My old job just can't let me go

[RoJoHen]

As you may know, I quit my bartending job at TGI Fridays about 4 months ago and moved away. 2 months later, my boss called me up and asked if I would come back into town and bartend a couple shifts. I said yes. I thought it would be fun to have a little comeback.

Now, another 2 months have passed, and they just asked me to bartend for the TGI Fridays holiday party in February (yeah, it's a little late for a holiday party, but whatever). I'm going to do it. I did it last year when I still worked there and had a blast.

I still just think it's silly. It's been 4 months. They still haven't replaced me on the staff. They have, in fact, kept my position open in the hopes that I will move back and start working there again.

 

[Aragorn]

Is it because you're the world's last bartending poet?

 

[Maestro]

Next thing you know, they'll be begging Timby to come down and cover your shifts for you.

 

[RoJoHen]

^He'd never do it. He only works at "real bars."

 

[Timby]

^He'd never do it. He only works at "real bars."

I don't work in bars anymore. Getting sober and getting out of that line of work kind of went hand-in-hand.

 

[RoJoHen]

^He'd never do it. He only works at "real bars."

I don't work in bars anymore. Getting sober and getting out of that line of work kind of went hand-in-hand.

Fair enough.

I also just found out that I will bartending alone that night, as opposed to last year when I had a partner. I am going to get my ass kicked.

 

[Maestro]

Are you so young that you don't remember Cheers? If Mayday Malone can do it, so can you. Just make a pot of coffee.

 

[tharpdevenport]

On another hand, it's nice to have that kind of job security. Knowing -- should you lose the job you have now, these people would be there with open arms, and open position.

 

[RoJoHen]

Are you so young that you don't remember Cheers? If Mayday Malone can do it, so can you. Just make a pot of coffee.

I have never watched Cheers, but I know what you're sayin'.

Ass-kicking = Lots of money

On another hand, it's nice to have that kind of job security. Knowing -- should you lose the job you have now, these people would be there with open arms, and open position.

Absolutely. And my ego doesn't mind it either.

 

[Kibbin]

I think the mallone comment was to Timby, unless I'm mistaken Mallone went sober but still ran a bar.
As to you Ro, I have nothing to say, I don't think I've ever had a job I enjoyed so much that I would go back unless I was desperate for money so count yourself a lucky man.

 

[tharpdevenport]

On another hand, it's nice to have that kind of job security. Knowing -- should you lose the job you have now, these people would be there with open arms, and open position.

Absolutely. And my ego doesn't mind it either.

Tell them your ego is a silent partner employee, and needs a cut.

 

[Captain Shaw]

If your on your own do you think you will make a fair bit in tips?

 

[Timby]

If your on your own do you think you will make a fair bit in tips?

Between his actual tips at the bar (likely to be higher if his customers are his friends / former co-workers), plus the floor staff tip-out (which any sane restaurant mandates), I would assume that RoJo will be making bank.

 

[Mallory]

It's a good feeling, isn't it RoJoHen? I'm still on disability, but I have two jobs to choose from when I can go back to work (full or part time). It's good to be wanted with the economy the way it is today.

 

[Gryffindorian]

Enjoy yourself, RoJo. Your former employer apparently liked your work performance, which is why they keep calling you to do intermittent work. A lot of people could benefit from a secondary source of income, but not everyone gets that opportunity, let alone work at a job they like.

 

[RoJoHen]

If your on your own do you think you will make a fair bit in tips?

Between his actual tips at the bar (likely to be higher if his customers are his friends / former co-workers), plus the floor staff tip-out (which any sane restaurant mandates), I would assume that RoJo will be making bank.

Well, there won't be any tip-out because it's our staff holiday party and we're doing it after the restaurant closes. However, all of the bar patrons will be servers and bartenders, so they will certainly tip me very well. Plus, it's a joint party with our sister store in Davenport, so that's a whole extra restaurant's worth of employees. I'll probably be waiting on about 100 people.

And if it's anything like last year's party, my boss will probably throw me about $50 just for showing up.

So yeah, I'll be making an ass load of money.

 

[Capn Flukie]

So yeah, I'll be making an ass load of money.

Make sure you bring a big ass!

 

[Maestro]

Wait, wait, when is this party? If he needs to bring a big ass, then I need to clear my schedule.

 

[FordSVT]

Good (and honest) bartenders can be hard to find.

We had an altercation about two months ago with our waiter at a Swiss Chalet during lunch time. Kinda like TGIF or any of those chains they've got a bar side that gets a bit more lively at night. He was a completely rude to us from the get-go, was a bad waiter, almost had a yelling match at the end of dinner. My mother order the unlimited soup and salad and it took him a half hour to serve her because "it wasn't ready yet". Really? The soup and salad you no doubt make in tremendous bulk each day isn't ready? In the end we got 50% off our bill, a $25 gift certificate from their corporate office and a free family-sized take-home meal for our trouble. They basically paid us to eat there, which wasn't bad.

Relevant to the OP, the manager on duty admitted flat-out he was a bad waiter. The reason he was kept is because it's the only honest bartender they have had in three years, he is apparently a good bartender, and they can't give him enough hours bar tending so they've got to give him a shift or two waiting tables to make sure he has enough hours to stay with them.

I've heard from other restaurant/bar/club owners in my days say similar things, that it's hard to find a bartender who doesn't steal money or steal alcohol, drink on the job, etc.

 

[Timby]

I've heard from other restaurant/bar/club owners in my days say similar things, that it's hard to find a bartender who doesn't steal money or steal alcohol, drink on the job, etc.

Bartenders are either raging alcoholics or inveterate teetotalers, for the most part, so you're absolutely right that it's hard to find good, reliable bar staff. Generally speaking, if your bartender isn't showing up to work drunk / getting hammered on the job, lifting money out of the till, giving away the bar to friends or skimming inventory, you should do everything in your power to hang onto that person.