Being a Cook at a Casual Restaurant Compared to at a FastFood Place?

Question

Is being a cook at a casual restaurant like Chile's or Ryan's the same as being a cook at a fast food restaurant like McDonald's? I worked at Sonic, and I hated it, I was too rushed and it was very stressful having to start on one thing, then starting another thing and so forth. I like starting something and then finishing it, instead of starting several several things and coming back to them one by one. Also, I hated not having set hours. I might have got off at 10 p.m. but I couldnt leave until all of my "chores" were done. Is it like that at a casual restaurant? or do they specifically have people to clean and cook. Thanks

Answer 1

I personally think that the work environment is waay different between the two.

I think you will enjoy working at an actual restaurant, and you will get more respect.

Answer 2

I think it's the same cause they both serve bad foods with high trans fats and high salt..no difference..you don't call these places good places to eat.

Answer 3

Restaurants are always stressed. It won't matter where you work in the food industry, it works that way. I would say you probably would get better hours, better pay, and some benefits if you worked at Chili's or Ryan's. Fast food places usually don't have you work 40 hours because they aren't going to pay for any benefits.

Answer 4

Well, I work in a Hotel Restaurant and it's very stressing. I like the way you learn new things and recipes every day, but I can't leave the place until I have all my chores done. I also have to manage doing several things at the same time and being able to finish them off, is a really fast pace place and dont have time to s***w up. I like it but it can be really exhausting sometimes.

Answer 5

Cleaning comes down to the place. Most do NOT have cleaning crews. Cooking is a LOT different, but you still have many different things going at once. If its a popular place you will still be busy as all h**l, and under pressure. Thats what makes it fun!

Answer 6

5 years experience in fine dining has taught me that they are all the same except for the type and quality of food that they serve, as well as fine dining will treat and pay its staff better then micky d's.

But since you mentioned the things you dont like.. the stress, the rush of doing a job, starting multi plates, running away and then coming back to finish them, it really sounds like you dont like what this industry really has to offer.

I would suggest to try out a different field (after 5 years and college for culinary I now work in a law firm and Im going to school to be a law clerk), or if you want to stay... although the hours will never be steady or practal... who likes closing shop at 3 am? You might be better suited for the day shift when its more prep and less organized chaos, or going into fine dining but going in as a prep cook, which means you wont work the line, answer the orders, you'd be the guy in the back that makes the bread, dips, appitizers (raw egg roll, scallops and bacon etc). This allows you to do start what you finish before moving on, but you will still have to run by the clock, and when its not busy... they send you home early.

Find something practicle, that you can support yourself and a family on the salary you make. The food industry really doesnt offer that to the adverage joe.

Answer 7

I dishwashed, cooked fast food (breakfasts, burgers,other), and cooked through several 'dinner restaurants' up to rated restaurants in San Francisco. All restaurant work is 'stressful', hectic, ...dealing with people, etc. It is NOT for people who like to single task and finish a single task. Cooking is, by definition, just the opposite. You must co-ordinate your time and effort. I found fast food such as breakfasts to be the hardest, you really have to move. I worked in a seafood place that could turn 5-6 hundred dinners a night.