Saturday night was only a little less busy than Friday, with more early business and less later. A nice mixed crowd again, and apparently more than a few WC parents and kids. The reservation thing was - as seems to be per usual for a WC event - somewhat disappointing. The 5PM six canceled at 4:30, but at least they had the courtesy to call. The 5:30 simply did not show up. This was not all bad, because it opened up a table for a family of regulars...The rest pretty much arrived as scheduled, including the 9:00 six who were just about the only table in the DR when they arrived. I sat one last table at precisely 9:20, since the late reservation had just put their order in with the kitchen, and then at least they weren't alone.
Nights as busy as these, you can really only hope that everything goes smoothly. Kevin and I cannot be everywhere at once; we can't see every plate, check in with every table, oversee every move the staff makes. We trust that they are doing things in the way they have been trained, but the newer members of the crew are going to be a little less practiced at working at warp speed, especially without a whole lot of guidance. They do their best and if there is something that doesn't look right, the Tray Runner often catches it before it goes out to the customer. Still, things happen; we are very aware that there is never going to be a perfect night, especially when it is so very busy. This is partly why I like to get to as many tables as is possible myself, to be there to handle complaints, to bring water, answer questions, correct problems. A lot of times when I approach a table and ask how is everything or does anyone need anything, I get a generic "everything is fine", but whenever someone has a complaint or disappointment, that is when I need to hear it so I can either correct it or replace it or do something to repair the bad impression. Of course not everyone feels comfortable "complaining" but now and then we get some very valuable criticism, which we very often take to heart and use to make a change in the faulty item or experience. Constant tweaking - maybe that's why we drive our staff crazy, always re-evaluating things, making adjustments, never ending change. It's micro managing at times, but hey, we just can't help ourselves.
I don't know how I got on this tangent.
My head is still in a bucket BTW
.
Nights as busy as these, you can really only hope that everything goes smoothly. Kevin and I cannot be everywhere at once; we can't see every plate, check in with every table, oversee every move the staff makes. We trust that they are doing things in the way they have been trained, but the newer members of the crew are going to be a little less practiced at working at warp speed, especially without a whole lot of guidance. They do their best and if there is something that doesn't look right, the Tray Runner often catches it before it goes out to the customer. Still, things happen; we are very aware that there is never going to be a perfect night, especially when it is so very busy. This is partly why I like to get to as many tables as is possible myself, to be there to handle complaints, to bring water, answer questions, correct problems. A lot of times when I approach a table and ask how is everything or does anyone need anything, I get a generic "everything is fine", but whenever someone has a complaint or disappointment, that is when I need to hear it so I can either correct it or replace it or do something to repair the bad impression. Of course not everyone feels comfortable "complaining" but now and then we get some very valuable criticism, which we very often take to heart and use to make a change in the faulty item or experience. Constant tweaking - maybe that's why we drive our staff crazy, always re-evaluating things, making adjustments, never ending change. It's micro managing at times, but hey, we just can't help ourselves.
I don't know how I got on this tangent.
My head is still in a bucket BTW
.
If you did not feel this way you would not have accomplished what you and keven have.It is a great testament to your leadership to have succeded so many times in this buisness of great disapointment.
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