Chimpy Chompy on 14/5/2013 at 19:00
Different kinds of difficulty. My job can be mentally demanding, late hours in the office etc but I don't have to deal with demanding customers. Forgetting something for half an hour won't screw up someone's evening and tripping up won't waste $50 of food.
june gloom on 14/5/2013 at 19:08
Yeah, but you get paid a living wage, Kooby.
Renault on 14/5/2013 at 19:26
Let's be honest though, there's a big difference between saying that some waiters/waitresses work hard, and that the actual job itself is hard. Yes,you need to have patience and hustle a bit, but the job duties themselves are pretty damn simple.
Vivian on 14/5/2013 at 19:33
Yeah, but digging a hole is simple, and you try doing that all day.
demagogue on 14/5/2013 at 20:03
I just never want to be the guy in the movie Metropolis that has to move clock hands by himself all day.
Inline Image:
http://i40.tinypic.com/975o8y.pngEdit: As for myself, I've had jobs that were amazingly interesting -- at the UN, at the US state department, at CIEL -- that I wanted to keep forever. But for some reason they seem to be the least stable ones in my field. At this point, though, I don't think anything will make me really happy except being an academic.
Yakoob on 15/5/2013 at 04:34
Quote Posted by dethtoll
Yeah, but you get paid a living wage, Kooby.
Yup, which is the only reason I still tip decently - it's not that I believe in tips, it's just that I know waiters get unfairly shafted on their wages otherwise.
Also "but other jobs don't have to deal with demanding clients" is a bs excuse; many jobs involve dealing with all sorts of annoying, shady, exploitative, mean or simply evil "customers," watering is no exception. And even if they don't, they got plenty of their own bad aspects that waiters don't need to put up with. I'd rather deal with picky eater than be going through rotting trashcans, but you don't see anyone tipping your garbage man now do you?
Blah, I'm sorry about hijacking the thread. So going back to the topic (and relating to the "livable wages" or lackthereof), I just finished a pretty cool documentary for LATimes about a gay Mexican couple struggling with the equality and immigration reform. It's one of those very rare film projects that kinda sucks for being unpaid for, but at the same, is interesting and rewarding enough you don't mind and really wish more of the film industry was actually like this. Imma gonna post a linky in the video thread.
SubJeff on 15/5/2013 at 05:53
I totally don't get all the sympathy that wait staff get. If a job is worth doing it's worth doing well. I've never heard any other jobs pay get talked about so much and blame Reservoir Dogs.
I'll tell you who doesn't get paid enough. Doctors and nurses that's who.
HelloHello on 15/5/2013 at 06:36
Where did this practice of tipping originate anyhow? I'll bet we have the French to blame as usual, probably as way to ensure the garcon didn't spit in your meal before bringing it to the table if they knew you as a regular customer who didn't 'tip'.
Thirith on 15/5/2013 at 07:04
Quote Posted by Subjective Effect
I totally don't get all the sympathy that wait staff get. If a job is worth doing it's worth doing well. I've never heard any other jobs pay get talked about so much and blame Reservoir Dogs.
Isn't it mostly that waiting staff get paid disgustingly badly, especially in the US? Your "If a job is worth doing..." can be turned around: if a job isn't worth being paid a decent (i.e. not exorbitant) minimal wage that allows people to live on a full-time employment, then why should it be worth doing well?
Al_B on 15/5/2013 at 07:22
Quote Posted by Thirith
if a job isn't worth being paid a decent minimal wage then why should it be worth doing well?
(Simplifying your post). Stating the obvious but people have pride in their work and for many people the reason for doing a job goes far beyond simply picking up a large paycheck. There are
many jobs which attract a minimum wage and I do have sympathy for the argument that waiting staff benefit largely because they have contact with the public that others (e.g. those packing boxes in a factory) don't have. It doesn't stop me tipping good service but I always hope that restaurants who claim to share tips between all staff, including those who actually create the meal, honour their agreements.
