Three Tables Arent Enough At Red Lobster

You obviously know very little about being a server, because if you
did, you would know how hard it is to take care of more than three
tables at once. so my advice to you is....YOU TRY IT AND SEE HOW YOU
LIKE IT.

Obviously you have limited knowledge of the food service industry.
Servers do not decide the number of tables in their section;
management (namely corporate) does. The limit of 3 tables is to
provide great service to all tables, not mediocre service to ten
tables. If it was up to the servers, sure, many would probably opt to
take another table. If you have ever eaten at Mimi's cafe or Denny's,
then you know that more tables isn't necessarily good. Then you would
probably be complaining that once you got sat, you waited too long for
drinks, refills, the check, etc. I assure you that the majority of
restaurants implement this policy FOR the customers.

The three-table policy is instituted so that people DO NOT have to
wait. Unless, of course, they request a specific server. It's great
that Tony is such a great waiter, and I would hope that you feel that
he is worth waiting for, rather than complaining. Better to wait
because he is busy than wait because he needs to catch up!

The restaurant where I work gives servers 3-4 table sections on busy
weekend nights. I used to work in a lounge where I had 14 tables in my
section! Can I handle more that 3 or 4 tables? Absolutely! But on
weekends, they like to give smaller sections to avoid
"double-seating". The more people that are on the floor, the longer it
takes to go through a rotation, avoiding this problem which can lead
to poor service even from some of the best servers.

That being said, it's a shame that a server with a section adjacent to
Tony's couldn't have loaned him an empty table and then taken one of
his on the next go-around. Maybe that is against the rules, but I
don't see why any establishment would deny a server and regulars this
way. We do this all the time, and the managers don't even know. We
just tell them the table wanted to move or something.

Oh, and don't worry about lost tips. I made $150 in 4 hours with a
3-table section one Friday night.

For me though, personally? I would rather wait and have good service,
rather than have someone who has 6 tables and have rushed service. I
HATE waiting for 10mins for a drink refill.

Cause, yes they do have less tables, but in the long run, the tips may
be more cause they are providing a better service.

The 3 table thing is a corporate level decision. My friends husband
used to work as a waiter at the Olive Garden up in CT. It is owned by
the same company, and we also had to wait for his section a few times
because of the 3 table policy.

Daley,

I was not being rude. The person, whom I am assuming you know or is a
friend of yours(?), came across with the attitude of self-entitlement.
If you want to wait for a server, great. Just acknowledge that it
may take longer because of the 3 table policy, a policy that helps the
other 99% of the world that does not request a wait staff get in, get
good service and leave.

Not being mean, being honest about the letter writer Elaine and her
"desires".

She thought you were being rude because you called her spoiled. She
is not really spoiled she is just mad at the service of waiting when
she did not have to wait before because she did not expect it or
something. And I doubt those two posters know each other. Just
because someone disagrees with you does not mean that they are the
same person or know each other personally. If you are trying to make
your point stronger by doing that well you are not doing a good job of
it. It's like me saying you are sticking up for Tony because you are
Tony, or Tony's friend. Does not make sense.

This is a very stupid management decision. I only hope they increased
the server's wages to cover the loss in tips!

Your letter is very well written. I hope you get a positive outcome.

I agree with Elaine, I also know this server and know he can handle
more than three tables at a time. He is an excellant server.

I completely agree with you. Its ridiculous to only allow a competent
server 3 tables at a time. Like you stated a hostess will know how
many tables each server can handle at a time and the act accordingly.
When I was a hostess and regular customers came in for a particular
server we would seat them even if the server was slammed because as a
regular they are usually much more patient and willing to put up w/ a
server thats busy, just to sit in their section. This is just another
example of retail managers disallowing their employees to think.