Workplace gripe thread

[black_biff_stadler]

So my job waits to post the new schedule until late in the evening on the DAY BEFORE the new schedule starts over 90% of the time and, aside from one time posting it a week in advance, the earliest it's been posted in my entire 7 months there has been either the friday or saturday before the monday when the new schedule starts.

Tonight I call work to see if the schedule starting tomorrow is ready and they tell me it should be ready in the morning tomorrow. YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!!! They know I don't drive and won't have a car for another 3-6 months at the rate I'm saving so I'm dependent on others for rides, yet they have an attitude this disgustingly neglectful about something as important as the schedule? For fuck's sake, not everyone lives the early to bed, early to rise lifestyle and since we work nights at that job I usually hit the sack around 5 or 6am so it'd be nice to know if I can actually enjoy my night as usal or if I need to plan for a work day.

Is it even legal to not have a schedule posted by a certain point in time in relation to when that schedule starts?

[lonestar]

Typical FOH restaurant management.  The only reason they manage is cause they sucked ass on the floor, you and I both know that.  Management is the only way they can feel worthwhile and important. Not sure of the legality of it, I'm in a union house and we are required to post a week in advance, then personally notify peeps of changes, otherwise they get paid for any and all shifts changed whether they work them or not.

[black_biff_stadler]

Yeah. They are in fact absolute shit. They're first-time restaurant owners that likely spent no more than three months (even three months would be an extravagantly generous estimate) casually looking on the internet and asking friends what little they could offer in the way of food service "expertise" and the second they got approved for a small business loan they probably jumped at it with mouths grotesquely drooling.

Here are some infuriating things that have occurred in my short time there:

-Two nights where we didn't even open until after 7pm because of them failing to pay the water bill on time. Our rush usually dies no later than 8pm.

-A table with a decent-sized check walked out without paying because our ink ribbon ran out and the printer was printing so lightly that even in the best light available you could only make out the faintest dots of powder bluish print with nothing discernible to the naked eye.

-One of the four TVs at the bar has now been broken for about two months and a lot of our clientele is sports fans.

-They refuse to adequately provide us with supplies to the extent that when the place is at full occupancy the kitchen can't even push orders out because they run out of dishes even with the servers fully pre-bussing all tables for finished dishes that could be quickly washed for use on the waiting orders. We also run out of check presenters frequently so I'm running checks out to tables in rocks glasses. Seriously, could a box of those little black vinyl things cost any more than $30?

-We run out of various beers/liquors all the time. How do you run out of Bud Light? I hate the stuff but it's the best seller in most establishments that aren't geared toward craft beer. Furthermore, I never find out about it until I've already sold a round and then have the douche bartender tell me "We're out" in a tone indicating I should've psychicly known without him ever telling me in the first place.

[snapple]

Have you tried fisting anyone?

[black_biff_stadler]

The list of human beings who haven't been fisted by me is probably slightly shorter than the list of those who have. In fact, as of 2003, I decided to forego saying "hello" as a greeting in favor of impromptu fisting. Setbacks? Sure, a few. Not enough to make me stop though.

[lonestar]

-They refuse to adequately provide us with supplies to the extent that when the place is at full occupancy the kitchen can't even push orders out because they run out of dishes even with the servers fully pre-bussing all tables for finished dishes that could be quickly washed for use on the waiting orders. We also run out of check presenters frequently so I'm running checks out to tables in rocks glasses. Seriously, could a box of those little black vinyl things cost any more than $30?

Companies give those out for free, printed with the restaurant's logo and everything.  We present our checks in cute little Mason jars, cause were cutting edge and  hip and shit.

[73109]

Not as bad, but I'm always pissed that I get my schedule on Friday for the following Sunday through Saturday. I'd really like to get a schedule so I know what I'm doing for the full weekend.

[jcmistat]

Having to wake up at 3:15am/4:15am to get ready to start work in an hour. No one should be up that early for work. Fuck doing the pastry case too. Sure I can load up on Coffee and Espresso drinks but I honestly don't like either much.

Of course the dumb/weird/unchill/angry customers.

[wolfandwolfandwolf]

Fuck doing the pastry case too.

You and I friend, have a lot in common.

[JayOctavarium]

Boss makes schedules monthly... usually 2 weeks before the start of the month. Since there are only 10 guys including my boss... he is usually really lax about giving you days off you request. Well from the moment when he started the schedule,  we were talking about me being of for my 21st and the day after (April 29-30)... which he said he could do no problem. We also discussed it several times over the week while he was working on it. I also mentioned wanting April 7 off if possible (so I could see Steven Wilson ).  He told me that wasn't possible. No problem.  I could live with missing that show (not happily but whatever )


Fast forward a week. He gives out the schedule ... I'm off the day of the Steven Wilson show... and working 3-11pm on my bday and the day after. I bring it up to him and his response was 'you should have asked for it off'




He mentioned that I have the Saturday bwfore my bday off... (like that helps)

Arrgh!
And i already spent the money for the Wilson show... and now have a wedding to go to that day. Fuuuuuuu

[KevShmev]

 

-We run out of various beers/liquors all the time. How do you run out of Bud Light? I hate the stuff but it's the best seller in most establishments that aren't geared toward craft beer. Furthermore, I never find out about it until I've already sold a round and then have the douche bartender tell me "We're out" in a tone indicating I should've psychicly known wothout him ever telling me in the first place.

As a sidenote to this, from my personal experience, my favorite is when a bartender tells a server they are out of a certain beer or wine, and the server says, "Why?"  It's like, "Who cares the hell why?!  We are out of it!  Wanna know why?  Go ask the manager who orders the liquor why and stop hassling me while I am busy!"

Okay, rant over.

[lonestar]

Let's gripe about Sunday nights in restaurants.  I do not recieve fish or meat delivery on the weekend, and no produce on Sunday.  Since I have not yet developed the ability to fucking divine through grease spatters the exact amount of product we are going to sell, I have to guess.  We are not a reservation place, I go by what reservations are made, hotel occupancy, and types of hotel functions.  Sometimes I hit, sometimes I don't.  Sunday nights are the nights when I feel the misses.  We run out of shit, and after eight years, our servers can't get it through their thick fucking skulls that I am going to run out of shit occasionally on Sunday nights.  "oh, but I just sold a pork to table 82, you should have let us know", we have an 86 board with countdowns, check it fuckwad.  If you want me to do your work for you, give me your tip, otherwise take the fucking sand out of your pussy, and leave me the fuck alone.  I got enough shit to deal with without having to fucking wetnurse you through your fucking incompetence.













Damn that felt good.

[Dr. DTVT]

@Jay - No offense, but man the fuck up.  I have worked every birthday that hasn't fallen on a weekend since I started working, and even a few of those as well.  To make matters worse, every year my birthday isn't on a weekend my property taxes are due.  The world does not stop because it's your birthday whether you're working the nastiest, shittiest job in the world or you got a nice posh position.  Sorry, people bitching about birthdays not being perfect has always been a pet peeve of mine.  You got Steven Wilson day off, be happy.

@b_f - There are two ways I would look at your position, working on the assumption that finding a better job isn't an option (because if it was you would be doing that).  1) Be honest and tell the management about the problems.  Put it not in terms of "it makes my job harder because...", but "you know you would make more money and have a better reputation if you made these minor changes...".  Of course if they aren't going to take you seriously you can always adopt the Homer Simpson philosophy, replacing go on strike with sucky management: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vbI-P6mFbg

[black_biff_stadler]

I wouldn't mind telling the ownership about the issues but the problem is that they're in the restaurant at least 3 or 4 times a week and already know this unfortunately and have the same attitude as the Los Angeles Clippers' ownership pre-Griffin/Paul era of "invest as little money as humanly possible" and make whatever money you can. To worsen matters, I guess they do somewhat okay with their other business venture that apparently helped fund their pie-in-the-sky dream of being legit restaurateurs so they're too arrogant to own up to their shortcomings and figure they'll either make it their way or just fall back on the day job once the bottom falls out. I have a vacation in a month so I can't go job hunting just yet but am getting a proper 9-5 when I return and will then stick it out at the restaurant, as long as I can stomach it, and if I'm still working there after getting settled in nicely at the 9-5 gig I'll begin looking for a more fulfilling night job.

Regarding what you had to say toward Jay, however, WHAT THE FUCK?

He's working an entry-level security job and likely isn't being spoiled in any way as far as money goes and clearly explained the circumstances pertaining to how staffing and schedule requests are related so based on that it was completely reasonable for him to get his schedule requests honored since (once again, based on what he told us) three whole days inside of a month's time is far from extravagant and obviously wouldn't be hurting the company one bit.

Sounds like you may be the one who needs to "man the fuck up" and use your education and experience to find a job that won't have you so embittered by the experience that you feel inclined to act like others are being petty for merely wanting their birthday off.

[kirksnosehair]

[alirocker08]

Bitch I cleaned your table like three times already in front of you, it is perfectly clean. I have polished your cutlery myself, it is perfectly fine. This is a pub that serves food, not a five star restaurant!

Also, the chavvy customers we used to get in. One of them ordered a gammon, so I brought it out and said 'Gammon', and this little chav whose about 13 says 'I know you are'. Like Jesus Christ dude, you came in and ordered five minutes before the kitchen closes, if you don't want your desert to get horribly maimed I'd stay on my good side.

[lonestar]

I love how most of the gripers in this thread are restaurant workers. 

[carl320]

As a truck driver, I hate people who drive cars.  They don't have the slightest idea of how a truck handles or its limitations.  Then you get the idiots who do stupid things (like brake checking said truck).

[KevShmev]

As a truck driver, I hate people who drive cars.  They don't have the slightest idea of how a truck handles or its limitations.  Then you get the idiots who do stupid things (like brake checking said truck).

I usually stay far away from those big ass trucks, to the point of changing lanes, ;, because I always assume the average truck driver doesn't know to handle them, and I don't feel like getting crushed by one.

[7StringedBeast]

As a truck driver, I hate people who drive cars.  They don't have the slightest idea of how a truck handles or its limitations.  Then you get the idiots who do stupid things (like brake checking said truck).

I usually stay far away from those big ass trucks, to the point of changing lanes, ;, because I always assume the average truck driver doesn't know to handle them, and I don't feel like getting crushed by one.

This exactly.  I've seen way too many reckless truck drivers out there...  I stay away, change lanes, or pass them as fast as possible.

[lonestar]

When it comes to trucks, it's all about respect, and I respect anything made of steel, weighs a couple of tons, and moves at 60 MPH.

And anyone who brake checks a truck is a fucking moron.

[Dr. DTVT]

And anyone who brake checks a truck ANYONE is a fucking moron.

FTFY.  Is it worth causing that accident?  No.

[lonestar]

Very true, I stand corrected.

[snapple]

I call most of the shots the kitchen where I work. Plus, I'm by myself most of the time. It's pretty nice.

[lonestar]

I love the hour of breaktime in the mornings when I got the place to myself. Crank some tunes and let the creative juices flow.

[Phantasmatron]

I'm the one that writes the schedule for my restaurant.  Am I gonna get lynched in this thread?   

[TioJorge]

I'm the one that writes the schedule for my restaurant.  Am I gonna get lynched in this thread?   

NOT IF ITS ON TIME, PUNK!

When I worked at Randalls, before I got promoted, our schedule was always, always late. It was supposed to come out every Thursday, and usually wasn't posted until Saturday. It annoyed the everliving hell out of me. Once I was promoted to manager, that mofo was out every WEDNESDAY. That's right a day BEFORE when it was supposed to be posted. Stupid fuckers over there don't know their ass from a hole in the ground. Hate grocery stores. Bane of all that is good and...Oh hey I really wanna see TDKR.

[lonestar]

I'm the one that writes the schedule for my restaurant.  Am I gonna get lynched in this thread?   

Do you fuck it up constantly?

[Phantasmatron]

I'm the one that writes the schedule for my restaurant.  Am I gonna get lynched in this thread?   

Do you fuck it up constantly?

No.  But that doesn't stop people from accusing me of it. 

But hey, I'm supposed to post it on Friday and I post it on Fridays.

and...Oh hey I really wanna see TDKR.

  Me too, TioJorge.

ME TOO.

[snapple]

I'm the one that writes the schedule for my restaurant.  Am I gonna get lynched in this thread?   

Do you fuck it up constantly?

No.  But that doesn't stop people from accusing me of it. 

But hey, I'm supposed to post it on Friday and I post it on Fridays.

and...Oh hey I really wanna see TDKR.

  Me too, TioJorge.

ME TOO.

If you post it on Fridays, I wouldn't worry about it.

[JayOctavarium]

@Jay - No offense, but man the fuck up.  I have worked every birthday that hasn't fallen on a weekend since I started working, and even a few of those as well.  To make matters worse, every year my birthday isn't on a weekend my property taxes are due.  The world does not stop because it's your birthday whether you're working the nastiest, shittiest job in the world or you got a nice posh position.  Sorry, people bitching about birthdays not being perfect has always been a pet peeve of mine.  You got Steven Wilson day off, be happy.

I honestly wouldn't care if it wasn't for the fact that he just sat and told me I never asked @.@ which would be fine whatever but there are also several other things going on.... My boss is a great guy... very lax most of the time... but some of the stuff I have seen the guys get away with just makes me sick... There is no way to move up working where I work because no one takes their jobs seriously... and the only people who do aren't up in my boss's "circle" of people who have worked under him at various other jobs... so we are pounding our heads against a brick wall.


And there are more that I am not bringing up.

Bottom line... If I find something else somewhere I am taking it in a heartbeat...

[black_biff_stadler]

Update on OP:

So I called work just a little while ago to find out when the schedule that ALREADY STARTED TODAY was gonna be posted and find out the owner left instructions for us to just follow last week's and he'd let us know if anything changes...

WHAT THE FUCK?!?

This dipshit thinks he can have us all on call like doctors for an entire week?! What if we want to cut loose and get shitfaced the night before what's supposed to be our off day and then get called in to work hungover and groggy? I may drink like that only once every month or two these days but I do like to know when I can do so if I wish.

Does anyone know if you can report an employer to the labor board for this kind of thing, what kind of proof you need, and also, what the statute of limitations is for reporting it? I'm stuck working there for another month since I don't wanna start a new job before I go on a nearly 2-week trip out of town since it probably looks bad taking that much time off of a job you just started so I doubt I'd report it until I get back in town and have a new job set up.

[Dr. DTVT]

Make a fair schedule, show it to your boss, then ask to be put in charge of scheduling.  Prove you can do it, then it's one less thing you have to do, and you get to make sure you get the days off you want.

[KevShmev]

Make a fair schedule, show it to your boss, then ask to be put in charge of scheduling.  Prove you can do it, then it's one less thing you have to do, and you get to make sure you get the days off you want.

I used to do that years ago!  And my boss loved it.  I would make an "Ideally, the schedule could look like this...." note for him, and he would always do exactly what I wrote down.  It was great.  Nothing is worse than having to babysit your manager making a schedule that should be easy as heck for them to make.

[El Barto]

That's a pretty good suggestion.

There's no governing body that actually gives a shit other than the free market.  Fortunately, the market's a pretty ruthless judge of restaurants.  Sounds to me like yours is a self-limiting problem.  If it's as bad as you say, then either they'll go belly up soon enough, or they'll be unprofitable enough that the owners will wield the axe. 

It's conceivable that the place has enough or a reputation that it'll stay afloat for a long while despite the shoddy management.  In that case, tough it out for two weeks and then move along.  One thing I've learned from my brother the waiter is that there are always jobs available. 

I like Mason's idea well enough, but I'd probably not wish to be around long enough to try and be the difference maker.  I wouldn't want to be the schmuck who props up incompetent fools and gets none of the credit.  I'd let the Peter principle do it's magic and plan not to linger any longer than necessary.  And if you do split, I'd make sure and let the owners know that it's because of the aforementioned fools.