i bartend at a fairly busy mid level restaurant. we can't seem to hold on to any employee for the take out station because the majority of people who come in for take out... i'll be nice here... are unfriendly. now i'm not saying everyone that orders in is, just the bulk of them. people just dont' seem to understand how hard it is to do take out at high volume. handling sometimes up to 15-20 orders all with 4-5 items each, this person whats extra this with no that, another customers dressing/sauce on the side. trying to stay organized while taking customer orders with the phone is ringing. customers crowding around you reaching behind your station to try and grab orders that aren't theirs. dozens of angry eyes glaring at you cause their order isn't ready within the quoted time. there's no way they would understand that it's completely out of your control on how fast the cooks make their food. servers dont' help you organize and box things cause they're busy with their tables.
because nobody wants to work the take out station, management has decided it's the bartenders job now. 2 bartenders every night, bar/take out guy gets 40% of the bar, the other gets 60%. rule for me when i'm on take out. bar customers come first, they take the time to come in, sit down and enjoy a beverage i make for them, then i'd bus/restock, make drinks for servers, last on my list TAKEOUT. now, i'll do whatever i can to get their order out asap, but if it doesn't come out right away, it's probably not me, it's cause the restaurant is busy and orders get backed up. i don't expect a tip from takeout, but it's very very nice to get something. if i see a tip when the customers pay before pick up. i'll out of my way to get their order out first, napkins/bread and butter/fork and knife, bagged and ready to go. if it's super busy, expect to see my manager cause i'm not even going to bother helping you, stand there and glare for all i care, the important customers are sitting in front of me watching the game, enjoying a cocktail/beer.
this is the only job that will suit my school schedule. masters student in biology in the morning, bartend at night, will be going to dental school next year. (paid my way thru my masters program with my job)
sorry for the semi-rant, it was a long weekend, and i got stuck on bar/takeout friday/sat/sun. so it kinda sucked, but hey, money is good.