Today’s topic is one very near and dear to my heart and I know I’m not alone. I want to talk about the reputations that surround those who work in the restaurant/bar industry. To preface this post, I have worked in the industry in one way or another since I was 12 years old. I’ve worked full time, part time, and as a fill in, as a hostess, bartender, server, busser, counter clerk, and catering server. When I wasn’t working in a restaurant, I was eating in one. I live and breathe this industry (even when I am not actively working in it) so my opinion may be a bit biased but I am going to share it anyway. And I welcome your feedback and thoughts in the comments!
I cannot tell you how many times I have been serving somebody a cocktail, a cup of coffee, or a meal when they have asked me,
“What do you really want to do? You know, as a real job?”
I’ve also heard multiple versions of the following;
“Yea but, you’re just a bartender/waitress/hostess/etc. That’s not a career path.”
“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll get hired for something legitimate soon!”
“How do your parents feel about your bartending?”
You get where I’m going here, right? There are so many people out there that just don’t view the restaurant industry as a legitimate career path unless you are a salaried manager, chef, or owner. It’s like they’re using some insanely outdated class system that puts people who serve food and drinks lower on the totem pole. To be honest with you, its laughable. I’m sorry, but it is. There are bartenders and waitresses out there that make six figures a year in TIPS. That’s cash in their pocket each and every day. Not a paycheck that comes once every two weeks. Working in this industry helps people pay for education, raise families, travel the world, build homes, care for loved ones, I could go on for days. But money aside, there are so many more reasons why these assumptions are ridiculous.
Working in this industry isn’t a real career path? Let’s take a look at some numbers. According to the National Restaurant Association, in 2014, restaurant industry sales exceeded 680 billion dollars. Job growth within in the restaurant industry in 2014 surpassed our overall economy for get this, the 15th year in a row. To expand on that, about 1 in 10 Americans works in the food industry. Those restaurant owners, you know, the ones who have a “legitimate” job? Well 80 percent of them have said that they entered the industry with an entry-level position – bussing tables, serving, washing dishes, etc. Ninety percent of Americans enjoy going out to eat. (I don’t know any of that remaining ten percent and can’t say that I want to.) Seems pretty legit to me. Plus, looks like most of our country would be upset if restaurants ceased to exist because we all got “real” jobs.
In recent years, this reputation has started to change as people learn more about high quality food and cocktails. Farm to table trends and the increase in foodies in our country has helped to alleviate a lot of this as well. Bartenders are gaining respect as people learn the skill and precision that goes into making a quality cocktail. Additionally, since bad restaurants and bad service DO exist, people are learning to appreciate great service and a server who knows his/her stuff.
I think people are also starting to realize, more so than in the past, that you can’t just pick any random person off the street and give them a job in a restaurant and expect them to succeed. You need to be able to read people, determine the type of service that will give them the best experience. You need to understand how to work with others, a problem that you see in every industry. You need patience, a lot of it. You need to be hard working and motivated since your workday is probably longer than most and during the opposite hours of everyone around you (hence the close relationships between restaurant staff members). Forget weekends. That’s when you make the big bucks.
What I’m saying is that, just like any other job, working in the restaurant world is not for everybody. It is most certainly a real job. And it’s a difficult one that not just anybody can handle. I am confident that these ridiculous assumptions about this amazing industry will continue to dissolve and morph into more respectful ideas. But if they don’t, then I hope that everyone who IS in the industry shakes off the haters and serves them with a smile, knowing that at the end of the night, they’ve just spent a couple hundred bucks while you earned it 😉
Rebecca McKinney
I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.
So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!
Eat well & travel often,
Becky McKinney
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