Tip: Treat the server well!
Over the years, I have tried to develop the habit of being observant and learning from different situations that take place around me each day. I have discovered that much can be learned about an individual’s character by observing their actions in a restaurant. One of the most telling ways is in how they treat the server.
I have four daughters and at one time or another all four of them have been servers in a restaurant. I suppose that is why I am so sensitive to how servers are treated. Of course, I understand that servers can be male or female, but I think it is important to treat females especially nice. I have never believed in equal rights; I have always believed in superior rights for women! That is – I think we should always treat a woman with a little more care than we would treat one of the guys. I still believe it is polite to open the door far a female. It is okay if you disagree with me on this issue. You have been wrong about other things over the years, so one more won’t matter! Ha, ha!
We all have jobs to do and sometimes it is very difficult to keep our attitudes up during the process of our work day. However, a server does not have the luxury of letting his or her guard down. People expect to be treated well when they go out to eat and if they are not, the server’s tips are often affected. But, whether they deserve it or not, it is still important to treat them nicely.
I remember hearing Zig Ziglar’s son, Tom, tell of a time when his family was eating out and a waitress was a bit rude to them. Zig made the comment, “Let’s be especially nice to her today. She is having a difficult time, so let’s do everything we can to encourage her!” See what I mean? That says a lot about Zig’s character! I have been with Zig on many occasions and watched the way he treats people and it was always the same way, very respectful. In other words, he was real both on and off the stage! I wonder if that has had anything to do with understanding the different sales training programs he created over the years?! Could it possibly be that by working well with others causes them to respond back to you in a better manner?
Years ago, I heard the story of a big executive who had an interesting way of telling whether a prospective employee was objective or not by taking them out to eat. He would watch to see if they salted their food before taking the first bite. It was his theory that if they tasted their food before salting it, they would be more objective in their approach to other things as well. He reasoned that it was not possible to know whether something needs extra salt if it has not yet even been tasted. Now, that might be a silly way of judging whether a person is objective or not, but I think there is a lot of wisdom in that observation! Whether it is watching how one treats the waitress or how one salts his or her food, the behavior of others can reveal much about who they are if you take the time to listen and observe.
Although it is not my intent to be judgmental, I find it difficult not to evaluate the way someone treats the server. The next time you and I go out to eat together, please treat the waiter or waitress well. I believe the way you treat him or her will demonstrate how you will treat customers and other people along the way. As a general rule, if you treat those who serve you with respect, you are likely to treat others with respect as well. It is, in my opinion, a good way to evaluate a person’s character to see how they treat the people with whom they come in contact on a daily basis.
I have often thought if school teachers treated students as though they were potential customers in a store about to spend money, the whole tone of the classroom might change. Respect and kindness work well together. It is not a way one street. Whatever you demonstrate towards others usually comes back to you many times over! The old saying is still true, “You reap what you sow!”
This week it might be a good idea to pay attention to your own actions in this regard. I know I do. I have observed if I treat the server with kindness and respect it sets a tone in my own personal life and business to treat everyone else in a respectful manner as well. I believe this simple habit has helped me to be a better person and I am confident it will do the same for you!
Tip: Treat the server well!
Have a great week! God bless you!
Dr. Robert A. Rohm
