WOLF ANGEL
A Fool on the Hill
Have you ever worked asa waitress ("in a cocktail (or other) kind of) bar" ?
What were your experiences? - Good, Bad of 'wierd and wonderful'?
What were your experiences? - Good, Bad of 'wierd and wonderful'?
Working as a waitress / waiter
- Thread starter WOLF ANGEL
- Start date
Oldeagle66
Senior Member
I did it for several years as a professional waiter, not 'server' when we still carried over ten trays on our shoulders. We wore tuxedos and proud of the profession. I learned my customers habits, likes and dislikes. I made great tips and earned enough to afford a home. I loved it, made great friendships, met a lot of celebrities and was requested often.
hearlady
Homebody
- Location
- N Carolina
Not in a bar but certainly did my share of waitressing in my teens. It was hard work but fun after I moved to Myrtle Beach!
A dish of cole slaw slid off my tray onto a young man's lap. His friend thought it was hilarious and left me a good tip!
WOLF ANGEL
A Fool on the Hill
I worked behind the bar at a night club for a few years.
----- " on - the Cocktail bar"
Following the birth of our second child with the "Mrs" in 'recovery , I took on a second job: -
Thurs: 21:00 - 02:30
Fri: 21:00 - 03:00
Sat: 21:00 - 03:00
?
(Though remained and still good friends now)
----- " on - the Cocktail bar"
Following the birth of our second child with the "Mrs" in 'recovery , I took on a second job: -
- 07:00 - 16:00 Mon - Fri (Day job)
Thurs: 21:00 - 02:30
Fri: 21:00 - 03:00
Sat: 21:00 - 03:00
- Well needs must!
?(Though remained and still good friends now)
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
Not in pub , but in a restaurant as a waitress on a Holiday Island when I was a teen... I really liked it. People were very nice generally speaking .. we had a lot of American visotors, and they were always super nice and tipped well
I would hate to work as a waitress or any kind of job serving the public today 50 years on.. people have a horrible attude now to public servers...
I would hate to work as a waitress or any kind of job serving the public today 50 years on.. people have a horrible attude now to public servers...
WOLF ANGEL
A Fool on the Hill
There were a number of 'Special event' nights, which were interesting.
(Amazing what the fancy dress persona brings)
But it did give one the opportunity to be creative with some on the concoctions one could come with -
Easter, Summer Solstice, Halloween and Christmas periods in the main.
It was just before and during the 'Tom Cruise' "Cocktail" film period - and way before the ''Coyote ugly'' - entertainment offered.
So Imaginative and Artistiry was key
Used to like and became adept at the Tequila Sunrises =
(Amazing what the fancy dress persona brings)
But it did give one the opportunity to be creative with some on the concoctions one could come with -
Easter, Summer Solstice, Halloween and Christmas periods in the main.
It was just before and during the 'Tom Cruise' "Cocktail" film period - and way before the ''Coyote ugly'' - entertainment offered.
So Imaginative and Artistiry was key
Used to like and became adept at the Tequila Sunrises =
WOLF ANGEL
A Fool on the Hill
Yes - though hard work, it can also be enjoyable - especially when the appreciation is there
And also Yes, Customers at bars - especially when they had indulged a tad too much ... could be ..... 'challenging'
- modern-day customers are far more expectant and demanding these days and rudeness much more common place.
Yes, from 1968 to 1971, the last year of high school and for the two years following, I worked part-time after school and weekends at a small, family-owned restaurant and bakery called Teutenberg's in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. It was a short walk from our home. I liked the job and the people, made $1.15/hour plus tips. When I graduated HS, I worked full-time in downtown St. Louis as a secretary, would ride the bus home, change clothes, then go to the restaurant and work from about 6pm to closing at 9pm. Weekends, I would work longer hours there, then babysit for neighbors afterwards.
Years later, when I had two children and was a single mother, I was desperate for a job and signed up with a temp service. Worked a few nights in a hotel bar where once a man said "Drinks for everybody!" and that had me running cuz the place was packed. He tipped $100 and I was thrilled. One night, I was sent to another bar for Halloween. It was a rural town, 30+ miles away, of coal miners and other blue collar workers. Worked till closing at 2:00 am . Beer was $.95; the patrons who tipped would give me a dollar and say, "Keep the change." Made less than $2.00 that night. When the temp service called me to work there again, I refused.
I have often thought that if I were forced to go back to work, it would be at one of the local restaurants. People here who go out to eat are mostly retired and friendly. I don't know if I have the physical stamina to do that now, though.
Years later, when I had two children and was a single mother, I was desperate for a job and signed up with a temp service. Worked a few nights in a hotel bar where once a man said "Drinks for everybody!" and that had me running cuz the place was packed. He tipped $100 and I was thrilled. One night, I was sent to another bar for Halloween. It was a rural town, 30+ miles away, of coal miners and other blue collar workers. Worked till closing at 2:00 am . Beer was $.95; the patrons who tipped would give me a dollar and say, "Keep the change." Made less than $2.00 that night. When the temp service called me to work there again, I refused.
I have often thought that if I were forced to go back to work, it would be at one of the local restaurants. People here who go out to eat are mostly retired and friendly. I don't know if I have the physical stamina to do that now, though.
In a restaurant when I was 18 -19. A very nice elegant, white table-cloth restaurant. Very quiet, making it all the more embarrassing when I dropped an entire rack of silverware on the floor. During the lunch hour we had the Charleston version of the Mad Men crowd. If I had been possessed of any practical brains I would have nabbed one of them and lived a nice comfy life.
Muskrat
Senior Member
- Location
- Mainly arizona
I had several waitress jobs during my high school and college days. That was the best training ever for being an ER nurse.
Jules
SF VIP
High school & university summers were spent working as a waitress. It made me appreciate servers in non-chain restaurants. Those people hustle.
In the chains it takes two attractive young women at reception. One will walk you to your table and ask how your day is going. Your server takes your order for drinks and food. They’ll deliver the drinks that someone else has made and someone else brings out the food. Then your server will take away dishes, ask if you‘d like anything else and bring the machine so you can pay the bill. Then they want to know about your plans for the evening just as factoring in the tip.
In the chains it takes two attractive young women at reception. One will walk you to your table and ask how your day is going. Your server takes your order for drinks and food. They’ll deliver the drinks that someone else has made and someone else brings out the food. Then your server will take away dishes, ask if you‘d like anything else and bring the machine so you can pay the bill. Then they want to know about your plans for the evening just as factoring in the tip.
I worked as a waitress in my teens and a pizza place that served beer when I was 21. I liked it as a teenager because the customers were mostly my age and I knew most of them and it was fun.
I dropped a tray of food once and it was so embarrassing but the customers were nice about it and didn't get upset. That was in the pizza place. However, the boss did not like it and yelled at me in the kitchen. I quit that job in a month and went to work at the phone company with more money and a nicer working place.
I dropped a tray of food once and it was so embarrassing but the customers were nice about it and didn't get upset. That was in the pizza place. However, the boss did not like it and yelled at me in the kitchen. I quit that job in a month and went to work at the phone company with more money and a nicer working place.
jujube
SF VIP
Never as a waitress, but I did work one semester in college in the dorm dining hall.
Sometimes I served on the food line, sometimes wiping down tables and sometimes, ugh, in the "dish room".
The worst thing was wearing the dorky yellow gingham uniform, white apron, white tennies, white ankle socks and, worst of all, A HAIRNET!
Sometimes I served on the food line, sometimes wiping down tables and sometimes, ugh, in the "dish room".
The worst thing was wearing the dorky yellow gingham uniform, white apron, white tennies, white ankle socks and, worst of all, A HAIRNET!
I worked for awhile as a regular waitress at Bob's Bigboy. This man came in and told me how much he was dying for a big bowl of chili. I could see he really wanted that bad. So I got him his big bowl of chili and some crackers. About 10 minutes later I looked over at his table and he was gone and it looked like he hardly touched the chili. The manager then told me that I got him chili from the wrong pot and it had been ice cold and not heated yet! Boy did I feel stupid! I also had been a cocktail waitress downtown.
I don't think I was cut out to be a waitress.
I don't think I was cut out to be a waitress.
Marquest
Senior Member
- Location
- Bay Area CA
The first--and almost the last--time I worked as a waitress in a middle eastern restaurant, I didn't know to identify the tables by number, so when I brought the food out I would stand in the middle (it was a small place) and call out "Who ordered the lamb?" etc.
WOLF ANGEL
A Fool on the Hill
Despite the glamour that TV and Film portray (and/or 'Human League' single), it's hard graft, tests the patience and iis not a well-paid position .. but can be - Rewarding - and at times ... Hillarious
Once for a week I worked as a waitress. Not a good experience for me. One week and I quit.
WOLF ANGEL
A Fool on the Hill
Can't blame you =
WOLF ANGEL
A Fool on the Hill
Follwing Dad's footsteps,
My eldest daughter worked as a wateress to supplement her college.
and
My Younger daughter ended up running her own Pub, where she told me ahe found the catering/food was far harder than the provision of alcohol.
My eldest daughter worked as a wateress to supplement her college.
and
My Younger daughter ended up running her own Pub, where she told me ahe found the catering/food was far harder than the provision of alcohol.
I did after my kids were all in school. Family Restaurant on one side, bar on the other divided by a wall and swinging door.
My boss was a great people reader and hired me for the family side...much to my relief. I did really well at it, brought me out
of the quiet shell I was in at the time.
A group of 6 men came in one evening and wanted shots of Chavis Regal before dinner and I could not for the life of me
pronounce it right. They got such a kick of making me try to say it they tipped me 50 bucks for torturing me.
Never forget that.
My boss was a great people reader and hired me for the family side...much to my relief. I did really well at it, brought me out
of the quiet shell I was in at the time.
A group of 6 men came in one evening and wanted shots of Chavis Regal before dinner and I could not for the life of me
pronounce it right. They got such a kick of making me try to say it they tipped me 50 bucks for torturing me.
Never forget that.
Imogene
Member
- Location
- Middle Tennessee
No. I am not people oriented enough to work a job like that. The first time someone would’ve put their hands where they shouldn’t have they would’ve got a tray of food on their lap.
I lived in the country and I earned Hay & grain money for my horses by working on my grandparents farm during the summer.
As an adult, my first job was taking payments at the front desk in a finance company. That was bad enough, putting up with people’s bull
I lived in the country and I earned Hay & grain money for my horses by working on my grandparents farm during the summer.
As an adult, my first job was taking payments at the front desk in a finance company. That was bad enough, putting up with people’s bull
BJintheUK
New Member
- Location
- Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, UK
I went to university at Canterbury in Kent as a mature student in 1975 at the age of 25. From then until I graduated in 1979 I worked in the only pizza place in town. It was called Sweeney Todd's Pizza Parlour and was set up by two Americans who came to the UK to do a year's study at Canterbury. They saw a hole in the market so went back to their parents and asked for the money to set up a Chicago style pizza restaurant.
I don't know how long Sweeney's had been going when I started there, but all the time I was at uni I worked various shifts, sometimes in the kitchen, sometimes behind the till/bar and other times as a waiter. I spent a year out of uni from 76 - 77, and for the whole year I worked as the Kitchen Manager for them.
This meant going to the cash and carry every morning for the fresh produce, then with the help of two others doing all the prep for the pizzas, and then being the cook for the afternoon shift. I did this 6 days a week, Mon - Sat. When I started back at uni I did a regular waiting shift every week on Sunday afternoons. I also did other shifts as and when they were available, and this way I managed to survive without having to spend much money (if any) on food.
It was interesting being a waiter, because I was quite shy, so having to interact with people helped to bring me out of myself. As such I think it was a positive experience, but that was nearly 50 years ago, and I think things have changed quite significantly since then .
I don't know how long Sweeney's had been going when I started there, but all the time I was at uni I worked various shifts, sometimes in the kitchen, sometimes behind the till/bar and other times as a waiter. I spent a year out of uni from 76 - 77, and for the whole year I worked as the Kitchen Manager for them.
This meant going to the cash and carry every morning for the fresh produce, then with the help of two others doing all the prep for the pizzas, and then being the cook for the afternoon shift. I did this 6 days a week, Mon - Sat. When I started back at uni I did a regular waiting shift every week on Sunday afternoons. I also did other shifts as and when they were available, and this way I managed to survive without having to spend much money (if any) on food.
It was interesting being a waiter, because I was quite shy, so having to interact with people helped to bring me out of myself. As such I think it was a positive experience, but that was nearly 50 years ago, and I think things have changed quite significantly since then .