IT AIN'T LIKE IT USED TO BE.

               Today, it's often said that everything is better and faster than ever before.  Cars are better.   Airplanes are faster.   Clothing is better. Communications are faster.   Athletes, as a group, are better and faster, and better paid.   Lots of things which affect our daily lives today are improvements, compared to the "good old days".   Notwithstanding, restaurant and bar service in all types of eating and drinking establishments is now not better, and definitely not faster,  than it was 40 years ago in 1967.
               In the "good old days", there was a certain pride with being employed as a waiter or waitress or bartender.   Before personal computers and plasma television screens, there was a certain sense of self-satisfaction with serving food and drink to the public.   For fulltime restaurant employees, a 10 hour work day, maybe some split shifts, and a 6 day work week, including all major holidays, was more the norm than otherwise in 1967.   Back then, there was a feeling of self-gratification at being able to well serve the public, so that customers believed that they were important and special.
               Forty years ago, waiters and waitresses and bartenders were required to have specific skills.   On-the-job training was almost always provided.   Management trained service employees to properly carry a serving tray,  how to describe food and beverage menu items, how to take an order, how to write a kitchen and bar order, how to actually and properly serve food and beverages, and more.   In the olden days for waiters and waitresses and bartenders, personal appearance mattered; as well as a good ability to read and write and speak in a manner prescribed by management.   All service personnel needed to demonstrate a certain physical posture, a certain way of walking and standing, good personal hygiene, and more.   Further, some competency with the manual mathematical calculations of addition and subtraction and basic multiplication was required.   Wearing jewelry, except wedding bands, was not allowed.   An unobtrusive wrist watch was okay.   Profanity was not tolerated.   And, the public was well served.
               It used to be that waiters and waitresses and bartenders were considered professionals.   In the old days, they weren't referred to by the generic term of servers.   Way back then, restaurant employees behaved on the job in professional manners.   There was a sense of pride with serving the public well.   And, if you were personable and willing to work, you could earn an honorable and respected living.   Looking around at today's restaurants of all types, even the so-called high end and expensive white table cloth establishments, I don't see much evidence of professionalism.   Too, I don't see a lot of evidence of better or faster service.   Really, I don't see much good service practically any where by practically anyone.   It's too bad.   It ain't like it used to be.