I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

My first real waiting tables job was at Bennigan’s in Atlanta.

At some point during my couple of years there, I decided to try and get a better waiting tables job.

One of my best friends was working at the famous Peasant restaurants and suggested I my try one of their more casual locations.

I applied.

I got hired.

I didn’t stay long. Fine dining lunch was not for me. And to make matters worse, you had to memorize the menu details. I’m sure none of you would be expecting anything less.

However, the menu was handwritten on a small chalkboard with just the items. Part of the schtick was dropping the chalkboard on the table and then spending the next ten minutes, reciting from memory, the details of the menu.

Most of the people who dined there for lunch had eaten there before. But they loved to ask you to recite away. Ten minutes in, you were still talking and the weeds were flourishing in your section.

This brings me back to the day I got hired. I’m in the dining room, and am meeting with a manager. It is between lunch and dinner.

We go through the interview, I answer all the questions, discuss my availability, etc.

She then says, so I’d like to offer you the job, but I will tell you before you accept that we have a very diverse staff. We have white, black, Asian, and some of our staff is gay. I want to know that you’ll be comfortable with that.

I laughed quietly to myself. She thought I was straight.

How sweet.

I assured her that I’d be fine with the staff, and was excited to get started.

I worked there two weeks after training, gave my notice and never went back.

Fine dining was just not for me.