20 Facts About Working in Restaurants

Here are 20 facts about working in restaurants you should know before taking on the job. Trust me, it’s worth reading.

You will get sore after a full shift

Working in restaurants means always staying busy since standing still doesn’t look good. It means you have free time, which means you’re not learning or paying attention to the guests.

Knowing the menu is important

If you don’t know what’s on the menu then there’s not a lot of hope that you can recommend anything to the guests. It’s necessary to know what stuff tastes like and how popular it is, and why.

Sometimes you’ll have to close and then open

It could be that there aren’t enough people to cover every shift, or something else. But working in restaurants does require people to pitch in from time to time.

Eventually you learn what kind of footwear is most useful

This is not the job to wear heels in unless you aren’t going to be walking that often. Working in restaurants requires being on your feet, a lot. So it’s best to find something comfortable.

People will come in five minutes before you close

This is as certain as Murphy’s Law and will irritate a lot of people to no end. You’ve already started the closing process and someone decides to walk in, which means the process starts all over again.

Your uniform is great and terrible all at once

Honestly, your uniform can look very nice when it’s new and unblemished. After a while though, you might come to hate it, only to love it again, then hate it again.

There are certain smells that don’t go away quickly

Depending on where you work, some smells will adhere to your clothing. This is especially true of greasy spoon diners who specialize in foods that cause heavy aromas that hang about like unseen clouds of smoke.

That fake smile is a great defense

It’s your best defense against customers who ask for too much, and a safety net for those same people. Honestly, sometimes it feels better to unload on problematic customers, but if working in restaurants teaches you anything, it’s how far you can push your limits.

Yes, you will be asked to pick up more shifts

Your fellow coworkers will, at times, ask if you can pick up their shifts. It’s not the worst thing in the world until they realize that they can ask and you’ll say yes. Hey, it’s more money, just less of a life.

Don’t date your co-workers, just saying…

This rarely ends well, especially in certain situations when one or the other person has to work over the other. If you’re a manager, or your SO is a manager, then it’s a good idea to find another job.

Picking the playlist for the night is a special moment

Think of the background music you hear in some locations. Being the one who gets to pick the playlist is pretty cool unless the restaurant uses a music service and puts everything on random.

There will be extremes during your shift

One thing about being part of a restaurant is that you will experience the types of extremes that many diners never think about. If you’ve ever been part of this workspace though, you know how to mind your manners…hopefully.

Spilling stuff will happen, toughen up

One thing you’ll need to do is pay attention to whatever is in your hands, even as you pay attention to what’s going on in the dining area. Spilling stuff isn’t the end of the world, but it feels like it on your first day.

The walk-in fridge is a haven

It’s cool, it’s soundproof, usually, and it’s well away from the dining room. This is the kind of place a lot of people like to visit when they’re having a hard day.

Typically, your food at home will reflect your work

Typically, but not all the time, you will find yourself eating the same thing you serve at work. This is debatable, but it does happen.

Customer disagreements will happen

On a good day, you’ll be able to handle disagreements without too much trouble. But for real problematic customers, remember the haven of the fridge when the encounter is over.

When you get to show off your reflexes it’s self-gratifying

Hey, it’s pretty cool when you’re so in tune with the dining area and kitchen that you can react to a sudden drop almost as though you knew it was coming. Being able to save a stray dish or glass from smashing to the floor is kind of a rush.

You will eventually mess up an order

On busy days this can happen. It’s if this happens during a slow period that you might need to step your game up.

Bad table manners are the norm after a while

Just remember, you’re not the customer’s parent, you’re their server. If they start tearing the place apart, you can call the cops. Otherwise, just grin and bear it, they’ll be gone eventually.

Thankfully, you’ll also get great customers that balance it all out

These types of customers make the day and the job worth it, since they usually tip well and are very understanding. Usually, they’re the people who have been where you’re at and know what you have to deal with.