The Server Myth

It's not all bad being a server. If you do it right, it's actually a viable occupation. Since I've moved back East, I've come across quite a few people who have kind of turned their noses up at my occupation. Even a few of my friends that wait tables as well aren't so excited to tell people what they do. I don't quite understand why it's ok to poo-poo my job; it's insulting to me.

"What do you do?".

"I wait tables."

"Oh".

Pretty soon the next thing out of my mouth will be that I make just as much, if not more, than they do. And I'm not stuck at a desk. In the Chicago area, having a good serving/bartending gig was completely acceptable.

There are downsides to being a server, but is there any job that doesn't have downsides? If you answered yes, you are lying. Here are my answers to other peoples barbs about my job.

"You work such long hours"

Yes, I might have back to back 14 hour shifts on the weekend, but during the week I maybe work 6 hours a night. If I'm over 40 hours, it's not by much. Granted, I work 7 days a week, but I'm a sucker, and gave my 2 days off to the crabhouse. That's ok, it's fun there,(sometimes): )

"You always work weekends"

At this point, if I had a Saturday off, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Probably because all of my friends are working. While the rest of the world is off, I'm working, and while the rest of the world is working, I'm off. What this means: while you're stuck in Saturday traffic going to the mall, standing in line forever at the post office, grocery, whatever, I'm sailing through MY errands during the week. You know why? Because you suckers are at work.

"You have to deal with a-holes"

If you've ever said this to a server, you're probably one of the a-holes. In general, people don't dine at restaurants just to be jerks. They want to eat. We feed them. If someone is a bit of a jag, oh well, it's what makes my job highly interesting. People who ask questions or who want things a particular way aren't a-holes, they are consumers who are paying for something, the least we can do is give it to them,(within reason). If you've dabbled in "waitressing" and thought that people who asked for things or dared to want to be served in a timely, courteous manner were a-holes, then you, my friend, are in fact the a-hole.

Waiting tables is an interesting job. You meet all kinds of interesting people. You're not stuck behind a desk. You eat. Believe it or not, you're always learning something. You're making GOOD money. The next time someone insults my job, I'll be sure to post my retort. For now, I've gotta go to work ; ) Ciao!