Bitch phone
Establishment: any
Location: SF
Because the restaurant business involves servers serving customers on an ad hoc basis, the interaction of needer and provider is usually short term and hungry people can be so crabby. Therefore, there is often the need to bitch about some encounter that went badly. Many after-work hours are spent by co-workers venting about the snotty demands of customers, the short tempers of the cook staff, the failed equipment, the lousy floor manager, the stupid DJ. BUT, none of this venting matters, because the next shift will be more snotty customers, short-tempered cook staff, failed equipment, lousy floor managers and stupid DJ’s. So, I propose a "Bitch-Phone" be installed in some employee area and can be used for a moment’s bitch about the cheapskates that just stiffed you, or the burnt steak your chef shoved across the counter with a sneer or the host that keeps giving the "good" parties to the server they have been banging. On the other end of the phone is a pre-recorded voice-activated response. A variety of responses should be available, such as; "That’s so UNFAIR!" "They are such jerks!"
I think it would go far in instant alleviation of short term stress.
Comments
WHAT EVER, I ASSUME YOU NEVER BITCH ABOUT YOUR JOB. IF IT WASNT FOR IDIOTS LIKE YOU THAT THINK THAT THEY ARE PAYING US SO THAT THEY CAN BE RUDE TO US WE WOULDNT NEED A BITCH PHONE. AND IF YOU STIFF US THEN HOW IS IT THAT YOUR PAYING US TO BE NICE TO YOU. MF****R. WE DO A LOT IN A LITTLE TIME, WE POWER WORK UNLIKE LAZY ASS SIT BEHIND MY DESK INTERNET DATING WHILE AT WORK FAT ASSES LIKE YOU. AND EVERYTHING WE MAKE WE DESERVE.
Ahmen, I have been in the industry for over 12 years and am very much tired of hearing my fellow workers complain. If we had a phone line that they, and at times I, can vent into it would relieve a ton of stress. I am sick of hearing, and at times expressing, complaints of a bad tip, over-demanding guests, a slow kitchen or bar staff, unresponsive managers, or incompetant hosts(hostess). If we could all just pick up a phone and pour our troubles through the line we would be much better off. In addition, our loved ones would be relieved. They now would not have to hear about the horrible day, slash guest, slash manager, slash dinner rush that we went through.
Well, you are in the service industry, and there is no guarantee that the people you serve will be nice to you. They pay you to be nice to them, as a matter of fact, even if they are not at their best. If this is as little to your liking as your post suggests, perhaps a little career counseling would be a good idea. Of course it is difficult to earn as much for as little anywhere else, but your emotional well being is also important.