10 Things Only Waitresses Understand

Waitressing is a job many of us have had and would not like to have again. Here are some of the struggles you'll only understand if you've ever been a waitress.

Waitressing is often the first job you can get when you turn 16 and is also one of the worst jobs. Being a waitress requires a steady hand and a serious amount of patience when it comes to fussy customers. I’ll take you through the waitressing struggles from when the customers come in to the minute they leave.

1. When you take an order and then they change their mind

Just make a decision. It’s really not that hard, also don’t change your mind after you’ve paid for the meal, it’s such a faff. Just please make a decision.

2. When they offer to give you exact change after you’ve put it in the till

I mean yes that would have been helpful had you not just witnessed me place your cash into the till and take out your change.

3. When they’ve been waiting for 10 minutes and demand to know where their food/drink is

More often than not Waitresses know when you placed your order and where it is. What we cannot do is speed up the process of making a drink or cooking a meal. Our magical powers do not extend that far, unfortunately. Your Gin and Tonic will get here when it’s ready, ok?

4. When you carry over a full tray to be reminded that there’s also something else

Yes, Susan, I know there is another toastie. I took your order. However, I only have so many hands. Please stop treating me like an octopus.

5. When people demand their table to be cleaned even though they sat to a dirty one when clean ones were available

I get this all the time, they’ll be one or two tables that need cleaning because all the customers have left at once. Despite there being several clean tables the customers will choose to sit at the dirty one and demand that you clean it.

6. When people click or beckon you

These people are the lowest of low. The ones who raise their hand and click in order to get your attention. It’s like whistling a dog. But obviously we, as waitresses, have to respond to it. Would it hurt people to just say a simple ‘excuse me?’.

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7. The eternal gratitude you have for customers who stack their plates

Anyone who has ever waitressed knows the struggle of stacking the plates of a 12 person table who have just hopped up and left without so much as a thank you. To those out there who stack their plates, you have our highest praise and our deepest thanks.

8. The cheering you get when you drop something

Nobody is perfect and we’ve all broken something whilst waitressing but rather than offering to help or being sympathetic oftentimes people simply cheer as if the noise of the crashing plates was not enough.

9. Customers ignorance when they leave

Most waitresses will say thanks to customers when they leave and ask if everything was okay and more often than not the customers will not even respond. Please just validate that I am doing a good job or this was all for nothing

10. Asking to see management when you’ve followed the procedure

Normally when people ask to speak to the manager or ‘who is the boss’ it’s for an issue that is completely outside of your control. Something is wrong with the food so you apologise profusely and offer them a free drink or side to compensate but no, this is not enough for some people and they wish to speak to the manager. Who will tell them the exact same thing as the waitress.