So what happens in the split second we go from the stressful, hard, cold kitchen to the pleasantries of the floor? We become a different person. Every waiter in the world has this one thing in common. There are thousands of different personalities working in the restaurant but the one thing we ALL have in common is our ability to act differently to our guests. We share the common bond of splitting our identities several times a day. This is what makes us a community. This common denominator within our job is the bottom line for making it in the restaurant business. If you are unable to leave your emotions in the kitchen, then you wont be able to wait tables. People consider it a poor man's job, a job that is easy and doesn't pay the bills, but to be a really good waiter, you must have excellent people skills, time management skills, and, once again, the ability to present yourself differently to a number of audiences. How is this any different from a CEO at a big corporation?

It's really not that different. When people see past the occasional mistakes and really get to know the waiting culture, people would see a huge rift between what they see and what really is. But doesn't everyone do this? Don't we put on a certain face for different people. Would you talk to your friends the same way you talk to your parents? Would you talk to your parents the same way you would talk to an authority figure? Everyone does this. It's a common thread among all of humanity. We are able to assume various personalities to cater to those we're interacting with.

When I'm waiting a table, I consider this fact. The fact that the waiter and the waited are no different in between the kitchen and the floor. He and I are manipulators. I look at him and he looks back at me, and I know that he knows. He consciously sees me as a person taking his food order. He unconsciously sees me for just another person. Someone just like him who is just trying to make some money.

Choose a side:

The Real You

The Other Yous

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