I have witnessed many first dates throughout my shifts. Some of them successful; most of them bad. There have been some signs of how the date is going that I have picked up on and noted. Being a server in these situations is kind of like being the third wheel on a friend date. I am there for support, but I can't say anything except to offer them more booze and bread.
Here are some things I have noticed:
If I see a cell phone on the table at any point in the dinner, the date is over.
If a second drink is ordered in-between apps and entrees, the date is being forced.
If both people are missing by the time I return to check on how the food is, then the date is being consummated.
There is a dating service called, "It's Just Lunch," where they bring together two possible matches and have them meet at a random restaurant for a first date. And most of these dates are at night, so calling it, "It's Just Lunch" already sets things off on a bad foot. These dates seem awkward and forced. On one date, the guy was rapid-firing questions at the girl like he was a college admissions officer and her college career was on the line.
"What do you like?"
"Where do you live?"
"How long did it take you to get here?"
"I had sushi one time. Have you ever had it?"
"Do you like sitting in booths, or do you prefer tables?"
And then these dates end with each person getting their own check. This ends up being awkward for me because a lot of times, I'll present two checks, and the guy will get annoyed with me and demand that I put both checks on his credit card. Justice was mine on the last occasion this happened because his card declined, and while I usually tell customers discreetly about this, this time I just told him directly.
"I couldn't put both checks on your credit card--"
"--what's the problem?" he interrupted.
"The problem is that your card declined. What you like to use another form of payment? Unfortunately, we don't accept I.O.U.'s anymore."
Pay close attention to how your date treats your server. And I mean throughout the entire service. Because sometimes they might start out nice, but then they start to come out of their shell, and they get more and more demanding and short with their server. This goes for guys and girls. Because, if they are not nice to the server, they are going to treat you horribly as well. I think the wife character from the movie, "Gone Girl," was known for treating servers poorly. And look how that relationship ended up.
The best dates I had in my section are the ones that admitted right away how awkward the situation was, and let it go from there. In fact, I should get credit for successful first dates, and even more credit for crappy first dates.
Ah, amore.
Until next time... Server's don't pay their rent with compliments.
"Bitter. Party of 1? Your table is ready."
ITUNES
STITCHER
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
IT DOESN'T GET ANY BITTER THAN THIS!
Here are some things I have noticed:
If I see a cell phone on the table at any point in the dinner, the date is over.
If a second drink is ordered in-between apps and entrees, the date is being forced.
If both people are missing by the time I return to check on how the food is, then the date is being consummated.
There is a dating service called, "It's Just Lunch," where they bring together two possible matches and have them meet at a random restaurant for a first date. And most of these dates are at night, so calling it, "It's Just Lunch" already sets things off on a bad foot. These dates seem awkward and forced. On one date, the guy was rapid-firing questions at the girl like he was a college admissions officer and her college career was on the line.
"What do you like?"
"Where do you live?"
"How long did it take you to get here?"
"I had sushi one time. Have you ever had it?"
"Do you like sitting in booths, or do you prefer tables?"
And then these dates end with each person getting their own check. This ends up being awkward for me because a lot of times, I'll present two checks, and the guy will get annoyed with me and demand that I put both checks on his credit card. Justice was mine on the last occasion this happened because his card declined, and while I usually tell customers discreetly about this, this time I just told him directly.
"I couldn't put both checks on your credit card--"
"--what's the problem?" he interrupted.
"The problem is that your card declined. What you like to use another form of payment? Unfortunately, we don't accept I.O.U.'s anymore."
Pay close attention to how your date treats your server. And I mean throughout the entire service. Because sometimes they might start out nice, but then they start to come out of their shell, and they get more and more demanding and short with their server. This goes for guys and girls. Because, if they are not nice to the server, they are going to treat you horribly as well. I think the wife character from the movie, "Gone Girl," was known for treating servers poorly. And look how that relationship ended up.
The best dates I had in my section are the ones that admitted right away how awkward the situation was, and let it go from there. In fact, I should get credit for successful first dates, and even more credit for crappy first dates.
Ah, amore.
Until next time... Server's don't pay their rent with compliments.
"Bitter. Party of 1? Your table is ready."
ITUNES
STITCHER
IT DOESN'T GET ANY BITTER THAN THIS!
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