I was pre-bussing my table tonight when I heard a really loud bang from a couple tables behind me, like a large balloon popped or something, then a lady screamed… the busy restaurant went dead silent.

I looked back, and realized that the lady who screamed had somehow dropped her extremely young infant while standing, and its head hit the fucking table. The scariest part was that the baby didn’t even start crying for like 10 full seconds.

I wouldn’t be surprised if it got permanent brain damage, the bang was so loud y’all. The mom took it to the bathroom for a few minutes, and when I briefly saw them again, the baby had a blank expression with a thousand-yard stare. I’ve never had a kid or baby family members so I don’t know if that’s normal?

But they just finished their meal for another half hour instead of going to the hospital FFS! Ugh, I can’t get that sound out of my head… that poor baby 😭

Ok guys. So. If you are gonna be in the bathroom for 15 minutes every roughly 30 to 45 minutes, and come back with your pupils blown talking 100mph arguing with your customers with a nosebleed, we ALL know what you are doing in there.

Your tables know. Your co-workers know. Your manager knows.

STOP DOING DRUGS AT WORK PLEASE.

I (25F) have spent the last couple of years working as a server/bartender at various restaurants. I have also had other full time jobs, but right now I’m back in the restaurant industry for a bit.

I have a really great seasonal summer job that pays very well and I return to each summer, but it is not summer anymore so that job ended about a month ago. I started working at a new place (3 weeks ago) that a few of my coworkers from the summer job ended up at as well. It’s a tavern type establishment. I HATE it. I am making no money (less than $100 per night), I don’t like the other people who work there, I don’t like the customers, and I think the food and the kitchen are gross. It’s always painfully slow. I spend most of my shifts standing around waiting for customers. Long story short it’s just not a good fit for me, especially money wise. I need to be making way more than that and I know that that is possible and I’m selling myself short by working here.

I have applied to a handful of other spots and had an interview yesterday with a more upscale establishment that should pay better and I think be a better fit for me and my experience. They want me to come in to train next week, but of course my schedule for my current job is already out for next week and I’m supposed to work. I want to just work my shift tonight (Saturday) and tomorrow, and then just tell them I won’t be coming in for any future shifts. I know it’s technically unprofessional and the wrong way to go about it, but I’m losing my mind working here because I dislike it so much and NEED to make more money. I feel bad, I usually try to do things the right way, but I need to put myself first.

Part of me feels like I’d be an asshole to essentially quit with no notice, and leave them with no coverage for my upcoming shifts, but to be honest I don’t really care at the same time. This current place is so goddamn slow that most weekdays I’ll only have 5 or 6 tables in a night. I think they can manage without me for this upcoming week. Plus I’ve only worked here for 3 weeks. I don’t feel an obligation to them.

Anyways, would I be the asshole if I work my weekend shifts and then quit my serving job because I found another one that pays better, suits me, and wants me to start next week?

Had a nice enough pair of dudes come in who are regulars at another location (local chain of three). The other location has a different set of GMs and KMs and I haven’t been there. A HH set of nachos comes out, they don’t touch it. I ask how they’re doing and they say that the same dish at the other location is larger. I said, well that’s the size it is here. After some back and forth whilst I’m getting my ass kicked in tickets bartending, they demand I send it back, make it the size they want, and comp it. After some back and forth I got my lead who is non-confrontational and that took some time to convince him to tell them that was simply not going to happen. Much to my (not) surprise, his ability to be born with a penis convinced them to just order another item, nothing comped, and to pass it on to whoever the fuck. They were fine the rest of the dining experience. After my shift, I googled the HH menu of the other location, same display. So someone is serving the stupid fucking chicken nachos wrong or I’m just an idiotic woman. I’m voting on the former. I apologize in advance. It was a bad night.

5 years of serving experience, and I just started at a new place training today. The anxiety was horrendous. Even at a place I served for 4 years, many shifts began with a chest full of dread and panic.

Going into my training shift today I needed propranolol and a glass of wine to get me in there, and throughout the shift itself the anxiety made me feel incompetent. My ability to carry a tray becomes non existent due to my embarrassingly shakey hands.

This makes me sad because I’ve had moments where I’ve loved it. I’ve made beautiful connections with regulars, have made best friends out of coworkers, it got me out of a financial ruin, among other things.

But the anxiety. I hope I’m not the only one.

The chef became so frazzled with all the orders he was getting aggressive with the kitchen help in front of the customers. The kitchen helper had to leave early for the day so both of them can cool off.

Now with this new place (2 months in), I'm already sensing the same vibe that the chef might lash out on me too. Especially since Im new to serving but I don't think Im that bad at it. Chef tried to pull me to serving the table when Im actively trying to take someone's takeout order too smh. I'm 1 person and I try my best to juggle everything ok.

I've previously left a cafe job due to the owner lashing out at me in front of customers. No matter what's happening, I just find it very unprofessional and distasteful to act that way in front of folks you want coming back to your establishment.

our restaurant is letting servers dress up for halloween as long as it’s appropriate. No butts and boobs out basically lol. Any ideas? I’m a short girl with medium dark hair and big ole pink glasses. I’m looking for something cute and affordable for last minute, not really looking to spend over $25-45 for this. i’m open to your suggestions!

I’m a high schooler who recently applied for a part-time hostess job at an IHOP near my house. They responded the same day I applied, and now I have an interview today!

I’m not really sure what to expect. I’ve only had two jobs before: one helping promote my mother’s business online and another working a summer job for my uncle, where I took customer orders at the register. Neither job required an interview, so I’ve never had to go through the process before.

With my experience, do I have a decent chance of getting hired? I’m also wondering what kinds of questions they might ask and how I should prepare. As for my availability, I can work Mondays, Thursdays, every other Wednesday, and Sundays.

Would that be enough availability for IHOP to consider hiring a high school student? I’d appreciate any advice!

Looking to move up from server position!

Thanks!

I’ve always wanted to be a server as all of my siblings have been in the restaurant industry for nearly 2 decades. My first restaurant job was at a neighborhood bar & grill (you can guess). I worked at two locations. I was a hostess at 17 and while it was a great way to get my feet wet in the restaurant industry, it was horrific. First one we were getting paid 11$ an hour plus tip out, which still didn’t amount to minimum wage in my state. The second location we made 13.00/hr plus tip out which was good.

We had many different tasks. Managing the front, bussing tables (many full tables as some servers would not bother to pre buss, often going to the hosts and demanding that their table be cleaned), clean the bathrooms and the toilets (mind you I had to clean up grown men’s puke & diarrhea off of the walls), and a bit more depending on how much help the restaurant needed. Often times the front would be swamped, causing hangry guests to tear into the 4’10 17 year old high school student, me, at the time.

First, as I mentioned, you deal with every guest that comes to the front. They will complain if you put them on a wait, or ask for accommodations that fuck with rotation. Second, the servers will be hard on you. Sort of understandable considering you control how many opportunities they have to make money and the stress, but it was exhausting. If I put guests on a wait, there would be servers or managers coming to me and telling me “Why are they waiting? seat them now!”, and when I did the kitchen would be flooded with tickets and then a server would come to me to complain. Restaurant is slow, or customers keep asking to sit at a booth? “Why aren’t you seating me?!”
Okay, I’ll seat you. Stink eye. “Why did you seat me?”
Oh and don’t even get me started on when a manager or server would come up to the host stand and fuck up the rotation the second I step away from the host stand, and then all of a sudden everyone is angry again.. at me.

It was a stressful position to put an inexperienced high school student in, between being yelled at by servers, management, or the guests. I did for a year and don’t regret it but holy fuck, no one was ever happy.

My managers would not let me be a server because they “didn’t think that I would be a good fit”, that’s fine, I was hired at a breakfast place as a server and wow. It’s shitty, I’ll be honest, and of course, you can guess which 24/7 breakfast place I’m talking about. Granted, I am working evening shifts and at a breakfast place and the checks are lower but it is turn and burn and I’d rather do this than to be a host. It is a little hard because there is no host during the evenings so on top of serving we seat guests, help with to-go orders, and fully bus our own tables. We do not have actual busboys either, while at the other place it was the hosts’ job to do all of that. I enjoy being able to take care of my tables and provide memorable experiences for them, and it makes me feel somewhat in control of my money if that makes sense. I would rather deal with a manager pestering me about upselling or sales or a table complaining about their food rather than deal with hundreds of hangry guests at the front every day. I will stay here and gain more experience to go to a better place as a server and if there is a god may he never let me be a host again.

Please be kind to your hosts! They play a critical role in the restaurant, a role that is often given to teenagers with little experience.
And no, they aren’t targeting you because they skipped you in the rotation after a guest requested a different table.

Today my coworker messed up two table orders, serving food to the wrong table. Thinking it was me who had done it, I got told off by two managers and the chefs. I’m a week into this job, completely new to serving. I generally do not make mistakes and I’m pretty friendly. These managers and chefs told me I have to smile more and always repeat back table numbers to confirm I have the correct one. I found this advice to be very condescending as these are things I’m already doing. I mean how hard can I fucking smile? I can’t exactly bare my teeth like a maniac especially when these coworkers are the grumpiest looking people I’ve seen anyway.

Later on in this shift, that same coworker told me off for not taking plates out the back (I was in the middle of clearing a table so was only carrying a tray), and said word for word, “you just do things and I can’t understand what you are thinking.”

This is such minor issues but I think this was my first genuine bad day at this new workplace that it sent me into tears for a good few minutes.

Just wanted to vent into this space, not particularly an important post. Just confused with life and navigating through a new role.

Have a job interview for serving there all I know is that they're owned by Hillstone but that seems to have a lot of negativity within itself so I'm not sure what to think.

If anyone is able to give any insight I'd appreciate it!

Hey everyone, I’m in a really tough spot right now and could use some honest advice from people in the industry.

About 2.5 years ago, I worked as an Assistant Server at a 5-star hotel in the Middle East. It was my first job abroad and my first time working daily in English, far away from home.

Eventually, the environment turned toxic and overwhelming. Since I had other remote options at the time, I decided to leave and have been working a remote office job from home ever since.

Honestly, during that time I barely took orders, struggled with wine/food recommendations, and made silly mistakes like mixing up tables or seat numbers.

Where I’m at now:

• A lot has changed, and for over a year now, my life at home and financial situation haven't been going well at all. I really need a fresh start and a way out.
• I decided to apply for overseas F&B jobs again. During the interview for a Specialty Waiter role, I exaggerated my experience. Frankly, I felt the interview went poorly—they asked for wine pairings/recommendations, and I completely bombed that part (food and wine knowledge has never been my strength). To my total surprise, they sent me the contract.

It’s been almost 3 years since I last worked on a restaurant floor or interacted directly with guests. They offered me a Specialty Waiter role, not a runner position, which implies high product knowledge, seamless service, and confidence that I know I currently lack.

BUT my mindset today is completely different. I am older, more mature, and genuinely willing to put in the hard work, study the menu, and learn with a completely different attitude. Plus, since it’s a new opening, there should be a training period.

I wouldn’t even be hesitating if I weren't in such a difficult personal situation right now—I really need this change. But I'm terrified that I won't be able to catch up in time or live up to what the role expects.

What would you do in my position?

Is it realistic to bridge this gap during pre-opening training if I put my head down and just try my best ? For anyone who started in a role above their actual skill level: how did you survive the first few weeks?

Thanks a lot for readining

I have a new front of house job. The building has an upstairs, a downstairs, an upper deck (outside) and a lower deck (outside). Upstairs fills up first usually and is 8 tables (5 for four people, 2 for 2 people, and 1 tor 8 people). But there might also be a few people outside on both the upper and lower decks. Yesterday it was just me on front of house with a full upstairs, 2 tables downstairs, 2 tables downstairs outside downstairs and 1 table upstairs outside. It felt like way too much. But I’m new to this and I don’t know if it’s just a me problem.

Btw, I’m responsible for greeting and sitting people, keeping an eye on if people are waiting outside, taking orders, taking payments (although we do this at the same time as taking the order), bringing drinks, answering any questions or bringing anything people want (e.g. more napkins), and clearing and cleaning tables once people are done. Some of the order tickets weren’t printing out in the kitchen so I was also responsible for checking this. And sometimes I bring orders out but it’s usually someone else.

has anyone ever covered a bartending shift? i’ve only ever ran a bar at my old job for an hour and the place mainly sold beer and very simple mixed drinks (just a shot and mixer). my current job is having me cover a whole bartending shift but i’m kinda nervous to say the least. i’d say we sell more beer than anything also but our drinks are a little more complicated here. does anyone have any advice for me?

After 15 years I left serving. I miss the exercise at work

So ironically, I'm kinda bad at keeping a conversation going; like I'm a good server, I think, in like taking care of them, getting their order in, answering their questions, etc.

So they're not being mean or anything; they're trying to be nice and get to know me. But anytime a customer asks about my day or makes a joke, I'm like, "Oh shit, a conversation, oh boy..."
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I’m just trying to take the temperature of the metaphorical room here. Where I work, servers get to pick sections based on sales averages. On a slower day if we run with a smaller staff, we follow the same order to pick who gets to go home vs who wants to stay. Generally the highest averages pick to leave.

There’s a server here, let’s call him Jim. Jim is your textbook lazy ass, doesn’t do running sidework, doesn’t really help out, and from the second Jim gets to work he is trying to figure out how to be the first person cut. Whatever, that’s your own prerogative. Plus, I’ve been tight financially lately and have been picking closing sections so I’m stoked to cut the floor earlier and make more money. But at the same time, Jim constantly complains about being broke and then kind of tries to guilt people into giving them shifts. Last week, Jim wanted to pick up a shift on Thursday and asked the person most likely to give their shift up and they had already given the shift to someone else. Jim said “I guess I’ll just have to live on the streets and starve”. Two weeks ago, Jim texted everyone working individually and said they’re short on rent and begged for shifts.

Last week Jim was complaining about it being slow (we’re coming out of the slow season right now) and someone made a comment about how he could pick a closing section and 99% of the time you make more money closing and it’s like a max hour and a half longer of being here- for context the dining room is only open 4 or 5 hours depending on the day. Honestly what Jim does with their money isn’t my concern, but the complaints are really fucking annoying. They also just made a bit of a show about asking the owner to have more shifts each week, which is funny because they want to leave immediately every day.

Today, we were going to run with one less server than normal and Jim piped up asking if the people who had a higher average would let him go instead. Not my most professional moment, but it just slipped out and I said “you’re literally always complaining about being broke though”. He got a little defensive and I just giggled and tried to make it jokey and then moved on to a conversation about a common interest we have and we talked about that until he left, and like I said what he does financially is none of my business but when you try to guilt me into giving you shifts it kind of becomes my business. Would you get to a point where you call them out on it too or am I an asshole and should I apologize?

I am working at a new restaurant in Minnesota and the bar tip out from servers at the end of the night is 10% of bar sales. Am I completely wrong or is this crazy high? And then in addition to bar we are tipping expo, host, and dishwasher an indiscriminate amount.

Trying this again…

I have a job selling shots for an event. Any tips for approaching people, making small talk & getting people to buy from me?

I feel like walking up and saying/asking shots isn’t really working to get them to buy. What are different ways I can make this fun and encourage them to buy?

Am new to this again. How much do you set aside for your taxes?

I work at a small family owned restaurant with only a handful of employees besides me. I was supposed to work this evening, but I’ve been getting progressively sicker the last 24 hours and Im pretty sure I’ve got the flu.

I called off this morning, about 5 hours before my shift, bc I can’t stop coughing, my nose is super stuffy, and I feel awful- and I really don’t want to be serving people their FOOD when I’m this sick. I wouldn’t want my waitress to be sick either.

But because we’re understaffed and a handful of other employees were gone, they had to close the restaurant early tonight :( I know I made a good decision for myself, but I probably should’ve called out earlier but I was really hoping it was allergies and a fluke. Idk I just hate taking days off work, the only other time I called off was two weeks post op from surgery and I’ve been there over a year now.

I’m in the US, but work near a business area with frequent international visitors. They confuse me when I ask for how they want their burgers or steaks cooked.

Many people say numbers. 74 degrees is a common answer. I’ve learned the Celsius to Fahrenheit translation. But the first time, I thought the guy wanted a room temperature burger.

I’ve also heard rare-med rare isn’t allowed per health code in some countries. I’m not sure which ones. In my country, we don’t allow it for chicken or pork. But do others do the same for beef?

idk I was just curious if anyone else has run into this before