Number One:

I honestly do not really mind my guests asking for fry fills. I mind the kitchen bumping my fry fills and refusing to give me fry fills until I re-ring in the fries which results in me always having a guest who thinks that I forgot about their request for a fry fill or that are just annoyed with how long fries take. Also so you all know they take about 2-3 minutes in the deep frier and then they already get tossed with that cool-season on the table. Or at least they did in my day! Also if you want them gluten-free just say no seasoning. We have a separate fryer for gluten-free.

Take Away: If your server "forgets" your fries, maybe, just maybe, she didn't actually forget. Maybe the kitchen isn't wanting to stop making your main dishes and apps long enough to fill a basket of extra fries. So try not to call your server names for not giving you more fries. Remember they are just fries and not the elixir of life. In fact, they are kind the opposite.

Number Two:

WE KNOW THAT YOU JUST WANT FREE STUFF!

Come on! Like Come On! As if we are stupid just because we work at the RR. No! I worked on the side of town that had the more "wealthy" clients and let me tell you I have never had so many guests since working on that side of the tracks want more hand outs and freebies.

Take Away: If it really is horrid send it back. If not don't! If it has a baby amount of pink...YOU WILL NOT DIE EAT THE MEAT!!! If you ordered something premium and didn't like it please say something before you finished the whole thing. Otherwise you are just rude and wanting something for free. I do not feel bad for you. However, in my experience we smile wide with slightly sympathetic eyes and go yell about you to our manager who will likely still discount your food. But are you a good person. NO!

Number Three 

I am one of the employees who have notecards of our menu. I know that that item is not on our menu! I know better than you. I am sorry to say it the guest sometimes is not correct. If you came in last week and got the DGB burger I know you are lying because that hasn't been a thing since I started at Red Robin in 2016. I know I miss that burger too! Arugula is my life too! Sadly, however, I am not wrong we do not have it. If you really want that burger we do not have most of the actual ingredients so it won't be as close to as good as when you originally had it. I am very sorry about that sir or madam or those who have yet to decide.

Take Away: When we have changed our menu, please do not be mad at your server. Some of our favorite items have left the menu too. We have completely no control, I REPEAT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK, NO CONTROL, over what stays and goes on the menu. A lot of people loved the DGB. Including me and several vegetarians who would utilize the veggie patties on the burger.

Secondary Take Away: Bring back the DGB. I love that burger. It is a salad on a burger and so very delicious.

Number Four:

I really don't mind when it is your birthday. I don't! I swear. Because I really want to make your time special. I think that it is really nice that you came in, and more than likely you came in just to get the birthday song.

I will admit though when I am very busy, or just walking up to a table to have someone whisper in my ear like a hiss, "it's so and so's birthday do you do something for birthdays," I will suppress the need to roll my eyes. Not because you are wanting to share this special time with us in order to get a free item, I could care less about that, my other tables that get annoyed with the distraction from their meal...I have a problem with that. Sorry, it is not your party, you cannot cry if you want to.

Take Away: It is totally fine to have a birthday. To want to celebrate your person's birthday. It is totally fine. Trust me. Sometimes at the moment we servers are human and know that that adds some pressure to make your meal more entertaining or perfect than we already try to achieve. At the end of the day, we need to just remember all we serve is burgers and fries and something extra now and then. We do not hold the Earth on our shoulders. So please celebrate. Happy Happy Birthday On This Your Special Day, Happy Happy Birthday, May All Your Dreams Come True, Happy Happy Birthday From Red Robin To You WOO!

Number Five:

I will be honest forty-five minutes of less before close, I do not, REPEAT, do not, want to get you any extra ranch. I need to put that stuff on ice, cover it, and make sure it gets into the walk in so that I can start cleaning EVERYTHING. You needing extra around then does take me away from work. So yes, I will get quite peeved after the third ranch.

Any other time, I get it! I am the same way at a restaurant. I love buttermilk ranch. Which is the kind that most restaurants make themselves and is why it is wayyyyyyyyyyyyy better than Hidden Valley Ranch. You are welcome.

Take Away: Buttermilk ranch is better.

Number Six:

Yeah.....When I go to bus your table and the extra fries you demanded are uneaten...I am flustered. Do I get it...yes. I love our fries too. I used to get fry fills for dinner when I closed. Usually, two and three ranches, would I eat all of them. No! That is so much fries and ranch. Did I think when I was hungry I could? Yes. Was it annoying? Yes. Did I sometimes get surprised by that amount people could eat? Yes....some of you guys are so hungry. Like wow. But most of the population is not. So it can be annoying.

Number Seven 

I used to be afraid of the surprise me food request. Now, I am ready. If you don't like it. You don't like it. However, you allowed this so I am no longer afraid. A second father to me has desensitized me enough.

Take Away: You can do this! It is okay. Just as a recommendation, make sure any food you hate or have an allergy to please speak up. The apron does not give me special food mind-reading powers.

Number Eight

I dislike the Ziosk too. I don't like it when it fails to work. However I myself will not be able to get rid of them. Nor will you. Or my managers. So please do not tell me about how awful these things are or how they never work. They do work. Sometimes they like any tech can malfunction. Guess what?! That is why I have a job. Where Ziosk fails that's where I step in.

Number Nine:

Do not think me as nothing because I am your server.

Some of us are lifetime servers which means that that is just our job. Do not think less of us for serving your food. We work hard for you to have a nice lunch, dinner, or breakfast. You do not know our lives.

However this is not a Red Robin only thing. This is an every job, everyday kind of thing. Judging someone because of their current occupation or situation with no background information, sure, most of us do it from time to time, however it is not right.

Take Away: Spread kindness. Do not treat your server as any less. My favorite server moments are when guests ask me, "So what are your goals?" because they assume I want more or that I am working towards more than just the "nine to five" they see in that moment. If your server doesn't have more, that is okay. And please, say so. Because it is okay to not know. Life is so long. Why waste it spreading judgement? Spread kindness and love even to those in the service industry.

Number Ten 

I have now worked in places where the food is priced more and so tips are usually higher. I make twice what I made at Red Robin now. However the menu was not as large, the specials not as extensive, and during the job or post being cut for the evenings tasks not as lengthy. I need my tips. I need my tips not only for myself but also to tip out the other staff in the restaurant. At my location in Red Robin, we didn't have bussers and we didn't tip out host staff. So I got to keep my tips aside from tipping out my bar tending at the end of the night. That myth you heard about servers getting minimum wage plus tips is as far as my pay check has told me only in California. My pay an hour was little under half minimum wage. When you slight us because of not having enough money or being poor it truly does affect your server. It is not right. Sorry to say it, but if you do not have the money to go out, please don't. Give your family that experience from home. I promise you it is possible.

Take Away: We do not get minimum wage. We do depend on your tips. Because of those tips we do tend to make a lot of money. However imagine your wages were not guaranteed. Imagine that you could do your job perfect and still you do not get full wage. Imagine coming home from a twelve plus hour shift or a midnight plus close shift to open in the morning, giving all you can to your tables and getting slighted. Imagine that you saw a twenty dollar tip coming your way to have that table walk out without even paying. Can you feel your heart sink? The way you now need to worry how you will pay your responsibilities because of these slights? Look tip because we did well. Tip based on performance. If we sucked and we're horrible, we know, so tip on that.

Number Eleven:

I have always wanted to work on the Jungle Cruise attraction at Disneyland so I enjoy making up jokes to go along with the menu, using my improv skills, and or just being a corny human being. I like that and thrive on it. However some people are not that kind of person. You cannot blame them for that. It happens. Some of us are just not born with natural dad humor. So when you say Red Robin, I will say yum. When you ask why the silver thing has no bottom I will tell you, that is why we call them bottomless fries sir/ma'am. When I ask you if we want any appetizers and you answer pickle nickels, I will say, "only if you can say that five times fast and ask fast for campfire sauce sauce."