In restaurant parlance a “void” is when management removes an item from a customer’s check. In medical parlance it means urinating or evacuating one’s bowels. I’m in management so it’s all the same to me – taking shit and pissing money away. I authorize lots of voids. I joke with my coworkers that I’ll start charging them a dollar for every mistake they make. If I could do it my retirement would be funded in under a year. Fluvio always gives me a hard time about the voids I tender. He always wants to know pesky details like what happened and whose fault it was. How can I always remember what happened? That’s too much pressure! Besides, Fluvio only has six void categories on our computer system. They are:
1. Customer didn’t like.
2. Kitchen error.
3. Server error
4. Food cold.
5. Wrong item ordered.
6. Wrong check
Gimme a break! These categories can’t even begin to cover the reasons why drinks, food, or entire meals are deep-sixed or given away. Constraining me to six void codes is like asking me to explain nuclear physics using a coloring book. It can’t be done. Here are the void categories I’d like to see on the Bistro’s computer. I think they’ll cover most contingencies.
New Void Codes
1. Inanimate Foreign Matter in food. (Staples, twist ties, hair, plastic shards, nails)
2. Animate Foreign Matter in food.
3. Customer threw up above mentioned voided item.
4. HazMat substance in food. (Bleach, hypodermic, MSG, blood)
5. Customer saw a la cucaracha.
6. Customer had a medical emergency. (Stroke, overdose, choking, heart failure, got the check.)
7. Manager gave hot babe free stuff.
8. Fixing server fuckups.
9. Fixing my fuckups.
10. Entrée didn’t look like the picture in the window.
11. Entrée didn’t look like how Emeril would make it.
12. Customer’s watched way too much Food Network.
13. Customer allergic to main ingredient but didn’t tell waiter until after the food was cooked.
14. Customer decided restaurant was too expensive and left after ordering.
15. Customer had a psychotic break.
16. Customer’s an asshole. (My favorite – covers most situations)
17. Waiter had a psychotic break. (Imminent, trust me.)
18. Customer wouldn’t know the difference between medium rare and medium if it bit him on the ass.
19. Customer intoxicated/wasted and screwed up order.
19. Server intoxicated/wasted and screwed up order.
20. Chef intoxicated/wasted and screwed up order. Everbody must get stoned!
21. Customer didn’t take medication this morning. (Prozac)
22. Server didn’t take medication this morning. (Marijuana)
23. Manager didn’t take medication this morning. (Jim Beam)
24. Everybody must get stoned!
25. Chef busy talking on cell phone and burned food.
26. Customer didn’t listen to waiter’s recommendations. (The I told you so void.)
27. Customer said the fish smelled funny after they put cheese on it.
28. Customer pulled a hissy fit over the split charge.
29. Customer found a floater in the ladies room toilet and freaked out.
30. Customer found waiter overdosed in toilet and freaked out. (Actually happened at my first waiter job!)
31. The shut the customer the fuck up void!
Ideas and suggestions for new void codes? Leave them in the comments section.
How about the “poor bastard” void? The one where you just can’t bring yourself to charge someone because they’re having such a hard time. Close cousin to the “kiss their feet” void, used for customers who gave the waiter a serious break.
The Server is stealing from the Company Void.
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we had a ‘the customer was a bitch void’ we used it almost everyday
So a void should only be used for something that didn’t fuckin happen. As in the definition, look it up. In the case of running a restaurant accounting principals get involved. Example, a menu item is ordered but let’s say your out of the item, VOID. Never happened or if the server realizes a mistake immediately and corrects it without any food or beverage loss VOID VOID VOID. Now if someone makes a mistake, or customer sends an item back and any product is lost food or beverage no matter who’s fault it is, then you would use the food waste or drink waste button,or if your taking care of a bill for an unsatisfied customer then u use the comp button.
Most restaurant managers don’t know the difference but 90% use the void button for everything but this only shows potential sales lost, “if they have c.o.g.s. per item”,who’s fault it was, but is not accurate because it throws off ur food cost, and most items voided are remade and not accounted for.
To properly account for any food or drink loss.
1.) Properly delete the item under food/ bev waste/loss, this gives you potental sales lost, and actual cost of goods lost.
2.) Re-order the correct item.
3.) Or use VOID button only if no real loss of product occurs.
I had a boss who didn’t know the difference, and voided everything, she fired a bunch of people for stealing with no proof, and told the state this info to not pay unemployment. Dumb bitch loss her cases with EDD and got sued for “defimation of character” and loss again.