It's hard to work in a restaurant and not become a cynic. I mean, have you seen Kitchen Nightmares? Owners doing drugs on the premises; stealing their own stock from business partners and family members; taking tips from hardworking staff to stuff their own pockets; chefs having to pay suppliers themselves as accounts are closed; customers bringing their own bells for when they need the server's attention; bailiffs appearing on the premises... The list goes on. I'm not saying every establishment is toxic. Just that you never know what's happening behind the counter. However, there's a perfect place to learn — a subreddit called r/KitchenConfidential. It has 378k members, constantly making honest and funny posts about the industry, and they paint quite the picture!
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Felt This
Oh, don't be ridiculous, everyone knows feathers from the Great Auk are much better.
Every Freakin Time! At My House Anyway
As you can tell from the pictures, working in a restaurant can be really demanding. But nowadays, the whole industry is stressed. And it's mostly due to the pandemic.
The National Restaurant Association said restaurant and food-service sales were $240 billion below its 2020 pre-covid forecasts. Over 110,000 eating and drinking establishments closed last year, either temporarily or for good. The association hopes 2021 will be a year of rebuilding, with trends like off-premise dining and delivery continuing to gain importance as consumer preferences shift.
The report, which surveyed 6,000 operators and 1,000 adults, said restaurant and food-service sales came in at $659 billion last year — that’s $240 billion lower than its pre-pandemic projections for the year of $899 billion in total sales.
Yes Please
Lost My Job As A Receptionist Due To Covid And Got A Job As A Dishwasher To Make Ends Meet
Today, during rush hour, the chef guided me into making these because he was swamped. I know it's not much, but I'm proud. I've discovered a passion. He's helping me pick out a government culinary school.
Promoted A Dishwasher To Prep Cook, She Worked Her Ass Off, Promoted Her To Line Cook, Continued To Crush It. Tomorrow I’m Giving Her, Her First Knife Of Her Own For Her Hard Work
"If one looks at the industry in terms of actual sales volume level at the end of 2020, it was down at 2014 levels. In other words, the industry has been set back six years of sales growth," Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research at the National Restaurant Association, said as the trade group released its annual analysis.
But there has been a silver lining. Riehle noted that the Covid crisis prompted operators to get creative with new forays into technology and delivery, and many are hoping the second half of 2021 will bring an opportunity for a rebound as consumers have missed dining out.
Some Meals Are More Hateful Than Others
This Made It So Much Easier To Cook For This Customer
Chef Cut Himself So Badly Yesterday He Had To Go To The Hospital And Take The Day Off. We Set Up His Station This Morning With His Safety In Mind
I've met enough chefs to know he's gonna find a way to make those scissors do /damage/ when he comes back 😂
7 Months Ago I Quit My S**tty Fast Food Job To Wash Dishes In The Local Steakhouse. Today They Put Me On Salads. Dreams Do Come True
"It's important to think of 2021 as the year of transition," he said. "Recovery for the industry will definitely take time."
The group is projecting a bounce back in food and beverage sales in 2021 to $731.5 billion, still far below where things stood before Covid hit the industry.
New Kid Said He Wanted Some More Hours, Told Him To Go Clean The Grill. I Did Not Expect This When I Walked Back Over There.... Kids Gonna Get Some More Hours
I Stole This Picture For Karma
YOU CALL THIS KNIVES??? THIS IS A KNIFE!!!! (Crocodile Dundee fan here)
How Do You Really Feel?
Everyone Pitched In To Buy A Nice Knife For Him. He Always Gives It His All And Is The Sweetest Person!
However, consumers continue to embrace takeout and delivery and the delta variant threatens to make dining in less of an option. So struggling establishments are transforming into pop-up restaurants.
They can take a variety of forms, from a ramen maker appearing for one night only at an established bar to a taco maker on a street corner. Cheaper to operate than regular restaurants because they have less overhead and staffing costs, pop-ups allow chefs and owners to keep working and making a living during the early part of the pandemic when dining rooms were closed and the economy was teetering — they've helped bring buzz to existing restaurants that host them. And some have even morphed into permanent new businesses.
My Dad Just Sent This To Me Asking “Is This True?”
This picture really hit home with me.
I cook over 1k plates a week for people to enjoy dinner with their families and friends. And this is how i usually eat dinner. Like this or hunched over a garbage can. So if you have a chef in your life keep this picture in mind and maybe cook them a meal, sit down with them and have a nice dinner. Something like this may seem small to others but it means a lot to people like us.
Anthony Bourdain Stopped By My Mom’s Kitchen While Filming When I Was A Kid. She Mentioned That We Tried To Go To His Book Signing The Night Before But Couldn’t. So He Grabbed An Envelope Out Of The Trash And Signed It For Me
Preach!
The flexibility of the take-out and delivery options helped Alex Thaboua meet those challenges. Thaboua is co-owner of Electric Burrito, which began as a pop-up at Mister Paradise bar in New York in 2020. A permanent location opened in May and is focused on take-out and delivery, so even if there is another lockdown, the restaurant will be able to operate, he said.
Shots Have Been Fired
Also burger king. Might be flame grilled, but not in the store it's not!
Restaurant Food Is Low Risk For Transmitting Covid-19
When I was a teen, my best friend and I both work at an ice cream store. We always worked the closing shift together. After the front doors were locked, we would each get as far away from each other as possible in the small space of our building, then using the long plastic milkshake spoons, we would launch toppings, specifically nuts and cherries trying to hit each other while taking cover behind display cases. It wasn't anything but some silly fun. Yes, we wasted small amounts of toppings but we were the ones who had to clean the store before we could go home and we would never leave the mess for anyone else to have to clean it up.
Thank You For Your Service
Always Remember Where You Came From. 9 Years Ago On My First Day In The Kitchen As A Dishwasher vs. Where I Am Today. Never Underestimate Yourself
“This flexibility was something we found very important during our pop-up stages, when the world was getting locked down and heavy restrictions were being placed on businesses,” he told Associated Press. “We’ve designed our operations in a way that we can continue to operate with a lean team, with every safety precaution taken, to be able to serve guests in both a to-go and delivery capacity.”
It's places like this that help keep your mood positive.
All Restaurants Should Do This, Almost Makes Me Want To Ask For An Application. 8 Upvotes And I’ll Buy Boh A Drink
Does It Need A Title?
Makes me wonder why people would even bother to become a chef in the US.
Karen Brings Her Own Bell For When She Needs Her Servers Attention
I can think of a few more things to say – none of them complimentary.
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Nowadays, I always feel sorry for every woman whose real name is Karen.. Don't be sad real Karens! we really believe that you are nice people 😊
"I'm sorry I called you a Karen." "My name is Karen." "I'm sorry your name is Karen."
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NOOOO, don't tell her! Just IGNORE HER!!! AND her damn bell! Just give her the service required, and if she mentions the bell then say "What bell?"
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Yikes! I don't think I could resist telling her where to put the bell.
Nope! We had a few repeat customers that were so bad when I was a server that we demanded the manager or owner wait on them. They were also lousy tippers.
I see no problem with asking her to put it away or leave. Anyone else witnessing this behavior would likely applaud you for it.
The people sitting around her don't want to hear that Crap either.
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I think I would do that for them if I was the customer on the next table!
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Her friends must be embarrassed to go anywhere with her. BTW, the first Karen was a Kate, but that name was too popular. I hate the whole Karen thing.
I would not be seen with anyone that disrespectful.
Load More Replies... I think any sane establishment would have thrown her out on first sight of the bell. This is demeaning and just plain rude, no one needs a customer like that.
That wouldn't work in any establishment I have ever worked for....
I’ve seen this photo before. Wasn’t this already debunked as a tourist in a country where all the tables in the restaurant had bells for calling waitstaff? Then some turd used this photo to falsely depict another “Karen”ing?
My brother had a Karen who kept calling waiter like she was Marjorie Dursley in the HP's saga... He ordered every waiters to ignore her until she left or start calling them respectfully !
So obnoxious. Like she is so much more important than all the other customers.
This is the most disrespectful thing a guest can do! If a guest whistles (or rings a bell-smh) to one of my employees, they are allowed to ignore them. We are no dogs that have to be trained by you!
I would walk over to her, pick it up, and throw it in the garbage disposal.
I would simply not respond until more politely requested. Then when asked why I didn't respond to the bell I'd say "I'm not a fuc*ing dog"
Guess it's good I don't wait tables. Every time she rang that bell, it'd add 5 minutes to my response time. Wait staff ARE NOT DOGS!
The only thing that bell should summon is karma. She better hope it doesn't summon Justice. The insurance would be breathtaking.
I'd be tempted to grab it and throw it as far away - into a lake / ocean / field etc as I could - then tell her to f**k off !!
I'd pretend she didn't exist at all. Sure I'll take your friends orders, but soon as you speak I suddenly became deaf. I have to admit I have about zero tolerance for crap like this. i once threw a customer out of my bar because he kept whistling at me, like I was some sort of dog. F off, come back when you can show some respect for the people who work hard to serve you
I know deaf people that do this. Don't criticize until all the facts are known.
I am a chef, but the first thing I would do is pick it up and heave through the door. She ever rang that to get my attention, she'd be wearing it!
If I was her waiter and she rang that to get my attention, I would smash the f**k out of it on her table
When I'd finish "placing" that bell where it belongs, she could play a catchy tune while jogging or using the facilities.
It's kinda a great idea, instead of having a server come by when you don't need them, have a better way to tell them why you're ready to order or need something They actually do this in Japan (and the bell sound isn't annoying) and I found to to be a great restaurant experience.
As a server, I would ring her ding-a-ling right out the door or become a Karen too and shove it in the open orifice in her face!
Why do people in the US call them “Karen” when clearly they are just plain old bitches 🤷🏼♀️
Would be difficult to restrain oneself from shoving that bell straight up her ass.
I think I'd have a very hard time being kind to this lady. I'd have to wrap that bell around her neck the first time she rang it. Lol
If i worked ad a waitress in a restaurant some Karen was like that to me, It would end up with her needing to fart in order for her to make her bell ring.
I'd threaten to whack her with the damn bell, or ask if she's a cow..ye gods
Covid Crying
Watching My Online Graduation During Prep, Hopefully They Read My Name Before Service Starts
This is such a statement. I feel like I should find this photo in an acclaimed periodical or something. Congrats on your graduation! Congrats on your job! Congrats on sticking with it and making it through!
Can I Do My Prep In The Walk-N?
Truth
Sodium Chloride
I Mean He Ain’t Wrong
Good Luck To All Of Our Kitchen Comrades Who Have To Work Tonight/Tomorrow Night In The USA
I make it a point not to patronize any business when it is open on a national holiday.
I Love Seeing Signs Of Restaurants Not Opening Because They Won't Pay
The signs are great. It firmly lets me know which businesses to avoid in the future. If you don't treat your employees right, I have no interest in spending money at your establishment.
Do You Guys Have Banned Music?
Written twice? Damn..this restaurant owner must really hate Nickelback..
I Love Our Customers
Sorry Chef
My mom (62yrs) had a bicycle accident, hurt her wrist in a bad way. Bleed A LOT. Couldn't move her hand properly. So I took her to the hospital, nothing so serious, only sprained, but the pain was intense. My Mom works in the kitchen of a student's dormitory. My turn to call her boss, a bloody fu****g old hag. She said: "And it's REALLY not possible that your mom come in?? This does not go well with my plans..." IS THIS SO BI***????
Happy Birthday!!!!
My Mouth Dropped When I Read This. Every Resturant Should Do This. [veggie Galaxy In Boston]
![My Mouth Dropped When I Read This. Every Resturant Should Do This. [veggie Galaxy In Boston]](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/61484d3a713e1_vjkxb37s4sc41__700.jpg "My Mouth Dropped When I Read This. Every Resturant Should Do This. [veggie Galaxy In Boston]")
Am I Wrong Tho?
Wonderful Weather We’re Having Huh?
Better Than A High School Reunion
Friend Sent Me This, Thought Of You Boys. Wash Ya Damn Hands And Stay Safe Out There
Every Damn Time...
Heck, I appreciated that. I made almost no money without tips. If I braved the weather, I'm not complaining when customers do too.
Well It’s Official, We Cut Ourselves On The Same Day So Now We’re Married By Kitchen Law
I Mean
Currently Work In It, Worked As A Line Cook For Years. This Similarity Occured To Me The Other Day
Triggered
Polishing Myself With A Towel When I Get Out And Rolling Myself Up In My Bed
Closed At 10, And Then This Happens
What's Your State Or Regional Garbage Food That's Great? Here's Mine
Currently Work In It, Worked As A Line Cook For Years. This Similarity Occured To Me The Other Day
Note: this post originally had 80 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
after the first half dozen I gave up, since NONE were "industry secrets" the headline promised
My youngest sister runs her own cake company, it's not even a year old yet. She has been awarded a 5 on the food hygiene certificate. The highest rating. So proud of her!
As a former boh employee... I would like to just say... Fuque if you know a place is closing and still try to get food.
Great article! I always wanted to be a chef, but I didn't have the stamina for it. Plus I wasn't keen on the shitty wages.
after the first half dozen I gave up, since NONE were "industry secrets" the headline promised
My youngest sister runs her own cake company, it's not even a year old yet. She has been awarded a 5 on the food hygiene certificate. The highest rating. So proud of her!
As a former boh employee... I would like to just say... Fuque if you know a place is closing and still try to get food.
Great article! I always wanted to be a chef, but I didn't have the stamina for it. Plus I wasn't keen on the shitty wages.
