NetMarketZine

Why or why not:
Back Story:
Waiter:
I’ve been reading your blog after climbing into the industry two years ago.
My second job has always been bartending or serving. My first (9-5) job is Marketing.
It is always hard to find a position that starts at 6:00 PM. . . but I have managed for a few years.
In my particular case now, I am in desperate need of advice.
I accepted a cocktail waitress position in August at a wine and martini bar in a great “yuppie” neighborhood over a choice bartending position downtown. After speaking with both owners I believed the martini bar would be a better place to beef up my bartending skills, service attitude and perhaps move to management in the future. The martini bar owner had many connections and seemed to be on the same page with me concerning where I wanted to go in the future.
For the first 3 days I worked for free as a busser…no pay.
The head bartender appreciated my work ethic and quickly moved me along, soon into a profitable section.
For a while everything seemed great! Everyone verbally praised me for my attitude, dress and work ethic. The second job schedule fit in great with my first and the money as a server was great (140 on a great night)!
However as the summer cooled business began to slow…immensely. The bar continued to hire outside bartenders despite my obvious desire to move up (I would come in on off days and work behind the bar for free), they hired a completely incapable bar manager and shifts were cut from four days to one a week!
I also began to notice things. New servers without ANY experience were hired without training, never made to work as bar backs and just plain sucked at their jobs. They however were given more, BETTER, shifts than I. This prompted a change in my attitude. I no longer openly displayed a selfless attitude with management. I was less eager to please and stopped coming in to train. After being unfairly disciplined by the incompetent manager, almost all the warmth evaporated.
I have a few questions.
1 – I believe my patrons are starting to notice my attitude, and it is affecting my tips. I don’t want that! How can I learn to separate the behavior of management and keep it from overlapping? How can I maintain a positive attitude in the face of 8% tips, a stagnant hospitality career, an asinine owner and incompetent boss? The hospitality industry in Cleveland is very cliquish and it is impossible to change jobs without whispers. I tried sitting the owners down and talking to them….they failed to show up for the scheduled meeting.
2- Is it even worth it. PRO: The martini bar banks! in the summer, and no amount of managerial bumbling can change that. I really enjoy the other bartenders and waiters. There are still $100 nights, and the neighborhood is great. My yuppies are (for the most part) nice yuppies. CONS: the owner is a self-serving ***. He is constantly comping tabs! Even on slow nights! The manager he hired is terrible…over or under scheduling..never in between. The place is starting to slip on service all around because almost no one is happy. Tips have been terrible (worked 3 week-end days and made less than $100). And I really don’t see them making me a bartender.
I really don’t want to go because of the customers, staff and summer crowd. But still…its making me miserable!