I try to enter the workplace with a smile and sunny disposition; a positive, cheerful attitude. Don't sweat the small stuff, right? But it doesn't take long for me to see something or hear something or have to deal with something that crushes my soul.
One day last week was just like this. I recited my mantra, "It's going to be fine...It's going to be fine..." the entire walk from my car into the building. This was a day shift. Day shift sucks. There's a café attached to the Bistro. Again. But this time we serve their menu along side ours and there are lattes and eggs involved and I can't help but feel like I work in a diner. So it really takes a lot of energy to psych myself up for the job. Like, Triad-level energy.
I had just walked behind the bar and was drying off the drink mats and starting to run the water for the triple sinks because it takes forever to get hot. Hadn't even clocked in yet, bag was still on my shoulders.
Our chef called over from the pizza oven area,
"So Terri, how busy does it get on Sundays at the bar with making drinks?"
"I don't know, it can get pretty hectic with all the mimosas and Bloody Marys," I answered.
"I'm thinking about doing smoothies for brunch on Sundays..."
My back stiffened. Shoulders tensed.
He continued, "... well Saturdays too, but just the weekends."
"How is that going to work?" I asked, bracing myself for the inevitable answer.
"I'll put blenders behind the bar."
I ripped off my mask so that he could hear my very, very clearly,
"Please do not put blenders behind this bar. Put them over there." I pointed to the café. Because smoothies are a café thing, not a bar thing.
I already informed my bar manager that if they put blenders behind the bar and expect us to make smoothies,
"It will be the straw that breaks this camel's back. You will have my notice."
What? You are thinking, you would quit your job over a blender?
You're f'ing-A right I would.
Blenders are a bartender's worst nightmare. Frozen drinks are the worst to make. Especially when you are not set up to efficiently execute the making of them. And it would not be set up efficiently where I work now. It would be impossible to do so. They're also a time sink and blenders are always breaking because management never wants to spring for a proper commercial grade blender, they buy the cheap plastic ones from Wal Mart. They also take up space, which when you already have five plus juices, six different flavored syrups, three or four fruit purees and no less than thirteen assorted condiments/garnishes...look, just don't add blenders to the hell scape that is my workspace, ok?
Also I love how the chef mentioned this would be "just for brunch on the weekends" because he knows damn well if we sell smoothies at noon on Sundays, we're sure as shit going to have to sell them at 10 o'clock on a Friday night if someone wants one. Not to mention, "Ohhhhh, you have a blender? Whoo Hoo! I'll have a frozen strawberry Daquiri, she'll have a frozen Pina Colada and she'll have a frozen Passionfruit Margarita!!!!!"
Folks, the beer distributors sell alcoholic slushys now. I suggest you get your frozen fix from them.
---------------------------------------------
We run out of stuff. All the time. Like linens, takeout boxes, liquor, beer, and basil. It was sort of a problem at my restaurant pre-COVID, but it's just ridiculous now. Some of it is due to simple mistakes on our end, like not being fully aware of how much stuff we go through. Some is due to supply chain issues. Some is due to production issues. The best was the few days we had hardly any paper towels. During a pandemic.
We couldn't get Corona for almost two months since the Mexican government shut down production in April. Can't get Heineken either for the same reason; most Heineken for distribution in North America is brewed in Mexico. We've been having trouble getting tequila as well. Many distilleries started making sanitizer to meet the growing demand in March and April, only to have dwindling supplies of spirits as we were all day drinking heavily at that time. I imagine things are getting back on track now but every week we have a new bad tequila I have never heard of.
Wrapped straws were are an issue here and there and we have to use wrapped straws now. Which I hate. My local bar has always used wrapped straws and I always felt bad for the bartenders who had to unwrap the bottom half and just leave the top on because "sanitation" ugh. Guess what we find all over the floors and out on the patio and have to pick up at the end of the night? People, please don't let your straw wrappers fall to the ground. Do us a solid, we have enough to deal with.
I am ending this with another appeal to all you people who are clamoring to go out and have some drinks and something to eat: please be patient, and understanding, and kind to the people serving you. And don't have a hissy fit when we tell you all the things we are out of. It's not the fault of the service staff.
I was told to just be thankful that I am able to work and make money because so many people are not. Well, yes, that's one way of looking at it. Though I would argue that working 10x harder for half the money isn't exactly going to fill up my gratitude jar. And the public needs to be aware that they should be equally thankful for having a place to go for a few hours outside their homes and workplaces. So this is a two-way street folks. All I ask is you meet us in the middle.
No comments:
Post a Comment