Work - The pros and the cons... - The Bear and Badger

Tempy

Last shift at the bar last night. Have worked there a year longer than planned, but them's the breaks.

It was a cunt of a shift. The storm abated so we were mobbed and understaffed as predictions had been a quiet night.

At one point I was left to deal with a two-till stretch of the bar effectively on my own. As the line of people grew, I thought back to that messy chat we had about bar staffing, and the wise words of MK64, who had suspiciouns that us bar staff do not operate a proper 'system' when serving people which is why they get irate and don't tip.

So I thought to myself, let's practice the preaching. I worked my way from till 2 to till 1, right to left serving people (as I knew most of the people by till 2 had been waiting longer as they tills are busiest at 4 and quietest at one). I was only able to do cash transactions at till 1 however, as that was the till I was primarily assigned to.

I worked my way along, with people clicking at me, people waving cash at me, people rolling their eyes and loudly complaining about the service, despite the fact I was firing drinks out like a pro. One guy decided he'd had enough of waiting. As I was getting change for a customer's order at till 1 he said "Have you thought about maybe servivng this end of the bar?" despite the fact he had watched me serve in order, a line of custoemrs from Right to Left, getting closer to him each time.

I looked at him, and gestured along the 6ft length between the two tills and said "I understand you're waiting, but unless you know how I can serve all of these people at the same time, I think you'll just need to wait your turn pal."

Suffice to say I got no more or less tips or complaints and grumbles than I did from any other method of serving people when it's busy, leading me to believe that people are just fucking cunts and I am glad to see the back of that shithole.

nick_md

I always think if I won the lottery I'd quit my job and work in a pub, but not a busy one like that, I'll take weekday mornings and afternoon, 3 days a week, for the retired day drinkers and horse racing enthusiasts. Proper shifts like yours would end me, glad you got through it, Temps. I know it's a cliché but I'm sure it was character building, or at least you can refer back to it for shit workplace stories.

nick_md

We're moving office next month and I'm told that in the new place it's a 10 minute walk from building entrance to our actual office, wtaf?! I don't believe it myself, like fag breaks are gonna be 25mins long?

Wookienopants

Temps I’m sorry you’ve had to put up with that at work, it’s so hard dealing with the public in an environment where most of them are under the influence of alcohol.
I’ve come to realise that a larger percentage of the public than we would like are utter cunts. There are good people out there but the trouble is when the ones you have to deal with are intoxicated you tend to just see the bad side. It’s the nature of the job I suppose.
That and the total lack of support you’ve received at work too.

Look at the silver lining, it’s a part of your life you can close the door on and look back in many years as character building.

You’ll be ok mate

afgavinstan

Diluted Dante

nick_md wrote:

We're moving office next month and I'm told that in the new place it's a 10 minute walk from building entrance to our actual office, wtaf?! I don't believe it myself, like fag breaks are gonna be 25mins long?

The fuck is your office?

I work in a mill, and our office is on the 2nd floor, at the opposite end from the entrance. That's 3-5 mins depending on walking speed.

LivDiv

Is it one of those gated office community things with bars and a courtyard thing?

nick_md

Innit. Apparently there are several escalators that go opposite ways, then a walk or something I don't know.

cockbeard

Yes gav

Tempy

TBH I don't believe the public in genreal are cunts, just a certain slice that frequented our bar. Generally just entitled older people I found. Given that I've done customer service in some form for... 16 years now it baffles me how frequently people who interact with serving staff have no idea how things work. Different classes I guess.

LivDiv

I do wonder about people like that. If the service is apparently so bad and they are having such a terrible time why dont they fuck off elsewhere.

afgavinstan

Always found the older the customer the ruder. Apart from G, he's lovely.

regmcfly

This isn't the Brexit they voted for.

Tempy

LivDiv wrote:

I do wonder about people like that. If the service is apparently so bad and they are having such a terrible time why dont they fuck off elsewhere.

It's a weid one isn't it. I am sure alcohol plays a part in it, but some people just come primed to whinge about stuff. A lot of it I feel is putting on airs or playing to assumptions. Gin is particuarly vile for this. Lots of ice, big goblet, fruit needed - if you don't do this they complain. But who cares? It's fuckin' Gordon's Pink Gin or whatever, you're in a shity pub at 11pm on a miserable friday in Glasgow. But it has to be done right, and you can exert some manner of pressure on the person being paid to serve you I gues, so for a moment you're aspiring for something else. I am probably getting too deep on tis, but I hated gin culture when at the bar. Less than 1 minute's walk from our pub there is a bar that specialises in Gin. Fuck off there if you want the "true gin experience".

EvilRedEye

boomers in 'are cunts' shocker

bad_hair_day

If they're paying pub prices, why shouldn't they want some fruit in the gin? Are we talking a slice of lemon?

RedDave2

I'd imagine you'd be pretty pissed if McDonald's serve you your fries in the mcflurry Cup.

LivDiv

RedDave2 wrote:

I'd imagine you'd be pretty pissed if McDonald's serve you your fries in the mcflurry Cup.

I genuinely don't think I would give a shit.

Armitage_Shankburn

Tempy wrote:

Last shift at the bar last night. Have worked there a year longer than planned, but them's the breaks. It was a cunt of a shift. The storm abated so we were mobbed and understaffed as predictions had been a quiet night. At one point I was left to deal with a two-till stretch of the bar effectively on my own. As the line of people grew, I thought back to that messy chat we had about bar staffing, and the wise words of MK64, who had suspiciouns that us bar staff do not operate a proper 'system' when serving people which is why they get irate and don't tip. So I thought to myself, let's practice the preaching. I worked my way from till 2 to till 1, right to left serving people (as I knew most of the people by till 2 had been waiting longer as they tills are busiest at 4 and quietest at one). I was only able to do cash transactions at till 1 however, as that was the till I was primarily assigned to. I worked my way along, with people clicking at me, people waving cash at me, people rolling their eyes and loudly complaining about the service, despite the fact I was firing drinks out like a pro. One guy decided he'd had enough of waiting. As I was getting change for a customer's order at till 1 he said "Have you thought about maybe servivng this end of the bar?" despite the fact he had watched me serve in order, a line of custoemrs from Right to Left, getting closer to him each time. I looked at him, and gestured along the 6ft length between the two tills and said "I understand you're waiting, but unless you know how I can serve all of these people at the same time, I think you'll just need to wait your turn pal." Suffice to say I got no more or less tips or complaints and grumbles than I did from any other method of serving people when it's busy, leading me to believe that people are just fucking cunts and I am glad to see the back of that shithole.

For the next step in this scienc experiment, I suggest being a hot, busty lass, preferably tight t shirt. See if you get more tips

nick_md

Just the tip(s)

Tempy

bad_hair_day wrote:

If they're paying pub prices, why shouldn't they want some fruit in the gin? Are we talking a slice of lemon?

I’ve no issue with giving it to them if we have it. Sometimes we don’t. It’s their indignity that does me in. Places run out of stuff.

RedDave2 wrote:

I'd imagine you'd be pretty pissed if McDonald's serve you your fries in the mcflurry Cup.

I mean a container is a container but for gin it really doesn’t matter that much. I’ve tried it in both, gordon’s is gordon’s and again, we have limited glasses. I have tried to convey how busy our bar gets, and why a complaint is pointless.

Christ I sometimes wonder why I bother ever saying anything in this place. Have to clarify every little thing I say. The customer is correct, it’s a good job I quit I guess.

Tempy

This place is bad for my mental health. In the bin.

afgavinstan

I've been there. Frustration with constant contrary views when you just want to vent. This place can be bad for it and I've been guilty of it too in the past. We care, man. As much as it may seem some don't. We all do.

Tempy

I’ve lived this shit for a year, in fuckin’ fine with my views on it. Feel so alien at times. fuckin fuck

bad_hair_day

Yeah Temps, it amused me you resented the entitlement of it rather than you ran out. No excuse for being rude to you though, and it's shitty men don't get the tips.

LivDiv

I wouldn't expect a fancy glass and particular fruit in a G&T from a normal pub.
I don't think I had even seen those fish bowl sized things up until a few years ago. Any glass is fine for a standard G&T really. A slice of lemon is fine.

It is certainly nicer to get the correct glass and to pick and choose fruit but if things are busy just roll with it.

Or fuck off elsewhere and probably pay double because they employ twice as many people and have umpteen million glasses.

The people who really piss me off are the ones that moan but don't help out a bit by bringing glasses back to the bar with them. Complain about not having the right glass while sat at a table covered in empties. Idiots.

Tempy

Tips are fine, they’re split. It’s just the presumption I don’t get the customers view or am being needlessly brash in my feelings. I’m not talking about lazy Sundays here. I know the limits of our stock, our glasses, and what we can do when we’re three deep at the bar for four hours straight.

@Liv that’s exactly it! I could upload the pictures I took of the bar last saturday - after half an hour of three people glass collecting after customers had left there were still 5+ tables covered in glasses! People
don’t bring them back!

I’m not a belligerent fucking retard, i know what i’m talking about just give me this one fucking last vent!

Diluted Dante

Tempy wrote:

Christ I sometimes wonder why I bother ever saying anything in this place. Have to clarify every little thing I say. The customer is correct, it’s a good job I quit I guess.

No, the customer is a cunt. And I should know, I'm frequently one.

Wookienopants

The customer is rarely right.

cockbeard

Feel free to vent, you're certainly entitled to and people can be cunts. Not sure it's the customers fault that there are five tables covered in glasses though. I assume that the bar charges more for beer than Asda, so maybe expecting something more than I get from Asda isn't that unreasonable

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories