Which one is better: the running sweat or sore legs?
Definitely, you will experience both of these things when you work in a busy restaurant, especially during peak times like lunch and dinner. Don’t ask me how tough and tiring it was. You need to manage your time well so you can sneak out a few minutes to drink water. (you will be so thankful for the water you just gulped…ahhhhh!)
Yes, those are the painful parts that you’ll experience. You need to be hands-on on the floor to ensure smooth operations. As the manager in charge of a particular shift, you are the most important person. You make decisions on everything, from raw supplies stock and food quality to customer feedback, crew's break time, and restroom cleanliness matters.
Does it sound awful to you?
If you feel discouraged after reading those short passages, please hold on for a second. This sequel story may enlighten you and give you more perspective on growth.
Want to have happy customers? Train your people!
I have been trained to bear with my sore legs from standing for 7-8 hours every day during my shift. I would never have flawless makeup by the end of my shift, as it will be gone due to my own sweat. Expect to have a late lunch or dinner because I need to serve my customers first.
So tough, isn't it? But then, what is the good thing about working in the Food and Beverage industry?
How wonderful it is if you can achieve the success together, from the owner to the crew level.
After going through a lot of training, coaching, practice, these are the main growth areas that I have experienced in my 7 years of working in national and global restaurants:
End-to-end thinking and the capability to handle a restaurant's operations.
Envisioning the future and being able to make plans and backup plans for the restaurant's future.
People’s management as a leader needs to take care of everything and everyone.
Does it still sound awful? I believe now you have a more balanced judgment.
The painful journey always comes with something meaningful at the end. For my readers who are employees, please hang on and bear with the process. Even if it's uncomfortable, enjoy each lesson and learn from it. You will eventually become a totally different person as long as you never quit.
And for employers or those in C-level management, please complement your team by providing sufficient training and coaching so they can excel and serve your customers excellently.
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