Tips aren’t automatic

I’m tired of crappy service at restaurants.  I’m tired of friends being appalled if I don’t give a 15% tip to the serving staff even if they don’t deserve it.  It’s not automatic.  It’s not that hard to deserve a good tip.  Having been a waiter myself, I know how you’re supposed to serve.  We’re doing no favours if that tip is just automatic.  So, here’s my list of minimum things you must do in order to qualify for even the basic 15%.

Brunch example

1. Greet us at the door within 1 minute of arriving and seat us (if it’s full, I’ll make the choice and your tip won’t be affected).
2. Give us menus when we sit.
3. After 2 minutes, come to the table and ask us if we want coffee to start.  We do.
4. Bring coffees immediately.  Make sure ample condiments accompany.
5. When our menus are flat on the table and we look ready, come back to the table and take our order.
6. Bring our meals no more than 10 minutes after we order.
7. Refill our coffees without being asked.
8. Half-way through our meals, come back and ask how things are.  Bring the coffee pot unasked.
9. Take our plates as each of us finishes.
10. Once the last of us finishes, ask if we’d like anything else.  Usually we just want the bill.
11. Bring the bill.
12. Come back for the bill no more than 5 minutes later.

Key principles

a) Don’t take your time.  Be prompt.  Waiting for things sucks royally.
b) Come to the table at least two times after we’ve gotten our meals.
c) Pay attention.  The worst is when you have to try to get the server’s attention.

 

10 observations about the G20 presence

1.  The TTC gets unpredictably shut down.  Is this a) to protect riders?  b) to prevent protesters from getting downtown quickly?  c) give the personnel an excuse to snooze?

2.  Stores I want to shop in are either closed or close early.  And after this afternoon, they’ll probably be closed for repairs.

3.  Protests pop up on a daily basis causing traffic delays, even for pedestrians like myself.

4.  Rogue protesters break stuff, set stuff on fire and generally wimp out on making a message credible.  Nice covered faces, no balls.

5.  Too much money is spent on cushy dinners and unattractive fencing that could be spent on dinners for the hungry and city beautification (amongst other worthy recipients).

6.  You can’t freely walk wherever you want to.

7.   World Cup + G20 = the majority of all conversation

8.   Steven Harper comes off as a gracious Canadian host.

9.  Muskoka was celebratory about the G8 presence;  Toronto is generally irritated with the G20 presence.

10.  The herds of raid police produce a feeling of police-state rather than of safety.

I hate you (or maybe it’s just your behaviour), Part 2

If you ask me, there should be a recommendation about how long you can stay in a hot tub;  oh wait, there is.

I went down to the pool area at about 8PM, took a book to read and expected a certain wait for hot tub use.  When I got there, these four people were in the hot tub.  I’d noticed them at the pool earlier in the day as I was there in the afternoon as well.  I thought–fair enough, enjoy the hot tub;  I’ll sit on a chaise and read until you get out.  I took a spot, shirt off, just to their right.  Unfortunately, sitting so close, I was forced to endure their semi-drunken immature conversation and behaviour.  They went on an on about how they weren’t pretentious, yet shopped at Louis Vuitton (Aside:  Thank you for the correct spelling…).  They accepted the guard’s request not to drink in the hot tub, yet did so when he wasn’t looking (or in a juvenile fashion, draped themselves on its side making a point of it to the guard).  I sat there until it got too dark to read.  At 9PM, frustrated, I put my shirt back on and left.

It seems ignorance and alcohol can do much for inconsideration.