Table 14 needs 5 glasses of water, table 17 asked for their check 2 minutes ago, and table 12 wants to complain because the kitchen forgot to omit tomatoes from their tacos. You better take care of them immediately and with a big smile on your face, as you can feel your tips dwindling every second they’re left alone.
Many employers warn you about the fast-paced environments that their companies offer, but if you’ve ever worked in the food industry, those office jobs might feel like a walk in the park. And one Facebook page that knows what it’s like to work in food service all too well is Life Of A Server. Below, you’ll find some of their most painfully relatable pics for anyone who’s worked in a restaurant, as well as a conversation with Paul and Kelly Southworth, Founders of Life Of A Server Inc.!
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We reached out to Paul and Kelly Southworth, Founders of Life Of A Server Inc., to find out more about the background of the company, and they were kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda about how it all started. “In 2017, we created a huge community of bartenders, servers, and all of the staff who work in the bar and restaurant industry,” they shared.
“We wanted a special place where we could all go and chat about our shifts, share our experiences, laugh about our day, and realize that we all go through the same things. We built a following of like-minded individuals who work weekends, holidays, crazy hours and double shifts, and we realized we all needed a social connection with those who also understand what it's like to work in hospitality,” the founders explained.
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“Our social application, (available in both App Stores), is that place, with a fun, interactive newsfeed, tip tracking, a swipe to the right with jobs, swap'n'sell and more,” Paul and Kelly continued. “Our app brings us all together so we can be a voice for the staff of the bar and restaurant industry.”
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We were also curious if Paul and Kelly had any unique experiences working in the service industry that they could share with us. “One of the most hilarious things that happened to me personally that I won't forget is: One day I was working a lunch shift, and was waiting on the sweetest older couple who both ordered club sandwiches with fries,” Kelly shared.
“It got really busy and I was kind of in the weeds, and I noticed the gentleman hadn't finished his meal. So as I was frantically walking by– I meant to say, ‘Would you like me to WRAP your club for you?’ But what I actually said was, ‘Would you like me to RUB your club for you?’ Both his wife and himself broke out in laughter, and I did as well realizing what I had just said to him. Needless to say, they tipped 20%, and we laughed as they were leaving.”
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We also asked the founders what servers think is important for customers to understand. “A few of the things I would like customers to realize are that as a server, we do not have any control over food or beverage prices,” they told Bored Panda. “We also have no control over wait times for the food. The more we go into the kitchen and bother (distract) our BOH, the further it sets them behind. (And, pisses them off.) It takes the entire BOH and FOH to operate a restaurant, like a well-oiled machine.”
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But despite all of the struggles that come along with it, the founders say they would highly recommend that everyone works in a bar or restaurant, at least once in their life. “It teaches you confidence, patience, strength, empathy, and also gives you opportunities that you never thought you could have," they explained. "Many times, lifelong friendships and valuable relationships form with your fellow co-workers, perhaps a regular customer, and even in some cases, your boss.”
“The bar and restaurant industry can be a wild, fun, unpredictable environment to work in, but we wouldn't have it any other way,” Paul and Kelly shared. “And just when you think you've heard it all, you go into our community, and there's another crazy story. That is the Life Of A Server.”
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If you’ve never had the pleasure of working in the food industry yourself, just know that enjoying a meal at a restaurant and working a shift at a restaurant are two entirely different experiences. Servers, hosts, line cooks and chefs are on their feet all day, get berated by hangry customers, are expected to work impossibly fast and are desperately working for tips.
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According to Indeed, servers in the US make $15.97 an hour on average, or around $45,729 annually. This comes in at nearly $14k under the national average yearly income, but there are some perks of working in food service that make it worth it for certain people. If you’re a student who needs flexible work hours, you might be able to wait tables in the afternoons or evening and attend classes in the mornings. And there aren’t many requirements needed to become a server, so if you don’t have an education, you can still get a great restaurant job.
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When it comes to the cons of working as a server, as you can see from the pictures on this list, there are plenty of things servers can complain about. First of all, working in a restaurant is extremely physically demanding. You’ll have to stand for your entire shift, aside from the short break or breaks you’re allotted, and you may be required to carry huge trays with heavy drinks and large plates of food. According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, standing for extended periods of time can reduce blood supply to muscles, which then accelerates the onset of fatigue and can cause pain in the legs, back and neck.
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Relying on tips can also be stressful for those in the service industry. The federal minimum wage for tipped employees in the US is only $2.13 per hour, and customers only tip 16% on average. In theory, great service will lead to great tips, but sometimes, customers don’t take into consideration what might be out of the server’s control. For example, if the kitchen is slow or makes a mistake with one of the orders, the server is the one who has to deal with unhappy customers. So one might perform back-breaking work to provide the best service they possibly can, only to receive a measly $2 tip on a $60 meal.
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Are you feeling triggered by these all too real experiences of working in food service, pandas? Whether you’re still a server today or you haven’t been one for 15 years, we hope you’re able to get a kick out of these pics. Keep upvoting the ones you find painfully relatable, and let us know in the comments what your experiences were like working in the service industry. Then, if you’d like to check out even more funny pics for those who work in food service, visit this Bored Panda list next!
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