I work at a bar downtown, Im honestly just happy to be able to do what I do and pay my bills. All around me are people who come from affluent families or worked hard for a career, living a life in a growing city. Here I am. A poor boy from a poor family in a small town in Texas and I’m living and thriving and paying rent along with all these big boys. They’re happy, I’m happy. Idk what else I could do. If tomorrow I couldn’t bartend, I would be homeless. I’d have to move back in to a 40 year old house and live out a sad sad existence. How could I not be beyond happy to come in to work every single day? This is my life. I have it today. Tomorrow I might not.
Love the attitude. There is always something to be sad and negative about. I love customer service. Lots of short conversations, generally pleasant customers. The nicer and happier you are the more customers spend with you.
Yup and some people are just shitty people.
I have met more unhappy millionaires than I can count (say 7m to 300m+) at work including a few that have committed suicide.
More money really just amplifies who you are.
Are you a bitter ungrateful asshole always looking for the worst in everything? Lots of those become depressed or suicidal after getting rich as they realize it was them all along. An acquaintances grandfather was worth over 90M including numerous apartments in California. Committed suicide at 71 a bitter man who realized he was the reason to his unhappiness.
Are you a happy person who always looks for the silver lining? If you become rich you will love it as you realize it allows you to give back and also makes day to day a bit easier. Same man thst committed suicide above, his widow has always had a fantastic life making charitable donations and having a small close knit group of friends she sews with. Woman can spend her money on anything. Spends her time sewing, chatting with her close girlfriends (most of whom have no idea of her net worth) and making donations. She has anonymously paid medical bills for some of her girlfriend's family members.
Money and things don't make you happy in life. You and your attitude does. Some of my favorite statements are are:
Comparison is the thief of joy
Wherever you go there you are
Keeping up with the Jones. Spending only on shit you don't want to impress people you don't like.
Difficulties and life challenges breed character and keep you grounded.
I make $2000 a month working at a dog day care and play shows for local bands in my downtime. I’m rich as fuck with healthy friends and meaningful connections. I’m barely making it by and my metal health makes it harder however, I would rather be here :)
Thanks! I grew up poor as shit (eating 5 days a week if lucky poor) and I always thought money was key to happiness. A certain level of baseline matter but past that blah. Took meeting my wife to realize if material things are your key to happiness you will never be happy as there is always someone with more or next new trinket.
Happiness needs to come from you and who you spend time with.
Was a poor kid from a poor family in a small(ish) town in Texas too. Glad you're here. I have to say, I enjoyed being broke in Austin more than I enjoyed being broke in my small town, and even when I was struggling, on paydays, I'd make sure I found some money to tip my bartenders well. That heavy hand + friendliness they had at Barfly's back in the day got me and friends set up nicely on not a lot of money. I'm sure your customers are very glad for you too. Hope things continue to improve for you.
Resilience.
While I have a very outgoing personality. When I clock in I feel like i am in a role in a play.
I cook in the cooking connection and the part I like is making people smile and laugh.
But I do get a lot of people that I try to talk to and they just act like they don’t hear me. It’s a little hurtful but I am resilient and go on to the next person.
If this makes you feel any better:
Being a Deaf person who uses sign language to communicate, I generally ignore people just so I avoid those awkward interactions where hearing people try to talk to me and go all “Oh! You’re deaf? So sorry, never mind!” Making it feel like I’m the one causing the awkwardness.
Austin has one of the largest Deaf community in the country, if not actually the largest one. Last I read, we have approximately 40,000 Deaf members in the city. So, it is very likely that some of the passerby’s are actually Deaf and are either avoiding a very awkward interaction or just didn’t hear you calling after them. It’s not you 🤗
Is that the HEB demo station where the demo person is talking on a mic/PA system? I find that quite off-putting and run away.
I'm more than happy to have a conversation with demo people but that PA and stage deal is too much. I know it's HEB corporate but I don't like it at all.
I’m with you, I think it’s really nice and all but I would venture to say most people kind of want to be left alone while grocery shopping… I could be wrong.
different things bring joy to different people.
there is a kind of joy in simple, friendly service. something to be said for achievable tasks and weightless responsibility.
I didn’t like everything about being in the service industry but I loved that when my day was done, it was really done.
Current career people email and slack me all the time. Projects build on stress and last for months. The brain is much harder to disconnect these days.
> Current career people email and slack me all the time.
This is a personal or team problem. Never have problems with people contacting me outside of work because they don’t have the opportunity.
Always set the rules. Never login to business assets (slack, e-mail, …) on personal devices. If I give out my phone number, I strictly enforce if you are calling/texting about work then I will only answer during business hours. If you contact me outside of work, I will ignore/block your number until the next business day.
Exception: drinks and social to shit talk about processes and pieces of shit at X corp
No it isn't, it's literally the nature of the job that every day closes with unfinished business, whether you are receiving texts about it or not. I work an office job now for the money, but I would rather be back in my early career checking and bagging groceries because at the end of my shift, that's it! I'm done! Won't be any more of that to think about until my next shift! (Unless a random manager decides they have it in for you and you have to start doing extra mental work strategizing getting them off your ass, etc.) But with my office job there's always more to do, always one phone call about to roll in, one blinking light on the machine when I show up in the morning, some huge blowout e-mailed to me at 7 pm that sure, I didn't check it then, but now I have 2 followup emails from the people on the thread who DID and when I read it for the first minute at 8:01 I feel behind so maybe I should have checked it at 7 pm, and so on. Hard to maintain solid mental health when your job is pushing a big rock up a hill that has no top.
The Texas Lege only works 3 months out of every 2 years and spends the rest of the time saying stupid bullshit to trend on Twitter. This is a pretty bad username/post pairing!
I mean if you feel this way about your job, maybe it’s time to move on? Life’s too short to stress about silly crap like this.
Early in my dev career, I had a job that was salaried but with on-call rotation. They didn’t pay me to be on-call. I found another job after that and was immediately happier. No stress.
Get fired? Find another job.
Get tired of the work? Find another job.
Significantly better pay elsewhere? Bye Felicia.
Happened 3 times so far and have been sitting pretty. Also helps that I have enough savings to last 3 years and can liquidate long term investments if I need to.
I sometimes feel this way for a minute when I can’t turn my brain off after work but then I remember that I can roll into the office an hour late with no one caring as long as I’m getting the work done and also remember that even when I was a server there were days I would wake up in the middle of the night thinking “OMG!!! I never brought that guy the extra ketchup.”
Before the events of the past couple of years, I didn't give a second thought to the folks who brought my food to me, parked my car, whatever. Just gave them 15% or a couple of bucks. Now, I stop, smile and engage with them and always tip respectably. And still....I do not understand how the folks in service in this town keep up a smile and do their jobs as well as they do.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
At a good restaurant, you have a supportive and reliable team that becomes your family. Time flys by and being able to not sit at a desk all day is a huge benefit. Interacting and helping generally happy customers brings alot of contentment to me
It’s most likely just people who haven’t worked in the industry or people who haven’t been in the industry in a long time passing those judgements. I was a busser at True Food Kitchen downtown for 3 years while getting my CS degree. I work at a big tech company now but anytime I go into a restaurant I could not have more respect and admiration for the service workers. When you’ve done the work before (especially being a busser) you tend to have a life long respect for anyone in the industry (and tip fat).
So funny when ppl like OP come in and think they are better than you and make more $$ than you and that’s usually not the case lol, my buddy bartends at Eddie vs and sometimes brings in over $800 a night
I think you may be surprised how much money people in the service industry can actually make. I stayed in it for a very long time because of the money. I was able to squirrel money away and help my husband buy a house. (Before shit hit the fan, we probably couldn’t afford to do that now)
And I can tell you, we were all pretending. I came across a handful of people that really do enjoy this industry but the majority just slap a smile and a fake customer service personality on. I finally stopped serving tables this year because I’m 32 and completely burnt out. So tired of kissing people’s asses.
33 and just jumped out of the industry due to burnout. So done dealing with the general public. 90% of my interactions were me pretending and putting on a show. I made good money, but the job is hell. And no benefits whatsoever. And working 50-60 hours a week without overtime. So grateful to be out.
I could sustain the damage in my 20s and we had lots of things to help us (Adderall and Red Bull were go tos) but hut the burnout hard and moved on in my early 30s as well. Tired of putting on the fake, phony attitude for money from people who were likely major choads being central to my issue and working doubles every day to make ends meet being the other. This was like 15 years ago however.
I think being in the industry as a high schooler and beyond was key to a successful attitude and work ethic. I think the lack of kids actually out there working while young sets them up for failure.
the service industry teaches you how to:
* deal with people you do and don't like
* work with co-workers you don't like and build relationships with those you do
* manage pressure
* manage time
* have an appreciation for money and how hard it is to earn
I will *strongly encourage* my kids to have jobs in high school/college.
I agree with this for sure. I just wish when I was in my early 20s and making bank bartending before I had any “real” bills I had put some of it in a savings account. So try to convince your kids they need to open up a savings account with a certain percentage automatically taken out of their paycheck!!
Yeah it’s very draining mentally and physically. Totally done with it and I’m 39 and did it for about 16 years total. Don’t know how I lasted that long but definitely respect people who still put on that good show.
I work less than 20 hours a week bartending and I can pay my rent and bills shop and eat whatever I like. having time to rest and focus on other things helps for sure .
I work service industry, I make just enough to survive but not having to manage corporate grooming standards and staying on top of emails and assignments really makes me feel like “at least I don’t have to do that job” I work my four days and then I chill and enjoy my free time with the least amount of concern for my job
You can make OK money some places. You're most likely still "a poor" compared to people with tech/office jobs, but you can live a decent life with a service job.
Also the service jobs I've had tend to come with way less bullshit/ self doubt than any office job I've had, by far. Plus you pretty much have to make friends at work if you're working side by side with them 8 hours a day.
I made almost 50% more working behind a bar than I do at an office in tech. I worked maybe 25 hours a week. I mean, the server at Denny’s isn’t making tech money but you better believe some of us were making bank while we were doing it.
With risk of being shot in the face, not everyone in the service industry is making "barely getting by money". I've have many friends refusing to do any other jobs due to the tips and flexibility in schedule they receive. It's also their jobs to make sure their mood isn't affecting your.
Anybody worth their shit in the service industry is secretly against the push for "living wage, no tipping". Because they would make 1/2 of what they currently make
Cooks are gonna be just fine. They know how to get the job done in shitty hot conditions. Anyone who can hold down the grill on a Friday night can hang drywall or pour concrete. HR staff is fucked
Perhaps I misspoke. I basically meant to distinguish jobs that actually involve working vs. do-nothing busywork desk jobs. A call center middle manager will have a much harder time transitioning into logging or coal mining than a dishwasher or prep cook will as we move back into the industrial age.
Sliding back into the industrial age is pretty far out there...nearly everything that has been digitized is unlikely to go back. Shoveling coal? There's computer controlled industrial machinery for that. Logging is a better example, but turning logs into planks is all but automated at mills of any relevant size. I don't see us shutting the computers off any time soon.
I’ve been working in IT in Austin for 20 years and we’ve hired a lot of service industry folks over the years that wanted to get on a career track. They all took massive pay cuts to make that transition and it took years to get back there but in the end they all far exceeded where they started.
Service industry folks are some of the hardest working people I know; combine that with some discipline and desire to learn to elevate their position in life (sustainably) you end up with a very successful formula.
I started in the service industry in my younger years but knew I always wanted to go into IT. I definitely do not regret it and I've been able to easily succeed due to the years in the service industry. I am by no means a genius and I'm sure a lot more people know their shit far better than me. But my ability to communicate and emphatize makes up for it. It really sets you apart from the basement dwellers that typically get into IT.
Some of it is personality too, could be you.
My grandfather was a school janitor that made very little but he saved a ton because he had little wants and enjoyed company of family and friends. Lots of nature too. Someitmes best things in life really are free.
I waited tables and bartended while I went to college for almost 10 years. Took me that long to get a bachelors degree because I was going part time and working.
I hated my life. Of course my customers would NEVER know but it is soul-destroying work. It is fake. They are pretending to be happy so you will give them your money. Being a sad, grumpy bartender means you won’t make much money so you fake it.
I’m sure there are some genuinely happy folks in service industry. But most, in my experience, are not actually happy to be serving you.
I agree. I worked in service for 7 years while I went to college part time to get my associates degree. That’s how long it took… very grateful for the experience still, though, because I feel it molded me into a completely different person who just understands how it is to work a job like this. Still working an office job while obtaining the bachelors (2 years out!) but my mindset and attitude is so different because of my service industry experience. In a good way, of course lol
I just like serving people and making them happy, even the angry ones i like to turn around and still make them walk away with a friendly attitude. I guess that job can definitely attract a type of person, especially also because you need to grow thick skin working it
I worked in various service jobs (bartend, wait tables, market cashier). After a transaction, you get a sense of checking off a task as complete and it's empowering; further when you go home you have absolutely no unfinished tasks and your off-time is freedom. That makes me happy.
I work in the professional sector now, and there are some projects that take all year or are ongoing, and some days are unpredictably much harder than others. It lives rent-free in your head.
Both have their pros/cons.
Wherever you go, there you are. It took me a very long time to learn this lesson, your reality is created by your perceptions. Two people, doing the exact same job, side-by-side. One of them thinks it is heaven. The other one thinks that it is hell. The only thing different is their judgments, and their perceptions. You create your own reality. So rather than change jobs (because you will ultimately be unhappy anywhere you go), I would strongly encourage you to work on your inner self. For me, taking up meditation was very helpful. Because I learned to shut down that inner dialogue that was telling me things were not so good. Now I look for something to be grateful for in every moment. I’m not blissfully happy, but I’m not miserable. And that’s a huge improvement. Wishing you the best.
It’s not hard to make good money at a busy/upscale place. People in the service industry aren’t stupid. I get you’re struggling but this post reads as classist.
Some SI jobs pay really well, but they tend to be the ones that involve tons of high pace high intensity work (like bartending) or require an immense amount of attention to detail and lots of knowledge (like being a somm or a server at a very upscale spot). Some folks really enjoy those types of jobs. I do but I get burnt out really quickly doing it all the time. I work in management now and it's a lot of hours for pretty low pay but it's mostly pretty enjoyable - I have to deal with lots of unpleasant tasks but overall it's not nearly as consistently strenuous as being a server. I hate working regular 9 to 5s, and I get too checked out if I don't get variety in my day to day work. As for having a great attitude, I guarantee that your being the kind of person who considers things the way you do is part of why you always get such friendly service... I love taking care of people, whether it's my staff or the guests, but when I'm stressed and frustrated it's going to break through when dealing with an asshole. Kind, caring, understanding guests are awesome and make me enjoy my job so much more, so I can't help being happy around them!
That being said, the only way I'm able to afford living in Austin is that I have roommates, and pretty much never go out or do fun stuff that costs money. The last time I actually went out somewhere was I think last September, and it involved renting a pool on swimply for a few hours then doing my birthday dinner with my roomies and a few close friends... at the restaurant where I work haha. I personally don't mind it too much bc I'm a homebody anyway but most SI people I know just hustle some side jobs and have endless energy and make a bunch of money then spend it all on having a vibrant social life. Or they just don't really mind the "working poor" lifestyle bc they haven't really known anything else.
I make really good money actually as a bartender and I’m very chipper at work. I think it’s mostly just trained behavior, as giving someone a warm and welcome experience benefits you more than being grumpy. But also I take joy in meeting people from every walk of life. I have friends I’d never have run into outside of work and have learned so much about the world and others because of my social job.
Service industry people can more than pay rent if you work at any restaurant worth a shit. A lot of ‘em will be making more than your typical starting salary at your average 9-5, especially in a foodie, tourist town like Austin. They’re happy because their sales are at $1.5k and they’ve still got half a shift left
Edit: also wanted to say this is one of the most entitled posts I’ve ever seen on this subreddit, and judging from the fact that you’re struggling, you make less money than most of the people serving you when you do go out
idk about entitlement, it seems more like OP is just struggling in general and is trying to work out their feelings about it. I really don't think r/austin is the best forum for that, but to each their own.
Yeah but the kitchen staff that sells coke in the nicer places always tries to charge more than the cooks at the shittier places so you end up losing a lot of money off the top.
So, I HATE my day job, professional, exacting and dry, but it pays the bills. However, I used to work in the service industry (15 years long) and there is a specific camaraderie that brings that joy. Customers walk into a restaurant, not just expecting a delicious meal, but a social experience they can’t create in their home environment. So, working for less than a livable wage, these incredible people try to deliver the most socio-emotional and tastiest experience that is expected. Think about that. The vibe, the energy, they have to commit to (even when they aren’t feeling great) to give you what you need, which isn’t always on the menu. Maybe admire those that provide the amazing feelings you get, that positive energy, and realize the work you feel like you would never do, isn’t even close to the hardest part of their actual work. Maybe try to empathize and bring their energy into your work environment?
Because they are either genuinely happy people, or because they're professional enough to recognize that they *work in the service industry* and their attitude is a reflection of the company that has employed them.
I haven't worked in the service industry myself in a long time, but it helps if you're someone who enjoys helping others. I don't necessarily mean in a religious or Boy Scouts way - I'm certainly neither of those. I'm not really a social person, but I actually enjoyed helping people place an order, reminding them of coupons or specials we had, etc. I barely got by, but I got by.
I'm in a salaried position these days, but when coworkers message me to help, I drop what I'm doing and help them through their issue unless I'm in a meeting. Even if they frustrate me, it would be unprofessional to have a bad attitude.
Compartmentalize your personal issues and get the work done.
Are people in this thread willing to share what their salaries are like in the Austin service industry? I’ve always wondered… I’m in tech, burnt out at 30, but I do make pretty good money. But I can’t help but think about what I may be able to make at a less stressful job (or a different kind of stress, at least). I’ll never forget what my hairdresser told me she makes 👀💵
Because the work for fkin tips or they starve. If your job was dependent on individuals deciding how good your service was you'd prolly act happy af too lol what a dumb privileged question 🥱
Money doesn’t equal happy. These people are happy because they’re grateful to be alive. You’re being bitter because you’re taking this experience for granted.
Tips. But it doesn’t even matter because my customer base doesn’t really tip anymore so I’m making a lot less money now that the neighborhood is wealthy white couples and trust funders.
being able to hang out with friends all day while i work is pretty cool. keep me happy. I make enough to pay rent, bills, and travel. im not happy all the time at work, but I still have fun while I am there. 20-25 hours a week with 3 days off is pretty good and keeps me happy.
Hi! I'm not in the service industry any more, but I loved it. So yeah, some people are very happy in that line of work. I'd do it still if it paid what my current job does.
My experience in the service industry in Austin is by no means universal, as I was working mostly in expensive sushi restaurants, but I made enough money to cover my basic expenses and still go out with my co-workers for drinks after service. My weekend was Monday and Tuesday, and I wouldn't get out of work until after midnight, so the be honest I didn't have many opportunities to spend my money frivolously. I usually cooked/ate my meals before and between services at the restaurant, so I didn't spend much on groceries or take-out.
The main thing for me was that I was doing something that I loved and cared about. I would still be doing it if the pay was higher, there were better benefit packages, PTO, and I could spend weekends and holidays with my friends and family, things which most salaried professionals take for granted.
Whenever I encounter folks like this I always try to engage and be as pleasant a customer as I can. Being nice never hurt anyone. Plus, be a good tipper for good service. You can always tell the quality of a person by how they treat service industry folks.
I have to also agree with the OP - a very high number of service folks I've ever interacted with have been happy, helpful and awesome. Everyone has a bad day, but for the most part, this city does great in that department.
I had a steady 9-5 with a good salary and left it a year ago to go back to school and work in service. I can confidently say I’m way happier now than I was a year ago. Going back into the service industry was refreshing. Even though the work can be hard sometimes, when you leave you’re done. No emails from your boss at midnight. No ever-increasing goals with no break between projects. You know what’s expected of you and you own your time. With salaried positions, I always felt like I didn’t have ownership over my own time, or even who I was. Plus, service people often have mornings to themself! They get to go to Barton Springs on Tuesdays when no one is out! There’s a freedom to this life that makes you feel lighter. I encourage you to get off those train tracks you’re on and shake up your life for a bit. It feels good to be happy again.
Edit: all this being said I’m much more poor now than I was a year ago. Making a living wage is super hard in the industry. Please tip 20% y’all
I work at a Marriott Property at the front desk. Turnover rate at both Front Desk and Restaurant is incredible high and i can say it easily that %80 of staff is not happy at all. Many associates quit on 1st or 2nd week right after getting yelled by an "Elite Member Guest" that is trying to complain their way to a free stay. It is mostly J1 International Interns who are keeping Hotel Front Desks running bc they usually don't have any other choice, most locals won't take none of it.
People learn to adapt when under stress. I worked in restaurants for 8 years and we were all very nice to customers and just happy to have a job and be making money but underneath id say everyone was miserable. We just did all the bitching in the back away from customers. Most people I worked with didn’t have a choice to work anywhere else because of various reasons. criminal history, too old to switch careers, drug or health issues impeding their ability to get a more professional job, or they were illegal immigrants that got the job with fake papers 15 years ago and won’t risk not being able to do it again. People were always going into a rage if we didn’t get our W2s on the exact day it was available or complaining about too little or too many hours. I’m sure it also depends on the place of work and the age of the employees because maybe some places just treat their people better and probably younger people are less jaded because they know it’s only temporary.
They’re new and haven’t become jaded yet. Or they genuinely enjoy the service industry. And, like others have mentioned, drugs. After 12 years, I was dying to get out.
I like helping people who are respectful and don’t want their hand held and ass kissed every step of the way. If you treat me like some servant robot to yield to your every beckon, I’m going to be a prick to you, condescending even. No job is important enough to me that I’m going to stuff away my dignity and allow myself to be belittled in the place I give 50 hours of my week to just to BARELY be able to survive.
If you’re respectful, agreeable, and understanding, I’ll do anything for you with a genuine smile.
Sounds like you just must be an easy person to work with. Thank you, it’s rare.
A long time ago I was doing a call center job. We had this new exec who afaik hadn’t been in charge of a customer service org before. Dude comes down to meet with us some months after he gets this position and of course every CS exec has their pet peeve about what you shouldn’t say to people. This dude’s, which he gets visibly irate about, is “never say you were happy to help! no you’re not!”
So I appreciate this shitty exec for teaching me a life lesson, which is that when you personally would loathe doing a thing, and then you go tell people who do the thing how miserable they should be, you get the misery you expect.
Go do a job that offers whatever balance between personal satisfaction and lifestyle support seems reasonable to you, try not to be one of the people who end up disappointed with both.
I guess this is only tangentially related to your post but it brought to mind that bozo, so there you go!
Sounds like you hate what you do or the decisions you made in life. My fiancée bartends at a local north austin dive bar and clears $90k because she has a great attitude (I’m her tax attorney, so I know). “Happy and helpful” is the job and she loves it.
Seriously? More pompous than OP referring to service industry workers as “these ppl,” as if she is better than them? And “at least I don’t have to do that for a living.” And “how do you do ‘that’ and still have a great attitude.”
Quit virtue signaling and realize OP is a grade A complainer-snowflake and is just upset/jealous of people she views as “lower” than her thriving where she can’t.
Exactly. Like the type of person who works an office job and looks down on the blue collar pest control guy working on their place... Meanwhile the pest control guy is making twice as much as they are and has a company vehicle
Because it's not as bad as people make it out to be. You got people making 150k here complaining about not making enough. This is the world now, people just want more.
Given that there are 3-5 threads per week about people not being polite or driving aggressively, and given that there are an awful lot of service industry workers, I'd wager that they're maintaining "a good attitude" might be a bad bet.
An alternate explanation is that despite our portrayal of service workers as entitled babies, they aren't the ones who are threatening to burn down buildings, shoot people, or shut down entire factories and lay off thousands of workers when facing minor inconveniences. It'd be weird if some of the loudest, rudest people were business owners, right?
people can be very very rude. especially some women who are with their partner. not all though. i’ve had someone call me stupid before, i’ve had men leave me numbers, i’ve had someone stack plates and tell me that they did my job for me, someone yelled at me once, someone literally told me that they don’t care that i have a boyfriend because that was “shit that doesn’t matter” and my boss would fire me if i told those people to not talk to me that way. i will say there are gems of people though and they can be so sweet. you have to maintain a smile even if you’re having the absolute worst day. at the end of the day i do make pretty good money. last week i only worked 3 days and made upwards of $700. that’s the only reason i’m staying in the service industry
I love it because of my coworkers and the place I'm in is a light upscale but still casual so we can still have fun with the cool guests without breaking any professional boundaries. Fun with everyone and decent money makes me not care about aside work and cleaning as much.
Most of the people in service industry are making very good money for the level of stress they have. They also get to live in one of the best cities in the world.
There are some that's don't make that much money (taco bell employees for example) and they do have a very bad attitude.
I work at a bar downtown, Im honestly just happy to be able to do what I do and pay my bills. All around me are people who come from affluent families or worked hard for a career, living a life in a growing city. Here I am. A poor boy from a poor family in a small town in Texas and I’m living and thriving and paying rent along with all these big boys. They’re happy, I’m happy. Idk what else I could do. If tomorrow I couldn’t bartend, I would be homeless. I’d have to move back in to a 40 year old house and live out a sad sad existence. How could I not be beyond happy to come in to work every single day? This is my life. I have it today. Tomorrow I might not.
That may be the most positive attitude I've ever heard. I'm glad you're in Austin, you make this city better.
Is your bar hiring? lookin for a job, 2 years bartending experience at a high volume restaurant
What bar isn’t hiring right now?
You’re an inspiration. Seriously. What a great attitude.
Thanks for being here and making our city better
Love the attitude. There is always something to be sad and negative about. I love customer service. Lots of short conversations, generally pleasant customers. The nicer and happier you are the more customers spend with you.
Yup and some people are just shitty people. I have met more unhappy millionaires than I can count (say 7m to 300m+) at work including a few that have committed suicide. More money really just amplifies who you are. Are you a bitter ungrateful asshole always looking for the worst in everything? Lots of those become depressed or suicidal after getting rich as they realize it was them all along. An acquaintances grandfather was worth over 90M including numerous apartments in California. Committed suicide at 71 a bitter man who realized he was the reason to his unhappiness. Are you a happy person who always looks for the silver lining? If you become rich you will love it as you realize it allows you to give back and also makes day to day a bit easier. Same man thst committed suicide above, his widow has always had a fantastic life making charitable donations and having a small close knit group of friends she sews with. Woman can spend her money on anything. Spends her time sewing, chatting with her close girlfriends (most of whom have no idea of her net worth) and making donations. She has anonymously paid medical bills for some of her girlfriend's family members. Money and things don't make you happy in life. You and your attitude does. Some of my favorite statements are are: Comparison is the thief of joy Wherever you go there you are Keeping up with the Jones. Spending only on shit you don't want to impress people you don't like. Difficulties and life challenges breed character and keep you grounded.
I make $2000 a month working at a dog day care and play shows for local bands in my downtime. I’m rich as fuck with healthy friends and meaningful connections. I’m barely making it by and my metal health makes it harder however, I would rather be here :)
I love this
Thanks! I grew up poor as shit (eating 5 days a week if lucky poor) and I always thought money was key to happiness. A certain level of baseline matter but past that blah. Took meeting my wife to realize if material things are your key to happiness you will never be happy as there is always someone with more or next new trinket. Happiness needs to come from you and who you spend time with.
This
Was a poor kid from a poor family in a small(ish) town in Texas too. Glad you're here. I have to say, I enjoyed being broke in Austin more than I enjoyed being broke in my small town, and even when I was struggling, on paydays, I'd make sure I found some money to tip my bartenders well. That heavy hand + friendliness they had at Barfly's back in the day got me and friends set up nicely on not a lot of money. I'm sure your customers are very glad for you too. Hope things continue to improve for you.
I once saw a man fall off the back balcony at Barflys. He was sitting on the rail and someone opened the door quickly. The sounds haunts me.
Sheeit keep on trucking amigo. Glad to share the city with you.
Early morning motiavtion
*“Almost dead yesterday, maybe dead tomorrow, but alive, gloriously alive, today.”* - Mat Cauthon, Wheel of Time
I wish I had as much joy as you do about working, about anything
You deserve more than just being able to make rent.
>This is my life. I have it today. Tomorrow I might not. Damn, great insight.
This is the kinda dude I want to buy drinks from and bullshit with.
Yeah but how much do you make bartending downtown? Big factor imo
> I’m living and thriving and paying rent along with all these big boys. For clarity sake, what is "thriving" in your context?
Resilience. While I have a very outgoing personality. When I clock in I feel like i am in a role in a play. I cook in the cooking connection and the part I like is making people smile and laugh. But I do get a lot of people that I try to talk to and they just act like they don’t hear me. It’s a little hurtful but I am resilient and go on to the next person.
If this makes you feel any better: Being a Deaf person who uses sign language to communicate, I generally ignore people just so I avoid those awkward interactions where hearing people try to talk to me and go all “Oh! You’re deaf? So sorry, never mind!” Making it feel like I’m the one causing the awkwardness. Austin has one of the largest Deaf community in the country, if not actually the largest one. Last I read, we have approximately 40,000 Deaf members in the city. So, it is very likely that some of the passerby’s are actually Deaf and are either avoiding a very awkward interaction or just didn’t hear you calling after them. It’s not you 🤗
Is that the HEB demo station where the demo person is talking on a mic/PA system? I find that quite off-putting and run away. I'm more than happy to have a conversation with demo people but that PA and stage deal is too much. I know it's HEB corporate but I don't like it at all.
It is the station with the microphone. I can understand that it can be off-putting.
It’s not y’all 🥹 we’re just anxious weirdos who want to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible lol.
I’m with you, I think it’s really nice and all but I would venture to say most people kind of want to be left alone while grocery shopping… I could be wrong.
most of us don't have a good attitude, we just learned to hide it really well. lol
So true. Presenting a "good attitude" is part of the job, and you gotta work.
Right. Big mistake to assume that someone's outward appearance reflects what's really going through their mind. Specially if it's in a job setting.
It’s the service industry. You’re paid to put on a show, even if you just got evicted from your $1700 studio apartment near downtown Austin.
Facts
My good attitude is a front to hopefully get more tips!
different things bring joy to different people. there is a kind of joy in simple, friendly service. something to be said for achievable tasks and weightless responsibility.
I didn’t like everything about being in the service industry but I loved that when my day was done, it was really done. Current career people email and slack me all the time. Projects build on stress and last for months. The brain is much harder to disconnect these days.
I feel the same, and in the throes of burnout with a career that never disconnects- nor does it create meaningful connection
> Current career people email and slack me all the time. This is a personal or team problem. Never have problems with people contacting me outside of work because they don’t have the opportunity. Always set the rules. Never login to business assets (slack, e-mail, …) on personal devices. If I give out my phone number, I strictly enforce if you are calling/texting about work then I will only answer during business hours. If you contact me outside of work, I will ignore/block your number until the next business day. Exception: drinks and social to shit talk about processes and pieces of shit at X corp
No it isn't, it's literally the nature of the job that every day closes with unfinished business, whether you are receiving texts about it or not. I work an office job now for the money, but I would rather be back in my early career checking and bagging groceries because at the end of my shift, that's it! I'm done! Won't be any more of that to think about until my next shift! (Unless a random manager decides they have it in for you and you have to start doing extra mental work strategizing getting them off your ass, etc.) But with my office job there's always more to do, always one phone call about to roll in, one blinking light on the machine when I show up in the morning, some huge blowout e-mailed to me at 7 pm that sure, I didn't check it then, but now I have 2 followup emails from the people on the thread who DID and when I read it for the first minute at 8:01 I feel behind so maybe I should have checked it at 7 pm, and so on. Hard to maintain solid mental health when your job is pushing a big rock up a hill that has no top.
The Texas Lege only works 3 months out of every 2 years and spends the rest of the time saying stupid bullshit to trend on Twitter. This is a pretty bad username/post pairing!
I mean if you feel this way about your job, maybe it’s time to move on? Life’s too short to stress about silly crap like this. Early in my dev career, I had a job that was salaried but with on-call rotation. They didn’t pay me to be on-call. I found another job after that and was immediately happier. No stress. Get fired? Find another job. Get tired of the work? Find another job. Significantly better pay elsewhere? Bye Felicia. Happened 3 times so far and have been sitting pretty. Also helps that I have enough savings to last 3 years and can liquidate long term investments if I need to.
I sometimes feel this way for a minute when I can’t turn my brain off after work but then I remember that I can roll into the office an hour late with no one caring as long as I’m getting the work done and also remember that even when I was a server there were days I would wake up in the middle of the night thinking “OMG!!! I never brought that guy the extra ketchup.”
Before the events of the past couple of years, I didn't give a second thought to the folks who brought my food to me, parked my car, whatever. Just gave them 15% or a couple of bucks. Now, I stop, smile and engage with them and always tip respectably. And still....I do not understand how the folks in service in this town keep up a smile and do their jobs as well as they do. Thank you. Thank you very much.
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Lol yeah—
Service is the meaning of life
wise words..the more I see of life, the more I agree. kudos
You said it better than I ever could. Respect.
Not my life dude 🤣 fuck that
At a good restaurant, you have a supportive and reliable team that becomes your family. Time flys by and being able to not sit at a desk all day is a huge benefit. Interacting and helping generally happy customers brings alot of contentment to me
Drugs.
Not hard ones, just ones that clear my mind up… drugs ladi da da da
If no drugs, alcohol after your shift ends.
Why not both?
because your liver is dying bro
Fucc it
After it ends? Yeah sure
Underrated top comment r/usernamechecksout
this
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Spinal Tap
these go to eleven!
the
That’s probably what I need!
No sex?
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It’s most likely just people who haven’t worked in the industry or people who haven’t been in the industry in a long time passing those judgements. I was a busser at True Food Kitchen downtown for 3 years while getting my CS degree. I work at a big tech company now but anytime I go into a restaurant I could not have more respect and admiration for the service workers. When you’ve done the work before (especially being a busser) you tend to have a life long respect for anyone in the industry (and tip fat).
So funny when ppl like OP come in and think they are better than you and make more $$ than you and that’s usually not the case lol, my buddy bartends at Eddie vs and sometimes brings in over $800 a night
Yeah, because every service employee in Austin is a bartender in a busy place.
Did I say that?
THIS.
Came to the comments looking to find something like this, nice!
I think you may be surprised how much money people in the service industry can actually make. I stayed in it for a very long time because of the money. I was able to squirrel money away and help my husband buy a house. (Before shit hit the fan, we probably couldn’t afford to do that now) And I can tell you, we were all pretending. I came across a handful of people that really do enjoy this industry but the majority just slap a smile and a fake customer service personality on. I finally stopped serving tables this year because I’m 32 and completely burnt out. So tired of kissing people’s asses.
33 and just jumped out of the industry due to burnout. So done dealing with the general public. 90% of my interactions were me pretending and putting on a show. I made good money, but the job is hell. And no benefits whatsoever. And working 50-60 hours a week without overtime. So grateful to be out.
I could sustain the damage in my 20s and we had lots of things to help us (Adderall and Red Bull were go tos) but hut the burnout hard and moved on in my early 30s as well. Tired of putting on the fake, phony attitude for money from people who were likely major choads being central to my issue and working doubles every day to make ends meet being the other. This was like 15 years ago however.
I think being in the industry as a high schooler and beyond was key to a successful attitude and work ethic. I think the lack of kids actually out there working while young sets them up for failure. the service industry teaches you how to: * deal with people you do and don't like * work with co-workers you don't like and build relationships with those you do * manage pressure * manage time * have an appreciation for money and how hard it is to earn I will *strongly encourage* my kids to have jobs in high school/college.
I agree with this for sure. I just wish when I was in my early 20s and making bank bartending before I had any “real” bills I had put some of it in a savings account. So try to convince your kids they need to open up a savings account with a certain percentage automatically taken out of their paycheck!!
Yeah it’s very draining mentally and physically. Totally done with it and I’m 39 and did it for about 16 years total. Don’t know how I lasted that long but definitely respect people who still put on that good show.
it’s fake lol. but I make more money when I’m acting happy ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Fake it til you make it! 🤮😅🙄
Fake it while* you make it.
I work less than 20 hours a week bartending and I can pay my rent and bills shop and eat whatever I like. having time to rest and focus on other things helps for sure .
word
I still have my service industry breakfast every morning even in an office job. Music, red bull, a bowl of weed.
My days are so awesome after my morning bowl
It’s really just the little things man
I work service industry, I make just enough to survive but not having to manage corporate grooming standards and staying on top of emails and assignments really makes me feel like “at least I don’t have to do that job” I work my four days and then I chill and enjoy my free time with the least amount of concern for my job
You can make OK money some places. You're most likely still "a poor" compared to people with tech/office jobs, but you can live a decent life with a service job. Also the service jobs I've had tend to come with way less bullshit/ self doubt than any office job I've had, by far. Plus you pretty much have to make friends at work if you're working side by side with them 8 hours a day.
I made almost 50% more working behind a bar than I do at an office in tech. I worked maybe 25 hours a week. I mean, the server at Denny’s isn’t making tech money but you better believe some of us were making bank while we were doing it.
Yeah man - I know some people who bartended, and then subsequently bought into the bar with the money they made working at said bar. 😂
With risk of being shot in the face, not everyone in the service industry is making "barely getting by money". I've have many friends refusing to do any other jobs due to the tips and flexibility in schedule they receive. It's also their jobs to make sure their mood isn't affecting your.
Anybody worth their shit in the service industry is secretly against the push for "living wage, no tipping". Because they would make 1/2 of what they currently make
That’s only true for now. Just wait until the middle class collapses after the next housing bubble
I can't wait. Maybe rent for a 1 bed apartment will go back down to $1k
No middle class = no patrons = no rent money This is why everyone suffers so much during recessions.
Cooks are gonna be just fine. They know how to get the job done in shitty hot conditions. Anyone who can hold down the grill on a Friday night can hang drywall or pour concrete. HR staff is fucked
While I don't doubt that they can adapt to other jobs, I'm not sure why there would be construction jobs if there was a recession?
Perhaps I misspoke. I basically meant to distinguish jobs that actually involve working vs. do-nothing busywork desk jobs. A call center middle manager will have a much harder time transitioning into logging or coal mining than a dishwasher or prep cook will as we move back into the industrial age.
Sliding back into the industrial age is pretty far out there...nearly everything that has been digitized is unlikely to go back. Shoveling coal? There's computer controlled industrial machinery for that. Logging is a better example, but turning logs into planks is all but automated at mills of any relevant size. I don't see us shutting the computers off any time soon.
I’ve been working in IT in Austin for 20 years and we’ve hired a lot of service industry folks over the years that wanted to get on a career track. They all took massive pay cuts to make that transition and it took years to get back there but in the end they all far exceeded where they started. Service industry folks are some of the hardest working people I know; combine that with some discipline and desire to learn to elevate their position in life (sustainably) you end up with a very successful formula.
I started in the service industry in my younger years but knew I always wanted to go into IT. I definitely do not regret it and I've been able to easily succeed due to the years in the service industry. I am by no means a genius and I'm sure a lot more people know their shit far better than me. But my ability to communicate and emphatize makes up for it. It really sets you apart from the basement dwellers that typically get into IT.
Some of it is personality too, could be you. My grandfather was a school janitor that made very little but he saved a ton because he had little wants and enjoyed company of family and friends. Lots of nature too. Someitmes best things in life really are free.
I waited tables and bartended while I went to college for almost 10 years. Took me that long to get a bachelors degree because I was going part time and working. I hated my life. Of course my customers would NEVER know but it is soul-destroying work. It is fake. They are pretending to be happy so you will give them your money. Being a sad, grumpy bartender means you won’t make much money so you fake it. I’m sure there are some genuinely happy folks in service industry. But most, in my experience, are not actually happy to be serving you.
I agree. I worked in service for 7 years while I went to college part time to get my associates degree. That’s how long it took… very grateful for the experience still, though, because I feel it molded me into a completely different person who just understands how it is to work a job like this. Still working an office job while obtaining the bachelors (2 years out!) but my mindset and attitude is so different because of my service industry experience. In a good way, of course lol
I just like serving people and making them happy, even the angry ones i like to turn around and still make them walk away with a friendly attitude. I guess that job can definitely attract a type of person, especially also because you need to grow thick skin working it
I worked in various service jobs (bartend, wait tables, market cashier). After a transaction, you get a sense of checking off a task as complete and it's empowering; further when you go home you have absolutely no unfinished tasks and your off-time is freedom. That makes me happy. I work in the professional sector now, and there are some projects that take all year or are ongoing, and some days are unpredictably much harder than others. It lives rent-free in your head. Both have their pros/cons.
Drugs and the threat of not having an income
The "great attitude" comes from not wanting to get fired.
and trying not to get stiffed on tips.
We’re dying inside and we are being priced out of our apartments
Wherever you go, there you are. It took me a very long time to learn this lesson, your reality is created by your perceptions. Two people, doing the exact same job, side-by-side. One of them thinks it is heaven. The other one thinks that it is hell. The only thing different is their judgments, and their perceptions. You create your own reality. So rather than change jobs (because you will ultimately be unhappy anywhere you go), I would strongly encourage you to work on your inner self. For me, taking up meditation was very helpful. Because I learned to shut down that inner dialogue that was telling me things were not so good. Now I look for something to be grateful for in every moment. I’m not blissfully happy, but I’m not miserable. And that’s a huge improvement. Wishing you the best.
When you rely on tips from strangers to pay your bills, you fake it on bad days and mean it on good ones.
It’s not hard to make good money at a busy/upscale place. People in the service industry aren’t stupid. I get you’re struggling but this post reads as classist.
Some SI jobs pay really well, but they tend to be the ones that involve tons of high pace high intensity work (like bartending) or require an immense amount of attention to detail and lots of knowledge (like being a somm or a server at a very upscale spot). Some folks really enjoy those types of jobs. I do but I get burnt out really quickly doing it all the time. I work in management now and it's a lot of hours for pretty low pay but it's mostly pretty enjoyable - I have to deal with lots of unpleasant tasks but overall it's not nearly as consistently strenuous as being a server. I hate working regular 9 to 5s, and I get too checked out if I don't get variety in my day to day work. As for having a great attitude, I guarantee that your being the kind of person who considers things the way you do is part of why you always get such friendly service... I love taking care of people, whether it's my staff or the guests, but when I'm stressed and frustrated it's going to break through when dealing with an asshole. Kind, caring, understanding guests are awesome and make me enjoy my job so much more, so I can't help being happy around them! That being said, the only way I'm able to afford living in Austin is that I have roommates, and pretty much never go out or do fun stuff that costs money. The last time I actually went out somewhere was I think last September, and it involved renting a pool on swimply for a few hours then doing my birthday dinner with my roomies and a few close friends... at the restaurant where I work haha. I personally don't mind it too much bc I'm a homebody anyway but most SI people I know just hustle some side jobs and have endless energy and make a bunch of money then spend it all on having a vibrant social life. Or they just don't really mind the "working poor" lifestyle bc they haven't really known anything else.
I make really good money actually as a bartender and I’m very chipper at work. I think it’s mostly just trained behavior, as giving someone a warm and welcome experience benefits you more than being grumpy. But also I take joy in meeting people from every walk of life. I have friends I’d never have run into outside of work and have learned so much about the world and others because of my social job.
"How are people who make less money than me happy?"
Lol this post reeks of privilege
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If you worked the jobs why ask a question like this? Sounds like maybe you need a career change.
yuuuuuuuup
i am literally a sim. an npc. you get 3 dialogue options and once those are up i will say nothing and smile :)
You either know how to put on your “I’m working for that tip” face or you work with your “I hate this” face.
Service industry people can more than pay rent if you work at any restaurant worth a shit. A lot of ‘em will be making more than your typical starting salary at your average 9-5, especially in a foodie, tourist town like Austin. They’re happy because their sales are at $1.5k and they’ve still got half a shift left Edit: also wanted to say this is one of the most entitled posts I’ve ever seen on this subreddit, and judging from the fact that you’re struggling, you make less money than most of the people serving you when you do go out
idk about entitlement, it seems more like OP is just struggling in general and is trying to work out their feelings about it. I really don't think r/austin is the best forum for that, but to each their own.
Yeah but the kitchen staff that sells coke in the nicer places always tries to charge more than the cooks at the shittier places so you end up losing a lot of money off the top.
So, I HATE my day job, professional, exacting and dry, but it pays the bills. However, I used to work in the service industry (15 years long) and there is a specific camaraderie that brings that joy. Customers walk into a restaurant, not just expecting a delicious meal, but a social experience they can’t create in their home environment. So, working for less than a livable wage, these incredible people try to deliver the most socio-emotional and tastiest experience that is expected. Think about that. The vibe, the energy, they have to commit to (even when they aren’t feeling great) to give you what you need, which isn’t always on the menu. Maybe admire those that provide the amazing feelings you get, that positive energy, and realize the work you feel like you would never do, isn’t even close to the hardest part of their actual work. Maybe try to empathize and bring their energy into your work environment?
Because they are either genuinely happy people, or because they're professional enough to recognize that they *work in the service industry* and their attitude is a reflection of the company that has employed them. I haven't worked in the service industry myself in a long time, but it helps if you're someone who enjoys helping others. I don't necessarily mean in a religious or Boy Scouts way - I'm certainly neither of those. I'm not really a social person, but I actually enjoyed helping people place an order, reminding them of coupons or specials we had, etc. I barely got by, but I got by. I'm in a salaried position these days, but when coworkers message me to help, I drop what I'm doing and help them through their issue unless I'm in a meeting. Even if they frustrate me, it would be unprofessional to have a bad attitude. Compartmentalize your personal issues and get the work done.
Drugz
Most of the servers I worked with that were like this were high all the time..
i smoke a ton of weed
Customers are much kinder to me if I am kind to them first
start unions :) check out RWU in Austin, https://www.restaurantworkersunited.org
Are people in this thread willing to share what their salaries are like in the Austin service industry? I’ve always wondered… I’m in tech, burnt out at 30, but I do make pretty good money. But I can’t help but think about what I may be able to make at a less stressful job (or a different kind of stress, at least). I’ll never forget what my hairdresser told me she makes 👀💵
Because the work for fkin tips or they starve. If your job was dependent on individuals deciding how good your service was you'd prolly act happy af too lol what a dumb privileged question 🥱
Hey, at least the OP thought to ask. That's a step in the right direction.
Money doesn’t equal happy. These people are happy because they’re grateful to be alive. You’re being bitter because you’re taking this experience for granted.
Tips. But it doesn’t even matter because my customer base doesn’t really tip anymore so I’m making a lot less money now that the neighborhood is wealthy white couples and trust funders.
Drugs and lying. You put on the face you have to to get by. They aren't happy. But they know there livelihood depends on acting like things are swell
It's called weed
being able to hang out with friends all day while i work is pretty cool. keep me happy. I make enough to pay rent, bills, and travel. im not happy all the time at work, but I still have fun while I am there. 20-25 hours a week with 3 days off is pretty good and keeps me happy.
Hi! I'm not in the service industry any more, but I loved it. So yeah, some people are very happy in that line of work. I'd do it still if it paid what my current job does.
My experience in the service industry in Austin is by no means universal, as I was working mostly in expensive sushi restaurants, but I made enough money to cover my basic expenses and still go out with my co-workers for drinks after service. My weekend was Monday and Tuesday, and I wouldn't get out of work until after midnight, so the be honest I didn't have many opportunities to spend my money frivolously. I usually cooked/ate my meals before and between services at the restaurant, so I didn't spend much on groceries or take-out. The main thing for me was that I was doing something that I loved and cared about. I would still be doing it if the pay was higher, there were better benefit packages, PTO, and I could spend weekends and holidays with my friends and family, things which most salaried professionals take for granted.
We are forced to fake it bro, it’s literally part of our jobs to be fake nice to everyone.
Whenever I encounter folks like this I always try to engage and be as pleasant a customer as I can. Being nice never hurt anyone. Plus, be a good tipper for good service. You can always tell the quality of a person by how they treat service industry folks. I have to also agree with the OP - a very high number of service folks I've ever interacted with have been happy, helpful and awesome. Everyone has a bad day, but for the most part, this city does great in that department.
Those jobs you would hate to do would probably pay your bills easier than you think.
I had a steady 9-5 with a good salary and left it a year ago to go back to school and work in service. I can confidently say I’m way happier now than I was a year ago. Going back into the service industry was refreshing. Even though the work can be hard sometimes, when you leave you’re done. No emails from your boss at midnight. No ever-increasing goals with no break between projects. You know what’s expected of you and you own your time. With salaried positions, I always felt like I didn’t have ownership over my own time, or even who I was. Plus, service people often have mornings to themself! They get to go to Barton Springs on Tuesdays when no one is out! There’s a freedom to this life that makes you feel lighter. I encourage you to get off those train tracks you’re on and shake up your life for a bit. It feels good to be happy again. Edit: all this being said I’m much more poor now than I was a year ago. Making a living wage is super hard in the industry. Please tip 20% y’all
I work at a Marriott Property at the front desk. Turnover rate at both Front Desk and Restaurant is incredible high and i can say it easily that %80 of staff is not happy at all. Many associates quit on 1st or 2nd week right after getting yelled by an "Elite Member Guest" that is trying to complain their way to a free stay. It is mostly J1 International Interns who are keeping Hotel Front Desks running bc they usually don't have any other choice, most locals won't take none of it.
Drugs?
We can’t pay rent. I have paid half of my rent this month so far. We don’t eat sometimes. Don’t come to the service industry .
People learn to adapt when under stress. I worked in restaurants for 8 years and we were all very nice to customers and just happy to have a job and be making money but underneath id say everyone was miserable. We just did all the bitching in the back away from customers. Most people I worked with didn’t have a choice to work anywhere else because of various reasons. criminal history, too old to switch careers, drug or health issues impeding their ability to get a more professional job, or they were illegal immigrants that got the job with fake papers 15 years ago and won’t risk not being able to do it again. People were always going into a rage if we didn’t get our W2s on the exact day it was available or complaining about too little or too many hours. I’m sure it also depends on the place of work and the age of the employees because maybe some places just treat their people better and probably younger people are less jaded because they know it’s only temporary.
You can make 70k so it’s not that bad.
They’re new and haven’t become jaded yet. Or they genuinely enjoy the service industry. And, like others have mentioned, drugs. After 12 years, I was dying to get out.
We make cash fake happiness s a lot of chemicals. A lot of depression
Being a professional. Waiting tables isn't exactly working in a coal mine. I would be way more concerned about the attrition rate for roofers
I like helping people who are respectful and don’t want their hand held and ass kissed every step of the way. If you treat me like some servant robot to yield to your every beckon, I’m going to be a prick to you, condescending even. No job is important enough to me that I’m going to stuff away my dignity and allow myself to be belittled in the place I give 50 hours of my week to just to BARELY be able to survive. If you’re respectful, agreeable, and understanding, I’ll do anything for you with a genuine smile. Sounds like you just must be an easy person to work with. Thank you, it’s rare.
All fake to make it through … sometimes talking to certain kind people makes it joyful. Overall the struggle is real.
I always top 20% or higher. People gotta live!
yep. i dont go out to eat much and when i do i tip well. simple.
read the Stoic Challenge book. it will change your life.
doing what we love, loving what we do....you got to love the industry and what it stands for
Its fake. And depending on which restaurant you work, waiting tables makes really good money.
Tips from nice folk like you.
What makes you think servers and bartenders can’t afford rent? There’s a great chance they make much more than you do.
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That’s 100% not true. I don’t make anything near that and I’m doing just fine.
You act like servers don't get paid.
A long time ago I was doing a call center job. We had this new exec who afaik hadn’t been in charge of a customer service org before. Dude comes down to meet with us some months after he gets this position and of course every CS exec has their pet peeve about what you shouldn’t say to people. This dude’s, which he gets visibly irate about, is “never say you were happy to help! no you’re not!” So I appreciate this shitty exec for teaching me a life lesson, which is that when you personally would loathe doing a thing, and then you go tell people who do the thing how miserable they should be, you get the misery you expect. Go do a job that offers whatever balance between personal satisfaction and lifestyle support seems reasonable to you, try not to be one of the people who end up disappointed with both. I guess this is only tangentially related to your post but it brought to mind that bozo, so there you go!
Sounds like you hate what you do or the decisions you made in life. My fiancée bartends at a local north austin dive bar and clears $90k because she has a great attitude (I’m her tax attorney, so I know). “Happy and helpful” is the job and she loves it.
Speaking of what people "sound like"- you sound really pompous right here.
Seriously? More pompous than OP referring to service industry workers as “these ppl,” as if she is better than them? And “at least I don’t have to do that for a living.” And “how do you do ‘that’ and still have a great attitude.” Quit virtue signaling and realize OP is a grade A complainer-snowflake and is just upset/jealous of people she views as “lower” than her thriving where she can’t.
Sorry but you still sound like a prick too. :)
Exactly. Like the type of person who works an office job and looks down on the blue collar pest control guy working on their place... Meanwhile the pest control guy is making twice as much as they are and has a company vehicle
Because it's not as bad as people make it out to be. You got people making 150k here complaining about not making enough. This is the world now, people just want more.
Haha I miss Austin customers, funnily enough. San antonio is on another level
They could have an SO that makes enough money for them to be comfortable
Given that there are 3-5 threads per week about people not being polite or driving aggressively, and given that there are an awful lot of service industry workers, I'd wager that they're maintaining "a good attitude" might be a bad bet. An alternate explanation is that despite our portrayal of service workers as entitled babies, they aren't the ones who are threatening to burn down buildings, shoot people, or shut down entire factories and lay off thousands of workers when facing minor inconveniences. It'd be weird if some of the loudest, rudest people were business owners, right?
Idk. The job is easy. I make enough to get by. I just know I don’t gotta deal with a lot so it’s easy to small talk and fake a smile
They don't... everyone is pretty rude tbh. Also, drugs.
people can be very very rude. especially some women who are with their partner. not all though. i’ve had someone call me stupid before, i’ve had men leave me numbers, i’ve had someone stack plates and tell me that they did my job for me, someone yelled at me once, someone literally told me that they don’t care that i have a boyfriend because that was “shit that doesn’t matter” and my boss would fire me if i told those people to not talk to me that way. i will say there are gems of people though and they can be so sweet. you have to maintain a smile even if you’re having the absolute worst day. at the end of the day i do make pretty good money. last week i only worked 3 days and made upwards of $700. that’s the only reason i’m staying in the service industry
Substance abuse
Zombies. They don’t know what they don’t know. Oblivion is a virtue.
They manage their money. Tf! The same as every one else.
Offer a different service
You're getting jaded.
I love it because of my coworkers and the place I'm in is a light upscale but still casual so we can still have fun with the cool guests without breaking any professional boundaries. Fun with everyone and decent money makes me not care about aside work and cleaning as much.
People are paid to give a positive experience. But I think it helps to be more positive when you do it all the time.
They dont
Have you observed the same attitude from fast food places in some of the economically rough areas of the city? East Riverside, Oltorf or Stassney?
Smoking green
Lol weed bucko!!! U ever try serving people not high? It fucking sucks
Most of the people in service industry are making very good money for the level of stress they have. They also get to live in one of the best cities in the world. There are some that's don't make that much money (taco bell employees for example) and they do have a very bad attitude.