“Serving Up Social Life”: 50 Painfully Funny Pics That Sum Up The Life Of A Food Service Worker
Interview
Table 14 needs 5 glasses of water, table 17 asked for their check 2 minutes ago, and table 12 wants to complain because the kitchen forgot to omit tomatoes from their tacos. You better take care of them immediately and with a big smile on your face, as you can feel your tips dwindling every second they’re left alone.
Many employers warn you about the fast-paced environments that their companies offer, but if you’ve ever worked in the food industry, those office jobs might feel like a walk in the park. And one Facebook page that knows what it’s like to work in food service all too well is Life Of A Server. Below, you’ll find some of their most painfully relatable pics for anyone who’s worked in a restaurant, as well as conversations with Paul and Kelly Southworth, Founders of Life Of A Server Inc., and Marlon Joseph aka The Modern Waiter!
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I’m waiting for a nice tip and a loving boop on the nose, life. Been waiting a while.
As a retail employee I've heard that from customers too. It's got to be nicer than walking into a place as morose as a cemetery.
Worst for me: Dude rolls in about 15 before close and asks for a menu...
We reached out to Paul and Kelly Southworth, Founders of Life Of A Server Inc., to find out more about the background of the company, and they were kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda about how it all started. “In 2017, we created a huge community of bartenders, servers, and all of the staff who work in the bar and restaurant industry,” they shared.
“We wanted a special place where we could all go and chat about our shifts, share our experiences, laugh about our day, and realize that we all go through the same things. We built a following of like-minded individuals who work weekends, holidays, crazy hours and double shifts, and we realized we all needed a social connection with those who also understand what it's like to work in hospitality,” the founders explained.
“Our social application, (available in both App Stores), is that place, with a fun, interactive newsfeed, tip tracking, a swipe to the right with jobs, swap'n'sell and more,” Paul and Kelly continued. “Our app brings us all together so we can be a voice for the staff of the bar and restaurant industry.”
Lolll yes I love this!! It's so annoying when people just seat themselves (and I'm not even a server!)
She even gave a $10 tip on the card! " and here's a lil' pocket money for you. Get yourself a latte on the way home" 😘
We were also curious if Paul and Kelly had any unique experiences working in the service industry that they could share with us. “One of the most hilarious things that happened to me personally that I won't forget is: One day I was working a lunch shift, and was waiting on the sweetest older couple who both ordered club sandwiches with fries,” Kelly shared.
“It got really busy and I was kind of in the weeds, and I noticed the gentleman hadn't finished his meal. So as I was frantically walking by– I meant to say, ‘Would you like me to WRAP your club for you?’ But what I actually said was, ‘Would you like me to RUB your club for you?’ Both his wife and himself broke out in laughter, and I did as well realizing what I had just said to him. Needless to say, they tipped 20%, and we laughed as they were leaving.”
Don't even know where he comes from or where he goes when not in use.
We also asked the founders what servers think is important for customers to understand. “A few of the things I would like customers to realize are that as a server, we do not have any control over food or beverage prices,” they told Bored Panda. “We also have no control over wait times for the food. The more we go into the kitchen and bother (distract) our BOH, the further it sets them behind. (And, pisses them off.) It takes the entire BOH and FOH to operate a restaurant, like a well-oiled machine.”
But despite all of the struggles that come along with it, the founders say they would highly recommend that everyone works in a bar or restaurant, at least once in their life. “It teaches you confidence, patience, strength, empathy, and also gives you opportunities that you never thought you could have," they explained. "Many times, lifelong friendships and valuable relationships form with your fellow co-workers, perhaps a regular customer, and even in some cases, your boss.”
“The bar and restaurant industry can be a wild, fun, unpredictable environment to work in, but we wouldn't have it any other way,” Paul and Kelly shared. “And just when you think you've heard it all, you go into our community, and there's another crazy story. That is the Life Of A Server.”
This is actually not a bad idea! To bad people will complain about it
To learn more about what it's like to be a server, we reached out to Marlon Joseph, also known as The Modern Waiter. Marlon has a podcast discussing all of the highs and lows of working in the service industry, and he shared with Bored Panda that he often touts being a server as a viable vehicle. "It can take you many places you want to go. By that, I mean consider the flexibility versus the money you can make," Marlon explained.
"If I wanted to move to Denver next week, I know I can get a good position almost immediately. I can work days or nights and use it as the ultimate side hustle or a main gig. Great servers tend to be curious. That underrated trait lends itself to being a people person. Curious people are also willing to learn. You learn about the people you help and about the business you are in."
When it comes to the worst parts of being a server, Marlon says it's always a surprise. "It is a tightrope walk every day. Things often go wrong, and you are constantly putting out fires. That can be difficult to handle for long periods of time. Think about it, if you are making money you are probably very busy. If you are very busy, you may run out of a popular item. You may be on a long wait. You may be short staffed. Guest may be upset at any number of those things. You still have to shine and perform. There are a lot of moving parts."
"On the other hand, I always enjoyed how social the service industry is," the Modern Waiter added. "If you need a social life, start a restaurant job. You will instantly know 80 people, many of whom are a good time. You are also meeting hundreds of guests every day."
This is me. I got a tosti yesterday that was so burned half of it was just crumbling charcoal, and even then I just ate the more edible bits, ignoring my husband’s exasperated sighs and ‘just send it back!’s. At the end the waitress went “was everything okay?”, and I - encouraged again by same husband - intended to say something about the tosti but it came out as ‘yup, lovely!’. Cue an even bigger sigh, my husband said it was super burned for me, the waitress goes ‘oh, sorry.’ And I just went ‘that’s okay! The other half was really nice!’ with this manic, desperate grin. I don’t know what’s wrong with me either.
My standard answer was, "Do you remember who your server was? I'll have to let the manager know."
We also asked Marlon what servers want their guests to understand. "Some restaurant guests gamify their visit," he noted. "They try to get things for free. Or try a bit of something and send it back even if it is made correctly. You are dealing with real people at real jobs, and it may cost the server, the cook or the restaurant much more than you may ever know. Understand it is a business. Show up for your reservation. Show up on time. Ask the best questions about your prospective meal. And enjoy. Don’t play games."
I was working for a collections team and got this old guy. I remember he was 68. He was talking nicely and made the payment too. Then he proceeded to tell me about some Indian guy calling him and he refused to make a payment because he was a Hindu. He proceeded to say some real racist stuff when I stopped him to inform that I am an Indian and a Hindu too. There was a pause for two seconds and he said 'but you sound like one of us.' I asked him what does that mean. He replied 'you sound like a texan.' I started laughing and said ' I am sorry but that isn't a compliment ' before disconnecting the call. (It happened 15 years ago, things were bit lenient)
yes, almost every server I know hates being busy but also hates being dead.
And if you're interested in getting into serving yourself, Marlon recomments learning as much as you can about the process and getting help from a server who is doing well. "It is often the details that need attention, and eliminating the extraneous steps you may think are important but they are not," he explained. "The service industry is a viable way to make a living. Time off is rarely an issue. You can make a lot of money, however you will have to work holidays."
If you'd like to hear more from The Modern Waiter, be sure to check out Marlon's podcast on iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify or follow him on Instagram!
I worked at a fast food place and we would alter the lobby air to match whatever was outside. So, in the summer we would turn the heat on in the lobby if people were still sitting and having a good time when we were ready to close
Well, then, he had a semi-cause excuse, because he shouldn't have done the dumb thing that got him in jail (unless he was Innocent; then completely valid)
Are you feeling triggered by these all too real experiences of working in food service, pandas? Whether you’re still a server today or you haven’t been one for 15 years, we hope you’re able to get a kick out of these pics. Keep upvoting the ones you find painfully relatable, and let us know in the comments what your experiences were like working in the service industry. Then, if you’d like to check out even more funny pics for those who work in food service, visit this Bored Panda list next!
Have a sign on the door, "No Public Restroom." At least once an hr "can I use the restroom?" "Where are your restrooms?" "What do you mean you don't have a restroom? That's illegal! I'm calling the police/health department/the state/my mom!"
No… no I think the waitress ID-ing me on my 40th-something birthday while I was out with my parents who are visibly in their 70’s was more uncomfortable. It was a weird moment for everyone involved. (Drinking age is *16* here for the record.)
I always used to reply with "oh like an hour and a half ago" and they'd be like "what?" So I'd shrug my shoulders and say "people kept turning up so I can't leave"
I once had to cover a shift for a guy who was denied a day off (he only worked half a day and requested EVERYTHING OFF) and drank enough to be off and in the hospital with alcohol poisoning on the denied day
Ever try to silently grab the one item you need while your boss is sobbing? I just need sour cream, I don't have time to talk a b***h off the bridge.
Mother's Day was always the busiest day in our restaurant. All the other holidays the moms still apparently cook, but this one day you want to give her the day off but also don't want to put the effort into figuring out a meal, so let's just take the family out to a crowded restaurant where we can complain to the hostess about the seating times and blame the server when it takes a while for our food to be prepared because 17 people ordered before we did. Don't forget to express shock at the amount of the bill when it comes!
If they actually did know the owner, at the most the owner would have seen them at the door and personally escorted them to their table. At the very least, the owner would’ve informed the staff of their arrival.
"like me and my ex" oh my god that person would be so frustrated with both their ex and people who dont get their orders right.
Note: this post originally had 108 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
I used to work as a chef and loved it. Loved working with guests and staff. But that was long ago at the beginning. Now I work on IT support and hate human beings.
Folks, respect waitrons and bartenders, and TIP THEM WELL! People in tipped jobs earn well below the already pathetic minimum wage. They depend on tips to eat - literally.
2.14/hr put on a special card. I lost the card for 2 years. Found it. Had just over 300USD on it. Bought a GameCube. 😂 Also, I remember the night I OWED THE RESTAURANT MONEY at the end of my shift. No. I didn't buy anything.
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I used to work in a bar in Edinburgh for a while, and on the weekends, when it would get so busy you’d have to manhandle customers out of the way whilst collecting empty glasses, I’d have a moment when I would go outside, pick up an empty pint glass and throw it so hard against a brick wall to ease some of the stress. And it would work! I’d also sweep up the broken glass, because I’m not a savage. Come on!!!
I used to work as a chef and loved it. Loved working with guests and staff. But that was long ago at the beginning. Now I work on IT support and hate human beings.
Folks, respect waitrons and bartenders, and TIP THEM WELL! People in tipped jobs earn well below the already pathetic minimum wage. They depend on tips to eat - literally.
2.14/hr put on a special card. I lost the card for 2 years. Found it. Had just over 300USD on it. Bought a GameCube. 😂 Also, I remember the night I OWED THE RESTAURANT MONEY at the end of my shift. No. I didn't buy anything.
Load More Replies... I used to work in a bar in Edinburgh for a while, and on the weekends, when it would get so busy you’d have to manhandle customers out of the way whilst collecting empty glasses, I’d have a moment when I would go outside, pick up an empty pint glass and throw it so hard against a brick wall to ease some of the stress. And it would work! I’d also sweep up the broken glass, because I’m not a savage. Come on!!!
