being in charge

so, i have been front of the house managing for a couple of weeks now at outback. i have been with the company for almost years, i have been in every role thus far minus bartender which i don't want to do to. tonight was really bad, or should i say hard. our sunday customers are pretty bad the majority of them complain about their steaks even when to our chart and standard they are cooked properly. i understand everyone likes their medium a different way, but for what we say our medium is going to be (a bright pink center) that is exactly how it comes out. but on sundays people complain about it. so i had to cook up a bunch of steaks and recook a couple so as the foh manager i get to talk to each table about their food when i return it to their table after being fixed. most people are understanding.

so cook ups are one thing and then people complaining about their steaks is another. i had one woman who didn't want anything new but didn't want her steak and it was her birthday. she cried. her husband said it wouldn't keep them away it was just an off day for them and us. another of our regulars wanted new sirloins. can i just say that if you get a sirloin it is not the best quality cut of meat you can eat and their will be grissle in it. it is sirloin not filet. don't get a sirloin and expect it to be filet quality even at outback. we do have very good sirloins but don't complain about the grade of steak if you order the cheap one.

to top off all of these issues, i had a hostess who talked back. not many of you have ever seen me get talked back to or fight with a sibling, as you might imagine i can get a little fiesta. i didn't' t go off on her but i had to walk away about 6 or 7 times because she would contradict every thing i said. when i made a decision about where a party should be seated she told why it shouldn't or couldn't go there and do the opposite of what i said. she cut down her fellow hostess, who are new but are doing a great job, in front of them. i know i am called to love her in christ but she is a little e.r.g (extra grace required). at one point, after walking away to gain composure, i told her, "i hosted for 9 months i know how to do this job well, and i was trained as a manager i know what i am doing. i need you to listen to me and do what i say." she never smiles ever, and is only nice to customers when she wants to be. after i said this to her a customer walked in and she dismissed me and smiled 'happily' at the customer. i simply walked away again. and went to tend to other issues i had going on. she continued to do things her way and screw things up on top of the customer issues.

i did end up writing her up after talking to the manager above me. she is on her way out. their is something in my heart that makes it break for her. she is so unhappy with her life. i did part of her training and really liked her, she is about 6 months pregnant. living with her boyfriend who she doesn't work and she supports. i can't imagine she has any support from her family and i see the terror in her eyes about what her life has become. i am trying to be nice to her, i want to do something nice for her. i am pretty set that if she still works with us in a month of two that i will throw her a baby shower. i just wish she didn't make me so mad. if she wasn't pregnant i am pretty sure she would have been fired a month ago. i wish she would see that people care and are trying to help her.

oh how she needs to feel loved. i wish i could show her in a better way. it is hard to show love when you have to discipline. oh, my heart breaks tonight. may she see the light of christ in me, despite how she treats me.