Saturday from HELL!! (long)

[Athaelia]

/bg: I've been working as a server for a buffet chain for about 3 weeks. Basically, my job consists of refilling drinks, taking away unwanted plates, cleaning my section, and a shit-load of sidework. The cashier gives people drinks except coffee and milk, which the servers get for the customers. It's easy and laid back at night, even with a huge section I've never been 'in the weeds.' /end bg

I worked 9-4 yesterday. First shift that included breakfast service. I walked in the door, ready for my shift, and that's when the pandemonium began. My co-worker said 2 tables were already waiting for me (though I was early!) and I got their coffee, then 6-7 more parties filled my section....

The coffee pots in the kitchen kept disappearing, there weren't enough trays to carry drinks, ALMOST ALL THE COFFEE MUGS WERE DIRTY!, etc. Then the manager came up, and told me I had to pick up not only my huge section, but the section next to it because of a no call/no show. ALMOST ALL THE TABLES FILLED UP AT ONCE!

BUT I CAN'T SIT WHERE I WAAAAANT!
Some miserable woman started complaining because many tables were dirty, and she didn't caaaare if we were short staffed, there's no excuse, blah blah! Disgusting old rat--I'd like to see her keep up with the volume of work we had.

ICED TEA HAG
She's in another server's section, but stood in front of me while I was walking with a full tray and blocked my path while demanding a sweet tea and thank you was nowhere in her vocabulary. I dropped off the drinks on my tray to my customers, and told her server to get her the tea. Guess he didn't get there in time because a few minutes later she yells "THANK YOU! THANK YOU FOR THE TEA!!!" then tries to get me "in trouble" by telling the cashier about evil lil me who wouldn't get her precious tea

BUT THERE'S NO HONEY BUTTTTTTER!!!
Woman in my section is so mad there's no honey butter (we were out and expecting a delivery) that she is shaking. Being the upstanding individual I am--albeit smartassed--I grabbed a bowl, butter, and honey and made her some right there at her table. (Tommorrow I'm turning my application in at the Rocket Science Lab--I'm so crafty) She says: "Oh, I guess I could've done that myself, thanks!" and left a fat tip. So it ended well, at least.

WE WEREN'T DONE!!!
Okay, custys! Look at it from my point of view. You were gone from your table for almost half an hour. I saw you nowhere in the restaurant. Yes, I bussed your table and when you returned you snarkily announced you weren't done with your drinks, I gave you two fresh new ones in less than a minute. Then you stiffed me, you fucks. If I were a mind reader, I sure as hell wouldn't be dealing with you two ugly freaks. Think I won't remember your faces?? try again, and if you sit in my section, I will do the bare minimum for you while giving the customers who actually tip stellar service. Have fun getting refills next time.

Bonus!
This morning I woke up with a stomach virus and massive headache. I called my manager: he actually wanted a doctor's note. For a stomach virus. The day I provide a doctor's note for that is the day you actually provide US health insurance. (or shall I come to work anyway, then puke in the middle of the restaurant and gross out the customers?? I'm sure everyone would appreciate that!)

[Pixilated]

Ugh, sorry you had such a bunch of crappy customers! I used to work in restaurants but I don't think I could do it now without getting fired within a few months, LOL.

My place of work demand's a doctor's note for sick callouts, too. I understand they are trying to avoid employees who "conveniently" get the flu on Fridays and/or Mondays, but really ... I don't GO to the doctor for your basic cold and flu. It's a waste of his/her time and mine because I know what I'm going to be told: Stay in bed, drink lots of fluids, etc. etc. So yeah, that means I go into work sick, as do many of my coworkers.

[Caffienated_Caramel]

Oh wow, that's terrible. Sending hugs and cookies your way

Sounds like you're working at one of the many Yellow Pastures.

[Sapphire Silk]

Bonus!
This morning I woke up with a stomach virus and massive headache. I called my manager: he actually wanted a doctor's note. For a stomach virus. The day I provide a doctor's note for that is the day you actually provide US health insurance. (or shall I come to work anyway, then puke in the middle of the restaurant and gross out the customers?? I'm sure everyone would appreciate that!)

That's just crap on the part of any manager, any job. Especially in food service, we should discourage sick workers from coming in sick. I used to see a bit of this in the ER; someone would come in, be given a work note, and tell me they were still going to work because they were afraid of losing their jobs.

[Racket_Man]

That's just crap on the part of any manager, any job. Especially in food service, we should discourage sick workers from coming in sick. I used to see a bit of this in the ER; someone would come in, be given a work note, and tell me they were still going to work because they were afraid of losing their jobs.

It is my understanding (note I have worked for a variety of fast food and sit down places in my life) that most if NOT all food places have a very specific "rule" (based on generally accepted health codes) that any worker who exhibits various illnesses or is believed to in the middle of said illnesses is NOT ALLOWED to be at work. This can include the flu, the runs, vomiting, open sores on appendages that will be near food, etc. I forget the technical names of the illnesses and viruses but you get the idea.

Having said that, most low level food workers (and I am one of them) will not call off of work (no sick or time off pay NOR health insurance) NOR will management allow them to call off (keep the peons in line and crack the whip)

And I am waiting for one of those "300 people got sick after eating at <insert food place name here> because a worker was forced to work sick" type stories. and I am REALLOY surprised that there are not more that are reported.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

[B]Being the upstanding individual I am--albeit smartassed--I grabbed a bowl, butter, and honey and made her some right there at her table.

I was helping in the kitchen at an SCA event and we had someone after feast ask for the recipe for honey butter.

The conversation went like this.

Me - You take a stick of butter and mix in honey until it's to your liking.

Her - But what's the recipe?

Me - One stick of butter softened, add honey until it's sweet enough for your tastes.

Her - But how did you make it?

Me - I took a stick of butter, added honey, tasted it, thought it needed more, added more, tasted again put it on the table.

Her - But what's the recipe? Why are you being so difficult?

Me - I'm not being difficult. There is no "recipe" for this. I explained how I made it and how you can make it yourself. You take a stick of @#$%ing butter and a jar of honey. You add the honey to the butter until it tastes the way you like it. If there is not enough honey, add more. If there is too much honey, add butter. This. Is. Not. Rocket. Science.

Her - No need to get huffy. I was only asking for the recipe

At which point she asked on of the other kitchen helpers and had nearly a word for word conversation with her.

She left the event lacking the knowledge of how to make honey butter.

I was so pissed off from that one that I created a recipe based on my measuring everything in micrograms including factoring in how much I removed for tasting purposes. Had it printed on Index Cards and was hoping like all hell for a chance to hand them out to people equally clueless of the mind bogglingly simple concept of "take butter, add honey"

[XCashier]

I was so pissed off from that one that I created a recipe based on my measuring everything in micrograms including factoring in how much I removed for tasting purposes. Had it printed on Index Cards and was hoping like all hell for a chance to hand them out to people equally clueless of the mind bogglingly simple concept of "take butter, add honey"

People are used to the Betty Crocker-type recipes that call for exact measurements of everything. I admit I was nonplussed at seeing medieval recipes stating,

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

.xlix. Bryndons. Take Wyn, & putte in a potte, an clarifyd hony, an Saunderys, pepir, Safroun, Clowes, Maces, & Quybibys, & mynced Datys, Pynys and Roysonys of Corauns, & a lytil Vynegre, & sethe it on þe fyre; an sethe fygys in Wyne, & grynde hem, & draw hem þorw a straynoure, & caste þer-to, an lete hem boyle alle to-gederys; þan take fayre flowre, Safroun, Sugre, & Fayre Water, and make þer-of cakys, and let hem be þinne Inow; þan kyte hem y lyke lechyngys, an caste hem in fayre Oyle, and fry hem a lytil whyle; þanne take hem owt of þe panne, an caste in-to a vesselle with þe Syrippe, & so serue hem forth, þe bryndonys an þe Sirippe, in a dysshe; & let þe Sirippe be rennyng, & not to styf.

I was thinking, "yeah, how much of everything? I don't want to screw this up or go over budget!"

I admit I do like exact measurements, particularly for complicated dishes, but I'm quite sure I could figure out a simple two-ingredient recipe like honey butter for myself.

[dalesys]

MOAR hunny!

- Pooh

(please)

[EricKei]

My co-worker said 2 tables were already waiting for me (though I was early!) and I got their coffee, then 6-7 more parties filled my section....

That's ServerCode (tm) for "The tables were 'ready' 15 minutes before the Fresh Meat was due in for their shift. Let them deal with it, I don't wanna" >_<

XC: It's been over a decade since my last Chaucer class, and I can understand that recipe perfectly fine, save for one or two words o_O.... Yay? (Still no idea on the actual amounts of ingredients, tho)

[XCashier]

XC: It's been over a decade since my last Chaucer class, and I can understand that recipe perfectly fine, save for one or two words o_O.... Yay? (Still no idea on the actual amounts of ingredients, tho)

Well, those pages have the modern English equivalent and the redacted recipe underneath the medieval English entry, so I admit, I'd cheat a bit. I haven't tried the Bryndons, though I made a Mushroom Pasty that came out quite delicious.

[taxguykarl]

I admit I do like exact measurements, particularly for complicated dishes, but I'm quite sure I could figure out a simple two-ingredient recipe like honey butter for myself.

As my mom would say (quoting a certain Disney franchise): Unless you're baking or water-bath canning, recipes are mostly just guidelines.

[raudf]

Thinking about the period it came from, measuring cups were probably unheard of. From what I gathered, most recipes just told you what was used and left it up to you to figure out how much of what you needed for it.

My grandmother had a couple of recipes that she said, "Don't bother measuring, it's all to taste." She was also a great believer in a more hands on approach to cooking.

On topic, it's not that hard to make ANY sort of flavor butter. I've made mushroom and garlic, garlic, honey and a steak seasoning butter. Take stick of butter, soften, add ingredients, freeze or refrigerate. Not rocket science. In rocket science, things can go 'splodey, so measuring is important. In cooking, it's not. Unless you're a terrible cook. Then things could go all 'splodey.

[sms001]

A doctor's note? Wow. Yeah, I'm not only gonna give up a day's pay by calling out, but spend another day's pay to prove I needed to? Get real.

I had a "discussion" about this with a custy once. They actually noticed I was ill and asked me why I didn't stay home. I replied that we didn't have sick days. She then said I should go home anyway, and go to a doctor. So I informed her that I didn't have insurance either. Didn't phase her a bit. "Well, you shouldn't work sick." She honestly wasn't concerned about me making her or others sick (I was just sniffling.) she just couldn't wrap her head around the fact that there are rungs on the economic ladder where people have to keep working no matter what if they wanna keep their house/car/electricity/etc.

Athaelia, sounds like you handled your first rough day with aplomb, kudos to you. If you don't mind me asking, what's a decent tip at a buffet these days? I think we generally stick with the usual 20%, even though it's not full service and we're pretty undemanding/low maintenance. Is that what most people do or is that high?

[AccountingDrone]

People are used to the Betty Crocker-type recipes that call for exact measurements of everything. I admit I was nonplussed at seeing medieval recipes stating,
I was thinking, "yeah, how much of everything? I don't want to screw this up or go over budget!"

I admit I do like exact measurements, particularly for complicated dishes, but I'm quite sure I could figure out a simple two-ingredient recipe like honey butter for myself.

ROFLMAO - I have Cariadoc's collection of resource books - all the various books he uses scanned and printed out shoved into a D-ring binder. There isn't anything newer than Kenhlm Digby.

The 'cookbook' I use themost is actually not a cookbook - I adore my Larousse and am on my second one [someone stole my first one] while it does have some that are written out with ingredient lists and amounts, most of them are in the form of an aide memoire and you have to actually know how to make the item for it to be useful for you.

[Food Lady]

So, give up a day's pay and come up with money for a doctor's visit? Seriously? Food service sucks. Period.