Hey Diddle Dee Dee, The Restaurant Life For Me

There's nothing quite like dealing with the general public on a daily basis. Five years ago I left the high tech life to re-join the food service industry. Before it was always a supplement to whatever else I was doing, most often playing in bands and not really making enough to live on. Now I'm a full time server. I used to be a waiter but we don't use that title anymore because it is too gender specific. (kinda like stewardess and flight attendant.) It's a good way to make a decent living if you work in the right place. My philosophy is; if you set your standards low enough, you can be happy doing just about anything. I've always felt that every ones should be required to work in a restaurant before starting their real career. There's a lot to be learned waiting on tables. For example;
A) There is a difference between being a server and a servant. Hi. my name is Vince. I'll be your server tonight.
B) It's rude to snap your fingers or wave your hands to get your servers attention. If you do that to me, I'll pretend I didn't see you.
C) Your server did not cook your food so the tip should reflect the quality of service not the doneness of your steak.
D) Your server is not the person that wrecked your day, that was your boss.
E) If your visiting from another country, servers in America are not looked at as having real jobs. In America we work for tips. I'm sure there is something about that in your travel guide.
F) It really is okay to make eye contact with your server and acknowledge their presence.
G) Don't tell your server what a great time you had and how great the service was and then leave a 12% tip. My landlord isn't going to lower my rent because I tell him how much I love living in his house.

These things can be applied to every day life as well. For example;
Your server (replace with husband/wife/partner or kid) is not the person that wrecked your day, that was your boss.

The next time you visit a restaurant or bar, remember that your server is just trying to make it through their hellish shift, or they're frantically looking for a soup spoon so the manager doesn't smack them for not setting the mis en place (that's a fancy French restaurant term cause you have to go to waiter school in France before you can be a waiter) before the soup arrives.

There is one exception to the rules listed here. If you server or bartender is in their early to mid twenties, is extremely good looking, uses Axe cologne, keeps their back to you because what they are really doing is texting their friends. and is hitting on a customer or co-worker, go ahead and snap your fingers and wave your arms. That's really the only way you're going to get your food or beverages.