Whether or not to blame it on Hollywood, on our friends, or on the (ah ah ah ah ah) alcohol is not important; what is important is that there are definitely some wrong ideas about working in and enjoying the restaurant industry. Some are more important than others, but they all deserve to be shed some light on, for both your sake and your server's.
1. It’s not cool or romantic to stay after the bar or restaurant closes.
We’ve all seen it in movies and on TV: a date goes well, so well that the happy couple sits at their table for an hour after all of the chairs are put up around them because they are in their own little world. While they’re in their own little world, though, there’s a pretty good chance that there is a server waiting in the corner with their arms crossed for them to take their 'lovefest' elsewhere, so they can bus their table and go home. Don't be those people.
2. No one wears their bar-towel draped across their shoulder.
Seriously, no one does this. Most servers and bartenders keep their towels tucked into their aprons, pockets, or belt loops. The only bartenders I’ve seen who do this are the ones on the likes of “Gossip Girl,” with kind of smoldering, dreamy looks in their eyes, who casually sling their towel over their shoulder as they give relationship advice to girls in high school: “You deserve a guy that loves you for you, Serena.” Am I right?
3. It is not possible to drink Champagne straight out of the bottle.
I have tried it, and it baffles me when I see people on TV and in movies slugging sparkles like a ‘Vitamin Water’ after a long night out. It really doesn’t work, and if you don’t believe me, I invite you to open a bottle of Champagne or Prosecco and take a swig. You’ll find yourself with an overload of foam that ends up sort of dribbling out of your mouth…ruining the effect that I assume you were going for by taking the bottle to the face in the first place.
4. The head chef isn’t always angry.
Actually, yes they are. Catch them at the staff party, though, and you might be pleasantly surprised. They usually turn out to be pretty cool.
