Job Troubles

[lahnnabell]

I can imagine anyone would like to be in my shoes position-wise. It took a lot of genuine care and attention to put me where I'm at. There are very obvious reasons that I am in the position I am in, although I understand that the rest of the staff can't see those reasons. They seem to think being a waitress is all fun and games, but if they knew the shit that I take from customers some nights, they'd be singing a different tune. I've even had my boss' daughter and barista-girl tell me, "You can take all the tables from now on!" I asked why and they said, "People are mean!" I shrugged, smiled, and said, "All part of the job."

Over the last couple of days, I've made a conscious effort to be a stronger presence in the kitchen during rush hours. My boss recently cut everyone else's hours and so I came in and started prepping the kitchen for the evening (which left me no time to take care of the front of house duties). I changed out the pastries and redecorated them, made guacamole, portioned out meats, etc. I did the same thing the other day AND took care of all the afternoon dishes so that the bussers weren't stressed while cleaning for the night shift.

I know they think that because I don't understand them all the time in Spanish that it somehow puts me below them. I've had several Spanish-speaking customers treat me this way as well, but I do my best to smile and let it roll off. I caught one of the cooks today trying to blame me for a salad that went out incorrectly. I remember reading the ticket to her and her confirming that it was correct. Come to find it was all wrong because a server rang it in differently, then explained it to the cook who then failed to rexplain it to me. When my boss asked what happened, the cook threw me under the bus. Luckily my boss has pretty keen judgment and saw right through it.

[the_robot]

People are mean to waitresses? In what sense?

[lahnnabell]

A lot of the time in American culture waitresses or waiters get treated like shit, talked down to, sexually exploited, and under-tipped because of the stupid belief that you're not worth another person's time of day simply BECAUSE you are a waitress. Some people think that service jobs are only taken by those that are under-educated or aren't intelligent enough to get a "real job". People who have never been a waitress (or had any other service job) do not understand the strain that one goes through trying to please people day in and day out in order to survive. Waitresses make below minimum wage and it is by law that most of their wages come from providing table service and getting tipped out by their customers. Everyone tips by a different percentage based on their customer experience, the food, the service, etc. I get a lot of 10% tippers, which personally disgusts me because I myself tip out 20%.

I myself have a Bachelor's degree and have been working since I was 15. I'm 25 now. The economy sucks and I would certainly work another job if there were any out there. Things are getting better, but slowly. However, it is not my job to explain this to my customers, and so I smile and let their bad attitudes roll off. Personally, I believe life is what you make of it, and if you look at the world with a shitty attitude then it's gonna look like shit to you.

[the_robot]

Hmm.. I see no reason to treat a waitress wrong, it's not like you are gonna get anything from being mean to them, but I guess people are just idiots who like to be mean.

You are awesome though, if they talked down to me or anything I'd bite them... I'd be fired so quickly...

[lahnnabell]

Haha, you'd keep your mouth shut if you found out the kind of money some wait staff make. I've met some pretty amazing waiters and waitresses. I've also met really shitty ones.

If you play the game right, you can have your customers laughing AND you can upsell them bottle after bottle of wine. I'm getting really good at it

[dewilliams2]

I always say thank you when they bring me things and always tip unless I get poor service...like if they act like they could care less what I'm saying or if they never come back to check on how our meal is or if we need anything else/refills.

I'm generally a nice guy though.

I dated a girl who worked at Ihop for a few years while she was going to school and she worked the night shift since she went to school during the day and she said she always got sexual comments made to her...like graphic ones....I never even thought to say anything like what was said to her to any woman I didn't know very well.

[the_robot]

I dated a girl who worked at Ihop for a few years while she was going to school and she worked the night shift since she went to school during the day and she said she always got sexual comments made to her...like graphic ones....I never even thought to say anything like what was said to her to any woman I didn't know very well.

Some guys are just pigs..

[lahnnabell]

Imagine then working in a restaurant where most of your customers are middle-aged Mexican males. I get referred to as "guapa" or "hermosa". One middle-aged man once left me a 110% tip AND his phone number. Not to mention he kept touching my hand and caressing it. All I could think was, "This better be worth it, man".

[the_robot]

Imagine then working in a restaurant where most of your customers are middle-aged Mexican males. I get referred to as "guapa" or "hermosa". One middle-aged man once left me a 110% tip AND his phone number.

Haha you could just throw the phone number, but the tip was good.. And "guapa" or "hermosa" aren't too sexual, I don't think it appropriate, but it's not as bad as other things I've heard yelled to friends of mine or my sisters...

[dewilliams2]

Imagine then working in a restaurant where most of your customers are middle-aged Mexican males. I get referred to as "guapa" or "hermosa". One middle-aged man once left me a 110% tip AND his phone number. Not to mention he kept touching my hand and caressing it. All I could think was, "This better be worth it, man".

I'm talking about stuff like a guy asked a her if he could have her nipple as one of his sides and another guy asked her straight up if she would like to get together and **** after her shift...I mean we live in a college town but still I have better manners than that and I know talking to a woman like that won't get me really far...at least with most women and the women that does work on chances are I wouldn't touch.

[Asip4u]

So did you take that new position or still thinking about it? BTW, i have never heard waitresses treated badly around here. Maybe it's just my friends and what we see going on but people are very polite and we tip at least 20% so i don't know..i guess it depends where you are.

[lahnnabell]

I intend to take the position, but I am in a period of training right now. They are working me up to it. However, I have come to the decision to continue to proactively look for new jobs as well. The restaurant is not doing well financially for a number of reasons (several of which I already pointed out) and as you said earlier the stress of this particular position may not be worth it in the long run. Sure, I'd get legit management experience, but too much responsibility is already being placed upon me. I am a naturally responsible person and I take personal pride in doing a good job no matter what it is, but I refuse to be exploited for that reason.

I don't mind working the kitchen and doing evening food prep, but that leaves me no time to manage the front end since they cut everyone else's hours. My bosses came in and said, "Why are there no napkins folded?!" I said, "Because I've been in the kitchen this entire time doing the prep that should have been done this morning." Who was there that morning? One of my bosses/owners. I am not permitted to question why the prep didn't get done because of the damn hierarchy. Completely and entirely unfair to me and the rest of the staff.

[Petit Papillon]

Imagine then working in a restaurant where most of your customers are middle-aged Mexican males. I get referred to as "guapa" or "hermosa". One middle-aged man once left me a 110% tip AND his phone number. Not to mention he kept touching my hand and caressing it. All I could think was, "This better be worth it, man".

I wish I would get such a big tip. In Europe ,in most of countries people don't tip even 20% ... Mostly it's like 5% and still it's pretty much... And guapa or hermosa isn't that bad. Spaniards here say it all the time, sometimes even old ladies at the shop or something. I hear it even on the street. I take it as a compliment and that's all. But I would definately feel weird if my customer would touch my hand etc. That's creepy...

[the_robot]

I take it as a compliment and that's all. But I would definately feel weird if my customer would touch my hand etc. That's creepy...

Don't you get worse "compliments" when you pass nearby a building under construction and stuff like that? Those do piss me off when they say it to someone who is with me, I think them offensive...

[Petit Papillon]

Don't you get worse "compliments" when you pass nearby a building under construction and stuff like that? Those do piss me off when they say it to someone who is with me, I think them offensive...

Sometimes I hear whistling but I simply ignore it or give the "**** off asshole" look. I don't like it either... But guapa is not bad. Just... We say in Poland "Na gwizdy reaguja pizdy" which means something like"Bitches react to whistling"...