Sun Dial server turned job into a long career full of love, passion

Favorite entree on the menu: "A filet of beef. It's tender, juicy morsels of beef and it is served on a bed of blue cheese mashed potatoes, drizzled with a smoked onion bordelaise."

Favorite drink: "A Margatini, a margarita served in a martini glass with a splash of Grand Marnier."

The Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View. Dinner, 6-10 p.m., Sundays-Thursdays, 5:30 -11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays; brunch, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. Bar, 4 p.m.-midnight Mondays-Thursdays, 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Fridays, 2 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturdays, 2-11:30 p.m. Sundays. View, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. 210 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-589-7506, sundialrestaurant.com.

Ann Tucker started working as a server at the Sun Dial restaurant at the top of the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel on a wintry afternoon in 1985.

She liked the job right away. An affable woman who describes herself as a people person, Ann enjoyed interacting with customers — many of whom dine at the Sun Dial for special occasions such as anniversaries, weddings and birthdays.

She also loved a perk of the job — being able to stay at any Westin around the globe for as little as $49 a night, or even free, depending on availability.

Over the years, people have asked: “Do you want to wait tables your whole life?” And, for the first decade working at the Sun Dial, Ann, who studied English at the University of Baltimore, occasionally asked herself the same question.

But she has embraced her position at the Sun Dial as a lifelong career.

With her warm personality and keen attention to details, Ann makes special moments even more memorable.

Just ask Bill and Reta Miller of Jonesboro. They’ve dined at the Sun Dial a handful of times every year, going back to the 1980s.

“We started out going to the Sun Dial for the food and the view,” Bill Miller said. “But now we go for Ann and the crew. She is a live wire and a lot of fun.”

He said Ann can help them decide what to order, because she knows their tastes so well. And, on the rare occasion Ann spots the couple pecking at their food and perhaps looking less than fully satisfied, she rushes over.

“She says, ‘I can tell you are not enjoying this, let me take it away’ and she returns with something else,’” he said.

But there’s another side of Ann, one that goes far beyond a typical server/patron relationship.

Ann sends happy birthday and holiday wishes to the Millers, complete with photos she’s taken of them the last time they dined at the restaurant, or a festive photo of her and the staff.

“You get the photo, and you know someone is thinking of you, and you don’t see that enough in the world today.”

Make sure they leave happy

On a recent evening, clad in shiny black Dansko clogs, gray uniform and glittery pink nail polish, Ann, 61, arrived before 5 p.m. to get ready for the 6 p.m. opening for dinner. She reviewed the menu, got her station ready, and jotted down notes of guests dining for special occasions.

She works five evenings a week, with her days off on Sundays and Thursdays. Most evenings, Ann finishes up between 10 and 11 p.m., but every once in a while a couple may remain until well past midnight.

“If I have lovebirds, I can be here till 12 or 12:45, but that is no hassle for me,” she said. “I am happy people want to be together.”

Determined to make sure every guest leaves happy, she’s got some tricks to make sure it happens.

“My goal for someone who is not smiling is to get them to stand up by the window and take a photo,” she said. “It’s really something, the view, and I tell them it might feel awkward right now, but you will be glad to have it.”

The Sun Dial, which opened its doors 40 years ago, is an Atlanta landmark, spinning atop the cylindrical Westin Peachtree Plaza. Locals and tourists return for not just the food, but the 360-degree bird's-eye view.

The slowly revolving platform atop the 73-story hotel makes a complete rotation every hour, giving diners spectacular views of the city and suburbs. The scene also changes to reveal the entire Midtown area. Ann’s favorite views include the Northside, with the SunTrust Plaza building shining in the Atlanta night sky, and the airport, where she can see planes taking off.

The tornado that whipped through downtown in 2008 took out many of the plate-glass windows at the hotel. It took close to four months to make repairs. During the closure, Ann traveled throughout Europe and visited family in Virginia.

While the Sun Dial has tried to break out from a reputation of being only for special occasions, it remains one of the most coveted places around town to propose. Ann has helped countless men pop the big question and, at times, has had multiple rings in her pockets at one time. She somehow keeps track of it all, and is known for calming nervous men.

‘Mama Sun Dial’

Never married and with no children, Ann is close to her six siblings and 16 nieces and nephews. She also is close to her co-workers. She is known as “Mama Sun Dial.” She brings decorations and props on holidays — such as red-white-and-blue hats for Fourth of July and bunny ears for Easter. She organizes potlucks; she often brings in homemade banana pudding. She holds parties at her house.

David Garrett, a server at Sun Dial for the past 10 years, said Ann is the “den mother,” making sure everything runs smoothly. She takes great pride in working at Sun Dial, he said.

“She has customers who come once a year for a convention who always ask for her, and she has people who came for their first anniversary and come back 20 years later and ask for her,” he said.

Ann has her favorite expressions for describing food, such as “pink hot” for medium-cooked filet mignon; “red and juicy” for medium rare.

Her favorite dessert is crème brulee, which, she said, “is creamy, smooth and silky.” Each word is said slowly and passionately. “I can sell it every time,” she added with a smile.

When Ann is not working, she enjoys gardening — the mailbox of her Buckhead home is surrounded by Stargazer lilies. She also enjoys visiting museums and other attractions. While recently visiting the Atlanta History Center, she noticed a man staring at her.

“You waited on me when I went to the prom,” he exclaimed.

She looked at the man, obviously not a young adult.

“That must have been a long time ago,” she said.

“Yes, 18 years ago.”

Stories like that are no surprise to her boss, Brad Schoknecht, director of restaurants and bars at Sun Dial.

“Ann brings a whole different meaning to Southern hospitality. You can almost imagine her sitting down having dinner with the guests by the time dinner is over.”

She hasn’t yet set a date, but Ann may be nearing retirement. When she does retire, she said, she wants to work part-time serving breakfast at the Westin.

Garrett said it can be intimidating working with someone who is so good at what she does, but working with Ann makes his job more fun.

“She packs more joy into 24 hours than anyone I know,” he said.