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Restaurants, Long Weekends and Resentment

Do you have a bathroom?



After years of being in the restaurant business, I cannot express the happiness I feel at the prospect of having a long weekend off!

Long weekends in a restaurant mean more work, longer hours and resentful thoughts to all those happy travellers who stop in and ask "do you have a bathroom?" To which you are always tempted to say, no, sorry we don't, there's a bucket out back you can use though.

Do you have a bathroom? I am always shocked when I hear people ask this question, what the heck!? Of course, there is a bathroom! Whether you can use it or find it, now that is the real question.

"Do you have a menu?" Nope, sorry we aren't that type of restaurant.

"Is everything you have on the menu?" No we have a secret menu too, but we only show that to people we like.

Last table in the restaurant... "Oh sorry, are we holding you up?"  

Would you like something to drink... "No- I'll have a water"

"Is your food any good here?" No, sorry, the restaurant with the good food is up the road.

Of course, a silly question is just that, silly, laughable, a shake your head moment where you thank the good lord above for the blessing of your own incredible intelligence.

And let's remember just because someone "only" works in a restaurant they are not mindless or uneducated. You'd be amazed what goes home in those aprons, it would put the majority of the local office opportunity jobs to shame. A server works hard and believe me, it is not always easy to keep that fake smile plastered to your face!

We endure stupid jokes; that we are forced to laugh at, absurd questions; we are forced to answer truthfully rather than with the smart answer we have in mind, rude customers; who we are forced to try and be nice to (although you'd be amazed at what you can get away with saying as long as you have a smile on your face:), and of course we do this all while fingers are snapped, cups waved at us from across the room, hands clapped and whistles are thrown our way so that we may be asked to fetch yet another refill on that coffee.

I do miss the restaurant sometimes, but during long weekends, holidays and other busy local events, a sly smile does escape me as I think of the freedom of not being in the business!

So, let's all remember this long weekend those poor working people who, like I used to, dread long weekends... and remember nothing says I appreciate your great service like a big fat tip!

I hope you all, working or not, enjoy the first long weekend of the season!!!

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