ServingBowling Green

A look into the way the media portrays serving.

The truth,

the surprises

and the real story.

As Seen On TV...

For some reason, when you see any sort of character begin work as a server or have an established job as a server, there seems to be a re-occurring theme that the character is a “Cinderella” type. You know, the rags to riches thing. Appar-ently screen writers have had one too many bad experiences while eating out, and have created this fall from grace stereotype for servers. For instance, if you’ve never watched “The Big Bang Theory”, Penny is a server at the Cheesecake Factory. The only reason she works there is because she moved from Nebraska to California in hopes of becoming a star. With no formal education (that we know of) or skills to fall back on, Penny is a server. Needless to say, the show doesn’t portray serving in a particurally flattering light.Next, you’ve got one of the most

popular shows of all time; Friends. Almost every character in the show was a server at one point or another. All but one worked in the ever-famous Central Perk. Monica even worked in a 1950’s style diner for a short period of time after

being let go from her job as a chef. The common theme amongst the characters of Friends was that each of them only resorteed to serving when they were down and out. No other jobs were in sight, and Central Perk always seemed to be hiring. Not only did Rachel at one point refer to giving customers “spitties” in their coffees, but Joey

was show in a several episodes giving free pastries away to any attractive female followed by the classic, “How you doin’?”. In almost every show you watch, the actor playing the server is predominantly female, and is as close as a servant as you can get. Service with a smile is always encouraged, that is unless you have the classic angry server in the picture. The show 2 Broke Girls shows serving as a means of getting to where you want to be, but not ex-actly doing it with a smile. These two are endearing characters that don’t hide the fact that they don’t love their jobs and don’t hide the fact that serving isn’t glamorous.

Max and Caroline of 2 Broke Girls

Sheldon visits Penny at the Cheesecake Factory.

Service with a smileThe stereotypes, common themes and famous servers of shows we

love.

2

Th e Truth...

3

Less of a ‘Cinderella Story’ than television makes serving out to be

Although no one wants to admit that their job is boring, serving just isn’t what televi-sion makes it out to be. Yes, there are jerks who make serv-ers want to ruin their whole meal, but we don’t. Mainly beacause we want to keep our jobs, but secondly that’s just wrong. Television did get one thing right, though Most servers are predominantly female.

Although the industry is male friendly, it just doesn’t seem that many men are interested in serving others.Serving isn’t necessarily a job people take because they’ve lost everything, have just been cut off from daddy or because of laziness. Let’s face it, it’s a job. In any economy it’s quick cash and that’s one thing you can guarantee; people aren’t going to quit going out to eat.

Another truth, serving is far more boring than television wants you to think it is. You can’t give your friends free food everytime they come in. You don’t argue with customers if you want to keep your job. Most servers would never mess with food of any kind, and would never allo another server to do so. Most servers don’t keep the job permanently or are working their way through school.

Thank you, come again!

4