Camps Bay is an interesting area in Cape Town. Most of the city is fairy pretentious anyway. Girls get dressed up in stilettos to go to the shop to buy cigarettes. And because a vast majority of the modeling, fashion and advert filming industry takes place in Cape Town, most of these girls are gorgeous. I feel positively homely. Camps Bay, however, takes it to a whole new level. There isn't a breast free from scalpel interference, or a face over 40 with a wrinkle. Since our restaurant is 'the hottest spot in Cape Town' (Cosmopolitan Magazine.. thank you very much) we are inundated with people wishing to 'be seen'. We are also obscenely expensive.
I think however, that for those of you who frequent the service industry, and have not worked in it, I have some pointers for you....
1. NEVER, no matter how important you are, say 'Do you know who I AM?' when the manager cant find your booking. We don't care. You are one of many. How nice for you.
2. Don't be rude to the waiters. Your food, and your drinks, WILL have a few mishaps on its way to your table. The staff get the job in a place like this because they are best, and cause they are ballsy. They don't really care what you think.
3. When your table orders drinks, order all at once. I cant actually tell you just how annoying it is when you have to run back and forth to a table ferrying individual drinks because people are being indecisive. The barman gets annoyed, and shouts at the waiter. The waiter gets annoyed and shouts at the runner. The runner gets annoyed and walks away to go play with glasses, and then you have to wait 30 minutes for someone to bring you your food, because everyone is suddenly over worked.
4. Dont go to a very expensive restaurant unless you can afford it. We can spot you a mile away. You order tap water instead of bottled, and ask the price of everything before you make a decision. Don't gasp when we tell you the price. Its not on the menu for a reason. If you have to ask, honestly, you cant afford it.
5. Tip your waiter. If you don't tip respectably, we REMEMBER you. And you will get the trainee the next time you visit because we always give the bad tippers to the newbie. Hierarchy is wonderful :-D
And finally:
6. Never slap the bum a waitress with a tray of drinks in her hand. She may 'accidentally' spill them on you. I did. And you will look like an absolute idiot to your friends. He did. *sniggers*
Use it, dont use it. I look forward to the NEXT guy that slaps my ass....
9 comments:
Not having the price on the menu is bullshit. I've not been anywhere like that and I've had expensive meals aplenty.
They do it to keep out the riff-raff.
I loathe pretentious people that do things like that...grrrrr...Glad you are a drinki spilling kinda girl - he deserved that, im sure.
As much as I think I'm done with waitressing, I am actually so jealous of you working on the sunset strip! There really is no better way to spend a summer in CT. Perhaps I should rethink my career plans....
So....what your are saying, is that, if you're Not carrying a tray of drinks, I CAN smack your Tush?
Being Brazen: Oh yes, he did. Definitely. It wasnt so much a slap as a whole handed grab. He wont do it again though, I am sure :-D
Lopz: Honestly, I thought I would never go back to the bottom rung again, but its wonderful coming to work knowing that the stock and staff are someone elses problem and I can stare at the sea for an hour before work. Nothing quite compares.
Moe: LOL! You never know. You will have to come to Cape Town to find out though.... and if I am not carrying drinks, I MAY be carrying soup....
Oh yes, I remember those crazy girls who wore high heels and full makeup to the beach!
It's a wonder I survived in Cape Town, if that was the norm!
Very soon it will be illegal not to have prices on the menu or otherwise prominently displayed (e.g. signboard, chalkboard etc.).
I once went to a restaurant where they gave all the men menus with prices, and all the women got menus without prices! I had to snatch my father's menu away to make sure I wasn't ordering something too expensive (my uncle was paying). That restaurant doesn't exist anymore.
Hmmm, even Five Flies has prices on the menu!
*sigh* I miss Madame Zingara...
I really should point out here that the prices are actually only missing for the SQ items, like caviar, oysters, and the specials. The people that actually order those items? They NEVER ask the price. I haven't had a single person so far ask the price and then buy it.
Po: The same way I do. By looking relaxed enough to get the guys that dont want to damage the perfect makeup of the untouchables!
Amy: You know, I never actually went to Madame Zingaras. And I just missed the event in London too. I suck.
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