For October, I’ll be writing a series focused on the “real world.” You know? The one where everyone has jobs and pays bills and has responsibilities? Here is my perspective as someone about to enter that world (with any luck and a bit of pixie dust). Here is a little incentive to wait tables and maybe appreciate your server a little more. I know there are hundreds of articles like this, but here are my personal pros and cons.
1. Money
No, waitresses do not make $7.25 an hour in the U.S. A waitress' minimum wage is far below that. As a student, the tips were what I worked for. My bi-weekly paycheck typically looked more like a tip on a coffee and bagel than it did some self-supporting income. Literally your paycheck will not cover the gas it takes to drive to work. Most nights, as long as I was courteous, attentive, and mildly energetic, I could come home with enough for a decent shopping spree or the next uber expensive textbook. Most waitresses make anywhere between minimum wage and what the kitchen staff makes per hour as a rough estimate.
2. Ups and Downs of Tips
After working hard and running around for a ten top table and being perfect, they will leave you $3 in change. You’ll also learn that the couple who’s touring the country and just stopped for coffee really understands what you’re going through, and after spilling cream on yourself and getting them three drinks to go, they’ll leave you feeling like just their presence was enough of a tip with their kindness and patience. This goes along with point number 4 in that you’ll have great customers, who tip enough and are polite. But, you’ll also have the rude family who leaves crushed pickles and soup under their chairs and soup spilled everywhere, with the 50 cent tip. People will be rude to you, even people you know. But for the most part, if you actually try, you’ll make a decent amount and people will be appreciative of that effort. You certainly have to roll with the punches.
3. Lessons Learned
It’s relatively self-explanatory that customer service jobs are typically hard, and teach you respect, patience, stress-management, and all those other marketable skills that really do translate to the outside world. However, there are some off the wall ones that people don’t typically think about. Balance for one. It took me about three months to be able to carry more than two plates, and the three maximum was because I have short arms. The physical side of running upstairs with glassware and a smile definitely equivocates to a good session at the gym. Balance on the mental side is certainly built as well. I have an enormous amount of respect for anyone with a photographic memory who can remember 6 orders and drinks. But for the rest of us lowly humans, a pen and paper work just fine, and eventually, you’ll remember regulars and what refills you needed and how many forks you need etc. Add all of this to multi-tasking, organization, management, and just learning how to be utter sunshine all day even if you aren’t and you have a wonderful future employee.
4. People Skills
This goes with the “customer” in customer service. You have to have a cool head to deal with people shamelessly flirting or leaving a mess, as well as people who downright are rude or even ignore you. If you can’t fake a cheery disposition and give it all back with a smile and a “can I get you anything else,” you don’t want to work in the industry. The pros though, are definitely the people you work with. They may not become your best friends, but they’re a support system and team you’ll never see beat. If you’re having an off or bad day, I have to compromise. If you’re on your game, the machine runs like clockwork and we all benefit. Little shout-out to the girls I worked with, and thank you for teaching me, helping me, and always having my back on those horrible crazy days.
5. Having a Real Boss
Some of you may work at chains where the boss cares not who you are or what else goes on in your life. But, if you’re lucky enough to work at a privately owned place, you’ll learn some entrepreneurial lessons as well. My boss was an amazing woman who built the restaurant with her own two hands, and yet had the care and awareness to know and help each and every one of us. You could get a boss that fires you the first time you mess up an order. But if you’re lucky, this person will be a personal mentor to help you through all the challenges that come with running a business, and managing 12 chickens running around with their heads cut off delivering food (I mean waitresses). You also have to recognize that this person has their own priorities. Your boss may have kids. Your boss may have to figure out a MacGyver trick to get the faucet to work since the repairman was late. Your boss may need you to pick up slack because they are literally running a business and that entails far more than moving food and liquids to other humans and back.
There are countless benefits and drawbacks to working in the restaurant industry. I'm sure you can find hundreds of articles on proper tipping, on crazy bosses and shifts, and all the negatives. However, working in a great place, with a wonderful quirky boss, with the funniest girls I know definitely was a positive. Working in customer service, whether its waiting tables or retail, should be a requirement for everyone to gain a little perspective. So next time you sit down at your favorite restaurant and order, try to remember that your waiter or waitress is just a human being trying to make a living.
