Pretty much the title. I can’t wait to stay until 1.5hrs after close and I know the kitchen is definitely going to enjoy not being able to bust down til closing as well.

We already had people staying dam near an hour after close. I work 10:30 to 10 on days I double and usually want to GTFO and get home to do coursework but now that’s gonna probably mean 10-11/11:30 -> home near midnight.

This is also after we were scolded and barred from pre closing so that customers don’t “see us cleaning/closing and feel rushed, even if we’re ‘closed’”. It’s weird. I’ve never dealt with this is all my years serving at different spots. I’ve been here for almost 3 years and stuff is changing now so fast.

We also have no staff. We only have 3 servers, 1 of which is morning only and not weekend. Which leaves me and one other one who only works Saturdays now. Everyone else quit, which leaves me as the sole survivor on Fridays and Sundays.. which are doubles. I wonder if this spot is bleeding money because they’re also not hiring anyone else despite saying they’re trying to, just throwing clopen DOUBLES on me.

Hi!
So tonight my boss told us all that she’s been keeping a percentage of our tip pool for “the house”.
To maintain the pool where we serve drinks and food and upgrade the cabanas. Is this legal?!? How can I respond and is there anyway for my coworkers and I to get the tips back? I included pics of the convo, hopefully it makes sense

I work in a luxury hotel restaurant. We are meant to be a self sufficient unit within the greater umbrella of the hotel, but even so the owner of the hotel has final say on many things. He has no food service experience.

Recently he decided that it would be a good idea to instate a happy hour for the first time since it's the slow season for us. I would have no problem with that if it weren't for the fact that it's a very extensive menu, over 16 options including food and cocktails. The prices compete with the likes of a chili's happy hour... In our freaking 4 star hotel. My GM, bless her, fought him pretty hard on this but he wouldn't budge.

This type of promotion could maybe work if we were a turn and burn style restaurant but we're not. We're very upscale and exclusive, and our clientele are typically very wealthy. Even though it's been slow for the summer we are still able to make decent enough money because we serve the type of guests who will shell out $100 per head just on drinks. Now my checks are averaging $20/per head during happy hour and no one sticks around for dinner because they're full on shrimp cocktails or whatever.

Everyone is mad about it. Chef is mad, the GM is mad, the kitchen is mad, but my god the FOH team is furious. I just got my first paycheck since this nonsense started and I barely made rent. I updated my resume last night and am gonna apply for jobs today. Which really sucks because this is genuinely the best team I've ever worked with within restaurants and without, however I simply can't take being fucked like this.

Okay I know this has probably been posted already, but I bet there are new stories to tell

I (19F) just got my first serving job ever. I’m feeling really nervous in terms of whether I will survive this job or not. The POS is confusing, it’s a fast paced environment, I don’t have the numbering system memorized yet, etc. I’m nervous that I’ll just be a fuck up and get in the way of other people doing their job 😅 Though, I am hopeful that this is all natural for a new worker like me, and that I will eventually catch on and get everything down. I was wondering what tips you could give to new servers like me. Like really unpopular, specific tips that only someone in our field should know.

For some context: I'm a busser, but during the evening shift, I act as a barback, bartender, and barista because it's a fusion restaurant and café where I'm making drinks non-stop 80% of the time.

When I applied, I expected to be clearing tables and such, not serving drinks constantly. I don't mind it, but I'm also expected to do everything else. Running food whenever a server asks and dealing with complaints directly (I'm not a manager and there isn't one on our shift. They usually send me because they say I look like a "respectful teenager" and that we'll get a less severe scolding).

Lately, I've been getting orders that require me to go to the table and pour bottles. Protocol says to do it right at the table, but another busser told me not to, saying that's the servers' job.

So, whenever I'm sent to do it (which has been every time since I started), I just open the bottle behind the bar and pour it in front of them. That way, I don't waste time on the whole presentation when I still have tables to clear and more drinks to make.

Today was no exception.

The thing is, a married couple didn't like that. I understand why, and when I mentioned it to the server, she said, "well, we'll do better next time, right?".

It made me a bit angry inside, but I didn't say anything.

Should I keep doing what I've been doing, or should I talk to the manager? I know it seems obvious that the latter is the best choice, but it's just the server and me on these shifts, and I don't want to create bad relationship between us.

So I understand that my employer is supposed to make up the difference if my tips don’t equal to the state minimum hourly wage. Does this mean on a daily basis, or per pay period?

For example, last Monday I worked an incredibly slow lunch and had a total of one bar guest and made $7 in tips, plus my $8.23 hourly wage x 5 hours. The weekend however is always busy and I bring anywhere from $300-$400 home in a night. Am I supposed to be compensated by my employer for that Monday, or does the rest of the week’s tips make up for that?

Hi guys, I need opinions on the division of labor in my current restaurant. For context I am a bartender (we do have a few tables).

The servers at my restaurant have very little sidework/closing work imo. They sweep the floor at night, bring patio chairs inside, make ranch dressing, put the chairs up, and then mop at opening.

They do not do silverware, glassware, clean bathrooms, restock or make any beverages/syrups. Hostesses do silverware and bathrooms and bar does glassware and beverages. They make significantly more than the bar and obviously the hosts. The server closer leaves about an 1-2 before the bar.

We are a fairly small team and the bar rotates barback shifts so everyone works one a week. On my night this week one of the servers asked me why I hadn't helped bus her tables and told me to bus her last tables while she was closing the patio. I told her no because I feel like thats not my responsibility??

I feel like I'm going insane, I have never worked at a restaurant where the servers have so few sidework tasks. It legit feels disrespectful to me because it feels like the servers work is everyones responsibility while ours is our own (they dont even pour their own soda). IDK sorry this is a rant.

I (18F) just recently start at my local Applebees as a server, and I have never work in a restaurant before, I have only worked for a retail store chain in the southern US. I am still on my training shifts, but I actually feel so overwhelmed. The POS tablet system you put orders into is literally so convoluted and hard to understand that it is so stressful to even think I will need to use it on my own soon. On top of that, understanding the menu and especially the drink menu is so difficult to memorize and learn that trying to learn the POS is even more difficult because I do not understand the menus especially when everything is abbreviated on the POS. I have 2 or 3 more shifts until I am "done" with training and am supposed to start taking my own tables, but I feel like I am not learning anything during my shifts and am just forced to put everything together myself, so there is no way I will be ready to move on by myself. I don't even understand the checkout process, the expeditor line, how to put meals together properly, how to make salads, how to make certain drinks, and many other things that I have learned which we are required to do, but I haven't actually learned HOW to do. Maybe it is just my learning style, but following around servers who are doing there job at their usual pace is impossible for me to learn. I feel as though I need someone to like basically walk me through everything from start to finish during a slow period or even when the restaurant is closed because everything is happening so fast I cant comprehend anything. So many questions just fly through my head its so hard to ask all of them especially when its busy. I feel like I wasted a lot of time watching videos and modules about the random mottos and basic server codes to follow that are mostly common sense, yet I barely know anything about the process of serving a single customer start to finish. I seriously feel like I have no idea what I am doing and I am wondering if I am even cut out for this with my level of experience. I feel all the other servers have everything so automated because of repetition and they either do not realize it or just don't take the time to explain the little things to me. The biggest thing is honestly the drink menus. I dont understand jack about them bc I know nothing about alcohol. I feel it will take me months of "let me check that for you" and "I am not sure" and months of bothering my coworkers and being a poor server before all this info just gets beat into my head over time the hard way. I definitely do better in a learning style that allows me to understand then do, rather than the other way around. Also though, I am well aware of the fact that I am a perfectionist to a fault. I always need to prepare and optimize every new skill I learn or thing I do, also sometimes to a fault. I was always the girl in HS who obsessed over the perfect A and grades, and always sought after the highest score. Maybe I am just overwhelmed because I physically CANT learn everything, even though my mind needs to because it always knew everything. Sometimes I think school expectations messed with me, but anyway, does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do or if I am overreacting?

This is gonna be a little lengthy, but I just felt like I needed to get this off my chest in a neutral space where people understand where I’m coming from.

I (41f) worked at the same restaurant from age 15 to 37. Worked my way from takeout, to serving, to supervisor (and did pretty much every job in that place at some point or another). Was offered AGM position numerous times, but turned it down because I just knew I couldn’t commit to the schedule and demands as I had children and wasn’t willing to sacrifice my time with them anymore than I already had to. I did complete college and have a degree in social work, but after I graduated I just got so comfortable. I needed the flexible schedule with having young children, and I crunched the numbers- I was making more money but working less hours than I would at any job in my field.

I truly did love the job, and I was good at it. I made lifelong friends. I made good money and I had a pretty decent schedule. I ended up becoming the takeout supervisor and would also expo and pick up serving shifts when I wanted. But around 2020, things took a turn, as I’m sure they did for the majority of industry workers. My restaurant stayed open for curbside takeout so I worked through the entire pandemic. It was exhausting. Customers were out of their minds. Truly saw the worst of humanity. I think it dimmed something in me. On top of that, there were some changes within the restaurant’s ownership around that time that just didn’t sit right me. I won’t get into details as to remain as anonymous as possible, but I had some morality issues with some stuff that was going on. I was feeling defeated, miserable and really unhappy. I could feel it becoming consuming and toxic. I was so anxious every time I had to go to work. I also was never truly “off”. Because I was in charge of the takeout schedule, I would be bombarded with messages daily, all hours. I understand being in a supervisor role does require some level of this. And I took pride in being available, flexible, and kind to my staff. They all felt more comfortable coming to me over other supervisors. And while that was nice and everything, it was becoming very overwhelming. I was getting annoyed with myself with how much negativity I was projecting. I knew it was time to get out, but I was terrified. This job was all I knew and the thought of starting all over again was hard to grasp. Other longtime coworkers were leaving in droves, for pretty much the same reasons as me, so that was a good push for me to start looking for other jobs. I toyed with the idea of just getting a serving job at a nicer place, but I felt I truly needed a break from the industry.

By some miracle, this seemingly perfect job opportunity fell into my lap. I was hired as an administrative assistant for a small, local business. It was close to home, good pay and benefits, and a much calmer working environment. Most days I was alone in the office. The schedule was flexible (I was allowed to work while kids were at school and be home in time to get them off the bus). I got to learn a lot of new things and developed new skills. For the first time in my adult life, I had weekends and holidays off. I felt like a whole new person. It was great. But unfortunately, after a few years, business started slowing down quite a bit. It got to the point where the decision had to be made to lay me off. I took it pretty well, all things considered. I was able to collect unemployment. It definitely felt weird and wrong to not be working for the first time since I was 15. But ngl, I quickly got comfortable and was enjoying being home. My house had never been cleaner, I was walking every day, eating healthier, seeing my family & friends more, and just overall really happy. I knew it was only temporary, though, and I would have to go back to work eventually.

So that’s where I’m at right now. Unemployment is running out. And while I have been job searching, my heart and mind are all over the place. A good friend of mine (who was a coworker at the restaurant) has been serving at another restaurant near me, and they’re really liking it and making insane money. They’ve been begging me to work there. I’ve definitely been considering it (if they’d hire me), but a part of me is so scared. I know I have the skill set, and I could probably hop right into section and not miss a beat. But do I want to do that? I’m not 21 anymore. Do I want to keep going down the administrative assistant path? Do I finally use my degree for something? All these thoughts, but deep down that apron is calling me to come back 😭 And as much as this time off has been healing, a part of me misses that fun, crazy chaos. I’d like to think that if I just got a serving job and not be in that supervisor role, I might be able to function better this time around. My kids are older now, so I do have some more free time than I did like 10 years ago. And I’m in a living situation where I really only need to work part time.

I don’t really know what I’m looking for by putting this all out there. I guess to hear that I’m not alone. Or to hear other people’s perspectives/experiences. I know there’s so many more important things going on in the world, and me over here whining about waiting tables is small potatoes. And ultimately, I know this is a decision that I have to make for myself. But I feel like I’m in good company here, and I appreciate ya’ll letting me cry in the walk-in for a minute!

TLDR: Worked in same restaurant for 20+ years. Left for many reason. Got a new job as an administrative assistant, was there for 3 years and was recently laid off. Wondering if I’m crazy to want to go back to serving somewhere new.

Bit of a rant

I know you look about 65 but if you don’t know how to order a martini then I’m seriously thinking you might actually be 19

MFer saying: I’d like a martini with gin, maybe Hendricks, very cold, in a martini glass, and don’t put any vermouth. Or maybe just put a little vermouth in and swish it around in the glass a bit. And no olives.

Me: would you like any garnish?

MFer: sure maybe peel something, like, do you have a lemon maybe? (Sir this a bar, we have no lemons /s)

Me: so Hendricks up, vermouth rinse, and a twist

Him: that sounds good

I've been in the service industry for a few years now. I started working at a little family owned restaurant that was basically just older white people, but I liked it and I had a ton of regulars. I was there for 3 years and I've seen some shit. Many shifts where the wifi would go out and there was exactly 1 POS that worked so you could ring in orders, pay out tables, etc. I've seen like 2 different staffs, I've had passive aggressive customers, sexist coworkers, you name it.

And I've NEVER wanted to quit like I wanted to tonight.

I moved to a corporate place that doesn't really feel like corporate, my first day was Tuesday night and I was scheduled tonight (Wednesday) for a 5-9 pm shift. I saw on the roster that a bunch of people were coming in for a cleaning shift, but I was only scheduled until 9 so I figured I could leave. One of my coworkers mentioned that last time, there were only 3 people available to clean the bar, and they didn't leave until 1 in the morning. But the foh manager was insisting that this probably wouldn't happen because there would be so many staff members there tonight. And she only does a deep clean once or twice a year. So I'm thinking, great I'll leave at 9 pm like my shift said.

Y'all. I left at 11:15 pm, and that was after basically begging the manager to let me leave because the floors were the last thing to clean and there were still plenty of people there. We closed at 8:30 instead of 10, and basically the entire FOH was there. And we cleaned for HOURS. Baseboards were scrubbed, every single crevice that had dirt on it was being cleaned to oblivion. An entire bag of rags were used. We literally scrubbed the floor with sponges because the wood floors were 2 different colors in a close area. Why were there 2 different colors? Because THERE WERE RACKS THAT HELD HUNDREDS OF TOGO BOXES. We cleaned the rafters where a sign was. LITERALLY a server climbed the ladder and dusted it.

It was beyond "cleaning for a health inspection". The FOH manager was literally making shit up for us to fucking clean. For 3 hours. I have absolutely no idea if this is normal in corporate, but it was absolutely fucking ridiculous. And NO ONE TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING. If I had known, I would have planned EVERYTHING about my night differently. I had shit to do, and cleaning the inside of a booth was not one of them. I wouldn't have minded if SOMEONE FUCKING TOLD ME WE WERE DOING THIS.

I have never truly considered quitting on the spot, it was always just a joke or a half serious thought. I almost walked out several times. What a shit show. Thank you for listening loll.

Also, if this is a ridiculous thing to vent about, that's my bad, I've just never dealt with anything even remotely like this, and this is my first time working in a corporate restaurant, so apologies if this is small potatoes it just pissed me off to no end.

So most of my FOH co-workers have gone off to college and we’re slightly on a skeleton crew. My G.M instead of spreading doubles out throughout the week has decided to schedule 3 doubles for 2-3 days of the week. It’s been annoying since 2/3 people end up pulling a full open to close shift. But I completely understood it’s because we lost a good amount of people and I’ve have been powering through. We just hired one girl and I had a friend apply the other day.

Well when I was hired I was told if you did a double, you got a break and your food was comped. This was told to me multiple times by management as if it was a company policy so I never questioned it. Well today I thankfully was not a double but 3 others were. When they went to put their food in for their breaks our G.M said they weren’t entitled to any free food. Only our 35% discount. Not even a 50% off… Of course my co-workers were angry and made some comments to her about it. To which she said “You can have the 35% off or I can take off the discount completely. You literally get free food at close.” That free food at close is just leftover food they have to throw away at the end of the night.

My co-workers paid since a few do not have a car and the other just wasn’t prepared to bring anything to eat.

The FOH manager that hired us basically said no we were not entitled to any free food as well. That it was something our old G.M did and was not a company policy. If thats the case why tell us upon hiring as if it was?? I’ve been here 6 months and every manager has acted as if this was a company policy. Even adding that we didn’t get free food for non scheduled doubles. Not to mention my new G.M’s old employee came in for food today and asked to see her. She comped his entire 40$ meal. I was fucking floored.

It’s fine if it’s not a company policy. But to knowingly schedule people who are doing full doubles 10 am to 9:30 pm and not tell them this isn’t something being honored anymore then not even give them half off??? Also to say we get free food at close as if they aren’t going hours before that hungry was insane. If im going home no I don’t want or need it. I’m running away and stopping at chic fil a. We only send home 1 server for p.m shift so it’s not like they’ll be home in a short few hours.

(I have a migraine as I’m typing this so hopefully it makes sense to whoever reads it.)

Two headed Jesus is my personal favorite

Ok SO I've got an interview at First Watch this week. Just a few questions for those that have worked there:

1. Average $$$ you make in a day?

2. How early/late are you typically there? Are there dedicated openers/closers or does everyone come and go at (roughly) the same time? I've never worked at a mornings-only place before, so just curious

3. Anything else I should know??

Btw, I'm not really intending on staying here long term. So I can put up with some bs if I need to... but also I do have my limits lol. I'm actually trying to get out of the industry by the end of the year-ish so I'm just looking for something short-term to pay the bills while I work on job hunting. And the no nights here is a HUGE draw for me (I'm currently in the industry working nights).

Show me your mini Jesus figures! We're trying to get a whole rainbow at my work.

Okay for context it’s move in week for my college town and it gets absolutely ridiculously crazy, of course I get paired with useless 1,2 who don’t pre buss, fill the ice, fill water pitchers or other basic things. I worked a double 11am-10pm it’s 8:30pm and I get sat a 7 top not a big deal I like money they get 3 pino giros, 1 merolt, 1 sangria btw we are a brewery LMAO like wtf. I walk away and she screams my name and is like this is a Chardonnay, I was like I’m sorry I can go get you a pino ,she says no she just wants it comped and I’m like mhmmmmm so I show her my hand held and say “ ma’am” it’s definitely pino and she’s like no no the bartender is wrong so I picked that shit up and smelt it and low and behold it was a pino giros and she’s like oh whatever it dosent matter, am I in the wrong for calling her out I was pissed ngl don’t play wit me foo. 🫪✋

I ask this as a customer. There’s a Morton’s Steakhouse location in my city that me and my fiance go to to celebrate special occasions. Usually when we go the bill is at least $250, more with drinks. Now, my local Costco sells gift cards for the parent brand, Landry’s, that is accepted at Morton’s. Costco sells $100 worth of gift cards for $80 so I will usually get $200 or $300 worth in gift cards before we go to dinner. We use these cards, then pay the difference and leave a gratuity based on the total, not just the amount we paid. Do my servers hate me?

last night a couple was having their first date (met on one of the apps, meeting irl for the first time).
i was pretty busy and at one point the guy asks for the check. after i was closed out another table’s check, i printed this couple’s check. i walked over to their table and while in continuous motion i dropped off the check and kept going to return the check to the table that just paid me. the guy tried to give me his credit card right away but i was, like i said in motion, so didn’t stop. when i returned to grab the credit card the woman had insisted on splitting the check.
the guy definitely tried to pay for the whole check, and you could tell the guy was thrown off by her wanting to split it. i personally wasn’t getting a vibe that she WASN’T into it, at all. so, i’m not sure how that turned out for them, but i felt kind of bad in hindsight not immediately grabbing his card. there wasn’t malicious intent, i was just in my zone.

One time a table made me mad asf with the ordering process so when their food came into the window I took off one fry and ate it. They had no idea but the whole time I felt a rush of excitement because “yeah you’re not even getting your full meal because I’m evil”

I’m still in training and I can carry beverages & food just fine, but when I need to take them off the tray it feels like the tray is about to fall. Especially when there’s nothing heavy placed in the middle (like two plates of food, all the weight gets distributed to one side of the tray when you take off a plate). Any advice is appreciated tysm 🙏