I'm really enjoying the book thus far. It's humorous in a dark and very witty way, which caters well to me (get it, caters, like waitering. no? k.) The only thing that bothers me persistantly while reading is when he talks about how he has a college degree, has worked at decent jobs, and yet he's been most successful at waitering. That book was set in the early 2000s. The economy's not that much better than it was then, which makes me worried.
Another interesting point I draw from the reading is that, due to my/our young age, waitering is a viable option as a first job to make some pocket money. Reading this has kind of opened my eyes to how the restaurant world really works.
I agree completely. It's incredibly easy to go to a restaurant and have a forgettable experience. You never think about the experience from the waiter's point of view. A Friday night, for example, would seem like a dreadful time to work as a waiter. Yet Steve would have to bribe his manager with $50-$100 to get that shift. The first 50 pages alone reveal the drama and difficulty of being a waiter. Took me by surprise.
ReplyDeleteOn a separate note, the fact that Steve did go to college and has credentials that should get him a better job is a chilling fact. Especially with the current economic situation, we have to really ask ourselves if spending copious amounts of money is going to help in the long run. Of course college education is important/essential, but is it worth spending 60K a year vs. 20K a year if both with have the same grim results?
ReplyDeleteExactly. However, Steve does have an oppurtunity to be a writer. The fact that he hasn't been working on that and has just been passively going through life does make it seem like waitering was more his choice than his subjection. While he could actively be pursuing a more rewarding job, he isn't, which is probably the problem with a lot of people who hate their jobs or don't have one (ahem, occupy wallstreet idiots. But that's a whole different conversation). I went out to eat the other night and I looked at every waiter wondering if they had a college degree or an oppurtunity to do something else with their lives. This book has really made me aware of the waitstaff.
ReplyDeletePart of the meaning here is that he should be more grateful to have his job as a waiter. Although it is "chilling" that he has so many credentials and yet has a waiting job, the point really is that he should be grateful for having the job that he has while many others are out of work.
ReplyDeleteTrue, but he does bring up a good point: illegal immigrants. Thousands of illegal immigrants do their jobs cheaply and under the table. However, with new legislation it is becoming increasingly difficult to employ aliens. So, if those jobs were taken by legal americans, the prices of everything would be jacked up, causing an even greater economic crisis. And while some may pay taxes, they still aren't recieving benefits off of those taxes whereas those that aren't paying taxes--aliens and American citizens alike-- are scamming the system. Waiter Rant brings to light a slew of problems and quirks in America that can be displayed just from the perspective of a restaurant worker. It's amazing.
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