Working as a waitress for ISTp

[Creepy-]

... tables.

Fellow Deltas, I am very close - thisclose - to going and finding a job as a waitress. I am posting this here because I'm curious about whether any of you have waited tables (I'm sure you have), and what advice and/or warnings you might have to offer.

Also, it'll be an interesting exercise in trying to muster the kind of that'll generate good tips. Because as an ISTp I'm plenty efficient and calm, but the whole smiling-when-you-don't-particularly-feel-like-it part will be a real challenge. Blah. Perhaps the ENFp's, with your -creative genius, can offer some advice... please?

[duality is cringe]

I work in a restaurant and could never imagine waiting tables. Regular basis Fe is toxic to me. Especially, if I have to generate it. I'd be the worst waiter ever.

If you can fake it and don't mind that kind of thing, like some other SLIs, then definitely consider it. You'll make alot of money in tips.

I don't have any real advice for you.

[jessica129]

DO NOT DO IT.

I did it a few times...money was decent but the overwhelming urge to poison my customers got to be too great. It is not our place.

[duality is cringe]

It is not our place.

LMAO.

[munenori2]

... tables.

Fellow Deltas, I am very close - thisclose - to going and finding a job as a waitress. I am posting this here because I'm curious about whether any of you have waited tables (I'm sure you have), and what advice and/or warnings you might have to offer.

Also, it'll be an interesting exercise in trying to muster the kind of that'll generate good tips. Because as an ISTp I'm plenty efficient and calm, but the whole smiling-when-you-don't-particularly-feel-like-it part will be a real challenge. Blah. Perhaps the ENFp's, with your -creative genius, can offer some advice... please?

Funny, because my former SLI roomie was also curious about waiting tables. He figured he could do well at it because he'd devote every iota of attention to making sure everybody had what they needed. Fe wise I do think he would have tired easily, especially if he got any stuff from the customers, in which case I'd love to witness the fallout (woe be unto ye)!

I personally have wanted to wait tables, simply because I'm awesome at handling people in the worst of instances like that. Granted I've never actually done it so I can't say for sure, but I used to be a customer service god so I've smiled and been polite in the face of many a red-faced livid person, including one who was pulled from the building shouting that she wished a plane had crashed into our bank rather than the twin towers (maybe a month or two after 9/11, no less). I remember telling her that I hoped she could have a better day, and waving goodbye.

[tiny_dancer]

I waited tables one summer and I hated it. Here's why:

People throw a million little things that they want at you constantly - I couldn't keep track of it all and usually ended up forgetting something. I didn't handle information overload well.
Someone always tries to throw a fit and get their food for free.. this even happened a couple of times when they'd eaten nearly all of it. This mostly bothered me b/c I worked at a large chain where the food was mediocre anyway, and then someone would play the food snob and say, "This is terrible. I just can't eat it." Uh, did you notice the sign on the door? What were you expecting??
People don't corral their kids. I know kids are wildly unpredictable, but if they've been throwing their food everywhere for two hours either feed them yourself or take the food away. Got tired of cleaning that stuff up...
I didn't really like working nights or weekends 'cause that's when my friends are doing stuff. It got old turning down invites to go out b/c I was working.

Of course, by the time I got around to waiting tables, I'd already worked fast food in high school, so I was really jaded already...that might have been half of it. Plus the place I worked had lousy clientele and even worse management.

Well, if you're going to do it, I suggest working in a small independent place with a lot of regulars. People who see you often will most likely appreciate the attention and give you more leeway for errors.

[Creepy-]

Thanks for the responses!

I work in a restaurant and could never imagine waiting tables. Regular basis Fe is toxic to me. Especially, if I have to generate it. I'd be the worst waiter ever.

If you can fake it and don't mind that kind of thing, like some other SLIs, then definitely consider it. You'll make alot of money in tips.

I don't have any real advice for you.

Hmm... what do you do in a restaurant, and why do you like (or at least tolerate, I guess) it?

DO NOT DO IT.

I did it a few times...money was decent but the overwhelming urge to poison my customers got to be too great. It is not our place.

My advice is to be yourself. If you try to pretend you'll get too exhausted. Some people will like you the way you are, some will not. If that's not good enough, then to hell with it.

I say try it and see if you like it. I think it depends on the place and the kind of people visiting you. But I'm not SLI....

(If you don't try you won't know. )

Jessica, you crack me up. And yeah, this is what I'm thinking may be the case for me as well... but like Mimosa Pudica says, "if you don't try, you won't know."

Mimosa Pudica, I think you're right about the need to be your [my] self. I have worked in customer service before, and it's true there as in life: some people like you and others don't. The ratio probably won't change much just because you're pretending to be something you're not; it'll just be that different people will/won't like you then.

Funny, because my former SLI roomie was also curious about waiting tables. He figured he could do well at it because he'd devote every iota of attention to making sure everybody had what they needed. Fe wise I do think he would have tired easily, especially if he got any stuff from the customers, in which case I'd love to witness the fallout (woe be unto ye)!

I personally have wanted to wait tables, simply because I'm awesome at handling people in the worst of instances like that. Granted I've never actually done it so I can't say for sure, but I used to be a customer service god so I've smiled and been polite in the face of many a red-faced livid person, including one who was pulled from the building shouting that she wished a plane had crashed into our bank rather than the twin towers (maybe a month or two after 9/11, no less). I remember telling her that I hoped she could have a better day, and waving goodbye.

About your roommate's desire to wait tables, that's kind of how I'm feeling. Maybe it's the caregiver in me lol... we'll see how that plays out. As far as Fe... yeah. *sigh* I find it impossible/intolerable to fake that in my everyday life, and I don't expect it'll be any different just because there's a tip in it for me. But I do think the experience will be educational. Yes?

And I like your story - that sounds like the way I would handle that situation; it's how I typically reacted with crazies in my other customer service jobs, anyway... oh what fun

I waited tables one summer and I hated it. Here's why:

People throw a million little things that they want at you constantly - I couldn't keep track of it all and usually ended up forgetting something. I didn't handle information overload well.
Someone always tries to throw a fit and get their food for free.. this even happened a couple of times when they'd eaten nearly all of it. This mostly bothered me b/c I worked at a large chain where the food was mediocre anyway, and then someone would play the food snob and say, "This is terrible. I just can't eat it." Uh, did you notice the sign on the door? What were you expecting??
People don't corral their kids. I know kids are wildly unpredictable, but if they've been throwing their food everywhere for two hours either feed them yourself or take the food away. Got tired of cleaning that stuff up...
I didn't really like working nights or weekends 'cause that's when my friends are doing stuff. It got old turning down invites to go out b/c I was working.

Of course, by the time I got around to waiting tables, I'd already worked fast food in high school, so I was really jaded already...that might have been half of it. Plus the place I worked had lousy clientele and even worse management.

Well, if you're going to do it, I suggest working in a small independent place with a lot of regulars. People who see you often will most likely appreciate the attention and give you more leeway for errors.

Thanks for the warnings, and the advice. Good thinking, to seek out a small, independent place. We need more of those around here (just outside a big city)... I'll get to lookin'...

[Wittmont]

DO NOT DO IT.

I did it a few times...money was decent but the overwhelming urge to poison my customers got to be too great. It is not our place.

OOooh it got too great did it?

Whom did you poison?

[Creepy-]

don't worry, Fe types don't particularly enjoy it either.

lol, I didn't mean to imply that they did. What I meant was, even when I'm happy, my face often remains fairly expressionless, whereas an Fe-type probably radiates their happiness more.

[Park]

What I meant was, even when I'm happy, my face often remains fairly expressionless, whereas an Fe-type probably radiates their happiness more.

Yes. And I hate it when someone asks me what's wrong or why I am sad or tell me to cheer up when I am actually quite happy and content. On the other hand, when I am unhappy or depressed I might intentionally force myself to smile and laugh with people and can become quite a chatterbox if I feel down.

[duality is cringe]

People used to think I look sad or depressed when I was younger. Now they think I look angry or pissed off. I've been told I'm "intimidating." In a violent way. Which is interesting since violence is usually the furthest thing from my mind.

[jessica129]

This is a common thing among ISTP's it seems. I dont try to fake smile anymore. Whatever expression comes across on my face, that's what you're getting. Frankly i don't care if it comes off angry.

[Sirena]

I thought this would be a thread about pre-marital sex or something!

[duality is cringe]

Whatever expression comes across on my face, that's what you're getting. Frankly i don't care if it comes off angry.

Same here.

EDIT: I missed this bit.

Hmm... what do you do in a restaurant, and why do you like (or at least tolerate, I guess) it?

I do food preparation in the back of the house with the chefs. I assemble some meals and 'maintain' a few stations on the 'food line.' I almost never have to deal with customers.

If I ever had to temporarily become a server for whatever reason, I'm sure the GM would get VERY nervous...lol.

[Creepy-Cyclops]

From what i've been able to gather, waiting tables is a different sort of job UK-side, so I don't really know what to say! Um..you could give it a try though, or not ha ha.

[Expat]

I think ESFjs and ISFps may genuinely like it.

[jewels]

why not just try it? Worst case you hate it and have a cool story about how you yelled "I quit!" and all the customers gasp, or whatever.

I always thought it sounded kinda fun, but I get confused about making change and splitting checks and what not sounds hard. I would like to deliver the tasty food though, if it was like, cookies or something and everyone was like "oh good! cookiies!" But that probably is not how the job actually works.

Oh and if you do it, I heard somewhere that if you write down the orders (even if you can remember it fine) you will get bigger tips. Some study or something.

[jessica129]

Songofsappho, maybe you'll get lucky and work at one of those hip, cool places that make you wear fancy hats and force you to stand on tables singing happy birthday to every kid that walks in the door.

[Creepy-]

Songofsappho, maybe you'll get lucky and work at one of those hip, cool places that make you wear fancy hats and force you to stand on tables singing happy birthday to every kid that walks in the door.

*shiver*

[Elro]

If it helps any, I've never seen any such places, so I'm guessing they're far from the norm.

The worst I've seen is Moe's Southwest Grill (the food makes up for this), where they have to say "Welcome to Moe's!" to everyone who walks in... But they don't like it any more than repeat customers like it, so it often ends up sounding kind of nonchalant.

Edit: N/m.

[Rubicon]

If it helps any, I've never seen any such places, so I'm guessing they're far from the norm.

The worst I've seen is Moe's Southwest Grill (the food makes up for this), where they have to say "Welcome to Moe's!" to everyone who walks in... But they don't like it any more than repeat customers like it, so it often ends up sounding kind of nonchalant.

Edit: N/m.

Heh, you think that's bad .... there's this restaurant over here called Lonestar (blame Texas ) that has all the waitresses and waiters bounding out of the kitchen in line-dance formation every hour or so. Their collective cheers at the end of the dances are pretty lacklustre to say the least. lol

[jessica129]

Heh, you think that's bad .... there's this restaurant over here called Lonestar (blame Texas ) that has all the waitresses and waiters bounding out of the kitchen in line-dance formation every hour or so. Their collective cheers at the end of the dances are pretty lacklustre to say the least. lol

We have those here too and no amount of money could get me to do that. They're making, what, minimum wage to make a jackass out of yourself? No way. My sister worked there until they forced her to dance.

[Rubicon]

We have those here too and no amount of money could get me to do that. They're making, what, minimum wage to make a jackass out of yourself? No way. My sister worked there until they forced her to dance.

It sounds somewhat fun compared to the humdrum of other waitressing positions. It'd be a good way to deal with your frustrations with customers. You could even engineer it so that your deafening whoops would be enjoyed by a specific customer.

[mikemex]

Fellow Deltas, I am very close - thisclose - to going and finding a job as a waitress (...) Perhaps the ENFp's, with your -creative genius, can offer some advice... please?

The best waitresses I've had at a restaurant have always been SLIs. They are very attentive to the small details; more so than any other type.

I remember, for example, when I traveled to another city and ate in a restaurant. I ordered my food without onion (I dislike onion to hell) and the next day the waitress ordered the cook to have my dish without onion, before even telling her.

You're likely to have trouble with impertinent customers, but I bet everyone in the business has it. Just let the business owner/supervisor handle them and you'll be fine.

[iAnnAu]

I've tried waitressing a couple of times, and it was very frustrating because I cannot cajole tips out of customers.
I get their special orders correct, I keep their drinks filled, I stay out of their intimate conversations, I am ready with the check as soon as they make an indication for it ...
but the asshat who chats them up, takes half the number of tables I do, doesn't get special orders right, has to be prodded to refill drinks two and three times, and (to me) comes off as completely insincere seems to earn even more in tips than I do.
I fucking hated that. It was as if I made myself so invisible that they didn't appreciate my service.
Obviously where you work would make a difference. When I worked in the drive-thru window in fast food, people loved me because they were in a hurry, and within a few weeks I knew how stuff added up so well that I could be getting drinks and condiments while totaling things in my head. I broke records for moving cars through past that window ...
but of course that wasn't for tips.

[implied]

If it helps any, I've never seen any such places, so I'm guessing they're far from the norm.

The worst I've seen is Moe's Southwest Grill (the food makes up for this), where they have to say "Welcome to Moe's!" to everyone who walks in... But they don't like it any more than repeat customers like it, so it often ends up sounding kind of nonchalant.

Edit: N/m.

ugh, i hate that so much. my brother used to tease me and tell me i had developed "welcome-to-moe-bia" because i'd duck and try to sneak in without being noticed by the employees. it never worked and it became an awful running joke.

[Creepy-]

To wait or not to wait tables? After about two weeks, I have found my answer: Not to.

I quit today.

There's no big story; my "I quit" speech went something like this: "I'm sorry, but this isn't working out for me. I have a lot going on right now and I need to drop something, so I choose this." They told me to come back any time... I don't think I will.

Overall, I don't think waiting tables is a bad job, though. Well okay it is, but it's bearable. And, oddly, I think ISTp's are good at it because we're efficient and observant, and customers' bad attitudes don't hurt personally. That said, there are lots of other things I'd rather do with my time and energy.

Maybe I'll go and bake some carrot cake. Luis has made me crave it. Bragging bastard.

[tereg]

Maybe I'll go and bake some carrot cake. Luis has made me crave it. Bragging bastard.

I have a homemade recipe that I've used for carrot cake.

Maybe I'll make that too when I do the road trip.

[tiny_dancer]

Damn! This carrot cake is in every thread I read! I have no access to sugar right now, quit talkin' about it!

[mikemex]

@songofsappho:

Is there are a job that is more than bearable? If they have to pay you for doing it then it means it's not that nice...