I got into my first fight at work today.
It was some bullshit for real. There’s this lady who’s been there for 100 years and she’s slower than a snail. There is no such thing as TEAM SERVICE there so it’s every waitress for herself. You have to make sure your section is full and service them by yourself but I’m so conditioned to do team service, which means helping every table that asks, that I sometimes forget that it’s not my job to do that anymore.
This lady is so slow that all her tables will sit there looking sad, waiting for someone to come take care of them. I usually stop what I’m doing to get their drinks and then when I bring them back they are grateful. Then when I go do what I have to do for my tables her tables are still sitting there looking sad so I go over and get their orders.
So today the manager said, “She needs help, Tee. Go get that table.”
So I went up to the table and got their drinks and they had already been waiting a while so they wanted their order taken so I did that. When I looked for her to give it to her, she was at one table and another one of her tables was looking upset as they waited for her so I just rang the order in under my name. I figured it would help her out.
Don’t you know what this chick did?
She moved TWO of her tables to my section so that I couldn’t take anymore tables in my section.
I went up to her and calmly asked, “Why did you move your tables to my section?”
She went off on me telling me I stole her tables and threatening me with violence. This lady is like 100 years old. I’m like, “What you gonna do?”
She said, “You’re gonna have to call 911.”
THEN after the managers were called and blah blah blah, 3 of her tables were still BEGGING me to come help them.
I just went to the manager and said, “Her tables still need help.”
The other girls came to me and said, “Now you know, when she needs help, don’t help. She’s old and she’s always like that.”
NOW you tell me!
I’m not helping that chick anymore! I feel bad for her tables though. I don’t want to ignore them but I’m not doing all her work and letting her collect the tips.
I just hate to see people looking sad or upset because they’re hungry and they have a turtle for a server.
~sigh~