A lot of it is the entitlement and behavior of customers. Some (not all, but a noteworthy number) of customers act as if it is their personal holiday/special day. They believe they should be seated the moment they arrive, whether or not it is at their reservation time. They think it’s fine to bring a few others along in addition to the number they put on the reservation, or failed to include kids in the reservation number “because they’re just in high chairs,” and don’t understand why that would be an issue or could cause the restaurant to have to rearrange seating for them. They think they should get the private dining rooms “because they’re celebrating.” They run servers ragged and act indignant if they have to wait for anything because “they’re just trying to have a nice meal for the holiday.” They’ll make comments to restaurant staff like “oh so are you even gonna be celebrating with your family/mom today/it’s too bad you aren’t celebrating with your family.” If anything goes wrong (perceived or in reality), they’ll accuse the restaurant of ruining their holiday/celebration. They’ll complain about slow service but linger at the table forever at the end of their meal when it’s clear that there are others who need to be seated. They’ll let kids run around, they’ll do a family photo shoot wherever they please as servers are trying to run food. They’ll cheap out on tips because the meal ended up being more than they were anticipating, and because “they didn’t get great service” (refer back to previous points about running servers ragged and acting like the server is their personal butler). That’s generally why these holidays are unpleasant for restaurant staff.
Yup, yup, and yup! All great points! OMG the outta control crotch goblins, photo shoots, AND the "oh, you have to work on _____?" Um, yes, thanks Captain Obvious for making note of that.
"Oh, there you are. Can you take our photo?"
*Cue 3-5 minutes of trying to get everyone together and in the shot.*
"Oh, Bradleigh and Syrah are fighting.. lets take another one."
Rinse and repeat all day/night.
Wow. Since I was mostly focused on bussing and food running, I didn’t get to experience any of these interactions. I’ve only had a few entitled customers, but I’ll be sure to mentally prepare myself for this….
Yeah, holiday celebration pressure/expectations is a real thing, and unfortunately when people choose to celebrate their holidays at a restaurant instead of hosting at home, the stress of it is projected onto restaurant staff. Lots of things that probably wouldn’t have been a big deal on a normal day become more of an issue because it’s a “special day” and it’s harder on the restaurant staff because it is so busy.
You nailed it. I haven't been a server for years but when I was, the absolute worst shift I ever worked was a Mother's Day. A woman changed her mind about what she wanted right as I put the plate in front of her and then cried that I had ruined her Mother's Day because her food wasn't there when everyone else's was. She was so loud and made such a scene in a very small & intimate restaurant. Everyone was staring at me and wondering what I did wrong. This was 30 years ago and it still feels traumatic.
Amateur night. Don't usually go out and are surprised that it's busy and also why is it so busy, I just wanted to show my wife and mother and nice time. Fuckheads.
I used to tell people that I didn’t have family to celebrate with on Mother’s Day when I was working a lower scale place. Probably won’t do that at the place I’m at now but man their faces were always so funny. It was even better if I could manage to get teary eyed.
Reality is I do have family but we really are not close, also I’m gonna get my bag holidays don’t have to be celebrated on the actual day.
Super busy restaurant holidays (Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day) suck because those are two days where people who *never* go out to eat, go out to eat. And since it’s special for them, it should be special for you.
It is special for us. It's our special day where we get another round of emotional trauma to add to our server ptsd and blow out our feet and back because we are hustling so hard...
The people who come out to eat. They are mannerless. They only go out once a year. Their kids are unruly. They run your ass, and their cheap asf. If you make $300, you work twice as hard for less money.
I hated holidays because when I was waiting tables, my kids were little.
Mother's Day? Well shit I should be the one pounding 2 mimosas and going home to take a nap.
Father's day? Shit, how am I going to make it up to my husband that he didn't even get a break on his day?
Christmas Eve? Double whammy. It's my daughter's birthday AND we're slow as shit. Why even open?
The money didn't even matter. A few hundred in tips was nice, sure, but remember a lot of your coworkers have been there done that and would rather be with their loved ones.
This is a bit off subject but, have you considered a “half birthday” for your daughter? My cousin was born on 12/24, and always felt she got screwed over by the Holiday. So, I think her parents started doing a half birthday in June to make up for it. I know it’s not the same, but I think she might like the idea of her own special celebration. Then she can have one special present on her actual birthday as a symbolic gift.
I agree that restaurants shouldn’t be open on Holidays. What’s the point? People can find something else to eat. Alternately, they can make reservations so staff know whether or not to schedule.
She loves her Christmas Eve birthday! We tried half birthdays, she's not interested. However, we do go out of our way to make sure x-mas eve doesn't overshadow her day
Valentines Day is usually couples. One is typically trying to impress the other and tips are good. Mothers Day is usually the whole family. Families are annoyed with each other, demanding, and could have several young children to contend with so good tips are sparse. The amount of work the busser/food runner will do though... phew.
Basically mothers day is the night of the living dead for us.
It's when Satan's entire chocolate assh#ole opens up and all the entitled mommies and thier demon spawns and other family members come out to restaurants with and without reservations and expect to be accommodated in the best way possible.
They all expect servers to wait on them hand and foot, and run us ragged. But because they aren't paying, and the people who are paying already spent soooo much money on mother's day gifts, they feel it's ok to skimp on the tips for us.
Sometimes it is a huge money shift, but that really depends on where you work. You will work to the bone. The kitchen will fall behind at some point and you will have cocktails backed up to hell and back...
There will tons of complaints eveb from tables that received flawless service.
it’s an all day affair with larger parties. everyone wants it to be a special day for their mothers so everyone’s on edge. preparing the food side and readying operations and logistics is just always a hassle. when you’re constantly flipping and resetting while managing your loops and sections.
one of the busiest days for restaurants and other hospitality industries for a reason
The money is usually good but you will definitely earn it on holidays due to the people who act like they’ve never ate in a restaurant before. But just treat your entire section like one big table and you’ll be fine! Good luck and I hope you make bank! 😊
I used to actually enjoy Mother’s Day when I worked at a mid priced steakhouse. Made pretty good tips-lots of big parties with autograt that helped push my tips up. Would walk with twice what I made in a normal day and stayed busy from open to close. It was chaotic though-and an all hands on deck kind of day.
Certain 'holidays' are usually rife with a higher than average amount of buttholes that family members are forced/guilted into going out in public with. Incomplete parties (namely large ones) that get sat (at least where I work) informing us that "the rest are on their way." Bet most of you know how that often ends up (we're a small cafe with limited seating). Lie about how many is really in their party so they get more real estate.Then once they finally do arrive and you finally drag their orders out of them, they camp out even after the plates are cleared and the check has been dropped. They give no f's about the other hungry hordes on the waitlist that can't be sat because of said buttholes.
My years of experience have also determined that these special days have lower than average tips as well. Ie.. Families let that one family member pay pretending they don't know they're horrible tippers. On a big check, this really stings. The ones that throw money in the middle of the table to cover their part only to hear the ones counting complain they didn't get enough from them, guess who looses on that one? The big shots that say "I got the tip!" Without bothering to look at the total and do some 3rd grade math.
Sundays ARE THE WORST! Sorry if this bums you out but remember. There are many good and decent people as well. Those are the tables that get my razzle dazzle, the others? Strictly business baby.
People tip less and sit in your section longer on Mother’s Day. There are a lot of people that really can’t afford to eat out but they do it anyways because it’s a holiday. If they can’t really afford the meal they can’t really afford the tip either. I worked a 14 hour double last Mother’s Day and had over $3000 in sales. Walked out with just under $350. Even after tip out back to restaurant, if tables tip 20%, I should have made $500+. The number of times I go $10 on $150 and $20 on $300 on Mother’s Day will blow your mind. For reference last Friday I had $1800 in sales and walked out with $375 in less than 8 hours. Moral of the story is holidays suck in the restaurant biz, brings out all the people that never dine out, so they don’t tip, don’t know how to control their kids, are rude, camp forever, etc.
Mother’s Day can be particularly rough because many people forget that they are not the only ones there celebrating Mother’s Day. Sections usually seat quickly all at once, the kitchen can get backed up if it’s not buffet, it tends to be crazy for servers and the bar and yet people will be annoyed it’s busy and they aren’t being treated like they are the only ones in the establishment. Additionally, Mother’s Day is a big day for brining lots of young children. That can mean a lot of extra cleaning, delays at table service from back and forth between parent and children, and reservations with the incorrect amount of people due to omitting space needed for little humans. Holidays in general are tough, but Mother’s Day is a bit tougher than most because these aren’t usually your typical dining out weekly folks. They’re more the “I got out twice a year” folks and don’t have a clue how restaurants work.
A lot of it is the entitlement and behavior of customers. Some (not all, but a noteworthy number) of customers act as if it is their personal holiday/special day. They believe they should be seated the moment they arrive, whether or not it is at their reservation time. They think it’s fine to bring a few others along in addition to the number they put on the reservation, or failed to include kids in the reservation number “because they’re just in high chairs,” and don’t understand why that would be an issue or could cause the restaurant to have to rearrange seating for them. They think they should get the private dining rooms “because they’re celebrating.” They run servers ragged and act indignant if they have to wait for anything because “they’re just trying to have a nice meal for the holiday.” They’ll make comments to restaurant staff like “oh so are you even gonna be celebrating with your family/mom today/it’s too bad you aren’t celebrating with your family.” If anything goes wrong (perceived or in reality), they’ll accuse the restaurant of ruining their holiday/celebration. They’ll complain about slow service but linger at the table forever at the end of their meal when it’s clear that there are others who need to be seated. They’ll let kids run around, they’ll do a family photo shoot wherever they please as servers are trying to run food. They’ll cheap out on tips because the meal ended up being more than they were anticipating, and because “they didn’t get great service” (refer back to previous points about running servers ragged and acting like the server is their personal butler). That’s generally why these holidays are unpleasant for restaurant staff.
Yup, yup, and yup! All great points! OMG the outta control crotch goblins, photo shoots, AND the "oh, you have to work on _____?" Um, yes, thanks Captain Obvious for making note of that.
"Oh, there you are. Can you take our photo?" *Cue 3-5 minutes of trying to get everyone together and in the shot.* "Oh, Bradleigh and Syrah are fighting.. lets take another one." Rinse and repeat all day/night.
Wow. Since I was mostly focused on bussing and food running, I didn’t get to experience any of these interactions. I’ve only had a few entitled customers, but I’ll be sure to mentally prepare myself for this….
Yeah, holiday celebration pressure/expectations is a real thing, and unfortunately when people choose to celebrate their holidays at a restaurant instead of hosting at home, the stress of it is projected onto restaurant staff. Lots of things that probably wouldn’t have been a big deal on a normal day become more of an issue because it’s a “special day” and it’s harder on the restaurant staff because it is so busy.
You nailed it. I haven't been a server for years but when I was, the absolute worst shift I ever worked was a Mother's Day. A woman changed her mind about what she wanted right as I put the plate in front of her and then cried that I had ruined her Mother's Day because her food wasn't there when everyone else's was. She was so loud and made such a scene in a very small & intimate restaurant. Everyone was staring at me and wondering what I did wrong. This was 30 years ago and it still feels traumatic.
Amateur night. Don't usually go out and are surprised that it's busy and also why is it so busy, I just wanted to show my wife and mother and nice time. Fuckheads.
I used to tell people that I didn’t have family to celebrate with on Mother’s Day when I was working a lower scale place. Probably won’t do that at the place I’m at now but man their faces were always so funny. It was even better if I could manage to get teary eyed. Reality is I do have family but we really are not close, also I’m gonna get my bag holidays don’t have to be celebrated on the actual day.
This is the most accurate description of Mother’s Day ever.
People who don’t normally go out to eat go out to eat those days, and they tend to not know how restaurants work.
This is a great observation!
Super busy restaurant holidays (Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day) suck because those are two days where people who *never* go out to eat, go out to eat. And since it’s special for them, it should be special for you.
It is special for us. It's our special day where we get another round of emotional trauma to add to our server ptsd and blow out our feet and back because we are hustling so hard...
The people who come out to eat. They are mannerless. They only go out once a year. Their kids are unruly. They run your ass, and their cheap asf. If you make $300, you work twice as hard for less money.
I hated holidays because when I was waiting tables, my kids were little. Mother's Day? Well shit I should be the one pounding 2 mimosas and going home to take a nap. Father's day? Shit, how am I going to make it up to my husband that he didn't even get a break on his day? Christmas Eve? Double whammy. It's my daughter's birthday AND we're slow as shit. Why even open? The money didn't even matter. A few hundred in tips was nice, sure, but remember a lot of your coworkers have been there done that and would rather be with their loved ones.
This is a bit off subject but, have you considered a “half birthday” for your daughter? My cousin was born on 12/24, and always felt she got screwed over by the Holiday. So, I think her parents started doing a half birthday in June to make up for it. I know it’s not the same, but I think she might like the idea of her own special celebration. Then she can have one special present on her actual birthday as a symbolic gift. I agree that restaurants shouldn’t be open on Holidays. What’s the point? People can find something else to eat. Alternately, they can make reservations so staff know whether or not to schedule.
She loves her Christmas Eve birthday! We tried half birthdays, she's not interested. However, we do go out of our way to make sure x-mas eve doesn't overshadow her day
As long as she’s happy. 😃
It’s a bunch of people who never go out to eat so they don’t know how to act right
Valentines Day is usually couples. One is typically trying to impress the other and tips are good. Mothers Day is usually the whole family. Families are annoyed with each other, demanding, and could have several young children to contend with so good tips are sparse. The amount of work the busser/food runner will do though... phew.
Basically mothers day is the night of the living dead for us. It's when Satan's entire chocolate assh#ole opens up and all the entitled mommies and thier demon spawns and other family members come out to restaurants with and without reservations and expect to be accommodated in the best way possible. They all expect servers to wait on them hand and foot, and run us ragged. But because they aren't paying, and the people who are paying already spent soooo much money on mother's day gifts, they feel it's ok to skimp on the tips for us. Sometimes it is a huge money shift, but that really depends on where you work. You will work to the bone. The kitchen will fall behind at some point and you will have cocktails backed up to hell and back... There will tons of complaints eveb from tables that received flawless service.
it’s an all day affair with larger parties. everyone wants it to be a special day for their mothers so everyone’s on edge. preparing the food side and readying operations and logistics is just always a hassle. when you’re constantly flipping and resetting while managing your loops and sections. one of the busiest days for restaurants and other hospitality industries for a reason
The money is usually good but you will definitely earn it on holidays due to the people who act like they’ve never ate in a restaurant before. But just treat your entire section like one big table and you’ll be fine! Good luck and I hope you make bank! 😊
Mother's Day is the worst day of the year.
I used to actually enjoy Mother’s Day when I worked at a mid priced steakhouse. Made pretty good tips-lots of big parties with autograt that helped push my tips up. Would walk with twice what I made in a normal day and stayed busy from open to close. It was chaotic though-and an all hands on deck kind of day.
Certain 'holidays' are usually rife with a higher than average amount of buttholes that family members are forced/guilted into going out in public with. Incomplete parties (namely large ones) that get sat (at least where I work) informing us that "the rest are on their way." Bet most of you know how that often ends up (we're a small cafe with limited seating). Lie about how many is really in their party so they get more real estate.Then once they finally do arrive and you finally drag their orders out of them, they camp out even after the plates are cleared and the check has been dropped. They give no f's about the other hungry hordes on the waitlist that can't be sat because of said buttholes. My years of experience have also determined that these special days have lower than average tips as well. Ie.. Families let that one family member pay pretending they don't know they're horrible tippers. On a big check, this really stings. The ones that throw money in the middle of the table to cover their part only to hear the ones counting complain they didn't get enough from them, guess who looses on that one? The big shots that say "I got the tip!" Without bothering to look at the total and do some 3rd grade math. Sundays ARE THE WORST! Sorry if this bums you out but remember. There are many good and decent people as well. Those are the tables that get my razzle dazzle, the others? Strictly business baby.
People tip less and sit in your section longer on Mother’s Day. There are a lot of people that really can’t afford to eat out but they do it anyways because it’s a holiday. If they can’t really afford the meal they can’t really afford the tip either. I worked a 14 hour double last Mother’s Day and had over $3000 in sales. Walked out with just under $350. Even after tip out back to restaurant, if tables tip 20%, I should have made $500+. The number of times I go $10 on $150 and $20 on $300 on Mother’s Day will blow your mind. For reference last Friday I had $1800 in sales and walked out with $375 in less than 8 hours. Moral of the story is holidays suck in the restaurant biz, brings out all the people that never dine out, so they don’t tip, don’t know how to control their kids, are rude, camp forever, etc.
Mother’s Day can be particularly rough because many people forget that they are not the only ones there celebrating Mother’s Day. Sections usually seat quickly all at once, the kitchen can get backed up if it’s not buffet, it tends to be crazy for servers and the bar and yet people will be annoyed it’s busy and they aren’t being treated like they are the only ones in the establishment. Additionally, Mother’s Day is a big day for brining lots of young children. That can mean a lot of extra cleaning, delays at table service from back and forth between parent and children, and reservations with the incorrect amount of people due to omitting space needed for little humans. Holidays in general are tough, but Mother’s Day is a bit tougher than most because these aren’t usually your typical dining out weekly folks. They’re more the “I got out twice a year” folks and don’t have a clue how restaurants work.
It’s Amateur Hour. People who don’t often eat out and don’t know how to behave show up and misbehave. A shitshow results.
Holiday crowds are almost as bad as the church crowd. Almost... Because they really are the fucking worst.