1. You will gain a few pounds (give or take).

When being surrounded by food for at least six hours for a shift, you snack every now and then… Or every five minutes. You also may think that you are walking it off since you really can’t sit around that much, but you’re just fooling yourself.

2. Serving is an underestimated job.

Once you start, you will learn how much work goes into waiting on people. It is not simply taking an order and bringing the food out. We have to make sure everything is perfect for every table or else we wont get a tip. No tip means no money. No money means no bills paid. And that’s a big uh oh…

3. You either hit the jackpot or an empty pot.

Some days you will be running around like a mad person but find a nice wad of cash at the end of the night. Other days, you’re not as lucky. On slows days I’d be lucky to make it to the end of the shift with enough cash to fill my car’s tank.

4. People are very rude…

You will run into some very nice people who understand that you’re very busy and that the kitchen might be backed up. Others will be rude and ask you every time you walk by “Where’s my food?” I have had people curse at me, confront my boss, and leave me with zero tip. Who knew people could be so rude?

5. You will always smells like the place you work.

I worked in an Italian restaurant and I would come home and smell like pizza. My car smelled like pizza. My clothes smelled like pizza. Everything smelled like pizza. It was a love hate relationship.

6. You learn how to flirt.

We're basically strippers but without the stripping.