I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

A food runner, who is 16, gave his notice last week.  

Tonight, was his last night.

He’s a sweet kid, but his job, school, life were too much for him to keep up with.  

So, he made the decision to leave the job.

He was nervous when he told me.  

I assured him that he was not the first person to give notice, and although I’d be sad to see him go, and he’d be missed, and we wanted nothing but the best for him

At the end of his shift tonight, he came up to say his final goodbye.

I stuck out my hand to shake his.  

He offered me his and we shook.

I told him he’d be missed, but ended by saying can we do that again?

I stuck out my hand, and said as he reached for mine, to grab it firmly this time.

The repeat handshake was great.  

I told him to always grip the hand firmly and look the person he is shaking with in the eye.

I said to remember this for today, and for every hand he shakes from now on.

It was a very sweet moment.

He then went down the line with the other food runners practicing his new found handshake.

This is not the first time I’ve had this conversation with a 16 year.  

Both boys and girls.  

I hope he carries this with him.  

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

I was on the door tonight, as I am every Saturday night.

We were busy tonight.  Summer busy.

Around 5:20 the phone rings, and no one is standing in front of me so I answer it.

Hello, thank you for calling the restaurant.  How may I help you?

A voice on the other end says, Hey, is Jeff around?

It’s Saturday night.  Of course, I am around.  However, I do not have time to take a phone call.  Anyone calling me wants something and I can’t be on the phone for 10 minutes helping.

I say, Jeff is here but he can’t come to the phone.  

The person says, are you the maitre’d?  

I say, I am the host.

He now wants to know my name.  

I say Jason.

He begins, by telling me who he is. 

He was part of a party of 5 that were in earlier in the week.  

He proceeds to tell me that he is calling because collegues of his are coming in to sit at the bar, and he wants to make sure they are taken care of.

I have no idea what he means, or wants.

I listen.  He keeps talking.

I ask who’s name the reservation is under, and he gives it to me.  I can’t find it.  

He continues.

I listen, finally interrupt and say I’ll pass along message to Jeff and Chef.

We hang up.

I’m sure he knew it was me.

But who calls on a Saturday night, to do this.

And what does he expect me to do?  Short of comping their meal, the service he will get will the same service we off every night, which is exemplary.  

I’m pretty sure that the people he was calling about showed up without a reservation at 6:30. They had made their reservation for last night and no showed.  

I got them seated, but once again was not sure it was them.  They said on the way out they’d had a great time.