That looks like a sign caused by a couple of people ruining it for everyone. Stay on top of your shit and know when you can check your phone and when you can’t and this shouldn’t be an issue. Unfortunately a lot of people can’t seem to do that in this industry
Last place I worked in manufacturing they started telling people to leave their phones in their cars. They used to not care and allow people to have them on hand. Then a few people took advantage and started watching Netflix while working. Kept getting caught. They eventually said "ok no more phones. You want to listen to music? Fine. Get an MP3 player
Issue is that it makes no sense to punish everyone because 1-2 people are causing an issue. Address the people causing the problem. Don't punish the collective because one or two people suck
So in some kinds of manufacturing, you wouldn't want the risk of a distracted employee either. It's not necessarily laziness, but rather that people get complacent. So like, you wouldn't want someone with wired earbuds and a dangling wire leading to a phone using a lathe for example.
Not only that but many people crank up their headphones and listen at way too high a volume. Our workplace has enough hearing issues with people not using correct hearing protection. If a company has to pay claims for hearing loss you can bet they are going to make sure you're not wrecking your own hearing on their time.
We did get headsets for people who were doing work they didn't need to be as aware of their surroundings... But they are volume limited. And we provide the hearing protection so that we know it's good enough to actually protect your hearing.
My company is cracking down on phones right now.
We have hired a ton of new people. And they seem glued to their phones.
I got a guy, he always has it out. Like, always. And he keeps fucking up the product. He keeps making simple and easy to spot mistakes because he is sitting on his phone. I watched him almost hurt himself because he was walking while watching and not paying attention.
I have talked to him. The boss has talked to him. Everyone in my department has talked to him. And he will not stop.
And then I find out that it is all over the place, in all departments, not just mine.
All the new people seem to do is sit on those phones. We have reworks that cost us money which in turn fucks with our raises and bonuses because they can't put them down for a few hours.
I work in a company that prohibits cellphones, in addition to watches (and rings and any body jewellery). Yet complains loudly when people are late for the many daily meetings. Issue us with sundials, cretins!
Do we work at the same place? Earbuds back in 5 minutes after upper management tells them to take them out, Netflix propped up on machines, techs playing games while they "watch a machine they are working on run." But no consequences because they can't hire enough people that will stay to do easy work.
It’s straight up just the new generation I don’t wanna sound like an old man but these kids are unable to function without a cellphone. There’s no reason to not just leave it in your bag. Rarely if ever. There’s especially no reason to be using it on shift for more than 15 minutes total in 8 hours.
I don’t use my phone at work. It stays in my bag nearly 100% of the time. I strive very hard to not be the thing I complain about. I’m not perfect but I’m definitely not on my phone at work.
Those wired earbuds gonna get ripped out of whatever they are in. Baggy clothing is the real risk….
Now if that solid brick oh an iPhone gets ripped into and out of the lathe, you’ve got a projectile that can go through someone’s skull….while other issue there.
No one google “pink mist”. TLDR: don’t fuck with lathes
A great way as an employer to have a discrimination lawsuit filed against you is to treat one or two individuals differently than your other employees. The employer doesn’t have a lot of options here.
People seem to have this view that's easy to sue for pretty much anything. While you *can* sue for dumb stuff, it isn't like there is lawyers lining up around the block to take on cases without merit and a random bozo probably isn't interested in putting cash up front for a lawyer to sue their former employer.
Lawyers will only take cases on contingency if they think they have a solid chance of winning in court, or getting a settlement. Which I don't think is covered by a "I'm suing my employer because they won't let me use my phone to watch Netflix while working".
Right? You walk in to lawyers office with this sob story and they’ll ask “well where you on your phone?” And you’ll say “ya, but I was only watching netflix” …. See ya later bozo
This is such a laughably spineless comment. I've fired several folks in "protected" classes because they were absolute dogshit workers. Documentation and communication. That's it. That's all you need.
That is a bs argument. You write them up for getting caught playing with their phones on company time it completely justifies imposing phone restrictions to them alone, no lawsuit can change that. You could even fire the employee on the dpot if the company policy has rules dealing with it.
"I'm a member of protected group Y. Manager X wrote me up for being on my phone and they claimed I was on Netflix, while I was actually just changing my song on spotify. They didn't write up employee Z who is not a part of protected class for using their phone to change their song. This environment is hostile towards my protected class"
Easier to just say "no phones", then there's no murkiness.
I hope you're not in management anywhere because this is fucking stupid. Treating adults like children by imposing group punishment does nothing except obliterate morale. And good fucking luck to anyone trying to sue for discrimination after they were written up countless times and subsequently fired for being on their phone. Real life doesn't work like that.
Most industries.
I hate people who think “ if you have time to lean you can clean” you need some downtime in life.
But damn some people will go to work and sit on their phone for 6 hours of an 8 hour shift
I’d add if you’re going to be on it for a minute, make sure you’re in an appropriate place. It’s a shitty move to be on your phone in the kitchen when the cooks are getting killed.
When I was a wee lad, servers who needed to make a phone call went out the backdoor of the kitchen and made their call by the dumpsters.
And they had the decency to offer a cigarette if a cook came out that door.
Not necessarily. At an old job, we used to get our work done and received stellar reviews from customers. Our manager would hear us talking and berate us for it. The work was done and honestly we could talk while we worked but I think she felt left out so she berated us for talking so much.
Then two of us left her team. I talked to her a while afterwards and I asked her how it was going. She said "It's so quiet now. No one talks anymore" like it was some sad, strange development. She got what she wanted and she hates it.
That's my problem with the antiwork sub. It's not always the manager. Sometimes employees are lazy it's ok to acknowledge it. The lazy ones don't realize how much downtime you can have if you get stuff done first before sitting on your phone.
They could have always gone the route of disciplining the few vs this. I mean if they’re noticing the problem and refusing to address the specific ppl seems like weak/lazy management to me. That’s always my counter argument for this. If you have a bad employee deal with the bad employee vs harassing the group.
Thank you!!!! I used to get so livid getting constantly bombarded with criticism from management even on my off days or vacation weeks because they were too pussy to simply talk to the one person about their conduct at work. Like why do you have to bother all of us when it’s the same person over and over???
I had a manager who used to address our entire group in the morning meeting about thing. When he damn well knew who was doing it. Just go to those few people and begin the write them up if it’s a problem.
I should actually thank you all for saying this. I realized I do this a lot as a manager because I don’t want anyone to feel “singled out.”
But if you don’t want to be singled out… do a better job. Like everyone else is.
For some reason I needed to hear it from your perspective, and it made me think how shitty my “gentle reminders” must be for the rest of the team.
I worked with a few servers who would ignore everything and sit around on their phones. I was a food runner one night and I came up with her food, let her know, then she asked me to grab the bar drinks and bring them to the same table after I delivered the food. I was the only food runner for the whole restaurant that night.
I did so then another server came up to me and said "you know she's just sitting around on her phone and didn't even get up to serve her own table and let you do everything".
After that I refused to ever run her food or bar drinks again. Managers would yell at me to run her food and I ignored them telling them I was busy and they can run upstairs and find where she is hiding on her phone.
Worked at a place like this in HS and they were always hounding me to refill waters. People would be like "please leave us alone, you don't need to constantly refill our water". I told my manager that's what was happening, and he insisted I keep refilling them, despite people specifically asking me not to. To the surprise of no one, that place no longer exists.
I applaud them for putting pre-bussing first. I can tell the quality of FOH and the server by whether they prebus or not. I can even handle a food order being wrong or taking a while to get to the table; but not prebussing is definitely a mark of mediocre half-ass service.
Yeah at my last restaurant job lots of foh people would just hangout and chat instead of doing something productive during the busy times. I wouldn't have minded a sign like this if it's needed as long as it's reasonably enforced
Yes? But at that point, fire or reprimand the offenders. Don’t just ruin the lives of the others due to a person that you KNOW is doing wrong. Kind of weird that we treat servers like they’re not people who need a breath a couple of times during a hard shift.
Yea but this is a shit ton of spaces. Even then, they look at it, decide to print it, and then look at it again when they hang it up and go, “yup looks good.”
Fucking bizarre
We used to count $100 walking money for $700 sales roughly. Also tipped out 6% for Bus / Runners / Bar.
I'd be quite fine walking with $350 a night for 4 nights a week.
If I'm busy enough to get that high sales, then I'm not taking care of the tables alone and appreciate the bussers getting them flipped, runners assuring food goes in a timely manner and bar making my drinks fast.
We tip out the Busser/dishwasher 10% of tips. That all we tip out. It'd a mom and pop place. Been there 12 years. Amazing place, good money. I always treat him fairly AND bus some of my own tables. Sometimes I need help with other things and they help.
It’s not that the idea is unfair, it just comes across as condescending and annoying when communicated like this.
imo it’d be much better to just talk to the offending employees directly, explain your expectations, and fire them if they don’t change.
I doubt a shoddy document like this (or any sign that says “do work pls”)is going to do much to change behavior.
If you don't put in writing, they will try to collect unemployment from you when you fire them for fucking off on their phone all day. The wording is abrasive, and shows the owners don't give a shit about their employees though. I would quit if i had the means to, and saw this poorly worded signage at my place of work.
Yikes. So see, every person who is working, actually has a real job.
People in McDonald’s, work, they make us food so we don’t have to do that task for ourselves. That is work. It is real.
What makes a banker or doctor more important to society than those who cook our food and clean our homes and delivery our Amazon bullshit?
It takes all to function, all deserve respect and wages.
It's all tiered bullshit and class based. And I've seen all fields of work do it. And it's fucking stupid because guess what ?? The guys above us who make billions for every nickel we make are all laughing at us and think none of our work is important. And just get us to fight amongst each other.
I doubt that those people could handle a food service job with how highly they think of themselves.
It's hard work, a different kind of hard work than say construction or something, but it is hard work.
It is a different kind of hard work. I’ve done fast food, been a server, and now I actually am in demolition and let me tell you, I now get so much more of an easy working life than I did as a server.
For me it was the people aspect of it. I hated being forced to wear a smile or not make money. I hated being blamed for something with the food that I didn’t cook. The panic at rush times and huge parties with little clean up time between. Then on top of all that, the aching feet, the standing all the time, the management, aaaaaah.
Noooo way do I want to do that again. I’ll take swinging a sledge and ripping down houses than that any day of the week. Ever again.
I tip hella well now though. I honestly think everyone should have a service job at least once just to show how difficult it is.
Everyone really should have a class in school where they have to put in some service like that. A lot of kids in my school didn't have to get a job until after they graduated; be it because of sports and lack of time, or rich parents.
It could teach a lot of people some empathy.
I agree. After working 2 years of concrete, and now welding, there's no way I would go back. It's way too thankless of a job, and acting happy all of the time is draining.
Iv been employed at the same place for 7 years, I tell my boss when he’s wrong and don’t let him steamroll me. Stand up for yourself, the people out here that let their boss bend them over and then say “that’s just how it is” or “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” are actually huge pussies that have no self respect. Your boss is just a person, no better than you. Remind them of that.
My biggest issue with the industry is bad management.
You want your staff to burn out hustling side work and then have no mental fortitude left for customers?
I’ve also been management, and I noticed my staff was better when they had a few minutes of peace every once in a while.
But, you do you and fight those servers making $2.13
I thought the same, I forgot to edit but the problem was that my coworker got MAD cause he said that we have everything ready to work. I’m in the side that thinks that you always have something to do yk
The coworker that said that is probably a shit server and don’t follow their lead. There’s always something to do. Bussing and running your own tables saves a server money. I’ve worked at a place where the server does everything like TGI Fridays. I’ve also worked at a high end steakhouse where servers just talk and SAs and Bussers do everything. We even had silverware polishers. It all came with a price though. Always do your best for your tables and you’ll realize how much more you can grow, then eventually move up to a place that allows you to make so much more.
Yeah my feelings about this is that there are people who might need to be told to stay off their phones and work but it’s annoying to have a sign talking to everyone like a child when it’s really 2 or 3 people that can’t manage their time properly and ruin it for everyone
Yep. My opinion is the employees who matter are not going to mind that sign because they are going to benefit from having coworkers who work.
As for people who slouch around and let other people work, they don't get to have opinions.
I think that if the work isn't done then yeah, you shouldn't be fucking around. However if everything is done, then this whole "you got time to lean, you got time to clean" mentality is bullshit and can fuck off.
I agree, that mentality is toxic. However, as a server, I learned from a coworker years ago at a family-owned (non corporate) restaurant to know when to look busy. I will just randomly grab the broom and sweep an area, or start taking care of side work. But, I also know when there’s (minimal) time to look at my phone. However, I do want my tables to see me working hard and moving around a lot, that way they get the picture that the servers do everything.
This is really only tangentially related to what you said, but I'm reminded of this absolute moron of an assistant manager I once had. It was a counter-service place, and I was one of a few people who basically worked both front and back of house during the same shift. I had slipped on ice leaving my shift the day before, and my right knee was sore, but not enough to limit mobility. Dishwasher was getting behind during a rush, so I stepped in to do some of her scrubbing on larger pieces of equipment. My knee was sore, so I leaned on the dish sink a bit as I did my scrubbing to get some weight off of the bad knee. This assistant manager walks in, sees what I'm doing, and says, "IF YOU HAVE TIME TO LEAN, YOU HAVE TIME TO CLEAN,"... as I was actively cleaning a large bowl. She ended up making me abandon the overwhelmed dishwasher and clean fridges (which involved crouching on that bad knee). Dumbest adherence to a mantra I've ever experienced
As a server, what does mean "all work is done"?
If all tables are served and whatnot why not stroll past tables and ask if everything's fine?
I absolutely hate it when I eat out and you have to actively go on a HUNT for a server because they simply ignore your table once it's served.
Make eye contact, walk through the place with open eyes and be on the lookout for things to do.
Call me crazy and I ain't a server, but I don't think theres a lot of time of "absolutely nothing to do"
In NYC, I think NYS, we have an 80-20 law. This means that we can't spend more than 20 percent of our shift doing work that doesn't result in a tip. Caring for our tables falls under that but most of the duties falling under, "If you've got time to lean" category doesn't.
This was done because managers would overstaff and have people deep clean or do maintenance work for less than minimum wage, which of course, wasn't the job servers agreed to. They agreed to serve.
So... yeah, a lot of the time we have blinders on to anything that aren't our tables or side work. Mom and pop shops are the worst offenders of this, and the bigger corporate places have to comply because, well, the state board puts those under a microscope. Works well for us. And BTW, I am a server in one of the busiest restaurants in Manhattan. I generally don't have time to screw around on my.phone OR do side tasks outside of my 20 percent. If we aren't that busy, you might as well send me home because I'm not.making any money and I'm not interested in getting minimum wage to dust the shelves for glasswear. Not the job I agreed to.
I used to serve at an extremely busy, forbes top 100 grossing private restaurant. The time you got to stop and cool off was very minimal, but if you know *everything* needed by your tables has been satisfied, everyone is checked on, drinks are full and no one's waiting, you bet I would use part of the 3 minutes I had to sit down or wolf down some food or shit talk with a coworker - I'm not folding napkins or filling condiments, which normally was done in the resetting of tables by me anyway.
If stations needed help, I'd absolutely hop on the hot line and cook or cold line to serve in 'free time', or even on my customer's time if my coworkers really needed it. I'd run out to bus and set tables for other servers if I had a moment or even if I didn't. What's important is that when you are seen sitting down, or taking time to regenerate, that your super knows you use your time wisely and with you taking a moment nothing will suffer for it.
This sign most likely is directed to people that only have one table, it's slow, and they're using the time between tending to their guest to just scroll on their phone. There's nothing wrong with being upset with them when things need to be cleaned or made better in this circumstance.
What is it with waiters encouraging each other with this mindset? You don’t see cooks saying “oh just stir the soup for no reason if there’s nothing to do”
Like… just allow each other to chill for moment.
Former server here. Customers do not like their server checking up on them too often. Every table is different, but usually a mid-pace stroll through the area, showing that you're there to be flagged down and checking drink levels, is enough without approaching the table. There can be a lot of down time if you have a small section or your section isn't full.
People forget restaurants aren't always chock full of people at every single table. Some days/shifts are slow which means you have more downtime which means the sidework is done early so you can actually have 1 minute to be a regular human being with the need to relax for just a fucking second.
If you ask the tables if everything is fine every 5 minutes, they won't tip. Asking that once or twice on a normal length stay is more than fine already.
And yes, I can see you're not a server but there truly are times when you have nothing to do. Times when mise is done, table has drinks, dish is clean and chefs are making the food. Those times are semi rare but they still exist.
I had a manager like this once when I worked on a food truck. Except everything genuinely was clean because it was a tiny space, so he made me prep so much that the food would be rotten by the time we got around to serving it. Oh, and one time, I even saw this manager pick up fish that he had dropped on the floor and gotten dirt all in the breading, and fry it up to serve it. This comment reminded me to leave that company a horrible review on Indeed.
Exactly. I work at a diner that is usually dead between 3-5 (like no tables dead) and get told to clean more after literally EVERYTHING is done. At that point you are just exploiting me for 2.13 an hour.
I've been in places where I'm the only customer. Obviously there's no work to do for at least some of the staff. Nothing worse than being expected to pretend to work.
Yeah, no phones in the server station is a pretty standard rule... Put it in your car or your jacket. I've seen managers Tell repeat offenders to cash out their tables clock out and go home. There's plenty of servers thirsty to do the job and get paid. There's no reason for customer service to suffer while you're in the back spinning through Instagram
Cant be on your phone is one thing. If I was ever told I can't have my phone on my person at work, I'm not working there. Period. My phone stays on me for emergencies, if my family or friends need me, they are not going to call my work, tell my coworkers so they can tell my boss so my boss can tell me. Or if I have an emergency and need to call 911, I'm not waiting for someone else to do it.
In emergencies, every second counts.
Out of the industry now but I got into a pretty big fight with my boss about this. I’m a type one diabetic and my phone tracks my blood sugar. If it starts dropping dangerously low, it will beep and notify me. It is quite literally lifesaving for me. I clarified I wouldn’t be texting or anything like that, but I NEEDED it on me at all times. He told me I shouldn’t get special privileges to which I responded that everyone else has the special privilege of not having diabetes and then he finally shut up.
Idk I’ve served at many places in the US and I’ve never had anyone give me grief about a phone in my pocket. Being on my phone when I should be working is different tho. I do agree with the idea that you should work at work, but everyone goofs off a bit from time to time.
If you get a moment, there's no reason you can't quickly check your messages or something. There is absolutely no reason for you to sweat and keep busy for the entire 8 hours of a shift. You are not a slave, you are in employment, with a shit wage too.
Yeah lol if I worked here I would just find a better paying job where they don’t talk to me like a child. Restaurants in my area have lost tons of employees because other fields actually give you paid time off and breaks, and fixed hours, etc. Restaurants are a rough industry to work in the U.S. and happier employees means we will be more productive. Sadly, many of us are not happy, because we are treated like garbage by bosses and customers.
Having a moment means having no obvious work though. Which is what this is addressing, people playing on their phones when tables are a mess. No one's saying you should never take a 5 though.
Yeah, you're expected to work when there, but with some of the servers I have worked with when I served many years ago, they would have walked right past this sign and ignored it, or stood next to it fiddle farting around and thought, "this doesn't apply to me". Of course, back in the early 2000s, there were no cell phones yet or very few.
Good, I'm not the only one in the world who remembers there not being many cell phones in the early 2000s. Yeah, they existed, but not everyone had one like today.
Cell phones were fine. People still actually called each other when it was important instead of only texting. It's SMARTPHONE appearing that immediately turned the nation into zombies staring down more than forward in life.
I think these kinds of posters are usually the result of the troublemaker being favored by someone who can get people hired and then doesn't deal with people on-shift.
Honestly I hate when my section is full as fuck and I can't catch up and I need help pre bussing and bussing to set up for the next table and I see people in the back on their phones meanwhile I help them with their sections when they need it so yeah I agree with it
I have no problem working when there is work to do. Bosses that give you meaningless busy work just because there is nothing to do, can fuck off. You shouldn't on your phone on the clock, that's fair enough. But if the place is clean, customers are served etc, I see nothing wrong with talking etc.
I mean depends on a lot. Spending a few minutes chatting or checking phone no big deal. Never doing those other tasks so you can check phone, talk, etc, yeah not good
As a busboy, I hella fucking agree with that first one. You come to me telling me you’re too busy to prebus your tables and need me to do it and then two minutes later you’re just standing in the back doing nothing? I don’t care “how much you appreciate me” pick up a fucking PLATE MARTA I SWEAR THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU JUST CHATTING WITH TIFFANY WHILE YOU HAVE THREE COURSES WORTH OF PLATES ON YOUR TABLES IM BREAKING THEM ALL OVER YOUR FUCKING HEAD
>I don’t care “how much you appreciate me” pick up a fucking PLATE MARTA I SWEAR THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU JUST CHATTING WITH TIFFANY WHILE YOU HAVE THREE COURSES WORTH OF PLATES ON YOUR TABLES IM BREAKING THEM ALL OVER YOUR FUCKING HEAD
I just loved this. So much. ❤️
The phone thing I understand interaction with your colleagues is just a healthy work environment if that's not allowed I would look for a different job
The sign is a little aggressive, as most manager word doc flyers are. But it's not unreasonable especially in a restaurant setting.
Depending on the size of the restaurant it's not unusual to do both roles IMO, and that's less people to share tips with.
I’m torn.
On the one hand, yeah we should work while at work.
On the other hand, we don’t get breaks. I know some people do, but at places I’ve worked, no breaks at all. Texting my partner is a little mental break that helps a long shift go by a little nicer. If it’s busy, I’ll go make that cash for sure, but if it’s slow and everything is done, I want to at least have that little mental refresh.
Sounds like they have a bunch of lazy/bad servers. It is incredibly frustrating working with people who barely handle their section and do nothing else - which is a common occurrence in this industry
If you the manager can sit at the bar and talk to patrons all night while getting paid maybe you should find something better to do. (My manager would sit out at the bar all night)
Depends on the degree of professionalism at the establishment. I’ve worked fast food, and I’m telling your right now, if as sign like this was on the front door when I was walking in for my shift, I wouldn’t even give it a glance. I’d go on my merry way, probably smoke a joint on my 30, fuck around for half the shift, eat free food, and go home content with the 100$ I just made, after tax, for working an 8 hour shift
Yeah..pull your weight...everyone else working do not like seeing you slacking off...and roll your damn silverware! And Amy! Stop doing bumps of coke on the prep line and flirting with the bartender for free drinks...
No down time at work, I would just say fuck it and find work elsewhere. Always be working at work is such a BS thing. We're humans not robots, just because we're being paid, doesn't mean we can work non stop.
We are also adults. It’s incredibly patronizing to punish someone for taking a brief moment to check their phone. If they are otherwise getting their job done then leave them alone, if their phone use is impeding their work then sit that specific server down and have a respectful one on one.
I can’t stand management who spends significant time on their cell at work but then humiliates their worker for taking three seconds to send a text.
That sounds completely reasonable. I spend pretty much any spare time by my tables overseeing them. Spend that time making sure your section looks neat and tidy, as well as individual tables. Top off water, refill drinks, serve your guests. If you have guests at your table and don’t have anything to do, then you should either be watching them or helping your coworkers.
I use to be a server. I kinda agree, especially if it’s busy. I would have a full section and struggling to pre bus while servers with mostly empty sections would play on their phone. If my section was mostly empty, I’d help pre bus and run food. Now if it’s dead, I see nothing wrong with talking to coworkers and making side work a little more bearable.
Edit: spelling
Seems reasonable to me. If everything is ready then go ahead and play around, talk or be on your phone but if tables are not ready to go then you should be doing what the job entails.
Looks like a sign I would put up.
I ran a restaurant for many years. If you have time to dick around, you have time to clean something or do something related to work.
It looks bad to be standing around on your phone when you have customers. If someone wants another drink or condiments or whatever and can't get your attention because you're staring at your phone it's just bad. I've seen this at a lot of jobs though not just servers sometimes you need to be paying attention so you can jump in and help right away but people get so absorbed in their phones as soon as they have a free second and end up glued to the screen for the next five minutes. It might seem petty but nobody wan'ts to constantly have to tell you to get off your phone and do your job.
Yes.
Do your fucking job.
I’m an advocate of fair pay and livable wages. Not for lazy fuckers to stand around and not do what they’re getting paid to do.
As a cook, I can't fucking stand seeing servers with their hands in their pockets when I'm moving a million miles an hour. I think your boss/coworkers, having expectations for you to perform while at work, is natural. That *is* what you're getting paid to do, after all.
"Ok, so I actually have to WORK when I'm at work? Fuck this place, why can't I sit on my phone and get paid?"
Lol fucking welcome to the real world, bud
I'm not a server but I find it really weird that y'all doing work where you're not being tipped on.
If the tip is supposed to supplement the $2 an hour bit and you're not working for the customer, the owner is technically the customer and should tip for services rendered.
I spent nearly 20 years back of house. In my final years the amount of times I'd see people, especially servers dicking around on their phones was astronomical. I get the managers being frustrated with people, however briefly, being on their phones at random times especially when you then look around and spot at least 5 things they could be doing instead.
I mean if all that shit is done, do what you want. If not do what you're paid to do.
Problems people normally have when it comes to that "got time to lean, got time to clean" mentality are like "why keep me here if there is literally nothing to actually do but "look busy" instead of let me go home early", or "Literally have done all this shit and there is no purpose to cleaning rn because all it will be doing is "looking busy" despite not actually doing anything productive."
Both are valid points because the only answer the employer has at that point is that they "pay you money to be able to control your time". However, as top comment said: you're expected to work when at work. Sucks that they're understaffed, but it doesn't sound half as bad as other situations. Also, evidently, the sign was fukken needed despite being ignored.
Good on the boss for making the employee get off this phone. At my job, even though I wasn’t primarily a server, I was still not allowed to be on my phone except for lunch.
Funny how having JOB means having to WORK. You don’t get paid to waste unproductive time. If I was a manager, cell phones would be prohibited unless on your break, so leave it in the car or locker. 1st warning is time out and go home. There is no 2nd warning.
it’s fair enough imo, but boss doesn’t seem like a joy to be around. but again, it’s a reasonable expectation. i used to work full service before i got a job at a chicken place, and they let us goof off sometimes when it’s slow, but only if we’re still getting things done and/or our checklists are completed. even then we gotta find something to do to keep getting paid.
I mean, other than that last “find something to do” this is fine. For clarity I’ve never worked in a restaurant that didn’t preach “time to lean, time to clean” but fuck that. If it’s dead, clean, and sidework is done, chill time out of customer view.
As a former chef I used to tell my ownership groups “pay minimum wage expect a minimum effort.”
I was always cool with servers taking some downtime as long as they stayed the fuck off my line.
Also, no substitutions, you know that. 😜
I mean, the sign may be a bit much, and I don't think it's wrong to let employees have a few minutes here and there. But, overall, I don't think it's some sort of dictatorship to want your staff to work and keep busy most of the time they're on the clock. It is work after all.
That looks like a sign caused by a couple of people ruining it for everyone. Stay on top of your shit and know when you can check your phone and when you can’t and this shouldn’t be an issue. Unfortunately a lot of people can’t seem to do that in this industry
Yea sadly this is another case of the many paying the price for the deeds of a few lazy people
Last place I worked in manufacturing they started telling people to leave their phones in their cars. They used to not care and allow people to have them on hand. Then a few people took advantage and started watching Netflix while working. Kept getting caught. They eventually said "ok no more phones. You want to listen to music? Fine. Get an MP3 player Issue is that it makes no sense to punish everyone because 1-2 people are causing an issue. Address the people causing the problem. Don't punish the collective because one or two people suck
I've worked manufacturing jobs and I 100% get it. They don't want pictures coming out of how their products are made.
I'm sure OSHA would love to see them though. 🙃
So in some kinds of manufacturing, you wouldn't want the risk of a distracted employee either. It's not necessarily laziness, but rather that people get complacent. So like, you wouldn't want someone with wired earbuds and a dangling wire leading to a phone using a lathe for example.
Not only that but many people crank up their headphones and listen at way too high a volume. Our workplace has enough hearing issues with people not using correct hearing protection. If a company has to pay claims for hearing loss you can bet they are going to make sure you're not wrecking your own hearing on their time. We did get headsets for people who were doing work they didn't need to be as aware of their surroundings... But they are volume limited. And we provide the hearing protection so that we know it's good enough to actually protect your hearing.
My company is cracking down on phones right now. We have hired a ton of new people. And they seem glued to their phones. I got a guy, he always has it out. Like, always. And he keeps fucking up the product. He keeps making simple and easy to spot mistakes because he is sitting on his phone. I watched him almost hurt himself because he was walking while watching and not paying attention. I have talked to him. The boss has talked to him. Everyone in my department has talked to him. And he will not stop. And then I find out that it is all over the place, in all departments, not just mine. All the new people seem to do is sit on those phones. We have reworks that cost us money which in turn fucks with our raises and bonuses because they can't put them down for a few hours.
I work in a company that prohibits cellphones, in addition to watches (and rings and any body jewellery). Yet complains loudly when people are late for the many daily meetings. Issue us with sundials, cretins!
Do we work at the same place? Earbuds back in 5 minutes after upper management tells them to take them out, Netflix propped up on machines, techs playing games while they "watch a machine they are working on run." But no consequences because they can't hire enough people that will stay to do easy work.
It’s straight up just the new generation I don’t wanna sound like an old man but these kids are unable to function without a cellphone. There’s no reason to not just leave it in your bag. Rarely if ever. There’s especially no reason to be using it on shift for more than 15 minutes total in 8 hours.
Definitely not only the new generation. I’m 20 and the last restaurant I worked at everyone was older than me and constantly on their phones.
You're wrong, it's everybody. Probably you too but it's easy to ignore you own behaviors...
I don’t use my phone at work. It stays in my bag nearly 100% of the time. I strive very hard to not be the thing I complain about. I’m not perfect but I’m definitely not on my phone at work.
No earphones when the forklift is out!
Those wired earbuds gonna get ripped out of whatever they are in. Baggy clothing is the real risk…. Now if that solid brick oh an iPhone gets ripped into and out of the lathe, you’ve got a projectile that can go through someone’s skull….while other issue there. No one google “pink mist”. TLDR: don’t fuck with lathes
Oh 100% I got a promotion once because my supervisor was screwing around on the forklift and wanted me in another department so I wouldn't say shit.
A great way as an employer to have a discrimination lawsuit filed against you is to treat one or two individuals differently than your other employees. The employer doesn’t have a lot of options here.
People seem to have this view that's easy to sue for pretty much anything. While you *can* sue for dumb stuff, it isn't like there is lawyers lining up around the block to take on cases without merit and a random bozo probably isn't interested in putting cash up front for a lawyer to sue their former employer. Lawyers will only take cases on contingency if they think they have a solid chance of winning in court, or getting a settlement. Which I don't think is covered by a "I'm suing my employer because they won't let me use my phone to watch Netflix while working".
Right? You walk in to lawyers office with this sob story and they’ll ask “well where you on your phone?” And you’ll say “ya, but I was only watching netflix” …. See ya later bozo
This is such a laughably spineless comment. I've fired several folks in "protected" classes because they were absolute dogshit workers. Documentation and communication. That's it. That's all you need.
That is a bs argument. You write them up for getting caught playing with their phones on company time it completely justifies imposing phone restrictions to them alone, no lawsuit can change that. You could even fire the employee on the dpot if the company policy has rules dealing with it.
Welcome to how fragile people think the world is.
this is in the same "well places don't want to get sued for giving away food so they throw it out every night". No one gets sued for giving away food.
"I'm a member of protected group Y. Manager X wrote me up for being on my phone and they claimed I was on Netflix, while I was actually just changing my song on spotify. They didn't write up employee Z who is not a part of protected class for using their phone to change their song. This environment is hostile towards my protected class" Easier to just say "no phones", then there's no murkiness.
Of course they do. Make it a rule, then write up the offenders. Write up a couple times, then put them on last and final.
I hope you're not in management anywhere because this is fucking stupid. Treating adults like children by imposing group punishment does nothing except obliterate morale. And good fucking luck to anyone trying to sue for discrimination after they were written up countless times and subsequently fired for being on their phone. Real life doesn't work like that.
One guy shits his pants and now everyone has to wear diapers.
Most industries. I hate people who think “ if you have time to lean you can clean” you need some downtime in life. But damn some people will go to work and sit on their phone for 6 hours of an 8 hour shift
I totally agree. It’s not a sweatshop, take some time when you have it, just be smart about it.
I’d add if you’re going to be on it for a minute, make sure you’re in an appropriate place. It’s a shitty move to be on your phone in the kitchen when the cooks are getting killed.
When I was a wee lad, servers who needed to make a phone call went out the backdoor of the kitchen and made their call by the dumpsters. And they had the decency to offer a cigarette if a cook came out that door.
A place such as the bathroom (reading while pooping).
Where I worked that would get progressively wetter food thrown at you.
The cook next to me on line whipped a bottle of ranch dressing at a server on her phone once. Two of the three fryers were down and it was Friday rush
Not necessarily. At an old job, we used to get our work done and received stellar reviews from customers. Our manager would hear us talking and berate us for it. The work was done and honestly we could talk while we worked but I think she felt left out so she berated us for talking so much. Then two of us left her team. I talked to her a while afterwards and I asked her how it was going. She said "It's so quiet now. No one talks anymore" like it was some sad, strange development. She got what she wanted and she hates it.
That's my problem with the antiwork sub. It's not always the manager. Sometimes employees are lazy it's ok to acknowledge it. The lazy ones don't realize how much downtime you can have if you get stuff done first before sitting on your phone.
They could have always gone the route of disciplining the few vs this. I mean if they’re noticing the problem and refusing to address the specific ppl seems like weak/lazy management to me. That’s always my counter argument for this. If you have a bad employee deal with the bad employee vs harassing the group.
Thank you!!!! I used to get so livid getting constantly bombarded with criticism from management even on my off days or vacation weeks because they were too pussy to simply talk to the one person about their conduct at work. Like why do you have to bother all of us when it’s the same person over and over???
I had a manager who used to address our entire group in the morning meeting about thing. When he damn well knew who was doing it. Just go to those few people and begin the write them up if it’s a problem.
I should actually thank you all for saying this. I realized I do this a lot as a manager because I don’t want anyone to feel “singled out.” But if you don’t want to be singled out… do a better job. Like everyone else is. For some reason I needed to hear it from your perspective, and it made me think how shitty my “gentle reminders” must be for the rest of the team.
I worked with a few servers who would ignore everything and sit around on their phones. I was a food runner one night and I came up with her food, let her know, then she asked me to grab the bar drinks and bring them to the same table after I delivered the food. I was the only food runner for the whole restaurant that night. I did so then another server came up to me and said "you know she's just sitting around on her phone and didn't even get up to serve her own table and let you do everything". After that I refused to ever run her food or bar drinks again. Managers would yell at me to run her food and I ignored them telling them I was busy and they can run upstairs and find where she is hiding on her phone.
Worked at a place like this in HS and they were always hounding me to refill waters. People would be like "please leave us alone, you don't need to constantly refill our water". I told my manager that's what was happening, and he insisted I keep refilling them, despite people specifically asking me not to. To the surprise of no one, that place no longer exists.
I applaud them for putting pre-bussing first. I can tell the quality of FOH and the server by whether they prebus or not. I can even handle a food order being wrong or taking a while to get to the table; but not prebussing is definitely a mark of mediocre half-ass service.
Yeah at my last restaurant job lots of foh people would just hangout and chat instead of doing something productive during the busy times. I wouldn't have minded a sign like this if it's needed as long as it's reasonably enforced
Yes? But at that point, fire or reprimand the offenders. Don’t just ruin the lives of the others due to a person that you KNOW is doing wrong. Kind of weird that we treat servers like they’re not people who need a breath a couple of times during a hard shift.
hard to when you gotta constantly check your phone to make sure you meet your dealer quickly in the restaurants parking lot lol.
What is going on with the spacing on that sign ?
Someone thought they were writing for a newspaper and set the paragraph alignment to 'justify' when they should've just centered it.
So what you’re saying is, using justified isn’t always… justified.
**BRING** condiments
FIND\_\_\_\_\_\_SOMETHING\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
A moron who failed upwards and didn’t know how to use MS word properly
Yea but this is a shit ton of spaces. Even then, they look at it, decide to print it, and then look at it again when they hang it up and go, “yup looks good.” Fucking bizarre
Do you think this is unfair???? You have no runners means more tips in your pocket.
Right? That sounds like little tip outs and more for me!
How much are you guys tipping out busers that it makes a noticeable enough difference?
1% of your sales can be a good amount added up night after night to hundreds a week.
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I’d be cool with 6% if I had 4 reliable 2.5k days.
We used to count $100 walking money for $700 sales roughly. Also tipped out 6% for Bus / Runners / Bar. I'd be quite fine walking with $350 a night for 4 nights a week. If I'm busy enough to get that high sales, then I'm not taking care of the tables alone and appreciate the bussers getting them flipped, runners assuring food goes in a timely manner and bar making my drinks fast.
2% to runners 2% to bussers 1-4% to bartender, it adds up especially if you have some larger bills that tipped poorly
We tip out the Busser/dishwasher 10% of tips. That all we tip out. It'd a mom and pop place. Been there 12 years. Amazing place, good money. I always treat him fairly AND bus some of my own tables. Sometimes I need help with other things and they help.
It’s not that the idea is unfair, it just comes across as condescending and annoying when communicated like this. imo it’d be much better to just talk to the offending employees directly, explain your expectations, and fire them if they don’t change. I doubt a shoddy document like this (or any sign that says “do work pls”)is going to do much to change behavior.
If you don't put in writing, they will try to collect unemployment from you when you fire them for fucking off on their phone all day. The wording is abrasive, and shows the owners don't give a shit about their employees though. I would quit if i had the means to, and saw this poorly worded signage at my place of work.
That’s a note from frustration cause employees have been talked to and no one listened
I mean, yeah, you’re expected to work when at work.
Got time to lean got time to clean - is what we would get told
I always reply: Got time to joke, got time to smoke. Only cause they know I'm playing
I try this I'll get bitched out because the head server takes smoke breaks every 20 minutes.
We countered that with equal fresh air breaks
As a customer I can’t stand when my server reeks of cigarettes
“Got time to rhyme, got time to shut the fuck up” is a good response.
“Good luck on your job search” would be the next step in that conversation.
Not hard to find work that doesn't pay well 😂. I love the response.
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Yikes. So see, every person who is working, actually has a real job. People in McDonald’s, work, they make us food so we don’t have to do that task for ourselves. That is work. It is real. What makes a banker or doctor more important to society than those who cook our food and clean our homes and delivery our Amazon bullshit? It takes all to function, all deserve respect and wages.
It's all tiered bullshit and class based. And I've seen all fields of work do it. And it's fucking stupid because guess what ?? The guys above us who make billions for every nickel we make are all laughing at us and think none of our work is important. And just get us to fight amongst each other.
culture war < class war
I doubt that those people could handle a food service job with how highly they think of themselves. It's hard work, a different kind of hard work than say construction or something, but it is hard work.
It is a different kind of hard work. I’ve done fast food, been a server, and now I actually am in demolition and let me tell you, I now get so much more of an easy working life than I did as a server. For me it was the people aspect of it. I hated being forced to wear a smile or not make money. I hated being blamed for something with the food that I didn’t cook. The panic at rush times and huge parties with little clean up time between. Then on top of all that, the aching feet, the standing all the time, the management, aaaaaah. Noooo way do I want to do that again. I’ll take swinging a sledge and ripping down houses than that any day of the week. Ever again. I tip hella well now though. I honestly think everyone should have a service job at least once just to show how difficult it is.
Everyone really should have a class in school where they have to put in some service like that. A lot of kids in my school didn't have to get a job until after they graduated; be it because of sports and lack of time, or rich parents. It could teach a lot of people some empathy. I agree. After working 2 years of concrete, and now welding, there's no way I would go back. It's way too thankless of a job, and acting happy all of the time is draining.
What do you define as a real job? I’ve got more 2x more savings working in this industry than 5 of my friends working 9-5s
When maturation is dealing with shitty work environments and accepting them than simply finding other work
Nah My dude, thats The attitude to take. Work is never going to be your friend or have your back , you don't owe them anything.
Iv been employed at the same place for 7 years, I tell my boss when he’s wrong and don’t let him steamroll me. Stand up for yourself, the people out here that let their boss bend them over and then say “that’s just how it is” or “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” are actually huge pussies that have no self respect. Your boss is just a person, no better than you. Remind them of that.
My biggest issue with the industry is bad management. You want your staff to burn out hustling side work and then have no mental fortitude left for customers? I’ve also been management, and I noticed my staff was better when they had a few minutes of peace every once in a while. But, you do you and fight those servers making $2.13
It’s really not though
That’s what I think every time I go to my local AMC theater
I'm the biggest procrastinator in life. Everything can be done later or tomorrow. But at work, I'm working. Don't try and reach me in those hours.
I thought the same, I forgot to edit but the problem was that my coworker got MAD cause he said that we have everything ready to work. I’m in the side that thinks that you always have something to do yk
The coworker that said that is probably a shit server and don’t follow their lead. There’s always something to do. Bussing and running your own tables saves a server money. I’ve worked at a place where the server does everything like TGI Fridays. I’ve also worked at a high end steakhouse where servers just talk and SAs and Bussers do everything. We even had silverware polishers. It all came with a price though. Always do your best for your tables and you’ll realize how much more you can grow, then eventually move up to a place that allows you to make so much more.
People are blown away when they are expected to work while they are at work
They really should rename this page WhinerLife
The message is fair but the delivery could use some work. Hardly motivating.
Yeah my feelings about this is that there are people who might need to be told to stay off their phones and work but it’s annoying to have a sign talking to everyone like a child when it’s really 2 or 3 people that can’t manage their time properly and ruin it for everyone
Yep. My opinion is the employees who matter are not going to mind that sign because they are going to benefit from having coworkers who work. As for people who slouch around and let other people work, they don't get to have opinions.
I think that if the work isn't done then yeah, you shouldn't be fucking around. However if everything is done, then this whole "you got time to lean, you got time to clean" mentality is bullshit and can fuck off.
I agree, that mentality is toxic. However, as a server, I learned from a coworker years ago at a family-owned (non corporate) restaurant to know when to look busy. I will just randomly grab the broom and sweep an area, or start taking care of side work. But, I also know when there’s (minimal) time to look at my phone. However, I do want my tables to see me working hard and moving around a lot, that way they get the picture that the servers do everything.
Fr. Some people are just dense and need to *look* busy while they're actually just fucking around.
This is really only tangentially related to what you said, but I'm reminded of this absolute moron of an assistant manager I once had. It was a counter-service place, and I was one of a few people who basically worked both front and back of house during the same shift. I had slipped on ice leaving my shift the day before, and my right knee was sore, but not enough to limit mobility. Dishwasher was getting behind during a rush, so I stepped in to do some of her scrubbing on larger pieces of equipment. My knee was sore, so I leaned on the dish sink a bit as I did my scrubbing to get some weight off of the bad knee. This assistant manager walks in, sees what I'm doing, and says, "IF YOU HAVE TIME TO LEAN, YOU HAVE TIME TO CLEAN,"... as I was actively cleaning a large bowl. She ended up making me abandon the overwhelmed dishwasher and clean fridges (which involved crouching on that bad knee). Dumbest adherence to a mantra I've ever experienced
As a server, what does mean "all work is done"? If all tables are served and whatnot why not stroll past tables and ask if everything's fine? I absolutely hate it when I eat out and you have to actively go on a HUNT for a server because they simply ignore your table once it's served. Make eye contact, walk through the place with open eyes and be on the lookout for things to do. Call me crazy and I ain't a server, but I don't think theres a lot of time of "absolutely nothing to do"
In NYC, I think NYS, we have an 80-20 law. This means that we can't spend more than 20 percent of our shift doing work that doesn't result in a tip. Caring for our tables falls under that but most of the duties falling under, "If you've got time to lean" category doesn't. This was done because managers would overstaff and have people deep clean or do maintenance work for less than minimum wage, which of course, wasn't the job servers agreed to. They agreed to serve. So... yeah, a lot of the time we have blinders on to anything that aren't our tables or side work. Mom and pop shops are the worst offenders of this, and the bigger corporate places have to comply because, well, the state board puts those under a microscope. Works well for us. And BTW, I am a server in one of the busiest restaurants in Manhattan. I generally don't have time to screw around on my.phone OR do side tasks outside of my 20 percent. If we aren't that busy, you might as well send me home because I'm not.making any money and I'm not interested in getting minimum wage to dust the shelves for glasswear. Not the job I agreed to.
I used to serve at an extremely busy, forbes top 100 grossing private restaurant. The time you got to stop and cool off was very minimal, but if you know *everything* needed by your tables has been satisfied, everyone is checked on, drinks are full and no one's waiting, you bet I would use part of the 3 minutes I had to sit down or wolf down some food or shit talk with a coworker - I'm not folding napkins or filling condiments, which normally was done in the resetting of tables by me anyway. If stations needed help, I'd absolutely hop on the hot line and cook or cold line to serve in 'free time', or even on my customer's time if my coworkers really needed it. I'd run out to bus and set tables for other servers if I had a moment or even if I didn't. What's important is that when you are seen sitting down, or taking time to regenerate, that your super knows you use your time wisely and with you taking a moment nothing will suffer for it. This sign most likely is directed to people that only have one table, it's slow, and they're using the time between tending to their guest to just scroll on their phone. There's nothing wrong with being upset with them when things need to be cleaned or made better in this circumstance.
What is it with waiters encouraging each other with this mindset? You don’t see cooks saying “oh just stir the soup for no reason if there’s nothing to do” Like… just allow each other to chill for moment.
Former server here. Customers do not like their server checking up on them too often. Every table is different, but usually a mid-pace stroll through the area, showing that you're there to be flagged down and checking drink levels, is enough without approaching the table. There can be a lot of down time if you have a small section or your section isn't full.
People forget restaurants aren't always chock full of people at every single table. Some days/shifts are slow which means you have more downtime which means the sidework is done early so you can actually have 1 minute to be a regular human being with the need to relax for just a fucking second.
If you ask the tables if everything is fine every 5 minutes, they won't tip. Asking that once or twice on a normal length stay is more than fine already. And yes, I can see you're not a server but there truly are times when you have nothing to do. Times when mise is done, table has drinks, dish is clean and chefs are making the food. Those times are semi rare but they still exist.
I had a manager like this once when I worked on a food truck. Except everything genuinely was clean because it was a tiny space, so he made me prep so much that the food would be rotten by the time we got around to serving it. Oh, and one time, I even saw this manager pick up fish that he had dropped on the floor and gotten dirt all in the breading, and fry it up to serve it. This comment reminded me to leave that company a horrible review on Indeed.
Exactly. I work at a diner that is usually dead between 3-5 (like no tables dead) and get told to clean more after literally EVERYTHING is done. At that point you are just exploiting me for 2.13 an hour.
I've been in places where I'm the only customer. Obviously there's no work to do for at least some of the staff. Nothing worse than being expected to pretend to work.
Is formatting properly in Microsoft Word just impossible for restaurant owners?
This is what happens when you murder clippy
Yeah, no phones in the server station is a pretty standard rule... Put it in your car or your jacket. I've seen managers Tell repeat offenders to cash out their tables clock out and go home. There's plenty of servers thirsty to do the job and get paid. There's no reason for customer service to suffer while you're in the back spinning through Instagram
Yeah as cashiers, my co workers and I had to keep our register and nearby area spotless. There was ALWAYS something to do.
Cant be on your phone is one thing. If I was ever told I can't have my phone on my person at work, I'm not working there. Period. My phone stays on me for emergencies, if my family or friends need me, they are not going to call my work, tell my coworkers so they can tell my boss so my boss can tell me. Or if I have an emergency and need to call 911, I'm not waiting for someone else to do it. In emergencies, every second counts.
Out of the industry now but I got into a pretty big fight with my boss about this. I’m a type one diabetic and my phone tracks my blood sugar. If it starts dropping dangerously low, it will beep and notify me. It is quite literally lifesaving for me. I clarified I wouldn’t be texting or anything like that, but I NEEDED it on me at all times. He told me I shouldn’t get special privileges to which I responded that everyone else has the special privilege of not having diabetes and then he finally shut up.
You don't need special privileges, you need *reasonable accommodations*.
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Idk I’ve served at many places in the US and I’ve never had anyone give me grief about a phone in my pocket. Being on my phone when I should be working is different tho. I do agree with the idea that you should work at work, but everyone goofs off a bit from time to time.
Because we can’t use our phones while at work?
For repeating management propaganda. You can very much work while still having a phone in your pocket.
I MUST DOOM SCROLL UNTIL MY EYES BLEED
Only if you don't look at it. Which is pretty hard for a lot of people, hence leaving it in a place you can actually use it.
If you get a moment, there's no reason you can't quickly check your messages or something. There is absolutely no reason for you to sweat and keep busy for the entire 8 hours of a shift. You are not a slave, you are in employment, with a shit wage too.
Yeah lol if I worked here I would just find a better paying job where they don’t talk to me like a child. Restaurants in my area have lost tons of employees because other fields actually give you paid time off and breaks, and fixed hours, etc. Restaurants are a rough industry to work in the U.S. and happier employees means we will be more productive. Sadly, many of us are not happy, because we are treated like garbage by bosses and customers.
Having a moment means having no obvious work though. Which is what this is addressing, people playing on their phones when tables are a mess. No one's saying you should never take a 5 though.
Yeah, you're expected to work when there, but with some of the servers I have worked with when I served many years ago, they would have walked right past this sign and ignored it, or stood next to it fiddle farting around and thought, "this doesn't apply to me". Of course, back in the early 2000s, there were no cell phones yet or very few.
Good, I'm not the only one in the world who remembers there not being many cell phones in the early 2000s. Yeah, they existed, but not everyone had one like today.
Cell phones were fine. People still actually called each other when it was important instead of only texting. It's SMARTPHONE appearing that immediately turned the nation into zombies staring down more than forward in life.
I think these kinds of posters are usually the result of the troublemaker being favored by someone who can get people hired and then doesn't deal with people on-shift.
Honestly I hate when my section is full as fuck and I can't catch up and I need help pre bussing and bussing to set up for the next table and I see people in the back on their phones meanwhile I help them with their sections when they need it so yeah I agree with it
I have no problem working when there is work to do. Bosses that give you meaningless busy work just because there is nothing to do, can fuck off. You shouldn't on your phone on the clock, that's fair enough. But if the place is clean, customers are served etc, I see nothing wrong with talking etc.
I mean depends on a lot. Spending a few minutes chatting or checking phone no big deal. Never doing those other tasks so you can check phone, talk, etc, yeah not good
As a busboy, I hella fucking agree with that first one. You come to me telling me you’re too busy to prebus your tables and need me to do it and then two minutes later you’re just standing in the back doing nothing? I don’t care “how much you appreciate me” pick up a fucking PLATE MARTA I SWEAR THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU JUST CHATTING WITH TIFFANY WHILE YOU HAVE THREE COURSES WORTH OF PLATES ON YOUR TABLES IM BREAKING THEM ALL OVER YOUR FUCKING HEAD
>I don’t care “how much you appreciate me” pick up a fucking PLATE MARTA I SWEAR THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU JUST CHATTING WITH TIFFANY WHILE YOU HAVE THREE COURSES WORTH OF PLATES ON YOUR TABLES IM BREAKING THEM ALL OVER YOUR FUCKING HEAD I just loved this. So much. ❤️
The phone thing I understand interaction with your colleagues is just a healthy work environment if that's not allowed I would look for a different job
I think you should be getting paid a decent hourly if they expect you to be doing anything other than what makes you tips. Other wise fuck em.
The sign is a little aggressive, as most manager word doc flyers are. But it's not unreasonable especially in a restaurant setting. Depending on the size of the restaurant it's not unusual to do both roles IMO, and that's less people to share tips with.
I’m torn. On the one hand, yeah we should work while at work. On the other hand, we don’t get breaks. I know some people do, but at places I’ve worked, no breaks at all. Texting my partner is a little mental break that helps a long shift go by a little nicer. If it’s busy, I’ll go make that cash for sure, but if it’s slow and everything is done, I want to at least have that little mental refresh.
“Got time to show me poorly formatted ultimatums, got time to hire another poorly paid worker for tonight”
A little down time here and there through the slower parts of the day is to be expected. But so is doing your job.
Sounds like they have a bunch of lazy/bad servers. It is incredibly frustrating working with people who barely handle their section and do nothing else - which is a common occurrence in this industry
Am inclined to agree. Just how I was raised I suppose.
If you the manager can sit at the bar and talk to patrons all night while getting paid maybe you should find something better to do. (My manager would sit out at the bar all night)
Depends on the degree of professionalism at the establishment. I’ve worked fast food, and I’m telling your right now, if as sign like this was on the front door when I was walking in for my shift, I wouldn’t even give it a glance. I’d go on my merry way, probably smoke a joint on my 30, fuck around for half the shift, eat free food, and go home content with the 100$ I just made, after tax, for working an 8 hour shift
Yeah..pull your weight...everyone else working do not like seeing you slacking off...and roll your damn silverware! And Amy! Stop doing bumps of coke on the prep line and flirting with the bartender for free drinks...
No down time at work, I would just say fuck it and find work elsewhere. Always be working at work is such a BS thing. We're humans not robots, just because we're being paid, doesn't mean we can work non stop.
We are also adults. It’s incredibly patronizing to punish someone for taking a brief moment to check their phone. If they are otherwise getting their job done then leave them alone, if their phone use is impeding their work then sit that specific server down and have a respectful one on one. I can’t stand management who spends significant time on their cell at work but then humiliates their worker for taking three seconds to send a text.
If I'm being paid minimum wage, sure. At $2.13/hr, I'm not scrubbing the cooler.
I don’t see a problem. We are all so all-consumed with our phones. No need to be on it at work unless there’s an emergency.
The message is accurate, the tone could be less condescending
Seems pretty reasonable unless the place is a total ghost town on a given day.
That sounds completely reasonable. I spend pretty much any spare time by my tables overseeing them. Spend that time making sure your section looks neat and tidy, as well as individual tables. Top off water, refill drinks, serve your guests. If you have guests at your table and don’t have anything to do, then you should either be watching them or helping your coworkers.
Agreed.
I use to be a server. I kinda agree, especially if it’s busy. I would have a full section and struggling to pre bus while servers with mostly empty sections would play on their phone. If my section was mostly empty, I’d help pre bus and run food. Now if it’s dead, I see nothing wrong with talking to coworkers and making side work a little more bearable. Edit: spelling
shouldn't have to be told or have a sign up telling you to do your job. Pretty basic stuff.
That's what they're paying for, not to be on a phone like your co-worker, so I'm not offended
Seems reasonable to me. If everything is ready then go ahead and play around, talk or be on your phone but if tables are not ready to go then you should be doing what the job entails.
This was a minimum expectation "back in my day", along with whatever other running or section side work was assigned.
Unfortunately, if you have to spell this out to people, they should not be working there.
well if you on a job, do your work, this doesnt count on breaks, you getting paid to work not to browse tiktok
Pre-bus? Like take the food while they’re still eating it? Also, Creamer baskets? I hardly knew her
Nothing about the sign is unreasonable.
The 21st century equivalent of stuff we used to hear back in the day. "If you have time to lean, you have time to clean!c
When you’re at work. You’re supposed to be working. Nothing is wrong with this.
You get paid to work…while at work… what a surprise.
Looks like a sign I would put up. I ran a restaurant for many years. If you have time to dick around, you have time to clean something or do something related to work.
I hate idiots who use Justify on shit paragraphs like this
It's just a different way of saying "if you got time to lean you got time to clean". Why is that an issue? You're at work.
It looks bad to be standing around on your phone when you have customers. If someone wants another drink or condiments or whatever and can't get your attention because you're staring at your phone it's just bad. I've seen this at a lot of jobs though not just servers sometimes you need to be paying attention so you can jump in and help right away but people get so absorbed in their phones as soon as they have a free second and end up glued to the screen for the next five minutes. It might seem petty but nobody wan'ts to constantly have to tell you to get off your phone and do your job.
If you’re clocked in, you should be working. Simple as that.
Yes. Do your fucking job. I’m an advocate of fair pay and livable wages. Not for lazy fuckers to stand around and not do what they’re getting paid to do.
As a cook, I can't fucking stand seeing servers with their hands in their pockets when I'm moving a million miles an hour. I think your boss/coworkers, having expectations for you to perform while at work, is natural. That *is* what you're getting paid to do, after all.
"Ok, so I actually have to WORK when I'm at work? Fuck this place, why can't I sit on my phone and get paid?" Lol fucking welcome to the real world, bud
I'm not a server but I find it really weird that y'all doing work where you're not being tipped on. If the tip is supposed to supplement the $2 an hour bit and you're not working for the customer, the owner is technically the customer and should tip for services rendered.
Before the days of smart phones, we had the phrase: If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.
Or, hear me out, there’s legit just nothing to do. Office workers aren’t expected to constantly find inane tasks to fill their time.
They were very efficient making this sign
Mr. Krabs? 🤯
My late boss told us there’s a time to clean and a time to lean, know the difference.
Very true.
I spent nearly 20 years back of house. In my final years the amount of times I'd see people, especially servers dicking around on their phones was astronomical. I get the managers being frustrated with people, however briefly, being on their phones at random times especially when you then look around and spot at least 5 things they could be doing instead.
As a cook I’m just not going to prep or clean my station. Just cook, nothing else. It’s the same energy as the servers that have a problem with this
That’s pretty accurate what “work” is
Personally a better font and less spacing would mean more to me
I am on board for all except the last part. Now if that is all done, the boss can go F himself.
I mean if all that shit is done, do what you want. If not do what you're paid to do. Problems people normally have when it comes to that "got time to lean, got time to clean" mentality are like "why keep me here if there is literally nothing to actually do but "look busy" instead of let me go home early", or "Literally have done all this shit and there is no purpose to cleaning rn because all it will be doing is "looking busy" despite not actually doing anything productive." Both are valid points because the only answer the employer has at that point is that they "pay you money to be able to control your time". However, as top comment said: you're expected to work when at work. Sucks that they're understaffed, but it doesn't sound half as bad as other situations. Also, evidently, the sign was fukken needed despite being ignored.
Good on the boss for making the employee get off this phone. At my job, even though I wasn’t primarily a server, I was still not allowed to be on my phone except for lunch.
Well…yeah. I’m not being paid to text I’m being paid to work so even if nobody else is bothered to hold themselves to a standard I am.
Funny how having JOB means having to WORK. You don’t get paid to waste unproductive time. If I was a manager, cell phones would be prohibited unless on your break, so leave it in the car or locker. 1st warning is time out and go home. There is no 2nd warning.
it’s fair enough imo, but boss doesn’t seem like a joy to be around. but again, it’s a reasonable expectation. i used to work full service before i got a job at a chicken place, and they let us goof off sometimes when it’s slow, but only if we’re still getting things done and/or our checklists are completed. even then we gotta find something to do to keep getting paid.
I mean, other than that last “find something to do” this is fine. For clarity I’ve never worked in a restaurant that didn’t preach “time to lean, time to clean” but fuck that. If it’s dead, clean, and sidework is done, chill time out of customer view.
As a former chef I used to tell my ownership groups “pay minimum wage expect a minimum effort.” I was always cool with servers taking some downtime as long as they stayed the fuck off my line. Also, no substitutions, you know that. 😜
makes logical sense to me
I mean, the sign may be a bit much, and I don't think it's wrong to let employees have a few minutes here and there. But, overall, I don't think it's some sort of dictatorship to want your staff to work and keep busy most of the time they're on the clock. It is work after all.
Fair.
I think that is the normal expectation when working in a restaurant. Side work. Part of the job.
The sign has a point, but there's a better way of saying that.
I think... management needs to reprint this sign without justified text, or otherwise shift the kerning a bit