# Servers who bring your entree 30 seconds after they bring your soup or salad (Petty). **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 10, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164 "2004-12-10T17:46:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2004, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/41 "2004-12-13T00:06:44Z")
> [@lezlers](#): > > Well, yes. They have control over when they put the order in. 9 times out of 10 (there’s _always_ an exception somewhere) the server prepares the salad. I worked in a variety of resturants back in my serving days and this was always how it was done. There was nothing stopping us from making the salad (or grabbing it from the fridge depending on the resturant), taking it out and _then_ putting in the order for the entree. No matter how quick your cook works, there’s no way they’re going to go from just recieving the order to having it ready to go in 3 minutes. > > You said earlier that you could tell who here has worked in a resturant and who hasn’t. I’ve got to ask you now, have _you_ ever worked in a resturant? Because you don’t seem to really know how they work. Incorrect. The answer is no, the server does not have control over when the food is finished and I have never worked at a place where the server had the option of holding out on submitting an order to the cooks. That would be an incredibly stupid and inefficient way to run a kitchen since the prep time for orders is liable to be extremely unpredictable and variable and such a policy would result in late entrees more often than not. I worked as a line cook for ten years. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2004, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/42 "2004-12-13T04:30:18Z")
**even sven** , the things you listed are things that are a server’s responsibility to be able to time. Not with scientific precision mind you, but at least be able to determine a ball park figure to work in. As far as the running around thing goes, I waited tables for 8 years, I know damn well what hard work serving is. It’s part of the job. That doesn’t excuse bringing someone’s food out 90 seconds after their salad. **Dio** , I never said the server had control over when the food is finished. I said the server has control over when they put the food _in_ and if they’ve been working there longer than, oh, a week, they should be able to take stock of the condition the resturant is in (how busy it is, any large parties, if the kitchen is in the weeds or is speeding along efficiently) and make an estimation of when their individual order will be up. I’m not saying they’re going to be exact in this estimate, but don’t act as if they’ve got no _clue_ when to expect their food. That’s a bunch of bullshit. And how would anyone know if the server is holding on putting in an order? It’s not like the server runs in the kitchen and announces they just took an order but they’re waiting to put it in. Putting in an order is the server’s responsibility and they get to determine when it gets done. In 8 years serving I never once heard of a place that demanded every server put in a complete order the second after taking it, no matter what. Now _that_ would be a ridiculous policy as it doesn’t account for timing between courses, the individual preferences of guests or a variety of other circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2004, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/43 "2004-12-13T04:37:14Z")
You know, now that I think about it, I should probably mention that I always worked in smaller resturants. Smaller meaning, not more than 50 or so tables at the most. All the places I worked, if you weren’t able to walk in, scan the dining room and get a feel for what kind of condition the kitchen and dining room was in, you were considered to be a really weak server. I’d imagine a server wouldn’t be able to do the same thing in a larger chain resturant like say, Olive Garden or Friday’s or something. So that may make a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2004, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/44 "2004-12-13T12:50:09Z")
Problems like this 9 out of 10 times are not the servers fault. I’ve worked nearly every position in a restaurant myself and most times I’ve seen this happen, it wasn’t because the server was back there saying “Rush my order. The salad has been on the table for thirty seconds.” Odds are the cook cranked the order out as soon as he could without thinking about the server, their tip, or when the salad came out. Yeah, a really good server should know about how fast the cooks throw out the food but we don’t know what kind of front and back end turn over the restaurant has. When stuff like this happens, complain to the server or the management about the kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![BytopianDream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9de0a6/32.png) [@BytopianDream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BytopianDream)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/45 "2004-12-14T01:20:50Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > Problems like this 9 out of 10 times are not the servers fault. I’ve worked nearly every position in a restaurant myself and most times I’ve seen this happen, it wasn’t because the server was back there saying “Rush my order. The salad has been on the table for thirty seconds.” Odds are the cook cranked the order out as soon as he could without thinking about the server, their tip, or when the salad came out. > > Yeah, a really good server should know about how fast the cooks throw out the food but we don’t know what kind of front and back end turn over the restaurant has. > > When stuff like this happens, complain to the server or the management about the kitchen. I completely disagree. It may very well be the server who sucks ass. Sure, it could be the kitchen. It might be the server. It all depends. No two restaurants are the same and each server staff have different functions for each chain or independant place. Either way, a good server, who has a good rapport with the kitchen, could figure out a way to circumvent the super fast fish of doom. In fact, the server could ask the kitchen to switch it out, keep it warm and then replate it or even make it over if the server and kitchen are that tight. And for a good server who took care of the kitchen, I would be donuts to testicles they would do it too. The way I look at it is this: Shit happens in restaurants. Unless you get food poisoning or the food is absolutely awful, whoop-ti-la-de-da, eat it and make the best of it. ---
**Author:** ![BytopianDream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9de0a6/32.png) [@BytopianDream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BytopianDream)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/46 "2004-12-14T01:21:57Z")
> [@BytopianDream](#): > > And for a good server who took care of the kitchen, I would be donuts to testicles they would do it too. “bet” even… ---
**Author:** ![booka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@booka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booka)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/47 "2004-12-14T06:09:55Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > You can tell who the people are who have never worked in a restaurant. Damn. Just when I thought I was into an interesting thread, **Broomstick-Up-His-Ass** (a.k.a. **DtC** )predictably chimes in with some irrelevant, inane cum-gurgling that ruins the whole mood. > [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I worked as a line cook for ten years. Well **big fuckin’ shit** , you giggly pomposity. Take the broomstick outa your abused ass, and then take your whoop-dee-FUCKIN’ DOO 10 years of \*line cook experience \* and shove it deep down your gaping poop chute. > [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > You’re right that it’s usually not a problem but sometimes the entree gets done quickly. Suck it up. If you really can’t stand to have your entree on the same table as your salad then ask the server to keep your plate under the warmer, but the server has no control over when the food is actually cooked. No, really - everyone - did he \*really \* say this? > [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > …and I have never worked at a place where the server had the option of holding out on submitting an order to the cooks. That would be an incredibly stupid and inefficient way to run a kitchen since the prep time for orders is liable to be extremely unpredictable and variable and such a policy would result in late entrees more often than not. Well, then, don’t that just pretty much say it all? What’d you do - get an advanced degree from Applebie’s University? You went from line cook to monkey-with-a-keyboard, and you’re still crackin’ off the beauties. Jesus GOD you’re an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/48 "2004-12-14T06:15:48Z")
Who the fuck are you? Do I know you? Do you actually have any sort of intelligent rebuttal? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/49 "2004-12-14T06:30:20Z")
Actually, let’s go over this festering pile of a post line by line. > [@booka](#): > > Damn. > > Just when I thought I was into an interesting thread, **Broomstick-Up-His-Ass** (a.k.a. **DtC** )predictably chimes in with some irrelevant, inane cum-gurgling that ruins the whole mood. “Irrelevant?” What exactly did I say that was irrelevant to the thread? By “irrelevant” I mean off topic or not related to the conversation at hand. What did I say that was “inane?” What did I say that was “cum gurgling?” Be specific. Also let us all know exactly what the fuck _you_ know about the topic. > [@](#): > > Well **big fuckin’ shit** , you giggly pomposity. Take the broomstick outa your abused ass Where do you get “abused” from? When did I say I had been abused? What the fuck are you talking about? > [@](#): > > and then take your whoop-dee-FUCKIN’ DOO 10 years of \*line cook experience \* and shove it deep down your gaping poop chute. I don’t think there’s anything “whoop-dee-doo” about it, dipshit, I was specifically _asked_ if I had ever worked in a restaurant, so I answered the question. Do you have a problem with that, cockpipe? > [@](#): > > No, really - everyone - did he \*really \* say this? Yes, I really did say that, moron. What part of it do you find so incredible. Please be specific. Well, then, don’t that just pretty much say it all? What’d you do - get an advanced degree from Applebie’s University? [/quote] It’s Applebe **e** s, you fucking semi-literate half-wit. Learn how to fucking spell if you’re going to try to tangle with your intellectual superiors. > [@](#): > > You went from line cook to monkey-with-a-keyboard, and you’re still crackin’ off the beauties. Jesus GOD you’re an idiot. Well, don’t leave me in the dark, asswipe. If you’re going to call me an “idiot,” p[lease have the fucking courage to explain what I said that’s idiotic. Calling someone names and calling their posts stupid without explaining why is what is known as chickenshit behavior. If you want to have it out with me, then let’s have it out, cum bubble. Don’t drive by with insults and then run away like a bitch. Come take your assfucking like a man. ---
**Author:** ![booka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@booka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booka)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/50 "2004-12-14T06:53:52Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Actually, let’s go over this festering pile of a post line by line… I just wanted to see you start typing. Which you did. Truth be told, I thought “cockpipe” was a good’un, as was the “take your assfucking like a man” crack at the end. If my tone was less-than-cordial, I apologize. My wife says that I need to try harder to be more civil here. In regards to my previous post, my amazement revolved around your apparent lack of understanding of or knowledge about the accepted norms of service at better restaurants in civilized countries (in particular, the notion that one course is never served until the previous course is consumed, and that both the server and the kitchen work together to ensure this happy outcome for the customer). This, coupled with your statement that you had worked as a line cook for 10 years, provided unexpected and delightful irony, and a certain insight into the source of your opinions. There were numerous passages from your replies in this thread that I found both noteworthy and, well, just plain funny. If I had more time I’d do a line-by-line analysis of it, but to use a common logical fallacy, I think everyone else knows what I’m referring to, and you probably do too. In any case, have a nice night, and I promise not to insult you anymore, ever again, no matter what you might say. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/51 "2004-12-14T07:23:15Z")
> [@booka](#): > > If my tone was less-than-cordial, I apologize. My wife says that I need to try harder to be more civil here. My wife says the same thing to me. Let’s just let it go with no hard feelings then. I’ll refrain from getting into it about my knowldege of the restaurant biz except to say that my experience as a line cook is all too real and not something I’ve thought of as anything to brag about. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/52 "2004-12-14T08:29:12Z")
The weird thing about this thread is how hesitant people are with sending dishes back. Look, if a course arrives before I’m ready for it, I realy don’t care whose fault it is. Take it back and have it warm and fresh again in five or ten minutes when I’ve finished my soup. If you can’t do that, then cook up a new one. I don’t have to accept - or pay for - any food I don’t want. I’m not saying this as some sort of arrogant philistine. My wife worked for several years as a line cook and as a sous-chef in a major Manhattan restaurant. _She’s_ usually the one sending stuff back; I tend to be a bit timid around waiters. She knows how a restaurant should operate, and isn’t willing to accept unprofessional behaviour. I don’t know why anyone else should either. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164/53 "2004-12-14T08:42:28Z")
> [@booka](#): > > Damn. > > Just when I thought I was into an interesting thread, **Broomstick-Up-His-Ass** (a.k.a. **DtC** )predictably chimes in with some irrelevant, inane cum-gurgling that ruins the whole mood. > Well **big fuckin’ shit** , you giggly pomposity. Take the broomstick outa your abused ass, and then take your whoop-dee-FUCKIN’ DOO 10 years of \*line cook experience \* and shove it deep down your gaping poop chute. > > No, really - everyone - did he \*really \* say this? > > Well, then, don’t that just pretty much say it all? What’d you do - get an advanced degree from Applebie’s University? > > You went from line cook to monkey-with-a-keyboard, and you’re still crackin’ off the beauties. Jesus GOD you’re an idiot. Were you drunk when you wrote this, by any chance? “giggly pomposity?” “crackin’ off the beauties?” “jesus GOD?” WTF? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/servers-who-bring-your-entree-30-seconds-after-they-bring-your-soup-or-salad-petty/279164.md?page=2)