Doin' the Service Job Boogie

As this blog title implies I write primarily about the joys and pitfalls of living in a resort town in Northern Michigan.
One of the primary means of employment in this area is that of the service industry;
waitstaff, chefs, and short order cooks, cleaning staff, shop keepers , sales floor staff, caterers, marina workers, and house staff (yes, house staff). Not to mention landscapers, painters, builders,roofers, and babysitters.
All of these (and more!) are fueled primarily by resort dollars. Its a 9 week work frenzy where the majority of the area's year round residents do a frantic work pace of 18-20 hour days in 2 and sometimes 3 of the jobs listed above. And don't think for a minute that these are jobs done by the uneducated or under-trained. I know attorneys that moonlight as caterers and 5 star chefs selling used kitchen equipment on the side. Its just how it works up here-- feast and famine, baby.
This is hardly news to anyone--tourist ("fudgie") or townie alike. What I want to address is how our service professionals can be reduced to servants--if not prostitutes-- by some of the more thoughtless seasonal visitors. And since I write best about what I know I will be addressing The Waitress As Servant issue...
I have worked in almost all sections of food service over the past 25 years (yee gads! its been that long.. *sigh*). I have managed dining rooms, hired and fired staff, prepped in kitchens, cooked, washed dishes, bar tended, bar-backed, bused tables, waited tables, and owned my own establishments. I have worked for 5 star chefs, wanna-be's ,and damn good short order cooks. I have worked for caterers and party planners, individual home owners and more than a few Bride-zillas. There have been amazing highs and mind-blowing lows.. never a dull moment though! The restaurant biz is a virus that gets into your blood. Once there there's no escape--we keep comin' back; we come back for the quick cash, the buzz of getting 'out of the weeds', the 'us against them' feeling of those in the trenches with us and the pace that none of us could find in a cubicle or office job. And make no mistake the the majority of us consider ourselves professionals; it takes a ton of fortitude, training, and on-the-job craziness to juggle an angry knife-wielding cook, a stoned busser, 15 tables (one a 12 top), and mostly drunk customers. And to do it gracefully and with a smile.
Grace and smiles tend to disappear rapidly, however, for those customers that treat their waitress not as a professional doing a job but rather as a prostitute that will put up with every snide comment, inconsiderate request, and sexual come-on for the $2.00 tip that MIGHT be left on the table. Not sure what I mean? Here are a few examples of 'treating the waitress as a prostitute' behavior. If you have done any of these examples get you to the nearest eatery and BE NICE,SMILE,and TIP WELL
1.) after your waitress has asked if everything is ok, get you anything else,etc. you proceed to call her over 5 more times for individual requests like a puppet on a string.
2.) Touching your waitress. I am available to serve your food and drink only. Rubbing my back, holding my hand, or grabbing my ass will only get your removed from the establishment.
3.) Clapping or whistling at your waitress/waiter. If you call your dog in a certain manner just assume it is rude to call a human in the same way.
4.) Allowing your children to trash your area and leaving it for the waitress. We are not maids.
5.) Continuing your conversation and ignoring me when I inquire as to how you are enjoying your dinner. This will only insure that I not return to your table for a very long time.
6.) Not tipping well. Wait staff in Michigan are paid less than minimum wage and rely on tips to bring them up to basic starvation wages for which we are still taxed on. Please tip and tip well when your service warrants it.

As exhausting and frantic as working an establishment's dining room can be nothing can reduce an experienced, professional wait person to the level of servant faster than the Private Party (cue creepy organ music). Private Parties are a hot thing up here and can be a spectacular way to earn some extra cash quickly-most professional Servers won't touch a private party for less than $20 per hour plus tips, though there are a few that will work for less depending on the situation. Its a chance to work in some of the most gorgeous homes in the state, meet interesting celeb-types, or hang at the beach and serve beer. And 99.9% of the time these gigs are super fun, a lot of work, and pay well. And then there's the other .01% of the time...
I recently did a private dinner party that left me feeling like a slave. Not only was I payed significantly less by the party planner than was promised (can you say less than minimum wage?) but the hostess was so incredibly rude and her guests so amazingly self-important that I was in awe of the entire situation. We were summoned to the dining room by a bell, we were to not make eye contact with the guests, the hostess and her husband were to be referred to as Mrs. or Mr. no actual names. There was to be no talking amongst the servers in the kitchen so that the guests would not be bothered, etc etc etc. Apparently these were all 'VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE' and we--as lowly Help-- were made to keep that in mind at all times. We were reduced from professionals who take great pride in providing the best in service to house servants who work for less than minimum wage and live to salt someone's meat.
How does one justify this type of behavior? In my opinion there is none. This is pure ego on behalf of the hostess and her guests. But it takes all kinds, right? And how does a professional handle such an incredibly demeaning situation?
With Grace and with a Smile-- and a blog :-)
Do you work in one of the service industries? Shoot me a comment on your experiences!