Red Lobster Server had Cigarette Hands

I am a proud Red Lobster employee. I would just like to say that the
best way to handle that situation would have been to call the coperate
office. They would have done somthing about it. We are a very proud
company and we take pride in providing V.I.P service to our guests.
Please come see us if your ever in pasadena T.X. we have the highest
guest satisfaction percentage in the reigon. Thank You......




DENNIS AUGSBURGER

Hey Natalie,

I truly am sorry that you had such a horrible experience.

First off, I just stumbled on your posting and am not responding to
this as an employee, but someone who goes out to eat quite often.

I work as a server, at a Red Lobster, in Alabama right now. I do smoke
as well, quite heavily, about a pack a day, so sometimes I do smell
the smoke on myself too.

There is no excuse for her to have cigarette hands, because
hand-washing should be in her best interest. Not only for your
protection, but also for the guests protection. Secondly, you have to
understand that servers at Red Lobster don't get but one break and
aren't even supposed to be out front smoking. Depending on how busy it
is, we have to run around the restaurant for 3 hours, without even
getting our bathroom break, because it's so busy. Yes, of course we
could aks our co-workers to help us out, but it just doesn't seem fair
sometimes. So, we just suck it up, don't have our beloved cigarette
and even forget going to the bathroom.

I want to deliver good customer service and I'd rather hear about it
if it's bad, then never hear about it. It's true that I sometimes
don't smell the cigarettes on myself.

To your second point, the manager should have talked to you,
definitely! That was the worst thing about your whole story. There
should be at least 2 managers on duty at a Red Lobster throughout the
day.

Also, one of your fellow commenters said "Red Lobsters aren't
corporate owned, but franchised out" is WRONG! They are corporately
owned and a call to their customer service number, which btw is (800)
LOBSTER (1-800-562-7837) and complain! This is always effective! I've
had people call and complain, praise, and just give general feedback
about servers. It always get's back to either the General Manager of
the Restaurant or the Regional Director. Usually both and they will
take action.

I hope this helps and I hope that from now on, you will always speak
up when something is wrong with service, your order or anything, even
if it's your daughters birthday...actually, especially when you are
celebrating something.

Thanks...your FRIENDLY, NON-SMELLY Red Lobster server

Oh that is vile. I've noticed that a lot of cigarette smokers have no
idea just how bad they smell.

Servers should be especially careful. In fact, not just about
smoking. Leave off the perfumes, body sprays, etc. Those eating
often don't want to smell all that garbage.

In all seriousness... Gross. You behaved VERY well. I can't believe
she didn't wash her hands between smoking and heading to the kitchen
and grabbing your plates of food. Does she wash after using the
restroom? I doubt it!

Just a warning, I've sent one or two letters to Red Lobster and have
never heard back, and have read the same thing from a couple of other
posters here. Red Lobsters aren't corporate-owned: They're
franchised out.

I wonder what the owner of your local Red Lobster thinks of (1) his
employees not following basic hygiene practices and (2) his manager
not responding to a diner's repeated requests to speak with a manager.

That truly is disgusting. You are not overracting in the least.

Smoking is common amoung those in the restaurant business, but most
servers know not to smoke where customers can see them. (Lack of hand
washing is very common as well.) I cannot believe this restaurant did
not have a policy of forbidding employees to smoke in front of the
entrance.

I hope you get a proper apology.

How is she over reacting because she expects service in a timely
manner but cannot get it because the server is going out for numerous
cigarette breaks and coming back smelling like a used ashtray.

This is horrible customer service. If I am going to eat out at any
restaurant I expect service in a timely manner and for my server to be
attentive and take care of the table. Once my party and I leave then
the server can do whatever he/she wants for all I care. I am paying
them they are not paying me! Their cigarette breaks are their own
time...there should not be numerous ones during the time that their
customers are seated and dining.

JERRY
She had man-hands.
ELAINE
[pause] Man, Hands?
JERRY
The hands of a man. It's like a creature out of Greek Mythology, I
mean, she was like part woman, part horrible beast.
ELAINE
[weary] {Look,} would you, prefer it, if she had, no hands at all?
JERRY
Would she have hooks?
ELAINE
Do uh, do hooks make it more attractive, Jerry?

Cigarette hands are a distance cousin of shrimp fingers.

(You know, like when someone puts the shrimp shells on their fingers?)

Hi Natalie. What a horrible experience. I applaud you for not
wanting to make a "stink" on your daughter's birthday. It must have
taken a lot of patience.

Somewhere in the beginning of this terrible tale, I would have
gathered up the fam and told the server "you can cancel the order,
we're leaving," and walked out. You are a fine mother, and set a good
example.

I agree with Bill below. The manager was having a bad night, perhaps
due to being shortstaffed or someone in training. The server sounds
like she went on mental break when she should have been concentrating
on how to make the customer more comfortable during this difficult
time. She would know the food would be slow, and could at least keep
the table updated. Maybe she could have helped somewhere in the chain
to make things work better.

You did the right thing by leaving a suitable tip. Again, it shows
class on your part that you left a tip at all. A server that reeked
of cigarette smoke would send me right out the door. That is TOTALLY
gross. I would think very carefully before returning. A manager
should call you in response to this complaint.

Natalie S.,

I hope your letter gets you a response.

To a certain degree my bet is the manager was in the weeds in the
kithcne and the wait staff was taking full advantage of that. On the
basic hygene issues it sounds like they all need a Course and some
Leadership by Impeccable Example.

Stop back and let us know what you hear back.

BillR.