“Nah, I think I’ll pass on the whole waitressing thing”, a naïve past version of me once said as I contemplated what first jobs I should take on as a high school and university student. The idea of balancing hot platters of food and rounds of drinks to often impatient customers was never a very attractive concept for me although my mother assured me that the experience, despite its lack of glamor, was well worth it. Of course, I insisted that such a grueling physical job wasn’t for me, but little did I know that I would soon learn that my mom was right.
As my junior year of high school quickly turned into my senior year, I watched as classmates took on part-time jobs at local shops and restaurants, wondering if I too should try my hand at something challenging and new. Thanks to a mix of curiosity and the pressure to make some extra cash before heading to university, I began my fateful search for a summer job and, as you have probably guessed, I soon landed a position as a waitress. I was nervous, maybe a little bit terrified. I was to spend my few precious months of summer vacation serving piping hot bowls of ramen to crowds of unfamiliar faces. What if I messed up an order? Spilled hot soup on someone? Gave someone the wrong change? Encountered an angry customer? The possibility of failure seemed to be too great but I swallowed my pride mixed with irrational fears and stuck it out. Yes, the work was stressful and exhausting but I learned more about my capabilities in those few months out of my comfort zone than I had during a full year of school. I learned that my initial fears and anxieties about waitressing were irrational and were actually things that I could handle on my own or with the help of my coworkers. As my waitressing experience progressed, I found myself feeling more confident in my interactions with customers and my ability to run things smoothly. It felt like a miracle! I could finally be a waitress and coworker that people could count on. While the experience boosted my self-confidence, as my waitressing adventure spilled into my university years in Japan, I found that I had also learned how to be a good customer. Looking back now, I believe that this is one of the most lessons that I have learned through being a waitress. Seeing rude and inconsiderate behaviors from the occasional unsavory customer made me take note and reflect on my own comportment when the roles are reversed and I’m the one accepting a service. It’s easy to expect perfection from a service worker but I find that most people forget that service workers and customers are one in the same and will have their fair share of struggles. At the end of the day, waitressing made me consider the deeper implications of what it means to be the server and the served. Kindness and consideration can go along way on both ends.
I suppose what I’m trying to say is, serving hungry and impatient customers is hard but will teach you lessons that you would have never expected to learn. Don’t get me wrong, food service is still not my cup of tea but I don’t regret working as a waitress for a moment. So, whether my rant about my experience has inspired you to try a food service job or not, I hope all of you can walk away with a greater appreciation of everything that goes into the business of making you happy.
Thanks for reading! :)