Slow Days

There's nothing worse than a slow day in a restaurant. There are only so many things you can do to fill in time between the sporadic customers and as the day drags on, it is harder and harder to find things to clean and fill. By the fourth hour, you've done all the little tasks, checked your facebook, had a break, scrubbed every surface until it sparkles, checked your facebook, sent half the staff home, chatted with every other co worker, checked your facebook.....

As the clock ticks on and the customers become even fewer and further between, you get into a lull of boredom. You think you want it to get busy just so time will speed up. The problem is, when you finally do get a table, it's almost impossible to plaster that smile back on your face and pretend you're super happy to be catering to their every whim.

Today was eight hours of this and to make matters worse, the weather outside was atrocious with gale force winds and sideways rain constantly beating down. It was just depressing!

On a side note, we did answer three separate phone calls today which were people enquiring whether we knew the phone number of the new restaurant that just opened next door. They have been opened for six weeks and have clearly decided there is no need to spend money on advertising. They also do not have the name of the restaurant on the outside of the building so nobody knows what they are called or how to contact them to make a booking. As a result we have been fielding numerous calls every week from people who, for some reason, have decided it's ok to call a restaurant and ask them how they might contact their most direct competition!

I've given up being polite to these people now. At first I would apologise that I didn't know the number, then I would give them the name of the restaurant and suggest they call directory assistance. Now, having grown weary of wasting my time sending business next door, the conversation goes something like this:
Joe Public (JP): "Uh hi. I was just wondering if you might know the phone number of the restaurant next door"
Me : "No"
JP: "Would you happen to know where I might be able to find it?"
Me: "No"
JP: "Uh OK, thanks anyway"

One of my co workers was asked the other day if they could "just pop over and check their sign or see if the number was shown anywhere on the building".
"No" she replied.