In A Second The Work Team Becomes Divided
Saturday night I received a text message from my friend Jimmy. Could I bus tables at his restaurant on Mother’s Day?
My mom was away and I was heading home from a funeral. Caught off guard I said yes. I have never in my life been a busboy; but I’m always up for a new experience. I spoke to Jim on the phone and mentioned he must be desperate if he is asking me. We both chuckled. He also needed one or two more people as he wanted to give the regular busgirls the day off to celebrate Mother’s Day. I found him two more people. See, it’s all about networking and who you know.
The Sicilian dvd I’ll admit I am exhausted when I present a full day program, but this manual labor thing really hurt – and a lot! That evening and the next morning I felt like Dr. House as I was popping pills to make the pain go away.
We started the day with a team meeting. All the servers were told that 15% of their tips would go to the bus staff and $8 per person to the salad kid.
Woo-Hoo!! I yelled. No one found it amusing. I did. I was there to have a good time. And this thing about the bus person being seen but not heard………………. That certainly wasn’t going to happen.
So Michelle, Adrian and I busted our butts for 7 hours. None of us had done this type of work before. The compliments we were getting from the customers and the staff were all positive – even when I spilled water on the lady. I was laughing with people; one even asked if I was the owner as I was being so attentive.
When tip time came around four of the seven waiters handed over what was probably 15% or more. Three of the staff stiffed us and took off out the door. Big Time.
The Restaurant Manager was looking out for us and did ask what we were given from each person. We told her. The ones who remained were horrified by their teammates actions. One even talked about the hypocrisy of a waiter stiffing the busboy when he or she knows what it is like to be stiffed by a customer.
Michelle and I were cool with this. We did this to help out a friend. Adrian on the other hand got a first look at how and why people who work on the same team often end up not liking one another.
