You Gotta Staff This!

“You gotta staff this” she says. “I don’t believe they booked this crap in my restaurant”, her tirade continued. “What’s the big deal” I told her. “Let your waiters make a few extra dollars – they’re here anyway”, I shot back.

Here’s the story:

We did a corporate dinner the other day for around 150 people. The party finished at 11pm. Full bar, plated dinner with table-side choices, the usual stuff. All went well. A few days before this, the sales chick puts out a BEO for an “after party” for this group to be held in the restaurant for 50 people from 11pm – 12:30am.

It was Friday night. There was a consumption bar planned plus 3 chaffers of finger food. The food was to start at 11:30pm and finish at 12:30am. Easy as pie. But NNNOOOOO!

All I heard was bitching & moaning from the restaurant manager about why the restaurant had to staff this. Here’s some of her whiney complaints…

• We finish at 11, now we gotta stay until after midnight!
• How much are they gonna make for this crap?
• Why did they book this in my restaurant?
• It’s on a BEO, that means its banquets, right?
• Who am I gonna get to work it?
• Where am I supposed to put the food?
• How do we setup the buffet?

Do you believe this nonsense? I got tired of hearing her bitch so I said, “Do I need to pull staff from my event just so they can setup your 1 table buffet”? “Why is this such a big deal”, I shot back.“You’re staff doesn’t leave here until almost midnight anyway right”? They need to do their closing sidework before they go home anyway – so let them stay a little longer and make a few dollars more”. “They do closing sidework each night, right”? “Plus, you know you’re here until “last call” at 12:30am on most Friday’s regardless, just set it up”. By now I couldn’t take her.

At this point, her head was spinning with “all the work she had to do”. She looked as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full o' rocking chairs. I walked away to let her fester in her misery, waiting for her to start crying (she was already cursing like a truck driver). We’ll see what happens later. I didn’t get involved after that, if she wanted my help I would have jumped in but I was never asked.

When my dinner was over I walked into the restaurant to see what they setup - one six foot table right inside the restaurant door with 3 chaffers and a plate with forks on top. Then some bev naps, a little mustard for the chicken fingers and that was it. If we ever setup a buffet like that the F&B Director would flip his wig!

Wadda ya gonna do? Ah, the trials of a restaurant manager and the joys of a banquet manager.

Next Post: Vacuum Under The Carpet Dammit !!!

Stumble It!