help!! im 16 and i have been offered a part-time job at a restaurant.?

Question

i have never worked in hospitality or the food industry before and i'm kinda scared and nervous. i've worked in retail stores before and i wasn't so nervous but i feel like extremely nervous and scared about working in a food industry because i think that its a big industry. the thing that im scared of is that im scared that i might drop the plate of food while serving the customers. also if they make me do the dishes, you would have to do it fast and clean but the problem is that i can't make it clean if i have to wash them fast. if anyone here works in a restaurant please help and advise me

SERIOUS ANSWERS PLEASE! AS I AM SEEKING FOR EXPERIENCE WHICH COULD HELP LEAD ME TO MY CAREER

Answer 1

"It's the first steps that count". It may be difficult @ first, but soon you'll be used to it.
I just hope that once you've received your hard earned wages, you'd save it or spend it wisely. Learn & appreciate the value of hard work. Should you screw up at this restaurant, they may fire you; but, I'm pretty sure you'll find another job in no time. In a way, you may lose a job, but you will surely gain more work experience. So, don't lose any sleep over it. Some youngsters are happy with the little amount of money they've got now & forget that they should above all "INVEST IN EDUCATION". Education is the only investment that no one can take it away from you.
Aim high. You don't want to be a waitress or a hostess all your life, do you ?
Best of luck.

Answer 2

I worked in a restaurant for nearly 2 years during college. I was a cashier/hostess/server. I don't think you'll have a problem since you worked retail and have been around people.

Relax, things happen. You just need to go with the flow.

As a hostess, the main problems I had involved customers not liking tables, wanting a booth, wanting us to push 2 booths together (never mind that the booths are bolted to the floors), taking care of the wait list, customers wanting a table for 20-some people when only 3 were present.

As a cashier, I was lucky enough to work on Friday and Saturday nights...the line could get pretty long, especially when people took forever to write a check or 12 different people had to split the bill and couldn't remember what they ate just 20 minutes ago.

As a server, granted I wasn't the best, but I was one of the friendliest and that helps with the tips. I did drop a huge tray of chicken fried steaks once when I was serving a large group. Four chicken fries on the floor. How embarrassing...the white gravy left a stain on the carpet. But you have to shake it off and continue on.

I've never had to wash the dishes. I'm not sure how large the restaurant is where you have been offered a job, but the restaurant I was employed at...the dishwasher rinsed off the dishes and then put them in the machine. After a few minutes, he took them out and they were as good as new. I doubt you'll have to sit there and wash the dishes in a sink-full of water with a bottle of dish soap and a dishcloth. But I could be wrong.

Just be yourself, don't let the irritable and irate customers get to you, do your best and you'll be good to go.

Answer 3

You know what- probably you will drop your tray with plates once, or twice or three or more times. You will spill soup, drop a salad or anything crazy-but that is normal and every one who starts in such industry does it in the begging while they are learning. So that should not scare you. At 16 you can hardly make a choice for your career. Work on your school and take this job for fun and to make some side money. But don't take it serious. It would be good experience for you in terms that it will teach you how to handle different situations and people. You are putting way too much pressure on yourself over nothing. Good luck.

Answer 4

I have worked in this business for a very long time its good experience i started when i was 17 at a ponderosa the food industry you can make decent money its pretty easy just be nice and smile you learn to balance the food you carry trays and they are easy to balance once you get the hang of it try practicing at home thats what i did with the plates or a tray with plates on them they dont make you do the dishes some companys will charge out of your paycheck for broken dishes you sound like you want to do a good job im sure you will be fine relax and have fun you will meet interesting people and make lots of money

Answer 5

I was a Hospitality and Tourism major in college, and I had to work in a restaurant for one of my classes. It can be stressful and fun at the same time. I had to wash dishes, and I did a good job. I even passed the class. My advice for you is to have fun, working in a restaurant can be fast paced, but you can learn a lot from the people who are working their full time. If you are scared go to your local library and find books on the restaurant industry. If it is not for you try something else. Good Luck.

Answer 6

Well u can't expect seriousness from me, but because u r only 16 so i m giving u free advise. Do u remember the 1st day when u went to school by yourself? U might be scared of going alone, but u made it.Always remember that"Do what u can, with what u have, wherever u are". Because if u think that u loose then u will, if u think that u win then u will win, but later or sooner the person who wins is the person who thinks he can".So to be strong so nothing can disturb ur piece of mind. If others can do it, then y u can't do? So plan ur work and work ur plan so me looking forward to hear a good news from u. Best of luck and be stronggggggggggggg

Answer 7

Almost everything in life gets easier with experience. I bet they know you don't have a lot of experience, so don't sweat that part.

As for being afraid of dropping a plate or something - it happens all the time. Just try to make sure it doesn't happen to YOU ALL the time. ;-)

Washing dishes in a commercial situation is a lot different than at home. You might be surprise at how quickly you can do them.

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Kitchen staff usually makes completely different wages than wait staff (mainly because kitchen staff doesn't get tips). If they start making you do dishes, make sure you're being paid appropriately (unless you're just talking about a single dish every once in a while)!

Answer 8

Chances are that if you are only sixteen, they want you to be a hostess or a buss person, which would limit your time in the kitchen anyway. dish washers are hired to be dishwashers. most states have ordinances that you have to be eighteen to work in the kitchen. Restaurant work can be both very rewarding and rather lucrative. I started bussing tables at the age of fourteen and am thirty six now. worked my through the ranks and have been able to see much of the country on someone elses dime. waiting tables is a great way to make extra money through college. my suggestion is to go for it. if you don't like it, you can always go back to retail. GOOD LUCK!!!!

Answer 9

Oh, come on.....don't worry about that, I'm sure the other restaurant employees don't have supernatural powers or anything....nobody will expect you to do everything quickly and perfectly. And what if you brake some dishes or drop some food? Accidents happen to all of us. You will learn and get better after a few days

Answer 10

Relax, it's just a restaurant job. If it helps start off working just in the kithen w/o dealing w/ customers. If you drop a plate get over it. If they fire you, screw them. You will become more and more comfortable every day you are there. Employers really just need somebody to show up and try to work!