Saturday, April 5, 2014

My Favorite Weekend

I just really, really love General Conference.
At the end of the two days, I feel refreshed and rejuvenated.
It reminds me of the good in the world and that everything will be alright.
It renews my faith, hope and confidence in myself and the decisions I make.
It reassures me that my Heavenly Father is always there and that His love is perfect and endless.

I get all gooey and chilled inside when I think about the future and the Conferences in it.
I'm so excited to create Conference traditions and memories with my little family.
I can't wait to have a fun night with my girls as we send the boys off to Priesthood.
I look forward to those days and having my own family to raise to love this weekend and this gospel.

Now, I tear up thinking of my future husband, whoever and wherever he may be.
I hope and pray that he's sitting in a chapel somewhere, watching the Priesthood session.
There, whether it's direct words or more subliminal, he's preparing to become a husband and father.
I can't wait to have that constant presence so close in my life.
I pray continually for him as we get closer to finding each other.
I pray that we are using the time it takes to get there to better ourselves and are doing what we need to be doing to create that life together.

After tomorrow, it's another six months of time to get back on track in areas that may be lacking. It's time to re-watch and re-read my favorite talks or the ones that may hold something I missed.
Time to continue to grow and prepare for whatever may lie ahead.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Server Life

Here's the thing, I love working in a restaurant. Being a server is a ton of fun. It's always something new with different people coming in and out of your life all night. There are always people to talk to, babies to play with and boys to flirt with. Waiting tables is usually a really great thing, but other times it's the worst. Guess what? YOU can help make it better and I'm here to tell you how :)

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Apparently this is a little-known fact, but servers don't make very much. It's varies by state, but here in Utah, we make $2.13 an hour outside of tips. That's not a whole lot of money. Then, that $2.13 generally goes straight to taxes. In the almost-year I've been working at Texas Roadhouse, I've gotten maybe one paycheck that was more than $10.

That's where you, the guest, comes in. Tipping is KEY. 10 percent? NOT OKAY. These days, 20 percent is kind of the thing. However, most of us won't be mad about 15 percent. Math like that isn't that hard, I promise you can do it.

When things go wrong, odds are it's not our fault. If your food is slow to come out or if something isn't cooked exactly the way you like it, guess what? I didn't do it on purpose. As a server, we're just the go-between. If something is wrong, we're going to do everything in our power to fix it and make you happy. Your enjoyment is our priority. If something does go wrong and if we did what we could, don't take it out on us and the tip you leave.

When you come in to eat, 3 percent of the money you spend on your food/drinks goes to a little thing called tipshare. At the end of the night, we turn in 3 percent of our total sales that goes to the hostesses, bussers and bartenders. If you don't tip (or tip minimally), WE pay for you to be there and that's not cool.

If you're going to sit and chat with the people you're eating with for a really long time, tip accordingly. At a restaurant like TXRH, we shoot for a 45 minute turnover - from the time you sit down to the time you walk out the door. That is ideal for us to make the most of our night. We have three tables available at a time and if you sit there for three years, we lose money. You may see it as just a few dollars, but when you add that up over several tables over several hours, it definitely adds up.

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As servers, we are only capable of so much. We pride ourselves on our ability to multitask and carry a lot of oddly-shaped things at once, but we can't do everything. Especially if you're with a large group, be patient. Remember that we are one person and you are 12 (or whatever you may be). On top of your group, I probably have two more tables full of people. That's a lot for one person to handle, so just be patient. 

YES YOU CAN HAVE MORE BREAD. And yes, I'll give you a straw. That goes back to remembering we can't do everything at one time. I have a tray full of your drinks, I'm not going to throw them down to hand you a straw. Once I don't have my hands full, I'll get the straws that are visibly in my pocket and hand them to you. Sometimes we run out of bread. It's part of my job to make sure you have it when it's available. If I'm in the middle of taking your table's order, that's not the time to ask me for bread. You'll get more, I promise. 

I'm going to ask you a lot of questions. Deal with it and answer them happily please. I want to make sure you enjoy yourself. I want your steak to be cooked right, you have to choose your sides, etc. Don't be annoyed by me trying to do my job. 

Along with that, just enjoy your time there. I want to get to know you. I want to play with your kids. I'm going to enjoy my night a whole lot more if I can make some new friends out of it. We can read people and we know when you don't want to be bugged, but it's ok to have a conversation. It's better that way, I promise.

If you're walking through the restaurant, be aware of your surroundings. There's a very good chance there's one of us behind you trying to get somewhere. Odds are, we have our hands full with hot plates, a heavy tray full of steaks or an armful of drinks and bread. Get out of the way or at least walk quickly and make everyone's lives easier. 

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And, end rant. For now.
I'm sure I'll think of more things to add to this list in the future. 
Come in and see us and help everything be legendary!