Dealing With the Public is NEVER Dull

This is a picture of the Parmesan cheese shaker we use at work. A nifty little grater(about six inches tall) that we take to tables with entrees. We grate the cheese in the kitchen and take it out to shake on the various dishes.

I was working lunch today and took another server's food to her table. I sat the grater down first so I could place the entrees in front of the two guests. I asked the woman while picking the grater up if she would like fresh Parmesan? Most people comment on what a cool shaker it is but this woman replied "OH, I thought that was a cell phone."

You know me, I held up one finger and said "wait a minute." I held the shaker up to my ear and said "Hello?" I held the shaker out to her and said "It's for you." Her husband cracked up. She took it pretty well and said that it looked like an older cell phone.

Number one: What kind of a sever is going to take their cell phone (new OR old) WITH them to a table, much less sit it down on the customer's table while they deliver food?

Number two: As long as she thought it was my phone I thought I'd go ahead and answer it .

When I went back in the kitchen and told another server, she said people had said that to her before...some even said they thought it was a remote control. I told her she should have pointed it at the guest and acted like she was trying to push a button and say "It is, but I'll be darned ... the mute button isn't working."

We all got a good laugh over that one. Basically I am there as entertainment for the staff and do my job quite well, if I may say so myself!

I swear I hear more crazy stuff from the public than could fill a book. Actually I am hoping to write a book one day, full of my stories and experiences.

When I worked for Longhorn I had four little ladies at my table one time who asked me what the "Vegetable melody was?" ( One of our side dishes was a vegetable medley.)

In a cute little tune I made up on the fly... I sang brightly "Broccoli, carrots zucchini and peas!" The older woman didn't bat an eye but said matter of factly "I'll have that."

It's never dull waiting on the public...sometimes it can be frustrating but more often it can be extremely entertaining.

Like the time at my old restaurant when we had two shrimp appetizers we were instructed to push like crazy for the guests to buy. I told a nice couple about both of them... and asked which they would like? The husband said cheerfully "Why don't you surprise me?" So I quickly came back with "Alright...I'm pregnant with your baby." His wife was taking a sip of her margarita as I surprised him just as he had asked and it shot straight out of her nose like a comedy sketch.

Be careful what you ask for!

It is never dull waiting on the public...especially if you're at MY table!

Til next time...COTTON