So, as I have indicated, I was dressed up to the nines in a black knee length skirt and a white button up shirt (like the ones boys wore at school) with flat black shoes. It was a task and a half getting the gear in the first place. On the Saturday I'd had my interview with Abhi, the very sweet and well turned out manager, who had offered me the trial along with a list of clothes I didn't own that were mandatory. I dragged Joe to Primark where I picked up the shirt for £4.00 (affordable even on my salary), along with a not mandatory but very necessary white bra. Let me explain. Primark is brilliant for very cheap, often quite stylish clothes (not that this shirt fell into to the latter category) but with the cheapness comes a certain drop in quality that one simply cannot avoid. So, I noticed that when I tried it on my dark blue bra was totally visible, perfectly outlining my bust. I made the executive decision that this was not required for my new uniform and picked up a Daze white bra for £2.50! I also discovered that Primark shoes are made for dolls and bought the pumps from Deichman's (two doors down).
Anyway, so I'm kitted out and ready for work. Except work is on bank holiday Monday and I really want to sit on my arse and play Skyrim. I wake up at 11.45am, trudge into my living room and put off the inevitable shower, while munching on a brioche. By the time I get round to the shower and I am ready to leave it is five minutes before my shift. With no time to blow dry or apply make-up as I had planned I quick march to the restaurant. Sweat pours from my forehead and armpits, my hair scraggy about my face. I'm sure my cheeks are red. Abhi shows me where the fire exit is... the entrance I just came through, where to get rid of dirty plates etc and then offers me an elastic band. "All waitresses must have their hair tied up!" I pull my short bob into a tight ponytail, add an apron and I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Late, sweaty and unprepared (just like the interview) but I'd come this far and humiliated myself this thoroughly, I wasn't going home just yet.
Abhi introduces me to Cristina, an old hand, and Hayley who is on her first day. Cristina shows me the ropes, including the till, the table numbers and how the buffet and drinks work. I was told the two key things are taking away dirty plates/empty glasses (as soon as they are put down by a customer) and to check twice on how their meal is, once during main and once during dessert. I was handed a drinks menu and told to familiarise myself. I've got to be honest the work didn't seem to strenuous especially as it was not the busiest lunchtime.
The next two hours tick slowly by and I found it quite pleasant, much more so than an office. Cristina was massively on my case about picking up plates and offering drinks. We had one table in particular we were fixating on, myself, Cristina and Hayley. I asked if I should check on them and was told to give them a moment. The customers were then descending upon numerous times by the three of us: do you want are drink? are you done with that? I watched Hayley ask them again within thirty seconds of me approaching le table. I decided to give them a break to enjoy their food. When there meal came to an obvious conclusion I asked C if I should offer them the bill. "No! No! No!" she cried. "They will come to us. Do not just go in their faces 'have you finished?' trying to rush them." I wasn't doing that. "Okay, sure thing." Twenty minutes later the customers realised they were being ignored and asked for the bill.
Moral here: always ask for the bill, they are not going to bring it to you, in the hopes you will order more.
Unbeknownst to me, my shift was drawing to a close, I wondered between the aisles of tables and food, received a tap on my shoulder from Abhi and was asked to remove my apron and wait at table 16 (the one hidden round the back of a pillar). I took my hair down and then changed my mind, trying to still look professional and yanked it back up. He joined me shortly after I'd sat down and asked me about my experience, put on the spot I was stumped for words and managed "It was nice." *facepalm* He then gave me my feedback. "You didn't check on the customers, to see how their meal was. I expected with your receptionist background that you would have done that." How do I tell him I was discouraged from checking when I wanted to and that I felt we were overcrowding them for the rest of the meal?"Urm.. Urm... It is a learning curve for me." Answer: I don't. "We will get back in touch with you at the end of the week if you have been sucessful. If you don't hear, well... ".
The afternoon however ended on a high when I was offered free food, a delicious tikka masala. So at any rate even if they haven't gained an employee they have gained a customer.
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