Good service
Comments(13)
Photo: wine in cooler
In the early eighties I worked part time in a French restaurant on Lavender Hill, London. It was a really long day for the restaurant proprietor. He had to be there at 8:00 am to take in the fresh food delivery and we were often still waiting for diners to leave at two in the morning. This was not the sort of place that sweeps up around the final lingering tables.
As a waitress I started work at 6:00 p.m. All the staff ate together and we were allowed one alcoholic drink before the service began. Having studied the alcohol content of all the bottles in the extensive bar, I always drank a small glass of Benedictine (high!).
It was the sort of restaurant that really put the needs of the customer first. We were taught to recognise diners by name and how to give good service and get the best tips. This was basically assessing what each table needed and wanted, and was done when we brought bread rolls and complimentary pork Rillettes. The way people accepted these set the tone for that table for the evening. Some people wanted to be left alone, others wanted help with the wine list, others wanted to chat. Apart from good service, every table wants something different from a waiter or waitress.
If we weren’t serving we stood behind the long bar and watched for any sign that a table needed attention. If you cannot get the attention of a waiter or waitress in a good restaurant, I can assure you that you are being deliberately ignored. With a bit of practice, a waiter can spot a raised eyebrow at a distance of sixty feet.
One day, a lone woman booked a table. She arrived wearing a soft black leather trouser suit. She was sparky and gutsy. She ordered mussels, followed by rack of lamb.
“And what would you like to drink with your meal?”
She passed the extensive wine list back to me.
“I don’t know any of this wine. Have you got some of that Mathews stuff?”
My mind whirled. Was Mathews a wine importer or a brand?
Then as I turned over the word Mathews in my mind I twigged that she meant Mateus Rosé. A blended wine that would have had the rather pompous wine buyer frothing at the mouth.
I lied. “Yes of course we have.”
Within seconds I was shooting out through the back door and clambering over the fence behind the restaurant. I raced down to the wine shop at Clapham Junction and bagged a bottle of MR.
She tipped extremely well and became a regular. She arrived one day with an attractive man also dressed in soft black leather and, although she never dined alone again, they always drank that Mathews stuff.
I was a toymaker at the time and I’d put the wheels on my wooden cars and trains when I returned from restaurant. I sold them on Saturdays at Covent Garden Market. One Friday evening the soft leather couple were in the restaurant. As I gave them their bread rolls and Rillettes she mentioned to her friend that she had been kept awake by this banging every Friday night.
“I can’t understand where it’s coming from. At first I though it must be someone laying a carpet. But they can’t be laying a carpet every Friday night! It’s gone on for months and it’s driving me out of my mind.”
I cringed away and repaired to my place behind the bar. I remembered that I’d seen her in my road. She must have the attic flat adjacent to mine. I thought that it was best to come clean so when I served the starters I announced.
“I am the hammer banger that disturbs your Friday nights.”
They looked astonished.
“I must apologise. Because no one complained I thought that no one could hear.”
They were charming, left an extra large tip and I never put the wheels on my toys again after work.
And we always kept a few bottles of that Mathews stuff for when they dropped by.
Who is responsible for clearing the snow from the pavements in the UK??
Recipe for chicken, mushroom and tomato risotto
Thank you for your comments. And a bit of silly bath time fun with the Frothing Sea Monster trick!
Cutting energy costs
Recipe for sausages baked with herby garlic infused beans, bacon and tomato
Tracing some of my ancestors has taken me on a long journey
HG
What a lovely story. You gave her good service in more ways than she bargained for, LOL
Margaret
What a great tale! I used to waitress a lot and it brought back some wonderful memories of regular customers and unexpected incidents!
This brought back memories for me too. Spooky! Because I too was working as a waitress at that time and staying up late on Friday and Saturday nights to make things for sale at a market, but “my” restaurant wasn’t posh, it was Camden Lock, not Covent Garden and handmade jewellery rather than toys!
I think it was lovely of you not to correct her pronunciation even inadvertently, if you get my drift.
I was already enjoying the story about the lengths you went to to give good service, but I laughed out loud when I got to the punchline about the hammering! Thanks for starting my day with a smile yet again
Loved the tale. It only goes to prove that honesty is the best policy! And can have its bonuses too..
That story kept on getting better and better. Wonderful.
What a great story
I once did some waitering at Burghley horse trials, in the members’ enclosure. Strange contrasts – the bowler-hatted ex-military dressage judges, who were absolute gents, and a pleasure to serve. Compared to the vile drunkard public schoolboys on the showjumping day. Just pile up the dirty plates on their table and ignore the puce-faced perorations. Heh heh.
What a lovely story you paint. Were they the good old days or was it just a particularly good restaurant. I can’t imagine anyone being able to tell a story like that today.
Oops you paint pictures and tell stories don’t you!! End of a long day!
Great story Fiona.. thanks for sharing it with us.
“Thats Matt6hews Stuff” was the first wine I ever tasted.. my parents would drink it occasionally on a Friday night. They were usually beer drinkers.. but Mum was a pretty flashy seafood cook, so Dad would sometimes come home bearing wine
Hello Margaret
I often smile when I think of those days. Rather like my days now, no office politics but we did have divas in the kitchen.
Hi Springtime
Waitresses teaches you so much about life. I real rock face. I reckon that it was the tightest learning curve of my life and extremely valuable.
Hi Casalba
That is a bit weird! I liked Camden Lock market although I didn’t visit until I’d given up doing Covent Garden. The late nights and determination were tantamount. Exciting times.
Hello Veronica
Great that you enjoyed my post. Your comment gave me such a boost.
Hi Chris
But I was dishonest about the wine ? and that made all the difference!
Hi Z
Thanks for leaving a comment, much appreciated.
Hello S.O.L.
Remembering this story always brings me down to earth with a bump.
Hello Anthony
The restaurant often seems to reveal someone’s true colours. Fascinating stuff. With a captive staff all hell could break loose if the baddies let rip. I waitressed for four years and only met two or three tables of real nasties. I can still remember every detail 25 years later.
Hi KarenO
It was a very good restaurant. Quite expensive too but worth it. I often ate there as a customer as I knew that there would be good food and great service.
I think that there must be similar places in England today. We don’t eat out anymore so I can’t judge but if a restaurant wants to survive the recession surely it needs to develop these tactics. Good service is as important as good food.
Hello Belinda
That Mathews stuff is pretty good wine when it’s high summer and you want to drink something light. Chilled and properly served I’d enjoy it now.
I nearly missed this post Fiona, so glad I didn’t! xx