The 'Tag Team' Method of
Serving
Whose bright idea was this?
I can track the decline of standard good service by the completely stupid
idea of "Tag Team Serving". The notion is that having several people "serve"
or take care of your table is somehow better than having one dedicated person
actually serving you.
So, for the record, I will state in detail why this method of serving
doesn't only not work, but actually 'serves' to bring down
the overall level of service to complete mediocrity and incompetence.
The person serving your food is not the person that took your order.
Right off the bat:
-
You've never seen this person before and they have never seen you. You have
about as much chemistry and connection with the "server" as you have with
the person in the car next to you at a stoplight. Actually, you're sitting
at the stoplight longer than you are going to be served by that stranger.
Once they drop off the food, they will never see you again. They owe you
nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch.
-
They don't know what YOU ordered, so they ask "Who gets the burger? Who gets
the soup?"
-
Nine times out of ten, they will hand the food directly to you, instead of
putting it down on the table in front of you, like they're suppose to. They'll
say something cute like "It's hot!" as they're placing the hot dish in your
hands.
-
Half the time they don't speak English. You ask them for a fork and they
walk away as if you'd never said a thing.
-
Your fries are missing from your plate. How is that person to know, since
they didn't take your order? The person who took your order would have noticed
that.
-
They never ask you if you'd like anything else, or if anything is missing
or incorrect. They drop off the food and run away quickly, 100% of the
time.
-
The food is cold at least 50% of the time. There is a lack of communication
regarding just exactly who's job it is to bring your food. No one is committed
to you. Not the chef or rather 'cooks', (chef is real title) not the hapless
"runner" (the tag team member assigned to deliver your food) or your server,
since they won't be bringing you your food anyway.
-
Your server usually checks in when you're about 75% finished with your meal.
By that time you've resigned yourself to the fact that you're going to drink
that flat coke, eat the hamburger without ketchup and mustard, eat the french
fries, when you ordered onion rings, or eat the Mahi Mahi when you ordered
Red Snapper. Hey, fish is fish, who cares what type they serve you?
Certainly not the person who dropped off your dish.
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BUSBOYS?
I think the tag team method emanated from restaurateurs deciding to do away
with Busboys in order to save money on the payroll. Back in the olden
days of black and white, (not really, I was a waitress in the 70's, it
VERY colorful) Busboys were the backbone of good service and helped to keep
the wait person from getting behind.
They made sure the tables were clean, "set ups" (fork, knife, spoon and napkins)
were on the table. They served water the minute you sat down and sometimes
brought bread out if the restaurant offered that. Basically, you felt like
someone acknowledged you were sitting there. Kind of like when you see the
nurse first, on a visit to the doctor.
Busboys also serve the purpose of cleaning an overly full table of unneeded
dishes and glasses, removing the empty dishes after appetizers and salads
and helping carry out large orders, which your waiter or waitress would and
should SERVE you.
They could also be counted on to bring ketchup, salt and pepper or refill
a soft drink, if the waitperson was busy. Now one must wait entirely to long
to flag down your supposed main server to get those mundane but important
items for your meal. Your server is usually not in your eyesight for at least
90% of your visit. Only God knows where they are.
All professionals have assistants. Lawyers have secretaries, Doctors have
nurses. The Doctor or Lawyer handles the "big stuff" and their assistant
handles the smaller, more tedious, but completely necessary stuff. How much
time would be wasted if your lawyer was the one to make a copies of your
file? How behind would he get in the important work? Should your Doctor endlessly
wait on hold to talk to your insurance company?
In closing, Servers should SERVE. Busboys should BUS, (clean and set up).
If the restaurant industry wants to make an overnight change to from
mediocrity and server incompetency to one of adequate professionalism --
they'll restore the busboy and look at him as the aid and assitant to the
server. The way that it SHOULD be.
-RAR Staff
bus·boy also bus boy Pronunciation Key (bsboi)
n. A restaurant employee who clears away dirty dishes, sets tables, and
serves as an assistant to a waiter or waitress.
n : a restaurant attendant who sets tables and assists waiters and clears
away dirty dishes [syn: waiter's assistant]
From: Dictionary.com
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