I am a Mac guy. This means only the occasional interruption for updates from Microsoft. These are most often for Word for Macs. Yet in none of these updates have they added to my spell check dictionary words like “Barack Obama, Al Qaeda, or Facebook.” If they do implement this change they can use this […]
Tag Archives | Restaurant Customer
My Response: 25 Things Chefs Never Tell You
I am trying to fight through the worst bout of writer’s block I have had since I started writing this blog. I started at least three different posts yesterday that ended up in the recycle bin. In my last post I promised to get back to some server related posts, but my brain has forced […]
A Food Critic Intervention
There have been several instances while writing posts for this blog where I have felt the need to place blame for the things that drive me crazy about the restaurant business. I have always managed to stop short of that because I do not want this to be a blog that complains about the problems […]
Supply, Demand, and Chicken Wings
Yesterday’s post on extra charges for the various items a guest requests caused me to ponder on a larger scale. It is remarkably common to hear guests say, “I could buy that steak/wine/etc at the store for half that much.” This is the same principle as walking into a car dealership and demanding a price […]
Extras and Upcharges
I received a message the other day from a friend and reader of the blog who is not in the business. She recounted going out to eat and asking for a few extras. When the bill came it was filled with minor charges for each of the items she requested. Her concern was not that […]
Coupons, Discounts, and How to Deal
The old adage says, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” Whoever said this wasn’t looking hard enough. Today it seems every restaurant is offering some sort of deal. Prices are being slashed. “Buy one get one free” is a growing part of the lexicon. Restaurants that previously never would have thought of […]
Spotting The Complaint
One of the difficulties of the frantic posting regimen I have taken upon myself is trying to come up with new and interesting things to write about. I want this blog to be informative and provide real world tips that you can apply on your next shift to make more money. This is one of […]
A Tale of Three Burgers
“It was the best of burgers, it was the worst of burgers, it was the burger of value, it was the burger of expense, it was the burger of service, it was the burger of incredulity, it was the burger of quality, it was the burger of waste, it was the burger of hope, it […]
The Mistake and The Letter
It was a pretty average second half of a double. Our bar was hopping with happy hour customers. I had just finished polishing my station and poured myself a nice cup of coffee. Then one of my managers came to find me with a piece of paper in her hand. Those of you who are […]
Learning Restaurant Spanish (Nouns)
Restaurants are growing more multilingual everyday. Hard working immigrants from throughout Latin America are respected and appreciated members of the restaurant world. The language barrier can be daunting, but overcoming it will help you appreciate some of the most interesting people in your restaurant. Learning enough Spanish to be able to communicate effectively is often […]
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About The Author
David Hayden was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. He took his first serving job in 1996. Since that time, he has worked for over a dozen different restaurant companies. He has held both hourly and salaried positions at independent and corporate restaurants. He has waited on over 100,000 guests and trained hundreds of servers. He has been named "Best Server in Kansas City" the last three years by the local weekly paper.