..for your enjoyment from helmut's diaries...

                  They always want what they cannot get...

I don't feel like a decision maker. Therefor I go back to both tables and apologize, "I was wrong..."

THEY ALWAYS WANT WHAT THEY CANNOT GET

    We happen to have tour-groups again. Tonight it's a group from the most respected organizer of tours in America and there is no limit to what food the individual tour member can order. Drinks are still on the individual. I have four tables arriving at the same time. There is a four-top from Brooklyn, then a table of three Germans. And there are two more tables being seated. The first two order crab cakes, duck salads and rack of lamb. The other two tables are still undecided. They make their mind up about appetizers, and both of these tables have samplers, a mixture of appetizers. They are delightful friendly people. One table is a Lebanese family of four. The other four-top are a couple from South Africa and a couple from Israel. I get them more water and bread. They are still at their appetizers when I serve the rack of lamb for the other two tables. It looks very good. The rack of lamb is surrounded by flageolet beans, served on couscous with a sauce made of fresh mint. The aroma of the meat and the fresh mint sauce tingle the nostrils of the diners. The bad news is that we have only two more orders of lamb left. 
    I tell the two undecided tables that we have only two orders of the rack of lamb left. When it comes to ordering their food, I am standing between both tables. Each side is asking for the two remaining orders of lamb. They look at me to make a decision. I go back to the kitchen and check with the chef. To make matters worse, there is only one order left. I don't feel like a decision maker. Therefor I go back to both tables and apologize.
    "I was wrong there is no lamb left!"
    I go through the whole menu and am able to sell these two tables on veal chops on a red bell pepper puree and fish soup Marseilles style.
    They are happy and I am happy too.

Surprise-Surprise

04/01/2011 01:15:16 PM -0700