Not So Comfortable
I just quit MVWJ today. After a long job search in this crappy economy, I took a job at a really cool-looking little restaurant that sold comfort food. The staff all seemed really nice, but a lot of the customers were a different story. Since it was a cheap place it attracted cheap people, and despite providing great service I would usually get crappy tips (or, on five occasions in one month, no tip at all). Also, I noticed that the manager, a fat bearded hipster type who thought he was ultra cool, would nit pick every little thing I did. He expected me to pick up the food the very second it came out and would scream for me to get the food, even if I was taking a table’s order.
One of the owners was even worse, criticizing everything I did even though I worked very hard, always cleaning tables, picking up dirty napkins as customers ate, etc. One night, many people were ordering beer and of course I ID’d people who looked to be on the young side. A couple who looked to be in their mid twenties came in and ordered beer. I didn’t ID them, and the owner was there. He asked if I ID’d them specifically and I told him I did not, so he ordered me to ID them after giving me a lengthy lecture, even though I had been ID’ing all night. Turns out they were both 25.
Another time, the owner held a meeting that I had to go to on my day off (unpaid, of course). One of the issues he addressed was that he wanted every server working at least four days a week. When I told him I could only work three because I had to look for a second job to supplement the measly money I made, he replied, “Then go because we don’t want people just passing though.” Meanwhile, the manager who did scheduling (and always seemed nice) kind of hushed him and continued to give me three days a week.
The last straw was when the manager gave me a shift working until three in the morning, then a morning shift the very next day. I sent her a very nice, polite email telling her that I was sorry for the little notice but that I would not be working there anymore. I thanked her for giving me the job. When I got a reply back, I expected it to be a nice email. Instead, she wrote, “Thanks for the notice. I do hope you’re more professional at your next job.” To which I responded, “I am as professional as I am treated.” Way to be appreciated for busting my behind for so little money.
It sounds like a shitty place to work, especially the cheap customers, but to be fair, your boss had a right to yell at you for not IDing those 20-somethings. Isn’t the general rule to ID anyone who appears under 30?
Also, although the owner was a jerk, it sounds like they were pretty accommodating by letting you work 3 days when they wanted everyone to work a minimum of 4. Sounds like you got special treatment.
As for the double scheduling, if that happened to me I would have assumed it was an oversight (especially since the manager was already so accommodating to you) and asked them to schedule someone else. It sounds like you just threw a hissy fit and didn’t give a proper 2-week notice to screw them over.
Odd, I read sort of the reverse of this one on MyVeryWorstEmployee.com
Dram shop laws can get pretty nasty. Even if someone LOOKS over age, on the off chance they aren’t, a restaurant owner can get fined a hefty amount or lose his or her liquor license (a massive source of income) and the server can get fined, cited, and will likely get fired (since they caused the owner a massive fine, etc…) if they serve under age. A lot worse (criminally) can happen if the person gets served and then leaves and causes an accident. You can debate the efficacy of such laws, but I don’t fault the owner for being a little testy on the subject.
There was a bartender that worked in the same franchise as I did who served someone without checking their I.D. who wasn’t underage but was actually like a “secret shopper” to see if they were I.D.’d. The bartender got fired, fined, & is blacklisted from tending bar for some amount of time, & I’m pretty sure the restaurant got fined, too.
The conditions sound bad, but unfortunately that’s life in the restaurant biz. I’ve never heard of a place that requires their servers work a certain amount of days, though.
I can understand the response you got for quitting that way. Sorry.
People in the comments are always a-holes…
I don’t think the commenters are being “a-holes” I think they’re being honest. Not IDing people isn’t can have serious consequences (though obviously the boss would have been better off explaining WHY it needs to be done, instead of fly into a rage), and sending an “I quit” email with no notice is unprofessional. You can’t be “nice” and “polite” and unprofessional at the same time. Either stick to your guns and explain exactly why you are walking out, or give notice.
(pretend there isn’t that mysterious “isn’t” in the second sentence….)
Sounds like your average job with average annoyances. Not MVWJ material.
I’m a waitress and I know why IDing is important. I get that. But management nit picking every little thing you do and yelling at you to run food while you’re with another table is extremely annoying and stressful. Some managers will run food to the tables for you if you’re obviously busy instead of screaming at you while it sits in the window and you can’t get to it right at that moment.
I just find it kind of funny that everyone jumped all over this girl (I’m assuming its a girl). She’s telling you a funny story not asking for a lecture. Calm down.
I don’t think anyone was ‘lecturing’ her, so much as giving their frank assessment of the situation, from what was offered via the story (which was heavy on angry…. short on “funny”).
She complained that she was always being criticized, but then the only example she cited (ID-ing for alcohol) makes one more sympathetic to management.
The “last straw” (scheduling incident) makes her sound like a volatile hothead– instead of calmly discussing the less-than-ideal schedule with the manager who seems to have gone to bat for her in the past, she instead self-righteouslyquit with NO notice. For this, she expects a “nice email” in response? The response she received sounds both just & temperate!
Yeah, I dont see anyone being an a-hol so much as just pointing out how there any be another side to this story. Restuarants are brutal places to work in general that oporate on a diffrent set of rules (literally) and so some crap is to be expected as just a hazard of the position. A lot of it sounds farily standard with a few extra annoyances.
The scheduling thing had been done to me several times at that point, and I was sick of waking up early after working all night. Can’t believe how everyone jumped on me like that!
Well you didn’t exactly make it clear that it had happened to you multiple times. You made it sound like it happened once and you just up and quit…probably should have included a bit more info.
That aside, I know quite a few people who are waiters/waitresses and what you described as your very worst job sounds like their typical day.
Look, there’s a reason why I haven’t worked in a restaurant since 2001. It sucked for me and I hated it. But I agree with Call 911…your story isn’t an example of a “very worst job.” That shit is par for the course in food service, and if you can’t hack it, move along and find something else.
Don’t worry honey, everyone is a moral, outstanding citizen when they write here. I’m sure they would NEVER quit a job like that after being treated badly. When a business treats me like shit, and makes it clear to me they do not give a fuck, it kinda gives me the same attitude.
Exactly, Mmmchille. Thank you!
To the OP, I understand why you quit like you did. I got the same crappy comments from various people when I decided to quit my job. AFTER I gave my two weeks notice, the manager kept telling every customer how I was quitting and isn’t it just horrible and stupid. So, the next day I called and told them I didn’t appreciate how I was treated and will not finish my two weeks. Of course, several acquantinces told me how unprofessional I was. I told them they could have that job any day.
Aside from my rant, that was a pretty crappy job. Sounds like you weren’t even making enough to put up with their bullshit. And some of us can only take so much. If they treat you crappily, I don’t see how being “professional” i.e. the 2 weeks notice, etc. should even matter. You just don’t list that job on applications.