A Bit More about 'The Kirb'

I'm quickly approaching my two-year anniversary with Kirby's. Anyone who knows me knows that this is an accomplishment. I usually like a restaurant for a year or maybe a little more. This restaurant though,...it's too easy. You go in, make your money, do a ridiculously small amount of sidework and live to tell another day. That is, until lately.

My goal for any shift, regardless of day of the week, is $100. To me, on my abbreviated schedule of Friday, Saturday and Sunday, only, while I am in school, $300 a week meets my financial obligations. On top of that, I usually clear way more than the expected $100. Set your standards low so that you can't be disappointed. The same advice that I use when dating applies fully to my job, as well. Isn't that convenient?

What happens when you can't even meet your lowered expectations, though? Of late in the Northeast Tarrant County fine dining scene, there have been a whole host of restaurants moving in and, effectively, I might add, taking our clientele. Whether they are trying out Truluck's or Copelands in Southlake Town Square, or venturing next door to Grapevine to enjoy not only the great food at Bob's Chop House, but also to take advantage of their cigar room, our numbers have dropped off signifcantly. Through the slow summer for a steakhouse, we kept telling ourselves that business would (and must) pick up soon. But it hasn't. I am more than a little worried about this trend. I also think the management, (both in-house and at our non-corporate corporate headquarters), would have seen the writing on the wall sooner had they not had their heads in the sand.

Now, I'm not saying you can't make money at this restaurant. Only recently, I had a near-record night. But those occurences are too far and few between to rely on. Even though we have significantly lower reservations on the books, our managers are still holding out hope for the walk-in "pop" and, therefore, continue to fully staff a restaurant that has the capability for 10-12 servers on the floor even on nights like tonight, where only 39 guests were expected for the dinner rush. This typically means that each waiter will receive, at the most, 2-4 tables for the night.

After all this, I don't know that I really had a point in mind. I think I just needed to vent. To put down, in writing, what is happening to help myself decide just what I might do.

"We like our greens with a little vinegar, Honey. Gives 'em flavor."
'Bick' in "Giant" - 1956