Every waitress knows the feeling of being "in the weeds", the joy that Mother's Day brings, and the satisfaction of clocking out after a busy Saturday night. There are a million things that servers can relate to, but here I have eleven points that are the most easily recognizable.
1.Mother’s Day
The one Sunday out of the entire year that wreaks havoc in your brain. Are there enough servers? Bartenders? More than 2 hostesses? Enough line cooks? No matter how prepared you are, it’s still the biggest battle of the year.
2. Your co-workers become your best friends
Is there anything better then catching up with your co-workers while you are cutting your 5th bin of bread? They know the relationship drama, the restaurant drama and you're always pumped up when you know have a good crew behind you. They're always around when you need a shift covered, coffee to table 6, sharing a dessert with after a busy night, or having a drink with after your shift ends.
3. Being "in the weeds"
You got double sat, getting paged to run your food, bread needs to be taken to table 6, coffee and dessert menus to table 2, drinks from service bar are taking (what it seems like 4 hours), and the kid at your 10-top just spilled his apple juice for the second time. It’s called being in “the weeds”. You have absolutely no idea who to care to first. Sometimes you just want to sit down and cry, or scream. Either one works.
4. Your legs will feel like they will fall off after every shift
Between running back and forth to the window to pick up your food, the bar, your tables and the dish room, who says you need to go to a gym? Upper body strength is worked out by carrying trays all night, and your legs look toned more and more each day.
5. Always thinking about what's for dinner
The most asked question in any restaurant has to be, “What are you getting for dinner?”. It is asked about 20 times a night, and if you think you won’t be hungry because you ate before your shift, think again. Wait for a pasta dish to come up in the window and your stomach will start talking to you.
6. Getting cut
“You are cut”. The happiness of being told your cut at the end of the night doesn’t compare to anything else. Don’t be fooled though; (no one walks out at 8pm on a Saturday night), there are two bins of silverware that need to be polished.
7. Patience
Patience is a virtue, that’s for sure. Whether it comes to the rowdy party of 10 people; six kids, four adults, or an elderly couple that flags you down while you are at another table, (and still doesn’t know what they want to order), patience comes in handy.
8. Line cooks get mad over their mistake, and somehow blame you
This always happens at the worst times. Your table is getting a little impatient over the wait time for their meals, and of course the kitchen forgets an item that is on your ticket. Somehow that’s your fault though and sooner or later, the arguing starts.
(The joke is on him though---I still need that chicken parmesan.)
9. Finishing the night with the same amount of pens you started with
Success! Now you don’t have to stop at CVS on your way to your Sunday double tomorrow to get more (or steal any from the hostess stand).
10. Skilled at carrying 10 things with both hands
Tray? Who needs a tray? It’s called BALANCE. Take a deep breath, kiss it up to God, and don’t run into anyone or anything.
11.Every shift is worth it in the end
Being a waitress is draining. Lengthy hours, hectic nights, but you do what you have to do.There is a beneficial outcome at the end of every shift. So count your money, go home and put your feet up. (Or dance because you have two consecutive days off.) Either way, you deserve it.
