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Learning lessons: Whether it's in the Navy or in a restaurant, there's much to learn while serving others

By Marty Cayton, posted Aug 31, 2023 on BizFayetteville.com

“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve.” — MARTIN LUTHER KING

 

Most people in the workforce today have had some experience in the food service industry. In fact, according to Restaurant Business Online, half of

all adults have worked in the restaurant industry at some point during their lives and one in three Americans got their first job experience in a restaurant.
I also worked in food services temporarily as wait staff. During my service in the U.S. Navy, all enlisted personnel E3 and below had to serve at least three months in what the Navy affectionately called, “Mess cooking” or KP (Kitchen Police) Duty if you are in the Army.
I worked in the officer’s mess hall and was one of about four other members on the wait staff. I learned a lot and discovered much about people, in general, during this time. One very memorable experience was when I was asked by a newly minted officer to bring some cream cheese for their bagel. Since I had no formal training in food service, I did what any kid would do if he was at home and someone asked for something; I gave them the cream cheese, still in the Philadelphia cream cheese wrapper, with a knife and I didn’t think I was going to miss a beat. Unlike yours truly, this newly commissioned naval officer obviously had experience on what proper service etiquette should be and what it should NOT be.

The Ensign chewed me up and down in front of the entire room for this delivery and presentation error. Now mind you, I was not a contestant on Chopped, I was just an E3 mess cook trying to do my best. There’s a lot more to this story and maybe one day I’ll find a way to incorporate, what Paul Harvey used to call, “the rest of the story.” For now, I leave you with the segue into this issue with a focus on “Wonderful Waitstaff.”

These waitstaff members featured are great reflections of their restaurant ownership and what good customer service is all about. They certainly know how to get the job done and they all are doing it successfully for some of the best restaurants in our area! I am sure each of them has more than one story about not so nice customers.

We hope that you enjoy learning more about these wait staff team members and the places they work. And just reflect on this quote by journalist Dave Barry who said, “A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.” So be a nice person and be nice to the waitstaff!


God bless you and yours!

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