As summer rolls in, restaurant patios start to open and seasonal servers have to dig out their aprons once again. And I can tell you from experience that your servers this summer are probably some of the most hardworking people you’ll ever meet.
I’ve been in the restaurant industry on and off for about a decade now. I’ve worked mostly in bar restaurants with a couple coffee and ice cream shop gigs thrown in there too.
It’s a cliche for a reason: struggling creative, a writer in my case, serving at a restaurant to survive while she pursues her passion.
I just moved here full time from downtown Indianapolis and had been working at a place called Tavern at the Point for almost two years. It’s a small “bar that has a restaurant” type place that I’ve often described as the real life Cheers.
I’ve heard people say that the restaurant industry is an addictive industry. And I’d have to agree, but with a small amendment — the restaurant industry is addictive if you’re good at it.
Anyway, now that I’m out of the industry again, I’ve been reflecting on my latest experience and why I’ve always enjoyed serving so much.
It’s a weird job. It’s overwhelming, and you have to be able to deal with customers that you might not want to deal with, and your whole body hurts after almost every shift. Some people say that they could do the job in their sleep, and trust me, we have, but even if you are on autopilot, you still need to put in so much effort just to get the job done.
You have to leave almost everything that’s happening in your life at the door, because for the next four to 10 hours you have to be on your feet and present in the moment.
Maybe that’s why the job is appealing — it can be almost meditative. It forces you to be fully in your body and aware of everything around you. Your head is always on a swivel and you have to be ready to interact with any and everyone in the building. If you pay attention you learn something new every day.
It also builds you a community really fast. Like I said, the Tavern where I worked was like Cheers. We ran on regulars. And the regulars came in like clockwork. We knew who would come in on what day and at what time and what they would order. Because we had already spent the time getting to know their order, we could actually spend the time getting to know them and they could spend the time getting to know us as well.
Regulars aside, the restaurant industry can be really chaotic, and so you have to bond with your fellow servers incredibly fast so that you can work well with them. In my experience, some of the best and most interesting people I’ve ever met have been the servers I’ve worked with. They’re the people I’ve cried in the walkin cooler with, who have picked up my slack when I’ve been overwhelmed, have gone dancing with me after a shift, and have become some of my wonderful friends.
Long story short, I’ve loved working in restaurants because I got to clock in and do something that I knew I was good at and do it with people I loved.
Have fun dining out this summer, and always, ALWAYS tip well.
