I CANNOT handle my restaraunt job

Post Reply New Topic

I've worked in fast food, retail, and performing for tourist trap shows in my 18 years of life, but have never been somewhere as demanding as my current job. I'm taking a semester off of college to figure out my finances, find a decent place to settle, and adjust to working here (because I will have to work during school as well to eventually get instate tuition) I worked seasonal retail, but that ended in December and I was unemployed for around a month. I had several interviews, however, never recieved a position. I applied to 6 different Wal-Mart's as a cashier, stocker, and various staffing positions to no avail.



I applied to *insert big corporate chain restaraunt here* and was almost immediately hired, just not for the position I applied for. The interviewer said I would be a host rather than a waiter because of my "poor social skills and eye contact" and he didnt think I could handle customers. Ever since I got hired, it has been one bad thing after another. Why, you ask?


When I worked in fast food, I would constantly be on my feet (worked 8 hour shifts) and had to do a lot of hard work always cleaning, lifting heavy boxes, and doing dishes. However, I ALWAYS got a break and was allowed to eat or drink in the back during my break or when I got a minute. I would get to rest or relax if I was caught up and we weren't too busy. Well at my new job, I don't get a break. Every other position in the store is allowed to take a minute in the break room if they have a minute, and servers can eat food on the clock, but I don't get anything, my state doesn't require breaks for employees.


I'm working 5 or 6 hour shifts with only one day off a week, and usually at least one double shift a week. I have been in so much pain I'm on the verge of tears almost everyday. The job itself isn't difficult, my interactions usually last only 2 or 3 minutes at a time with customers- and am ignored and will ignore my coworkers for the most part unless we are complaining to each other about the job. That's my only topic of conversation. My coworkers don't communicate well at all and I am always getting screamed at by a waitress that I double or triple sat her when I cant help it.


Waitresses will come yell at me for every little thing. They accuse me of not bringing out certain menus or silverware when I know I did. They yell that I double or triple sat them when we have 30 parties on a waitlist. They treat me like s**t even though I don't get ANY tips, or any cut of others' tips, and frequently try to help clean their tables or accomadate their requests not to be sat.


My managers are also hard on me. They hover constantly and find something to pick at. I've been called "ugly" by one because he didnt like the color of my shirt, and have been called in the back to discuss my "unprofessional appearence" by managers 3 different times now. I wear the uniform every single day, but was told I need to buy new shirts and get a belt, even though hardly anyone there wears a belt, and I have to pay for all this s**t myself. I was brutally honest and told my manager I don't know how to put on a belt and she just stared at me.


My pants aren't hanging off or anything, and my shirts follow the strict dress code, yet there always is some issue with them. I wear a shirt that's too big and tuck it, I get called in the back again. I wear a shirt that's smaller and get yelled at cause it won't tuck in my pants, or a sliver of skin shows if I bend over or something. These comments did not start happening till I stopped wearing makeup to work, so I am almost convinced they just don't like me.


As I am writing this, I worked a double shift till closing yesterday because someone called out, and worked opening today. If I was waiting tables like I was supposed to, I would tolerate it because at least the money would be worth it. But I only make a couple dollars above minimum wage. Every single day I am in horrible pain, especially my heels and bottoms of my feet, my legs, my head, and my back. I've never had this much pain while working before except when I had bad shoes. I've bought compression socks, and they hardly work.


Everyone there tells me, I just have to get used to it. Its been 3 weeks, I think I would've gotten used to the pain by now. I tell my managers I am exhausted and they really don't seem to care. I'm not even picking up 30/40 hours a week because I will have a 10 hour day and then a 3 hour day the next. As soon as I got home today I slept for 7 hours straight because I have to get up and go to work again tomorrow. I don't have the energy to get up and eat because i can barely walk.


I used to walk on average 2 miles a day when I went to school last semester, so I don't consider myself completely "out of shape" i don't know what's wrong with me. I can't handle this job, but I have nowhere else to go. I would love to work night stocking at Wal-Mart or something like that but they won't hire me. I'm on the verge of having a meltdown and calling out tomorrow. I can't do this.

I wouldn't be able to handle a restaurant job, either.

Have you thought about doing something else?

I'm not criticizing you, by the way. I know many people get in jams---and those jams were not of their own doing.

I know that getting a job can be very hard these days, I'm unemployed myself, but I really think you should quit that job. With the way you put it, it's clearly bad for both your mental and physical health. Working ten hours straight without a break? Seriously? How can that be legal? Where on earth do you live?! Gotta make a mental note of never going there...

If your financial situation is so bad that you really can't afford to quit yet, use what energy you have left to find another job so that you can quit as soon as you get one. Can be hard but with all the experience you listed it sounds like you're actually good at getting jobs. Luck, skill or both, that I don't know, but whatever has landed you jobs before will probably do so again.

She gave you the hostess job because they have to be really attractive. That's why one of them got jealous and called you ugly. Also, in food chains if they don't like your work ethic they can't fire you so they have to pull workers to the side to harass you. This job isn't worth it you should switch to something else. Some idiot who is another hostess will tell you the money is worth it but believe me the manager will take your tip from your pay check and add a penny as a joke.

Also the waitresses complain about the seating because they are not picky. They want a lot of customers on their section for tips so they will be nice to you for that and when they're too stressed out they will give you a ugly face if you clean up one of their tables.