Dear California Pizza Kitchen, I QUIT!

That's right I quit. Even though the job was GREAT the pay wasn't.

To those who apply towards being a waitress since it's an easy job, THINK AGAIN. Before doing so, please consider the things that you are applying towards.
- You MUST to control your temper
- Tips wont EVER be 15% sometimes it'll be $1.00 [even when you do a GREAT job]
- You get paid $2.63/hr
- You wont get many hours

So yes, you must put these into consideration. Being a waitress/server is a hard work, it's not tedious when you need the job. But there will ALWAYS be pros and cons in every job. I over reacted towards my pay but it was because my boss [Alex] who did not tell me the full information about the pay. During the interview when he hired me he told me I get pay $8.00/hr including tips. Then WEEKS later I look at my check it was $2.63/hr, it made me furious since my boss did not tell me ALL of the information, it wasn't in the contract.

So for those you wanted to be a server please research before making a decision.

My reason to quitting was;
- My pay
- People are very rude
- Rude/unfair coworkers
- Stolen pens

Well of course the pay but people who I worked with are very unfair and rude, they don't EVEN follow rotation. They try to take customers who they think would tip them better but guess what; when I worked there I got a few good tips and it was great. Customers would come and sit in MY section and that's it. My coworkers were also rude because well, I help them but they would make up stupid excuses to not help me nor take my shift for ONE day but oh well I make good money for the extra nights I guess. People are really well incompetent too, they would steal pens from servers! In my mind I would wonder "What is wrong with these people? I know they work and go to school, why would they steal my pen? Just for the thrill of it maybe? Lets see, they have money to go out and eat BUT no money to but pens. Well then they are literally STUPID." Not only a few of my customers stole my pen, they paid with their credit card. Everyone has facebook so what makes you think we wont look you up? Just Kidding! But seriously those who stole pens from server at restaurant you guys are the most immoral, incompetent people I know. You know you are one you just don't want to say it, you might just say "it was for a thrill" guess what WE work. I quit because I can't kiss people's asses and be nice when I'm rudely treated, an eye for an eye right? I don't want to get fired just because of my temper, therefore I quit.

Respect the servers when you go to a restaurant

Yes, the title says it ALL. Literally I've been working for almost 2 months and lately I've had shitty people giving me and attitude and acting as if I'm their "servant" well guess what I'm not.

When you go to a restaurant what is the most important thing you would think for the restaurant? Money? NO! It's the worker who makes it worth going to for YOU to eat. We make sure EVERYTHING is PERFECT... Not the manager nor the general manager OR the corporate. Seriously give more respect to your servers why? well because they have to deal with your incompetents and others as well. You aren't the only one there.

Rules:

-BE RESPECTFUL

-Tip at last 15% of the bill like seriously if you were to tip $1.00 we don't want it. Just keep that precious dollar of yours. Literally when you tip us bad we know who you are.

-Be sure that you know what you want from the menu we do have other customers waiting for us to run food to them or give them a bill since they might be in a hurry.

-Don't be discourage when we ask to see your I.D. when you order alcoholic drinks. It's standard procedures.

-If we forget something please don't EVER be like "oh you're suppose to know everything we're your customer" Let me tell you how wrong you are because, [1] you aren't my customer you're just here to eat and pay, [2] there are more customers than just you so we TEND to forget the littlest detail.

-TALK LOUD! Why? Well there is music going on and other people talking and enjoying their time.
If you expect to split bills don't ask what's the extra buck is for because it's the tax you morons.

-When we ask you simple question don't give us the FUCKING OBVIOUS answer with the attitude [hence rule 1]. Why? Because we HAVE to ask. You might have a caesar salad but you would've want ranch dressing.

-Don't look at other servers if you've been just sat by the host because the server who is gong to serve you will be there shortly hence the host saying "Your server will be with you in a minute" not "one of them *point*"

-When the host sit you at a place just sit the fuck down because we HAVE a rotation. If you mess up our rotation we will remember you and your face.

-Don't talk shit because if one server hears it. It will go around and we will talk badly of you.

-DON'T EVER STEAL OUR FUCKING PEN. Like seriously how fucking poor are you to steal someone's pen while they are working? They work to give you food and you repay by stealing. What the fuck is going through your mind?

-If you want your bill to be split say it before we print out the whole fucking bill and we have to do a procedure for you it's time consuming especially when it's rush hour.

-We're your SERVER not SERVANT. Need a dictionary? Surely I can look up the words and give you a clear definition and if you don't understand I can also be rude and call you an incompetent fool.

-- Yes, those are my 13 rules. Someone stole my pen and seriously that girl was dumb because she paid with her credit card and I got her name [stupid bitch] I've had PLENTY of guests giving me attitudes just because they want me to write down the things they want me to do. Why we need you to at least give 15% tip of the bill well Let me give you a run down on my RECENT paycheck and tell me if the math is correct.

Earnings-
Rate: $2.63
Hours: 28.50
Total = $74.96

Tips: $204.00

Gross Pay; $278.96

NOW WAIT. Here is where your questions BEGINS.
-Why do we need to pay 15% you got like $278.96 that's your paycheck money use it don't make us tip you.
WELL, let's play a subtraction game =]

Deductions:
Federal Income Tax; -$19.82
Social Security Tax; -$11.71
Medicare Tax; -$4.04
MA State Income Tax; -$13.95

Then other deductions.
Cpk Meals; -$16.95

And where you see that says tip up there $204.00.
We get our tip paid in our hands basically it's called tip out.
So deducting $204.00 from the gross pay.

  278.96
-   19.82
-   11.71
-     4.04
-   13.95
-   16.95
- 204.00
      8.49

YEA. My recent paycheck is ONLY $8.49. You know why because I already have my tip IN CASH Which I use. And you would ask "you work there isn't the meal free" well HELL NO! we pay 50% of or meal. I don't know what you are talking about.

So for those out there that may THINK they know about being a server well it's hard work. Get the FUCK over yourself because this is OUR real world and I'm putting it out there.

It's not fair to treat me like that

I've been working for a few weeks and LATELY there is this one girl who bugs me and pick on me about how my shirt is and me being lazy and not having confidence. Let me break this down easily as possible.

- How my shirt is..
~~ My shirt I wear is black and it's also a dress shirt. It has to be a dress shirt and tucked into my dress pants. So my found out my neck line is to deep..  She [Sarah] told me that I'm showing too much. Which I wasn't because she was the one with the hanging out cleavage practically her boobs falling out. Mine was just close but not fully button. You see it's hard to find those really good black dress shirts that buttons all the way up and gives a little to BREATH. When I talked to my manager she told me it wasn't CPK approved. So I was ok with my manager telling me since I talk to her. She also said that Sarah wasn't suppose to talk to me and rationally pick on me and should of went and talk to the manager first.

- Being lazy..
~~ She picks on me just because I don't sit customers down. Which I do not know the rotation. Plus I'm new and she expects me to know everything. I do not know the rotation and how to sit people and when I sat people the wrong place I get scold at which wasn't my fault. We have hosts to sit people not servers.

- Not having confidence..
~~ I do have confidence. I don't want to mess stuff up. Plus people are work speak spanish so its hard for me to hear them or talk to them. And once I do they end up asking me a second time so they can understand. I do have confidence but I'm new to the working industry so what do you expect me to do? I only JUST started and it has only been a month. And I just started serving 2 weeks ago.

Advice?
-- TALK to your manager and let them know what's going on because it's call discrimination no matter how you put it. If you feel emotionally attack and no physical what so ever it's still discrimination.

At work; Food allergen

As you all know working in a restaurant you HAVE to know what is IN the recipe as times JUST INCASE if your customer have an allergic reaction towards specific kinds of food. Like nuts, soy, milk, fish, egg, wheat, and shellfish.

How to deal with it? Well...

1) They would tell you if they have an allergic reaction towards food.

2) You ask them

Soo.. The way to deal with this is to conform if the food allergen is in the food with the head chef or manager. Even if there isn't you HAVE to double check or else you would be in BIG trouble because someone would die.

Another way is to [if you work with computer screens] type in the food allergen so that the cooks can know that they person have an allergic reaction to this certain type of food so that they can put foil over the pan so the food does not touch the pan that had touch one of the food allergen that was listed.

Recently it's THE LAW [just passed] that ALL restaurant is to be inform by guests of their allergens and the restaurant to take precautions and inform the chefs/cooks.

Non-slip/skid shoes

What shoes are non-slip/skid shoes?
- Non-slip/skid shoes are shoes that does not slip in kitchens. Meaning it has traction for when you walk from carpet to kitchen areas or slippery wet floors.

Why do I need them?
- Well why are you on this blog them? I'm kidding. Well if you are working in a food industry you HAVE to wear non-slip/skid shoes because of the wet floors in the kitchen. You do not want to walk around and slip every where and break dishes and be embarrass. [Of course your manager or trainer told you]

What shoes are considered non-slip/skid shoes? Where to buy them?
- Well first of all it has to have traction.
But if you want to buy them, you can just order it through your workplace or simply buy them yourself.
Shoesforcrews.com - This website are for non-slip shoes. They sell different designs and are SUPER comfortable.
Sears - YES! they do sell them you just have to ask a sale associate
Pay less shoe source - Looking for fair prices? Well hit pay less who cares if it' not fashionable you don't need it to look good while working. Correct?

Well I have my own shoes. I use my black air force nikes. YES! They are consider non-slip.

First Day Training

HELLO WORLD!!!

I'm Anna Pham or if you're following my other blogs I'm Sushi [SushiPalooza.]

Okay let's get started.

So today I was at California Pizza Kitchen [CPK] for my job training. It was decent because I had to fill out MAJOR paper work but it'll pay off later on. Other than that the trainer [Matt & Sarah] gave me and the other 7 people the rules and what uniforms are permitted.

UNIFORM:
Black dress shirt - [no pockets]
Black casual pants - [if the pants has pockets then it has to have buttons, if the pants has belt loops you must wear a black belt with a silver or silver painted gold buckle.]
Black Socks - [has to be higher than your ankle, if you sit and your skin is showing it's to short.]
Earring cannot be bigger than a dime.
Shoes - [has to be black and has to be non slid]

I also received an employee hand book AND a server workbook. [Picture shown below]

So, the employee handbook contains the rules and regulation for me to know while working for CPK. The server workbook is a study guide for me to refer to. I have to know all of this and I need to have the knowledge of each food that is served in CPK. Which includes the food allergies and what foods are made and how they are made.

I had to fill out A LOT of paper work today. Then filled out and IRS form which was cruelly confusing.

~~MAJOR TIPS~~
If you are currently a student and living with your parents you must put "0".
If you LIE on your IRS form then you better have a really good lawyer.

So after the paper works, I had to watch 2 video segments. One was "The sky is the limit" and another was "Sexual harassment".

Segment 1: "The sky is the limit" was about the opportunities within the company/industry. There were many stories I the segment that people were really happy while working within the company. Some has stated that the company had made their dreams come true. There are 3 company in CPK. California Pizza Kitchen -full service-, CPK ASAP, and LA food show.

Segment 2: "Sexual harassment" is a nation wide segment for future employee that sexual harassment is bad in every way possible. You have to be PERFECT or close to it and watch how you speak to other people. You cannot give comments on any discrimination possible even throughout the ethnicities, disabilities, age, gender, ETC.

So my day was tiring. Training was ok but HEY I got free food =).