BY: RACHEL WUMKES
Many industries felt the crunch as their doors shut during the mandated closings. Our economy was hit by a Mac Truck and appears to be crushed, bleeding on the side of the road like a wounded animal.
While many transitioned to a work-from-home environment, there are lots of jobs where that option is not possible. Hairdressers could not cut hair at home. Nail salons could not operate at home.
And, restaurant workers could not serve you from home.
It’s fitting then, that as many begin to slowly open their doors, even at a lesser capacity, we get the chance to celebrate them! On Thursday, May 21st, we celebrate National Waitstaff Day. A day which recognizes the dedicated and often talented waitstaff.
To put it in a bit of perspective… I often can’t remember why I went into a room, and yet servers can remember an entire table’s order AND not miss a thing. That’s impressive!
This day is set aside to show our appreciation to all waitstaff for making our dining experiences enjoyable ones. And right now, people are desperate for that restaurant attention.
Throughout the pandemic and self-isolation, our family has tried to patronize the many local restaurants by ordering takeout on the regular. And yes, it was a much-needed break from cooking, but there was still the cleanup. Even though it was simply throwing Styrofoam containers into the garbage, I longed for that service. For someone to bring me my drink and my food and then take it all away while I get up and walk out.
I miss that!
While National Waitstaff Day is technically only celebrated on Thursday, I challenge each of you to extend it throughout the long, holiday weekend. I think our many exceptional restaurants in town could use a little boost of goodness right now, and this is one way we can provide it. Go out to eat – or order takeout if you’re not quite ready to be around a crowd! Be kind and courteous to your server and the entire staff. These are unprecedented times, no waitstaff has ever worked in this type of situation before, with the various rules and regulations, so we are all on this learning curve together!
So how does one “celebrate” this National holiday? Well, we recognize our servers each time we enjoy a restaurant meal by leaving them a tip. If you receive stellar service, tell them you appreciate the excellent service they provided and leave a more generous tip. Continue to frequent the restaurant and don’t hesitate to let the manager know just how well the waitstaff treated you.
Then, tell all your friends on social media where you ate and how amazing it was! Take a picture of your food, take a selfie in the booth! Tag the restaurant and use #NationalWaitstaffDay in your post.
Our restaurants have been able to ride out this pandemic so far, thanks in part to your incredible dedication for ordering take-out. Now it’s time to show our servers and bartenders a little love by dining in and tipping big.
For a complete listing of open restaurants, check out this blog post.