So I'm no season trained fine dining server or anything but if I have learned one thing in the past few months I have been a waitress, its that serving is probably the most misunderstood job ever!
The hard truth is until you have put on that apron and picked up a book to write down orders you do not know one thing about how much your server has to do until you've done it yourself.
I used to be the exact same way honestly I'd be just a 14-year-old kid who got mad because my appetizer hasn't come out yet, or the bread hasn't been brought to us.
The number one thing that I have learned from serving is that if there is a problem with your food there is the SLIGHTEST chance possible that is was actually your servers fault. Unless we drop the plate of food on you everything else is honestly beyond our control.
It's always refreshing to have that one customer who reassures you "oh don't be sorry it isn't your fault." Just the kind of people that give me hope for mankind you know.
Plus the thought of walking in and eating an hour or even 30 minutes before a restaurant closes seems pretty harmless to most right? *INSERT ALARMING BUZZER NOISE* I was so unaware until I started serving about how much extra side work and cleaning has to be done in order for a restaurant to fully closed for the night!
Aside from actually being told you're cut (off for the night or no longer being seated), some people can honestly end up being stuck at work for another few hours if their table doesn't leave right away or they have a really time-consuming side work!
Now let's get down to the real tea, whiny customers. We all deal with them but sometimes you really have to wonder what goes through some peoples heads. Like when you drop off six plates of food and they actually have the audacity to ask for something you "forgot" that is being brought out right behind you by a fellow server.
Like "oh yes ma'am let me carry that on my head for you because I am highly trained in that field." Or the person who physically drinks 4 refills of coke before their actual meal comes out. I mean yeah it can get hot out in the south and the middle of July but.... if you're under 15 and can do that I'd say its a fairly unhealthy skill.
Just one thing with me is that I've physically had people try and take food off the tray for me. Now there is a thing called balance, and if you offset the balance of 4 plates on a tray EVERYTHING and I means EVERYTHING will fall.
Luckily for me, I have catlike reflexes.
It's kind of like once you work in a certain field or industry you have an entirely new appreciation for it.
Now when I go out to eat I don't get as impatient because I never know how many others tables a person could have or if they have a thousand other things to do!
Honestly, the restaurant biz has taught me a lot, how to not be so sensitive is one of them.
But multitasking at its finest, getting along with people when personal issues need to be put aside, and honestly just helping people!
My favorite part of my job honestly is how many great cool people I've met customers and coworkers.
You never know when the table you're going to introduce yourself too is going to be an upcoming comedian who wants to test their jokes out on you or a fun loving family from Canada who wants to teach you French!
The skills come with practice but at the end of the day, I'd say its worth the slight amount of stress.
