"Hi, how are you today? Can I get you a Pepsi, iced tea, lemonade, chocolate shake, or a cup of coffee?"
There are days when this same phrase, along with what seems like twenty others, come out of my mouth at least 50 times every single shift, usually more. Yes, to you I may just be the girl who brings you you're diet pop, burger, and fries. But to me, you are my car insurance payment for the month, my groceries, and the gas in my vehicle. I only make $3.23 an hour, and I had to work hard to make that much. My $50 check every two weeks means nothing compared to a good night with a slammed restaurant. A $5 bill on $20 ticket can turn my day around in an instant. That $5 means I did my job right.
I don't mean to say that customers are only worth the money they leave on the table, because they aren't. Servers must genuinely enjoy waiting tables, or they wouldn't last very long. You must be willing to listen to the old couple talk to you about how much they enjoyed their vacation when all you really came over for was to ask if they needed more coffee. You must be willing to do anything and everything the customer asks, within reason of course, with a smile on your face no matter how many times they make you run back to your isle. You must always be willing to admit when you make a mistake because the customer already knows it anyway. You must never blame the kitchen, it is always your fault.
Generally, about a million things run through a server's mind in any given hour no matter how busy or slow the day is. A table will always need a side of ranch, someone will always need a refill, there will always be a table that needs to be bused, some kind of dessert will always need to be made, food will always be in the window that needs to be ran. A server's brain never stops working and their feet never stop moving if they are doing their job the right way.
Being a server means that the regulars make or break your shift. When you see that face, you know exactly where they are sitting, have two regular coffees, a large ice water with lemon, and a spoon sitting on your tray ready to go. Being a server means that you are going to be yelled at over 50 cents worth of cheese, and you must take it with a smile. Being a server means that you are going to have to take food back because someone says it's cold even though you know it isn't. Being a server means never getting out on time. Being a server means singing happy birthday to a little boy to see the smile on his face in the middle of your dinner rush when no one really has the time but finds it anyway. Being a server means jumping back into the kitchen to help even when you know you could be doing your stuff to go home instead. Being a server means forgetting everything that's going on in your life and giving everything you have to making sure the customers plan on coming back.
Some days people are what seem like the best tippers in the world, and other days it seems like you get stiffed one table for every two you waited on and you can't figure out what you did wrong. Your coworkers become more like family. You know all the girls' kids and their favorite colors. You give up a big party because you know that another girl's son has a birthday in a few days and she could really use the money.
Everyone should work in a restaurant at least one time in their lives. Everyone should experience the stress and the thrill of a dinner rush or the Sunday morning church crowd. Everyone should be yelled at over prices they have no control over.
Remember to always leave a tip, no matter how bad your service was. Remember that your server only makes $3 an hour and makes a living off of what you leave at the end of the table. Remember you are not the only ones in the restaurant. Remember the server does not make the prices or the rules. Remember that your server is always trying their best and trying to make sure you have the best experience possible. Remember that a compliment can make their day, even if it's just to say that you'll definitely be back. Remember that how you treat your server can make or break their entire day.
