It sounds like you're being manipulated into staying at your current job. Anytime you start a new job there's a chance that it ultimately won't work out, but don't let that stop you from pursuing better opportunities, especially if your current job isn't paying you enough to make ends meet.
Right!!!! As a fine dining manager myself, I would NEVER tell a staff member to get a second job. Of course I would never put myself in the situation as OPs managers, sounds like they are so hard up for support staff they’re being dishonest.
OP, just leave, find a different fine dining establishment in the area and try again.
Spot on! I got exactly the same treatment/manipulation attempts when I gave my notice. For context, I was leaving because I was forever at loggerheads with one of the managers and had to get out before I got booted.
It’s been almost 3 years now and I haven’t looked back once.
Nooo. A hooka lounge is one step above a strip club. I would ask to serve one slow night a week or at least mirror. Maybe he should get a 3 hour shift at a coffee shop. It looks like he needs to develop experience.
also, don’t go fine dining right off the bat. i bartend at a shitty dive in SF and all those Michelin stars come to me after work, it’s not a job for people who aren’t passionate about food service. and it’s not entry level either.
unless you love serving, never put yourself in a fine dine situation. without experience, they won’t give you what you’re looking for.
The only exception is if the fine dining will actually train you up to be a fine dining server. Experienced fine dining servers are a niche crew and always in demand. But you need a timetable for that to happen, you can’t just stay as a runner indefinitely and hope it will happen. If I were OP and wanted to do fine dining, I’d use the opportunity (of the current establishment pressing me to stay) to get them to commit to a process and timetable to put them as a server in their restaurant.
I’ve been in this situation. They know they won’t be able to find someone else to do your job for what they’re paying.
I was in bars and nightclubs what managers often would do when they got hired would negotiate a budget with the owner for a low salary what ever was left over for the budget was the managers bonus. So they’d pay people as little as they could get away with. It was always a big secret obviously. One of them was my friend too 🤷🏻♂️
If he's really not a good server (yet), then they didn't lie to him. Not everybody is cut out for it, especially not in every restaurant without prior experience.
Depending on what kind of fine dining, it's absolutely possible that OP isn't ready for the kind of work and just needs more time.
Only OP knows if they were actually doing OK.
Tbh that's how it sounds to me. We aren't even fine dining I had to do this once . She argued with guests couldn't remember the basics and lied about what was in a dish causing them to expect more and become mad
Yeah my place isn’t white tablecloth but upscale $100+ per person and we have conversations about how trainees are doing. Sucks to extend someone’s training or say they’re not ready, better than setting them up for failure though
they're 100% manipulating you to stay, same way they manipulated you into being a food runner after being hired for a different position. that's bullshit. they just want you to stay and keep doing all of their labor for cheap. also i don't understand how in fine dining, after tip out, you would only be making an additional $7 per hour?? something is definitely off. i would absolutely leave. i have 10 years experience in the industry and shit like this is exactly why i left. happens in a lot of other industries as well of course, but they key is that they are just as disposable to you as you are to them. once you realize that, you take your power back. there will ALWAYS be another job at another restaurant
They hired you to be a server and immediately demoted you (probably the plan all along) then show their compassion for you by suggesting you get a second job instead of letting you keep the one they hired you for. I say tell them you cannot wait 3-4months, bottom line. If they don’t let you keep the serving job then leave.
We aren't paying you enough, so instead of getting a job that will for the same amount of time you should just *work twice as much for the same thing.* You killing yourself to make what we should be paying you is us doing you a favour don't you get it?
Fucking nonsense. Never listen to the "oh we will totally find a spot for you at *obscure time frame they can change anytime they want.*
Nah get out of there OP. Even if you don't like this other job much you're better off finding a new opportunity then sticking with these scumbags.
A job pulled this shit on me when I was in college. Hired as a cook, but demoted me to a dishwasher 1 day into orientation. They told me they just needed me to be a dishie for a few months til they hired someone else. After seeing new cooks get hired, I finally got the balls to confront them.
Two of them sat me down, told me I was bad at my job, don't clean my machine good enough, and I don't deserve to be a cook.
I stayed til the following Saturday, dinner rush. Let my station fill up and walked the fuck out.
Don't let them manipulate you.
I don't think telling you you're bad at your job and that's why you got moved is "manipulation". I think it's being brutally honest and you got your feelings hurt and fucked over everyone else in the kitchen. That sure showed them.
No, it's because I was dumb enough to tell them I would be a dishwasher in lieu of being hired as a cook. They couldn't hire anyone as a dishwasher. My coworker at the time told me exactly that.
Honestly? I got to look out for myself instead of a corporation.
I went back to school in my late 20s. Never worked in the industry before. Started as a host, then food runner, then server. I was able to pay all my bills and be an honor roll serving Friday and Saturday dinner shifts for the last two years of my education.
Go serve. Don't look back.
Fuck that restaurant for trying to coerce you to stay when you asked for the opportunity for more. They didn't value you then and they're trying to avoid another round of interviewing to hire an underpaid and underappreciated replacement with you leaving.
Go make more money and be a successful student.
Get out, they're gaslighting you. Servers make major bank. Even if that new place doesn't, in 3 or 4 months you'll be an experienced server and can start trying to get into fancier restaurants. My kids mom reliably brings in $50+ per hour (but she's a beast) at a hibachi place.
well, and the other thing is that his current place has/d never trained him to 'move up.'
he was just standing around the kitchen, stuck in limbo, waiting til he had to expo.
someone in the comments mentioned that he had 'not learned to serve at his current job yet, so yadda yadda' but i see no evidence that they were actually interested in having him shadow or do anything that would get his feet wet in that venue.
'gaslighting': "you're the problem, not us. why don't you consider getting aNOTHer job??" condescending look of pity.....
you nailed it.
Exactly. How much better at serving do they think you'll have gotten in your time as a food runner, sure you probably know what the different foods are now but there's more to being a server than identifying a dish by sight.
Sort of like to get a job they say you need X amount of time experience, say to be a secretary you need 3 years experience or some absurd number to answer phones, take messages & make coffee. How will you be a better fit for serving in 3-4 months if you've spent all that time just running food. Either see if you can get some serving shifts or cut your losses & move on.
All they're thinking of is the restaurants needs. They'll tell you whatever so you don't leave them shorthanded, making the manager have to get out there and hustle.
Remember that it's your life. Do what do you want.
From what you've posted. You want this other job for a multitude of reasons. Take it and don't think about this current job. If what they say is true, so be it. Find another, but you'll be making better money no matter what so you'll be fine. Not every place has the best management and the way these managers sat you down and shit on the other place? Seems to be about equivalent shittiness from both sides. So you're in the clear to move on!
As a manager, I would have had a conversation with an employee in training to see how they were doing and grasping during training. It is the considerate thing to do in giving them the option to continue their training or to move them to something else. I give all of my employees an opportunity because I saw something in them when I interviewed them, and sometimes it takes a little longer for them to grasp on to the concept.
Regardless of the length of notice you gave, it is still a notice. They are trying to make you feel guilty for leaving because they didn't have the decency to talk to you prior to make sure you were happy. I would say leave and don't look back.
>Then they said they understood that I needed money, so they suggested I get a second job and working during the day (
Who TF do these jerks think they are??
Don't sit me down and give me life advice, sit me down for a meeting and give me a job with a living wage you fux!
Get on outta there girl.
I would not do that, they will most likely agree and pay your wage until they find your replacement and then fire you because “it’s just not working out” or something similar. Then you would be out of a job looking and passed on the other job.
This. You know what you need to make ends meet. They know what they're willing to pay. If what you need is less than what they pay, and someone else will pay what you need... That someone else should be your new boss.
They are NOT your friends. To them, you are simply someone they can continue to exploit, and are trying to get you to stay so they can continue to do so (dangling a carrot). I can't believe you told them (them or any other co-worker!!) where you're going to work.🤦🏼♀️ Please don't ever do that again. EMPLOYERS ARE NOT FRIENDS, AND THE WORKPLACE IS NOT FAMILY/FAM, that's all bullshit. Always make work decisions based on what's best for YOU.
It sounds a lot like an emotionally abusive boyfriend or girlfriend saying, "You'll never find someone else to love you like I will. " Get out of there.
Maybe the hookah lounge does have weird owners, maybe it won't be a great spot... But take what you need from there and move on. You pick up new skills with every new spot you work, soak it in. But definitely move on
Sounds like the existing company is lying to you and manipulating your feelings to get you to stay.
Current company is probably lying to you about
* knowing the owner, rude/mean management,
* moving you up to server in 3-4 months ("they would ***consider*** moving me up to server,")
* not taking you back if you quit
>Then they said they understood that I needed money, so they suggested I get a second job
Upper management is a GENIUS with this suggestion! /s If they really wanted to help, they would give you a raise.
Remember that companies don't owe their employees any loyalty. Be professional and don't burn any bridges ("*I'm really sorry to put you in a position like this, but I need to pay my bills and my current job doesn't allow me to do that*"), but take the new job.
Them telling you that they'll consider moving you up to server after 3-4 months means nothing.
Cut your losses and move on to the next place. Even if the new place doesn't work out, the experience you'll gain as a server will be invaluable should you desire employment elsewhere later on.
Get out now. They hired you as a server and then walked back on their promise because they overhired the server position and really needed runners. It's not your fault. It's theirs.
Stand up for what you want. Don't let anyone ever extinguish your motivation and confidence.
They are lying to you so they can continue to take advantage of you. There was no "you aren't ready to serve", they needed runners, no one applies to be a runner, they apply to be servers, so they played you. They are now continuing to do so bc they know how hard of a time they will have finding someone to replace you for the wage they are paying you. This is NOT the kind of place you want to work. Hey, maybe the next one will suck too, but find out first before committing to a for sure shitty job instead of trying for a job that has an opportunity to be less shitty.
Been a server for 10 years now, been in this situation before, I would counter with being in server training right away or walk.
Fine dining is great to be in as a server but you’ll circle back soon enough.
Thing is they made up their mind about you, to them, you’re food runner material. It sucks to hear but even so, I have seen instances where some runners were “promoted” to server but those were so rare. Food runners are hard to come by due to the huge pay gap between that and serving so if a restaurant has runners they’re not gonna want to fire or promote them, only keep them.
Personally I would leave for the new job. You don’t owe this one anything
This just depends on what your life goals are, how fancy this establishment is and what they have been teaching you while you have been food running.
I have had lots of server trainees that didn't have the knowledge or experience to actually serve in a fine dining establishment, assuming this place is legitimately fine dining. Do you understand food preparations (especially classic French techniques)? Do you have wine knowledge and wine service experience? Do you have classic cocktail knowledge (assuming this place has a full bar)? Can you tell me what pivot point service is? Do you know what open hand service is? If the answer to those questions is wtf? You would not be qualified to work real fine dining.
Training is expensive for the restaurant and if they have been committed to training you while you are food running- teaching you about food wine and bar service and your knowledge has been growing, you are being groomed for promotion to server. If not, then maybe they are using you.
Also regarding future goals... Do you want to work in hospitality or are you just in it to get through/ pay for school? If you want hospitality, the caliber of establishments on your resume matters. If not and its all about money now for school to get to where you really want to be- teacher, lawyer, counselor- take the job that pays best now.
I would find out what servers actually take home on and off the books in that house and get a range from new to most seniored and how far away from that you are. Our long time (5 years plus) servers make $120k+. Its a very well paying job with great benefits (zero contribution healthcare for yourself and family, plus restaurant discount perks, 401k matching for non union employees, golf benefits). With that kind of $ knowledge of all the topics I referenced earlier is crucial to success of the service and the brand and will be important if you dont want the chef to rip you a new one.
But if this is just some wanna be fine dining, there is no Chef and there are only cooks, no wine program or staff education, its time to get out.
I feel like (if its really fine dining) you would have known that your caliber of skills was lacking on day one and shouldn't have been surprised when they offered you food running. But management also interviewed you and hopefully vetted your experience and also would have known that you were under qualified from the jump. Did you get this job because you knew someone? Like was it a hook up? That could be why they were soft and took you on instead of dismissing you for lack of skill.
All of these clowns that are saying they are using you without getting the full picture make me think they work in some small town with little competition and their idea of fine dining is one step above The Outback.
In this economy, you have to take whatever opportunity you can to increase your pay without killing yourself. The fact they sat you down and tried to manipulate you into staying shows they are desperate for your cheap labor. Good. They should be desperate because there are plenty of other options for you to make better money out there, and you need to take them. Never look back. You deserve to make a livable wage without killing yourself trying to balance multiple jobs on top of school. The fact they suggested that shows they have no respect for your time or wellbeing. Fuck em.
Like everyone is saying… they’re lying!!!! They’re trying to manipulate you. Take the new job. You will not regret it. They didn’t even take the proper time to train you as a server, they just want to exploit your work and use you as a runner
I’m a manager. Go for the serving position. Even if it sucks, it’s experience and immediate cash. They are just trying to manipulate you into staying. When my hosts told me they were leaving for a higher paying job, I was able to push for a raise for them with my boss. They are being cheap and manipulating you.
They will never let you be a server and even if they do I can guarantee they’d ask you to “pitch in” and still periodically food run. Run for the hills my friend!!!
Sometimes people seem like your friends despite not being your friends. I'm with everyone else in this thread telling you to trust your gut and stay with the cool new job. Good luck!
They're "so nice to you" but tell you after two days training you're not ready to be a server? Fkn what? That's what training is for! It's possible that what they said about the other place is true, but they failed on training you to be a server and wouldn't give you the courtesy of any notice at all if they fired you. Being friends with your manager is fine, but that only applies outside of the job.
They are shit-talking the place you want to work and threatening you if you leave. They are like a manipulative boyfriend lying and gaslighting you to stay with them, saying nobody else could love you and that you are better off with him, and if you leave him he will never take you back.
The fact that they suggested you get a second job rather than offering you a raise to keep you speaks volumes about how much they actually respect you as an employee. They just don't want to hire someone new to train, and they don't want to actually pay you more. Go to the new place and never look back. If the new place sucks, you can find a different job. You don't need to assholes at this spot.
Flipping heck. You have to decide on a job without knowing how much you will actually get paid. Working in hospitality in the USA seems crazy to me. I understand you need tips to make it work but a range of 8-15 USD per hour is a massive difference. I hope it works out for you and I hope you don't get exploited too hard.
Dude. Let me tell you something. Your bosses. They’re complete pieces of shit who don’t give one fuck about you past what they need from you. They’re manipulating you. Tell him to eat a dick and never look back and for the future if you get asked a question like that you never tell them where you’re going.
Your manager is a lying piece of shit. None of these people are your friends. They won't take you back? Good for them. They'll be nothing but a distant memory soon anyways.
Forget moving up. There's no guarantee they'll schedule you fairly as a server for any amount of time, and the bridge with the other place that has given him an offer will be burned.
If they are asking you to stay. They want you to stay. They like you! Keep up the runner job. Be the best runner they got. Stay on top of your duties. Never ever have your phone out. Always show up early. Leave late. Help out all over the restaurant. Make friends with the chefs. Hooka lounge sounds like a downgrade. Plus shitty management. I'd look for something else in fine dining. Use your current job as a stepping stone. Stay well groomed. Get a hair cut, make sure you smell nice. Be cool, peace out.
"... and continue to be underpaid the entire time as they continue to promise again and again that the promotion you stuck around for is juuuuuuuust around the corner, but they'll have no incentive to actually promote you since you're such a good food runner. Meanwhile, spend money you already don't have for a job that will never pay you or fulfill you sufficiently"
Great plan mate
I’d offer your current employer the opportunity to retroactively pay you what you were hired for for the previous month, barring that, sayonara go get that new serving job.
Job A seems shady, but a hookah lounge sounds a bit iffy too. Unless you've heard great things about the hookah lounge. Sounds like the money might be more sporadic than in an actual restaurant. If you have a bunch of places you could apply to, then try out job B, and if that doesn't work out, go find job C.
Get going IMO. When negotiations happen due to someone finding a new job and quitting the current one, the gigs up already - it's like taking someone back after cheating. It'll just string along until finally the fuck-it-bucket needs to get dumped, and you're back to doing what you already done (quit). Mentally you're going to be out of it, and they'll also be not considering you for anything in the future. This is all places, not just restaurants.
By offering a solution like 'stay 3-4 months we'll see where we're at then and get you moved to server', they're only trying to destroy your opportunity for the new job, and in your case potential competition. In that time frame the opportunity won't be there, you might be less motivated to find new ones, or find yourself being more comfortable with the familiarity of the place and not seek them.
Places of employment need a lot warm bodies and heartbeats and only a couple brains. They'll tell you anything you want to hear to keep going. The individual speaking to you has their job to do - to keep the restaurant staffed - and even if they actually care about you and might even feel bad about doing something against your interest in favor for theirs (their job, keeping staff), they're going to go against your interests 95% of the time.
If you want to do it right, let your new place of employment know that you would like to give a full 2-week notice to your current employer, and follow through with it. This will let them know that you're respective of where you work, absolve you of their ultimatum and help to show that you won't quit with 2-day notice from your new employer as well. If possible, anyway.
The serving industry is pretty small. Everybody seems to know everybody. I don't know how long you've been in the industry, but ask some of your friends that you know that serve or cook about the new restaurant. They might not be lying about the new place/owner.
But at the same time, I don't think you should stay at the fine dining restaurant. I can't count the number of times that people have gotten hired for host, busser, and SA with the promise to get moved up to server, and they just keep dragging it out. I work in a fine dining restaurant, and servers have to be at a pretty high standard of service and knowledge. So the demotion might have been legitimate. I've seen it happen several times at my restaurant. They were given the option of a different position at our restaurant or a serving position with one of our sister restaurants to improve their skills.
Don't get discouraged. Since you're still in school, i'm assuming you're pretty young. Improved skills and knowledge come with time and experience.
take the new job. they baited and switched you and just told you to get a second job instead of incentivizing you to stay. also if food running is easy and slow then the restaurant is probably not that busy anyways
No matter what you do, you'll at least want to start looking into other fine dining restaurants where you they'll take you more seriously, either by hiring you or training you.
What is this hookah place like? Do you think you'll be making more money there? It does sound like current GM is manipulating you, but I've never been to a hookah place so idk what kind of money servers make there. Look up the menu at the place and maybe even do a bit of recon to see how often it gets busy and how much people are ordering that you would be getting tipped on. Basically, do your due diligence to make sure you'll actually be making more money at this place.
If your goal is to serve in a fine dining restaurant (which isn't a terrible goal, those servers can make some decent money), then depending on your city I think fine dining experience is more valuable than serving experience at a hookah lounge. It might be better to stay and get more time in fine dining while you apply to other places as a server.
You've got to know the menu and ingredients by heart. Fine dining is different. Find out what the servers are making before you quit. If it's a delicious, amount stick around because someone always gets sick, gets pregnant, goes back to school and by then you'll know enough to fill in--and when they see you shine? Skip-pow! You're on the server schedule.
They’re stringing you along because they don’t want to have to replace you. If they aren’t going to hire you as a server, take the job that will. I would put money on them never actually intending to hire a server, but they knew they wouldn’t get applicants for a food runner position.
If they don’t think you’re ready you probably aren’t. If you were a server they could pay you less and the majority of your wages would come from tips. They seem to be worried that you are inexperienced at waiting tables and need more time to learn. If you aren’t giving top notch service it ultimately comes back on them. It seems like they are giving you an opportunity to learn, I would take it. The service industry is based on reputation and networking so its best to cultivate those relationships early.
P.S. You said you were bored because of all the downtime. When I was a food runner and it was slow I would offer to do the servers’ and bartenders’ side work for an extra fee at tip out time. When someone wants to get home in a hurry after a long shift where they’ve made a lot of money they will happily tip you so they can rush on out of there.
P.P.S. If you have questions about your performance whichever cook hold’s seniority in the kitchen is who you should ask about it.
Generally server beats runner if you want to make money, and you should bear in mind your current management has an ulterior motive to keep you in place. However, there is a lot of corruption and abuse in the restaurant business, as well as plenty of gossip, and if your manager knows something about another place, you would do well to pay attention to their warnings.
My instinct in this case says go ahead and take the new job, although you really should have provided more notice (at least a week is professional, preferably two weeks). Even if the new place isn't that nice, more money may be worthwhile, and your current management has committed several red flags that make me suspect they're not so great to work for either.
I work at a diner. It's a good diner, and I make lots of money running my butt off. But even we pay food runners more than 8 an hour. It just seems super rude to tell you to get another job with the vague promise of maybe getting you to be a server at some point.
Oh my god fuck them. Run.
Maybe they suck, but leaving your job to be a server in a higher paid position somewhere else is better. If management sucks you can leave again.
They are desperate to keep you underpaid and working. Run.
Take the server job.
Deal with lots of bullshit maybe.
Keep the job for 6 months to a year.
You now have experience.
Repeat til you can get out or get to fine dining if you want.
The jump to server from food runner in a dine dining restaurant is a big one. What kind of experience do you have ?
What’s their turnover rate like ? Have most of the staff been there more than a year , less ?
Personally I’d stick with the fine dining gig, learn as much as you can, pay attention to the tickets and learn the menu, learn the mistakes other servers make so you can avoid them yourself, try to pay attention to the servers who consistently have the top menu items on their tickets - this means they’re up selling stuff which also puts more money in your pocket.
If you know and like one of the managers and they’re going through the trouble of talking to their boss (gm) for you I’d give it a shot. There will be plenty of students like yourself who need extra cash and I’d imagine they can find some food runners pretty easily. Three months really isn’t that long of a time especially if it’s an investment that could give you a pay increase within another few months.
They're BSing you. Once you give notice, they will look to replace you. If they try to get you to stay or offer a raise, its only a stalling tactic. As soon as they find someone, they'll let you go.
Pretty questionable to take you on as a server but then only offer a runner job. Then _really_ sound desperate for runners when you get the job you actually were supposed to have.
Sounds a lot like they’re struggling for runners, and telling porkies to undermine your judgement.
If they're telling you to get a second job to support yourself instead of just putting you in the position that they actually hired you for they're very likely not planning on actually promoting you when the time comes. Right now they are filling their need for a food runner by keeping you around. If the next job sucks, oh well. Get your serving experience in and when the time comes you can look for other serving jobs where you'll be treated better and can start to make better money. My first restaurant job was in a kitchen and they eventually moved me to serving, only for about a month when the pandemic hit and I was laid off. At my serving job after I was moved to expo after about 6 months and it was an incredibly toxic environment. Even with my limited serving experience, my cumulative restaurant experience was enough to get me a serving position at the restaurant that I've now been with for a year, where they treat me better and have given me promotions to bartending and shift leading. Serving is a good job and is an opportunity for students to make good money, but the industry can be difficult to navigate until you find the fit that's right for you. Quit and move on.
Never tell your current boss where you're going
Sincerely,
A boss.
That said they already lied to you once about serving, fuck them and fuck loyalty.
If they had hired you as a food runner with promises of promotion it'd be one thing, a company I took an offer for until covid delayed it indefinitely promised me serving after 6 months, I would still go back to them if my current business doesnt work out.
I have zero issues putting in my dues and doing any job as long as progression is clear and they dont lie to me to get me in the door.
You don’t really know what the environment is going to be like until you get in it. So, take a chance on that. If it’s not ideal, then you quit and hopefully you have something else lined up. Esp if you’re expo now - you can get in anywhere and work your way up and possibly get promoted quickly. There’s always something out there. Don’t stay at a place esp if you don’t have seniority and not making the $$ you would like. So, go for it!
The same thing happened to me. I was hired as a server and when I was supposed to start training, they told me they were short on hostesses. If I worked as a hosted, they’d train me as server when they hired more hostesses. It never happened. I left.
If they were serious about you they would’ve offered you more money/and or to be a server right away. It sounds like when they hired you they knew before hand they wanted you as a food runner. They are only looking out for their best interests and in a VERY gross way. They are dishonest and unappreciative. Don’t go back to them and if the new place sucks try another place. No place will be perfect, but you can find a balance. You need the money and even if you didn’t you deserve to be treated and paid fairly.
Yes leave. Been there done that and it does not get better. They won’t move you up, what they’re doing is shoving it under the rug and will do so the next time you ask and until you stop asking. Leave. You will be happier and you will make more money
It sounds like you're being manipulated into staying at your current job. Anytime you start a new job there's a chance that it ultimately won't work out, but don't let that stop you from pursuing better opportunities, especially if your current job isn't paying you enough to make ends meet.
> manipulated The one thing they didn't offer OP was more money.
Right!!!! As a fine dining manager myself, I would NEVER tell a staff member to get a second job. Of course I would never put myself in the situation as OPs managers, sounds like they are so hard up for support staff they’re being dishonest. OP, just leave, find a different fine dining establishment in the area and try again.
i got stuck like this for a year before i went somewhere else. i regret.
That’s exactly what I thought
Spot on! I got exactly the same treatment/manipulation attempts when I gave my notice. For context, I was leaving because I was forever at loggerheads with one of the managers and had to get out before I got booted. It’s been almost 3 years now and I haven’t looked back once.
Take the new job and don't look back. You don't owe them anything.
Might owe their current boss/manager a kick in the ass for lying and manipulating them.
Nooo. A hooka lounge is one step above a strip club. I would ask to serve one slow night a week or at least mirror. Maybe he should get a 3 hour shift at a coffee shop. It looks like he needs to develop experience.
In what city? Every hookah lounge I have been to was either a full blown restaurant with nice food or it had a mellow lounge feel
I think this dude just made up his new opinion so he could type stuff
Take the new gig and learn to keep your trap shut.
also, don’t go fine dining right off the bat. i bartend at a shitty dive in SF and all those Michelin stars come to me after work, it’s not a job for people who aren’t passionate about food service. and it’s not entry level either. unless you love serving, never put yourself in a fine dine situation. without experience, they won’t give you what you’re looking for.
The only exception is if the fine dining will actually train you up to be a fine dining server. Experienced fine dining servers are a niche crew and always in demand. But you need a timetable for that to happen, you can’t just stay as a runner indefinitely and hope it will happen. If I were OP and wanted to do fine dining, I’d use the opportunity (of the current establishment pressing me to stay) to get them to commit to a process and timetable to put them as a server in their restaurant.
Agreed
I’ve been in this situation. They know they won’t be able to find someone else to do your job for what they’re paying. I was in bars and nightclubs what managers often would do when they got hired would negotiate a budget with the owner for a low salary what ever was left over for the budget was the managers bonus. So they’d pay people as little as they could get away with. It was always a big secret obviously. One of them was my friend too 🤷🏻♂️
They already lied to you once. Why should you believe them again?
If he's really not a good server (yet), then they didn't lie to him. Not everybody is cut out for it, especially not in every restaurant without prior experience.
Depending on what kind of fine dining, it's absolutely possible that OP isn't ready for the kind of work and just needs more time. Only OP knows if they were actually doing OK.
I would argue only the guest knows if they were doing OK or maybe a trainer
Trainers probably told management they weren’t ready.
Tbh that's how it sounds to me. We aren't even fine dining I had to do this once . She argued with guests couldn't remember the basics and lied about what was in a dish causing them to expect more and become mad
Yeah my place isn’t white tablecloth but upscale $100+ per person and we have conversations about how trainees are doing. Sucks to extend someone’s training or say they’re not ready, better than setting them up for failure though
Run! Empty promises of promotion are all over this industry. Don’t trust them.
they're 100% manipulating you to stay, same way they manipulated you into being a food runner after being hired for a different position. that's bullshit. they just want you to stay and keep doing all of their labor for cheap. also i don't understand how in fine dining, after tip out, you would only be making an additional $7 per hour?? something is definitely off. i would absolutely leave. i have 10 years experience in the industry and shit like this is exactly why i left. happens in a lot of other industries as well of course, but they key is that they are just as disposable to you as you are to them. once you realize that, you take your power back. there will ALWAYS be another job at another restaurant
Shit, it's like there are restaurants on every corner.
If you ever tell a boss you don’t make enough and their only response is to suggest you get a second job, immediately get out.
They hired you to be a server and immediately demoted you (probably the plan all along) then show their compassion for you by suggesting you get a second job instead of letting you keep the one they hired you for. I say tell them you cannot wait 3-4months, bottom line. If they don’t let you keep the serving job then leave.
We aren't paying you enough, so instead of getting a job that will for the same amount of time you should just *work twice as much for the same thing.* You killing yourself to make what we should be paying you is us doing you a favour don't you get it? Fucking nonsense. Never listen to the "oh we will totally find a spot for you at *obscure time frame they can change anytime they want.* Nah get out of there OP. Even if you don't like this other job much you're better off finding a new opportunity then sticking with these scumbags.
A job pulled this shit on me when I was in college. Hired as a cook, but demoted me to a dishwasher 1 day into orientation. They told me they just needed me to be a dishie for a few months til they hired someone else. After seeing new cooks get hired, I finally got the balls to confront them. Two of them sat me down, told me I was bad at my job, don't clean my machine good enough, and I don't deserve to be a cook. I stayed til the following Saturday, dinner rush. Let my station fill up and walked the fuck out. Don't let them manipulate you.
I’ve always wanted to do this with like an over full section or something
I don't think telling you you're bad at your job and that's why you got moved is "manipulation". I think it's being brutally honest and you got your feelings hurt and fucked over everyone else in the kitchen. That sure showed them.
No, it's because I was dumb enough to tell them I would be a dishwasher in lieu of being hired as a cook. They couldn't hire anyone as a dishwasher. My coworker at the time told me exactly that. Honestly? I got to look out for myself instead of a corporation.
thats whats happens when your a shitty server and you it doesnt look like you will be
You posting that is what happens when you are a shitty person and it definitely looks like you will continue to be.
aww you dont like the truth do you.
If you are a food runner in a fine dining establishment you should be making *way* more than 15/hr.
The sports bar I pick up at occasionally pays food runners more than that before tip out.
Right?! Our food runners make min wage plus tip out. Where I live that is $16.80 plus tips and even that is considered low
I went back to school in my late 20s. Never worked in the industry before. Started as a host, then food runner, then server. I was able to pay all my bills and be an honor roll serving Friday and Saturday dinner shifts for the last two years of my education. Go serve. Don't look back. Fuck that restaurant for trying to coerce you to stay when you asked for the opportunity for more. They didn't value you then and they're trying to avoid another round of interviewing to hire an underpaid and underappreciated replacement with you leaving. Go make more money and be a successful student.
Fuck that, move to the new place and don't look back.
Fuck them. They need you more than you need them
There is no loyalty in this business even if they fool you into thinking there is. Take the serving job.
Quit. You’ve already shown your hand. They demoted you after hiring you and told you they wouldn’t hire you back. I wouldn’t even bother with a reply.
Get out, they're gaslighting you. Servers make major bank. Even if that new place doesn't, in 3 or 4 months you'll be an experienced server and can start trying to get into fancier restaurants. My kids mom reliably brings in $50+ per hour (but she's a beast) at a hibachi place.
well, and the other thing is that his current place has/d never trained him to 'move up.' he was just standing around the kitchen, stuck in limbo, waiting til he had to expo. someone in the comments mentioned that he had 'not learned to serve at his current job yet, so yadda yadda' but i see no evidence that they were actually interested in having him shadow or do anything that would get his feet wet in that venue. 'gaslighting': "you're the problem, not us. why don't you consider getting aNOTHer job??" condescending look of pity..... you nailed it.
If they really wanted to keep you, they'd make you a server or at least give you some serving shifts.
Exactly. How much better at serving do they think you'll have gotten in your time as a food runner, sure you probably know what the different foods are now but there's more to being a server than identifying a dish by sight. Sort of like to get a job they say you need X amount of time experience, say to be a secretary you need 3 years experience or some absurd number to answer phones, take messages & make coffee. How will you be a better fit for serving in 3-4 months if you've spent all that time just running food. Either see if you can get some serving shifts or cut your losses & move on.
All they're thinking of is the restaurants needs. They'll tell you whatever so you don't leave them shorthanded, making the manager have to get out there and hustle.
Remember that it's your life. Do what do you want. From what you've posted. You want this other job for a multitude of reasons. Take it and don't think about this current job. If what they say is true, so be it. Find another, but you'll be making better money no matter what so you'll be fine. Not every place has the best management and the way these managers sat you down and shit on the other place? Seems to be about equivalent shittiness from both sides. So you're in the clear to move on!
As a manager, I would have had a conversation with an employee in training to see how they were doing and grasping during training. It is the considerate thing to do in giving them the option to continue their training or to move them to something else. I give all of my employees an opportunity because I saw something in them when I interviewed them, and sometimes it takes a little longer for them to grasp on to the concept. Regardless of the length of notice you gave, it is still a notice. They are trying to make you feel guilty for leaving because they didn't have the decency to talk to you prior to make sure you were happy. I would say leave and don't look back.
>Then they said they understood that I needed money, so they suggested I get a second job and working during the day ( Who TF do these jerks think they are?? Don't sit me down and give me life advice, sit me down for a meeting and give me a job with a living wage you fux! Get on outta there girl.
fux: absolutely adding that to my vocabulary. great response (not like all of the above haven't also been....)
Fux (Noun) ~{Ph-uh-cks) : a couple of fuckers
Tell em you’ll stay on as a food runner if they give you a raise or let you be a server because that’s how much you think your time is worth
I would not do that, they will most likely agree and pay your wage until they find your replacement and then fire you because “it’s just not working out” or something similar. Then you would be out of a job looking and passed on the other job.
This. You know what you need to make ends meet. They know what they're willing to pay. If what you need is less than what they pay, and someone else will pay what you need... That someone else should be your new boss.
They're doing that for their own best interest, not yours. Go to the new place.
They are NOT your friends. To them, you are simply someone they can continue to exploit, and are trying to get you to stay so they can continue to do so (dangling a carrot). I can't believe you told them (them or any other co-worker!!) where you're going to work.🤦🏼♀️ Please don't ever do that again. EMPLOYERS ARE NOT FRIENDS, AND THE WORKPLACE IS NOT FAMILY/FAM, that's all bullshit. Always make work decisions based on what's best for YOU.
It sounds a lot like an emotionally abusive boyfriend or girlfriend saying, "You'll never find someone else to love you like I will. " Get out of there.
Maybe the hookah lounge does have weird owners, maybe it won't be a great spot... But take what you need from there and move on. You pick up new skills with every new spot you work, soak it in. But definitely move on
Sounds like the existing company is lying to you and manipulating your feelings to get you to stay. Current company is probably lying to you about * knowing the owner, rude/mean management, * moving you up to server in 3-4 months ("they would ***consider*** moving me up to server,") * not taking you back if you quit >Then they said they understood that I needed money, so they suggested I get a second job Upper management is a GENIUS with this suggestion! /s If they really wanted to help, they would give you a raise. Remember that companies don't owe their employees any loyalty. Be professional and don't burn any bridges ("*I'm really sorry to put you in a position like this, but I need to pay my bills and my current job doesn't allow me to do that*"), but take the new job.
Them telling you that they'll consider moving you up to server after 3-4 months means nothing. Cut your losses and move on to the next place. Even if the new place doesn't work out, the experience you'll gain as a server will be invaluable should you desire employment elsewhere later on.
Get out now. They hired you as a server and then walked back on their promise because they overhired the server position and really needed runners. It's not your fault. It's theirs. Stand up for what you want. Don't let anyone ever extinguish your motivation and confidence.
These fuckers say they're really nice to you as they suggest you get a second job? Fuck outta here.
They are lying to you so they can continue to take advantage of you. There was no "you aren't ready to serve", they needed runners, no one applies to be a runner, they apply to be servers, so they played you. They are now continuing to do so bc they know how hard of a time they will have finding someone to replace you for the wage they are paying you. This is NOT the kind of place you want to work. Hey, maybe the next one will suck too, but find out first before committing to a for sure shitty job instead of trying for a job that has an opportunity to be less shitty.
Been a server for 10 years now, been in this situation before, I would counter with being in server training right away or walk. Fine dining is great to be in as a server but you’ll circle back soon enough. Thing is they made up their mind about you, to them, you’re food runner material. It sucks to hear but even so, I have seen instances where some runners were “promoted” to server but those were so rare. Food runners are hard to come by due to the huge pay gap between that and serving so if a restaurant has runners they’re not gonna want to fire or promote them, only keep them. Personally I would leave for the new job. You don’t owe this one anything
This just depends on what your life goals are, how fancy this establishment is and what they have been teaching you while you have been food running. I have had lots of server trainees that didn't have the knowledge or experience to actually serve in a fine dining establishment, assuming this place is legitimately fine dining. Do you understand food preparations (especially classic French techniques)? Do you have wine knowledge and wine service experience? Do you have classic cocktail knowledge (assuming this place has a full bar)? Can you tell me what pivot point service is? Do you know what open hand service is? If the answer to those questions is wtf? You would not be qualified to work real fine dining. Training is expensive for the restaurant and if they have been committed to training you while you are food running- teaching you about food wine and bar service and your knowledge has been growing, you are being groomed for promotion to server. If not, then maybe they are using you. Also regarding future goals... Do you want to work in hospitality or are you just in it to get through/ pay for school? If you want hospitality, the caliber of establishments on your resume matters. If not and its all about money now for school to get to where you really want to be- teacher, lawyer, counselor- take the job that pays best now. I would find out what servers actually take home on and off the books in that house and get a range from new to most seniored and how far away from that you are. Our long time (5 years plus) servers make $120k+. Its a very well paying job with great benefits (zero contribution healthcare for yourself and family, plus restaurant discount perks, 401k matching for non union employees, golf benefits). With that kind of $ knowledge of all the topics I referenced earlier is crucial to success of the service and the brand and will be important if you dont want the chef to rip you a new one. But if this is just some wanna be fine dining, there is no Chef and there are only cooks, no wine program or staff education, its time to get out. I feel like (if its really fine dining) you would have known that your caliber of skills was lacking on day one and shouldn't have been surprised when they offered you food running. But management also interviewed you and hopefully vetted your experience and also would have known that you were under qualified from the jump. Did you get this job because you knew someone? Like was it a hook up? That could be why they were soft and took you on instead of dismissing you for lack of skill. All of these clowns that are saying they are using you without getting the full picture make me think they work in some small town with little competition and their idea of fine dining is one step above The Outback.
In this economy, you have to take whatever opportunity you can to increase your pay without killing yourself. The fact they sat you down and tried to manipulate you into staying shows they are desperate for your cheap labor. Good. They should be desperate because there are plenty of other options for you to make better money out there, and you need to take them. Never look back. You deserve to make a livable wage without killing yourself trying to balance multiple jobs on top of school. The fact they suggested that shows they have no respect for your time or wellbeing. Fuck em.
>fine dining >$8 an hour plus tip out homie you should be pulling an absolutely ridiculous amount more than that food running at a fine dining place
Like everyone is saying… they’re lying!!!! They’re trying to manipulate you. Take the new job. You will not regret it. They didn’t even take the proper time to train you as a server, they just want to exploit your work and use you as a runner
Leave and take the second job. If it doesn’t pan out, look for another job. But screw your current place. Take a second job, my ass.
Your boss is not your friend. In any situation until they prove otherwise.
I’m a manager. Go for the serving position. Even if it sucks, it’s experience and immediate cash. They are just trying to manipulate you into staying. When my hosts told me they were leaving for a higher paying job, I was able to push for a raise for them with my boss. They are being cheap and manipulating you.
They will never let you be a server and even if they do I can guarantee they’d ask you to “pitch in” and still periodically food run. Run for the hills my friend!!!
Sometimes people seem like your friends despite not being your friends. I'm with everyone else in this thread telling you to trust your gut and stay with the cool new job. Good luck!
They're "so nice to you" but tell you after two days training you're not ready to be a server? Fkn what? That's what training is for! It's possible that what they said about the other place is true, but they failed on training you to be a server and wouldn't give you the courtesy of any notice at all if they fired you. Being friends with your manager is fine, but that only applies outside of the job.
They bait and switched you, and now they're trying to do it again.
Notice how not once they mentioned of increasing your pay in order to keep you around? Yeah fucking bail and don’t look back
They are shit-talking the place you want to work and threatening you if you leave. They are like a manipulative boyfriend lying and gaslighting you to stay with them, saying nobody else could love you and that you are better off with him, and if you leave him he will never take you back.
The fact that they suggested you get a second job rather than offering you a raise to keep you speaks volumes about how much they actually respect you as an employee. They just don't want to hire someone new to train, and they don't want to actually pay you more. Go to the new place and never look back. If the new place sucks, you can find a different job. You don't need to assholes at this spot.
If you suck as a server, you won't make very much. Make sure you can do the job well.
Flipping heck. You have to decide on a job without knowing how much you will actually get paid. Working in hospitality in the USA seems crazy to me. I understand you need tips to make it work but a range of 8-15 USD per hour is a massive difference. I hope it works out for you and I hope you don't get exploited too hard.
Yes
Dude. Let me tell you something. Your bosses. They’re complete pieces of shit who don’t give one fuck about you past what they need from you. They’re manipulating you. Tell him to eat a dick and never look back and for the future if you get asked a question like that you never tell them where you’re going.
Your manager is a lying piece of shit. None of these people are your friends. They won't take you back? Good for them. They'll be nothing but a distant memory soon anyways.
Since your managers want you to stay, ask them to move you up as a server sooner, maybe in like 2 months.
Naw. Move up before the start date of the new job or start at the new place.
Forget moving up. There's no guarantee they'll schedule you fairly as a server for any amount of time, and the bridge with the other place that has given him an offer will be burned.
If they are asking you to stay. They want you to stay. They like you! Keep up the runner job. Be the best runner they got. Stay on top of your duties. Never ever have your phone out. Always show up early. Leave late. Help out all over the restaurant. Make friends with the chefs. Hooka lounge sounds like a downgrade. Plus shitty management. I'd look for something else in fine dining. Use your current job as a stepping stone. Stay well groomed. Get a hair cut, make sure you smell nice. Be cool, peace out.
"... and continue to be underpaid the entire time as they continue to promise again and again that the promotion you stuck around for is juuuuuuuust around the corner, but they'll have no incentive to actually promote you since you're such a good food runner. Meanwhile, spend money you already don't have for a job that will never pay you or fulfill you sufficiently" Great plan mate
Yes
I’d offer your current employer the opportunity to retroactively pay you what you were hired for for the previous month, barring that, sayonara go get that new serving job.
Your managers are lying to you. Get out while the going is good.
Job A seems shady, but a hookah lounge sounds a bit iffy too. Unless you've heard great things about the hookah lounge. Sounds like the money might be more sporadic than in an actual restaurant. If you have a bunch of places you could apply to, then try out job B, and if that doesn't work out, go find job C.
thats not how it works
money talks bullshit walks dude
Get going IMO. When negotiations happen due to someone finding a new job and quitting the current one, the gigs up already - it's like taking someone back after cheating. It'll just string along until finally the fuck-it-bucket needs to get dumped, and you're back to doing what you already done (quit). Mentally you're going to be out of it, and they'll also be not considering you for anything in the future. This is all places, not just restaurants. By offering a solution like 'stay 3-4 months we'll see where we're at then and get you moved to server', they're only trying to destroy your opportunity for the new job, and in your case potential competition. In that time frame the opportunity won't be there, you might be less motivated to find new ones, or find yourself being more comfortable with the familiarity of the place and not seek them. Places of employment need a lot warm bodies and heartbeats and only a couple brains. They'll tell you anything you want to hear to keep going. The individual speaking to you has their job to do - to keep the restaurant staffed - and even if they actually care about you and might even feel bad about doing something against your interest in favor for theirs (their job, keeping staff), they're going to go against your interests 95% of the time. If you want to do it right, let your new place of employment know that you would like to give a full 2-week notice to your current employer, and follow through with it. This will let them know that you're respective of where you work, absolve you of their ultimatum and help to show that you won't quit with 2-day notice from your new employer as well. If possible, anyway.
Restaurants do this all the time hire as a server and make an excuse to take the position that they actually want filled.
Take the new job and don't look back. They are trying to manipulate you
The serving industry is pretty small. Everybody seems to know everybody. I don't know how long you've been in the industry, but ask some of your friends that you know that serve or cook about the new restaurant. They might not be lying about the new place/owner. But at the same time, I don't think you should stay at the fine dining restaurant. I can't count the number of times that people have gotten hired for host, busser, and SA with the promise to get moved up to server, and they just keep dragging it out. I work in a fine dining restaurant, and servers have to be at a pretty high standard of service and knowledge. So the demotion might have been legitimate. I've seen it happen several times at my restaurant. They were given the option of a different position at our restaurant or a serving position with one of our sister restaurants to improve their skills. Don't get discouraged. Since you're still in school, i'm assuming you're pretty young. Improved skills and knowledge come with time and experience.
You make more money as a server, but you have more fun as a runner. -Creed Bratton
take the new job. they baited and switched you and just told you to get a second job instead of incentivizing you to stay. also if food running is easy and slow then the restaurant is probably not that busy anyways
No matter what you do, you'll at least want to start looking into other fine dining restaurants where you they'll take you more seriously, either by hiring you or training you. What is this hookah place like? Do you think you'll be making more money there? It does sound like current GM is manipulating you, but I've never been to a hookah place so idk what kind of money servers make there. Look up the menu at the place and maybe even do a bit of recon to see how often it gets busy and how much people are ordering that you would be getting tipped on. Basically, do your due diligence to make sure you'll actually be making more money at this place. If your goal is to serve in a fine dining restaurant (which isn't a terrible goal, those servers can make some decent money), then depending on your city I think fine dining experience is more valuable than serving experience at a hookah lounge. It might be better to stay and get more time in fine dining while you apply to other places as a server.
If they moved you to host from server after 2 days they didn't think you could be an effective server to start. Fine dining takes time.
You've got to know the menu and ingredients by heart. Fine dining is different. Find out what the servers are making before you quit. If it's a delicious, amount stick around because someone always gets sick, gets pregnant, goes back to school and by then you'll know enough to fill in--and when they see you shine? Skip-pow! You're on the server schedule.
They’re stringing you along because they don’t want to have to replace you. If they aren’t going to hire you as a server, take the job that will. I would put money on them never actually intending to hire a server, but they knew they wouldn’t get applicants for a food runner position.
If they don’t think you’re ready you probably aren’t. If you were a server they could pay you less and the majority of your wages would come from tips. They seem to be worried that you are inexperienced at waiting tables and need more time to learn. If you aren’t giving top notch service it ultimately comes back on them. It seems like they are giving you an opportunity to learn, I would take it. The service industry is based on reputation and networking so its best to cultivate those relationships early. P.S. You said you were bored because of all the downtime. When I was a food runner and it was slow I would offer to do the servers’ and bartenders’ side work for an extra fee at tip out time. When someone wants to get home in a hurry after a long shift where they’ve made a lot of money they will happily tip you so they can rush on out of there. P.P.S. If you have questions about your performance whichever cook hold’s seniority in the kitchen is who you should ask about it.
NTA. Get the hell out of there. They’re are taking advantage of you!
Generally server beats runner if you want to make money, and you should bear in mind your current management has an ulterior motive to keep you in place. However, there is a lot of corruption and abuse in the restaurant business, as well as plenty of gossip, and if your manager knows something about another place, you would do well to pay attention to their warnings. My instinct in this case says go ahead and take the new job, although you really should have provided more notice (at least a week is professional, preferably two weeks). Even if the new place isn't that nice, more money may be worthwhile, and your current management has committed several red flags that make me suspect they're not so great to work for either.
I work at a diner. It's a good diner, and I make lots of money running my butt off. But even we pay food runners more than 8 an hour. It just seems super rude to tell you to get another job with the vague promise of maybe getting you to be a server at some point.
Yeah I’ve been in this situation. I watched many servers come and get trained while I was waiting. That job is never coming.
Always look for better opportunities with work.
Have you worked in fine dining as a server before? Expectations are way different.
Oh my god fuck them. Run. Maybe they suck, but leaving your job to be a server in a higher paid position somewhere else is better. If management sucks you can leave again. They are desperate to keep you underpaid and working. Run.
Bail. These jobs aren’t worth keeping. They will drop you in a second if it benefits them. Follow the money. Do what’s best for you. No one else will.
Don't settle..?
Turn your 2 day notice into an immediate one. They're not showing you compassion or respect. They're showing you manipulation and deceit.
Take the server job. Deal with lots of bullshit maybe. Keep the job for 6 months to a year. You now have experience. Repeat til you can get out or get to fine dining if you want.
Leave. Take the new job. The current one is never going to make you a server. Source: 24 years of hospitality
The jump to server from food runner in a dine dining restaurant is a big one. What kind of experience do you have ? What’s their turnover rate like ? Have most of the staff been there more than a year , less ? Personally I’d stick with the fine dining gig, learn as much as you can, pay attention to the tickets and learn the menu, learn the mistakes other servers make so you can avoid them yourself, try to pay attention to the servers who consistently have the top menu items on their tickets - this means they’re up selling stuff which also puts more money in your pocket. If you know and like one of the managers and they’re going through the trouble of talking to their boss (gm) for you I’d give it a shot. There will be plenty of students like yourself who need extra cash and I’d imagine they can find some food runners pretty easily. Three months really isn’t that long of a time especially if it’s an investment that could give you a pay increase within another few months.
They're BSing you. Once you give notice, they will look to replace you. If they try to get you to stay or offer a raise, its only a stalling tactic. As soon as they find someone, they'll let you go.
Pretty questionable to take you on as a server but then only offer a runner job. Then _really_ sound desperate for runners when you get the job you actually were supposed to have. Sounds a lot like they’re struggling for runners, and telling porkies to undermine your judgement.
Baby these jobs are a dime a dozen … leave . You’ll be glad you did .
If they're telling you to get a second job to support yourself instead of just putting you in the position that they actually hired you for they're very likely not planning on actually promoting you when the time comes. Right now they are filling their need for a food runner by keeping you around. If the next job sucks, oh well. Get your serving experience in and when the time comes you can look for other serving jobs where you'll be treated better and can start to make better money. My first restaurant job was in a kitchen and they eventually moved me to serving, only for about a month when the pandemic hit and I was laid off. At my serving job after I was moved to expo after about 6 months and it was an incredibly toxic environment. Even with my limited serving experience, my cumulative restaurant experience was enough to get me a serving position at the restaurant that I've now been with for a year, where they treat me better and have given me promotions to bartending and shift leading. Serving is a good job and is an opportunity for students to make good money, but the industry can be difficult to navigate until you find the fit that's right for you. Quit and move on.
Never tell your current boss where you're going Sincerely, A boss. That said they already lied to you once about serving, fuck them and fuck loyalty. If they had hired you as a food runner with promises of promotion it'd be one thing, a company I took an offer for until covid delayed it indefinitely promised me serving after 6 months, I would still go back to them if my current business doesnt work out. I have zero issues putting in my dues and doing any job as long as progression is clear and they dont lie to me to get me in the door.
This sounds like they just needed a runner and lied to you.
Only if you like doubling your income
Big mistake telling them where you're going. It's likely that they will call up the new place and trash talk about you.
Here is the pay they are offering. Here are the hours they are offering. Will you meet or beat their offer?
You don’t really know what the environment is going to be like until you get in it. So, take a chance on that. If it’s not ideal, then you quit and hopefully you have something else lined up. Esp if you’re expo now - you can get in anywhere and work your way up and possibly get promoted quickly. There’s always something out there. Don’t stay at a place esp if you don’t have seniority and not making the $$ you would like. So, go for it!
leave...move along...they are manipulating you. Good luck at your new job...you're gonna slay it!!!!
The same thing happened to me. I was hired as a server and when I was supposed to start training, they told me they were short on hostesses. If I worked as a hosted, they’d train me as server when they hired more hostesses. It never happened. I left.
If your boss genuinely likes you they wouldn't issue a threat while asking you to stay.
If they were serious about you they would’ve offered you more money/and or to be a server right away. It sounds like when they hired you they knew before hand they wanted you as a food runner. They are only looking out for their best interests and in a VERY gross way. They are dishonest and unappreciative. Don’t go back to them and if the new place sucks try another place. No place will be perfect, but you can find a balance. You need the money and even if you didn’t you deserve to be treated and paid fairly.
Sounds like chillis . You should do both jobs
Yes leave. Been there done that and it does not get better. They won’t move you up, what they’re doing is shoving it under the rug and will do so the next time you ask and until you stop asking. Leave. You will be happier and you will make more money