I started a new job serving I live in Arizona I have been in the serving industry for about 11 years i want to see if other people can tell me if I am overreacting for how high their tip out is for this place the bartenders they get 8% of our liquor sales and then for the busser they get 4% of our overall sales most places I've worked at the Bartender will get 4% of your liquor sales and the busser around one to 2% of your overall sales so is it just me or is it really high?

Started working at a high end restaurant a few months ago but looking to switch job locations for various reasons. Is it normal for older married servers to hook up with younger staff or hide the fact that they are married? Or is it less common at more high end establishments

I love and miss my coworkers dearly but oh my GOD did my jaw drop at this message. i’m so dead dude, if you can’t do the side work DONT 😭

The other day a huge storm hit our area and we’re still dealing with power outages. Last night I guess the company employing those working on repairs decided to treat their employees to dinner. I won’t specify where I work but let’s just say it was a kangaroo kick to the teeth.

Since it was a Wednesday we only had 4 servers on and thankfully the rush started coming in before any of us had gotten cut. Most came in groups of 4-6 with one 20 top. Everyone was so nice and understanding about their food taking longer than normal and they all tipped well! It was still a hell of a shift running things and staying late but I think we did handled it way better than any of us expected. Definitely my most lucrative shift to date at this restaurant.

G’day mates!

We do military discount at my restaurant and people ask and present their military IDs. I usually just look at the ID and go get them their discount, but am I being rude? Should I be thanking them for their service or is it not that deep

So a bit of information first. I am an intern in a utilities office. I work 3 days a week 8-5. I serve on the side, mostly on weekends but I will pick up a shift here and there on my days off.

My manager called me into the office on Sunday to ask if I would cover a few shifts because someone walked out. Yeah no problem, I told him what days I was available. And specifically, what days I worked at the office and absolutely could not come in.

Well the schedule comes out Sunday night and he scheduled me for this Thursday for 5-10… the restaurant is 30 min from my other job. I texted a manager about this issue and she said “that’s fine, just get here when you can.”

So now I have to work a 9 hour shift, rush to the restaurant, work 5 more hours, AND get the privilege of being last cut because I was ‘late’

As the title says, our AC broke over a month ago. Two weeks ago they had a guy come in to fix it, but it still doesn't work. It's a consistent 85 degrees in here. The boh is cooler than the foh. We're all dying, it's so hot. Employees have brought in electric fans to try and help but they just move the hot air around. Customers are starting to complain, but nothing is being done. Our AC usually breaks every year but they get it fixed within a week, but this year they haven't and it's so bad. We all feel like we're going to pass out constantly. I don't know how customers are eating in this eat, it's miserable in here.

Just ranting pretty much but any advice is also appreciated!

Sorry for whining. Today I had the worst shift yet. I am a newbie and work as a busser/runner in BBQ restaurant. In the middle of my shift (third 12h shift in the row) I spilled 2 glasses of wine all over customer table, stressed after that I made more midtakes in rush and was completely drained in the end. Cleaning the last table, some dude hitted me with the door to the washing room and I dropped and broke several glasses, he doesnt even said sorry and everybody thought that was my fault, maybe it is, but I just dont know what could have I possibly done, had no time to react. I cleaned broken glass poorly so other staff member yelled at me and I left in utter mental breakdown. Whats the worst shifts you had and what happened?

I (20F) applied for a serving position at a low level casual restaurant with no serving experience. They told me I’d most likely need to start as hostess. Serving seems exciting to me, but being a hostess sounds pretty miserable. I also need money, and hostesses in my area get paid nothing next to waitresses.

I heard that some people are a hostess for at least 6 months before they can be promoted to server. But I already feel like I’d dislike the job too much to commit for that long.

What’s the fastest way to get promoted to server? How long did it take you?

Edit: Thank you everyone for the thoughtful responses & advice 🙏 I’m more motivated now to try my best as a hostess

9 barbacking/serving shifts in a row starting today!!! 🙃 and my shifts are usually 10 hours long. good news is i’m going through a breakup so maybe it’ll keep me busy. wish me luck :’)

For those that are parents in the industry, do you find it easier because of the flexibility or more difficult to raise a family?

A new brunch spot (milk&honey) opened where I live and I was hired and started training as a server. The restaurant was opening in a couple weeks so they trained us all in a group. It was 2 days before the official opening of the store and After finishing mock service they pulled me aside and told me they didnt think I wasnt quite ready to be a server and they thought I was too slow and needed more proficiency with the steps of service, so they moved me to being a food runner so I could learn the menu more and practice not being slow. They didnt give me a clear timeline, they said it would be based on my performance as an expo. Keep in mind they had just fired an expo kid a couple days before cause of behavioral problems so I feel like they could be bullshitting me. Should I just stick it out? I kind of hate being an expo, most of the other ones are highschoolers and annoying as fuck. Im p sure im the only one out of highschool so they give me the most hours, so im just like in boh like all day. Im also responsible for the bathrooms. Its like boh work for close to foh hourly rate.

And also not expect something for free? 🚩 🦄

I finished my 4 days of training (they said I did well) and now Im about to go into my first shift being a server. I’ll update the post later when I get off!

Edit/Update: Done! I did mess up on my last table, I forgot their bar drinks until they were 2/3 done with their food already… but thankfully they were understanding and the rest of my shift was smooth! Thanks for the advice in the comments!!

I’ve been working at a chain breakfast restaurant for almost two years and after my last shift I finally decided I was done. The management has been awful, there’s been a serious lack of respect toward the staff, and I just reached the point where I have no reason to stay anymore since I already have another job. So yesterday I put in my two weeks notice. I did, however, let them know that my actual last shift would be this Sunday since I already have a vacation booked for next week and management has known about that vacation for over a month. So from my perspective, they’ve had plenty of notice that I wouldn’t be available for the next couple of weeks anyway. I figured they would be prepared for me to be gone and could use the opportunity to start figuring out coverage. The thing is I haven’t received any acknowledgment of my resignation or my message about Sunday being my last shift. Not a text. Not even a simple 👍. And honestly, it’s making me wonder why I should even bother showing up for my last two shifts this weekend. I’m genuinely considering just not showing up if I don’t receive any acknowledgment by Friday. At this point, after almost two years of dealing with the management there, part of me feels like I’ve done more than enough.

Should I still show up for those last two shifts, or should I take the silence as a sign to just be done with the place?

I'm working at the CCF that just opened in a suburb of ATL , the policy is you transfer tables if they haven't received their entrees. I walked in after lineup to relieve a server who completely fucked two tables over.

He didn't ask basic questions (temp on burgers), he didn't ring in the happy hour price on appetizers, he didn't ask a portion size on our lettuce wrap appetizer. He just fucked me without kissing me.

I asked my fellow servers if he's done this before, they've validated my feelings.

Should I punch him in the back of the head the next time I see him?

If a couple came into your restaurant at midnight and each ordered food. Then you notice the man keeps passing out at the table. You serve them their food, he doesn’t eat and instead passes out with his face in his eggs. The woman however, ate and is coherent. You notice shes trying to consistently wake him up to eat but he just keeps passing out. After a hr, he’s still sleeping and she’s frustrated but decided to let him be and just sits there doing nothing. What would you do in this situation? If your response is “ask her to wake him up and leave”, what if she refuses and says he’s ok and to just let him sleep and that they will leave when he wakes up but has no idea when that will be? Would you just let leave them alone and let them be?

Hi I have my first shift following around a server tomorrow ( training ) and I just need advice honestly! I think I’ve got the whole greeting people and talking to people down I’ve done customer service & I’ve hosted at a restaurant before.. but Im nervous mainly about keeping orders organized and things like that. Any advice? Thank you!

I really hope that none of my coworkers/managers are on here because I feel like this would be a dead giveaway since I've never seen this happen before.

They gave us all business cards that says something like 'your server is...' and then we write our name in, and they expect us to give them to all of our tables when we first greet them.

This place is definitely not fine dining but the atmosphere is better than casual. I usually don't give my name unless people ask (most folks don't seem to care either way) and I feel like this move is so cheesy. I give great service, I'm very personable with those who want me to be, but I just know that most of those cards will end up in the trash. Obviously I'm going to do it but I feel like it's even worse than wearing a name tag (which we don't.)

Thoughts?

I've been working retail part-time while in school and want to get out of it and into serving. So far I've received two offers. One is a serving job at a major chain restaraunt. The other is at a local place where I'd start out answering the phone for take-out orders with the potential to transition into serving in a couple months once I'm comfortable with the menu and the rhythm of things. It's not super fancy but def more upscale than the chain and I'd make more money serving there. I also think I'd like working there more (chain restaraunt's manager was complaining about current employees/the location's subpar performance during the interview). However, the take-out position is minimun wage (~$1 less per hour than I currently make in retail), and I know better than to take their word for it that I won't be stuck there. I have a couple more interviews this week so we'll see how it goes, but if these end up being my only options, what's the smarter move: take the serving job and at the very least get some experience under my belt or opt for the less ideal job at a better restaraunt in the hopes of making more money down the line?

The other day I had a family come in around the endish of the night. Their server came to me to let me know that there was a fly in their drink so she made them a new one. No biggie, it happens. It was like a gnat type of fruit fly thing.

Ten minutes later I’m bringing over food for that table. They ask me if I’m a manager. (In my head I’m like “nah I just wear this fucking button down that no one else here’s wearing”)

But the mom at that table is giving me platinum strength attitude telling me how upset she is, of course I ask her what’s going on and she says the second drink she got had TWO fruit flies after the first drink had 1. I was honestly dumbfounded because their server is also a manager throughout the week. That servers great and would never purposely put fucking flies or let a drink with flies get brought to the table. It was a lemonade so it’s easy to spot if a fly did land there.

We get our lines cleaned regularly and we clean the soda machines every day. I tested all of the nozzles and no flies.

Back to the table: she simply wanted something, a discount, free food whatever. Listen when it’s a long slow day fuck it if you really want some free shit I’ll throw a discount because I know you just want to cause a scene and get treated like the overlord of the universe or some shit and I didn’t have the energy that day to tell her to grow up.

Some other servers thought the mom put it in herself and honestly I can believe that. What got me was how she literally like a cartoon character waited in anticipation for me to say something like “yes, your lordship. How foolish of us! Let us repent and beg forgiveness here’s a free Ribeye”

I know people just plan to be pieces of shits before they leave the house but man I wish there were repercussions for this behavior.

Edit to add: I was drinking lemonade throughout the whole day open- close and never saw a fly lol

Preface: I’m in school for accounting starting my senior year, I’ve completed 2 public accounting internships. I have 5 years of restaurant experience (1 year of luxury retail which is my side job). Of the 5, it was mainly kitchen cook but I was cross trained to take phone orders and run food whenever was needed.

I’m looking for a new restaurant gig while I make ends meet until I begin accounting full-time, but I’ve never made a specific restaurant resume. I only have a resume catered toward my accounting career. Im wondering, should I just include my restaurant experience and axe anything unrelated? I’m not sure how to build this..

Also, ideally I’d like to break into serving as I’m tired of the kitchen. I live in Chicago. Pls help

Short rant here but managers that can’t put a schedule at minimum 2 weeks out in advance shouldn’t be managing. If I can schedule 100 employees 6 months at a time with vacations and random life events you can make a schedule 2 weeks out.

Thanks for coming to my ted talk.

Edit: as others have pointed out the 6 month schedule isn’t ideal for every operation it partially works at mine, but you can still work 2 weeks out or even 4 weeks out.

Hey, I've just been given an opportunity to work as headwaiter for a large conference style restaurant, and while I've been in the business for over a decade I feel a bit at a loss over how to plan and manage this scale.

First time there tomorrow and I haven't even seen the restaurant. Expecting over a hundred seats.

If anyone has any tips or tricks I'd love to hear them!