I love waiting tables. I used to say the service industry wasn't for me. Then I got out on my own and the bills piled up. One job wasn't enough. I needed a side gig. A local restaurant was kind enough to bring me in without any food service experience. The place and the people were awesome and before long, that became my main job. Working in the food service industry didn't just provide me the money I need to survive; it gave me so many skills that are valuable even outside of restaurants.
That's why I think that everyone should wait tables at least once in their life.
First and foremost, it teaches empathy.
It's no secret that waiting tables is not an easy profession. And if you're reading this and you think it is an easy job, you probably haven't done it before. After working food and beverage, I don't just empathize with servers; I empathize with janitors, cashiers, and retail salespeople. We all play the same game.
It teaches you to be quick on your feet.
Things go wrong on an everyday basis. Maybe you're down a server. Maybe the flat top is broke. Maybe you're one hour into a dinner rush and the ranch gets 86'ed. You have to adjust and no one is going to sit there and spell it out for you.
It teaches you how to take shit gracefully.
There's nothing quite like asking a table how they're doing and receiving an immediate drink order. Or watching a couple of bros mansplain a double IPA to your boss that's been bartending for over a decade. But you keep smiling and find a way to move on. I feel like this skill is perhaps the most important I've gained from the job.
You get hands-on sales training.
In order to succeed as a server, you have to learn to be persuasive. The difference between good servers and great servers is the ability to sell and up-sell. That's a skill that's marketable just about anywhere.
It's cathartic.
When I came into the food service industry, I was a literal starving artist who had just ran into some hard times financially and artistically. Serving for me became such an allegory for everyday life. Before long, it became my home.
Life can be a roller coaster ride. One day, everything goes right, and another day, you can't seem to catch a break. Some days are just meh. As of now, waiting tables is exactly what I need, and when I find something else, I will be that much more prepared and equipped because of my job as a server.
