Half price nights S.U.C.K

The restaurant I work at offers half price wings on certain nights of the week. It is typically standard procedure: you get in, you bust your ass, you get out. Sound simple, right? Nope! Sometimes they throw on a newbie just for shits and giggles. Anyone who works in the industry knows that when it is busy you need a team on that works well together and gets shit done. Throwing someone new on just impedes service. They become a liability. These nights are typically really busy with people waiting to be seated at the door and people cramped into ever nook and crevice in the place. Needless to say, the cheapest people come in on these days. Making money can be difficult because the substantial discount their getting and their desire to tip 10%. GREEEEEAAAAAT. So, us girls require quick turnover to make a buck. Get the customers in, feed them, take the money, and escort them out. Not so easy when you are working with someone who doesn't understand the concept of 'Hurry the eff up.' Not to blame them, I was once in that position where everyone would become aggravated and mad with me because I just didn't understand the pace. We bus our own tables, play hostess, and run our own food and drinks so you must be able to be efficient.

A few tips to create efficiency on nights like these:

• Do not fill the pop glass with a ton of ice. You're just gonna have to refill it that much sooner.
• Take as many drink and food orders at once. This will ensure you make less trips behind the bar and to the computer to punch in the order.
• Always set up your tables once the order is taken. That means plates, condiments, cutlery, etc. There is nothing worse than running someone elses food and having to go back to the kitchen to grab supplies.
• Cleaning a table should be done in one trip. Bring the spray bottle, a tray, and a menu and clear all that crap off quick.
• If you need help, ask one of your co-workers. Hopefully they're not all witches and will take the time to help you.
• NEVER freak out! One very important piece of advice, once you panic everything falls apart!

If there is anything I overlooked or you would suggest feel free to comment!

Oh, The Good 'Ole Hockey Game!

The NHL and NHLPA have finally  reached an agreement after 113 days! Early Sunday morning both sides came to an agreement after a grueling some odd 16 hours of negotiating. Was anyone expecting them to reach a deal this season? I suppose if they were going to strike a deal it would have been before the January 11 deadline for a salvaged season. So this year is supposedly set to be 48 games starting toward the end of January possibly commencing on the 19th. The details of the deal are all speculated as of right now with some saying there is a $64.3 million cap for 2013-14. Whatever they are I am one happy camper!

The bars will be back in full swing and customers will be happy once again to find misery in our home team, the Toronto Maple Leafs', striving ability to disappoint. My theory: The Leafs will do well the first few games, as always, then forget that they are in a competition and slowly fall apart, pulling it together just before the playoffs to only miss by a few points.

Oh , and the rumour mill is in full swing with the speculation of Toronto making a deal to get the once Olympic star, now backup goaltender for the Canucks, Roberto Luongo.

Some people feel the NHL left their fans out in the cold this season by abandoning them with no hockey leaving fans to scatter to find other sports or leagues to watch to fill the void that they had left them with, but it just wasn't the same, was it? Now fans can suck it up, because you know you're going to be watching that first game later this month. So get your favourite jerseys pressed, the nachos and beer ready and sit back, relax and get your proper fix you've all been waiting for.

Here's to another year...

With the holidays coming to an end I must remind everyone that they need not stop overindulging in the finer things in life such as booze, booze, and more booze. The industry slows down around this time of year possibly due to folks receiving their holiday credit card statement and instead of doing the right thing they choose to do the responsible thing and save some money to pay it off. My suggestion: Don't fall into this terrible trend of people who decide that they are going to stay home and watch Netflix for a couple months. Bars and restaurants have a ton of promotions in the new year to promote business. So, if you are going to go out to eat and drink now is the time.

On to what I want to accomplish with this blog: rants and raves. I was the lucky contestant called on down to the shit end of the stick having to work New Years Eve and Day. I can't take full credit for having to work, possibly the two worst shifts of the year, one of my co-workers got stuck on the stick with me as well. Being that she is my best friend, BFF, accomplice to my many drunken adventures, we made the best of it. By best of it I obviously mean grunting, groaning, and cursing under our breaths every chance we got. A few customers did make it in on New Years Eve... whooptie- effing-doo! One of which was actually a lovely wino who decided to demean and insult me one night and to no avail she actually did not remember. How did I know this? Because she was incredibly involved in the conversations I was engaging in with other customers and at one point she went as far as to tell me that she is an "eternal optimist" who never gets upset. I'm guessing she blacks out after a few glasses of Pinot Grig. I'm going to fast forward through the popping of champagne and go straight to New Years Day. I had to open the restaurant which was not that bad considering we got to open a little later than usual. A couple hung over teenagers came in to order water. Really, water!? Have people still not come to the realization that the only way they're going to get rid of that pounding headache, achy limbs, and nauseous feeling in their belly is to have a Caesar or a nice, stiff martini? Apparently not where I work. To say the least, the place was vacant and lonely with scattered couples mumbling to each other about how shitty they feel after having 6 shots of tequila the night before. Let's make it clear, on days like this where everyone is hungover and miserable I don't want to talk to you, you don't want to talk to me so drink up your fourth refill of water and say Happy Effing New Year!

Waitressing 101

Well, here it goes. I am a waitress for a restaurant, not some ritzy $20 a glass of wine kind of place, but a beer and wing kind of place. The clientele is typically easy-going 30-60 year old males who just go out to have some beers and get away from "home-life" which can be summarized as the following: their nagging wives, whiny children, and mother-in-law who just seems to live too close for comfort. I've been working in this particular restaurant for about a year and a half and feel an intense desire to expose the daily givings of a waitress.

Serving is a lifestyle, some may say it's glamorous, , but having wing sauce all over your clothes and cleaning dirty dishes all night to me just isn't that glam. Some nights you end up being a babysitter for the parents who want to go out with their friends but don't feel the need to pay a babysitter to watch these screaming, bored children. Other nights you just get treated like a slave to the folks you are serving, nothing is ever good enough for some people. But, I must make a point and clarify something, there are fabulous customers out there who make everything worthwhile.

Some posts I might be bitching, venting, letting off some steam. Please don't hesitate to take in a moment to understand and relate to the inner workings of the Front of House staff at restaurants... maybe you will actually come to realize that you are the customer that we all dread walking through that door. You never know!