You will Get Yours!!!

Working at a restaurant is a very intimate thing.

You become very close with the people you work with. Sort of like a LARGE dysfunctional family.

You have the annoying little brother, the stupid sisters, and the new guys...that you are not quite sure that you are going to like...let alone love.

So what do you do to those new people...what any other sibling would do...you pick on them.

There are some things we restaurateurs have come up with that DON'T exist...

1. squeegee sharpeners
2. margarita ice
3. basements
4. the emptying of hot water wells
5. the circulation of stale air

I could go on and on...

The best part about these pranks is that everyone gets involved with it. That is mostly because everyone has fallen victim to it at some point.

Yesterday Miss Waters was due...

I was not sure who I was going to get to do it...Cini...Cini could do it.

She told her she would watch the door so she could do her sidework...

NOTE TO SELF...A SERVER WILL ALMOST NEVER DO ANYTHING TO HELP A NEW HOSTESS...HOSTESSES ARE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TOTEM POLE!!

So she then takes her to the dish area to get a container...then over to the coffee/tea maker. A restaurant grade maker has a hot water well for hot teas and such. This has a water line hooked to it...not a tank...

So then Cini shows Miss Waters how to hold the container under the stream and drain the tank...

We all looked at the clock to see what time she started...9:56...

Long Legs McGee was getting some drinks...she is really nice so I figured she would spot blow...

during this time you see every person walking through the back line getting all big eyed...and rounding the corner to laugh out loud...literally!!

McGee told her that she hated that part of back work bc it takes forever.

The record was some dummy that did it for 23 minutes...

About 11 mins into it Waterboy suggested that she turn off the hot water valve outside...so Miss Waters asked me to unlock the door outside.

I told her that I could not do that bc it couldn't be turned off while we were open.

Then I grew a conscious...I told her that the hot water valve was something he made up...that Waterboy was pranking her...

THE BEST PART...

She laughed...a little embarrassed...and went back to emptying the well...NOT CONNECTING THAT I JUST TOLD HER IT WAS A PRANK...

I asked her what she was doing...then it clicked...she told us that she hated us...which meant that she loved us...FUN TIMES!!!

Then we explained to her that she had to "pass it on"...it was her turn to get someone else...she was ok with that.

That was the point that we shared with her all the other funnies that people get "got" with...good times...

I found it humerous that Waterboy tried to get her with a second one when after THREE years of working there he called another restaurant to see if they had extra margarita ice...because our frozen margarita machine was running low...

GOOD TIMES!!!

I'm TABC

I was cruising through the restaurant when I saw Joy picking over an ID.

She saw me and called me over. It looked like she needed help saying no.

I looked at the so called ID I realized that it wasn't an ID at all. It looked like she had taken a TABC seal and put it on a card sized piece of paper and then laminated it.

IT WAS NOT VALID

I told her that we could not accept it.

She told me that they accept it on Northgate...it was unfortunate for her that we are not Northgate.

I told her that since it was not a government issued ID we would not be able to serve her.

So her friend ordered a drink...go figure.

I was policing the area...and I noticed that the straw was in her direction.

I was underage once...and I have been of age without an ID many times...but more important to me...BECAUSE ME IS WHAT I CARE ABOUT...I would get fined if she got served & we got caught.

So I was talking to Jay Sam in the bar...and she must have not connected that he was a manager too...because as soon as I left her sight she took a drink...and Jay Sam saw her.

I approached the table to take the drink

I said, "Mam I am going to have to take this drink off of the table because you do not have a valid ID and you were drinking from the drink."

She looked shocked that I was following the rules.

"But I am 22..."

So I asked her if she had a ID that backed that up...and she referred to the fake looking paper...I explained that the ID was not a valid ID.

She then said...but it works on Northgate...so I reiterated what I had told her earlier...we are not Northgate...and it does not work here...

I went further into detail to tell her that if TABC were to walk in here and she was drinking that I could receive a $10,000 fine...and I was not willing to take that chance.

She then told me, "I am TABC"...so I asked her to produce an ID and then jumped right into, "And you should also be very familiar with the rules and aware of why I was refusing service of alcohol."

She then back peddled to, well I am TABC certified...so I told her I was too...and since we both have the same training she knows as well as I do that I cannot accept the ID she was trying to use.

She then wanted to make sure she wasn't having to pay for the drink...I told her I would take it off her bill...

WOW...I don't doubt that she was 22...but I am not taking a chance on a $10,000 fine...especially when she is spouting ignorance...

I'm TABC...please...

If you are TABC, then I am the president...and I VETO your ID...biach!!!

Praise Jesus for Staycations

I learned yesterday that staycation was added to the Webster's dictionary!!

It is official...for those who do not have an updated dictionary present...

Stay·ca·tion \ˈstā-ˈkā-shən\- (noun) a blend of ³stay and vacation : a vacation spent at home or nearby

So I was off for 9 glorious days. I was not looking forward to sharing the 9 days...I am a bit selfish if you didn't already know that.

Tito & I have the kiddos this month...and I was not excited for early mornings.

I am NEVER excited about early mornings.

Those 9 days wound up being my favorite 9 days of the summer.

The were awesome!! The schedule wound up being good for me and them...I am a creature of habit...which makes me resent my job THAT much more.

That is neither here nor there...

All the crazy things happen on my shifts, so with 9 days off I knew that the restaurant Gods had some fun stuff in store for me.

In the first 5 mins of me being there I got to hear how our Country Fried Steak was hard from a man with an EMPTY plate and NO TEETH...EAT SOUP!!!

Then mother nature teamed up with the Gods and let go of a storm that was AWESOME!!!

I love rain so I was in heaven...windows all around me...yessir!!!

Winoria and I were holding the doors open checking out the clouds that were going in a circular motion and dipping down pretty low when I heard over the radio that I had a phone call.

Sweet Tito was checking on the kids...a tornado had just touched down in Wellborn...the only thing was...I WAS AT WORK...how do I know if they are ok...

but I did...I just got off the phone with them, and all was well.

So the power flickered off and on about 5 times...resetting the computers each time.

Then we got busy...the other restaurants were closing bc their power was down!

And those firemen love to eat!

BRING IT!!!

I was refreshed and ready!

I must admit...without my staycation I would have been a wreck!!!

www.prayforkyle.com

This story is about my sister's best friends. They are amazing AMAZING people with a ROCKIN family. Please have your tissues ready...this is powerful!

Kyle's Story from 31Films on Vimeo.

I Pina by any other name would taste as weak...

There are two specific drinks that you can drink without feeling like you are drinking booze...

anyone have any guesses...

Well I guess the title sort of gave it away.

A Pina Colada & a Strawberry Daiquiri!!!

Every time i see one go out I just know that I am going to have to deal with a complaint about it "not having enough liquor in it"

It is a tough visit bc I am not going to put more that the recipe calls for in the drink. I can offer to make it again...but that is about it.

You would be surprised how many people you can trick by presentation.

When I worked at another restaurant that had different color plates...I could take something to the back...put it in another colored plate or bowl & bring it back out...and the same thing that was "wrong" is perfect.

Anywho...I am wondering off topic.

Last night I got my first of two booze complaints...both from Roddie's tables...the first...a PINA!!

The lady ordered a Pina Colada...here we go!!

I approached the table & the lady told me that the drink didn't taste like it had any alcohol in it.

I assured her it did...we make all of our drinks by recipe every time.

She told me that she never had this trouble at Cheddars...

In my head I was wondering why she didn't go there for the pinche drink...I mean our signature drinks are margaritas...not Pina Coladas!!!

I asked her if we could get her anything else but she told me she didn't drink anything else.

It was unfortunate for her that I don't drink Pinas so I had not point of reference to discuss the drink.

She seemed put out because she just wanted a boozie Pina...unfortunately I don't think that exists.

So I walked away thinking the same thing I was thinking when I approached the table...if you want booze...drink a GOOD drink!!!

So I went on with the night...until I was approached by Roddie's table again...this time it was the red faced meth head boys that looked like they had been drinking all day & couldn't taste TEQUILA if you forced it down their throats.

The were disappointed in their margaritas.

We use jiggers (liquor measures) EVERYTIME we make a drink. That is what we do...

this ensures a perfect poor EVERYTIME!!!

The were not satisfied and wanted to send all the ritas back. So I did...I loaded them up...

and went on with the fix...

"Would you like me to make you anything else? We have margaritas that are stronger tasting if that is what you are looking for. The brandy in this particular rita actually smooths it out so it doesn't have a strong taste."

They declined as the rita they ordered was what they normally drink.

He had a suggestion..." How about you make us all two ritas...different ones...so if we don't like one we can drink the other."

I declined with a "well I don't want to 'Chance' you not liking another round and wasting the liquor. How about I personally go remake the rita you ordered and someone taste test it...and if you like it I will make the rest of you the rita so you get something you are satisfied with. TABC doesn't allow me to place two ritas in front of one guest at the same time."

They were ok with that option.

I went to the bar and made the rita...BY THE SAME RECIPE...and what do you know...perfect!!

I was pleased that my mixologist skills were still present!!

I told them I would bring them two more right out...but the taster corrected me and said three...

I reiterated the TABC law that doesn't allow two drinks at the same time...

He assured me that the drink would be gone by the time I got back.

AWESOME!!!

With the next round they ordered Roddie asked me if I wanted to make them...I declined...I told her to tell them I did and they would not know the difference.

She did...and they didn't...

There is a Shakespeare line in Romeo and Juliet that says..."What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet."
(William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II)

Like wise a margarita at any other one of our bars would taste the same...and a Pina at any other bar would be just as weak...