In college, the best part-time job to have is a restaurant job! Whether it's a server, host, bartender or even a dishwasher, something in the restaurant business is the best way to go. The perks that come along with working in the food industry are awesome!
First off, the greatest and most important perk of working in restaurants is the free food! Being in college, food is a major expense that not everyone can afford. Ramen noodles and mac and cheese are only satisfying for so long. Also, being able to eat out at restaurants can be expensive and is not in a college kid's budget.
Most of the time, restaurants give employees a free meal or a discount meal. Then, the days you do not work, you are still able to receive some sort of discount. Saving a few dollars here and there on food can really add up!
There are always mistakes and other issues in a restaurant where there is leftover food. Whether someone put onions on a pizza and the customer sent it back or a table walks out, there will always be leftover food. The food that is leftover is normally counted as waste in the restaurant inventory and then the food is free to whomever. Working in a restaurant, you'll always have food in the fridge.
In most sit-down restaurants, workers will leave with cash in their pockets! Nothing is worse than having to wait two weeks for a paycheck! Hosts, servers and bar backs all normally get cash at the end of the night. Also, most restaurants pay more than minimum wage if you do not work for tips.
The people that you meet while working in restaurants can be fun, or not so fun. Who isn't waiting for some celebrity to walk in and eat at the place you are working!? You will have professors, classmates and so many more people walk through the doors and that could be a great advantage!
Working is not always fun, but the people you work with sure can make it better! If you get along with everyone at work, working could be a blast. Also, after hours it is fun to sit back, eat some leftovers and complain about table 52. A friendship you make while working in a restaurant setting is an unbreakable friendship. The stress of working in a restaurant will test your sanity, but it has its perks!
