Flippingtables: The Bastard Actually Did It!

Friday, June 3, 2011

The Bastard Actually Did It!

I finally realize that my feet have been aching for hours as I feel how tight my back has become from running and lifting, then prebussing and juggling an overwhelming amount of weight in pasta and chicken and seafood dishes, all which are piled high inside of heavy as sin bone white plates and tableware. The Coheed blasting in my Jeep's speakers keeps me going as I realize, as I often do, that I should probably slow down
but I'm just ready to be home, having left an hour after we actually close. And damn that junker Gio Metro or whatever it is behind me with the wrong bulb in their left headlight. It's crooked and just so happens to be hitting the back of my retina after I've spent the last 13 hours indoors, the last 6 hours in a dimly lit dining room.
I am still spinning from one of those days the don't stop, never end, I hit the ground running while still finishing up morning sidework and before I knew it....I'm finally in my overstuffed sofa with a few freshly drained beers sitting uselessly in front of me, taunting me, and certainly needing two immediate replacements. Hey uh empty beers? Can you go get your full beer friends and tell them to get over here?!

It's high school graduation week here and boy are we all happy! As I happen to live at The Restaurant and work all doubles, I love to get my ass kicked by through business parties (between lunch and dinner service) and even after everyone else has been cut for the evening. There are at least five, maybe six, large public high schools and 2 private high schools in the area who all graduate this week. I haven't stopped moving since Wednesday morning when I got to work. Party of 8 here, in walks a 6 top then a 4 top, all easily identified by the awkward, disheveled stoner in the Jerry Garcia tie or chubby doll in the floral print. I overheard one stoner's dad exclaim, "I can't believe the bastard actually did it!" today. Way to go kid, way to go! I hear the comic book store is looking for good help.

The families are all on tight schedules because they have a graduation ceremony to get to or have just come from one which was entirely too F-ing hot and they want to get home, or they are expecting others to meet them at home soon. So why does this equation equal smiles for all? They want to eat well and celebrate (meaning they aren't worried about they ever-growing subtotal) + they need to GO (all smiles, keep their drinks filled table and cleared! in and out) + they aren't the only big table at the moment = I'm very busy and smiling and building the little man's college fund.

The last few days have been crazy busy and I'm not complaining because it's as if I have been having three busy rushes, maybe even four, a day. My numbers are amazing and it's just what I get excited about before things taper of a little during the summer months.

I'm definitely ready for my summer vacations!

Any one else having fun with Graduations?

Flippingtables

I have been working in the restaurant industry in the Baltimore-Washington area since my early teenage years and remain a lifer 17 years later, still making my living by feeding the public. I have literally done it all, except ownership which is my only next step, in the restaurant world. From washing dishes in a barbeque restaurant to slinging drinks and managing Corporate Coffee, managing, training for and opening 10 stores for uber-successful Chicago-based sandwich shops in the Washington D.C. area. I now work for my brother, and am happier and make more money than I did working for others, and I'm a Server/Manager.

3 comments:

EnzoJune 7, 2011 at 3:19 AM
Dear FT, loved how you captured in your post how I spend my evenings after serving each night, "with a few freshly drained beers sitting uselessly in front of me, taunting me, and certainly needing two immediate replacements."
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FlippingtablesJune 7, 2011 at 8:59 AM
Enzo- Thanks for the feedback man! I do this for fun and to have an ongoing "project" so it's always very appreciated when I receive some encouraging feedback! Cheers!
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ChelleJune 8, 2011 at 5:34 PM
Sadly, I went to high school with way too many people deserving of the same comment.
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The Restaurant

My friends, family and I make a nice living running a successful, privately-owned and conservative neighborhood Italian restaunt. The majority of our staff have been around for years, and some including myself since the day the doors opened. We are all an extention of each others' families, yet we are also an ever-revolving work family at the restaurant all year long.

Walking in the front door, you'll be greeted by a young, attractive woman. Most of the hostesses are friends of friends or sisters of friends of girls who have worked for us in the past that have cycled through over the years. All of them are good respectable ladies accepted by good recomendations of course.

The hostess will lead you past our large granite carry-out and pizza slice counter towards either our front dining room or back dining room.

Our business can, like any other establishment, be unpredictable at times but overall we are a steady-rockin', busy local restaurant.

The dining room seats 90 people comfortably at dark cherry-stained heavy wooden tables. You'll find yourself on a nice cushioned wooden chair or on a fabric covered bankete with a comfortable booth. They were are locally crafted, along with our hostess stand. We squeeze and shove extra tables together when needed, and it happens often.

Over the last six plus years we have gained more regular customers than I can count. Our success relies on these local regulars and even on those whom travel longer than short distances to eat with us.

We do this daily and I live this five and a half days a week