Man, do I hate “Event nights”. “Event nights”, should they be defined in Wiki-pedia would read something like this;
“Those nights when sold out shows at local entertainment venues produce the restaurant’s usually-sought- after “full house” except that 100% of the diners arrive in the same span of 30 minutes, want all to order at the same time, wonder why their drinks are taking so long, order their dinners all within 30 minutes of each other, wonder why their food is taking so long, and all want to leave at the same time, and wonder why their check is taking so long.”
I laughed internally last night, when I walked in the door and the Chef’s wife was behind the front desk. As an “Emergency recruit” hostess, she was overheard saying at the end of the shift; “Never again”. (haha…now you know why your husband drinks!) On event nights, would be customers get ornery when we have no seats left for them (“Did you make reservations?”), waitstaff hold back tears, cooks look like deer in head lights (Expo to the “GRILL GUY!”, said loudly and quickly; “You should have 4 filets working, one rare with fries-2 medium both with baked potato-one well and butterflied-mashed, bearnaise on the side and mashed-8 petit filets working 1 rare-2 med-rare-4 medium-1 med-well, 5 with baked-2 with mashed-one with sub salad- 7 burgers most of them medium,some with cheese-two with bacon- 4 tips, 3 medium and one med well but closer to medium….etc”, the first waitperson to show up in the kitchen, and identify from piles of plates ready to deliver two that may or may not be hers
“YES, take them!!! PLEASE”!
The worst part of event nights is that so many people, who have never been to our restaurant before, are inclined to make an evaluation of us on a night where “bedlam” best defines our environment. Clearly, not our best foot forward.
Last night, it was Boston rocker’s the Dropkick Murphy’s at a sold out Tsongas Center that inspired our own “sell out”. (It was also the Dropkick Murphy’s who showed up for dinner, with Micky Ward and entourage, with reservations for 15 that turned into 30!!) Whattyagonnado…
Oh, and did I forget to mention that we also LOVE “event nights”?! I think it’s the masochistic nature of most restaurant folk. We like the abuse.
If you have never worked in a restaurant on an “event night”, ask Chef’s wife! When she recovers.
Leave a Reply