Walk a Mile in my (Non-Slip) Shoes

I once read a post that said, "Survey shows that Serving is more stressful than Neurosurgery."

Now, I don't think that's 100% accurate, but you don't know the definition of stress until you're caught in the weeds.

I started out as a Host when I was 16 and Job-hopped around until I landed another Hosting position that I truly enjoyed. I eventually moved up to a Food-Runner and then to a Server. I've been serving for the past three years and in the Hospitality Industry for the past five. Let me tell you first hand that it is not, "'mindless', involving routine and repetitive tasks that require little education" (Mirabelli).

I've trained other service who either have or don't have previous serving experience and the one thing I always stress is the way you talk and present you're to guests. I always say I have my regular tone and my "server tone." My server tone is my nice, talkative personality that I put on when I'm talking to my tables, especially when I first introduce myself. It's important to "feel out the guests" so you know how to properly serve them. Even Mirabelli states how complex a conversation between a server and guest can be especially, "How the waitress or waiter understands and uses texts such as the menu and how she or he 'reads' and verbally interacts with the customer reflect carefully constructed uses of language and literacy" (Page 145).You either get guests who are there to have a conversation with the server, wanting to know every aspect of the menu and company or guests who want to get their food and have a conversation with the people their with and for the most part, be left alone.

The way a server communicates with their table is the most important part of serving. Being able to make little jokes, talk extensively about the menu, including food and alcohol, and directly talk to a table if their food is taking "too long" makes a big difference in your presentation and your tips.

Being a server you have to learn all types of lingo in order to communicate with your coworkers (bartenders, cooks, other servers). Some lingo include, "corner", "hands", "behind you", "86", "on the fly",  and many more. These terms are used in every restaurant and if you're not able to understand what they mean, it makes your job 10x harder. Servers are constantly kept on their toes, by getting sat three tables at a time, thinking one step ahead, and finding their flow. Mirabelli talks about how most servers are in the industry for extra cash and it's 100% true. Most servers I've worked with either have other full-time jobs, are in school, or have children to take care of. I've heard all kinds of stereotypes about servers, but being incompetent or mindless is by far, the most untrue.

I serve about 30-40 hours a week, while being a full-time student. I don't think there's a time during the day where I'm not thinking one step ahead. I hope to one day be involved in Event Planning and the biggest stereotype involved with that is how "easy it is" and that it's just like planning and birthday party. People who stereotype need to either do their research on the job itself or try it for a day and realize the pressure you're put under, regardless if it's serving tables in a restaurant or operating on a human body. I rest my case.