We all know the infamous saying "Don't shoot the messenger." Yet for some reason, we always shoot the messenger. And in my lifetime I've never seen this phrase apply so much as in hostessing.
Hostessing is the most underrated job at restaurants; even the bussers are said to do more. Well, news flash: we don't just stand at a podium all night trying to make your life a living hell by telling you it's a 30-minute wait. Here's what hosts put up with and why you should respect them.
1. They are literally standing all night. Hosts/hostesses really never sit down, and if you work at a restaurant like mine, you signed an agreement that you don't get a break unless you absolutely need to take one because you're on an eight-hour shift. The managers and servers and even the cooks will go sit outside and take a smoke behind the restaurant when business is slow. However, your host is never able to leave that stand, because he/she always needs to be there in case someone comes in.
2. They aren't trying to make you miserable by telling you it's a 30-minute wait. I honestly don't know why customers rant when you tell them how long the wait is. Don't shoot the messenger,people! Wouldn't you rather the host tell you the truth than tell you it's a five minute wait and have you get mad when you're actually waiting for 20 minutes? They want you seated as fast as possible too, so you can stop annoying them.
3. They also are not lying to you about the wait even though you see empty tables. Probably the most frequent complaint I get when hostessing is, "How is there a wait when I see plenty of tables right there?" Um, hello! It's called servers! I'd rather you wait for a table than place you at an empty one when a server is currently busy and not going to even offer you drinks until you've been sitting there for 20 minutes waiting. Just because you see an empty table does not mean it's available. There is also a thing called reservations.
4. The host/hostess is not trying to purposefully upset you by saying there are no booths available. Once again, just because you see a booth does not mean it's available. There is a lovely thing called rotation in which hosts are required to seat you in a specific section for a specific server. Do not ask, "Oh can we have that table instead?" unless you're handicapped and really do need a specific seating assignment. Your food will taste exactly the same no matter where you sit.
5. Your host/hostess is already putting up with a lot of complaints from the servers; we don't need your complaints too. Customers aren't the only ones shooting the messengers. When you say, "Oh, can we sit there instead?" and the host actually takes you to the table you want, they are most likely going to be yelled at all night from a grumpy server because you just made them skip who was next on the server rotation.
6. The servers are constantly blaming hosts for crappy tables. Dear servers, it is not the host's fault that your table did not tip well or that your table was rude. If you want us to follow rotation, do not get mad when we seat you with people you do not like.
7. Hosts are also busy dealing with people who seat themselves and then complain that a server hasn't greeted them yet. There are customers that increase the wait list time because they had the audacity to seat themselves. Please just be patient and bear with them. The host is probably just as miserable as you are.
8. Lastly, respect your host/hostess because they have a hard job too. The host/hostess does not just stand at a podium for hours telling people what the wait time is. They're dealing with angry servers and the annoying customers before you that try to order food or pay their bill at the host stand.
They're helping bus tables to seat you faster, set up tables for large party reservations, trying to make seating plans ahead of time and making sure tables will be available for reservations. Having to stand on their feet with no break for hours is not easy. So cut them some slack and sit patiently when they tell you how long the wait is. If you're really nice, they will be a lot more willing to seat you as fast as possible.
