It's official

I can no longer deny that my managers are bad managers. As people I think they're great, I would even hang out with a couple of them, that's why even though they do all sorts of stupid "bad manager" shit I would always try to defend them...even against my own doubts. What has prompted my change of heart? *sigh* Last week we had a to-go person meeting. At this meeting they said we needed to work on communication (yes I do and yes so do the others), we needed to have more energy when speaking on with our guests (ok, sometimes I forget that office professional voice does not need to go over into restaurant worker land), instead of asking how we can help our guest we need to start asking "how may I provide you with excellent service today?" (it might just be me but...this question makes me feel like I am working an escort service), and we needed to work on wowing the guest to get them to come back (sure)...now after talking to us about our guest count they inform us that we have one week to improve it or they will start replacing to go people--this is the first I have heard mention of guest count, so to threaten my job over guest count has just made me loose a great deal of professional respect for all of my managers. I'm trying really hard to see where they are coming from...and I unfortunately can't.
Here is where I completely see their point of view:

1. Communication--between each other, us and the managers, us and the kitchen staff
• I completely agree, we have been told about this before and we shouldn't be having the same mistakes over and over (sadly, I must confess I have been guilty of this)
• Solution: fix it or be termed
2. Energy--be more outgoing with guest, more perky
• I will for a short time be talking like a valley girl--hopefully by faking it to this extent a more natural energy will eventually be triggered
• Solution: fix it, doesn't work? sit down with management, try fixing it again, if that doesn't work then face possible termination
3. Phrasing--"how may I provide you with excellent service today?"
• It makes me feel dirty (which is odd considering all the vulgarity my coworkers and I take part in) I'm still trying to convince myself that with the company paying me then I can follow whatever script they set...that being said the first time the saying turns into vulgarity with a guest I will let stop the phone call and a manager can take that particular order and at that point I can stop saying the phrase.
• Solution:???fuck...have a sit down with the managers let them know how awkward I feel saying it and what will happen when the crude guest calls.
4. "Wow" the guest--get the guest count higher
• Pretty much I won't be following any of the managements instructions on waste and portioning. a guest wants 20 some odd things of extra dressing, sauce, cheese, bread, etc for free? Sure thing. Use the guests name? Our phones or lines suck ass and you can't hear anything at all since I doubt they will ever fix every guest will be asked to spell their name (oh your name is Bob? can you spell that for me? Thanks.)
• Solution: fix it, doesn't work? sit down with management, try fixing it again, if that doesn't work then face possible termination

Now in all these scenerios the only one that should be at the auto term is the communication. We have all been told to do better in that area.

During this meeting there was also about a minute (maybe 2 min...it felt like forever) where I got singled out. The weekend night girl said that she needs help on Fri. and Sat during volume (she does) and one of the managers asked if I wanted to do it since I did it last year during the holidays. I declined because working those extra 4-6 hours wasn't worth the $20 extra dollars a paycheck (too much work and I just got too tired from the 12-15 hour days with another 8 hour day after that (in other words I was a raging bitch))...Well by me declining because it made me too tired I guess it made the GM feel like for the next minute or so she could then talk about how if I was too tired on the weekends then I should just quit the Italian Place and work strictly at the hospital (everything that italicized, repeat four different ways)....don't know if I'm being paranoid or what but I feel like there might be an 'X' on my back...

Not saying that I shouldn't go ahead and think about quitting becase they did ask a really good question of us and I don't have an answer...they asked us what we like best about our job...it pays my car payment...that is the only redeeming thing I can think of...what I actually answered was about how I like my regulars...I gave a BS answer because I think I should like my job for more than just the fact that it pays my car payment...

Politicals

It's good to see that in this day and age we can talk about different political ideas without degenerating into name calling. Agree or not the basis of exchanging ideas is what makes our society as a whole great.