Working Hard for the Money

My job positions are hostess, waitress, head waitress, bartender and trainer. I am suppose to get paid extra for positions I hold but every two weeks when the check comes it's never more than $30. I approached my managers about it and there explanation was that since I'm claiming so much money I don't get any money on my checks. It seems if you are doing more work you should get paid more, not in my case. When I am head waitress I get a free meal but I have to stay and do paper work until about one in the morning. I asked if they could take me off the head waitress schedule because i am a full time student and staying so late at work it messing up my sleep schedule, which messed up everything. Nothing was done about it and I am still stuck with the responsibilities I wish i never took on in the first place. Once again management problems.

Food Presentation Specialist,
MEC  

Holiday Parties

Everyone is starting to make reservations for there holiday Christmas parties. The small restaurant I work in is very popular but cannot accommodate large parties of about 20 people. We basically have one big room and having large parties slows everything down. Our manager thinks it will bring better business but really it makes things more difficult for everyone. The hostess can't seat the guest coming in the door, the servers get overwhelmed and the kitchen staff gets extremely backed up. We aren't providing the service we promised our guest when we try to squeeze in these large holiday parties. Any other time of the year a large party would be a servers dream but during the holidays it turns into a nightmare.

Food Presentation Specialist,
MEC

Requesting Off Work for the Holidays

Before Thanksgiving our front of the house manager posted a sign up sheet for which holiday we wanted to be off work. For most of the employees, we are young students and don't consider this job a career. Most of my family is out of town and it's always hard for me to call and tell them I can't make it for the holidays because I can't get off work. Bartending and waiting tables is not my first priority. I am a full time student and when I am on break for the holidays I want a  real break. None of the managers seem to take into consideration that we have a life outside of the restaurant. I realize they need people to work to keep the business running but I have been working there for over three years and for some aspects of the job I believe seniority should rule. I have put in my hard work and time to be off work for Christmas Eve.

Food Presentation Specialist,
MEC

Football

Living in the South, football seems like Christmas for most people. The Iron Bowl is one of the biggest events of the year and it effects the restaurant business in the worst way. Trying to make money in the month of November is very hard to do. During the week the money can be decent but Saturday and Sunday are tough times. The restaurant I work in has two small and outdated T.V.'s. No one wants to watch Alabama football in classy, polish casual bar. People want to scream and yell and be drunk, we don't provide the best atmosphere for that. Most of the time I grateful I don't work in a smoky, loud bar that always has drunk sloppy men hanging around, but during football season it's hard to make money unless you are in the Alabama football party scene.

Food Presentation Specialist,
MEC

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20101127/NEWS01/11270340/Black-Friday-Iron-Bowl-cook-up-big-business-at-eateries

Food Presentation Specialist

Fellow servers,

I am a bartender and server in a polish casual restaurant in west Mobile, Alabama. I'm twenty-two years old, full time student and work about 4 to 5 days a week. I have been a trusting employee for almost 3 years and enjoy most aspects of my job. If you work in a restaurant you understand how frustrating this job can get. I like to title myself Food Presentation Specialist. For most people, waiting on people is not what you plan on doing for the rest of your life. In my job environment my managers wish we would all think that way. It's hard for my superiors to realize we have a life outside of the restaurant. Writing this blog will help me release some frustration and get feedback from fellow servers to remind myself I'm not the only one out there that shares these same feelings.

Food Presentation Specialist,

MEC