Would You Like Fries With That?

Before this summer, I had never worked a job in the customer service industry. I have worked (and still do currently) at a country club for a few years now, but I’m fully aware that it’s not a typical job; I heed to the requirements of the members and keep up the courts, but I rarely work at the same time with other employees and those who come to play tennis don’t necessarily need me for anything while they are there. I sweep the courts for them, get them balls or towels if they are requested, and make sure to always be available for friendly conversation or even to sub in if they need an extra player. But that’s pretty much the extent of it.

I came home from school for the summer knowing that I needed to supplement work at the country club with an additional job if I wanted to make the money that would keep up with my college spending habits (which consisted mostly of Penn State attire, accessories for school, and a whole lot of food). I went onto the online job listing site Indeed, which led me to a hostess position at a Greek restaurant my family and I were frequent customers of. Like I said before, I had never done anything like working in a restaurant, but I knew that this place was a relatively small establishment with very friendly employees, so I figured why not give it a shot? I’ve always enjoyed challenging myself with new things, and this opportunity presented me with a perfect challenge.

My first few days on the job were difficult. Conquering the learning curve in such a fast-paced setting can be pretty trying. All of the following happened to me within the first week:

  1. Put in takeout orders completely wrong which resulted in the customer calling back and the manager having to refund the meal
  2. Put in takeout orders completely wrong then catching the mistake right before bagging it which resulted in the cook having to remake the entire meal
  3. Got yelled at by a customer for something that wasn’t my fault which resulted in me crying, overwhelmed, in the individual bathroom while people waited for me
  4. Pissed off my co-workers because of general incompetence

So…yeah. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses when I started out. But, as with most things I have found, time heals everything – including this beginner’s incompetence. I started to pick up on things I thought I would never get right in the beginning – specifically takeout orders. I learned the difference between gyro platters and gyro sandwiches, I learned the difference between souvlaki and tiropita and spanakopita and saganaki and karidopita and galaktobouriko (wait, no…I still mix up the last two). I learned when to ask “would you like rice or potatoes with that?” and when to ask “would you like fries or a salad with that?” But aside from the menu (which was evidently one of the biggest challenges), I have already learned a lot of other valuable lessons in the nearly two months that I’ve worked at this restaurant.

Things Hostessing Has Taught Me

  1. Take my time, but use it efficiently
    • When it comes to putting in takeout orders, I have to take my time and make sure everything is completely right so as not to sabotage the cooks or disappoint the customers. But when the restaurant is busy and other employees need command of the computer, I need to make sure I’m being efficient and fast-paced. Overall, I really learned how to manage my time depending on the context of the situation.
  2. Being friendly goes a long way
    • A lot of the customers are regulars, and many say the reason for this is because the service they get from the employees is very personable. More so, though, if the customer is not a regular, then all it takes is being friendly to make a good first impression. Many other factors contribute to a good dining experience, but I learned immediately that smiling, being polite, and asking customers questions really pays off.
  3. Working with co-workers is awesome
    • The bonds formed with co-workers are unlike any other, because these people are the only ones who really understand what the work is like. You get to know them really quickly, and it’s super nice to have people to vent to and make inside jokes with. Plus, it’s been fun to hunt down local restaurants that are open late and go there every Saturday after work with two of my fellow employees.
  4. Everybody makes mistakes
    • Hannah Montana was right when she said this. And though it’s something I had always known before, learning this lesson in the customer service environment was especially helpful. Even the waitresses that have been there for years make mistakes when it comes to putting in orders and reservations or interacting with customers. Mistakes are bound to happen, and I’ve found that it’s much better to bounce back quickly and use them as learning lessons than to dwell on them for a long time (something that I have been historically infamous for).
  5. Appreciate customer service workers
    • I’ve only been working at the restaurant for two months, but I already know how grueling it can be. Nothing makes a stressful night worse than being yelled at by a customer (see example above) or being left a really lousy tip. Working in the customer service industry has shown me that I need to appreciate these workers myself when I go out to dinner or get waited on in any way. People are not machines just because they are serving your food. So, please, don’t be like the three teenagers who came in twenty minutes before closing, took their time eating a big meal, then left a less than 10% tip. That’s not cool!

Like one of the waitresses once said to me, everyone should experience a job like this at some point in their lives. It not only teaches meaningful lessons, but it also can be really fun and you can make some super good mullah! The moral of the story is the next time someone asks you “would you like fries with that,” don’t look down on him or her. Just give your answer and maybe drop some money in the tip jar on your way out. You never know the difference that could make!

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