Tips for Valentine's Day from a Previous Waitress
// EATING OUT //
While some people find Valentine’s Day to be cheesy, I actually think it’s super fun. I always look forward to having a Valentine’s Day outfit and going out for a night on the town. You get to dressed up and show the one you love some extra attention too. With that being said, it’s very rare that I actually celebrate Valentine’s Day on the actual date. I’ve worked as a server for over seven years at two different restaurants and I know what they go through. The amount of tables you are in charge of is doubled since everything is split into two-tops. The kitchen is slammed with steak orders that take twice as long as other dishes to cook. Reservations are rarely on time which makes customers instantly mad at you.
// THE BACK STORY //
I'll always remember this one Valentine's Day where literally anything that could go wrong, did go wrong. It was probably also the night that I decided never to go out on Valentine's Day ever again. First, I probably was in charge of 7-8 tables which is unheard of. Usually you get a section with no more than 3-5 tables. Second, we were running anywhere from 30-45 min behind on seating our reservations. Since it's Valentine's Day, people usually will sit longer at their tables then they normally would and I guess the restaurant didn't account for that. Third, right in the middle of the rush, all our computers crashed so we had to write every order by hand and then make a second copy for the kitchen. Fourth, we actually ran out of a few main entree items on our menu. Can you imagine going to your table and telling them, "hey, I know it's Valentine's Day, but we ran out of what you wanted to eat." Lastly, if that day wasn't stressful enough, a gentlemen in the main dining room had a mild seizure and fell to the floor dragging the table/food with him. Luckily, one of the bartenders was also a paramedic and came to the rescue right away. An ambulance was called for and the man ended up being alright.
// MY ADVICE //
My advice (especially if you actually enjoy eating out) is to save it for another night! I’ll tell you right now that the restaurant will probably not serve their full menu and will try to sell you on a special Valentine’s Day “set” or “prix-fixe” menu. What this really means is they want to limit their menu so they can push out more food per hour. Also, when I used to actually dine out on Valentine's Day, the food ALWAYS came out mediocre. If you are going to spend this much money on food, I would see if your significant other is willing to eat out on a different day. You will definitely receive better quality food and service. On top of all that, you will have a better chance at getting the type of table you want (i.e. booth or window). If you are going out on Valentine's Day, you are most likely going to have a first-come-first-serve situation and be shoved next to the bathroom or in the hallway.
// IF ACTUAL VALENTINE'S DAY IS A MUST... //
If you have to go out on the actual day, then these are my recommendations!
If you want to have a good table, go early to the restaurant and check in with the host. The host will most likely say that there will be a wait for that type of table, but since you got there early, you can then now wait for it. You can also have a drink at the bar at least while you wait. It also doesn't hurt if you tip the host.
To guarantee that you will have the best service on this night, tip your server extra before the meal even starts. Just let them know that today is special and they want the best service possible. I have never experienced this, but my co-worker had this happen to her and she said she was definitely more attentive to the table throughout the night.
Keep your food/drink modifications to a minimum if possible. The more modifications that you make to your meal, the longer it's going to take the kitchen to make. Obviously, let your server know about any allergies you may have, but maybe think twice if you really need your coffee at a temperature of 170 F, with low-fat milk foam, and two dashes of cinnamon on top on this day.
Don't be afraid of flagging down your server. Your server will most likely be running around like crazy and if they forgot something, definitely let them know so they have a chance to fix it. If they can't be found, flag one of the other servers or even the bussers down. It is industry standard to help your co-workers out or at minimum, the other servers will let them know that you are asking for them.
Lastly, be flexible! Valentine's Day is a VERY busy day for restaurants and mistakes are bound to happen. If you are nice and understanding to your server, they will most likely return the favor by doing something extra for you for the hiccup. Usually, this is at the discretion of the server so hence why it's good to be nice.
Remember, Valentine's Day is a day where you get to have fun with your significant other and enjoy each other's company. I know it sounds cheesy, but emotions are running high on this day and sometimes people forget what they are really celebrating. I really hope this really helps someone out and I would love to hear your stories if any of these things worked or didn't work for you!
// OUTFIT DETAILS //
Also, since I'm starting my own fashion blog, if any ladies are interested in my outfit for Valentine's Day, details are below!
AQUA Dress (XS):
This dress comes from the AQUA label under Bloomingdale’s. This dress is the perfect balance of fun and flirty. It also has a hint of sexiness with the cheetah print. The fabric is also on the stretchy side so you don’t have to worry about eating too much at dinner. I did try on both the XS and S and I decided on the XS because of the length. Even though the S was more comfortable up top, it was overall too long for my height. What I also like about this dress is that the ruffle at the hem and on the side gives the dress movement. Ruffles are in right now and this dress does a good job without it being too much in your face.
YSL Wallet on Chain:
After buying my first YSL purse, I knew I wanted to get the larger wallet on chain version. I wanted something that I can use more like a clutch than a cross-body. For the color, I usually default to black because I want to get as much use out of it as possible. But when I saw this “lipstick fuchsia” color, I knew I had to have it. My favorite color is pink after all. Also, if you are going to spend all this hard-earn money, you want it to be seen, right? Wearing a black dress like this would provide a great backdrop for this purse.
For more details on my outfit or if you just want to know more about my blog, fashion, and travels, please come visit me at https://themoderness.com/.
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Thank you everyone!