do servers not listen anymore?

my personal observation is that the problem is becoming more and more common and is both societal and generational in term of it's roots.

100% agree

When we start putting numbers like 100 percent on it, I'm going to have to step up in defense of some excellent 20-something servers I've had take care of my table, who've done their job with courtesy, skill and grace. Some of them are on the forum. Many are not. But I don't think that number is anything like 100 percent, or even 50 percent when we're talking about locally operated sit-down eateries. I'm also inclined to agree with Ken Wilson's thoughtful observations about getting back what you give.

Robin, with all due respect, i think Mike's 100% was in reference to his agreement with Steve, not to the amount of servers.

[Robin Garr]

Robin, with all due respect, i think Mike's 100% was in reference to his agreement with Steve, not to the amount of servers.

Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks, Becky! I'll still take the opportunity to stand up for a lot of very good servers around this town, though, even though I'm glad to straighten out my ignorant assumption that anyone here was saying otherwise.

Yeah Robin, was more of a widespread agrrement in all aspects of service, and the downturn in "pride" in your job...and to be clear my dinning experiences in Louisville in the last 10 years have been more positive than not.

Last week I ate at My Patria, La Rosita, Lemongrass, Mikato, Osaka, 732 Social, Rootie's and Boombozz. I had no problems with the service at any of these places. As I'm thinking about it, I can't remember the last time I had bad service.

Oh yeah, Coke with ice and a straw.

In case you guys haven't seen this yet, I think it does a wonderful job of describing the "societal and generational" issues mentioned above.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk

Laura,

That was stupendous. It really makes the point. Thanks for sharing.

In case you guys haven't seen this yet, I think it does a wonderful job of describing the "societal and generational" issues mentioned above.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk

Seems more like an indictment of capitalism. Admitting that big elephant in the room makes me Anti-American right?

I really am not trying to start another fight here . . .

We've noticed that in the locally owned "top" restaurants, service has pretty much continued at a high level. At local mid-level restaurants, however, we actually are beginning to see better service from the chain operations. We have the feeling that the chains mandate server training, test new servers on the "service book", and mandate several shifts of "shadowing", while the locals in this economy just can't always afford the time and cost of doing that.

Just wondering if we are alone in this observation?

(and Matthew: while we've also tried the intraveinous absorbsion of Coke to be good to our teeth, I think you'll find that taking the Coke as an enema works even better)

i always love reading threads about service/how people feel about servers. i feel like it really gives me the rare chance of getting into the heads of the people i wait on every night. i get to find out all the things people might be thinking as they dine, but aren't saying to me out loud. i work for outback steakhouse and regardless of working in a chain, i take pride in my job. i realize that we aren't serving gourmet or ethnic food. i realize that the chain-steakhouse experience is available as readily as a big mac or a coca-cola (with or without ice) for pretty much all americans. i am fully aware that tips are optional and by no means do i feel entitled to 15 or 20 or even 1 percent. my job is to provide excellent customer service and get things right the first time, the way you ask for it, and in an acceptable amount of time. if i fail at this in some way, YES OF COURSE it is going to affect my tip. i care about whether or not people enjoy their meal under my watch. not just because it affects my finances but because it's my job to do so and i was brought up to do my best and work hard no matter what the task and to earn a living, not expect it to be served up to me on a silver platter. over the past six months, our menu prices have dropped drastically and it's not uncommon to have a four-top's bill come in under forty bucks whereas a year ago, it was more like 60-75 average. this means my only hope for making more than a few dollars on each table is to really wow each customer and give them service they will never forget. i have to get their order right, get it out fast, keep the drinks full, smile and be courteous. not just those things will cut it though. i must go above and beyond, and i don't mind doing so if that's what it takes to get the job done right. i'm starting to feel as if i'm rambling so i will wrap this up. i just wanted to make the point that i take my job seriously and i'm 25. i'm not young and lazy and i don't presume that i can give anyone half-ass service and recieve a four-star tip.

i have to get their order right, get it out fast, keep the drinks full, smile and be courteous.i don't presume that i can give anyone half-ass service and recieve a four-star tip.

That is all I ask for when dining out.

i take pride in my job. i realize that we aren't serving gourmet or ethnic food. i realize that the chain-steakhouse experience is available as readily as a big mac or a coca-cola (with or without ice) for pretty much all americans. i am fully aware that tips are optional and by no means do i feel entitled to 15 or 20 or even 1 percent. my job is to provide excellent customer service and get things right the first time, the way you ask for it, and in an acceptable amount of time. if i fail at this in some way, YES OF COURSE it is going to affect my tip. i care about whether or not people enjoy their meal under my watch. not just because it affects my finances but because it's my job to do so and i was brought up to do my best and work hard no matter what the task and to earn a living, not expect it to be served up to me on a silver platter. over the past six months, our menu prices have dropped drastically and it's not uncommon to have a four-top's bill come in under forty bucks whereas a year ago, it was more like 60-75 average. this means my only hope for making more than a few dollars on each table is to really wow each customer and give them service they will never forget. i have to get their order right, get it out fast, keep the drinks full, smile and be courteous. not just those things will cut it though. i must go above and beyond, and i don't mind doing so if that's what it takes to get the job done right. i'm starting to feel as if i'm rambling so i will wrap this up. i just wanted to make the point that i take my Job Seriously and i'm 25. i'm not young and lazy and i don't presume that i can give anyone half-ass service and recieve a four-star tip.

Wow, a waiter that not only takes his job seriously but also realizes what his job is. Needless to say that's very refreshing. This is the attitude all servers used to have but unfortunately in today's world a very small minority of servers still have it. Servers like this are the ones they get the great tips and create a positive image for the profession.

I hope we don't take this last comment wrong but, it's a shame that your attitude and talents are wasted at the restaurant you work at. You deserve to be working at a much better restaurant which is equal to your talents.

Wow, a waiter that not only takes his job seriously but also realizes what his job is. Needless to say that's very refreshing. This is the attitude all servers used to have but unfortunately in today's world a very small minority of servers still have it. Servers like this are the ones they get the great tips and create a positive image for the profession.

I hope we don't take this last comment wrong but, it's a shame that your attitude and talents are wasted at the restaurant you work at. You deserve to be working at a much better restaurant which is equal to your talents.

Mark, while I agree with your earlier disagreement with me regarding the cyclic nature (so I'm disagreeing with the earlier me), I've got to firmly disagree with you on one point. There's no way to have this argument in absolutes. Saying "this is the attitude all servers used to have" overplays the glory of how it used to be, while also overdoing the current context. Is there the possibility of an ongoing decline. Sure, maybe, whatever. I'm actually rather amused at the degree to which there's a simple binary being played out in this thread: it used to be great, but now it's horrible. I don't want to sound/be pedantic and patronizing, but come on people, I'm convinced the brains on this forum are more than what is being represented! I didn't stumble onto a Fox News forum did I?

A few people have mentioned the patron's role in this whole "bad server" scenerio, but I don't think it's getting as much attention as it should be. I agree with much of Ken Wilson's post. There's a transactional relationship occurring between server and waiter in that I don't think it's fair to absolve our own role in the context, much as I don't believe it's fair to stone current servers without considering the societal context in which they work. To consider our role in this context, though, is to consider the power we possess as patrons, such that we always are in a more powerful position than whomever is waiting on us. To consider power relations is to consider maybe our contribution to this decline. To consider our contribution is to make ourselves possibly culpable.

It's so much easier to resort to simple binaries, stone the bad ones, and praise the good ones. It's so much easier to agree that the world is going to hell in a handbasket and wipe our hands of the mess. It's much harder to realize that shit doesn't happen haphazardly - if there is a marked decline in server quality in the past 10 years, why is that? That's all I am wondering, and no, I don't have the answers, but I'm sure the answer doesn't exist in a simple binary or a longing for those beautiful days gone by (days that probably weren't as beautiful as we want to believe they were)....

Laura,

That was stupendous. It really makes the point. Thanks for sharing.

Glad you liked, Gayle!

Wow! From a simple bad experience this thread has morphed into an interesting conversation with some insightful observations.

I read this...

It's so much easier to resort to simple binaries, stone the bad ones, and praise the good ones. It's so much easier to agree that the world is going to hell in a handbasket and wipe our hands of the mess. It's much harder to realize that shit doesn't happen haphazardly - if there is a marked decline in server quality in the past 10 years, why is that? That's all I am wondering, and no, I don't have the answers, but I'm sure the answer doesn't exist in a simple binary or a longing for those beautiful days gone by (days that probably weren't as beautiful as we want to believe they were)....

...and recognized a personal habit of my own. I had been bemoaning the "fact" that people simply refuse to read anymore. Things like big hugh signs or written directions seem to be constantly ignored while people wait for others to tell them what to do or give them information that is clearly printed. Now I'm wondering if it has always been this way and it's me that's just now experiencing this public habit. It's the latter I suspect.

It seems some people only comment on poor Servers and never mention the good ones working their butts off on a daily basis. Unfortunately, people like to comment more on the bad than focus on the good.