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While waiting to get a job in my real field, I've been working as a waiter at the restaurant in a senior living home (very fancy place). It's certainly not what I want to do, but I was promised to work in the cafe full time when it was opening March 15th (They keep pushing it back and back). I'd be fine with working a cafe. That's much better, more my pace of work, something I'd enjoy doing. Working as a waiter sucks.
Got called by one of my bosses asking me to work tonight. I gave in because he sounded desperate (Also, my name is at the bottom of the list so I usually get called last). I came in, did my pre-dinner duties, then slowly people came. All of a sudden, the dinner rush hits and if you already had a table or two, it's not so bad because at worst you'll get two tables at once. Not me, I got three tables all at the same time. The first table I had went smoothly. The second table started smoothly, but because of my third table and all their problems, I was delayed in helping that second table (But the people there were very understanding. They think we are given too many tables at the same time and that the company needs to hire more waitstaff which we do).
The third table:
Table of six (Large for our restaurant), all in a hurry.
All wanted specially made salads. One complained twice that it was wrong (Even though I gave him exactly what he asked for).
Five of them ordered meals but had multiple special requests for their dishes.
When I finally got their food, I noticed they forgot to give me sauce on the side and a ketchup. I informed them this and that I'd get the sides as soon as I finished handing out their entrees. That wasn't good enough for them.
They were missing some silverware and coffee cups so naturally, that was my fault. The lunch crew sets the tables for dinner, not me.
Before going over the dessert list, I had checked the fridge and there was a few of all four desserts left. I took their dessert orders and as I walked into the kitchen, someone walked out with six of the dessert three of them ordered and another guy walked out with four of the dessert two of them ordered. They wiped the fridge out and all the spares in the walk-in fridge. I went back to the table, told them what happened, and began to tell them what else I could find in the walk-in fridge, but that was it. Three flipped out and left (There's no cash involved so no worries about me being stiffed). The other three were actually understanding and told me they knew it wasn't my fault. Got them ice cream they wanted (bigger scoops than normal for being nice).
Thanks to that last part, I got a talking to by the head chef. Not really a bad talk, more of a just let him handle it next time. It'll be less stress for everyone in the end.
I had shared kitchen duty for the post-dinner duties. That involves cleaning everything in the waiter area of the kitchen, sweeping, wrapping stuff up, labeling stuff, etc. The guy I shared it with wiped the counters down and that was it, leaving me stuck doing the rest.
And to top it all off, I was wearing my dry clean only slacks and while in the kitchen, two people bumped into each other, one dropped the dishes he was carrying in and a bunch of white stuff splattered all over my shoes and pants. The look of horror on the guy's face was priceless, but luckily, nothing stains those pants. Everything always just wipes right off and the worst of it is just a slightly damp stain.
All on a day that I wasn't even supposed to be there.
I used to feel bad for waiters/waitress and how hard they worked but after this job, I cannot for the life of me figure out how they don't all end up in depression/suicidal after years of doing it. I don't know how long my sanity will last if they don't open the cafe in two weeks like they claimed tonight.
Got called by one of my bosses asking me to work tonight. I gave in because he sounded desperate (Also, my name is at the bottom of the list so I usually get called last). I came in, did my pre-dinner duties, then slowly people came. All of a sudden, the dinner rush hits and if you already had a table or two, it's not so bad because at worst you'll get two tables at once. Not me, I got three tables all at the same time. The first table I had went smoothly. The second table started smoothly, but because of my third table and all their problems, I was delayed in helping that second table (But the people there were very understanding. They think we are given too many tables at the same time and that the company needs to hire more waitstaff which we do).
The third table:
Table of six (Large for our restaurant), all in a hurry.
All wanted specially made salads. One complained twice that it was wrong (Even though I gave him exactly what he asked for).
Five of them ordered meals but had multiple special requests for their dishes.
When I finally got their food, I noticed they forgot to give me sauce on the side and a ketchup. I informed them this and that I'd get the sides as soon as I finished handing out their entrees. That wasn't good enough for them.
They were missing some silverware and coffee cups so naturally, that was my fault. The lunch crew sets the tables for dinner, not me.
Before going over the dessert list, I had checked the fridge and there was a few of all four desserts left. I took their dessert orders and as I walked into the kitchen, someone walked out with six of the dessert three of them ordered and another guy walked out with four of the dessert two of them ordered. They wiped the fridge out and all the spares in the walk-in fridge. I went back to the table, told them what happened, and began to tell them what else I could find in the walk-in fridge, but that was it. Three flipped out and left (There's no cash involved so no worries about me being stiffed). The other three were actually understanding and told me they knew it wasn't my fault. Got them ice cream they wanted (bigger scoops than normal for being nice).
Thanks to that last part, I got a talking to by the head chef. Not really a bad talk, more of a just let him handle it next time. It'll be less stress for everyone in the end.
I had shared kitchen duty for the post-dinner duties. That involves cleaning everything in the waiter area of the kitchen, sweeping, wrapping stuff up, labeling stuff, etc. The guy I shared it with wiped the counters down and that was it, leaving me stuck doing the rest.
And to top it all off, I was wearing my dry clean only slacks and while in the kitchen, two people bumped into each other, one dropped the dishes he was carrying in and a bunch of white stuff splattered all over my shoes and pants. The look of horror on the guy's face was priceless, but luckily, nothing stains those pants. Everything always just wipes right off and the worst of it is just a slightly damp stain.
All on a day that I wasn't even supposed to be there.
I used to feel bad for waiters/waitress and how hard they worked but after this job, I cannot for the life of me figure out how they don't all end up in depression/suicidal after years of doing it. I don't know how long my sanity will last if they don't open the cafe in two weeks like they claimed tonight.
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