Among the many possible part-time jobs that college students occupy, a totem pole emerges. The top tier is a mix of office jobs and internships, the middle tier consists mainly of retail work, and food service lies at the bottom. While waitressing is stereotypically thought of as the lowest possible line of work, there is one more step to go down: bussing.
Ah, yes. The glamorous task of cleaning up food scraps and wiping up spilled salad dressing is a common yet overlooked line of work. It’s hard to contain my excitement when asked what I do for money and respond, “I bus tables.” Don’t get me wrong, I too love a nice meal out every once in a while. Nevertheless, the lack of concern with cooking and cleaning leaves us a bit mindless when it comes to the restaurant staff. You’ve probably ticked off your busser at one point or another by doing one of the following things:
1. You don’t eat your bread.
When cleaning a table, an empty breadbasket is typically used as a trash bin. A busser can throw napkins, food scraps, and sauce cups into it, then easily dump it out once returned to the kitchen. If you don’t eat the bread, no room is left for those items, and I am forced to either pile garbage on a plate (which is counterproductive because napkins will go flying) or attempt to hold all of it in one of my bare hands. Ew.
2. You use the napkins as tissues.
Excuse me while I sanitize the table twice and wash my hands four times. Snot is my favorite thing to clean up, especially during cold and flu season. *cough*
3. You leave all of the glasses full.
Metaphorically, this would be fantastic. But when your server offers a refill upon bringing the check and you know you won’t make a dent in it, say no! By leaving every glass full, you’ve just turned a single trip back into three. The most efficient way for us to carry drink glasses is by stacking them, but that’s impossible to do if you’ve just gotten a refill. Furthermore, since it will now take me triple the time to clear your table, I’ll be rushing to do so, and odds are that soda will slosh onto the floor and all over me. Thanks.
4. You collect coffee mugs.
We all love coffee. Trust me, I probably chugged three cups of it before my shift started. However, it’s not at all necessary to keep your empty mug on the table if you’re receiving a new one with your fresh brew. It all comes back to stacking. The handles on mugs keep them from fitting in one another, so it will take multiple trips to clear a table that would regularly require one. That chore definitely takes some caffeine...
5. You play with your food…on the tabletop.
This goes without saying. It’s messy, it’s immature, it’s rude. Just don’t do it. Please.
6. You ask us to hunt down your server.
There is very little interaction between bussers and servers on busy nights. Servers are never in one place for more than 30 seconds at a time, and it’s more likely that they’ll relay back to you before I’m able to find them. Requesting that I locate and request something petty (that she was probably on her way to get you anyway) from your server will only throw a wrench in the already chaotic system. Again, thanks.
I realize that some of these are unavoidable or even happen by mistake. However, keep your restaurant staff in mind. Don’t do the unnecessary or make a mess just because it’s not your responsibility to clean up. Our job isn’t fun as it is, so make your busser’s day. Don’t make us hate you.
