I had a good idea (?) on my way to Gordons and Michaels this afternoon. I bought a dessert cake stand at Gordons (theirs was a plastic top, mine are glass) and asked my daughter if I could put it on the hostess stand. I also bought my own small dry board where I will write my own specials and put it where people can see it. I also thought I would try a 'dessert club' card; buy 4 desserts, get one free. Also I am going to leaves cards for people to fill out and have a drawing once a month to win one of my desserts, starting next week with a pumpkin (wilton pan) cake. I thought I would reward the customers for spending their money on an extra. I made a dessert tray for the girls and all I can do now is stand back and let whatever happen.
Thanks again and I am passing all of this information on to my son; somehow alot of it sounds like what I have been telling him all along!
They never listen!!
Colleen

I don't mean to be rude,
but have you run all these things you are going to do past your son??
It seems like its HIS place.
Now I love my mom and I spend tons of time with her and really value her,
but if it was my pub and she was going around doing stuff and telling the servers what to do without running it by me first, I'd be mighty peeved.

I just want to make sure you don't get into a tiff with your son over dessert.

I like the idea of the card- I would totally go there just for dessert (if its great dessert) if they had something like that

I talked to him about it first, some things awhile ago. I think he was just waiting for me to do it. So tonight I had a meeting with him and the servers and explained to them my plan and asked their input. It was fairly positive. The desserts looked nice sitting on the hostess table and I set up a tray for them and told them about the contest and punch card. Paul said he was going to do a lunch card and would add my stuff to it. He did suggest a contest with the girls and offer to make them a free dessert and I'm fine with that. Most of them have kids and are single moms. If he ever totally doesn't want to do something, believe you me, I don't push it with him. He gets a "this is mine and you can't play with it" look.
I'm sure it sounds like I'm overstepping at times, but there is money involved on my part with the restaurant, and they have told me and the servers outright that I am their boss too. I try to be more of a support system for him, but there are times when he needs a mother's kick!
thanks for all of your help.
Colleen

I would expect to pay no LESS than $7.50 for dessert in a restaurant and would pay up to $15, depending on what it is and portion size.

I have discussed (argued) with him about that. I've told him go ahead and sell your fried ice cream for $3.99 but I know I've paid $6 at a chain and you know it's frozen and in St. Louis at a high end steak house $8 and it was frozen dessert and awful. I couldn't even eat it. So my next mission is to increase pricing for my desserts. I would like a seperate pricing index card to go in the menu and if I have to pay for it I will. I know he should but he's trying hard to keep afloat so it's my business too.
I can't believe all of the positive input I have recieved this past week. What started out as a frustrated moment, has snowballed into a positive things. I appreciated all of you standing up and telling me what I need to do and what my son needs to do. This community is a wonderful thing.

Colleen