Drama, where art thou?

Well week 3 is now completed for me as of this afternoon. I must say that this week was way worse in terms of labor and customer volume, though my attitude didn’t follow suit, minus my brush with death. It was even busier, especially the last two days, like that is even possible, but I didn’t hate every single second that I spent there. It has a lot to do with a guy I’m working with. He’s really lax with the rules when it comes to me and we joke around and laugh quite a bit. Don’t get me wrong, I still do have my moments that send me down the path of rage, but this dude can tell and instantly gets me rolling with some stupid anecdote or another.

Plus, they really are babying me there. They know I will not hesitate to tell them all to fuck off and march out on a whim’s notice. I have been perfectly frank with everyone and they know I just won’t put up with all the added bullshit that I witness other people succumbing to every day. I told them what will work for me and if it won’t work for them, let’s not waste each other’s time. Simple. And it seems to be working really well.

For instance, I was told I’d get a non-changing schedule. I was telling the assistant GM one day that I was really looking forward to having tomorrow off because I made plans and was leaving town. He wasn’t sure if I was kidding or not and told me to check the schedule. I told him I didn’t have to because the GM (let’s call him Roy) stated that my hours and days off were not interchangeable.

When I got time, I went back to check quick and sure as shit I didn’t have the next day off. When I came back all I said was, “I’m really not happy about this. You guys are already breaking our agreement.” I was kidding but he didn’t know that. Fuck it, I can wait another day and it really wasn’t any big deal to me. About thirty minutes later, Roy approached me and said, “I’m really sorry. I spaced this week but it won’t happen again. Nick (assistant GM, let’s call him that) said he would cover the morning shift so you can go ahead and take tomorrow off.”

I was really surprised because at any other place they would likely tell you to go fuck yourself, not in those terms but the same basic context, and to show up or don’t come back. It’s just that they are SO desperate for competent help right now that they actually have to honor our deal. I wasn’t an asshole about it or anything and just said, “Nah, that’s okay. I can leave Friday after work instead. I was just going for a day and everyone else will be there the whole weekend, so it’s no big deal.” And it wasn’t. But from that point forward I will guarantee you I have my set days off, unless they ask me first.

Another thing, and this is the best part, is that they always try super hard to get me out of the restaurant when my scheduled shift is over. When the clock hits 2 pm they tell me, “Okay, you can head out. Have a good day.” I always stay over to keep cooking, help clean and restock because I’m not a total dickhead. It’s just that I have that option to get the hell out of that soul sucking pit should I ever choose to or need to. Before, no matter who you were, minus management of course, you stayed and were God damn expected to until every single shred of work was completed. Sometimes you would need to stay 2-3 hours after your shift ended. It’s so awesome having the option to just bolt. I love it. So rather than thinking, “Oh my fucking Lord when will I ever get to leave” now it’s, “Shit, I can leave as soon as I feel like it!” So great.

One more cook quit and another has been sick. It’s the one that tried to kill me by giving me the tilapia flu, and get this; he’s out because of a respiratory illness. Talk about instant karma. Like I stated last post, I don’t hold any ill will towards him but at least he got to somewhat experience what it’s like not being able to breathe with no control over it. The dude who quit was a really cool guy but not the greatest cook. I really liked the short while I worked with him though and am glad to have known him.

I just can’t believe how bad this place is screwed in terms of cooks. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because it truly sucks ass and maybe the corporate geniuses will finally have to figure out how to fix the shortage rather than just sit back, make stupid ass policies that don’t work worth shit, and actually have to pay their workers a decent wage. Like I’ve typed before, I’ve worked in several other fields, and this type of work is the only one that comes close to demanding, overloading rather, labor with a minimal wage. I’m glad it’s finally coming to light that this profession fucking sucks and you can’t treat people like this forever. Like I said, I don’t even get offered my guaranteed by law break, which is fine with me, though no one else does either. I don’t get off of my feet for even a second and barely have time to get a glass of water, let alone actually finish it before it’s warm. Yeah, I know, boohoo, poor me.

So anyways, Roy did also say I would be evaluated and have my wage adjusted accordingly after two weeks. Well today marked three so I made sure to tell him early this morning that I needed a quick minute or two with him before I left for the day. After all, he was only fifteen feet away, cooking on the other side. That’s also epic. The GM of a store is needed to do labor that is obviously beneath him because he can’t keep help. He gets to see firsthand the shit we dredge through each day and I’m quite sure it has adjusted his appreciation for what we do.

I sneak over to him on my way out and make it real fast. I say, “You said I would be re-evaluated after two weeks and it’s been three. We can make this fast, just tell me what you had in mind.” Nope. Can’t be that simple or easy, and he tells his partner he’s going to the office for a few minutes. We stroll back there, which wasn’t needed as far as I’m concerned. He asks me what I’m making now and guesses on a number. It’s wrong. I tell him, “No, no, no. That’s not correct. You said I’d be starting at $XX.XX per hour. He looks it up on the computer and well what do you know, he’s paying me less than we agreed upon.

I let out this big, “Ugh!” and he knows I’m not happy. He says he’ll call the regional manager and get it straightened out immediately. I ask if the adjustment will be reflected on my check and he says no but they will pay me in cash to compensate. He then whips out his phone and calls the regional manager. Holy shit this guy is efficient! After he leaves a message he asks me about my elevated wage.

I say, “I know I’m not as good as I was before just yet, but I also know I’m almost there. I think I’m doing really well considering my lapse and it’s only been three weeks.” He agrees. Now I know this isn’t common and they are in a real jam, and I do have a heart, so I meagerly ask for a free meal per day. He says that it’s not that simple with food and ponders for a bit. He then says, “How about fifty cents?” I visibly grimace and shake my head when he interrupts me saying, “Do you want more?” What? Did the commander of a corporate sweatshop just ask a subordinate if he wanted more? Wow, this is truly an amazing day, one for the record books for sure. I start laughing because what he said out loud was incredibly ludicrous. I shrugged as to say, “What do you think?”

I go on to state that I feel a higher wage is justifiable because I’m not long-term. I say, “I’m only here over the summer, if even that, so I don’t think it’s out of the question for a substantial increase because it’s not going to be a set wage, only temporary in the grand scheme.” He retorts that he’ll give me a one dollar per hour increase plus I get a free meal each shift I work. Well…what the heck is going on…all I wanted was the free meal initially. I would have been satisfied with that, but since you’re going to go above and beyond that, now at this point in our conversation, for some reason, hell yeah I’ll take it. I happily agree and thank him sincerely for the increase and perk.

So after three weeks of working here, I am currently making $4.00 more dollars per hour and I also get a free meal each and every shift I work; and I didn’t make a shitty wage at the last place either. I mean, I am truly miserable here currently and will remain so until I choose to leave, but it would be no different from my last restaurant except for the aforementioned upgrades. Plus, if I decide to stay longer than ninety days, I will receive a discounted health coverage package that includes not only medical, but dental and vision as well.

All in all, I’m very glad I made the decision to switch. It also gives me great satisfaction knowing those idiots are struggling every day without me. There is still and open interview advertisement running in our local newspaper, so I would confidently assume they still haven’t been able to secure any help. Ha-ha! Suck on that you dumb nerds. If you hadn’t been such dickholes I may still be there.

Next post I’m going to go into the whole prep cook versus being a line cook. Today, which was the busiest day I’ve seen here since I’ve been back, our prep cooks were bitching the whole day about how bad their jobs are and how much extra crap they have to do. I came in at 6 am sharp and got a quick smoke at 7:30 am, and that was pushing it. The KM told me to go now or just concede to the reality that I won’t be getting one at all. I took his offer and pounded one down, and thank God I took advantage of his kindness. We had full boards of tickets on both sides with absolutely no intermission whatsoever until I left. It was fucking crazy! Each board will hold approximately twenty tables per side, so forty tables of customers for seven hours straight. The table turnovers are perfected there for maximum volume and profit. If you get behind for even a few minutes with a full house and waiting lines, you can kiss your ass goodbye and are buried with basically no redemption possible. Yeah, so much fun with no pressure at all. =)

 Anyways, last time I worked here and I heard a prep cook bitch about something, I pulled him up on line with me and trained him as I would a common line cook applicant. I didn’t try to intimidate him or ride him extra hard; just a normal, “Here’s what it’s really like to cook up here” session. I let him go back into the prep area after only two hours and he NEVER complained again. Don’t get me wrong, prep can suck, but in this place it’s transferring from circle 1 of hell into circle 9. For next time, in another day in the life of a line cook.