Making Family Dining a Pleasure, Not a Problem
From managing unruly children to handling reservations correctly, parents hold the key to ensuring smooth dining experiences. Learn how to avoid common pitfalls that frustrate servers and improve your family's restaurant interactions.
The Importance of Maintaining Cleanliness
One of the most significant concerns for restaurant staff revolves around cleanliness. Although it is natural for children to make messes, the responsibility lies with parents to ensure they clean up after their kids or at least assist the cleaning crew. When parents neglect this duty, it places an undue burden on the bussers who must handle everything from spilled drinks to food smeared on walls.
Alana Fineman, a seasoned server and comedian, emphasizes that leaving behind excessive messes reflects poorly on parental supervision. She recounts instances where sugar packets were torn open and scattered across floors, or condiments like ketchup used as makeshift paints. Such actions not only disrupt the dining environment but also indicate a lack of attentiveness from the parents involved.
Ensuring Safety Through Proper Behavior Management
Safety is paramount in any restaurant setting, yet some parents allow their children to roam freely, disregarding potential hazards. Restaurants typically lack the spacious layouts found in dedicated play areas, making unrestricted movement dangerous. Running children pose risks such as collisions with servers carrying heavy trays, leading to broken glass, spilled food, and even injuries.
Fineman recalls an alarming incident where children climbed over fences onto streets, endangering themselves and others by throwing rocks toward dining patios. In response, an employee had to intervene, stepping into a parental role to reprimand the children. This underscores the importance of maintaining control over one’s offspring during meals out.
Respecting Staff Boundaries During Interactions
Interactions between servers and young diners should remain respectful and efficient. Some parents involve servers in what they perceive as "teachable moments," asking their children to place orders directly. While occasionally amusing, this practice can become problematic if the child refuses to speak, causing delays in service.
According to Fineman, situations arise where overly enthusiastic parents insist their child orders independently, regardless of the server's workload. During busy periods, such demands may prove impractical, forcing servers to balance multiple responsibilities while accommodating these requests. Understanding server limitations helps foster mutual respect and smoother transactions.
Navigating Dietary Preferences With Realism
Picky eaters present another challenge for both parents and servers. While accommodating special requests forms part of exemplary customer service, unrealistic expectations can strain relationships. Certain parents grow frustrated when menus fail to meet specific dietary needs or chefs cannot prepare unconventional dishes.
On slower days, flexibility might exist; however, expecting consistent modifications proves unreasonable. Preparing contingency plans ensures minimal disruption to both family enjoyment and server efficiency. Recognizing the boundaries within which restaurants operate enables more harmonious dining experiences.
Avoiding Reservation Mishaps
Inaccurate reservation practices contribute significantly to operational inefficiencies. A recurring issue involves parents omitting their children from reservation counts, assuming high chairs don't count as seats. This oversight creates complications, particularly during peak hours, when accommodating unexpected additions forces adjustments affecting subsequent bookings.
Fineman attributes this error partly to misunderstandings regarding gratuity policies but acknowledges it mostly stems from unawareness. Correctly including all members in reservations prevents unnecessary delays and maintains a well-organized flow throughout the establishment. By addressing this aspect proactively, parents aid in optimizing overall dining efficiency.