Lessons I’ve Learned as a Server

It’s always interesting to me how others respond when I tell them I work as a server. I am often met with a concerned look and the question, “Is that going ok for you?” Sometimes well-meaning people will begin mentioning other jobs I could be doing as if to assume I want to run away from serving as quick as possible. A couple times, new acquaintances have asked, “Oh, so you’re one of those starving artists?” In the eyes of some folks, serving jobs are mostly reserved for kids trying to get through college or for people who couldn’t make it or never had the motivation to make it in the career world.

Who Would Have Thought
Serving is relatively new to me. I began working as a server for the first time at a New Mexican restaurant about a year and a half ago. It was amazing how I even found the job. At the time, I was working as a production assistant at a television station. I was waking up five days a week at 2:45 am and was making very little money for a whole lot of work. At one point, I mentioned on Facebook that I was looking for a better job. I didn’t think my post would yield any results, and in fact, I regretted that I expressed my job dissatisfaction so publicly (Facebook is for baby pictures and happy thoughts, right?). Surprisingly, a few days later, we were eating at Chick-Fil-A and ran into a friend’s wife who said her husband was hiring at his restaurant. To make a long story short, I left the television job about ten months later after multiple frustrations and roadblocks and began a new career as a server at my friend's restaurant.

My friend and new boss at the restaurant gave me a chance to do something I had no experience in. Anyone who has left the career world knows how difficult it is to get a job where you are over-qualified. It’s ironic that a college grad will probably find it next to impossible to get a job at McDonald’s.

Working at the restaurant has been a good thing for me. My boss and co-workers are great. In fact, on many levels, this is probably the best job I have ever had and unless God changes my course, I plan to stick with the job for a while and for a variety of reasons. For one, I need to build a steady employment record. Last year, Crystal and I applied for a mortgage loan and discovered that my income won’t count until I’ve worked as a server for two years. So, I’m locked in for that reason. In addition, I really don’t know what else I could do at this point in Columbus, OH. I am qualified to work as an audio technician in a production house, but full-time jobs in that field are about as rare as an albino squirrel. As a side note, I did once work as a worship pastor at a church, but discovered that a passion for music doesn’t always equate to a passion for church music ministry. Some folks are made for that sort of thing. I totally want to serve in a church, but the thought of leading a worship ministry actually drains my fuel tank.

Welcome to the Serving Industry
I’ve learned a lot working as a server. For one, serving is hard work. There are days when I am on my feet 10-12 hours straight. In fact, I’ve lost 10 lbs. or more since I started working at the restaurant. I had to buy new jeans because my old ones were falling off. No joke.

I’ve also been happy to learn that servers can make really good money. I’m actually making almost twice as much as I was making as a television production assistant and I am working the same number of hours. Most people are surprised when I tell them that some of the rookie reporters I was working with were literally on food stamps.

Working as a server has challenged me to keep my cool when I want to fly off the handle. Things can get pretty intense when you are working in a tiny space with 7-8 other servers who are all trying to make money just like you. Sometimes, you may get a smaller section (less tables) than another server. Sometimes, another server will get to go home earlier than you, and for some reason, you’re the one stuck deck brushing the floor at 11:30pm. Sometimes, you will hate sports because of what they do to the restaurant business. Sometimes, you will get a bad tip. Sometimes, you will have a night of bad tips…or a week.

Tips for Tippers
Wow, I could talk for a while about bad tippers. It’s easy to stereotype certain types of people, and for good reason. Even though I am a Christian, I cringe when I see a group of people praying before a meal or when I see someone wearing a cross around his/her neck. He/she may say kind things and speak Christianese, but in the back of my mind, I’m wondering what I’m going to find when I open that black server book buried underneath a pile of napkins, crayons, salsa bowls, and queso drizzle. Will I be tipped the outstanding 20%, the moderate 15%, the disappointing 10% or the insulting round-up-to-the-nearest-dollar-above-the-total or here’s-the-change-I-had-in-my-pocket tip?

Last week, I had a table of six foreign young adults who cumulatively tipped me about $1.50 on a $60 bill. They all shared 4-5 entries and then evenly split the bill between themselves. Each person ended up with a bill of about $9.86. One person rewarded me with $1.00. Another person didn’t give me anything. The other four gave me .14 each, and one girl actually added a smiley face next to her signature to let me know that they enjoyed my service.

I have to be honest — it’s tough to have a good attitude when people are that rude. I am a Christian. I’m supposed to serve people out of the goodness of my heart, right? I just have to keep remembering that I have a chance to be Christ to everyone I meet every day even when people don’t treat me fairly.

I’ve also discovered that stereotypes aren’t always true. One day, I served food to two middle-school boys who must have gone out for lunch with their parents’ credit card. I wasn’t even expecting a tip, but they actually tipped me 20%! I’ve stereotyped older people and certain nationalities…but I’ve been proved wrong again and again. It’s a good lesson to never say “always.” People aren’t always who you think they are. On the flip side, when people are insensitive, it’s good to remember that God loves them, and we should too.

Like my job at the restaurant, I’m thankful for opportunities that stretch me. I’m grateful that seemingly mundane things can be life altering, and I’m amazed how God can use the most ordinary experiences to bring us closer to Him. I’m not sure if I’ll work as a server for the rest of my life, but I pray that I’ll continue to learn what it means to be a servant as long as I have breath to serve.

Using the Salt in the Shaker
In conclusion, I would say be thoughtful of servers. Most servers make $4.00 an hour and your tip may be what is paying for their rent or their babies’ diapers. Especially, as Christians, we need to remember that we have a bad reputation when it comes to tipping. Saying thanks with your mouth and giving a 10% or 15% tip doesn’t look good to a server who is used to getting 20%. I’ve heard of Christian customers asking servers how they can be prayed for, praying for them, and then backing it up with a good tip. You never know how you may change someone’s day or life course.