Do waiters get to sample the food on board?

[Dani24]

Our last cruise was on Disney. We had a very nice waiter, and he made lots of suggestions on the menu. At one point I asked him if he had personally sampled any of the items on the menu, and what his favorites were, and he told us that the staff was prohibited from sampling any of the food. He had been doing this for a while, and said he had never tried any of the menu items.

I was pretty surprised, and disappointed. When I ask for a waiter's suggestion I am largely hoping for their personal experience. Knowing that a particular dish is "the most commonly ordered" doesn't really tell me anything about how it tastes. It's nice to be able to hear personal feedback about a particular dish, and which dishes our waiter most enjoyed.

Anyway, it made me wonder if that's standard in the cruise industry. And since we have otherwise always sailed Princess, whether Princess allows their staff to sample the dishes they are serving to customers. Does anyone know? 

[neverbeenhere]

From what I've been told over the years, it's a mixed bag. Some will quote you the most popular dish, but when asked they have never eaten it. And the opposite is true. For religious reason some will not have tried  the dishes on the menu.

 

 I frequently ask the wait staff what would they order to eat. Some answer, the popular items. Some answer, what they think I would want. and Some answer, what they actually have liked. Once in a while, they will get me something totally off the menu that is a particular favorite of theirs. 

 

I always tell them that I can eat anything, the wife is another story. 

[cherylandtk]

One of our waiters once told us he was required to go to a training session for new menu and wine options so as to be able to discuss them with his passengers.

[Dani24]

19 minutes ago, cherylandtk said:

One of our waiters once told us he was required to go to a training session for new menu and wine options so as to be able to discuss them with his passengers.

 

Did he elaborate on whether that training included sampling the food? Or just being trained on what to say about it? 

I think training with sampling should be standard! In fact, I was so disappointed that this was not the case on Disney that I wrote about that on my comment card at the end of the cruise. I want my wait staff to have personal experience with the menu so that they can help better steer me towards what I will be happy with. 

[skynight]

Waiters have their own crew mess. They do not eat DR food. I understand the the crew mess is pretty good with lots of selections they normally have at home.

 

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes there are times when the Executive Chef and the MD allow  them to taste dishes.

[STREETKING]

I'm not sure about the sampling but on one cruise I had a steak I barley touched  from the Crown Grill  and we got it Boxed up to go. we went to  Wheelhouse Bar for some drinks, bartender asked what it was, I  gave it to him and we were best friends for the rest of the cruise. He said their food did not compare to what we're served. 

[Dani24]

26 minutes ago, skynight said:

Waiters have their own crew mess. They do not eat DR food. I understand the the crew mess is pretty good with lots of selections they normally have at home.

 

 

I realize they have their own dining accommodations with a different menu. I don't expect they'd be eating the MDR food every day. But our waiter also alluded to the staff's food being rather awful. 

 

I do think allowing them to sample some of the food during training would only augment their service. 

[waltd]

I'm sure the food the staff gets is probably not like the food they eat when they are home.,   The food in the MDR is certainly not what I eat at home.   Since food is subjective not sure if the waiters opinion of the dish is going to mean much.     I can't imagine that at some point they have not tasted some of the dishes.  After all they are on the ship for months with the same menu.   

[releck97]

Crew mess is extremely varied and nutritious. It takes into account the various cultures and diets of the people serving. Yes, it is cafeteria style. From personal experience, it's certainly not gourmet, but it's not dog food. All members of the staff and crew CAN eat there. Crew does not have the option of eating elsewhere. You will see some staff members and entertainers eating in the Horizon Court at off hours. Staff members do have their own dining room. As for sampling, waiters have told us all of the above. On our October Regal cruise, our waiter told us they were able to sample SOME of the new wines. 

[Alaskanb]

1 hour ago, cherylandtk said:

One of our waiters once told us he was required to go to a training session for new menu and wine options so as to be able to discuss them with his passengers.

Us too. He clearly said that they sampled on that occasion. Our latest waiter also said that items not used by the customers is sent to the crew mess. 

[Sea Hag]

The best waiter we ever had on Princess told us that the wait staff isn't allowed to taste the MDR food, but that he'd managed to taste almost all of it. Bit of a rebel. His recommendations were very good, and I believe what he told us. Can't see why he'd tell us that if it weren't true, since he wasn't a politician.

[sarasuzie]

We just got back from a seven day cruise on the Ruby Princess. Our waiter would make suggestions on the menu as usual. However, she would also comment that she was going to have one of the menu items for her dinner after her shift. I also overheard her and the junior waiter discussing between them what they were choosing for their own meals.  It seemed real and not just put on for our benefit. This was repeated several times throughout the cruise. 

[Coral]

I don't know the answer but they probably have a lot of feed back from passengers as to what is good and what isn't. After several weeks on the job, I think they have a good clue on what gets returned and not eaten.

[KimCHouston]

Sometimes I think it’s just the chef in the galley telling the waiters, “Push the chicken tonight”!  I’m not sure if all of the wait staff try the food, but we had one waitress who would describe not only her favorites, but the preparation, flavors and what she liked about each dish.  I had great meals when I followed her recommendations. If I knew which ship she was on I would probably book a cruise just to have that experience with her again.  Never seen it before or since then.

[chengkp75]

13 hours ago, Alaskanb said:

Us too. He clearly said that they sampled on that occasion. Our latest waiter also said that items not used by the customers is sent to the crew mess. 

The idea of "left overs" being sent to crew mess is possibly "somewhat" true and many times not.  Food that has been cooked is controlled for safety reasons two ways:  temperature control or time control.  Temperature control requires that the food be kept in some form of appliance where the temperature can be controlled, monitored, and maintained at least at 140*F.  This includes ovens and warming carts, so if the MDR galley prepared too much chicken, and some of the pans were kept in warming carts (where they are put after coming out of the oven), then that food could be sent to the crew mess, if it is maintained in the warming carts, at the proper temperature until the food is served (maybe hours later, so this could result in dry food).  Once food is taken from a temperature control appliance, and placed, for instance in the steam table where the MDR food is plated from, or it is cooked on a range top (like a steak), it is under time control, and must be discarded within 4 hours, regardless of whether it is returned to a temperature control appliance or not.  So, most of the unused food items are not suitable for reuse in crew mess, and is discarded.  The cruise lines are very expert at studying past food usage to determine how much of each entree to prepare each night, and usually get it pretty close.

 

As for tasting, generally this only happens when a new menu is rolled out, and I tend to disregard recommendations based on these kinds of tastings, as they don't get a whole lot out of one bite of each item on the menu.

[Mike_DeA]

I would be more inclined to consider the waiter's food advice if it was based on passenger feedback they have received, which I think it usually is.  If you don't care for what they suggested when you taste it, request a different selection.

[EightFurryPaws]

Quoting our favorite Cruise Director, Kelvin Joy, who is now an Entertainment Director,

"we eat the same food as the passengers, just not the same day".

 

[dog]

6 hours ago, EightFurryPaws said:

Quoting our favorite Cruise Director, Kelvin Joy, who is now an Entertainment Director,

"we eat the same food as the passengers, just not the same day".

 

 

And I personally know a crew member in the photography dept. on Princess who told me they eat the same food that is on our menu. Menu repeats each cruise.

[satxdiver]

Interesting concerning whether the waiters eat the same food.  One time I did not take the waiter's suggestion and ordered a dish I thought I would like.  The waiter was watching when he gave the dish to me and when he saw I did not like it, he offered to change it.  I took his original advice and the dish was good.  Since then I listen to what he suggests.

 

I have been told that the leftovers do not get sent to the crew dining area.  Most of the crew eats in the crew dining area where it appears to be a buffet style.  The officers eat in the officer dining room which is separate and much nicer with sit down service.  

 

I have been on several B2B cruises and the menu repeats on the second sailing.  

[chengkp75]

I can't say what Princess serves in their officer's mess, specifically, but it has been my experience that those in the officer's mess (generally two stripe and above) can order some items from the MDR menu each night.  I will say that I doubt very highly that in either the staff mess (under two stripes or concessionaire staff) or the crew mess will they get anything from the MDR menu, for the crew messes (usually two) they don't want the food served in the MDR, and prefer their own ethnic foods, which is what the crew galley prepares.  My experience is even in the officer's mess, the standard items repeated every 14 days.

[Coral]

20 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

 I will say that I doubt very highly that in either the staff mess (under two stripes or concessionaire staff) or the crew mess will they get anything from the MDR menu, for the crew messes (usually two) they don't want the food served in the MDR, and prefer their own ethnic foods, which is what the crew galley prepares.  My experience is even in the officer's mess, the standard items repeated every 14 days.

I have heard it is a lot of ethnic food similar to the nationalities of the crew. They are anxious to eat off the ship as they have told me it is the same food every day. Though that may mean every week but after being on a ship for 9 months, even a rotation of every week would get tiring. They do not rave about it!

Edited January 26, 2019 by Coral