Chef Dave
12-18-2007, 07:31 PM
With just a few days left in the semester, I found that I still had a few thousand dollars left in my food budget for the culinary arts lab and attached student operated restaurant.
Insofar as we have early dismissal on Wednesday, I thought it would be nice to give the high school faculty a treat. I ordered a box of sirloin steaks from one of my suppliers and announced that sirloin steaks would be available to high school staff on a first ordered, first sold basis.
I waited for two days, filled all of the high school orders, and offered the remaining steaks to the district office staff - again by pre-order on a first ordered, first sold basis.
The lunch menu included:
* flame grilled sirloin steak
* loaded baked potato
* Mixed vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, and baby carrots)
For $2.00 per meal, the lunch was a bargain.
So what happened? Within 2 hours of inviting the district office staff to participate, I had sold out all 24 steaks.
After school I went to the office to photocopy my semester examinations.
While I was photocopying the examinations, a guy from the district office came by. He spoke to my assistant manager and told her that he wanted to order a steak lunch.
She told him that she thought all of the lunches had been sold out.
He said he wanted to talk to me and insisted upon waiting. Fifteen minutes passed before he asked the manager where I was.
When he found out that I was in the office, he came and talked to me.
"I'd like to order a sirloin steak," he said.
"I'm sorry," I replied. "We sold out all steaks at 10 this morning."
"But I really, really want one."
The sarcastic part of me found myself thinking, "Oh gee ... if you 'really, really want one,' that makes all the difference in the world." Being somewhat tactful, I did not say this. Instead of being sarcastic, I apologized. The e-mail had been quite clear. First ordered - first sold.
"Well ... could you cut one in half so I can participate?"
I explained that cutting one in half would mean that someone would be getting a 3 oz steak instead of a 6 oz steak.
"It's better than getting nothing at all," explained this persistent person who by now was really starting to annoy me.
I told him that I wasn't comfortable with shortchanging someone else's portion and suggested that if he wanted a steak, he could buy one and I'd be happy to cook it for him. Beyond that ... (shoulder shrug) ...
I must admit that this experience has perturbed me. I did not order sufficient steaks for the entire high school faculty and district office because I knew that not everyone would participate.
A lot of district employees like to get together for lunch and use an early dismissal as an opportunity to visit a restaurant.
The student restaurant was scheduled to be closed but the building administrator gently suggested that there were employees who might appreciate it if we opened for lunch.
I also very clearly stated in my e-mail to all high school and district staff that lunch was only available by pre-order on a first ordered, first sold basis.
What part of "first ordered, first sold," did this rather pushy individual NOT UNDERSTAND?"
(grumble)
Sorry to vent ... but from my perspective, I did all of these people a favor ... and I was really annoyed by this person's whiny suggestion that I shortchange my portions so that he could have a steak.
No, no, and no. I said I wouldn't do it and I won't ... unless he chooses to buy a steak in which case I will (reluctantly) cook it for him.
I could buy the steak locally but would take a loss on the purchase as I'm not going to find a 6 oz. sirloin steak for $2 or less. (The steaks I ordered came from a food wholesaler).
Purchasing a steak from a local supermarket would also set a disturbing precedent.
:mad:
Insofar as we have early dismissal on Wednesday, I thought it would be nice to give the high school faculty a treat. I ordered a box of sirloin steaks from one of my suppliers and announced that sirloin steaks would be available to high school staff on a first ordered, first sold basis.
I waited for two days, filled all of the high school orders, and offered the remaining steaks to the district office staff - again by pre-order on a first ordered, first sold basis.
The lunch menu included:
* flame grilled sirloin steak
* loaded baked potato
* Mixed vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, and baby carrots)
For $2.00 per meal, the lunch was a bargain.
So what happened? Within 2 hours of inviting the district office staff to participate, I had sold out all 24 steaks.
After school I went to the office to photocopy my semester examinations.
While I was photocopying the examinations, a guy from the district office came by. He spoke to my assistant manager and told her that he wanted to order a steak lunch.
She told him that she thought all of the lunches had been sold out.
He said he wanted to talk to me and insisted upon waiting. Fifteen minutes passed before he asked the manager where I was.
When he found out that I was in the office, he came and talked to me.
"I'd like to order a sirloin steak," he said.
"I'm sorry," I replied. "We sold out all steaks at 10 this morning."
"But I really, really want one."
The sarcastic part of me found myself thinking, "Oh gee ... if you 'really, really want one,' that makes all the difference in the world." Being somewhat tactful, I did not say this. Instead of being sarcastic, I apologized. The e-mail had been quite clear. First ordered - first sold.
"Well ... could you cut one in half so I can participate?"
I explained that cutting one in half would mean that someone would be getting a 3 oz steak instead of a 6 oz steak.
"It's better than getting nothing at all," explained this persistent person who by now was really starting to annoy me.
I told him that I wasn't comfortable with shortchanging someone else's portion and suggested that if he wanted a steak, he could buy one and I'd be happy to cook it for him. Beyond that ... (shoulder shrug) ...
I must admit that this experience has perturbed me. I did not order sufficient steaks for the entire high school faculty and district office because I knew that not everyone would participate.
A lot of district employees like to get together for lunch and use an early dismissal as an opportunity to visit a restaurant.
The student restaurant was scheduled to be closed but the building administrator gently suggested that there were employees who might appreciate it if we opened for lunch.
I also very clearly stated in my e-mail to all high school and district staff that lunch was only available by pre-order on a first ordered, first sold basis.
What part of "first ordered, first sold," did this rather pushy individual NOT UNDERSTAND?"
(grumble)
Sorry to vent ... but from my perspective, I did all of these people a favor ... and I was really annoyed by this person's whiny suggestion that I shortchange my portions so that he could have a steak.
No, no, and no. I said I wouldn't do it and I won't ... unless he chooses to buy a steak in which case I will (reluctantly) cook it for him.
I could buy the steak locally but would take a loss on the purchase as I'm not going to find a 6 oz. sirloin steak for $2 or less. (The steaks I ordered came from a food wholesaler).
Purchasing a steak from a local supermarket would also set a disturbing precedent.
:mad: