week 3 Server and bartender...
This week I trained for evening server and bartender. The first three nights I was an evening server, taking a la carte orders. The server position in the day time is much different at night. The manager, Jason, was very impressed with my serving skills and did not want me to leave him and go bartend. So the two nights I trained for bartender, I helped setup the bar and then helped in the restaurant until the bar got busy.
The server shift started at 4:30 P.M. and the first thing of the evening to do is to cut and put the bread in the bread warmer. Then fold the bread napkins for the baskets and make butter plates. Then we polished silverware and made a plate of soup spoons and steak knifes. Then we set up the soup heaters and the plate warmers. We then took a walk around the restaurant at the tables to make sure everything was set. Between 5 and 5:30 we took our lunch break. At 6, Jason, the servers and the host have a pre-shift meeting.
That is when the specials of the evening are discussed and the servers are told how many CMPs (Company Meal Plan) there are and how many social reservations we have and what charges apply to a master account or to the individual and we set the tables accordingly.
On Wednesday we served a Rodizio Brazilian style barbeque. Once a table was sat the customer was served water. Then a drink order was taken. Once drinks were served bread was taken to the table. A salad and mixed olives with garlic oil were served first. Then an appetizer or garlic shrimp and chorizo was served. The side dishes of rice and beans and vegetables and Yukon potatoes were brought to the table and we went to each table with a different barbeque skewer and offered each to each table. The Main course offered turkey wrapped in bacon, chicken, lamb, beef, scallops, and pineapple. Each was cooked over the grill rotisserie-style. After offering the main course, a plate of desserts was brought out.
The other two nights of serving offered basic table service with nice ambiance. Orders were brought to the tables in the order of water, drink, bread, appetizer, main course, and desserts and coffee. I saw a lot more in-room dining orders going out at night than during the day. After the dining room is closed, the servers have to reset it for breakfast.
Friday evening was a very slow bar night and I was basically a cocktail waitress/busser. Bartenders tend to be very territorial. Jeff did not really want me to come behind the bar. So I only made some drinks when he went to the bathroom. He did not want my help and it was very slow.
Saturday night was busy in the restaurant and the bar. There was a block of three parties coming in to the bar at the same time. The bar got very busy around 10. I took drink orders and brought them to people. I was picking up glasses off the tables all night. When people are intoxicated they want to be so helpful. There were three occasions where I had to clean up broken glass and the person was trying to help me and I had to tell them that they can not touch it. There was also an altercation between two gentlemen and security came and took one of them out. I also had to tell a lady there is no smoking inside and she had to smoke in the courtyard or by the front door and she had to put her cigarette out. It definitely got busy and very loud. All the bottles had to get put away by 2 A.M. so I helped put them in the crates and lock them up for the evening while Fernando took care of guests and drinks. After everyone was gone and all tables had to be cleared and wiped off. Fernando did all the paperwork. He showed me where to drop it off. The evening ended around 2:30.
I like serving but I have done it so many times its routine for me. Bartending was fun but I learned bartenders are territorial and they do not like other people behind their bars. I would like to help out with these if I had to but I would not like to do these positions as a full time position.