(by 4 people)
Which waiter is better?
In my 20 years in the wedding business, 10 as a banquet manager, I've seen both the good and bad in both kinds of waiters. They're sometimes brash, sometimes opinionated, and all the time a "pain in the butt!" Here's how I rate each.
Banquet Waiters
- Basically lazy.
They want to do the least amount of work and get the highest tips possible. - They will do everything they can to cover-up a stain or hole in a tablecloth instead of changing the linen. (see above)
- Very stubborn.
- They think they know the business better than the manager.
They only thing they really know is how to piss off the manager! - Never has a clean uniform on.
- Unwilling to change.
- Just because they have done something a certain way for the past 15 years, they think that's the only acceptable way to do it.
(I love to rock their world with this one. Change is my middle name.) - Can carry a tray of 10.
- Wouldn't know what loose tea service is if their life depended on it.
- A bunch of prima donnas!
- They'll bitch and moan about the slightest thing.
Enough said. - You need to constantly monitor the basic things like:
Serve from the left, clear from the right
Refill water/wine glasses
Refold the damm napkins!
Remove the salt & pepper shakers after the entrée is cleared
Restaurant Waiters
- Not usually as lazy as most banquet waiters.
- Very stubborn also.
They REALLY think they know the business better than the manager. - Pompous asses. (see above listing)
- Can't carry a tray of 10.
- Should know what loose tea service is if their life depended on it.
- Usually has a clean uniform on - only because senior management gives them new uniforms more frequently than the banquet waiters.
- From my experience, they are a little more willing to change how they provide service, especially if it will increase their tips!
- REALLY, a bunch of prima donnas!
- They don't want to wait on a table with many kids because the bill is lower with the reduced kids meal prices.
- They don't want to wait on a table of Europeans because they don't usually tip very well.
- If the night is slow they will argue with the manager about who should be allowed to go home early first.
- They always bitch about whose section the "good customer" should have been seated in.
Listen, I try to give the benefit of the doubt to both groups but I need to side with my banquet waiters.
They can be a pain in the b@#^ most times but when you need to make a tight room turn, the guest count goes up without notice, or making a buffet look great day after day, they always come through. An a la carte/restaurant waiter couldn't turn a room if it was on fire! Read The Recent Posts From My Blog...
I created a blog for banquet managers where we can RANT, uh I mean comment on what we REALLY do and what it's like in this crazy profession. Join us in our rants today!
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byWho Do I Think is Better?
Why, Banquet Waiters of Course!
Time for Your Opinion...
Who Do You Think is The Better Waiter?
Banquet or Restaurant?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byBanquet waiters ROCK!
Marie Knicely says:
and one thing to add...we have no problems doing Banquets with a 6 choice menu and many "special" plates including Vegetarian or allergy plates in a room with 500 people, and with 1 BANQUET server taking care of 30 people at one time versus a table of 4 or 8 every few minutes
Posted November 11, 2008
Marie Knicely says:
After 23 years as a banquet captain...I can only say with proper training, banquet servers are the best there is, hands down. For those who think that my servers think only the paying person matters, your wrong because I NEVER TELL MY SERVERS who is paying...so then everyone who is in the banquet is the VIP.
Posted November 11, 2008
Restaurant waiters are the only TRUE waiter!
Chris says:
Banquet waiters can turn a room because each individual guest /table isn't paying. Who gives a crap if you rush a table when a company is picking up the bill? They serve the same food to each guest also. In a banquet situation, you only have to keep one person happy (the one who picks up the check). When each table actually determines your cash flow, you have to give them a little more time.
Posted July 05, 2008
Check-out These Funny Waiter Videos...
Reader Feedback
Thanks for stopping by...
yikes wrote
This is a pretty awful blog written by what seems to be a ten year old.
Posted June 02, 2008
aphex wrote
You're the type of manager douchebag many servers hate.
Christ. I can't believe the holier-than-your-staff attitude.
Posted June 01, 2008
