It feels like a piece of me is gone. Like a huge chunk of my life is suddenly missing. And in a way, it is. I have spent longer here than anywhere else, save for school and home. I have done a lot of growing up here. But tonight, I walked out of these doors for the last time. I have worked at this restaurant since I was 20 years old, and now I will never work here again. I am going to miss you, Applebee’s. As much stress and as many tears as you have caused me, I am going to miss walking through your doors to see my friends’ smiling faces, my family for the past 4 years.
I had just walked out on my last job. I finished my shift one night and went to my manager and told him I would not be returning. Too many of my buttons had been pushed. This was not the smartest decision I have ever made, as Christmas was looming and the coming semester, as well. But I told myself I had done what was right for me and that something better would come along. And it surely did.
I walked into the doors of Applebee’s to fill out an application the following week. I called and I called and I called. I left message after message with the bartender, I spoke with a manager once, and finally I received an interview. Miss Yvette is the first person to make me feel at home here. I remember my interview with her very clearly; she asked me once how she would be able to trust me if I had walked out on my last job and I assured her that was out of character and I would not do it again. And I didn’t.
In the 4 years I spent working at Applebee’s, I went from Carside To-Go to being trained as a server (after waiting 6 months from getting my ABC card!), to being trained as an expediter of food in the kitchen, to being promoted to having managerial capabilities, to being their go-to girl whenever they needed an extra hand. I built a decent reputation with the management and a close relationship with most of my coworkers; some of my best friends came out of my employment here.
For most of my time working here, I was in school as well. I received my Associate’s degree and eventually my Bachelor’s while being employed by Applebee’s. While I was looking for work suited for my degree path, I was working full-time doing whatever was needed. At one point, I thought I had found a new career and I put in my two-weeks’ notice as promised, and went to work elsewhere. But when that job fell short, Applebee’s welcomed me back.
I went through a slew of coworkers, was there for a change in General Manager, saw all of the Assistant Managers get switched around, I saw a change in all of our “big bosses” (or District Managers and beyond), but I managed to keep my employment all the while. I received a raise every year, and one very recently. I was a familiar face to this restaurant for all of our regular clientele.
This past week, a flyer had been posted about a mandatory storewide meeting, for both Front of House and Back of House employees. Our “big bosses” would be there so we were all expected to attend, save for those of us with prior excused engagements. I was already on shift during the meeting, so I made sure my work was covered for a few minutes as I sat with my Applebee’s family. Everything went gray after I heard the words, “We are closing this store.” I wasn’t totally shocked, I suppose, as we had been losing business at a rapid rate, but hearing the actual words caught me off guard. “Tonight we will serve our last customers at this location.” Wait, what? Tonight? As in one more shift? I excused myself to check on the 2 tables I was serving, and promptly went to the kitchen to cry.
This place that had been like a 2nd home to me was going to be gone. I wasn’t leaving with another better opportunity, but Applebee’s was leaving me. I panicked for a minute thinking this meant I was out of a job and how would I pay my bills or what was I going to tell everyone? One of my coworkers, Chris, the only person who had worked at this store longer than me save for Miss Yvette, saw me crying and hugged me and told me it was okay and that I wouldn’t be unemployed and I needn’t cry. But then it hit me that this place I was so comfortable in, this place where I had made so many friends and memories, this place that had helped me grow up was going to be gone and not on my terms. So I joined my coworkers and went in the next day to clean up the restaurant and get it ready to be left, to have one more day.
Goodbye, Applebee’s. Though I have felt more stress and more rage and cried more tears and wanted so hard to leave in the past, I am going to miss you.
