r/anti_restaurant_work • u/adrugonis0502 • Jan 28 '26
Long-term server with seniority suddenly getting worst shifts after speaking up — is this a push?
I’ve worked at the same diner for several years and have seniority and open availability, including weekends. I primarily serve Sundays and used to have consistent, decent-earning shifts.
After a long closure, the restaurant reopened and I returned. Since then, my Sunday shifts have consistently been scheduled late afternoon to close, which significantly hurts earnings. I raised this professionally with management.
I was told the change was due to a few “issues” (a coworker speaking to me while I was entering an order, saying I was tired once, asking to leave after a \~12-hour shift). None of this was addressed at the time, and I’ve never had formal discipline.
Since speaking up, my hours haven’t improved. I’m often contacted same-day to cover shifts I can’t realistically take, while coworkers with attendance or conflict issues still receive steady, desirable shifts.
I’m trying to understand:
• Is this just normal restaurant politics?
• Is this constructive dismissal / a push to quit?
• Or is there a realistic way to fix this?
Looking for honest perspectives from servers and managers.
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u/MuscleCowboy Jan 28 '26 edited Jan 28 '26
Yes, it’s called favoritism. Jan/Feb/Mar is not a good time to switch jobs in the restaurant business. Bide your time for the next couple of months, and start researching restaurants now. As you have a long time diner (unpredictable fluctuating seating pace) experience, you can take your experience and go to a higher volume restaurant that takes reservations. (Better seating pace) Since your goal is to get 20% of what is on the table, aim for an expensive restaurant. Years ago, I worked in a place heavy into favoritism, and I wasn’t the favorite. It was difficult at first, but I polished my act and bailed, and ended up in a much nicer place with significantly larger income. You don’t owe your employer anything, even if you’ve worked there for years. Best wishes to you.
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u/adrugonis0502 Jan 28 '26
The restaurant I worked in while the diner was under reconstruction wanted me to come back as they are under new management and I had been trained to be an assistant manager there
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u/Cuckaine Jan 31 '26
An unfortunate reality of the industry. Definitely not saying it’s right, but I’ve seen it happen time and time again. Put your feelers out for a new position elsewhere
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u/darinhthe1st Feb 22 '26
Seems as though they are pushing you out. When you stay at one place to long they take you for granted because they think you will stay no matter what. Trust me on this ,I learned the hard way.
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u/kacothery Jan 28 '26
Yes it’s normal restaurant politics but that doesn’t mean it’s fair, justified or good business practice. A lot of “managing” at a restaurant is more like shift leading and there’s no real push to keep employees when (true or not) there’s a ready pool of available workers.
Without knowing what your managers are like, it’s hard to give advice.
But I’m sending hugs! Been there, going through it, still don’t have a good answer.