Rob Steere

"Steve Russo" <srusso@nycap.> wrote in message
news:0dfe6e12-d640-4ca4-84cc-bbee69a2e3ea@y22g2000prd..com...
>
>I agree that they work hard... very hard in some cases. And you make
>some valid points about the "helpers" that I see more and more of in
>restaurants today. I guess I might need to take a closer look and re-
>evaluate.

There's also the issue on what "type" of buffet/all-you-can-eat restaurant
it is.
While I'm all for tipping the servers (and I like to think that I tip fairly
generously), some servers do more work than others based on their
restaurant. For example: A server at 'Ohana is doing a lot more running
around per table than a server at Boma. (And for sake of argument, we'll
assume that it's strictly non-alcoholic drinks for the party)
At 'Ohana, they're bringing skewers of meat and serving it, they're bringing
more side dishes, they're refilling drinks, they're bringing more plates,
they're bringing back more steak skewers because you just love them and want
more, etc.
At Boma, the server essentially refills drinks and clears empty plates. I
think they also walk people through the buffet line when they first arrive.
(I've only eaten there once)

Another comparison could be Tusker House vs. Liberty Tree Tavern.

I also asked my sister this very question a while back, as she's been either
a waitress or bartender at least part-time since college. She said 10-15%
buffet where the server mostly just clears dishes, and 15-20% for an "all
you can eat" server that serves you at the table.

-Rob