question For you restaurant guys

[Padden McFadden]

For you guys that do restaurants, is it the norm to clean around tables or do you always move them back and forth and clean under them as you go? Seems like if this is done, should be put on foam blocks to prevent rust stains.?


.I have a place that is HUGE and have tons of tables and chairs. The moving back and forth part wouldn't be that bad but having to lift everything to put blocks under would take for ever, and It would take me all night. So how do you normally handle the tables and what not furniture.??


PART 2

I bid the job and got hired by a guy who did the roof there. He wanted to pay me to clean the carpets cuz he made a small mess in one little area and the owner flipped out on him.


He told me to do all the open areas (not moving tables), so I priced it for that. He agreed to the price ,


So I got there last night to do the job and the OWNER was there yelling at me in a mix of Chinese and broken English, he wanted me to move every single piece of furniture in that place which doubles the size of the job and more than doubles the time. SO I told him to get with the other guy (who hired me) and figure out what they want , and then let me know and I will give them a price. I got stuck in the middle between the guy who's paying me and the owner, It sucked. Seein how difficult the owner would be to work for , I'm thinking of just walking away from this.

 

[Robbie]

In my experience with the Chinese is that they ussually wait until the carpets are totally trashed to have you clean them...chinese are ussually cheap if you tell them that it would be cheaper if they moved the tables you'd be suprised how fast they get the whole family out there moving the furniture...

The upside is the chinese almost always pay cash...the language barrier makes it easier as they ussually wont try to talk 2 you too much when you are working which makes the job go faster...

 

[Bob Foster]

On most restaurants you will find that if you only clean the t/a's the areas not cleaned stand out as dirty and it will reflect on your workmanship even though that wasn't the deal. Also dragging hoses around typical restaurant chairs is a PIA. In the end its almost easier to just move everything. Doing t/a's only is still 85% of the effort and most of these cheap-asses think they can get it done for about 60% of the full price.

If there is one type of job that goes faster and a lot easier with a helper it would be restaurants. By having someone work in front of you moving chairs and tables you will on most restaurants take your time down by 35%. As most of us know we have to clean these places at a time that usually is when we don't want to be working either at the end of our day or the beginning of the day. A cash casual labor guy is all you need and he would be worth every penny.

The added benefit is that your helper can often place the furniture back after you have finished cleaning an area much neater than if you did it yourself.

Most cleaners asses are dragging after restaurants so its worth it to get the help if you still have a day in front of you or its late and you want to get to bed and have a decent nights sleep before hitting it the next day.

 

[Jeremy]

is it the norm to clean around tables or do you always move them back and forth and clean

Depends... Usually we move them on the first visit.

Seems like if this is done, should be put on foam blocks to prevent rust stains.?

Usually not an issue (with OP) & rust remover is cheap.

I have a place that is HUGE and have tons of tables and chairs. The moving back and forth part wouldn't be that bad but having to lift everything to put blocks under would take for ever, and It would take me all night. So how do you normally handle the tables and what not furniture?

Bring a helper and make them do it... Way faster & much easier with 2 people.

 

[Padden McFadden]

Jeremy, this one is gonna be HWE. I would have to use maybe 1000 foam blocks to protect all the tables and chair legs. Or DO I get by with out blocking them?


One of the replies hit the nail on the head. The carpert is totally trashed, and the owner has an oppertunituy for a free cleaning. I feel sorry for the guy that did the roof, he told me this was the worst guy he ever worked for, I can still run from it, but he's stuck.

 

[Jeremy]

If you feel like they're needed use foil tabs.. They're WAY cheaper and dont take up anywhere near as much space... I have a box around here somewhere you can have for the price of shipping.

That said walking away may not be a bad idea, even though the roofer is the customer the restaurant owner can hit your insurance... And he probably knows real Kung Fu.

 

[Ron Werner]

I have a couple restaurants, most have legged furniture that doesn't require blocking or tabbing. I do move the tables, I put the chairs on top. Chairs get put down at the end of the job with no tabs. I've had no issues. The larger restaurants where I'd be faced with your challenge didn't want to pay a decent price for it, so they hired someone else.

I have one where I only move one or two tables, only because its easier to get around them, the rest of the tables stay put, chairs go on top of the tables. Been cleaning there for years, no issues.

Are these the tables with the flat metal base? You should be able to clean around those with no problems. I would only block what needs to be blocked, check the chair legs, see if they will be an issue. If you're cleaning with hot enough water and extracting well, should be no prob just putting the chairs back.

I'd tell the owner that you were contracted by the roofer to fix the roofers problem. If he wants everything moved, he can hire you back the next time, at the full price of course, or he can pay the difference and you'd be happy to move the tables and chairs.

 

[NobleCarpetCleaners]

This situation is mostly your doing. Did you cover all the "details" of the job with the customer? Carpet cleaning is NO different then any other business and we are responsible to communicate all the details of the job before we begin. DON'T take this personal, just take responsibility. Cover all the details with the next customer, price it accordingly, get their approval and move on. And jeeeez get out of cleaning food joints, unless of course you don't like learning from our experience.

 

[Jamesh921]

This situation is mostly your doing. Did you cover all the "details" of the job with the customer? Carpet cleaning is NO different then any other business and we are responsible to communicate all the details of the job before we begin.

He DID cover the details with HIS customer - HIS customer was the roofer. Read his post.

 

[NobleCarpetCleaners]

I read just fine, you too don't get it. You are responsible for communication all the way. And you don't see that?

 

[Brian R]

Andy, You have the equipment to do a HWE and a post bonnet. At that point it won't matter if the furniture goes back because the carpet won't be that wet. Resty carpet is great for that process...I used to do it all the time with my 175 and bonnets.

With that said, I've never tabbed tables or chairs from restys or banquet halls etc and have never had issues with rust etc. even when hwe only

The school we do in Sac has tons of desks and chairs to move and we never tab them (hwe only)....We clean it every 6 months and we would see the rust if there ever was any.

That kind of carpet usually doesn't stay wet for very long even if you just hwe it....if you have a decent machine, glide...er uh back helper or whatever.

Good luck with the situation situation.

It's not a racist thing....it's a cultural thing. I don't like doing business with Asians because of the "more for less" attitude. That's just how their culture is...it's a power thing and I don't play it.

I just walk when it gets "heated" ...They will usually be very quick to get you back on your terms before you make it to the truck.

 

[BLewis]

We have never blocked a table in the 3 years we've been back in it. The only time they "may" rust is if the leveler is gone and it is setting on the cast iron or if it is setting on a cast iron round base (in this situation use a 4x4 tab on those corners). As to chairs we bid to put them back down if plastic legs, if metal we usually bid for them to put them down in the morning when carpet is dry. Almost all the restaurants that we clean flip the chairs before our arrival, sweep the big stuff up. We move the tables, clean, them move them back and put down the chairs and arrange the condiments just like they want them, usually only neater. We put silverware back where it goes.

Never call the restaurant in the day shift to inform them you will be there that night and not to forget to have the servers flip the chairs and sweep up the big stuff. The manager will say yes I will make sure the closing manager knows your coming. 99% of the time they will forget to tell them and you will arrive with none of this done. Call 2 hours before closing time, ask to speak to the closing manager. Then go through the routine. Don't arrive before the closing time because you always will have a few stragglers that will be there. Sometimes you can clean with customers in a different part of the store, about 50% of time we wait until they are all gone. When you arrive take care of the important stuff first like going straight to the manager and have your copy of the invoice signed (then file when you get back to office) and give them their copy.

Never leave your drink glasses lying around, always take them to the dish room. They should never have to clean up after us.

Oh, and never start "pitching in" to put up chairs cuz they are behind, servers will test you to see if you will do this. I always remind the techs "never" jump in and put up chairs, cuz if you do it one time I promise you will "always" be expected to do it. With that being said we do have about 6-10 accounts that we do it all, but they pay handsomely for it. Kinda like the restaurant manager that has 16 servers on the floor and they are eager to clean their tables to get them turned over. But, if a manager starts bussing a table you better believe 12 out of 16 servers will scatter to the servers station, or outside to smoke and let the manager do all of their work for them.

 

[AshleyMckendree]

We have never blocked a table in the 3 years we've been back in it. The only time they "may" rust is if the leveler is gone and it is setting on the cast iron or if it is setting on a cast iron round base (in this situation use a 4x4 tab on those corners). As to chairs we bid to put them back down if plastic legs, if metal we usually bid for them to put them down in the morning when carpet is dry. Almost all the restaurants that we clean flip the chairs before our arrival, sweep the big stuff up. We move the tables, clean, them move them back and put down the chairs and arrange the condiments just like they want them, usually only neater. We put silverware back where it goes.

Never call the restaurant in the day shift to inform them you will be there that night and not to forget to have the servers flip the chairs and sweep up the big stuff. The manager will say yes I will make sure the closing manager knows your coming. 99% of the time they will forget to tell them and you will arrive with none of this done. Call 2 hours before closing time, ask to speak to the closing manager. Then go through the routine. Don't arrive before the closing time because you always will have a few stragglers that will be there. Sometimes you can clean with customers in a different part of the store, about 50% of time we wait until they are all gone. When you arrive take care of the important stuff first like going straight to the manager and have your copy of the invoice signed (then file when you get back to office) and give them their copy.

Never leave your drink glasses lying around, always take them to the dish room. They should never have to clean up after us.

Oh, and never start "pitching in" to put up chairs cuz they are behind, servers will test you to see if you will do this. I always remind the techs "never" jump in and put up chairs, cuz if you do it one time I promise you will "always" be expected to do it. With that being said we do have about 6-10 accounts that we do it all, but they pay handsomely for it. Kinda like the restaurant manager that has 16 servers on the floor and they are eager to clean their tables to get them turned over. But, if a manager starts bussing a table you better believe 12 out of 16 servers will scatter to the servers station, or outside to smoke and let the manager do all of their work for them.

Spoken like a true WIZARD!!!

 

[Jamesh921]

I read just fine, you too don't get it. You are responsible for communication all the way. And you don't see that?

Scott, he was hired by the roofing guy and they agreed to terms. It was the responsibility of "the roofing guy" to communicate with the resty owner what was expected.

Why put yourself in the middle of a problem that wasn't yours to begin with?

 

[Padden McFadden]

Yes the whole situation turned out real weird. I was working for the roofer and ended up in the middle . The owner of this joint is real difficult so I decided to walk away from the job. Thanks for your replies.

 

[Brian R]

Probably the right thing to do.

 

[Ron Werner]

you'll sleep better
no one needs that stress

 

[Giorgio]

good call

i will never step foot inside a chinese restuarant.

If they're that cheap when it comes to cleaning their floors it makes me wonder how cheap they are when it comes to the food they serve.

Yes the whole situation turned out real weird. I was working for the roofer and ended up in the middle . The owner of this joint is real difficult so I decided to walk away from the job. Thanks for your replies.

 

[Brian R]

We used to clean Yang Chow's in Oakland and Yoshi's in Berkley.

I've never seen rats that big in my life.

We used to listen as the rat shit would hit the pots and pans.

We would actually use garden hoes to scrape the grease off the carpet near the kitchen into the dining area.

NASTY smell and it must have been horrible for me to remember it after all these years. I was probably 10 or so.


I've been watching Restaurant Impossible on TV lately and everytime they start the remodel... he rips up the carpet and says he hates carpet because it smells and shows dirt...he has a point.

I'm not sure why anyone would ever put carpet in a resty or a bathroom. Makes no sense at all.

 

[Giorgio]

Carpet in restuarants reduce the noise level.

ever notice how loud resturants are without carpets?

i hate eating in noisey restuarants!

 

[Brian R]

I hear ya George !gotcha! ....But it doesn't make it any less nasty.

Resty carpets should be cleaned almost weekly in the grease pits.

I guess anything that sucks sound is going to suck dirt and smell too..Whattyagonnado?

 

[Ron Werner]

no rats just small mice in the resties I've cleaned in Chinatown. Buildings in the block are over a 100yrs old and they're all side by side.
Once a month will suffice if you can find an owner that you can work with. Been cleaning one since 96. I've another S&G test coming up, a restie to clean next week, 4mths since last cleaning. Once you get it "clean", maintaining it isn't as difficult.

 

[tim]

I had a upscale national chain carpet OVER the wood floor because of slipping and threat of legal action.

 

[BLewis]

Great Point Tim, when I was a supervisor for Ryans our average slip and fall payout to our bottom line was 7,500 even if they just went for xrays. Like I said 7,500 was the average. All the more reason for Restaurants to let us professional do their tile and grout on a quaterly maintenance program. I am getting more and more that are doing this. I don't charge them anywhere near the .50 psf but I don't include any tile & grout work for free either. It's a nice little add on while you are already there, and after cleaning the first time you can usually knock out the entire front of house tile in 30 minutes. I seldom clean boh tile and grout cuz I do price them according to the PITA they would be to get clean.

Here's a pic of our most recent maintenance contract on first cleaning