I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Hi, how are you tonight?  May I get you something to drink to start?

For me.  Wanna beer.  

Translated, this meant, I’ll take one beer.  

I had a version of this conversation 40 or 50 times a night when I was working in NYC.  

I’m not exaggerating. 

There were days at a time when I didn’t speak to a single guest who spoke English as first language.

I learned early on, that if I didn’t just give the guest a Budweiser, I was much more likely to get a tip.  Maybe not a 20% tip, but any tip is better than no tip.  

So, I began offering our entire beer list to any guest who wanted a beer.

Bud, Bud Light, Stella, Heineken, Guinness, Sam Adams, Shocktop, New Castle…

Most of the time the guest ordered Budweiser.  But not always.  

I also learned that 98% of the rest of the world speaks a little English.  Enough to order a cheeseburger and nachos.  If you speak slowly to them and take your time, they could order the food they wanted and not feel taken advantage of.  (Remind me to tell you about this restaurant’s policies in the 1990’s).  

Most of my old co-workers probably don’t know this, but I gave several 45-minute coaching sessions to new employees on how to make money from every guest, not just the ones from Nebraska.  I put together handouts and everything.  This was in late April, early May and I left a few weeks later, so I don’t know if they worked.  

This was brought to memory when the week before Xmas I heard someone say, for me wanna beer, at my restaurant.  I was immediately transported to Times Square, waiting tables.  

The whole reason for the post is that at one restaurant in Buenos Aires I said, For me.  Wanna beer.  

I have no idea why.  I was embarrassed as soon as it came out of my mouth.  But out it came.  

I ended up with a Giant Stella on my table.  Served with nuts, because apparently, in Argentina beer is always served with nuts. 

Adam laughed at me and asked why I said it like that.  I couldn’t answer.  It didn’t happen again.

As I said, I was embarrassed.  

But as I said, over and over again in Buenos Aires as I did or said something stupid.  I’ll never see these folks again, so don’t worry about it.  

Meanwhile, if you still work at my restaurant in NYC, don’t just give them a Budweiser.  Offer them the list.  You’ll make more money.