch, a gesture. What we really want is an acknowledgement. Friendly,good service and honesty. We are if not fiends, colleagues, and know one knows our side of the coin like we do. So when a server or manager or chef makes it known who they are, it’s actually a cool way of them to reach out to you. If you think they are trying to get free stuff, grow up. Who really needs an extra slice of cake at the end of their meal. A friendly, quiet acknowledgement goes a long way.
Are you kidding me. When you go out,enjoy the people at your table, the food and the service. Leave the waitstaff alone. They should serve all guest as best as they can. In the “Industry”, ha ha.
I own two restaurants and my staff has been with me for years. Treat the customer right and treat your co-workers right. Tip according to service, not because you are a waiter.
