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.
We joke but yeah it's clean. We just have such high standards on what clean it. It's things we do and don't realize. Temp zones, station set ups, how we stack the food on shelves and coolers. Even our defrost methods are rigid. That's usually why if we run out of something, we can't just go get it from the back because defrosting chicken improperly means someone gets sick and we get sued or shut down
My brother worked at a McDonalds when he was 16, told me all the disgusting things they did like reuse special sauce, use outdated condiments, drop hamburgers on the floor and were told to put them back on the grill. Etc. I never saw restaurant food the same and he became a vegetarian at 16. He was traumatized. Lol.
Side note - the state of nc requires restaurants to have their health department grade in plain sight. I’ve seen some low 80s out there.
People who work in food service jobs should not be able to work without the 2 shots. and a mask!
Jacinda: however, the experts say that covid is airborne and restaurants are a confined space, so give your burgers a socially distanced kiss goodbye until we get this virus under control.
As a former school lunch lady, I can confirm this, however we actually did try to follow the guidelines of health and food safety regulations. But human error is a real thing and some things get overlooked.
When I was young I worked in restaurants, I remember a chef cutting raw chicken and cleaning the blade on the side of a garbage can. The same guy with the same knife would chop other foods and vegetables. I worked in one place with a new manager that (to save money) cancelled the oil pickup so the tanks filled with rancid oil that had maggots crawling in them. Public health was called and we were closed for 2 weeks. One place a guy was cutting lettuce for salad, cut his finger, and bled all over the lettuce. He put it in a strainer and rinsed it off, it was served as salad.
When I was in high school, I briefly worked at my local KFC. The slaw was mixed in a huge plastic bowl before packaged in individual styrofoam containers. Late one evening the bowl fell from the counter onto the floor. The guy used a dustpan to scrape what he could back into the bowl, then proceeded to scoop it into the individual containers. Most of the crew knew about it, including the manager, and just laughed about it.
We had a poultry farm when I was a kid. Dad would deliver eggs every morning and local restaurants were on his route. Fresh from gathering and sorting eggs, he didn't always wear pristine clothes when making his rounds. He sometimes mentioned stepping over big open pots of soups and stews with his rather grimy boots in order to set flats of eggs on countertops. We never ate at those restaurants.
I worked at my local group of Perkins for a few years and they were the most sanitary restaurants I've ever seen. Every worker in every job had to be checked out at the end of every shift as to whether their station was clean enough. If not, you stayed till it was. Plus, every month we had a 'super clean' where they actually closed the store (it was open 24 hrs) and the place was super cleaned. Carpets were steamed, appliances were moved and steamed, walls and ceilings wiped down, coolers cleaned and organized, you name it. I know that part of my work ethic comes from that experience.
Tell that to the 4,500,000 people who have died from COVID.
Load More Replies...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
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.
