Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my job. I love seeing the bride's face when she walks in the room for the first time. I love seeing moms-to-be open all their shower gifts and watching how excited they get over each one. I love being the one who makes the event flow and being a part of a very important day for whoever the event it for. The job of setting up, serving, clearing and breaking down surprisingly never gets boring because there is always something new to see or do. I love the people I work with, mostly because they understand exactly what is most annoying about our job. And I especially love the paychecks, because let's be honest, there's never a shortage of hours. But there are some truths to being a banquet server that people who have never set foot in the industry have no idea about.
1. "Yeah no problem, I can get you that" usually doesn't mean "It's no big deal..."
...when I have a stack of 15 plates in my hands and am in the middle of clearing the room before the next course comes out.
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2. Odds are we are probably understaffed for the party with five courses and have three too many people in the party with a buffet.
3. When your meal is family style, the plates I just carried across the hall that just got pulled from the hot box are probably burning through my hand.
Totally needed that second-degree burn!
4. Dress pants, a vest, tie, button down, and dress shoes aren't exactly the most comfortable work clothes after the 10th hour on the clock.
And guess what? I'll be wearing the same thing tomorrow!
5. We enjoy your DJ just as much as you do
So when the song comes on that no one requested, you know who to blame.
6. And your food
Even though it's the 100th time we had that meal.
7. No, I had absolutely nothing else to do on New Year's Eve except work your 500-person wedding that no one was allowed to request off.
It's fine though, maybe next year.... or when I quit.
8. Or any other weekend of my entire summer
Because we only get one weekend a month, that's documented, requested off and approved. So basically we never get a weekend off.
9. But when we do occasionally get out early
10. Odds are I'm wearing more of your wedding cake than you actually ate
Because I'm only planning on making one trip carrying plates from your table.
11. When the chairs are stacked and the linen bagged, it's time for you to leave
But like I said, I love my job. And If I didn't, I don't know why I would still be here after four years. Every job has its downside, these were just a few of ours.
Sincerely,
Your Past, Present and Future Servers
