Is it hard being a waitress?

Question

what are all the things u have to do to be a waitress

Answer 1

I agree with just about everything that's already been said, so I won't reiterate. But I want to stress how important it is to get along with your coworkers!! They are the ones that will be there when all your tables are gone, that you will see the next night, that help you when you're down, etc. Be friendly with your customers, chat with regulars, but keep your coworkers happy (sometimes even especially the kitchen. They are the ones that have the power to bump your food ahead of others if they so choose. This doesn't happen in all places, but I've worked in a few where certain server's food came out faster and more attractive than others. You can help this by making sure you are ordering exactly what you need; i.e. no mayo, sauce on side, hold the bread...) Have fun with the job. Laugh as much as possible in the back and front of the house and you'll feel better and get better tips!

If it doesn't work out at first, don't be afraid to try a few other restaurants. Some are much harder than others and very often the hardest ones yield the least amount of money

Answer 2

Keengrrl's hilarious!! She is so right. But there are positives as well. As a single mom and student I make great money and work few hours. But I have been doing it for over 10 years, I am good, and I work in a nice restaurant. Go for a classy joint, not AppleBee's. That where the money is. But I can't wait to graduate college and get a nice, clean job with benefits and weekends off. Where you don't get treated like crud and sexually harrassed.

Answer 3

i became a waitress and i quit i just couldnt take it to much to worry about all at once...i respect waiters and waitress....i definitly tip more then i used to

Answer 4

It definitely is a hard job, I know I couldn't do it. But I hear that you could make really good money if you can put up with pushy people and picky people... best of luck

Answer 5

Memorizing the menu is not the tough part of waiting tables...try a packed Friday night, party of 20 high school kids, everyone wants separate bills, asks for extra everything - but only one at a time so you have to keep returning to the table, change their mind about the dish they want after it arrives, and leave next to nothing in tip...oh, the kicker was the Valentines that I worked, a table of three couples who paid their bill in cash (I saw it when I had my hands full with dirty dishes as I ran back to the kitchen), so after coming out and dropping off drinks to another table, the money was GONE - I had to pay their bill out of my tips that night, so I took none home.

There's other stuff that happens, too, like people's orders get screwed up by you or by the kitchen, and it's always the meanest/ angriest/ pickiest person at the table...also, the sweetest person will ask you for a refill on their lemonade and you forget until they get up to go home, or you're working with only one other server and all of a sudden you get 4 new tables at once - try getting all their drink and orders in a timely manner...so many things can go wrong, and on a packed night it can just be overwhelming.

Answer 6

At first, then after a couple of months if your good your good. But man I've seen some bad ones! Learn time consolidation, eye contact, listening, taking care of special needs, putting up with customers c**p, balance, and always refill drinks.

Answer 7

serving tables can be a lot of fun, but people who have never done it don't understand how hard their server works or that they are not the only customer. It is hard work. You are on your feet for hours at a time. You have to think quickly and multitask. You have to be a team player (doing sidework, and helping other servers)

The main problems are

bad tips

people making you run back and forth

people who go out to eat to complain

people who chug their drinks

long cook times thanks to the kitchen (and server deals with the mean customers)

The best part is you usualy make good money. Although I hate not knowing if Im going to make $40 or $140 on any given night.

It is also fun to deal with lots of people in a super busy atmosphere.

The main things you do while actualy serving tables. Introduce yourself, explain the specials, get drinks, offer an appetizer, take order, bring out bread, put in order, take out apps, take out salads, refill drinks, take out meal, make sure meal is good, get refills, box up food, prebus table (get rid of all the plates), bring check, cash check out, thank customer and start over. You are doing this with 2 to 5 tables depending on the resteraunt.

At the same time you have to do sidework. This means running other servers food to their tables, baking bread, restocking butter, lemons, glasses, boxes etc, sweeping the floor, refilling ice, making tea and so on.

At the begining of the shift you may have to get everything out for the night, cut lemons, stock everything, etc

At the end of the night you will have to clean your tables, refill salt, pepper and sugars. Sweep under your tables. you may have to roll silverware. You also may have to help put everything away and clean the kitchen. Some resteraunts have their servers vacume.

good luck!

Answer 8

If you can't handle pressure.. then don't bother.

Answer 9

for some people it's hard and for others not as hard. if you are good at multi tasking, problem solving and have good people skills it's not too hard.

there is a lot that a server does:

handles abusive customers

deals with cooks that are usually very high

put up with managers on an authority trip

deals with not having the items the customer orders

puts up with the huge turnover in the industry

handles hectic rush hours

plays politics with the hostesses

sometimes doesn't make ANY money, because a customer  walks out on their bill

the good stuff: we're very close with these employees even though there's a lot going on. we have flexible hours. and usually make great money.

Answer 10

1) Put up wth pushy and rude people, all with a smile on your face

2) Deal with not being paid well for hard work

3) Clean tables, mop floors, sweep, refill ketchup bottles and salt shakers, stay at work late

4) balance trays

5) memorize menus and specials

6) answer stupid questions

7) deal with sore painful feet

8) get into fights with the kitchen staff

It's tough, but it can be fun

Answer 11

Not at all, it just takes a lot of coordination. I've only ever had a job as a waitress and it is really good money.

Answer 12

well i have never been a waiter, but it involves memorizing the menu, and remembering all of the side orders and such, you also have to have tremendous patients and people skills. Good luck with your job search and all. :D