I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

New restaurant was busy tonight.

Summertime busy.

And it was near perfect.

Around 7:30 we slowed down seating. The team was getting bogged down.

The only reason is we are struggling with muscle memory.

To quote someone I used to know, everything is a choice.

Where are the water glasses? Where are the knives? Where is the button for the halibut? Which wine is the California Chardonnay?

I three weeks tonight will seem slow.

The team killed it tonight.

But we did slow down seating.

And everyone.

And I do mean everyone was gracious about it.

Except for table 25.

They were pissed.

They were the only ones who pushed back.

The only people all night who had a food complaint and the only person who grunted when I skied how dinner was.

I’ll take that as a win.

The one fun story is that table 53 ordered a bottle of wine.

The server was trying a new J1 server who just arrived from Serbia.

She let him open the wine.

I could see across the room he was struggling.

I walked up to the table.

Gently asked if I could assist.

Explained to him how to do the proper service.

Looked at the guests and said I have done this anywhere except for home in 15 years. And gently opened the bottle.

The server poured the wine.

The guests loved everything.

The nerves will be great when he’s a little less nervous.

New country.

New language.

New job.

I’d be nervous too.