Perhaps you noticed the 11 month old baby in the highchair at our table? I assume, considering that your restaurant has frickin’ crayons on the table, that you’ve seen a baby before? Perhaps you’ve noticed that babies tend to grab anything in their reach, play with things, put things in their mouths, and throw things on the floor?
Perhaps you could keep this in mind when you serve us. Please don’t put a full glass of tea in front of the baby. It’s not for him. Please don’t put plates of food in front of the baby, especially hot food. And really don’t put hot bowls of soup in front of him.
Don’t give the baby silverware or napkins. He doesn’t need them. He’s just going to eat the napkin and throw the silver on the floor.
I realize that waiting on tables with kids is more work. I realize that the kids make something of a mess, and I tip accordingly. I also try to keep the mess down to a minimum. But I can’t watch the baby every second – did you notice the other two kids I am trying to watch, and the fact that I have my own food to eat? So it would really help if you did not place hazards in front of the baby. It’s not like there is no other place on the table for you to put these things.
And when it finally happens that I am distracted for a moment while you are being an idiot, and the baby dumps a plateful of food all over himself and the floor, don’t expect a tip. Just pray he didn’t burn himself because of you.
I would be trying ferverently to move all of this crap away from the baby while also watching two four year olds and eat my own food. Why should I have to immediately move everything as soon as some moron waiter sets it down? They can’t just not set things in front of the baby?
You know, some intelligent people set food in front of the person who ordered it. Not in front of the only person at the table who a) didn’t order anything; and b) is going to immediately try to throw everything on the floor.
I think all she’s saying is that her task is difficult enough without someone complicating it further by a disinclination to think. Wait staff should enhance the enjoyment of your meal. I don’t think Cessandra’s have clued in to that fact yet.
I’d mention it to a manager or fill out a complaint card. These folks need to be made aware they’re doing you a disservice.
Well, this must be part of some global waiter conspiracy. For that matter, I’d keep an eye on the host and the busboy as well (and the bowtie on that man in the corner is really a camara).
While you are having your evening out in this fine establishment in which I work, please do not assume that I am responsible for the care of your child.
Please don’t put your child’s high chair on the end of the table towards the aisle. Not only is it in the way, I don’t want to trip over it on the way to my other tables. I also don’t want to drop a tray of hot food on little Precious’ head.
When I come to take your order, it is no fun to wait while you ask Junior what he wants from the menu. I’m all in favor of kids ordering for themselves once they reach, oh, six or so. Two or three year olds who point at the hotdog, then the pizza, then the pancakes and sausage link while I look at you quizzically waiting on some confirmation on the order are no fun for me. Please decide what Junior will be having in advance so you can tell me yourself.
When I put Junior’s hot cocoa in front of you, don’t look at me like I’ve suddenly grown a third eye in the middle of my forehead. Pick it up and move it to where you, the parent, want it to be.
When I arrive with plates full of steamy goodness for you, I’m going to serve you (the mother, or the female in charge) first. Then I’m going to serve dad, or the male in charge. When it’s time to serve junior, I’m going to hand his or her plate in YOUR direction so that Junior doesn’t burn him/herself on a hot quesadilla. Please don’t sit there with your hands in your lap looking dumbfounded because I’m waiting on you to take this plate of food from me, and my arm is getting tired.
Indeed, I do notice that you, the parent have two other kids to watch, as well as your own food to eat. I am there to serve you your dinner and make it a pleasant experience. That does not include babysitting your young. Perhaps you should stay home if you don’t want to take care of your kids yourself when you go out to eat.
The only resturant that has crayons on the tables around here is Jack Astors…and that place isn’t what I’d consider “for kids”.
Why couldnt you just move your high-chair bound kid away from the table a bit?
Bring 3 kids to a resturant by yourself (you didn’t mention anyone else) is pretty suspect. If your kid did hurt himself, it would be your fault, not the resturant’s (IMO). They put food on your table. If there isn’t space, do you think they’re going to stand there with it in their hands? If your kid can’t eat by himself, place him away from the table next to you…simple!
Frankly, Jessica, you sound like Not An Idiot. Please wait on us!
FTR, I also hate parents who let their young children order. My kids are not allowed to talk to waiters for exactly that reason. If not reminded, they’ll try to order cake and talk over us while we are ordering, or repeat their order over and over so a waiter gets confused and writes down two of the same thing.
My kids don’t generally need to be reminded of many rules in a restaurant, but not bugging the waiter is definitely one of them.
badmama, there usually isn’t room to move the baby away from the table without placing him in the aisle where people are trying to walk (like Jessica mentioned.)
And, actually, my husband is usually around, but that doesn’t mean there is a need to put everything in front of the baby when the entire table is available.
BTW, like lieu suggested, I am watching my kids. They’re really pretty good. But I don’t need a waiter making everything harder for me when it’s just as easy not to. It is just as easy to set that glass of tea in front of me (I’m sitting right next to the baby, for pete’s sake!) as it is to set it in front of him.
Actually, kids rarely “bug” me. I like kids, really, but I wait on a lot of clueless fucking parents. It doesn’t bother me for kids to talk to me, and I realize that very young kids are still learning manners and such. But soooooo many people let their kids try to order at two or three, and it just isn’t cute anymore. And I have to smile and be indulgent while I fall behind because it’s taking for-fucking-ever.
That said, it’s really NOT our job to look after your kids. If everybody at the table is cool, I try to help out if I can. Many times, though, it’s thrown in my face or I’m treated like it’s not a help, but annoying. So. . . I no longer do it as much as I used to.
That’s what happens when you have a litter of kids, dining out is no longer a fun experience.
Get a babysitter. Go somewhere nice with your hubby. And then you won’t have to worry about these things.
I hate taking my daughter to restaurants, it’s a big pain. She doesn’t really like it, and I definitely don’t like it. Chinese take out and McDonald’s until she can act appropriately./hijack
I was a waiter for about 10 years (including at Jack Astor’s), and it took me all of about 2 minutes to figure out not to put the following things in front of a grabby child:
Anything hot
Anything cold
Anything sharp
Anything pointy
Anything liquidy
Anything sticky
Anything at all
You’re right, Cessandra, you have been waited on by idiots. Not putting something in front of a child isn’t necessarily “babysitting”, it’s just common sense.
Frankly, the way some places set things up, there’s not much place to put stuff out of the baby’s reach when you’re standing in the aisle. Lots of places put baby on the end of the table, sticking out in the aisle, by default. That leaves a server limited options when dealing out food.
You can make real good friends with the adult diner sitting to either side of the baby and wedge yourself into the little gap between them and the high chair to reach across them and serve those on the other end of the table. Most people don’t respond well to that, and those who do tend to be really creepy and make inappopriate comments.
You can hand food to those sitting on the baby-side corners and have them pass the food around, but then they tend to bitch because “we’re having to serve our own food.” You can serve the baby-side foks first and then walk to the end of the aisle (there’s never room to get between you and the folks behind you, trust me), walk up the other aisle and serve the people on the other end. People bitch because that takes too long, and besides, doing that all night is hell on your feet, legs, and back.
Or, you can stand a little back from the table and high chair and put things down within your reach, then let the diners rearrange things as they want them. No wait, then stuff’s in the baby’s reach, and God forbid someone should have to move a few things.
Please, by all means, Cessandra, tell us which of these options the server should choose. Then, please tell them. Trust me, psychics make more than $2.13/hour plus tips.
Well, Indygrrl, it was fun until our son started sitting in a highchair and waiters started putting all of the food right in front of him. For the most part it’s still fun. I just don’t see why a waiter would want to make my job harder than it has to be, and potentially make HIS job harder than it has to be (if my son does knock something over before I can move it.)