I would like to think I am forgiving. Today's lunch service was one fuck up after another. Both the front and back of the house were fucking up left and right. Courses were misfired. Food was being forgotten. Things burned. Things were rung in with a modifier, "on the fly plz." I about lost it on several occasions. How could one thing after another go so wrong? I heard 3 times, "It is because we are having such a slow day." Is that what I am supposed to tell the unemployment department when they ask why their line is out the door on a Monday? Is that what we are supposed to tell our guests who did make it all the way out here today. "Sorry for the long wait for your chicken sir. The cook forgot about it because it is a slow day. Sorry for the wait on your soup sir, the food runner was too busy talking and forgot about it because it is a slow day."
I get it. It is easier to get distracted when its slow. It is more difficult to stay focused. I will however not accept such an excuse. If you only have half the amount of work to do for all of the pay, then I expect the highest quality possible. Needless to say I am a bit annoyed right now and trying to cool down before I head back into the kitchen. The second half of service was me constantly reminding everyone of the obvious so they wouldn't "forget because its slow." I felt like I was helping a group of Helen Kellers.
Thank you Mr. Minor
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3 comments:
Five years ago I would give the same excuse. I know the feeling and how being slow can make it harder to focus. Today I choose to find other jobs to keep myself busy and focused. Why not prep for tomorrow or at least mise the ingredients for a soup. If you have the chance to make your job easier tomorrow by doing a little extra today, do it.
Sous, I am surprised you are slow this time of year.
Start sending people home or give them projects off line so it's not so slow all of a sudden. Maybe you need a bigger office so more slackers can step into it. I wish you could say, "Don't make me post about you on KC."
As far as the FOH, there is a special place in hell for anyone that can so creatively redefine lazy on a daily basis.
My staff is good at finding side projects to keep themselves busy. What got me so frustrated is the short easy service we had yesterday was riddled with mistakes and sloppy performance.
We have a couple FOH who frequently come in with reasons why they need to "be first out" when they know its going to be slow. Our stronger FOH staff is fine with everyone else going home so they don't have them in their way.
Our food runner was over an hour and a half late yesterday. This was our dialouge when he showed up:
Sous: "You okay? Why so late?"
FR: "I called two days ago and the concierge told me that I didn't work until noon today."
Sous: "But you worked yesterday and we have schedules posted all over."
FR: "I didn't think to look because I wrote down what the concierge told me."
Sous: "So you are saying it is the concierge's fault that you are late."
FR: "No, that is not what I am saying at all. What's the big deal?, we are slow today anyway."
I wasn't looking for much more than a simple, "I'm sorry." or "I fucked up. Won't let it happen again." or "I misunderstood my schedule." or something that showed a little ownership was taken.
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