To Tip Or Not To Tip

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by baygo

When I read an employment application, I don't know if the applicant's previous restaurant experience was in an establishment with a reputation for good service or not. Especially if it's one that is no longer in business.

Why don't you just read through the restaurant reviews here for your answers. For a specific restaurant simply type it in the search feature. Just about every restaurant in the lakes region has been reviewed for both food and service.

I am not so sure I agree with basing ones ability by their previous employer. I am certain there are many excellent wait staff personnel that have worked at not so great restaurants...

Dan

[baygo]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Why don't you just read through the restaurant reviews here for your answers. For a specific restaurant simply type it in the search feature. Just about every restaurant in the lakes region has been reviewed for both food and service.

I am not so sure I agree with basing ones ability by their previous employer. I am certain there are many excellent wait staff personnel that have worked at not so great restaurants...

Dan

Thanks Not a bad idea except my plate is getting pretty full and more demands are being made on my time. I live with dyslexia therefore often exhausted by a great deal of reading. I read the archives when I can, but I thought this would be an easier method to sort on service related concerns.

To help explain the logic; I believe that there is a difference between someone whose experience is defined as "with traditional service standards" verses those with a more lackadaisical approach. Knowing who does or does not insist on the attention to detail from there staff does mean something to a restauranteur.

I would have different expectations of a 5 year veteran from a place with a strong reputation for service, than I would of a 5 year veteran from a place that has a reputation for service related problems.

It was just a thought to ask the forum. (perhaps a bad one) maybe I'll come up with another strategy. It's something I can think about while experimenting with one of my recipes. I'm attempting to replace the imported chili sesame oil with something from the trans fat family.

[upthesaukee]

Sorry, but I see no correlation between the restaurant someone worked in and their abilities and capabilities. A great waitress can be wasted in a poor restaurant, and a poor waitress will certainly drag down a great restaurant's reputation.

When I worked for an insurance company, I had to interview many people for underwriting jobs. We could not really look at what their previous employer did as far as profitability was concerned. Our interviewing training taught us to ask questions that were unique to our company, ask the same questions to every applicant, ask questions that would show the applicant's strengths in their eyes, ask questions that would be "tell me about a time when..." relating to a positive experience and also to negative experiences, etc. By tailoring your interviewing to questions relating to how you want your employees to act, think, behave, etc, you should get a feel for how they will fit into your organization. I certainly wouldn't hold it against an applicant if they worked at a restaurant that is perceived to have bad service...maybe that is why they left!

[baygo]

Originally Posted by upthesaukee

I certainly wouldn't hold it against an applicant if they worked at a restaurant that is perceived to have bad service...maybe that is why they left!

So it took them five years to figure out the problem and left or they were the problem?

I'm filtering applications not conducting interviews.

Do you know the difference between table side service and a deli counter? I'm not insinuating that I'm looking for either but trying to help you understand the difference in skill level.

[Pepper]

Originally Posted by baygo

So it took them five years to figure out the problem and left or they were the problem?

I'm filtering applications not conducting interviews.

Do you know the difference between table side service and a deli counter? I'm not insinuating that I'm looking for either but trying to help you understand the difference in skill level.

Careful now ... many forum members can tell you it is quite possible to have extraordinary service at an establishment with a deli counter.

While I truly understand what you're driving at, I must agree with other posters - your best opportunity to examine the true character of the applicant is during the interview. Weeding through piles of applications is a daunting task, and one I'm extremely familiar with. Best wishes as you embark on the hiring process!

[baygo]

Originally Posted by Pepper

Careful now ... many forum members can tell you it is quite possible to have extraordinary service at an establishment with a deli counter.

Absolutely agreed upon and I've experienced some myself a number of times. Winning Butcher in Meredith

[phoenix]

if anyone knows about great service it is Pepper

[Overlake97]

See Subject line.

[Lakepilot]

When service is consistently good in a restaurant, it means management is good. If service is consistently bad - guess what - management is bad. Good management provides training and the proper set of expectations on the part of their employees.

I believe employees want to provide good service, but in some restaurants that isn't possible.

[Overlake97]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned calling previous employers. If you get the same story (good or bad) from more than one person, that should tell you something.

[tis]

Originally Posted by Overlake97

I'm surprised no one has mentioned calling previous employers. If you get the same story (good or bad) from more than one person, that should tell you something.

Previous employers are EXTREMELY reluctant to say anything about a former employee. In today's world you have to be very careful. If you get anything, you have to read between the lines.

[BroadHopper]

For consistently good service, go no further than the folks that works for the Common Man family. Alec is very fussy about who works for him and the formula work. Many of the employees are seasoned workers, not seasonal. It is nice to see the host/hostess and buspersons, work with the waitstaff in bringing you fine dining. Teamwork is the key. Everyone is busy.
If you should see an application with a short tenure at a Common Man, chances are great, he/she did not fit in. I will be surprised if you see an applicant that's been there for years. They don't usually leave.
Same is true at Patrick's Pub. I see the same employees, year after year.

If you should snag someone from these fine establishnment, I will surely use tham as models for the rest of the hires to follow.

[angela4design]

IMHO... Luring great quality servers for a startup establishment would be tricky. I think you might have to start with an assured base pay, like catering does. I mean this to ensure that the position can pay the server's bills in order to get them on board. Server minimum wage is under $4 an hour, and that's just not going to make ends meet. Especially if tips are pooled; that only makes for worse service IMO. Quality people will need some financial assurances, especially if they're coming from an establishment like Common Man.

[angela4design]

and... why is this thread called "To Tip Or Not To Tip"? Are you debating whether to let the servers keep their tips? I don't understand.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

baygo, you should be absolutely clear during your interviews of exactly what you are looking for and expect. Ask them if they are confident in being the right person for the job and hopefully you will get an honest answer. If said interviewee has only worked at a deli counter, you should not rule them out - they may just end up being your shining star. Perhaps you might implement a a trial working period with a review after a certain amount of time?

Good luck!

[Overlake97]

Originally Posted by tis

Previous employers are EXTREMELY reluctant to say anything about a former employee. In today's world you have to be very careful.

This applies, mostly, to written comments/references. On the phone, if they can verify that you are who you say you are, they'll provide info - good or bad. Also, if they DON'T give a glowing reference, that would tell you something.

I check references (not for restaurant workers), occasionally, on the phone whenever I see less than glowing written comments (or even sometimes when they ARE glowing). People will be honest more often than you'd expect, despite the not completely unjustified fear of legal action.

[tis]

I do not have much luck over the phone either, Overlake. People are just very reluctant to say much as there is so much fear of getting sued today. Now if I know someone they are willing to say more.

And speaking of phones references, I can't figure out why people insist on faxed credit references instead of phone replies. It always seemed to me it would be much harder to prove that you gave a "bad" reference over the phone than a written one. Of course for the faxed (or emailed) ones there is most always a form so the facts are all that are there. I prefer to talk to someone to make a judgement. Tone can tell so much more.

[Heaven]

I understand the question. Restaurants that provide good service train their staff, and it shows. Some places I have had good service are, The Woodshed, The Corner House, Full Belli Deli. If someone has worked at one of these places for any length of time they will know what makes good service and how to provide it. Somehow The Restaurant walked away with someone else's nicely trained staff.