Chattanooga’s Live Music Scene – Server, Bartender Tribute

  • Monday, March 9, 2015
  • Bob Payne
Bob The Waiter
Bob The Waiter

I love to go out and see live bands play music. I also like to go out to eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s even better when I can go out to eat and see a live band. A really big part of having an enjoyable experience is the server or bartender that waits on your table. Yes, the food needs to be tasty, but it all starts with the server. The food can be the best on earth, but if you never get it, or you get an order that was meant for someone else, then it is no fun.

The server profession is an admirable one.

It is much, much harder than appears to the untrained eye. On their feet for several hours at a time, servers have to perform at a high level, time and time again, day after day. Each new customer starts the process all over again, with the expectation of good service starting afresh with each newly seated person. 

Like all professions, there are good servers and bad servers. There are good servers that just have a bad day. There some things that are not within the servers realm of responsibility, like the kitchen falling behind or running out of an item. Sometimes all goes well, but the customer has had a bad day and takes it out on the server. Servers are people and they have “issues” in their lives, as well. Perhaps they just lost a favorite pet or even a relative. Perhaps the server’s car broke down and they are facing a big repair bill. That may have happened on the way in to work, about a half hour before they appeared at your table with a smile and an order pad. 

The really crazy part, and here’s the kicker – most servers only make about $2.13 per hour. Yes, you read that correctly – Two Dollars and Thirteen Cents per hour. They rely on your tips to get them up to a livable wage. (The word tip allegedly comes from “To Insure Promptness”) Most of the time, the $2.13 an hour just goes to pay some of the payroll taxes the server owes.

Don’t get me wrong – a good server or bartender can make a good living. To do that, they rely on you and me. When they do a good job for us, we have an opportunity to make their life better. We can help them make their car payment, rent, dentist bill, and buy gasoline. We get to help them buy their kids a new toy at Christmas. Servers have a big responsibility, but so do we.

Here are some guidelines on being good to your server. These are mine, but I think they reflect just common sense. Take a look at them and feel free to add a few.

1.   Be nice to your server. A smile will go a long way.

2.   If something goes astray, give your server a chance to make it right before calling the manager or owner. Nobody likes a tattletale.

3.   If your server is slammed busy, give him/her a break. They are doing the best they can, hopefully. Ask the server if they would appreciate it if you talked to the manager about management’s inability to staff the place properly.

4.   If everything goes south and your food and service is terrible, then talk to the server and suggest to her/him that you talk to the manager to get some satisfaction. Let the manager know if the server was doing a good job, but that the place is coming apart at the seams. Ask the manager for a remedy – free meal, free dessert, or a discount. Assuming that it wasn’t the server’s fault, be sure and leave a tip…don’t forget that $2.13 per hour number.

5.   If you have a discount or buy one-get one free coupon, tip on what the total would have been without the discount. For instance: You go to Provino’s by yourself on your birthday and get the free birthday dinner. Your bill is $3.00 for your drink. Don’t even think about leaving $0.60 as a 20% tip. Don’t even think about leaving a dollar, thinking you are being generous. Leave the tip based on what the meal would have cost. The server still did all the same work, and in fact maybe even more since she had to be nice to you and there’s probably a reason you have no friends.

6.   Don’t hit on your server, pinch their butt, or otherwise molest them just because he or she is cute and is there to serve you. They have enough to deal with without you hassling them. They may call you sweetie or honey, but they don’t really mean it. Trust me, I know, especially after several black eyes.

7.   If you received excellent service, that’s when you call the manager over to talk. Tell the manager about your excellent service and congratulate them on hiring a good staff. You never know, the establishment may have a contest for the staff member that gets the most positive comments and you might just be the one that made the difference in the life of someone.

8.   See rule number one.

Do I have some pet peeves concerning servers? Yep. It bothers me when a server comes to a table of 8 people and takes the order of all 8 people without writing it down. I don’t know if they are trying to impress me with their excellent memory skills, but it seems that this is when stuff goes wrong. I personally like it when the server writes the order down and then reads it back to confirm that I want an extra honey mustard and no mushrooms.

My Dad used to judge the performance of a server by his/her ability to keep his glass full. There is something to that, even if it is just ice water. 

All this being said, where do I find the good servers, you ask? I have always had good luck at Bud’s Sportsbar. They have great food and service. Wally’s in East Ridge is proof that great servers, with food that is just OK, can still be worth a trip. Also in East Ridge, Portofino’s is spectacular. Their servers are really good (especially Beth) and the food is excellent, too.

The Farm & Fork in Ringgold has great servers, as does Richards in Ringgold, and Aunt Effies. (I would say it must be a Ringgold thing, but the Ringgold McDonald’s is the worst)

Zarzour’s is a place where they know you and they remember what you like. Plus, it’s really good! Mike’s Hole In The Wall on Cherokee Blvd. is another place with great service and food, as is The Big Chill on down the street.  Dennis Plumlee’s North Chatt Cat is always good, too.

I really like Kobe’ Japanese Steakhouse in Fort O. In my opinion, stay away from O’Charley’s if you are looking for good service, and ditto for Logan’s, as well. All Chick-Fil-A’s seem to attract quality people. I have always gotten good food and service at both Hennen’s and Porter’s in downtown Chattanooga.

So, the moral of the story is to treat your server with respect and leave a generous tip. Oh, by the way, it doesn’t hurt to tip that band you’re listening to, either. They have a big investment in time and equipment. They are entertaining you and hopefully putting a smile on your face. Reward their efforts with a few bucks and feel good about it.

Bob Payne grew up in Chattanooga and graduated from Baylor School. He is the Entertainment Editor for the Chattanoogan.com and books talent for the Riverbend Festival.

Email Bob Payne at davrik2000@yahoo.com or catch him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/davrik2000.

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