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Served: Why Tipping Makes Everyone Uncomfortable
Here's the thing. The fact that is that you made the right call in this circumstance. They happened to be a group of people who had meant to tip well and messed up. It happens. On my birthday last year the kid who collected the money from the group later confessed that he had assumed included gratuity for our 12 top but realized his mistake later on. The waitress would absolutely have been right to ask where her tip was.
But the reason you got flack over this was because most of the time when a bad tip is given it is because either A) the service was bad or B) the customer is a lousy tipper.
In the case of the lousy waiter, asking is only going to make things uncomfortable. We all have off nights but nobody wants to be given a laundry list of why they were a lousy server.
In the case of the cheap tipper, asking is probably going to result in nothing more than a complaint to your manager. Poor tippers are often the most bitchy and demanding of customers. So yes, it worked out for you on this particular occasion, but more often than not, asking would have been a wrong thing to do.
I'm firmly of the belief that there are swings and roundabouts in the service industry. There are times you'll get 5% and times you'll get 50%. With rare exception, you're better off not worrying about the size of an individual tip, and instead thinking about your overall income.
Bloody Mary Is the Girl I Love
V8 Juice? Ugh. Clamato is fine, because I usually like to put in a dash of clam juice anyway. The real key is the more horseradish the better. Hot sauce is fine but it has to be red Tobasco. I was at one restaurant that gave me rooster sauce to put in my Bloody.... ew.
But V8... That's not a Bloody Mary. I like V8 just fine plain but...
Really it should be tomato, horseradish, vodka (absolut peppar for a real treat!), tobasco, clam juice, maybe some worcestorshire, and if you have it around a little olive brine too. If you serve it without celery, it's not made correctly.
Sugar-Free Free?
Lacto-fermented sodas are naturally low-sugar. The fermentation process eats up the sugar and creates a lovely natural carbonation. Kombucha tea too.
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
All-Star Sandwich Bar in Cambridge, Mass.
@Zach Brooks: and I can´t think why anybody would ever set foot in Revere!
Seriously, All-Star is the tops. They had a sandwich, I can´t remember the name, but in addition to all the standard ingredients they put on a shmear of chopped liver. Who does that? A sandwich place worth returning to is who.
Plus the beer selection is small, but very good for a place of this type. They have really good pickles too. And while I know that the free Oreo jar is a minor point, it does help to endear this place to my heart.
Served: Why Tipping Makes Everyone Uncomfortable
Here's the thing. The fact that is that you made the right call in this circumstance. They happened to be a group of people who had meant to tip well and messed up. It happens. On my birthday last year the kid who collected the money from the group later confessed that he had assumed included gratuity for our 12 top but realized his mistake later on. The waitress would absolutely have been right to ask where her tip was.
But the reason you got flack over this was because most of the time when a bad tip is given it is because either A) the service was bad or B) the customer is a lousy tipper.
In the case of the lousy waiter, asking is only going to make things uncomfortable. We all have off nights but nobody wants to be given a laundry list of why they were a lousy server.
In the case of the cheap tipper, asking is probably going to result in nothing more than a complaint to your manager. Poor tippers are often the most bitchy and demanding of customers. So yes, it worked out for you on this particular occasion, but more often than not, asking would have been a wrong thing to do.
I'm firmly of the belief that there are swings and roundabouts in the service industry. There are times you'll get 5% and times you'll get 50%. With rare exception, you're better off not worrying about the size of an individual tip, and instead thinking about your overall income.
Bloody Mary Is the Girl I Love
V8 Juice? Ugh. Clamato is fine, because I usually like to put in a dash of clam juice anyway. The real key is the more horseradish the better. Hot sauce is fine but it has to be red Tobasco. I was at one restaurant that gave me rooster sauce to put in my Bloody.... ew.
But V8... That's not a Bloody Mary. I like V8 just fine plain but...
Really it should be tomato, horseradish, vodka (absolut peppar for a real treat!), tobasco, clam juice, maybe some worcestorshire, and if you have it around a little olive brine too. If you serve it without celery, it's not made correctly.
Sugar-Free Free?
Lacto-fermented sodas are naturally low-sugar. The fermentation process eats up the sugar and creates a lovely natural carbonation. Kombucha tea too.
Know of any great sandwich shops in Boston?
First step is to get the hell out of Boston proper. In Inman Square, Cambridge you'll find the All-Star Sandwich Bar. It's been one of my favorite spots for everything from traditional sandwiches (think BLT, Gobbler, Reuben) to wackier stuff. I've had 2 different sandwiches there that had chopped liver as one of the several ingredients. Not to mention they have decent beer and awesome pickles. And on your way out, a big bowl of free Oreos for dessert.
For some more specific stuff:
Eagle Deli in Brighton has a great Gobbler and great breakfast sandwiches. I haven't tried any other kinds though.
The Sevens on Beacon Hill has the best Reuben I ever had.
Would You Send Back an Overcooked Burger?
Chisal, spot on. At a chain restaurant like a Friday's (not that I often go to Friday's) I wouldn't expect a burger done to temp. But I also wouldn't expect anything there to be done exquisitely.
Old Kitchen Equipment
Oh whoops. I misread and thought it said you were IN your early 70s. :P
Vegitarian-ism EPIC FAIL
On the contrary, Karyn, I love tofu. But vegetarianism is a worse fad than bacon because nobody kids themselves about chocolate covered bacon being healthy. Or ethical. There's nothing unethical or unhealthy about meat consumption if it's done properly. That's not to say you can't eat tofu, but you shouldn't eat it every day.
Vegitarian-ism EPIC FAIL
There's nothing sexier than a woman and steak. That's why I can't stand the vegetarian trend. And that's all that it is. A dietary fad. There will always be a few, but come on... Tattoos and tofu.
Anchovies: Way or No Way?
I use them on pizza all the time, and I always have to steal a couple to eat plain. I love them so salty, delicious much.
Old Kitchen Equipment
@CanadianFoodieGirl, No offense, but... yes.
"Fancy" Food
My great-grandfather used to give me waffles with jam spread on them. Not too fancy, but we would eat them with our hands! HANDS!
Can you buy sourdough starter in stores?
You could just make her a starter as an easy, although slightly late, Christmas present.
Meat Lite: Eggs Any Style Shaksouka
Shakshouka is one of my personal favorite dishes. I picked it up in Israel. A nice touch, albeit not a traditional one, is to serve this with a dollop of ricotta or cottage cheese on the side. The cool cheese and hot tomato stew is a great contrast.
Mike's Pastry vs. Modern Pastry Shop: Holy Cannoli!
Mike's is for tourists. If somebody says they were raised in Boston and prefer Mike's I would challenge you to ask them what part of Boston they are from. I'd put money down they were from well outside the city. Being from Boston and going to Mike's is like being from NY and going to Times Square.
Goofy kitchen appliances (please don't buy that for me!)
Regarding the Magic Bullet... It's a very useful device, but if you already have a blender, you probably don't also need a Magic Bullet. Doesn't everybody know the mason jar thing by now?
Served: What to Do When There's Nothing to Do
Rollups! I love doing silverware rolls. I'll do them all the live-long day. Sometimes, I like to trade my end-of-night sidework in exchange for doing other people's rolls. It keeps you busy all night and means that you can run as soon as you're cashed out.
So, What Did You Make?
I made:
1 Cornish Game Hen,
Sweet potato casserole
Cranberry sauce (for ice cream or hen)
The girlfriend made:
Stuffing
Roasted Squash
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Store bought:
Jelly cranberry sauce (it's soo good)
Pumpkin Pie (we made the ice cream!)
Pirogis
Photo of the Day: The Menu at Mitsuwa
Actually, I went to Mistuwa recently for the first time in years. I just moved back to Edgewater (my home town) after living elsewhere for a while. I was really disappointed. A big part of the problem was the lack of fresh sushi. It used to be there was not 1 but 2 sushi vendors. Now the only sushi is in the market part. WTF?
Also my Tempura was very very soggy. I don't remember which vendor we went to but ew. Thank god for taiyaki or else lunch would've been a total wash.
Thanksgiving Foods We Love to Hate
@teenagefoodie, there are recipes on Serious Eats containing bones in a much more prominent way: Whole birds. And racks of lamb. And pork chops. I mean, are we really frightened of bones?
As far as turkey goes, I'm not a huge turkey guy, but I do enjoy a turkey burger from time to time or a turkey sandwich. I guess the reason why I don't usually roast a turkey when it's not Thanksgiving is because being single, how the hell am I going to eat a turkey alone?
Pickled Snap Peas
Sure! I got it from this site: http://machineproject.com/2008/09/16/pickling-how-to/
Because snap peas float, you have to weigh them down with a ziplock bag full of water.
"Rules of thumb:
If you’re pickling your veggies in brine, that is, covering them with salt water, you will want to premix your salt and bottled water at the following strengths: 2 tablespoons of sea salt per quart of water (a 3.6% brine solution) is a pretty standard strength for most pickles. 3 tablespoons of salt per quart (5.4% solution) yields a salty but extra long lasting pickle.
The directions are simple:
1. Clean and cut veggies and fill a very clean jar. Add any spices.
2. Pour brine to cover. Leave a little breathing room at the top of the jar—about 1/2″.
3. Cap and wait"
Koreatown NYC Restaurant - Suitable for Vegetarian
Most of the places should be able to substitute tofu for beef in a bibimbap. There's not always a ton of veg options, but there's always at least one or two dishes on the menu that can easily be substituted.
Served: The Perfect Waiter Job
These are all solid points, especially pooled house. There's nothing worse than having huge inequities which breed jealousy and frustration, i.e. you make $75 when your co-worker makes $200.
I think the point that should also be mentioned is price. When I apply for jobs I make a point of looking at restaurants that charge $15-20 per entree. This is high enough that you'll be able to have some decent sales for the evening, but low enough that it's not fine dining. Am I the only one who looks at a menu before applying?
Alien Fruits and Vegetables
Durian for me. It smelled bad, to be sure, but it tasted ok. I agree with SuzeZeeQ that it was very custardy. I commented to my friends that it might be nice inside some kind of pastry. Some death-smelling pastry.
Later while watching Andrew Zimmern spit out a piece of Durian on TV
Served: A Colorful Cast of Customers
I'm sure rabbit food could be found more easily at, for example, a petting zoo. :)
Thanksgiving Foods We Love to Hate
I love all of those things. I don't have them anymore at my thanksgiving table, but if I'm served (any and all of it!) somewhere, I go for it and bask in nostalgia for days gone by with Nana and the whole fam!
Thanksgiving Foods We Love to Hate
@ mr guy- I agree, the brining doesn't do much for me either. I've done it the past two years, and if you ask me it's a big pain in the ass for little results. Expensive too.
Thanksgiving Foods We Love to Hate
Cans of thick slop and sludge never get anywhere near my cooking. As a matter of fact, Campbell's cream "soup" line is single handedly responsible for making crock pots the biggest laugh in the kitchen. (The crock pot was later de-throned by Sandra Lee as the biggest laugh in the kitchen - ironically a chronic user of cream soups.)
Thanksgiving Foods We Love to Hate
Don't be hating on me, but Campbell's creamy onion soup is far superior to use in casseroles versus the cream of mushroom. When I took over Thanksgiving duty from my MIL, that marshmallow sweet potato monstrosity was banned from my menu. As well as the canned cranberry "sauce", I make my own SF version from the real cranberries from the produce section.
Thanksgiving Foods We Love to Hate
Everything was fair game until you got to the marshmallows.
Marshmallows aren't Thanksgiving food. They're candy.
Top Ten Worst Halloween 'Candies'
I disagree about a lot of the candy items mentioned here.
I, for one, LOVE the fun-sized (or mini, if you prefer) candies. It's a tiny bit of something insanely tasty, enough to give pleasure without causing tummy pains. When I was a young'un and I went trick-or-treating, one house gave out mini Clark bars. Yum-o-delish! I polished those off first.
I think the chewy peanut butter kisses taste absolutely divine.
Candy corn, I think is plenty of tasty, as are the candy pumpkins made of candy-corn base. Think little dollops of hardened cake-frosting.
As for apples and raisins, those I didn't mind in the least.
However, some items, I do agree about.
Toothbrushes -- a boring reminder
Religious pamphlets -- disappointing and WEIRD to boot.
Packages of "normal" food -- oh, for crying in Manhattan, what kid wants to receive a can of baked beans or a box of oat bran in his little plastic jack-o-lantern.
One time I received cough drops -- and not the Ludens or Pine Bros or Smith Bros or F&Fs, which are tasty and could pass as hard candy (as can the Ricolas). These were nasty little green pellets that were -- and tasted like -- MEDICATION. Like I said, for crying in Manhattan! For crying in Manhattan, Chicago, and San Francisco
Oh well. At least I didn't get a ROCK
Top Ten Worst Halloween 'Candies'
If I didn't live in an apartment building with no kids in it I'd be giving out and full sized candy bar AND a red bull to every kid. HAHAHA!!! HALLOWEEN IS FOR KIDS! SUCK IT PARENTS!
Served: Why Tipping Makes Everyone Uncomfortable
So I didn't see the last post, and I haven't read all the comments, but it's a topic that depends on the situation, imo. If it was a large group of people, I would ask again, because that does eat up a lot of one waitress's time. I dined at a nice little place with a friend a few months back, and it was my second time there (pretty sure the waiters recognized me). I had tipped well the first time, as it was a great experience, and the second time, my friend and I completely miscalculated the tip. My waiter came back around and asked us if everything was ok. It was a bit awkward, but I'm glad he did ask, because he deserved more than the $3 we had somehow managed to leave.
Served: Why Tipping Makes Everyone Uncomfortable
I think the whole idea of tipping is ridiculous: do you tip the toll collector for taking your money? Do you tip the gas man for reading your meter? Do you tip your IT guy for fixing your computer? Of course not. Now, obviously, they don't live on tips. GUESS WHAT: NEITHER SHOULD WAITERS! How insane is it that a customer has to pay basically twice: for the food and for the service? Can you imagine if we had to tip UPS person for delivering the package to your house? Here's another tidbit: are the dishes heavier at T.G.I. Fridays than they are in a fancy steakhouse with $100+ dishes? Where do you come off with a sense of entitlement to a $20 tip just because the food was $100, whereas at Fridays a $20 plate would only get a $4 tip? If restaurant you work at charges that much for food, let them pay you! Enough is enough!
Served: Every Night Waiting Tables
This blog is great!! Check out www.stuckserving.com for similar stories!!
Would You Send Back an Overcooked Burger?
I'd be afraid of what would come back, so I wouldn't send it back, but I would not go back to that restaurant again.
Would You Send Back an Overcooked Burger?
Hell YEA I would send it back - I ASKED FOR RAW!
Can you buy sourdough starter in stores?
Hi there, KTempesta!
Yes, it is for sale on my website, www.noseyparkernews.com. I have at the moment just two cultures, but I plan to offer several more as the ones I've obtained recently mature, and settle into a comfortable reliable state. I've found that the flavor, aroma and leavening power vary and increase immensely from the time you first activate a dry starter until the time the culture acclimates itself to the brand of flour you use regularly, and probably to your local water.
Check out our website, if you'd like to know more ....
Corn syrup-is it really that bad? Replacements?
I have used rice syrup for pecan pie, and it's the best pie ever. but not sure what to use to make marshmallows.
Sugar-Free Free?
i am not sure you can find them at any store, but if you have a japanese/korean store near you, they make plum (ume) tea in packets. so sweet you would never know its not crystal light. just a suggestion for an occassional sweet demand. i cant tell you whats in mine. i cant read the box.
All-Star Sandwich Bar in Cambridge, Mass.
Just went a couple days ago on SE's recommendation. Couldn't have been happier. My girlfriend got the beef on weck, and it was magnificent, with a deep meaty flavor. My reuben was moist, delicious, and (I'm sure I'm going to take some crap for this) better than Zingerman's and just over half the price.
The hush puppies were delicious, but I also got the "rings of fire", which I wouldn't bother with again. The onion rings were beautifully seasoned but far too oily, and the hot sauce, while good and spicy, ended up being a chore by the end of the meal. We're definitely going back. Thanks, SE!
All-Star Sandwich Bar in Cambridge, Mass.
Wow! Glad everyone is so excited about this Weekend Cook and Tell topic, it's going to be a good one.
yemek tarifleri
All-Star Sandwich Bar in Cambridge, Mass.
Wow! Glad everyone is so excited about this Weekend Cook and Tell topic, it's going to be a good one.
yemek tarifleri
All-Star Sandwich Bar in Cambridge, Mass.
Even sandwiches that look that good arent reason enough to step into the people's republic of Cambridge
All-Star Sandwich Bar in Cambridge, Mass.
That top sandwich looks the best! I'm adding this sandwich shop to my July trip to Boston's itinerary.
Hillary
Chew on That
Served: Why Tipping Makes Everyone Uncomfortable
Tip is left for service which means full-service, as opposed to self-service, right? Even if the server is not what you want or expect, if he/she walked back and forth so you can just sit at your table, shouldn't the server get the minimum 15% unless there are mistakes on the server's part (not the kitchen's)? We expect so much from servers at restaurants, yet accept lousy service everywhere else.
Served: Every Night Waiting Tables
This is a great blog, you should also check out www.86BadTips.com
Served: Every Night Waiting Tables
^^Which means you're kind of a tool. Do you realize that the base wage for many servers is around $2.33 per hour?? What we take home in tips is what we earn. It's not like we're making 8 bucks an hour and your $10 is just an added bonus.
Served: Why Tipping Makes Everyone Uncomfortable
I just wanted to offer some appreciation for this post. I have had a similar experience, where, after paying, my tip would have been $1 on a $60+ order. I returned the dollar "change" to the table even though they said "no change," and they were shocked and shelled out more money. It happens, and I see no reason why someone shouldn't approach their table if they believe that a mistake has happened.
Served: Why Tipping Makes Everyone Uncomfortable
WOW, I feel seriously misinformed. Although, I always tip good, even when I shouldn't, this is what I thought happened in most restaurants. I thought everyone got minimum wage. I thought all the tips were collected and split between all the staff ie; dishwasher, cook etc. I never thought this was good because, a good server deserves more than a bad server, and this spliting up the tips, to me, didn't seem condusive to make a better server out of some of them. Where did I get this idea? Also, do you as a server have to claim tips, and pay taxes on them? This doesn't seem fair to me either, if it's true. I would love some real answers to these myths.
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@Zach Brooks: and I can´t think why anybody would ever set foot in Revere!
Seriously, All-Star is the tops. They had a sandwich, I can´t remember the name, but in addition to all the standard ingredients they put on a shmear of chopped liver. Who does that? A sandwich place worth returning to is who.
Plus the beer selection is small, but very good for a place of this type. They have really good pickles too. And while I know that the free Oreo jar is a minor point, it does help to endear this place to my heart.