20 Problems Only Waiting Staff Will Understand
Is waiting tables the most thankless job in the world?
Most people in their lifetimes have spent one portion of their lives serving tables. While many are able to do it with a smile and convince their guests that they are always in a chipper mood waiting on blue-hairs and screaming children (and their equally insufferable parents) for minimum wage and smaller tips, they all generally share a great disdain for the human race ... and that includes guests and co-workers alike. For those who have never worked in a restaurant for one single day in their lives, or for those who are completely oblivious to the every day work obstacles of waiters and waitresses, we have laid out 21 problems only waiting staff will understand. To normal folks, breaking change for a large bill seems easy and not such a big deal ... until you throw in a full section of irate tables who all need something at the same time. Go ahead, take a moment from your busy server life to peruse this countdown, but just remember ... don't sit down ... because as all servers know, once you do, it'll be an ever-lasting struggle just to get back onto your feet again when you're finished.
20. Complicated Orders & Food Allergies
tumblrIt's like these people spawn inside the restaurant right at the peak of the lunch or dinner rush. Because of their intolerance to certain foods, they must have 110% of our attention ... until you realize that they didn't want cheese on that salad because they can't have dairy ... but then they ordered a milkshake. The most common instance of these fake food allergists are those who say they can't have gluten but don't know what it is.
19. Hearing The Dreaded Phrase, "Keep The Change"
It's one of the most exhilarating and frightening things a server can hear when they go to pick up the payment from the table. "Keep the change." This either means a guest thought you were wonderful and paid with a large bill, and the rest is your tip. Or it could mean the guest thought you were awful and you got exact change. Actually ... that can still happen to you even if the guest thought you were terrific. 18. The Table That Walks In Two Minutes Before Closing Time
Whyyyyyyyyyy!?!?!?! Whyyyyyyyyyyyy!?!?! We did our sidework early because it was dead ... the expo and the busboy were sent home early because it was dead ... we got shots to take and people to make after work! Hey ... why the hell are your kids up at 9:58 PM ... on a school night!?
17. Waiting For Your Food
Anyone who has worked as a waiter knows the old tradition of eye-balling the kitchen window (and most times the cooks) in an attempt to telepathically make them move faster. You see the food is in the window, you see that it's nearly done being prepared, you're just waiting for that side of mac n' cheese ... yet the cooks are too busy snapping towels or doing God knows what instead of finishing the plate in front of them. And sometimes, you swear that one particular cook does it just to piss you off ...