Poor Service: Point - Counterpoint

If this was my restaurant, I would now have one less server. What a ridiculous sophomoric response. I have never been to Maido and can now say I probably never will go.

I think ala Sergio's upheld defense, ya just got Maido's. You don't have to agree with it, but I always have a great meal there. With a kid. And with a 60 something. And with attitude. My favorite game is to pick up a squirming child and point him at Jim (owner, doesn't know me). It totally makes him twitchy. I do know Courtney vaguely, as a customer only, and have had nothing but the best from her. She always gave me the impression of kindness, to the point that when my kid was freakin' out, saran wrapped my plate to take with me since it was such a perfect app rather than tossing it into a togo box.

As a customer, I find the response unique and refreshing. As an owner ... I'm twitching just like Jim with the baby held up to him.

The trick is finding a balance between the reactions, and the lesson to be learned from the balancing. As soon as I finish this beer, I'll get right on that.

After that response, I can guarantee I'll never go back there.

i think the opening of: HEY THERE DAVID ! ... set the tone for the whole post.

I am truly very surprised with the response from this server. It is extremely immature and in bad taste. The server obviously started a profile for the sole purpose of responding, which is ok. But, it is the response that was very unprofessional.

I am surprised a manager from Maido does not know about this...... yet.....

I think Courtney is getting an unfair response. I know her personally and she's been in this business much much longer than anyone here has been posting on Hotbytes. She's intelligent, creative, and gracious, and it sounds like she's offended as we all have right to be when publicly attacked.

I do not think it is fair to penalize the owners and management of Maido for what their server says here on Hotbytes. God knows I have been in the same position when one of my former employees spoke out of turn the forum.

Also, you have to realize that it is hard to judge tone on this forum.

I think it is best to let the food, and up until this incidence, service, speak for the restaurant, until the owners post here.

I do not think it is fair to penalize the owners and management of Maido for what their server says here on Hotbytes. God knows I have been in the same position when one of my former employees spoke out of turn the forum.

Also, you have to realize that it is hard to judge tone on this forum.

I think it is best to let the food, and up until this incidence, service, speak for the restaurant, until the owners post here.

Will, this could not be any more true..

i admire this girl for having the guts to come to the forum and state her side of the case. she must feel very confident that the management and owners are going to have her back on this, otherwise i bet she wouldn't speak so boldly.

i feel like she is somewhat justified in the "kitchen staff leaving" argument. i worked for a bar once and we stayed open til two, with the kitchen closing much much earlier. there was no designated time for the kitchen to close. if there were no customers, or no customers ordering food, the lead guy in the kitchen that night would just shut it down when he saw fit. as a server, this was very frustrating. they would start breaking things down and suddenly, tables would come in wanting food and i would have to tell them the kitchen had closed already. they probably thought i was being nasty because they would get angry with me and then they would turn around and walk right back out the door. sometimes i'd ask the kitchen staff, couldn't they just make two more orders of wings so that this table could eat? they would say "no, we're getting the hell out of here." so courtenay, if you're reading this, i get it.

i also get the thing about maido being informal and a relaxed atmosphere. i always think it's cool how they leave the menus at the table after i order, so that if i choose to order additional items or courses, the menu is there for me to see. i feel like i'm being encouraged to hang out all evening, nibbling and sipping and not feeling like the server is trying to "turn" my table.

i'm with her on the table bussing. if they did indeed appear to have eaten their fill and a single bite remained on a plate for forty minutes, i would have also bussed this dish. i have eaten on maido's patio everytime i've been there and the flies do become a problem. i appreciate that they seem to be on top of keeping the tables bussed.

although i can really see where she's coming from, there is still a part of me that feels courtenay's response was inappropriate. if it was intended as an apology, i think it failed. if all she wanted to do was tell her side of the story, fine. i guess she has every right to defend herself, but didn't have to since the original post did not reveal her name. i can say i don't think she deserves to lose her job over this, although if she does, i think it will teach her a lesson and make some forumites sleep cozier in their beds tonight. either way, i'm headed to maido tonight for happy hour. and that is just what i'll be, happy. if my service is unacceptable, i'll speak to management and resolve the situation. i'll leave with a belly full of delicious food and i'll be happy.

Bare feet on the chair ???...In a restaurant ??? How positively tacky. Sounds like someone's mommy may have neglected to give them the "appropriate restaurant behavior" speech when they were a child.

I do not think it is fair to penalize the owners and management of Maido for what their server says here on Hotbytes. God knows I have been in the same position when one of my former employees spoke out of turn the forum.

Also, you have to realize that it is hard to judge tone on this forum.

I think it is best to let the food, and up until this incidence, service, speak for the restaurant, until the owners post here.

Will,

Great point/s.

it sounds like she's offended as we all have right to be when publicly attacked.

Hey, she wasn't publicly attacked - no one knew it was her until she responded. Just sayin'.

it sounds like she's offended as we all have right to be when publicly attacked.

Hey, she wasn't publicly attacked - no one knew it was her until she responded. Just sayin'.

What Marsha said.

I just want to make a few thing clear here. My intent in my post was to respond to David. I spoke with the owner before I posted it, and we agreed that it was my voice, not Maidos’s. So no, I will not be fired for this. My job depends on my job performance, which has been most satisfactory in the owner’s and customers eyes. I love my job and am good at it.

Secondly, I realize that the response to David was provocative and somewhat aggressive. However I must say it feels quite liberating to speak out. It was an emotional reaction that a lot of us servers have and suppress. I feel strongly that just because you are a server, it does not mean you have to put up with disrespect and rudeness. However, we do, often times with grace. All of us servers do. I cannot think of time in my nearly 20 years working in restaurants that I have ever treated anyone without respect, no matter how they’ve treated me. Nothing was different about this evening. Another one of those tables that was looking for something from the moment they sat down. Talking about me whenever I left the table. Staring and criticizing my every move. Looking for a reason to get upset. It’s maddening! It happens to all of us. But as always we will react with grace, and a smile.

This forum allowed me to actually stand up for myself. So Thank You. David’s table was very belittling to me and I just put up with it, with submission and kindness. So, for those of you who want to call me immature, or unprofessional, for my emotional reaction here after David’s public insult. Fine. But just realize that no one deserves to be treated poorly, and at some point you have to stand up for yourself. I know it was bold, but it feels quite liberating, and I think I deserve that. Moreover, maybe you should let me wait on you before you make your decision on what type of person I am, and what I deserve.

As the old saying goes…….. Every time you point a finger, three point back at you.

It is meant to be informal and have a very relaxed atmosphere. Although your friend hoisting her bare feet into the chair next to her might have taken it a little too far.

Okay, so you're saying you have a problem with flies in the outside eating area - and you're very informal - but propping one's feet up in a chair is off limits?

My job depends on my job performance, which has been most satisfactory in the owner’s and customers eyes

Really? Did you read the original post?

I feel strongly that just because you are a server, it does not mean you have to put up with disrespect and rudeness.

I totally agree.

However, we do, often times with grace.

Mmmmm.....I'm not convinced that happened here.

Moreover, maybe you should let me wait on you before you make your decision on what type of person I am, and what I deserve.

No, thanks. I'd rather not take the chance. Why should I? You've shown your contempt for guests, and tried to justify it.