I started it tonight. It’s much cooler than my last job as retail associate person at the bx, which was a corrupt corporate hell if ever there was one. I’ve never been a waitress before, at a restaurant or a bar, I’ve always worked in stores or fast food so this is quite a switch. I’m totally not used to the laid back happy environment everyone has. Nor am I used to tips…that’s so much fun to actually make money each day. No more being broke waiting for payday!
The customers are ok too, so far. Being on an air force base means that they can’t get too out of hand or violent or they’ll be in serious trouble, so I’m not worried about violence.
The only sucky or difficult thing is that my husband works at night, so my hours overlap with his and nighttime childcare is impossible to get. Esp. on the weekends (my husband works then too) and I’ll be working till FOUR AM!!!
Hopefully we can get it worked out somehow. I’m willing to put up with smelling like an ashtray every night (I hate cigarette smoke and this is a very smoky bar) if it means the $100 a night that my coworkers are swearing we get on weekends…
I have to say I thought it was pretty funny too. Leifsmama must have worked in Bizarro World Bar, where customers are always polite; they never grab your ass or worse; they don’t get drunk and turn into dicks; they don’t think “waitress” equates to “whore who wants to screw me NOW”; they always have the correct change and always leave a decent tip; and they never run out without paying. Don’t even get me started on the management.
You will do well to learn your drinks. Watch the bartenders and ask questions, but not so much that you are a pain. And don’t ever turn into a bitch with them, or you will discover that for some reason your orders always get made last.
The only thing that makes it worth it is the money. I hope you make lots.
Thanks for the insight, missbunny. Yeah, the guys at this bar seem like they all have the potential to be jerks when drunk. Several of them were joking about me saying I have the only pronouncable name out of all the people there, I’m not sure if this will be a good or a bad thing. Another one leered at me and asked what brings me to Japan (which is a dumb question because just about everyone here is here for the same reason, because either they or their spouse/family member is stationed here) and I said “my husband” and the guy and his friends are like “ooh you have one, huh?” …yuck. Tomorrow is going to be friday night and I work till 4 am…from what the other waitresses have told me friday nights are the hell that ends all hell in that place. Luckily I’ll be working in the smoke-free bar tomorrow so I can breathe for a change. (Where I work has 2 bars and several banquet rooms in it. I can and will work in all of them depending on the day or event.)
As for the bartenders, the two main ones are Japanese and polite good people. They seem to keep everything running pretty smoothly and are happy to teach. The other bartender is the manager of the place and he’s American, because he’s my boss I’m a bit more timid around him because I’m new and can’t read him yet. He seems pretty laid back though.
My plan is to work there till I have enough money to go to college, and then get the hell out.
The money is the only saving grace. It doesn’t sound too bad for you - of course not all customers are jerks, nor are all managers.
Just don’t take any crap from anyone! Once they know they can get to you, they will. Sometimes it helps to develop a reputation as a smartass, because then you can put jerky customers in their place under the guise of being “saucy,” all the while smiling to yourself inside because YOU know you are insulting them but they are oblivious. Good clean fun!
When I cocktailed at a martini bar, one of my customers asked me if he could stick a dollar bill down my shirt.
I said, “Are you crazy?”
He said, “How about a twenty?” and proceeded to reach forward, shove his hand into my shirt, and fondle my breast, all within about .5 seconds.
I don’t remember what I said. Something like, “Oh my God!” before I just ran away from him.
And honestly, what I regret most about that incident, and about other incidents when I was cocktailing/waitressing, is that I didn’t have the backbone to stand up for myself. People, when given the opportunity, will treat you like shit; it’s your job to make it clear that it’s your world, and your bar, and your turf, and they’re just visitors on probation.
This was years ago; I have since developed both a thicker skin and an ability to stand up for myself, but not everybody has them from the get-go and I’ve since seen a lot of young waitresses who think that it’s their job to put up with that kind of shit. And I’m not talking about extremes, such as being physically assaulted; I’m talking about guys who think they can get away with saying rude/snide/insulting things because “they’re the customer and they’re always right and what are you gonna do about it.”
And once you figure out that it’s your world, and they’re just guests, you can have a really good time and make boatloads of money.
Not to mention your sovereign right to cut them off. Never forget that you have the power to end their night early.
[sub]If anyone’s ever wondered where my signature came from, it’s my bartending mantra. And I ain’t afraid to yell it out. [/sub]
