No. He should have greeted the other tables, and told them that he’d be right with them.
Also, you need to do two things: you need to work in food service yourself for about three years, and you need to eat in better restaurants. Red Lobster, Outback, Macaroni Grill and the like are not quality restaurants. They’re not really crappy, but they’re not good, either. Try some independents.
If you want the server not to bug you, honestly that should be your job to say so. The way things are supposed to go is that customers order and servers take down your order, NOT servers ordering for their customers. That’s the truth, that’s the way it’s supposed to go. That’s why, if you want things that way, tell your server.
As far as you not wanting more ice, if you order “ICED TEA”, well then you will get “ICE” in your tea when you get a refill unless you tell your server. Think about it, the name “ICE” is in the name of the drink, so why shouldn’t you expect to have to tell your servers you don’t want more ice? Hence the name of the drink says you do.
Are you delighted if your server would bring you a fresh glass of tea without more ice instead of pouring into the same glass if let’s say they knew you from being a regular customer exactly how you like your refills not to have more ice?
I am just curious why you rather keep one glass if you could have a new glass and the old one could be taken away immediately as the new one is brought? Do you care either way or you really rather the pouring method at the table better than bringing you a new glass?
WHY? Where the hell you get off thinking he should let the other 2 tables, one which had 4 or 5 people CUT in front of our turn? What if they would have placed their food orders when they were greeted, huh? We have done that before lots of times just to let you know. What if they asked a zillion questions about some menu items? WHY do you think it’s “FAIR” to make the FIRST person wait the longest?
He should have NOT gone to greet them until after he brought our soft drinks and then as he was handing them to us before we could say we were ready to order that he’d be right back. Then, he would have gotten the drink orders from the second table if they weren’t ready to fully order and gotten their drinks. Done the same thing by saying he’d be right back BEFORE they could say they were ready to order. Then the third table same thing. Then gone back to the first table(us) to get our food order. Then, instead of getting the second table’s order delaying our food, he would have immediately went to the computer to put our food order into the computer.
He should NEVER have gone to another table voluntarily(meaning unless they called them over or other table’s food was ready that he had) before getting our soft drinks. 2 cokes taking 10 minutes is insane and RIDICULOUS! It’s UNFAIR, even more so he handed the second table one of theirs first.
He let them CUT in front of our turn. It was OUR TURN, NOT theirs. We waited to get the table OUR TURN, we should get OUR TURN in the correct order just as all the customers should. Waiting 7 minutes to get greeted let’s say for the third table hypothetically would be fair considering they were last out the group of three tables. It’s not fair for us to wait 10 minutes to get 2 cokes. It’s just not. We were FIRST, plain and simple. I TRULY HOPE SOMEONE CUTS IN FRONT OF YOU TO SEE HOW IT FEELS! Especially, when you are hungry and thirsty.
We’re just going to have to agree to disagree.
I made my living as a waitress and had a lot of regular customers ask for my station. Not to freak you out even more, but because I was recognized as a good waitress at my restaurant, I was actually given the job to train new servers! That’s right! “Treat your station as one big table” and “use your head, save your feet” were two mantras I taught every new person 
From my side, it’s very interesting to read your perspective though. I did always wonder what was going through some customers’ minds. It has been…illuminating
This is why serving is harder and more complicated than lots of people think. Once you’ve multiple tables going timing and balancing very carefully, something could grow wrong at any time that throws you off your pace. Customers don’t care, and quickly start getting pissed.
In the about scenario, I’d probably pass the new table quickly and just say “hi, be right with you.” Then get your drinks and pray YOU don’t start talking and asking questions and wondering if you want something else while table two starte drumming their fingers and getting irritable. Customers really like getting greeted immediately.
Oh, and whiie you’re chatting away, table three’s entrees are up and getting cold. I THOUGHT I’d timed it right and could just drop off your drinks. Now table three is liable to complain.
And, table four wants their check now. Where is it? Geez, serving is the easiest job in the world. Why is this guy screwing up so bad?
And at my restaurant - the bar was upstairs! Everytime we needed a drink with alcohol we had to run up the stairs and wait (or drop a ticket and run back up when the drinks would be ready and hope the margaritas weren’t melted!). That’s why I said earlier, in the moment, waiting tables is an extremely frazzling and nerve-wracking experience. I used to have terrible dreams, for years after I stopped waiting tables that I was “in the weeds” and behind.
When you have multiple tables, you do have to make decisions about what happens first. For example, hot food is a high priority. Tf my food was up in the window, I went for it first, even if it was another table’s “turn” to be greeted or to receive drinks. At my restaurant, we had up to 4-5 tables at a time and it was just not possible to give the kind of service you describe to every person at the peak of service. If you want that kind of experience, it’s best to hit a fine dining place, where the pace is slower, the servers have fewer tables and are able to do more one-on-one service.
Does that mean just because the restaurant wants to get people in an out as quickly as possible to make more money that means it’s “MORALLY RIGHT” to serve that way? OF COURSE NOT! You know in your heart it isn’t.
Using your head, which honestly it should be your heart instead by caring about customer’s time by not assuming things or going out of order to make the first party wait the longest.
HOW could it be possible if another party’s food is ready that it would be another table’s turn to get greeted or receive drinks? Didn’t that party place their order a long time ago for their food? Therefore, it IS fair to bring out ANYTHING that was previously ordered before doing the next task, even a margarita from the bar for instance. If order a margarita, you should be getting it if it’s ready, not going to greet or get drinks for the next table, because I placed my order for that margarita at least 5-10 minutes ago more than likely. Get what I am saying? If, let’s say, a waiter gets our drink orders, but finds out table 5’s food is ready, guess what? Table 5 should get their food first, because they placed their order for their food BEFORE we placed our orders for our soft drinks.
So it wouldn’t be OUR TURN to get our soft drinks if another table’s food is ready. They placed their food order let’s say 25 minutes ago. Why wouldn’t they get their food before our soft drinks? Even if they get an appetizer, that was still ordered at least 5-10 minutes PRIOR to us ordering our soft drinks, so it’s only fair to give their stuff first, because it IS their turn, NOT OURS since they ordered BEFORE we did. Get what I am saying?
The situation with soft drinks, that part is 100% in the server’s control in most restaurants, because in most restaurants, servers have a soda station to get soft drinks at and aren’t dependant on a bartender.
Ah But it is also better for the server to get people in and out as quickly as possible. Turn and burn! Who cares about my heart? I had rent to pay.
I see what you’re saying, I do believe in fair but restaurants are just not that orderly. Sometimes two things happen at the same time and the better option is not the “fair” option. What if a new table comes in with a cranky screaming baby and the mother begs me to go back and fill a sippy cup with milk right away, but when I get back to the kitchen, my first table’s food is up? Usually, I would say “hot food first” (not because it’s FAIR but because food gets old and yucky when it sits) but in this case, I would get the milk first (if possible, I would probably treat my station like one big table and put the milk on the serving tray with the plated meals and carry everything out at once, but you don’t seem to like my feet-saving tactics!).
That’s your SELFISHNESS talking. You ONLY care about yourself, how nice!! Don’t care about anyone else, just your rent money, right? If you served me, I’d would stiff you if I knew you had that attitude that you didn’t care about me when you served me. What goes around, comes around. If you care, I will, if you don’t, WHY should I?
Those 2 things didn’t happen at the same time. The food had been ordered BEFORE this new table was even seated to be able to ask for anything. It’s IMPOSSIBLE for two things to be asked for at the same time from 2 different parties. One party beats the other, even by mere seconds, one party asked for something first, then the 2nd party asked for something second. You cannot hear 2 parties asking for something at the SAME EXACT SECOND, now can you? That is IMPOSSIBLE! Even if let’s say you go to table 5 that they want their check, then go to table 6 due to that they call you over that they want a couple of refills, table 5 placed their request BEFORE table 6. It’s seconds worth, but they did. It’s IMPOSSIBLE for more than one party to order at the same exact time. It’s just not possible. Someone beats someone else by mere seconds at the very least.
You again, talk about SAVING YOUR “FEET-SAVING” tactics, which is VERY SELFISH and UNCARING about anyone else BUT YOURSELF!
If I were the server in that situation, there’s NO WAY I would worry about milk if a party’s food was ready. They should wait their turn just like EVERYBODY ELSE in this world. It’s only fair. WHY should you take seconds of someone else’s turn just because it’s easier for your tired feet and the mother wants their baby to stop crying? That’s their personal issue and problem. They should wait their turn like everyone else has to. Tuff cookies if they cannot get their stuff right when they asked for it, because other people ordered before they did. What’s fair is fair and what isn’t, isn’t.
You sound VERY LAZY talking about “feet-saving tactics.” The party that ordered their food that is ready had ordered WAY BEFORE this party ordered their milk for their screaming kid. That tells me that the hot food comes first before someone’s milk. I don’t care wtf the circumstances are. What’s fair is fair and what isn’t, isn’t. You aren’t a fair person. You are a lazy, selfish person talking about your rent money instead of people’s feelings and feet-saving tactics.
When you learn to care about other people, then you will understand, but you are too self-aborbed to possible understand that other people have feelings too.
I would deliver the hot food first and not even bother with wasting seconds of the party’s time unfairly and making their food not as hot when it comes to them. NO WAY would I EVER be that unfair and lazy. I’d do the “RIGHT, MORAL THING”, which you wouldn’t, because you are too selfish and lazy to care about anyone else besides yourself to do the right thing.
I have a question:
Would you have the audacity and gall to hand the milk out BEFORE the hot food since you said it would be on the SAME TRAY? If you would, you’d receive a dollar tip and a report to a manager from me. That’s RUDE!! In other words, would you hand out the hot food out that had been ordered way before the mother’s milk for her baby?
If I would see you do that, I would be FUMING! I just bet you would, because you seem too selfish to do the right thing. Especially, talking about your rent money instead of people that you serve instead. The money will come if most people are fair if you are fair, but don’t expect people to be fair to you if you aren’t. What goes around, comes around.
Wow–you are the biggest whack I have seen in quite awhile. Total one trick pony. Clearly ‘you’ have some issues here. I personally feel sorry for anyone in your life if your posting so far on this message board is how you are in life. Being a waitstaff is a job, nothing more. You fucking act like it is a calling or something.
Now I have never wait staffed, never will. But I treat everyone who does do the job with respect. With all your whining about how unfair things are–you sound worse then my three year old did when she used to whine. The difference of course is she grew up, wonder if you ever will.
Glory–this is the type of person you can never please. She reminds me of the city council member on my project who despises my client–nothing my client can do will ever be good enough for this person. So my client has told me he just ignores her and her demands. He figures why bother, nothing he would do would ever get her to vote for his project. Springs1 is similar. Nothing you can say/do will ever please her. Don’t waste your time. You sound like you were a great waitress and I would have tipped you well for filling up my drink. Luckily most people are like me (sane) and the few who are so demanding likely wouldn’t have tipped you anyways.
wahhhh…would you like a binky too? Oh wait…I need to write this in Springs1 style
WaHHH…would YOU like a BINKY too?
Hee like I said, illuminating!
But yes, I would have given the mother with the screaming kid the milk first. I would probably have set the tray of food down next to table 1, picked up the milk, indicated the screaming baby said “be right back” with a smile and this table of normal people would have laughed and said “you better hurry!” Because, in my experience, that’s how it happens with normal people. They understand they are not the center of the universe and occasionally, they may have to wait, even if it’s not fair.
Oh you are so SELFISH!! Wahh…WHAT about ME!!!
It’s kind of neat, actually. I always wondered why some tables that got good service still didn’t tip well. It’s a little insight into those minds! I’m pretty far removed from waiting tables now (wow, 15 years!) so the comments really don’t bother me.
Well of course not because clearly you are so selfish! Why can’t you see how UNFAIR this is. LIFE is UNFAIR–wow what a concept. Just so you know–I and everyone I know (ie. sane people) would appreciate it if you brought me a soda or filled my water up without asking. Sounds like a good waitress to me–I would have tipped you well
Is there a point to your comments here besides taking swipes at another poster and patting yourself on the back?
They shouldn’t have to wait though. You would be being RUDE and INCONSIDERATE to the people waiting for their food. WHY do that to someone if it’s unfair? WHY cater to the mother with the milk? WHY is her time more important than the people that ordered food way beforehand? That is how you are treating her.
What’s normal is that people would be pissed off if they saw their hot food had to wait to get to them over someone that wasn’t even seated when they placed their food order. That’s just morally wrong and rude.
The mother of the screaming baby isn’t the center of the universe and should wait her turn. Letting her CUT in front of the people’s food that’s ready isn’t right. I hope 5 people CUT in front of your turn when you are hungry. Maybe you don’t care, but NORMAL PEOPLE WOULD and DO CARE whether you want to accept the truth or not is up to you.
Occassionally shouldn’t happen that things are not fair. They CAN and would ALWAYS be fair if I were their server. I would make sure of that, because I care about someone else besides myself unlike the likes of you.