A Real Life Hell's Kitchen: Surviving the Food Service Industry

You look up and all of a sudden, the line of customers is out the door. You feel sweat dripping down your back from the unbearable heat from grills and fryers. You've been at work for three hours, yet you still have some time left before you get to sit down for a break. Welcome to the food service business.

People always need to eat and this is where food service workers come in. For most of the year, they wait on customers, prepare orders, clean restaurants inside and out, and deal with nightmarish rushes of customers. A lot of people find they are unfit for the business, but there are just as many that survive and go on to become managers or even restaurant owners.

Whether you are thinking about going into the restaurant business as your future career or just looking for a part time job to hold you over, you have come to the right place. By the end of this article, you will understand what it takes to survive a food service job and learn if this is the kind of work you should be doing.

When applying for a restaurant job of any kind, you should always be flexible. Sometimes places will find themselves short on staff and they turn to you to work some hours, even though you were scheduled to have off, or to work overtime. Obviously, there will be some times that you won't be able to stay or come in at the last minute, but as long as you are able, you should accept your manager's request. Refusing the request constantly does not make you look good. If you comply, you will be looked highly upon and may be given additional responsibility.

On that note, do not be the one who constantly asks for days off. Occasional time off for vacation or to go to the concert you've wanted to see forever is acceptable. Calling off to attend any social engagement that comes your way is not. When someone takes too much time off, the rest of the staff feels the impact. On a busy day, a lack of staff slows down service, which equals impatient customers and stressed out employees. If your manager feels that you take one too many personal days, he or she has the right to terminate your employment.

Be prepared to work for a long time without a break. Although you are required to have one, you may not be able to take it exactly when you want it. There may be a task you have to finish or your restaurant may simply be too busy. Be patient and do the best you can to work through what you need to. In most cases, there will be a coworker or a boss who can help you out if needed. All you have to do is ask politely and someone will be happy to help.

Make sure you display a positive attitude at all times. Even when it seems like your customers won't stop complaining or you are having problems outside of work, do not let your bad mood show. Customers can tell when you are stressed out and it is harder for you to feel calm and confident in yourself when you are panicking. If you need to and it is possible, step off to an employees only area where customers won't be able to see you. Assure another employee that you will only be gone for a minute. Once you calm down, return to your customers and get off to a fresh start.

Always help out your fellow employees. Whether you are in a fast food type setting and help an employee take care of a long line, or you are a server assisting another in bringing food to a table, helping an employee goes a long way. In the food business, no one is able to work alone and you should always help out if you are not busy and see someone who needs it. It will help lines go faster and your coworker will not feel nearly as stressed out. Sometimes, you can even help get prep work done. For example, where I work, we often fill up cups of dressing or bag celery when we are not busy. When you find yourself with a lack of things to do, always ask what needs to be done and do it without objection.

If you find yourself uncomfortable with the expectations of food service employees, then maybe this isn't the industry for you. You will not be a benefit to any food establishment if you do not want to work certain hours or do not enjoy helping others. However, if you can commit to unpredictability and stay level headed even in the craziest of times, then take one more step and get started in the food business today!