Okay, so listen up fellow human beings.

Wait staff are human beings just like you.

We work for our money just like everyone else. We fill our cars up with gas just like everyone else. We live our lives just like everyone else.

Please do not look down upon waitresses and waiters.

Personally, I am a waitress because I can work shorter shifts and make decent money while going to school. My work is very flexible, and I can work any time of the day. I can go to class in the morning and serve during the evening.

So, while the rest of you come out to eat after working all day, remember that this is my occupation.

Remember that I am making $3.40 an hour.

Remember that I am not the one making your food.

Remember that I smile through the pain of being on my feet for hours at a time.

Remember that I smile even though I may want to punch you in the face.

Being rude to servers is NOT okay.

Let me ask you something… Are you rude to the cashier at the grocery store? Or the mailman? Your answer, I hope, is no. All of us work in customer service. I am just trying to maintain my job, make money, and get myself through school.

Another thing, tips.

Your tip is my paycheck.

AGAIN, I MAKE $3.40 AN HOUR. BEFORE TAXES.

If you tip under 20% my next paycheck may not get me through until the next one. Now I understand if you receive bad service, or are not impressed with your experience. But if I am working my butt off for you, I am polite to you, you are polite to me. I am constantly checking on you, why wouldn’t you tip 20%?

If you cannot afford to tip 20% when you go out to dinner, then stay home or go to McDonald’s.

My last and final piece to go with this message, wait staff has feelings just like you.

When you yell and are rude to waiters and waitresses, we get hurt. We have feelings and emotions. You don’t know what someone else is going through, and they are working to just get through sometimes.

So be mindful next time you go out to eat, be kind and be thoughtful.

While I have had multiple bad experiences, they are totally outweighed by the kind people that I have come across. Some tables I have served are so very kind, and just nice people.

Be like those people, because I promise you, wait staff remembers the good and the bad, but they are impacted by the good more than they are the bad.