So many bosses want excessive access to their employees in manners that cross some boundaries. On the first day of my first restaurant job, I asked one of the assistant managers if I could leave at 9 PM since, on the schedule, my shift ended at 9 PM. He laughed at me, said, “it's good you didn't ask that when the manager was around,” and we continued working. At the time, I felt like such an idiot because I had never had a job before, so I assumed all jobs were like that. Now I just realize thi…

Terminal Main Character Syndrome

How bad can it be?

Tipping culture in America is pretty straightforward. If you're eating at a sit-down restaurant, it's expected that you tip your waiter 20% of the cost of your meal in total. This system is in place because paying servers far less than the minimum wage is legal and common, with restaurant owners assuming most of their income will be supplied by tips. Tipped employees in some U.S. states can make as little as $2.13 per hour , which is why it's so important to tip them 20%. Many Europeans visitin…

One of life's greatest pleasures is being able to complain about a job you hate . If I wasn't able to tell my close friends and family about the annoying customers and often more annoying coworkers at my customer service jobs, then I don't know how I would be able to survive. Even when things weren't so bad at work, it's fun to share work stories. When I worked at a dog bakery, a customer told me she owned a dog funeral parlor. I was so taken aback that all I could say was, “I'm sorry" To that,…

I've never quit a job . Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I can endure a situation far longer than is healthy for me. Lord knows I've spent years in relationships that didn't serve me. I slogged through the toxicity because change is scary. I once stayed at a job for seven years even though they only gave me a single raise, and forced me to work in a non-heated, building with no electricity in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. I want to be more like the people who throw in the t…

Whoops

Stupid people are everywhere.

More work ≠ more tips

There are many

She deserved it

Servers are going to another dimension when they walk from your table to the kitchen…

If you're an Anthony Bourdain fan, or have worked service, you may have seen this quote pop up during your internet travels: ‘You can always tell when a person has worked in a restaurant. There’s an empathy that can only be cultivated by those who’ve stood between a hungry mouth and a $28 pork chop, a special understanding of the way a bunch of motley misfits can be a family. Service industry work develops the “soft skills” recruiters talk about on LinkedIn — discipline, promptness, the ability…

Taking things literally

Anyone who has worked at a restaurant, bar, or combination of the two knows that pests like fruit flies, gnats, and roaches are no joke. Any sort of infestation can do damage to the business's reputation and can cause major drama with the Department of Health. While a bug here or there is something that's hard to avoid, if a bar or restaurant is overtaken by flies or visible roaches, things must be really, really bad. Any self-respecting business owner would call in professionals to handle a pe…

Serving is a thankless job. Often caught between a horrible boss breathing down their neck and a table of customers from hell, a server only has a paycheck and tips to look forward to. One redditor vented to r/antiwork about their sister's shady employer , who had the nerve to charge her $200 after her table decided to dine and dash. So, not only did she miss out on a good tip, but her job was putting her into debt. Redditors in the comment section were rightfully indignant, urging OP to report…