Message 5093 of 22774 in Behind the Bar

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:-B

Whilst :

> ..starts their order with "Ummmmmm," gets told to have 
> their order ready the next time...

...is me all over, this one :

> As I'm looking around, I'm making 
> eye contact with my next three to five coustomers,

...I studiously avoid. Heck, I am sure looking around a lot, my head is on 
constant swivel, even as I'm taking the orders, but I skip eye contact.
In contrast to the hesitaters mentioned above, there are just way too many 
others that will immediately bark their order (or more likely only the first 
half of it *sigh*) as soon as I focus beyond the beer taps while pouring for 
someone else.

Now, while it's theoretically possible to queue that order up and do it, I 
just don't because:
- It completely screws any other priorities I might be juggling at the time, 
queue-jumping etc.
- we are working with so many 'tenders so close behind the bar that they are 
actually more likely to get served quicker by a teammate in the next 20 
seconds than by waiting around for me to finish someone elses transaction 
(cred cards again!)

If I do make eye-contact and they haven't leapt in with their order 
immediately, too many of them still seem to think that this vague 
acknowlegement means that they are immediately next, and get even huffier than 
usual when we get to them.
I know they are there, I know who's waiting, I know who has money in hand 
and who's just getting in the way. But I know this from reading body language 
up to the neck :-B

OK, this behaviour of mine could probably be improved in a different 
environment, but it gets shit done. I am simply not going to put myself in the 
position where I have to stop and explain why they are not, in fact, next. 
Just let them think I didn't see them, and they are pleasantly surprised when 
I do get there! On occasion (like when someone gets their card number wrong) 
I'll look around with a wan smile at everyone and signal, yeh, I'm getting to 
you... once this one gets out of our way...

Working in (as I said) a compressed area with the rest of the team, I 
exaggerate my moves, stalking the bar with a hand in the air as I scan for the 
next, Pointing dramatically at the person I'm moving to, swooping & scooping 
with flair (small-f flair or panache), Stepping back hands-up like a pit-crew 
member when I'm done.
On one hand, it demonstrates to the crowd that I really, really am busy, so be 
patient. On the other, It telegraphs my movements to whoever is next to me so 
they can predict where I'm going next... at speed.

I seldom remember to do that price-quote first-off. I should try it a bit more 
instead of getting fed up with people who look at me blankly and think that 
"Oh, you want me to pay you now?" is an incredibly witty joke.


.dan.