Been working in the kitchen for about 4 years now and I’ve experienced a few brutal ones already… The first 2 years after the lockdowns there were a lot of very high peaks on Fridays/Saturdays and the place being almost dead on Mondays/Tuesdays. Luckily things have evened out a bit more. With lows during the evening shift hovering around 15~20 guests and highs around 70, instead of lows around 4, and highs around 100. For a restaurant that can supposedly do an absolute max of 90 per evening.
But yea, exceeding the supposed max capacity + being completely new to the industry, and thus it’s stress and work pace, combined with not being used to standing/walking/running on my feet for an entire evening? (And the hellish muscle/foot pain once I got home that accompanied it.) I don’t think I’ll experience anything worse any time soon again. Any of the worst shifts in the last 2 years don’t even come anywhere close to the worst shifts in my first year.
HurricaneAlpha
I always tell those younger than me and/or less experienced, “just keep swimming”. End of shift exists, just keep swimming.
a_bearded_hippie
I worked in a butcher shop and catering/sandwich joint during lockdown. We were considered “essential” cause we had dry goods and grocery stuff. Longest year of my fucking life lol.
3 Comments
Been working in the kitchen for about 4 years now and I’ve experienced a few brutal ones already… The first 2 years after the lockdowns there were a lot of very high peaks on Fridays/Saturdays and the place being almost dead on Mondays/Tuesdays. Luckily things have evened out a bit more. With lows during the evening shift hovering around 15~20 guests and highs around 70, instead of lows around 4, and highs around 100. For a restaurant that can supposedly do an absolute max of 90 per evening.
But yea, exceeding the supposed max capacity + being completely new to the industry, and thus it’s stress and work pace, combined with not being used to standing/walking/running on my feet for an entire evening? (And the hellish muscle/foot pain once I got home that accompanied it.) I don’t think I’ll experience anything worse any time soon again. Any of the worst shifts in the last 2 years don’t even come anywhere close to the worst shifts in my first year.
I always tell those younger than me and/or less experienced, “just keep swimming”. End of shift exists, just keep swimming.
I worked in a butcher shop and catering/sandwich joint during lockdown. We were considered “essential” cause we had dry goods and grocery stuff. Longest year of my fucking life lol.