Recently I went to a Red Lobster, and I’ll never go back again. Not because of the food but because of the waiter complaining. The food was something else to talk about. He went out of his way to tell every table that, “we are short staffed since nobody wants to work.” And he would proceed to laugh as if this was a joke.
Even before Covid-19 hit the world and devastated many industries, I heard this phrase in one way or another. Which isn’t true. Other journalists and bloggers have stated that many who have quit did so because they don’t want to put up with shitty management anymore. And I agree.
Though I got out of this industry several years ago, many experiences have stuck with me. Certain reflexes, phrases and shorthands, and customer service has a permanent place with me. But most importantly: being empathetic to my fellow human beings. Which almost feels ironic since many patrons tend to show just how shitty they can be when going out to eat. And they rub it in your face when they barely tip (if at all).
The first restaurant I worked at after being chased off from Graceland (yes, Elvis’s mansion, the poorly taken-care-of private museum) was Central BBQ. Here I learned phrases like “heard” and “corner.” I also learned little bits of customer service as a food runner. Oh, you didn’t get your sauce? It’s right over here. Another time: Sorry folks, you need a receipt in order to claim a table. You can’t sit down before. I once said this next one on the spot without thinking about this prior: Be careful… Everyone stared up with concern… It’s dangerously delicious. Sometimes you walk a fine line for the sake of humor. I’ll skip my cashier experience there this time.
There were two other restaurants I worked at with insane managers that never took a day off and must have been on something to function. They didn’t care that much about new workers and treated me like I was disposable. Which feels great when you inevitably decide to quit.
But some of the friends I made along the way made much of these places worth working at. I met some great people that either knew what to talk about to keep the busy times interesting; or were quiet and always looking out for everyone so they don’t get in trouble for some stupid reason.
So in my teeny-tiny experience with working in the food industry, I learned who to trust. Which is almost always just yourself. And that seriously needs to change. This should have changed years ago, before the 2019 pandemic. When people leave in droves, I assure you Red Lobster Man that it’s not because we don’t want to work. You just aren’t looking out for us; financially, in a managerial way, or on a basic human level.
If you are a manager and believe you have never made a mistake, you will never retain employees for long. And I’ve had managers that believe this. Here’s a tip for the people in charge of restaurants, as well as patrons: do better. Much, much better. Treat wait staff like actual human beings. We’re tired of this shit. This industry is a 2.5 star experience on the best of days. During brunch or a busy lunch day, it’s a one star experience.