No day on the job in the service industry will be the same. There is always a new challenge to overcome or complication to fix, and although we have practically perfected our "customer service voice," sometimes we are not okay. You have to be a special kind of person to survive the service industry, or fall to the ashes in the "Battle of the Karens." So, here are twenty things only the trusty employees of the service industry can relate to:
1. The walk-in cooler is your therapist.
GiphyIf you haven't cried (or screamed) in the walk-in, are you even a server?
The walk-in cooler is a home-away-from-home in the industry of service - plus, it is way cheaper than actual therapy!
2. You can never have enough pens.
If you're a server, you probably have lost more pens than you would like to admit. They're basically an equivalent to gold in the service industry. And if you're lucky enough to have borrowed one from a fellow server, they either really like you or really trust you'll give their beloved pen back.
3. You have no feeling of heat in your hands anymore.
After being burned well over a few hundred times, you most likely wouldn't, either. But the best part is when you're carrying three or more plates of hot, hot food and your beloved table of five stops you to ask what your favorite meal on the menu is, while your skin happens to be burning off in the midst of it.
4. "My Pleasure" is an auto-response.
It's naturally just a part of your many server-gained reflexes now, and it always will be.
5. "The customer is always right" applies even when they aren't.
Even if you brought them exactly what they ordered, you didn't. Even if you didn't overcharge them for their drinks, you still did. And even if their coupon is "expired" it's not - silly me, I should know that there is no such this as expired coupons in the restaurant industry!
6. There's always that one regular that may just be your bestie.
You know their name, family life, schedule, and order by heart.
7. Nothing is worse than large parties when they all want separate checks.
And of course you don't want to sabotage all your hard work, but "Seat 1" has moved five times, the guy that was at "Seat 4" has been missing for thirty minutes, and three of those guests split an entree...sure, no problem!
8. You have nightmares about forgetting that one guy's Coke refill two shifts ago.
Once you have finally relaxed, your server flight-or-fight responses kick in and suddenly you're worried about something you forgot two shifts ago; it's basically a server's curse.
9. The two alpha males at your table fighting over the check is one of the most uncomfortable parts of your job.
Semi-professional mediator was not in the job description!
10. But cutting someone off is even more uncomfortable.
You basically have to approach the situation as diligently as possible. And if you're a server that doesn't have the guts to do it, hopefully they don't notice that their tenth vodka sprite is, well, just sprite.
11. There will never be enough "sides of ranch" to satisfy your guests.
Don't get me wrong, I don't half-blame you. We all love ranch, but when your ranch needs to be refilled more than your beverage, you might as well ask for the bottle.
12. You say "behind" or "heard" even when you're not at work.
Just another part of your trusty, server-gained reflexes!
13. You don't have to worry about getting your steps in.
I'm sure by now we've all mastered the infamous server half-walk-half-sprint. So, forget about getting your steps in because at the end of the day, a double shift basically feels like you just did a marathon and a half. But hey, at least we're saving on a gym membership!
14. You have perfected your customer service voice.
Some may say we have multiple personalities, but to us, it's our way of guest survival. Our customer service voice has been worked on and perfected over our years of service - it truly is a work of art.
15. Non-slip shoes are a staple to your wardrobe.
Shout out to our trusty sneakers! If it was not for you, our almost-falls would have been real-falls, and our half-sprints through the BOH would not be possible without you.
16. The limit to Karens does not exist.
The army of angry Yelp reviewers never ends, and you must not forget their famous slogan. But you know what they say, kill them with kindness!
17. You can never seem to get that smell of food off of you.
No matter how many times you shower, the smell of your work kitchen will always be apart of your uniform and - call it a kiss from the service industry devil.
18. Sometimes your guests share way too much of their personal life with you.
I'm sorry if it comes off impersonal, but your not-so-short story about the one time "________" restaurant caused you to have food poisoning and the immensely long detail about your situation is not exactly necessary to include with your order.
19. Gluten-free people don't even know what they can and cannot eat.
Even if your restaurant provides a gluten-conscious menu, you're still somehow required to rattle off every single gluten-free item your place of work provides. Which is fine, but when you're not a fellow gluten-free conisuerrier, the task at hand is slightly difficult.
20. The table you assign your guest will never be good enough.
An exciting game of musical tables is always the peak of seating your guest. Kinda like "Goldilocks" - one table is too big, one is too small, and one is "too sticky."
