Travels with the boys.

     Some of you may already know that we took a short trip over the new years holiday.  I was really excited about this trip because Dave and I were going together.  We haven't done a driving trip together, usually we fly, which as you know I hate, or we travel separate.  When I was a kid we took family vacations whenever we could get away.  Awesome vacations.  Always as a family, sometimes camping, sometimes with the boat, or the snowmobiles, sometimes to visit relatives, or all the way across Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, and parts of Utah to go to the Flaming River Gorges Reservoir.  I don't know how everyone else in the family remembers them.  But when I look back on them now I have the best memories.  Kind of like awesome black and white snapshots.  I plan on retracing some of those places in the years to come and I can't wait.
     We stayed at an older private club mainly because they allowed us to stay there with the boys.  The best part.  The pool, the Jacuzzi, the room, shower, may have been older, but it was spotless.  The towels were over-sized, fluffy, and the bed was king sized so we could all sleep together with plenty of room.  The owner was friendly and polite.  We found the service at Matchbox, where we had dinner and hoer De overs twice, was fantastic.  The bartenders at the clubs looked like they had recently showered and also were great at service.  We drove up to Big Bear Lake on New Years Day and stopped at The Lumberjack Cafe for lunch,  It was an awesome little place,  old, quiet, family owned with good hot food and great service.  We met a favorite horse training buddy of mine at a place in Indio called La Pinata Club.  They were packed!!!!! and I mean packed it was Friday night, the bar and the restaurant was full.  They only had one waitress in the restaurant side and she was AWESOME.  I wanted to drive to the Salton Sea and take some photo's so we took the long way home.  Even the overworked frumpy woman/man who waited on us at the Chili's gave us better service than we ever get in Phoenix.
     Finally Ive gotten to the point of my latest blog.  Service in Phoenix sucks.   Pretty much valley wide.  I noticed the same thing on my cross country trek this summer.  Every little diner or restaurant that I went to had better service than what we Phoenicians are used to.  I've complained about service here before and been greatly chastised by my friends, but this time they can kiss my ass.  I understand, believe me I hear about it daily, how hard a waiter has to work.  I do agree that the restaurant industry has found a way to manipulate the system so they can pay as little as possible, supply little or no benefits, force employees to work split shifts yet still work as few hours as to stay part time.
     Today the web featured an article about a restaurant who switched all its employees to a salary, gave them benefits, and requests that the patrons don't pay tips.  This could be a great thing for the employees.  But what about us patrons.  I'm sorry, call me old fashioned, call me a communist or anything else that you like, but I like to be able to pay the server more based on the kind of service I  get.  I like to give big tips.  It always makes me feel good to leave a big tip when the service has been equally as good.  Likewise if they suck, and some of them do, I also like the ability to leave a tip that sucks.
     You see.  I have worked as a waiter.  I actually liked it.  I made great tips, but the hours sucked..  I also have several friends who work as waiters, bartenders, etc.  They hardly ever complain about the money they make.  Mainly because I try not to hang around with any schmucks and I am sure that every one of them is good at their jobs.  I also hear the same thing from all of them.  They work with a few people who aren't worth a shit.  They always want to switch their shifts.  There kids are sick, or they need the time off because their spouse has plans.  With those people their job is secondary and you an usually tell by the service you get.  Just last week I was picking up some food at the local Chili's and the bartender coming in for the next shift was showing up to work with a filthy dirty work shirt with what looked like refried beans all over the front.  It obviously had not been washed.  Had I been a manager I would have sent that person home.
     Part of the problem is the art of cooking has gotten so popular that cooking schools have popped up all over and there is a glut of "qualified cooks" available to work in restaurants.  Unfortunately too many cooks spoil the soup so they fall back to being waiters etc.  Rarely do they make good ones.
     I guess my whole point of this article is it will be interesting to see how the salaried workers make out.  If the service is good.   If the restaurant can make it a viable business plan.  Just another example of an industry in the U.S. that needs to be overhauled.