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We gathered seasoned restaurant workers to reveal the wildest stories from life in the service industry—from nightmare customers and bizarre propositions to the workplace romances that prove why waiters themselves will say, “don’t date anyone in the service industry.” Between bussers throwing punches over customers' food, coworkers hooking up on the clock, and one very drunk guest taking “I know the owner” way too far, these servers have truly seen people at their best, worst and weirdest.

But surviving a restaurant shift takes more than just handling Karens—sometimes the real drama is what happens behind the scenes. Hear why one server claims all service workers “want chaos,” why restaurant coworkers become like family, and what gets you quietly added to the staff’s red flag list. After years of dealing with customers, these waiters have learned a thing or two about human nature—from kindness, patience and humility to the people you simply have to smile at and survive.

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Transcript
00:00Don't date anyone in the service industry.
00:03People work in the restaurant industry for fast cash and fast money so they can do whatever
00:06they want.
00:06They want freedom.
00:07They don't want stability.
00:08They want chaos.
00:09I've been a restaurant server for five years.
00:11Eight years.
00:11Ten years now.
00:12And this is the craziest story I've ever experienced.
00:17There are a lot of romances that happen behind the scenes.
00:21Most servers have dabbled with each other for sure.
00:24You know how they say people are way more attractive at work than they are outside?
00:29It's completely true.
00:31A four will become an eight immediately if you're in close proximity with them.
00:35So it was my first day at a new spot in New York.
00:37We heard a huge loud commotion up in the mezzanine.
00:39A table flipping.
00:40People screaming.
00:41Two of the bussers had gotten into a fist fight right over somebody's food.
00:45It was a mess.
00:45Both of them got fired that day.
00:47They were both sleeping with one of the managers at the restaurant.
00:50I think.
00:50Allegedly.
00:51Servers get together with servers.
00:53Servers get together with bussers.
00:55Everybody's f***ed.
00:56People that work at restaurants f***.
00:58It's a whole thing.
00:59Everybody.
01:01I don't think during the shift, but definitely like right after.
01:06Like in a car or in a back office for sure.
01:09Not me personally.
01:10The walk-in freezer where there's no camera.
01:12There's never cameras around the walk-in area.
01:14You gotta find the blind spots.
01:16I'm not saying I did it.
01:17I'm not saying I did it.
01:19I'm just saying the walk-in is cold so you don't gotta worry about sweat.
01:22This one manager who was just like way too involved and she was like, Jackie, check out the bartender over
01:28there.
01:29He has a thing for you.
01:30He like looked like danger, smelled like danger, and we like hooked up and like kind of hit it off.
01:37Like a week later I found out that he smashed my other co-worker in the same night.
01:41So like don't date your co-workers or like anyone in the service industry.
01:46A bartender at the last restaurant I worked at had told me stories about hooking up with customers in the
01:51bathroom on shift while he's working.
01:54And I'm like, how did you have time for that?
01:55I love a sexy bartender.
01:57There's like the power of it all.
01:58They're making the drinks.
01:59They're always wearing like a little tie or something too.
02:01It's cute.
02:04Sometimes you do work with some sketchy people.
02:06People in the service industry.
02:07They're alcoholics.
02:08They're drug addicts.
02:09They're sex addicts.
02:10They're crazy.
02:11They go out every night.
02:11I promise you 80% of every person serving you is coked out or an alcoholic.
02:18Bartenders that work six nights a week, how do you think they rally?
02:21That's why that bartender is never going to be your boyfriend, babe.
02:23I had a co-worker once that would like go into the bathroom and like snort a line and then
02:27come back on the floor and also be fully blackout drunk as she was serving.
02:31Yeah, we've got a few cooks in the kitchen that will bop into the bathroom every 15 or 20 minutes.
02:37And I'm like, I know exactly what you're doing.
02:40We also have bartenders that will slide them drinks.
02:42It's like a Tuesday night at like 1130.
02:45I'm like, what's going on here?
02:46You have to be on all the time.
02:48And like you're doing really long shifts, maybe like, you know, eight to 10 hours and you're having to be
02:52super front facing and deal with a lot of big personalities that like, I guess for people, it's an easy
02:57way to just like always kind of like be on.
02:59You know what?
03:00Whatever gets you through.
03:01I don't judge.
03:05We do get hit on a lot.
03:06And a lot of the times by people we don't want to get hit on by.
03:10Normally, I get like a receipt with someone's number on it.
03:13If it's a group of five guys and they're like, oh, it's the guy in the green jacket.
03:16I'm like, okay, got it.
03:17I'm not going to text him because he wasn't that cute.
03:19But if he is, then I will.
03:20But if they just leave the number with no identifying factor, it's like you just lost, like snooze, you lose.
03:26If a guy is tall and cute, then I'm going to hit him up if he leaves his number.
03:30Recently, I've had a lot of like husbands tell me that their wife thinks I'm really like cute or like
03:35sweet.
03:35And I always am curious what they would like me to say to that.
03:38I think that maybe they're trying to proposition me for sure.
03:41One time this guy, shout out to Andrew.
03:43He left his number on an apple and we went on a date and it was so bad.
03:49Like it was so awkward, cute gesture, but he had no personality.
03:52Just we didn't vibe.
03:53I think a request that comes up once in a while is maybe setting me up with their daughter.
03:58It's flattering.
03:59I appreciate it.
04:00You know, I never act on that, but it's always a nice gesture.
04:03I had a 22 top table.
04:05Everybody was drinking bottomless.
04:07People were getting drunk.
04:08One of the ladies asked me, she goes, me and my girlfriend are looking for a sperm donor.
04:12We were wondering if you would be interested in working with us.
04:15And I thought she was kidding.
04:16And I was like, yeah, absolutely.
04:18Meet me out back in 20 minutes.
04:19I come back and she's like, I'm so sorry if we made you uncomfortable.
04:22And that's kind of when it clicked that like she was serious.
04:25I had to be like, I'm so sorry.
04:26Like I'm 24.
04:27Like, I don't know.
04:28Think I'm ready to have a child in the world yet, but good luck in your search.
04:32Like you guys got this.
04:33I'm rooting for you.
04:33It was the best compliment I've ever received.
04:35One person came in and he told me that I should date 50 year old men.
04:42He was a 50 year old man.
04:43He was like, I think that would be really good for you.
04:44And then not five minutes later, he saw me mouthing the words to a song that was playing in the
04:50bar.
04:51Wasn't singing.
04:52He looked at me and he said, you'll get more money from me if you don't make a sound.
04:55And I was like, I'm going to go.
04:59Worst date night I've ever witnessed.
05:00One of my first tables.
05:02I asked them, how are we doing?
05:03Are we celebrating anything this evening?
05:05And they said our divorce.
05:07And they had the papers and everything.
05:08And I'm thinking, okay, well champagne or tequila.
05:11Like what are we doing here?
05:12I came by with the bill.
05:14This man was on a date and he clearly was not interested.
05:17And the date had been going on for longer than he would have liked.
05:20And he said, can you split it?
05:22I said, absolutely.
05:22And he says, itemized, please.
05:24He only got a beer.
05:25She got like a $19 cocktail and he wanted to make her pay for all of it.
05:29And then he pays for his portion, which was like $7 doesn't tip.
05:33And then she paid and tipped.
05:34And I just felt so bad for her.
05:36People aren't super aware sometimes, especially when you like approach a table and people are still mid conversation and don't
05:41pay you any attention.
05:42I think people don't realize that we're like actively listening because we also need to like take their order or
05:46check in on things.
05:47So you get to know people pretty well.
05:50We deal with Karens a lot in this industry.
05:53People need a lot of attention and feel entitled to it.
05:57Being a server is experiencing everybody's first day on earth.
06:01I was at the restaurant and no one was tipping.
06:04My last table of the night, my manager comes up to me.
06:07He goes, she's interesting.
06:08And boy, was she.
06:09I got to the table.
06:10She slams her hand on the glass and she goes, club soda, no ice.
06:15Slides it towards me.
06:16She just ranted at me the entire evening.
06:20Her order, how the kitchen better not mess it up.
06:23Just a woman yelling at me for like 30 minutes straight.
06:25I went to the bathroom and I cried because I was tired at that point.
06:30But she did see me crying in the bathroom and I got a really big tip for that.
06:34And then she asked my manager if he wanted to have a threesome.
06:37The most caring experience that I've had, it was a group of ladies coming in.
06:40They came in two minutes before the restaurant closed.
06:43And I told them, I'm sorry, you cannot be seated.
06:45The kitchen is closed.
06:46The staff is already gone.
06:47She's like, oh, I need to speak to the manager.
06:49This is a really traumatic experience that you're putting me through.
06:51And I'm just like, girl, it's just food. Relax. Just go down the store.
06:54It was probably 30 minutes out from closing and this group of folks come in.
06:58And you can tell that they've already had a few.
07:00One lady in particular starts sitting down at different tables
07:03and trying to get people to buy her a drink in a very obnoxious way
07:08that people are just not vibing with.
07:11So my manager walks up to the lady and in a very nice professional way says,
07:16I think we have to call it a night.
07:18She just like in this huge gesture takes her finger and tries to stick it up my manager's butt.
07:24He squealed because what else are you supposed to do in that situation?
07:28And he just goes, oh ma'am, not for you.
07:31And she just, while trying to stick her finger up his butt,
07:33just keeps yelling, I know the owner. I know the owner.
07:36When I met with somebody who is just kind of barking orders at me
07:40instead of talking to me like a person, that's when you're on the red flag list.
07:44Like I'm not going to come up to you as much and be as attentive to your table
07:47if you're not treating me like a human being.
07:49Your coworkers are going to become your family, so to speak.
07:53And that's kind of like a toxic way of thinking at most companies.
07:55But in the restaurant industry, that's exactly what you want.
07:59You want buddies. You want people who have got your back.
08:01People may never remember what they ate or what they drank,
08:04but they'll always remember how you make them feel.
08:07This job has taught me a lot about human nature.
08:09I think in a really beautiful way and also in a crazy way.
08:11It's taught me about kindness, about patience, about humility, about humor.
08:15And then it's also taught me that there are just some people in this world
08:18and that nothing you say will get through to them.
08:20And you kind of just have to like put on a smile and suck it up.
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