22/07/2022
“When you work in the industry, nothing quite compares to the relationships you build with the people around you.
Somewhere out there, a host is being yelled at by an unreasonable Karen. It’s her first day and the other seasoned host offers to steal her a dessert from the kitchen and quietly calls the Karen a bitch behind her back. They laugh at Karen’s expense before the host even had time to cry. Days later, they are following each other on Instagram. Weeks later, they are meeting up for coffee every Sunday.
Somewhere out there, a dishwasher walks into the most disrespectful close possible from the night before. He looks defeated but quietly begins to do the dishes that were left. A line cook sees his face and quietly begins helping him because that’s fu***ng bu****it. Later, in the middle of dinner, the dishwasher steps away to cut some veggies for the line cook because the day person didn’t do enough, and he ran out in the middle of the shift. Later they smoke a cigarette on the back dock together. Neither of them thank each other out loud but bum ci******es off each other ever since.
Somewhere out there, a manager pulls a server to the office because of a complaint from a guest about her service. The server starts to cry and reveals her dad is dying from cancer and she just found out she was pregnant. She’s trying to keep it together but the guests are being rude to her and running her ragged. The table leaves and she gets stiffed. The manager comps off some items so the server can pocket some cash. 8 months later, they pose for photos together at the server’s baby shower. A year later at the dad’s funeral, the manager can’t believe how big the child is.
Somewhere out there, a bartender is walking into work their typical weekend shift. The usually happy-go-lucky regular sits at the bar like always, but seems a little down. The bartender makes the regular’s usual drink without him asking, and tells him it’s on the house this time as she sets it in front of him. Over the next couple of hours, the regular pours his heart out to the bartender-turned-therapist. His girlfriend broke up with him, but talking it out with the bartender makes him feel better than anything else could have in the moment.
Somewhere out there, a server is pushing a plate back into the expo window, saying the order was wrong. The line cook on that station knows he cooked it right and is calling her a fu***ng idiot for ringing it in wrong. The server flips him off and goes back into the dining room. Later, the cook drops a togo box with food in it in front of where the server is rolling silverware. She forgives his silent apology, and offers to buy him a shift drink. He accepts. A few years later, they are engaged.
Somewhere out there, it’s been the longest s**t show shift that’s happened in a while. Everyone is drained and they have to do it all again tomorrow, but most will be working doubles. Some on clopens. At close, they all gather at the bar anyway, even though it’s late. They bitch about rude customers, and brag about the good ones the big tips they left. They gossip a little about work, but mostly talk about their lives outside of the restaurant walls. They’re buying each other shots and taking pictures together and laughing at how tired and drunk they all look in them. Tomorrow they’ll all be hungover and someone will be on McDonald’s breakfast duty.
Of all the memories and relationships we create in life, it’s moments like these that remind us that those in the industry are some of the most important. And some of the most cherished.
Credit to Hope Wolfe -Reddit.
