10.02.2007

The Purina Diet

Okay, I blatantly stole this again from an internet joke that Ms. Alabama sent me, although she really could have done this herself....Tracie is like that, you wouldn't put it past her! But as it DOES have to do with food, I'm adding it to my blog site.

WARNING: THIS DIET IS NOT FOR EVERYONE

I was in Wal-Mart buying a large bag of Purina for my dog, Marley, and was in line to check out. The woman behind me asked if I had a dog......Duh!! I was feeling a bit crabby so on impulse, I told her NO , and ... I was starting the Purina Diet again, although I probably shouldn't because I'd ended up in the hospital the last time, but that I'd lost 50lbs. before I'd awakened in the intensive care unit with tubes coming out most of my orifices and IV's in both arms. Her eyes bugged out of her head.

I went on with the bogus diet story and she was totally buying it. I told her that it was an easy, inexpensive diet and that the way it works is to load your pockets or purse with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The package said the food is nutritionally complete so I was going to try it again.

I have to mention here that practically everyone in the line was now enthralled with my story, particularly the tall guy behind her. Horrified, she asked if something in the dog food had poisoned me and was that why I ended up in the hospital?

I said no.... I'd been sitting in the middle of the street licking my ass when a car hit me.

I CAN HEAR YOU LAUGHING!

10.01.2007

Where Did I Go Wrong?


Thinking for other people.


I've been a restaurant manager for 18 years. I have never, ever, ever said I desire to do or think for other people, whether they be guests who can't think for themselves and say "I dunno, what do you like?" or staff who say "What should I do?" I've always empowered my team to do whatever is necessary to take care of the guest by simply following one little rule: Use your best judgement.

On the average day, most people do a very good job of following this direction. Occassionally, we have a gaff so large, it just leaves me speechless and makes me wonder where I went wrong. Here's a simple, silly example that demonstrates what I'm talking about.

A guest says to the server, "My Diet Coke tastes flat." The server apologizes and tells the customer she will check on that and be right back. Great.

The server goes and tells the greeter/cashier that a guest said the Diet Coke is flat, apparently because she also has a soda station behind her for to go orders, and may know what's going on???

The greeter/cashier goes to the kitchen and tells the prep cook that the server said a guest said the Diet Coke may be flat, apparently because the prep cook is standing next to the soda boxes and CO2 tanks????

The prep cook comes to tell me that the greeter/cashier said the server said a guest said the Diet Coke is flat, apparently because ______________________________________________??????

You tell me. And the guest still doesn't have a beverage they are enjoying. Seems kind of silly when I know they are all intelligent folks and great people. I trust them to do their jobs, and I know for a fact, that some of them desire to move up in their restaurant career.

So what happened here?