Competition

When I started at my job, we were an awesome team, everyone helped each other, it was great. If we had 2 servers on a weeknight which isn't that busy, we'd take turns taking tables instead of working sections, because in a bar that doesn't hire hostesses, there's areas of the bar that will always be full and others will always be empty, so it was fair that way.

Then they implemented sections. So it was possible that one server could be running their ass off and raking in tips while another was twiddling their thumbs and making nothing. But we still had that team mentality, and most of the time we would give away tables if the other was idle, again, in the interest of fairness.

Then they started ranking us based on sales per hour, basing the schedule on it, etc. Which is flawed because if your sales are poor and you get shitty shifts, there's no way to sell more and jump the ranks, you're basically stuck.

And it destroys the team aspect of things, I can't give away tables, I'd be giving my competitor sales!

Tonight, my sections were full and kept full. The other server's werent. She kept asking if i needed help, if i wanted her to take a table, and i said no. I just kept taking as many as i could until i could handle no more. i think i gave her one table. So because I keep not giving her tables, she's not gonna help me run food or bus/clean, because that would make me able to take more tables and less likely to give her any. Further damaging a team energy and feeding a competetive, me first attitude.

My sales were $950. I doubt she sold more than $400. Does that mean I'm twice as good of a server as her?
No. It means I'm putting myself first at all times and it's management's fault for creating an environment where I need to do this.