Comments on: A server who refused to serve

By: Steve Curtin

Steve Curtin — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:49:00 +0000

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. I understand that labor is the single largest expense for Carino’s and it’s imprudent to retain servers after traffic slows and their sections have emptied. This does not justify, however, the completion of end-of-shift sidework within full view of dining patrons.
Servers at full service restaurants offering family style portions (accommodating 2-3 adults) should always offer to serve guests from the entree plate. In fact, the only restaurant that should not offer to do so is a buffet restaurant where diners are expected to serve themselves.
Like many restaurant guests, my tip matches the service quality. Higher service quality results in higher tips and lower service quality results in lower tips. I do not feel that restaurant servers are entitled to a 20 percent tip just for showing up, going through the motions, completing their job functions, and providing satisfactory table service.
It doesn’t sound as though you would have been particularly disappointed by this type of service. Perhaps you may have tipped generously and returned to Carino’s? In my case, I was disappointed with the service, tipped closer to 15 percent, and have not returned in the 20 months or so since this experience. As far as Carino’s is concerned, that’s all that matters.

By: Happy

Happy — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 17:32:00 +0000

Oh good grief. As the restaurant slows down, servers are sent home as they aren’t needed. That way you don’t have eleven servers standing around when there are only four tables in the restaurant. Do you want them to wait until every customer has left before doing their side work?? Also if you are sharing a dish, there’s no way your server should have to stand there and separate it onto different plates for you.

The spoons should have come with the sundaes, I will give you that, and she should have cleared empty glasses and trash.

I bet your brood made a gigantic mess for her to clean up and you probably left her a crappy tip because she wasn’t perfect.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:51:55 +0000

Jeffrey, I agree on all points. Especially the last point: “…I don’t blame the server, I blame her boss, and his boss, and his boss.” Well said.

By: Jeffrey Summers

Jeffrey Summers — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:41:21 +0000

Sad but good post Steve.

1. Just another sad tale in a long line of sad tales these days. If you haven’t heard of this or experienced parts of it, you simply don’t eat out much.
2. This is now the norm at most chains.
3. The experience, though at only 1 of the many restaurants Carino’s owns and operates, marred your perception of the entire brand.
4. Unless consumers start demanding better service, they’ll never get it.
5. Indicative of an extremely poor culture of treating people as a transaction. I don’t blame the server, I blame her boss, and his boss, and his boss.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:28:12 +0000

Adesh, I agree that testimonials (both positive and negative) have an effect on where customers choose to spend their money. In the case of Carino’s, in my experience, the positive comments I’ve heard in the past far outweigh the negative. That’s one of the reasons we chose Carino’s last week. Even so, it proves the point we discussed earlier that, regardless of a company’s service reputation, the customer’s impression will be formed by his/her actual experience. The aspect of this truth that keeps many stakeholders up at night is that this impression will likely be based on the customer’s one-on-one interaction with a front line service provider. In manufacturing, quality control can eliminate defects before the customer sees/experiences them. Not so in the hospitality industry.

By: Adesh Sidhu

Adesh Sidhu — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:44:41 +0000

This is an awful service. Never experienced such thing. In fact never heard of such thing.
I am sure many readers of this blog will also think twice before visiting this place.