h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Busboys - Important Cogs in the Restaurant Wheel - A27655167
Author: Milos - U224935

Another one plucked from the Flea Market.

Original EGWW thread:
F2660432?thread=1180536

There was some discussion there that you don't have busboys in the UK, and I don't have an answer for that. It was said that this is a job performed by the servers, but I wonder if this is the case in the more posh establishments. Wouldn't want to risk a prim and proper server getting gunk on the uniform, would they?

Good rescue Milos

Two little typos:

certaily -> certainly
glamourous -> glamorous

Not yet fully read, but looks like a worthy subject for addition to the Guide.

busboy, busperson, busser - you alternate between these three forms at random. Choose one and stick to it. (I favour /busser/.)

This is done with a bus tub, sometimes the bus tub may be on a pushcart.
This is done with a bus tub; the bus tub may be on a pushcart.
This is done with a bus tub; this may be on a pushcart.
This is done with a bus tub, which may be on a pushcart.
/Sometimes/ and /may/ is overegging it a little, no?

TRiG.

Typos amended, h5

Fixed the sometimes/may bit.

On busboy/busperson/busser - I also alternate between servers/wait staff. I think using the same word over and over again is unnecessarily repetitious and boring, especially in a short entry dealing with a small subject. Alternating terms breaks it up a bit, especially where it's obvious that two words have the same meaning.

That said, I did eliminate busperson/bus person because I had inconsistently spelled it, and decided that busboy/busser would be sufficient. I really want to keep 'busboy' because once upon a time that's all there was, but these days it seems out of date. Since I don't work in the restaurant industry, I don't know if it's a term thats still widely used or not.

Thanks, guys!

I'm with you here, Milos, if there are alternative words, they should be used.
Good rescue, and again something I have never heard of before. I don't think I've ever seen busboys in restaurants here, the most close I can get is staff at McD's and comparable establishments.

B'Elana, -> closest

Trying to distract from my horrible grammar:

you could link to A23243429 Smiling if you see fit.

It seems as if 'bussing' is purely an American thing. You could get around this by having a bit of comment on this? That way anyone reading who isn't aware of the term, or doesn't really know what it means can at least have a bit of an idea what is being talked about.

In the original thread I did ask for a bit of a definition for those of us who have no idea.

It does say in the second paragraph exactly what bussing is.

I've seen establishments where the busser's tasks include walking around with a pitcher and refilling glasses whether they're empty or not.

Also, "servers"? Aren't they waiters?

There's also wait staff.
I used servers because it's gender neutral.

Looks good to me - just a couple of minor things:

In UK English we say 'waiting on tables' rather than 'waiting tables', and 'waiting staff' rather than 'wait staff'.

I think we prefer 'trolley' to 'pushcart' too.

Some minor repetition, eg




Icy

I think I've got those fixed, Icy. Thanks!

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Well done!

Blimey that was quick! I was completely without computer access for two days and it's been picked and featured already!

Thanks guys!