Ah, the restaurant life. Those long hours on a Saturday night that could have been spent with your friends and family, but instead were spent inside the confines of a *wonderful* dining establishment. Working in the service industry has its ups and downs. Most of the time it seems like the downs take precedent, but the money seems to keep those who wait tables coming back for more. If you've ever worked as a server you've probably told yourself one or two of these lies to get yourself through your shifts.
1. Working a open-double on Saturday will be a good idea.
No it won't. Sure, there's a large chance that you will walk out of that restaurant at 10 p.m. that night with a wad of cash, but is the pain in your feet and emptiness in your stomach worth it? The answer will be no.2. Closing on a weekend is also a good idea.
3. Maybe a Monday lunch shift will be busy this week.
Nope. It's Monday with a high of 17 degrees. Do not pick up that 11:00 a.m. shift.
4. The host asked me to take a party of seven that has six kids in it. Definitely.
Definitely not. Unless you enjoy a $50 check and 10 million bread crumbs thrown around your section. Don't forget the measly tip for the extra work you're going to have to do for little Jimmy's "allergy."
5. If I stop doing side work, someone else will do it.
6. I'll tell the host to go ahead and double seat me.
Why do you always think that this is a good idea? You know that she is going to bring back a party of six and a party of five. Have fun.7. I know that they'll fill out the survey.
Probably not. They really don't care about how well you did. Besides, the $4 tip should have been enough to tell you that.
8. The busser will actually clean my tables tonight.
You're obviously delusional.9. The bartender is going to kill it. All of my drinks will be ready on time.
Again, you're delusional.
10. *holiday weekend* I think it's going to be slow tonight.
It will be like they opened the floodgates directly into the restaurant.11. *Tuesday night with snow* I hope we have some business tonight.
Do you understand weather?
12. Maybe I'll be cut when all my tables leave.
Manager: "You have to have one more table then you'll be cut."
13. Today's going to be a good day.
Why are you a server?
The life of a server is a roller coaster. We have such high hopes for our shifts, but more than often we end up let down. So, before you get your hopes up next time you head into work, remember these thoughts. There's no need to be down ice in the middle of the dinner rush because you hoped someone else would be courteous enough to get some more.
