The pandemic has dealt out plenty of inconvenience during the last year and I know I can’t be the only one who’s had to pick up a job or two to lessen the financial burden on my parents. Whether it’s paying rent for my apartment, picking up a tab at the bar, or purely stopping to fill up on gas, this is the first time in my life that I’ve been solely responsible for my own expenses.
Last semester, it was a combination of Amazon and Postmates, where I split time unloading packages and delivering meals to each and every corner of Chapel Hill. However, the hours at Amazon were brutal and the drive was a menace, not to mention the shuttle I had to ride every day to even make it in on time. There were no breaks, the semi-trucks were humid as hell and shifts on Friday-Sunday were mandatory, no exceptions.
After just a couple of months on payroll at the distribution center, I couldn’t take it anymore. I quit without warning and picked up a gig working for Postmates delivery. While this opportunity wasn’t quite as exhausting, I was blowing through gas like crazy and putting a ridiculous amount of miles on my already beat up Accord. Worse than that, work was never guaranteed. There were days when I would drive around for five or six hours just to drop off two or three meals with a payout of only like thirty bucks.
When January rolled around, I was determined to find something more consistent. As much as I would’ve loved an internship, I didn’t have time to waste – my bank account was sitting on E. I looked through different listings on Glassdoor and Indeed until I finally found an open position as a server at Olive Garden. It wasn’t the holy grail but it would pay the bills.
*Let me take a second to mention that if you need a job, the location I work at is extremely understaffed right now and we could really use some help. There’s like a $100 bonus to anyone that attends orientation using my name and I will be happy to split that sum with you if it slows down my shifts. Seriously, if you’re interested, the link is right below.*
I submitted my application immediately and within a week or two, I received an email about a “New-Hire Orientation.” As someone who had never waited tables before, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I had a little bit of experience in the restaurant industry thanks to my high school employer, but it was a small downtown diner. I took orders and prepared hot dogs, but never carried trays full of food. So yeah, I was a little nervous.
It’s been almost three months since I dealt with that anxiety and I have no idea what I was so worried about. I haven’t dropped a tray full of food and only two of my guests have been soaked with their drinks. Percentage wise, I would say that’s pretty impressive to never have waited tables before.
Not only have I gotten pretty comfortable on the floor, but my reviews have been off the charts thus far. The tips are solid, scheduling is flexible and above all, I actually get to interact and socialize with others – that was rare in my previous work experiences. Right now, it is the perfect fit for me and I tolerate the work in exchange for the pay.
With this being my first serving gig, however, I have encountered my fair share of obstacles. I realize why it is so important to tip, and tip well, especially during peak hours. As the saying goes, “Before you criticize someone, it helps to walk a mile in their shoes.” I have walked far more than a mile, in no-slip shoes, causing my perspective to shift completely.
For one, Olive Garden is best known for the unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks, which has slowly become my worst enemy. Running back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room is hard enough, but having to prepare the food yourself makes it even worse. It can become so overwhelming that each server is only allowed to have three tables at a time and in the instances where each table is clinging to this irresistible deal, it’s difficult to find time to even breathe. The worst part is that this “entree” costs only ten dollars so the tips are rarely worth the effort in the end.
Furthermore, there is the daunting nightmare of being seated back-to-back or in some scenarios, getting three tables at once. It is nearly impossible to greet each table in a timely fashion, while getting their drinks out in just a matter of minutes and suggesting an appetizer or drink special. Once orders are placed you have to hope that one table doesn’t question why the other’s food came out first, which I usually just handle by finding a manager lol. Needless to say, things run a lot smoother when the seating process is staggered.
Of course, we have to take a wine bottle to every table and offer a sample, we must grate the cheese onto each plate of food individually and before you leave, we ABSOLUTELY CANNOT forget the Andes’ mints. Despite all of these nitpicky details that are constantly running through my mind at work, I have to say it’s helped me better understand why I sometimes wait for what feels like “too long” at dinner.
If you’ve never had a serving job, don’t undermine the difficulty of the work. It’s not complicated, but responsibilities can pile up before you know it.
I speak for all servers out there when I say that we’re trying our best and we are just as frustrated as you are that the food isn’t ready. Next time you take a night out, consider the possibility that you aren’t the only needy customer in the building and give them the benefit of the doubt. The tables that tip well are the ones we remember, believe me.
I’m getting off of my soapbox now.
Stanley out.
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