I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Back in the late 2000’s NYC passed a law requiring servers to take a break after 6 hours on the clock.

In NYC because restaurants are open late this required lots of restaurants to find a solution.

I was working at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square at the time.

When the law first past we took our breaks at the beginning of our shift.

We’d clock in at 4:45 and then immediately clock out. Then click in at 5:15 and go on the floor.

This lasted for 6 months or so.

Then.

The HRC made the decision to hire people to give us our breaks.

So we’d clock in after pre shift and then at some point during our shift someone would tap us on the shoulder and say it was time for a break.

The person tapping you on the shoulder would be the least trained, least experienced person in the building.

So at say, let’s say 7:30, I’d transfer all my tables to a break server, and could clock out. 30 minutes later, I’d click back in and resume my shift.

Yes.

It was as chaotic as you could imagine.

On one of my first breaks I transferred my checks and introduced my tables to their break server.

One of my tables just needed to order dessert.

Fast forward 30 minutes and I return from break.

My breaker tells me where everyone is and I discover that she never took the dessert order.

I seriously had a table sitting for 30 minutes waiting to order dessert.

What the fuck?

I write this because when Adam and I were in NYC our server went on break. Leaving us hanging without the server knowing what was going on.

We left before she returned.

I know people need breaks. M

But servers have been doing this for centuries. There has to be a better solution.

Meanwhile.

I’m going on break.

Good luck with the rest of your meal.