Restaurant Gal

Month: April 2006

  • Why You Weren’t Seated Before Them

    It was “Administrative Assistant Week.” This used to be known as “Secretary’s Day.” Now, however, the term “secretary” is moot and the day of acknowledgment has stretched to a week. My take on this? Give your assistant the money you would have spent on lunch and/or flowers. He/she will appreciate this far more than having…

  • Bad Customers Gone Good

    Surliness. Arrogance. Narcissism. Borderline personality disorder. Basic stupidity. Restaurant Gal deals with them all–all in a day’s work. Today, however, two polar opposites crossed the threshold of my foyer, giving me hope that human beings are basically, well, human, and that all are not so very terrible. Ms. “I Want to Do Right” came in…

  • Karma–Listen to It

    I love karma–the idea of it, the hopefulness of it, the reality of it. Today’s karma: Several very nice incomplete parties came in–deuces. I was able to connect them when the other parties arrived, almost within seconds. Without hesitation, I actually knew before they spoke to me what their names were and who they were…

  • The Way to This Maitre ‘d’s Heart

    When you approach the podium and say, “I am meeting other people who have a reservation,” please know the name of the people you are meeting. Come on, Restaurant Gal, you say. How could someone not know the name of people they are meeting? Trust me, it happens every day. “I don’t know who they…

  • Bathroom Humor

    I love my upstairs counterpart–a 24-year veteran of the biz and a flat-out pro. He is a dead ringer for and has the same deep, rich voice of the Uncola guy from the 7-Up commercials of yesteryear. He was lured back to the restaurant group when management wasn’t quite sure how I would pan out…

  • Double Dip

    Long post alert! When I first interviewed with my restaurant, I told them I wanted to be an event planner. I like to throw a party. I’d even written about weddings at one point in my work life. What could be better than planning an elaborate event that someone else is paying for? The managers…

  • One Less Crab in the Barrel

    While I was away last weekend, the topic of several of my recent posts (this one and this one) was finally and permanently fired. The good news? It was over an incident that didn’t involve me. The better news? I don’t need to expend further energy writing about her antics. The best news? I can…

  • Early Birds

    I recently read a post by Waiter about the arrogance some patrons display when they arrive a few minutes before closing and expect a full meal with all the trimmings. And like an idiot, I smugly smiled to myself and thought, “At least I don’t have to deal with THAT.” In response, the this-will-teach-you-to-be-smug police…

  • Liar, Liar

    Inspiration for my post subjects comes in sets of three. One incident occurs, then a second. After the third happens, the muse speaks something to this effect: “You couldn’t make this stuff up!” Today, amidst the crowd of tourists, conventioneers, and business folks–even the mayor and his security detail at one point–they lurked. The liars.…

  • Day Off

    Nothing gives one better perspective than getting away–even just for a day or two. At the last minute, Mr. Restaurant Gal and I found a hotel room over Easter weekend in the tiny Ohio town where our son goes to college. We left Saturday, drove 9 hours there, ate and drank with the boy, then…