In any restaurant, signs with key information fill the walls and doors. Why no one chooses to read these signs is what drives anyone in the service industry mad. To start lets discus the most important sign of all, the one that clearly states the hours of the restaurant. This sign is always placed in plain sight at the entrance of the restaurant. Makes sense, right? So if the sign states that the restaurant will be closing at 10pm, don’t come in at 9:55. Most people seem to understand this logic, the logic of consideration for others. However, there are those who could care less if a place is closing in five minutes or not, and they stroll on in like it’s no big deal. I understand that people have the right to come in if we are not technically closed, however you would think that if you did you would try and be quick. This is most always never the case, most of the non-reading sign people stroll in, refuse to order quickly, and then stay way after closing hours. I have always wondered why you would want to be the only people in a restaurant. Not only is everyone most likely starring at you hoping that their mind tricks will force you to leave, but if you stay passed close, the TV’s and music are turned off. Why anyone would want to sit in an empty restaurant with no music, and where every employee is obviously standing around waiting for you to leave is beyond me.
The next sign that always seem to cause mass confusion is the “Takeout Only” sign. The sign also comes with a bold arrow pointing you to the right direction for the main entrance. No one ever reads this sign! They come in with a look of bewilderment as to why this area looks so different from any other foyer I suppose. In the grand scheme of things, what door you come in really makes no huge difference, but it’s the principle, read the sign. The best of all is when people pretend that they didn’t see the sign although you just witnessed them reading it. They wander in pretending they had no idea, just fess up, say you didn’t want to walk around. Being honest would be much better than the poor performance you’re going to give us about not seeing the sign.
That last sign that people refuse to read, is the reserved sign that is placed on tables that are only seated by the host. These tables are to be seated by the host because of their location to the bar. Since they are so close, people waiting at the bar to be called to their table often hover over these tables and sneak in when people get up. This unfortunately screws everyone. When you do this, you are in fact stealing the table from the people ahead of you on the waiting list. So when the host brings a couple of happy folks to their table that they have been waiting for, all to find out that some impatient people decided to help themselves to it, mass chaos erupts. Everyone is now mad, someone either has to move or continue to wait.
Simple lesson here, read the signs.
Jessica's FOH Life 