The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-25
THE ART OF THE WAITER.
THINGS THAT MAkE GERMANS Elk
GEL, rs A RULE.

Irishmcn Not In 1t with Wien OF other Natiens-
Perfection or Service by Frcnchmen-Un-
pleasant Points About the RnEilshmnu-Ths
Disappearing Negro-oid Walters.
There are two things, u said the cosmopolitan
New Yorker, in which an 1rishman Is not al
his best. One is polishing shoes, and tho other
waiting on n table. Compared with the Irish.
man, the simon pure Yankee, poor as ho is at
tho business, is q better man. He is at least
quick and alert, although he may DO sore on his
job. Tho Irish waiter seldom learns to DO easy
and facilc In handling articles, nor does he learn
any refinement OF service beyond tomato catsup
and salt and pepper.
New York sees very few English waitora,
Most Of those that como here find employment
In the chop and oyster houses. Very few OF
them go to the best restaurants. They are
suited best to tho places where they are found
oftenest, as none OF them can be compared In
d~extcrity and efficiency with tho best Of the
French walters. Some OF thom have come to
this country as buffers in private families, and
while they have had some training, they arc mob
likely to DO attod for restaurant work. And
their manners are rather too impressive. n
English waiter as he exists on his native
heath-as he Is to be found. for instance, In
Morley's, tho Tavistock, and some OF tho
older London hotcls-is quito unknown
here. I think that, on the whole. we are fortu-
nate that he is. His arrogance. combined with
a pretence of great personal interest, IA, one
nuisance about him. and his Incompetence h
another. Besides that, his range Is limited to
tho dishes he has been serving in his own coun-
try. and beyond them he is lost. In the newer
London hotels the English waiter has Of course
nearly disappeared. He has been supplanted 81
the German. just as in Paris German walters
are in the majority in all the largo hotels. 1t 10
really in the cafes only that tho French waiter
survives.
but German walters of this class are worry di.
fercnt from those seen here in tho beer gardens or
the cheaper German restaurants. The German
and French walters in their own country serves
long apprenticeship. as any American can tes-
tify who has been amused in Germany by tho
sight Of little shavers not more than 8 or 10
years old wearing dress suits. They begin at
that age to prepare themselves for their work,
and such German walters have been found bet
ter adapted to all countries than walters
his own environment is the best waiter in
the world; but the fact that the German
shows that he is not efficient under all circum-
stances; One cause of the Gcrman's success 10
Paris shares the Indifference Of his race 10 ali
languages but his own. Either he cannot or no
wall wnits nst Of lg pbe bs ANY ci Gsne ar 1on 70 he to mhs German hSrs IN
some, OF the hotels, and they divide about
equally the attendance with the Frenchmen.
and in nine cases out of ten they would DO
taken for Frenchmen. and want to be. Ono
large hotel uptown has only German walters,
and a very good lot they make.
But the Frenchman. ut his best is really tho
ideal waiter. We'll. trained they nearly always
polite. They are indifferent and patronizing
when they are dealing with people who order
combination equally Mt variance with their ideas
Of correct eating. But I have known them to DO
stances. They can be thoughtful and attentive
without worrying a person; and they
Of the restaurants Internationally one
are as a rule admirable walters. and there are
class. The French waiter. with every circum-
stance favorable, is always the best. He cannot
but his manners are better, and. in a word, he
seems more finished in what no does.
Tho negro walters disappearing so rapidly
in New York that he plays but u small!role here
TO-DAY. Like the Frenchman,, he is best on his
some OF these men can bestow on a patron when
they want to are almost uneG ualled. But they
usually are. They lack the poisc and reserve Of
the Frenchmen. and OF recent years they have
they can do. They have been employed chiefly
In the cheaper places. and anybody who knows
u e9e S ShsFa stiil could Gf " easily nayFo s ssi's WHAT pf0na
damper it would prove to his enthusiasm
s TO be S %%o1% led , 10 serSs S nSf %dSlSS d f9o d. to per e
services. The negro waiter means. Of course,
the Southern negro waiter, and to remove him
t' u N " huS " inSiuai'ty tuhb
was most attractive about him. Yet he retains
the one feature that is common to all negro ser.
wants. Familiarity with a servant is all right
when it comes from one side only. l can be far
miliar with a servant. but he must not be famil-
lar with me. That condition is entirely admio-
sible. But no familiarity must come from tho
servant. That is one thing that the negro waiter
learns.
ut may seem a cruel thing to say. but tho old
waiter Is n nuisance. There is one old man In
the cafe Of a hotel near Central Park who drives
away patrons regularly every day. He is spoiled,
surly. and insolent. 1t is n fact established BY
statistics that walters die young. Two causes
for this have been mentioned. One is that the
work is of a very wearing character. The other
is that from its nature men are attracted to 10
when they are unable to take to employment0
that demand greater physical strength. The
scarcity Of old walters is to be observed every.
where, and 1T takes an unusual degree of prob.
cheney to make them tolerable. They may DO
attentive enough TO old friends, but to strangers
they are an infection"