I am an eighteen-year-old white female and I work at a Mexican restaurant. I started this job a little over a year ago and have gotten some looks and have had my fair share of events that happen on a daily basis. These are some of the things that have happened throughout my time working at the restaurant and you can expect to happen to you, as well, if you end up working at one.
1. “Dos!”
A lot of people loooove to be funny and speak Spanish to you. Especially when asking for a table and for the number in their group. I normally just ignore this and take them to their table. I don’t know if maybe they don’t expect me to know what they’re saying or that they do because I work here?? Little do they know I did take two years of Spanish in high school and I tend to pick up on things said in the restaurant itself.
2. Drunks.
We have a bar at our restaurant and sell alcohol like crazy. It’s unavoidable that from time to time we will have some people get a little (more like a lot) drunk. Sometimes it’s funny and other times it’s just uncalled for. We are a very inclusive restaurant to business people, families, and college kids, etc. alike. If you want to get drunk, go to an actual bar where a three-year-old won’t be sitting a table away from you.
3. Harassment!!
I’m eighteen and have been targeted more than once by people my age, older men, and other servers in the restaurant. This is bound to happen and you just have to deal with it in a nice manner. I’ve had to laugh off quiet a few remarks made by a few customers towards me and you just have to take it in stride.
The servers that have targeted me have since moved on to other restaurants so chances are they won’t be here long anyway and you just need to go with the flow. If something continues and just doesn’t feel right at all, you need to go to a manager or the owner immediately and let them know about your discomfort.
4. “No, ma’am, I do not have a booth available.”
Every day I deal with a wide range of customers. As the hostess, it’s my job to keep a lot of things running smoothly. The last thing I need is someone making things more difficult than they have to be. Tell me exactly how many you have and please, if you have more, do not take it upon yourself to add another table.This could mess us up greatly. And please, for the love of God himself, if we don’t have a booth available just sit at a table. We will love you endlessly.
5. “How did you get a job here if you aren’t Hispanic?”
I don’t have to speak Spanish to be able to do my job or anything else in the restaurant. I get along just fine myself and can do anything that anyone else can do. Sure I can’t spit out Spanish, but I can understand and do everything else anyone else in the restaurant can do. I host, I do to-go orders, I clean tables, I tend to tables, I cashier and a million other things just fine with my all American self.
6. The best things.
I LOVE who I work with and it makes this job incredible. I love my co-workers and my managers. We fight and love like family. I’m actually not the only non-Hispanic working there and wouldn't mind either way if I was. A lot of the people I started out working with are still here with me and I’m so grateful I get to go to work every day where I can actually tolerate my surroundings.
