I have been working in a restaurant for the past two summers. Making the change from retail to restaurant life was challenging at first but the right change for me.
Working in a restaurant…
1. Exposes you to diversity
Working in a restaurant, there is not a perfect pattern to fit the clientele that will be coming into the restaurant. There are a plethora of different people that will walk through the doors of the restaurant every day. From experience, I have been exposed to the most diversity working in a restaurant that I have in my entire life.
2. Gives you a "work family"
I have gained a whole other family from working in a restaurant. We spend countless hours and days together so in a way we are forced to like each other. I have made many unique friendships. No one is like the other.
3. Teaches you how to work hard
Unlike other businesses, there are many different positions you can move up to in the restaurant world. You can start at the bottom and work your way up but there may be ten different positions you have to go through until you get to the topic. It is a process but knowing what is ahead of you makes you want to work as hard as possible. Also, when you have tips involved, you are motivated to work your hardest to satisfy your guest and get a good tip.
4. Gives you a sense of what teamwork really means
The unique thing about restaurants that most people don’t think about is that the restaurant cannot run smoothly without all of the parts to the puzzle. The dishwasher is just as important as the bartender. I personally did not realize how important every single individual was to the smooth running of a restaurant. Knowing this has taught me the real definition of teamwork. Everyone must work together to get the job done.
5. Teaches you how to be a well-rounded employee
In a restaurant, all employees need to know how to do things that are not involved in their position. There are slow times in restaurants where the little things must be taken care of. Even if you are a server, you might be washing dishes or prepping food. Working in a restaurant helps you learn how to be a flexible, well-rounded, and versatile employee.
6. Helps you understand what restaurant workers really have to do to make your experience a great one
Before working in a restaurant, I did not realize how much hard work is put into the jobs that restaurant workers have. I didn’t realize how much prep and planning goes into a restaurant. I didn’t know how stressful it can get when times are busy. I didn’t know all of the little things that servers have to do to make sure they get your order in perfectly and at the right time. Lots and lots of initial and ongoing training go into having a position at a restaurant.
7. Makes your social skills unlike any other
Because you are faced with such diversity in a restaurant, you learn how to approach different people in a way that they will respond well too. Everyone is different and no experience will be the same. My restaurant experience has helped me gain practice in my social skills and I know believe that they are unbeatable.
8. TIPS
I am not going to lie, making tips was a huge reason as to why I wanted to start working in the restaurant business. Who doesn’t want to leave work every day with money in their pocket instead of waiting for payday every other week? Making tips is one of my favorite things about my job but don’t get me wrong, you would be surprised with the amount of people who don’t tip. When you do get a tip, it makes your day that much more brighter.
