Ill make it short as possible.  I served at Ocharley's.  For those who dont know, its in the catagory of outback, olive garden and red lobster.  I got fired wed.  Ive worked there 2yrs 5mo.  Served for almost 2 years, i cooked for the first couple months.  Ive had 5 costomer complaints that i know of since i started working.  Only 1 is lagit in my book.  In order:
1 - in the first couple weeks, i kinda got swamped and it was slow service.  Lagit.

2 - 3or 4 'canadians'.  Lady wanted mango Iced tea with the mango syrup on the side.  the iced t gets an orange which my side of the place was out of.  Bring out drinks and tell them id be out with the orange and bread.  I bring out those along with another drink they just told me they wanted.  said id be back with plates for the bread.  Come back out and they're gone, told a manager they were leaving because service was terrible.  WTF could i possibley do!?

3 - same day as 3, tell an old lady that she cant get salsa(goes on chicken for particular dish) withought the spice(pre made) but i could put it on the side.  She tells a manager i said she had to get the salsa, cant get the chicken w/spice instead.  I NEVER said that, she didnt ask, if she did, our matto is "absolutely" (yea, real gay).

4 - People call in and say they like me, good service, polite, but food took a long time and a manager never came to the table.  I was busy, didnt realize the food was taking a while, and every time i went to the table, they said everything was "great".  Our restaraunt is notorious for giving free food and discounts for almost all complaints.  I think thats what they were after.

the finisher 5 - drink orders are put in a computer and go to the bar, i couldnt ring in drinks due to someones elses mistake, bar tender took a while to make them.  the people were getting upset it was taking so long.  I had a manager take the drinks out and talk to the people, about 1/2 through meals they said i was horrible, i gave them the same service as everyone else and was getting 18-25% tips all night so .

I had a manager tell me i would proly get let go after 2 and 3 above, but the next day the GM said "forget it."  Said manager is now our GM, and ive been told 2x after i was getting fired, once for each incedent(its real this time.)  

After compaint 5, management said i have too many complaints and got to let me go.  From their perspective, I understand, i could be making excuses.  I thought about each situation and how i could fix it and im stumped.  This shit RARELY happens to other people, ive only heard of bogus complaints from 3 or so other servers.  So did i miss something?  Or are people just fucked up and i got screwed.  I hated the job and was looking for a new one anyway, but just wanted to vent.  Cant wait to graduate!!!

I'm curious about the chicken and spice, what's the deal there?

That one would have been no tip no matter what you did.

Yup...

Well, maybe you could go to school and learn to spell, once you can spell there is a whole world of opportunity which does not include serving tables at a second rate steak place.

this quote is legit

You might not be cut out for the service industry.  I've been waiting like ten minutes for an answer on the spice chicken situation.

Go find another job in something else. Food service is real tough to be in. I think I would last about a day doing that.

wtf?  Cant someone start a tinfoil hat scenario?  Holy Crap!!!!  Im sitting here watching tv and playing on arfcom.

I was kinda curious about that myself.

Were you wearing enough flair?
I believe 16 pieces is the minimum.

Which O'Charley's in Ohio?

It's a shit job. There's plenty of them out there (even in this economy though more digging may be required). Don't get worked up over it, find something that sucks less.

But service is terrible, I'm leaving this thread.

An average of 1 complaint every 4-6 months doesn't sound like anything to get worked up over.  

That's not the reason they are letting you go.  There is something else about you they don't like.  Figure out what it is and fix it.  

Education comes in many forms.  Most are not in classrooms.

2 lagit to quit

He probably is the 'crazy guy' we all work with

Yup.

The complaints are the convenient excuse, because someone is too much of a panzy-ass to level with you about the real reason.

Perhaps they are cutting their staff?  Have you pissed someone off?

The thing is, this was 100% your fault.



You can't see it from your perspective.  Its all in how you deal with the customer.





Lets take them in order:



1.  You were new, shit happens.



2.  You should not have brought out the drinks without having them properly prepared.  How long would it have taken you to walk over and grab the orange before you brought out the tea?  Also, you failed to bring out the plates that were supposed to be there for the bread.



3.  It appears to me that you failed to properly explain what the situation was, OR you failed to understand what the customer was asking you to do.  



4.  You aren't making the customer your priority.  There is no excuse for you not noticing that the food was not there when it should be.



5.  You say you couldn't ring in drinks because of someone else's mistake.  You should have immediately gone to the table and explained to the customers that there was a computer issue, you were working to resolve it, and you would have their drinks out as soon as possible.  Then, you go to your manager, explain the situation and ask to comp their drinks.  When you take the drinks to the table, you let them know they are on the house due to the problem.
I'm just saying there is a pattern to your complaints, and that is lack of attentiveness.   Its hard to train you on it over the net, but the thing is, you have treat EVERY customer as if they are the most important person in your life.  You need to know what is going on at their table.  Are some of your complaints borderline retarded?  Yeah, they are.  But over time they show a pattern.  For every person who complains, there are 10 who didn't....

I take #3as she wanted salsa w/ the chilies and peppers, ie the spice.

Do you mind if I make that my motto?

5 complaints in 2.5 years seems like nothing.




 

face it ,20% of your customers are assholes,just like members here who complain of spelling and grammar. working for the public sucks.

I really don't know how anyone puts up with the Bull Shit as long as you did.

2 years in food service?

"Hell is other people"  -Jean Paul Sartre

Serving is a bitch and no matter what you will get complaints.  A happy customer will eat, drink, tip well and leave.  A pissed off customer (whether its your fault or they are just miserable angry people) will leave a mark against you.  That is just how it is.  My advise is to work for a better run restaurant where managers can see for themselves how well you work.

What's wrong with people? By and large, they're both selfish and stupid. You should be thanking the manager for firing you. Get a job where you don't have to interact with the general populace, and you will be much happier.

what do you mean by 'canadians'?

im in a similar boat having worked in a few different restaurants after the past 3 years(im in school also)  

i have 3 explanations for you being fired....

1.  the managers dont see what youve done right, only what youve done wrong.  some are like that, others are fiercely loyal to quality servers.  those are the ones who run profitable operations

2.  they needed to cut back on staff and you were on the shit list at the time

3. your section was too large to effeciently serve the tables you had


hope that helps, im trying to see it from both sides

well as bad as it sounds, in the food service industry, "canadians" are known for giving 10% tips on stellar service and complaining when the service/food is only adequate.

there are exceptions to every rule but thats the cold hard truth for 80% i have ever encountered

Ok, for the rest of you.



The approved ARFcom term for "Canadians" is "Presidents".



If you need another hint, we currently have a President who is half "Canadian".



 

It's a euphemism for Blacks.  The (often reinforced) stereotype is they are notoriously poor tippers.

I know what it means

I think he means negros. I bet the real Canadians love that.

wow, they're going to let you graduate

....

Admit it, you were fired for "Wing Hunt II: The Return of the Floor Chicken."

Michaëlle Jean frowns on your shenanigans.
 
 

Not sure whose subtle thread appearances I find more amusing, yours or The Beekeeper's.

It sounds like the place was a real clusterfuck.  Count this as a learning opportunity.  Corporations like to talk a lot about teamwork and all that.  It's only a "team" when there is no reason to screw you.  

Also, it sounds like you're probably a shitty server.  But it doesn't sound like it was a very good place to learn how to be a good one.  Don't take it personal.  Get your education and leave these assholes in the dust.

 

I had a server-hawttie in Flight School. She told me that REAL Canadians are shitty tippers.



Cheap hoser bastards!

aww, cute, someone who thinks grammar and spelling is the all telling aspect of anyone's intelligence.

i can build engines, fabricate things, fix anything mechanical... but i SUCK at writing.  i always seem to over complicate my own writing but yet, it doesnt affect my mechanical abilities.   im sure hes a smart kid that just thinks he got a sort of raw deal.  whether its his fault or not, you or anyone in here attacking him for spelling, grammar, or even overall content of a RANT is pretty ignorant and  petty.  5 complaints in 2.5 years is nothing... the girly got that in 2-3 months at austin grill.  so lay off, or is your e-penis not big enough yet?

Keith's postings of very badly translated Chinese school texts have been fabulous.

 oh the great work of Fherbert is summerized by a lolcat..

thats great

ok its the web, i dont take time to spell check.

There is only a couple of legit reasons for termination.  1-not capable of doing the job or learning how to do the job.  And 2- having a horrible attitude.
Instead of looking in the mirror to find fault, 99% of the time it's not personal, it's just the way it is.  Everyone moves on and with any luck at all finds something that they are happier doing next.  In a year from now you won't even remember this seeming rejection.  Smile