I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Hmmm.

Last Friday and Saturday I charged more people for missing their reservations than the sum total since I started.

The fallout has been huge.

And difficult.

And fun.

And hard.

All at the same time.

First.

I discussed with the owner today about whether it’s worth losing a customer over a 4 top that is a no show.

It’s a hard scenario.

Yes we want to respect and honor our base.

But.

We had a ridiculous amount of cancellations last Friday and Saturday.

But he agrees.

Something needs to stop.

We are hiring, scheduling, stocking, prepping for the reservations we have.

If we lose more than a 100 guests it’s a problem for us our staff and our guests we turn away.

I’m still getting complaints.

Tonight a woman reached out.

She had a reservation for last Friday.

She realized Friday afternoon she couldn’t find the gift card she was given by a friend.

She calls the restaurant to ask how to get the number.

It was an electronic gift card.

Ordered online.

The host relays that we need the last four of the credit card, the amount and the approximate date.

And we can find it.

She is also told that we won’t be able to look it up tonight as service has started and it takes a while.

20 minutes later 15 minutes into service the woman cancels.

I charge her for the reservation.

She is upset that we couldn’t look up the reservation on Friday at 5:15 on a holiday weekend.

She is upset that we can’t just use the name of the purchaser.

She is upset she was charged $50.

She is upset that she has to get additional information from her friend.

She is angry that she can’t find the text message she received since her phone died and was replaced.

FUN FACT:

None of this is my fault.

It’s busy. I can’t step off the floor for ten minutes to look up your card.

We use our POS for gift cards. The name of the purchaser isn’t even collected.

I need the last four of the credit card to do anything.

But.

The most FUNNEST Fact of all.

We don’t ever ever ever ever ever ever ever text a gift card.

Ever.

Ever.

Ever.

It’s an email.

Your phone number isn’t even asked for.

So unless Google has closed your gmail account you can access your gift card.

And somehow.

Somehow.

On Friday night.

Of Memorial Day Weekend.

This is my fault.

Meanwhile.

I need to reply to her email.

And it will be necessary to be kind.

All the while not being my fault.

Thoughts?

Once.

Upon.

A

Time.

There was a General Manager of a restaurant that ruled a small castle in a coastal new England town.

He ruled with a fair but steady hand.

The staff of the castle liked working there and were rewarded nicely.

The guests who frequented the castle enjoyed it immensely.

The the king of the small castle, David was happy with the outcome.

And was loved by all.

Things in the castle were good.

Little did we know evil was lurking in the shadows.

One of the BIG rulers of the country was spying on the castle and staff.

And he did something he shouldn’t have.

A staff member complained.

And things started to crumble.

Slowly at first but two months later the castle was closed.

The king was replaced.

The general manager was replaced.

The staff was replaced.

Everyone was sad.

The guests.

The staff.

The general manager.

The king.

We all moved on as one is wont to do in these cases.

Fast forward 4.5 years.

The king is happy.

The staff is happy.

The guests are happy

All at other castles.

And the general manager is in charge of a castle not far from the original one.

He is happy again.

But.

Minions from the country of the original castle stop by.

And they compliment him on his efforts.

The staff is great.

The service is great.

The candies are lit.

The lamps are charged.

The guests are treated well.

I comment that it’s easy when you treat them with respect and kindness. When they make money. When the food is consistently good.

They are jealous.

They get pushback in their kingdom.

The GM laughs and says it was never a problem when it was his castle.

And he laughs. And laughs.

Because the current leaders can’t manage their teams.

Perhaps he should offer to consult.

Meanwhile.

In the GM’s current castle life is good.

And the evil owners from before stop by and tell him how wonderful his castle is.

And the story will continue.

The

End.