I need to see YOUR manager

Thing have to have order...if there were no order imagine how a restaurant would run. No thanks...I prefer the order!!

Sooo there is a method of order we use that are better than reservations...bc it is not a reservation...it is only your name on a list...that technically doesn't exist until you are present. Sort of a safegaurd.

One lovely evening...an evening that belongs to a solemn tradition at my wondrous alumni I encountered...well lets see, I never even got his name...we will call him Christina...because that is what his name was on the list.

Christina walked into the restaurant after having attended the tradition to us seating a 9 top (that is a table with nine people for those who don't know restaurant lingo) and a 7 top (get it...7 people...stick with me). As the two parties parted from the host stand Christina announced his presence...like a bratty 15 year old. I PERSONALLY told him that it would be 45 mins to an hour...he wasn't registering the reality of my quote at the time. Over the course of the 1 hour I PERSONALLY updated them on the status of the table...but I don't recall ever seeing him. I guess time finally occurred to him and he came up to the front.

This is where the fun begins...I was talking to a table in the bar when I hear those fun words...

Jacklyn, someone would like to speak to a manager in the front...those are the best...these are the people that want to pull you away from their crowd...so that her crowd doesn't see how ugly they behave. This somehow enables them to be uglier...

Christina proceeds to tell me that he has waited 1 hour and 15 mins...(for those of you who don't know...we write down time of arrival...time quoted...and know how long you waited...don't BS us)...I apologized to him as I am so well trained to do. That can be one of the hardest parts of my job...to apologize when you have done nothing wrong.

Christina was given bad information over the phone...so he says...he said that he was told that he had a RESERVATION...again...we use our system of order to protect us...and to keep ORDER...again I will also remind you that we receive very specific training...he was angry that before his table was seated he saw my the afore mentioned 9 and 7 tops get sat...I told him that he was not accounted for at the time we seated them...and we don't hold tables...I thought this dude was going to hit me...for real...

He not only told me that I didn't have control over my staff, but that he was lied to. After he cut me off mid sentence for the third time in a row...I said...sir I can not have a conversation with you if you will not allow me to speak...I was polite to this guy...after he upset MY hostess...I went through the standard procedures...LAST...Listen...Apologize...Solve...(thank) was next...but he informed me that I could not do anything to solve this...he was too angry...

He acted this way away from his party...which I would guess the reason that he stormed out could have partly been because he didn't want to have to look me in the eyes after having spoke with me that way...On the way out he asked if he could have my boss's info...so I gave him his card...

Two minutes later I heard those lovely words...Jacklyn, there is a call for a manager for you...
I answered cheerfully knowing who I would find...Thank you for holding, this is Jacklyn speaking, how can I help you...and he said...I need to speak with *Jay Sam* (my ; ) manager)...

hahaha...at 10:45 p.m. on Monday...Im as good as it gets...but I replied...he will be on Wednesday at 3:30...I can leave him your name and number if you like. He asked for his personal cell phone number...I declined. That angered him...he asked for Jay Sam's bosses phone number. I gave him the office number...(ok so corporate chain of command is LONG...you don't bother you big bosses unless it is relevant)...he asked if he was going to be able to speak with him tonight...I said not at 10:45, no sir...but he will be in the office tomorrow...he asked me how to spell my name...I got good at this one...

J-A-C-K-L-Y-N D-O-U-G-L-A-S

He hung up on me...big surprise...so I covered my bases...bc that is what you have to do in a dog-eat-dog world...I emailed the big boss to give the heads up of what he would be walking into. Like the amazing Big Boss he is he apologized that I had to deal with that.

The guy called...you knew he would...my big boss said that he could tell that he guy was making things up as he went along...I guess he envisioned a grown man the way I told the story...but when he heard the YOUNG voice of a TWENTY something year old punk...he had my back!!!

My favorite part of the story was to hear the big guy say...well if there is nothing I can do to help you, I must go be with my guests that I can help...

WHEWWW...no Gift Certificates sent...eat that sucker...

another one for the home team