When someone says “it’s just a restaurant job,” I feel like throwing a hot sauté pan across the room. We manage people, money, logistics, emotions, food safety, customer experience, and sometimes literal fires often all within 30 minutes. We deal with pressure most office workers would crumble under, and yet the industry is still treated like a stopgap instead of a career. What would you say to someone who thinks this isn’t a “real” career?

If they think it’s not real work, let them survive one Friday night service. The ignorance comes from never experiencing the chaos. We work harder than half the “professional” jobs out there.

So relatable. I hate this dismissive BS attitude. I'm on my feet 8 hours every shift, running this way and that, getting reamed out by customers. Do they seriously think sitting in a cubicle staring at a computer every day is somehow harder??

I spent 20 years working in restaurants on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. I started working in the industry when I was 14 and thought I was pretty good, until I got my first job as a prep/dish on Bourbon. HA! I quickly realized I was greener than grass. Restaurant work isn't just a career, it's a challenging one. TV shows like Top Chef and Bar Rescue make it look easy, so people tend to think that's the life. Honestly, feeding people for a living is fulfilling and noble. There was a time that some citizens of this country could ONLY find jobs such as restaurant work to support their families. The hours can be any out of the day, as there are places open all 24. As opposed to 9-5ers, we not only work holidays, we work HARDER on holidays than other days. Weekends with the family? Psst. On one shift, you can be a cook, a concierge, custodian, babysitter, therapist, bouncer, bank teller, tour guide, medic; the list is endless. The patience required is unparalleled, it's physically and mentally exhausting...but if you love food, feeding people and going to bed at night knowing you made an impact, it just might be the career you're looking for. Anyone who says it's not a career probably quit after they got their new shoes dirty.

Heheh the hot saute pan cracked me up. This is so true though. I hate when people say that as well. You have no problem coming to eat at "just a restaurant."

I wish restaurant workers were better paid and better respected. We do all this work to serve people and get very little appreciation.

oh don't you know it's not a real job. I know as a server I take pride in my job and yes it's my career. one I am really good at. one that help me raise my 3 very successful children. People need to stop looking down. of course you expect top of the line service for a job that irrelevant. just plan nuts

Let the do it for one week !!! Or a job in retail !!!! Those people wouldn't survive a week !!!

Get your self worth from within, and not from what people say. I'm not badmouthing you, it takes time. You need to bring the statement to a halt before it affects you within, and destroys you from the inside out. Do a mental scenario, and imagine catching the statement before it digs itself inside of you. Also, there's some good self hypnosis from a David on YouTube, he's from England, I believe. You must be very relaxed, maybe a glass of wine before the self hypnosis would be good. I've done some, and it's almost an out of body experience.

You are working a real career! Don’t let anyone devalue you for the kind of work you do. All work is valuable. If someone says something bad about your job it says more about them than about you.

Hell's Kitchen And Dave Ramsey is a joke compared to what I've been through..this is not just a career.this kinda of life is not for the week at heart. Either.it take a special kinda of person to hustle that hard and manage a decent living..it made me content for the most part of my life..