Body Art and Service

Definitely a generational issue. I'm also of the generation where we were told that tats were a sign of bikers, convicts, military and the like. My dad got one on a drunken shore leave in the Navy in the late 40's and it was a daily reminder to him (he said) of the indescretion of youth. While that was the message passed to me at an early age I have always adopted a live and let live policy about many of those so called social taboo's.

In the public safety sector it was always frowned upon as not projecting the professional image that one needed to gain the confidence of a patient. You wore a clean uniform, clean and conservative hair, no beard, no tats, piercings or B.O. They same thing that you would want to see from your own professional provider such as your physician or attorney.

For wait staff I think tasteful (in the eye of the beholder, of course, but some things are still generally just wrong) tats and piercing shouldn't be a problem. Just wash those hands and clean out those fingernails and please don't wear so much perfume or cologne as to put me into anaphylaxis!!

Imagine the top of a muffin overflowing the cup it was baked in. Then imagine the midriff of someone overflowing their pants or skirt. I added only a moderate effect of the muffin top so as to not cause too much anguish or otherwise negative feelings. I have seen much, much worse as I am sure we all have.

muffin top.jpg

lol....never knew that is what it was referred to as.....it is not very attractive at all........my husband and i were just commenting on this look, i said that only very few can pull off what they where.........

In regard to the social stigmas that surround tattoos, and professionals, check out this:

Inked Inc.

Like most it is more about which place you might see tats, as well as the nature. Please take the tackle box face to the lake and don't bring it out to the table when you are waiting on customers. Unlike Robin, I tend to stare, and imagine just how much Jacque Danielle was consumed before the puncturist drove a sharp spike thru the tongue, eyebrow, lip, etc.

As a side question can anyone with those ear lobe expanders tell us just how big you can make that hole, and once you get it as big as the 2" ones I saw at Charbucks the other night what on earth do you do with them, or is it just visual thing to make potential dates swoon?

Now, let's return to the question of Muffin Tops, superior Pastry Chefs, and such. To actually determine if said muffin tops are in fact too big or even to be considered big I think a visual inspection is needed. For Scientific Reasons and Reasearch Only Of Course.

Pfffffffffffft!!

Rich

I can provide more pix of muffin tops, tackle boxes and more. Much, much, more. Just ask. We'll keep it to PM's.

Now, let's return to the question of Muffin Tops, superior Pastry Chefs, and such.

did i miss a mention of pastry chefs somewhere?


back on topic:
I won't deny the fact that I'm pretty heavily tattooed.

I think he was teasing Leah.

Hey, I rarely even bake muffins. And no one sees my personal muffin top in public.
Richard you're toooo much!

I have no problem with service personnel in restaurants or anywhere else that are inked or pierced. Truth be known, I enjoy seeing the different levels of personal expression. I'm sure if I were young enough I would be right there with them.
In the end all I really want is good service.
I worked for ten years in an establishment where prohibitions included body art, jewelry other than wedding rings, and men's hair long enough to touch the ears. I can assure you that being "professional looking" did not necessarily translate to particularly good service.
At the risk of sounding like the old fart that I am, my big objection is to way too much skin like the euphemisticly named muffin tops. I would add arm pits, butt cracks, and toes (I saw a server in sandals the other day-yuck). I really don't want other's body parts around my face or food.
On the other hand I look forward to the day when I can finally sample some of the heavily tattooed Ethan Ray's dessert creations.

Very interesting replies, thanks for your opinions. The general consensus from the "mature" crowd is the "old fashioned" stigma that tattoos represent rebellion or irrational behavior. Which is sometimes true and sometimes not. Unfortunately, it can put off some people to have body art visibly showing especially since you are technically serving them and therefore are interacting with them for the remainder of their meal or drink .... for good or bad.
Maybe it's a biased opinion, but I think the younger generation has embraced the concept as an artform and outlet to fight back the feelings of being swallowed up in on goings of the world and country that in general most agree are ludicrous . Similar to the Edo era of Japan when they were trying to throw off the feudal caste system and oppression of the everyday citizen and common worker.Which is also the period of the most influental and greatest time of body art,Horimono.Body art for the right reasons represents power ,wealth,inspiration,beauty, spirituality , and yes rebellion to the oppression of personal freedoms.With the many good reasons there are just as many bad reasons or decisions. Most made at an early age or done by a hack that thinks he should put a needle into anothers skin. They are the ones that give the real artists the bad "stigma".
I've never understood the fascination with heavy piercings,though. I can't fathom putting pieces of metal in soft fleshy part of orifice's.Most ,that will never truly heal until the metal is removed. To each his own.
I cover my "horimono" when I'm in a business or professional setting not because I want to but because of consideration of other's stereotypes and prejudgements.
Now all that said...... muffin tops are just plain tacky . They should outlawed and shot .

Now wait a minute..I'm only 31. I don't think I'm part of the "mature" crowd, maybe just a bit more conservative. I have made the comment more than once that my husband and I are probably the only people our age that aren't tattooed.

I'm part of the relatively younger crowd and I'm really of a mixed opinion on this topic. I don't mind tattoos as a concept but I don't like seeing skulls and the like on the arms of my servers. It doesn't take away from my experience in a large way so it's not a huge issue, I'd just prefer not seeing gross/disturbing images. For example there's a barista at my neighborhood coffee shop, a tiny little pixie of a woman who has a huge skull on her arm and she wears sleeveless shirts a lot. I wish she'd just wear long sleeves so I didn't have to see the skull.

Facial piercings are another matter altogether. I've learned to accept nose rings, particularly since there is some cultural background to them (my Pakistani friend tells me it's very traditional in certain circles) but really, personally dislike most other facial piercings. The ones through the chin or just the side of the face are particularly troublesome to me. I try to not be so judgmental since what someone does with her own body is her choice but as a customer facial piercing definitely takes away from the dining experience for me. I try not to stare but I know I do, and I try to pay attention to the actual service but find myself saying to my dining companion "I just don't understand putting a small dagger through your chin."

Again, I know this is my judgmental issue but if we're being honest, some tattoos and almost all facial piercings do distract from my overall dining experience.

Just to weigh in (at 54 years of age) I don't mind tats on anybody including my food server. I do , in fact, like them and love asking their wearers about them. Body piercings, not so much but they don't bug me. Just as long as they are clean, hair pulled up or back and no exposed bellies, backs or pits I'm happy. And courteous. Even a spick and span clothed, non-inked body can't make up for a food server being surly or too bored to do the job they signed up for.

My 22yr old son has recently indulged in a couple of tats and some face metal. I think it will become a employment problem later in life. Right now he works at Spinellis pizza so he fits right in. It is my opinion that this whole body art issue tends to cast a bad stigma on the restaurant industry. A professional server is /can be a good honest profession. I think the public perception of a young inked from head to toe server is that of someone that has this job as a temporary situation and is not really devoted to the craft. Personally I dont care for what my son has done to himself. I cant imagine anyone being comfortable with their extreme body art when they are 60 years old. I think it will really effect young ladies as they get older. No matter how hard we try, gravity always takes over and that tats look horrible. Muffin top have got to go in a professional setting.

I really don't have a problem with tattoos on servers. I think some tattoos are really cool looking and I am always interested to see what people decide to decorate themselves with. I can see an issue at a finer dining establishment where a certain image is expected, but I think strict rules regarding tattoos are oppressive and ultimately worse than the off chance that a patron might see a little ink.

facial piercings have always been a deal breaker for me. I understand it, but I personally think it looks unattractive. That does not mean I am grossed out if a server has them, I just think it is unfortunate that they made that choice.

Live and let live as a wise man recently said.

I'll not comment on the aforementioned muffin tops...(ick)