Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-11-06
WAIT ERS.
nov They arc Trained In Most EsroPes"
Countries.


Countries.
4 Tribune reporter, who was taking
lunch in one Of Delmonico's downtown
restaurants the other day, noticed .
waiter who served an American, .
Frenchman and German within few
minutes and answered the questions put
by each in his own tongue with hegreat-
est facility. OF course this Is not unusual
In restaurants Of the best class in New
York. But the reporter was prompted
TO chat little with the waiter when the
latter was at leisure. He began with
the remark:
"I presume that waters have to be
"Oh yes" was the reply, THAT Is. II
they want to hold good position. A
fellow that doesn't know anything but
English finds it mighty hard to get
position in New York, except in ten
cent restaurant. And it's the cheap
fellows that ruin the business, too.
That's why the people get to look down
on waters so. They see these fellows
that don't half understand their busi-
ness in these cheap basement restau-
rants, and they condemn them all rs
ordinary fellows. Now there is Just rs
much difference between u waiter in
first-class restaurant and one in
Bleccker street bean shop a. b,twen a
merchant prince and u peanut vender.
Yet people seem to think them all alike.
"Now. in Europe" he continued,
"boys are trained to be walters just as
they are here trained to the different
professions When boy is, say about
thirteen or fourteen, after he has gotten
q common school education, he Is APP
prenticed to some restaurant or hotel
keeper. The first year or so he Is kept
In the cellar washing bottles, or doing
work connected directly with the
kitchen, rs for instance, killing and
cleaning fowls. etr. Then he gets ac-
quainted with the different grades Of
wines. studies somewhat of book keep
ing and learns the different things that
belong to his profession. Then he be-
gins to serve as an underwater. Or,
rs is frequently the case, man. say q
hotel-kecper. wants to train up his boys
to the profession. After going through
an apprenticeship, he will send them to
the different cities OF Europe so they
may learn the customs and manners of
the different people
Rather an expensive thing" the re-
porter suggested.
.'Not very the waiter replied. "but
then they are not making money during
those two or three years they may be
away. Of course you know that many
of the hotels in Europe are different
/ from those here. Here there is head
clerk or bookkeeper who has charge oi
all accounts. makes out bills and so
forth. Now there the walters do all that.
/ That's why they study bookkeeping.
You see when a family occupies room
! or rooms one waiter serves them with
meals, takes care of checking baggage,
makes out all bills Of expense. in short
has in charge everything connected with
the guests "
There's one bad thing about it," ht
resumed after reflective pause, '.ir
Europe waters cant get married"
Cant get married3'
'Well, they can't get positions II they
do. And again they don't want q mar
| over forty. So at forty you see waiter
is practically laid on the shelf"
Its rather hard on them.' the reporter
remarked by way Of \ stimulant.
"Yes, and then fellow cant do much
better here. Now say a man gets $50 d
month besides his food. II he has a family,
as have, he has a pretty tough time Of
it. | pay Sl4 out Of that for rent. Blu,
then | know fellows, good walters. who
make as much rs Sl6 or s2O week
They work during the day at some down.
town restaurant and put in the evening
At some fashionable place up town."
"liow about feesP'
"Well, waters depend good deal on
that. In any iirst-class restaurant the
customers are generally pretty liberal.
It's just like you saying to the express
man: i want my trunk taken up stairs.
and in addition to twenty-five
cents for expressage you drop him Ten
or fifteen cents extra for his extra work
Walters all expect fees. And their sal.
aries are so little that they need them. ~
" T. Tribune.