How many tables can one server take?

I'm a restaurant guy....

also a former server, the son of a Server, the Husband of a Server. I have been given a life supported by the generosity of those who give tips and at times provided food for my family and children from the same generosity of others.

Servers are by nature money driven and especially skilled in convincing others to give them money or put them in a place to make the most money. In a servers mind often more tables or more customers equals to more opportunity. All Servers have a story of the day when they held down an over sized section all on their own because of staffing issues or poor management.

"Yesterday, Jenny called off and I handled section 7 all by myself. The parade ended and I guess the manager John didn't even know there was a parade. Because when people started to poor in at 6 pm he was no where to be found and I took them all like one big party. While I was getting the drinks for the 5 top the host Betty sat my 9th table. When I got to them, they were so nice, I mean they could see how busy I was they tipped me $20 on a $30 tab. We had a few problems and only one lady was a butt hole. John took care of her and I made like $250 yesterday. I called Jenny last night and thanked her."

The story always ends with other servers oohing and ahhing  and dreaming of a day when that will happen to them.

Once I entered into the operational side of Restaurants I was given pressures to maximize service from upper management and quickly added servers to the floor every day. I was then quickly met with opposition from the service staff about how they were to make money with only 3-4 tables.

The opposition includes:
Out right defiance
Servers quitting
Schemes to have a server call off per day
Several outcries of no money
Complaints to upper management (unfortunately an obstacle when it was their idea)
Begging and Pleading

During this opposition time most new managers (and some old ones) cave in. Usually the manager sympathizes with the servers. Sometimes because they have been a server in the past. Mostly because they do not have a defense that makes sense. So they just lose.

Let me offer a few good reasons for sticking to the plan to reduce tables of service during peak periods.

Let me start by telling you the other side of the Servers account of her largest money making day at your business.

1.John the manager most likely knew about the Parade. Probably due to trying to maximize server money is understaffed as a rule.
2. When he gets a call off from Jenny he has no other servers to call in because All of his servers have made all the money they need and more or have worked the last 6 days in a row and don't care to come in.
3. While John is no where to be found, he is probably following the flow of food in the restaurant. Front door first,trying not to overrun anyone on purpose. while getting the sales in the door. Then, of course, he gets called into the kitchen because the server took all the food orders at once and blew them away in an act of self defense. John is now in fight of flight mode and luckily is a fighter.
4. Now that the food is being delivered and guests appear happy to finally be eating. There is no time for 2 minute/2 bite check back so steaks are eaten with out steak sauce, Food is improperly prepared and is not getting fixed because no one has time to check. Some is even cold!
5. The lady who John had to take care of had a item of food that never made it to the kitchen because the server just had no time to check every order and relied on muscle memory during the entire rush.
6. John Comps the entire check. Why not it is well deserved. The lady doesn't even want to eat anymore. She leaves without eating. This is a total fail in the Restaurant industry.
7. The table that tipped the server $20 had 2 meals comped off of it which equaled to $25 dollars. They got a bargain.

Next week 3 of the 9 tables will have Special Occasions. A Grandma's Birthday, And Anniversary Dinner and a couple that will host their little boys baseball team for lunch after the big game.

The Question: How many of those tables will share their occasion with this restaurant?

The answer: Most Likely none.

The Real Question: How many servers will stay in long term employment at an establishment that runs in this manner?

The Answer is: None.

Ask yourself: If you want to lose customers with your current staff and plan? or If you want to win with people who understand how to build and maintain business?

I know there is several quality servers that no matter what I write in this blog, you will believe they could actually handle this scenario without losing guests. I can appreciate the super server too. However, I would bet a large sum of money that you do not have a full staff of super servers. The odds are not in your favor.