Comments on: Service 101: Why Servers Don’t Get Any Respect http://foodwoolf.com/2010/01/why-servers-dont-get-respect.html A restaurant insider's blog: insights and recipes. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:34:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: AmyRC http://foodwoolf.com/2010/01/why-servers-dont-get-respect.html#comment-2067 AmyRC Tue, 04 May 2010 23:34:52 +0000 http://foodwoolf.com/?p=1191#comment-2067 Your blog is spot on and very well written. I am a waitress who is sick of they way that customers treat me - and I am a very nice and talented server. Your article helped me to feel better. Your blog is spot on and very well written. I am a waitress who is sick of they way that customers treat me – and I am a very nice and talented server. Your article helped me to feel better.

]]> By: Katie http://foodwoolf.com/2010/01/why-servers-dont-get-respect.html#comment-1899 Katie Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:01:49 +0000 http://foodwoolf.com/?p=1191#comment-1899 Mattatouille & Food Woolf.... The issue of LA being a particular haven of bad service is something I've been thinking about recently while interviewing new servers for my restaurant. In what other industry can you come to an interview with the attitude "well I'm an Actress, that's my passion, here's my availability, I'd love you to work around my acting classes and give me shifts until my first recurring on a network show"?? I have a number of GREAT servers who act as well, but they are actually interested in in food and the hospitality industry. Those are the servers who give LA service a bad rap, the ones in it for the flexi schedule and cash in hand, but I will also say that I have met the most entitled & difficult guests of my life in LA after working in restaurants in NYC, Hawaii, CO & IA. Last night I had a woman grab my arm and demand a table I was taking a group with a reservation to because she "didn't know we took reservations!". sigh. Mattatouille & Food Woolf…. The issue of LA being a particular haven of bad service is something I’ve been thinking about recently while interviewing new servers for my restaurant. In what other industry can you come to an interview with the attitude “well I’m an Actress, that’s my passion, here’s my availability, I’d love you to work around my acting classes and give me shifts until my first recurring on a network show”?? I have a number of GREAT servers who act as well, but they are actually interested in in food and the hospitality industry. Those are the servers who give LA service a bad rap, the ones in it for the flexi schedule and cash in hand, but I will also say that I have met the most entitled & difficult guests of my life in LA after working in restaurants in NYC, Hawaii, CO & IA. Last night I had a woman grab my arm and demand a table I was taking a group with a reservation to because she “didn’t know we took reservations!”. sigh.

]]> By: Food Woolf http://foodwoolf.com/2010/01/why-servers-dont-get-respect.html#comment-1735 Food Woolf Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:50:55 +0000 http://foodwoolf.com/?p=1191#comment-1735 Matt, thank you for your thoughtful comments. I think it would be an interesting study. Based on my own work experiences, I'll tell you that many people walk in the door with "I'm-going-to-get-bad-service" written all over them. Try as I might to snap them out of it by giving them great service, they refuse to change their attitude. Some people just want to stay angry and maintain their bad attitudes. Matt,
thank you for your thoughtful comments. I think it would be an interesting study. Based on my own work experiences, I’ll tell you that many people walk in the door with “I’m-going-to-get-bad-service” written all over them. Try as I might to snap them out of it by giving them great service, they refuse to change their attitude. Some people just want to stay angry and maintain their bad attitudes.

]]> By: mattatouille http://foodwoolf.com/2010/01/why-servers-dont-get-respect.html#comment-1734 mattatouille Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:19:20 +0000 http://foodwoolf.com/?p=1191#comment-1734 I credit a jaded dining public and the expectation that service isn't a value that we recognize in the dining experience. It's a shame that this is the case. I always try to look servers in the eye, speak clearly and kindly, and gently bring up issues if there are any. It's really the smart thing to do - if you treat people well, then they will treat you well. I get a lot of my friends telling me they received bad service and I ask them, "how did you treat your server?" The response is generally vague. I sometimes wonder (and this exercise might be pointless, but heck), on the whole, do more people in LA receive bad service from servers, or do people treat servers badly? I'd probably aim for the latter, but I think it could be worth thinking about. I credit a jaded dining public and the expectation that service isn’t a value that we recognize in the dining experience. It’s a shame that this is the case. I always try to look servers in the eye, speak clearly and kindly, and gently bring up issues if there are any. It’s really the smart thing to do – if you treat people well, then they will treat you well. I get a lot of my friends telling me they received bad service and I ask them, “how did you treat your server?” The response is generally vague.

I sometimes wonder (and this exercise might be pointless, but heck), on the whole, do more people in LA receive bad service from servers, or do people treat servers badly? I’d probably aim for the latter, but I think it could be worth thinking about.

]]> By: Fuji Mama http://foodwoolf.com/2010/01/why-servers-dont-get-respect.html#comment-1649 Fuji Mama Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:45:27 +0000 http://foodwoolf.com/?p=1191#comment-1649 So nice to have you speak up on this issue. I only wish I could have the people most guilty of these offenses read it! So many people don't realize the skill that it takes to be skilled in your position. Notwithstanding the necessary skill involved, you are still a human being that deserves respect. So nice to have you speak up on this issue. I only wish I could have the people most guilty of these offenses read it! So many people don’t realize the skill that it takes to be skilled in your position. Notwithstanding the necessary skill involved, you are still a human being that deserves respect.

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