It is no secret that every millennial has watched SpongeBob Squarepants at least once in their lifetime. Some of us, including myself, have nearly devoted their entire life to memorizing Spongebob's most famous quotes that are very relevant to the moments in our lives. Some of the moments in my life now happen at a restaurant, which I serve at. Many things that run through my mind are Spongebob quotes, believe it or not. So, here are a few of them that are on my mind, nearly every shift.

1. Learning The Menu.

Before you can begin working on your own without someone shadowing you, you must learn the menu. What even is on the entire menu, what comes on what, temperatures, sides, desserts, drinks both from the bar and non-alcoholic. So many things to learn in about a three day training period, at the least. This is probably the most stressful part of any restaurant: learning the menu. The worst thing is to have to leave the table and ask someone else about what you are "supposed to know." Whenever you deliver the food to the tables, everything looks as if it is fine, and you realize or even worse, your table realizes, you forgot something. It is extremely important you know the menu, but sometimes, you either just forget or need a cheat sheet in your order book.

2. When you mess up your customer's order

The worst feeling when you walk back to your table to check on how everything is, and they happen to say, "actually my food is wrong" or "I'm sorry, but we never got (blank)." When you could have possibly written something down wrong or not ordered what never made it to the table. You have to be able to say something on the fly or rush the poor kitchen staff because of something you forgot to put in.

3. When your relief comes in and you can finally leave.

The wonderful moment of when you see your relief coming in. You can either take a break or it is when you get to finally go home after, more than likely a six to eight hour shift. You have dealt with super nice people, super rude people, great tips, crap tips, and even no tips. After all of those things, you are more than ready to go, every single time. It never matters if it has been a busy day, slow day or just a moderately steady day, you will always be ready to leave.

4. Sometimes, it just isn't your day, and you don't want to be there. At all.

It is more than sometimes, actually pretty often. ...everyday, really. It might be a little awful to say; however, it is genuinely true. You could ask any friend of yours who is a server, and they will probably say that this is very accurate. It doesn't matter if you were off the day before, if it happened to be your eighth day working in a row or if you just started at the restaurant. It is nearly the same as any other job, you need the money, but you just don't wanna do what it takes to get it. You just don't really wanna be there.

5. When your table is making you wait by their side while they decide what to order.

It isn't a really big deal when the table doesn't know what they want. It is always great for the server if you take the time to read the menu, especially since everything we serve is right there in writing. You get time to figure out what you might want, make it the way you want it, if it comes as is, if you can sub out anything for something else or even help us by not having to recite what is in plain sight. It isn't a hassle to recite some of the menu, but sometimes it can be agitating to repeat what was already there. Please feel free the next time you are in a restaurant to take the time to read the menu, not in it's entirety, there won't be a test, but to help out your server as well.

6. When a regular orders something different than usual.

Regulars are the greatest people that come into a restaurant, especially if they ask for you! That means you must be doing something right. You can always pick up where you left off, have a seat with them, possibly even snag a bit of food. Sometimes, if you see them, you just go ahead and put in their food, because they get the same thing every single time, which isn't a bad thing by any means. The only bad thing is when you think you know what they want, and then they change it up on you. Occasionally getting a little "daring." Sometimes, you do actually have to speak to the regulars about their food and not just their life first to know what they really want.

7. Having to recite your ten year long phone greeting.

My ten year long phone greeting for my job is, "Thank you for calling Sagebrush Steakhouse in Brevard. My name is Heather, how may I help you?" A mouthful, right? Imagine saying all of those words, for essentially nothing. "Oops! Wrong number, sorry!" "May I speak to (insert name here)" which is normally a workers child or spouse. And the ever so famous, not a waste of time, "Yes, I'd like to place a take out order." Then you play 20 questions with the person on the other line. "Yes, you get two sides with that." "Is that all for you today?" "May I have a name and number for the order?" "It will be about 20 minutes before it will be ready." "Yes, I will put some of our rolls (or whatever free bread is at the restaurant) in with your meal."

8. The frustration of when a take out order is wrong.

The worst moment is after you say that ten year long phone greeting, is getting an angry customer on the other line who just left the restaurant with their takeout order just a little while ago. Something was wrong, they didn't get a side, their food wasn't cooked correctly, and the worst thing being, they didn't get one of the full meals they ordered. Although you can't really do anything about it over the phone, you get the short end of the stick by receiving the scolding from them for not getting what they asked for, even if you aren't the person who handled the take out order.

9. When new people get hired, especially management, its a struggle.

Newbies: They are always chipper, they are always eager, and they are so naive. New Management, always tryin' to change everything, and I literally mean everything. Seating, rotation, the way things are stored, kept, and labeled. The prices of things, new ways to try and make people have "fun." My favorite phrase from new managers is, "Heather! Make sure you are smiling all the time! Even in the kitchen!" Wait, what? The kitchen? Who is going to see me in the kitchen? I will smile when the door opens to the dining room, but that is probably the only time. It isn't a super huge burden, but I don't think I have ever met anyone who naturally smiles all the time.

10. When people come in right at closing and aren't nice about it.

Coming in 10 minutes before close and ordering full meals, sometimes anything in general, is straight up not cool. Not for the server, not for the host, not for the bartender not for the manager, and definitely not for the kitchen staff. It is straight up rude, and is not appreciated throughout the restaurant. It is completely and totally acceptable for the server and the kitchen staff to not be as friendly as they would have been about 30 minutes before. Seriously, it isn't cool, so please think twice before doing it. Even asking when the restaurant closes gets some brownie points for seeming considerate.

11. The Ultimate Disgrace

This. This is the ultimate disgrace. Coming in and the restaurant being closed, and expecting service. No. We are closed, grills are off, fryers are cleaned, ovens are cold, tables are set, soda machine is broken down, and most importantly, the floors are done. Do not come into the restaurant and get mad because you were not there on time. It is not our fault, it is not your place to tell us it is, and it is not okay that you expect or demand service. That is rude, unacceptable and unappreciated.

Overall these are the basics of the thoughts that run through my mind when working a shift. Some of these latter things are most definitely what could agitate anyone in the restaurant business. This is coming from a server, who knows first hand about the frustrations of the restaurant life. Although some are harsh, this is pretty true and extremely accurate, ask any person you know who works in a restaurant, especially as a server, they will attest to all of these pictures. So, after reading this, some etiquette to take away is; take your time looking at the menu. Don't yell at your server out of frustration of mess ups or forgetfulness. PLEASE, look at the time and the sign of the restaurant business hours, be respectful of their time and needs too. Most importantly, don't be that person, the one who comes in after hours or right before closing expecting to get whatever they want or the one who comes in and thinks that just because it is our job to serve you, that you can demand whatever you want, with whatever tone you please. It's just not cool.