50 Hilariously Frustrating Situations That Are A Norm In The Food Service Industry (New Pics)

Anyone who has ever had toworkas a chef or server at a restaurant, fast-food place, or hotel knows just how tough things can get. Not only is the job itself oftenvery stressful, with long hours and not enough recognition, but from time to time you also have to deal with rude customers and toxic managers.‘Kitchen Confidential’ is a verypopularonline group that draws in hundreds of thousands of food service industry and hospitality workers fromaround the world. Today, we’re featuring some of their most honest and wittiest posts and photos about what it’s like to be in their shoes. Scroll down to check them out. All of this might feel very relatable to you…This post may includeaffiliate links.

‘Kitchen Confidential’ is a verypopularonline group that draws in hundreds of thousands of food service industry and hospitality workers fromaround the world. Today, we’re featuring some of their most honest and wittiest posts and photos about what it’s like to be in their shoes. Scroll down to check them out. All of this might feel very relatable to you…

This post may includeaffiliate links.

Text message exchange about work challenges in the food service industry, showing understanding and support from a boss.

Stacked grilled cheese sandwiches on a cutting board, showcasing food service industry creativity.

Taco Bell tweet about Mexican Pizza demand in the food service industry, with a humorous reply from Ohio Sewer District.

Though failure rates can be hard to track, Investopedia reports that roughly a third (30%) of restaurantsfailwithin the first year of opening. Meanwhile, based on the data from the National Restaurant Association, 80% of such establishments end up shuttering their doors within the first 5 years of operating.The most important thing to consider before starting a new restaurant is the initial cost of purchasing it. Ideally, you should have far more money than just what you need to open the establishment. You may need to dip into your savings to sustain your operations until you start bringing in positive cash flow. And that means having a financial cushion that you can use to get through the tough times that may be ahead.

The most important thing to consider before starting a new restaurant is the initial cost of purchasing it. Ideally, you should have far more money than just what you need to open the establishment. You may need to dip into your savings to sustain your operations until you start bringing in positive cash flow. And that means having a financial cushion that you can use to get through the tough times that may be ahead.

Text exchange highlighting challenges in the food service industry after a worker was fired.

Poster inside a food service industry walk-in cooler, with a black and white face prominently displayed.

Dirty kitchen towels twisted on a metal tray, illustrating a typical scene from the food service industry.

Some of the main start-up costs include things like finding a suitable space, leasing it, renovating it if needed, purchasing all the supplies you need to run the business, and paying the salaries of all your staff. Naturally, you’ll need to keep paying everyone good salaries on time; otherwise, you won’t have anyone in your corner anymore. You have to offer your staff stability and support, not excuses that you can’t make ends meet for timely payroll.Your success as arestauranteurdoesn’t just depend on all of your hard work (though that’s certainly a major factor). There’s a lot of luck involved, too. However, you can determine quite a lot of things that are going to impact your overall business and profit margins. You get to decide the location of the restaurant, the type offoodyou serve, the menu, who works at your business, the workplace culture, what the quality of the food and service will be like, etc.

Your success as arestauranteurdoesn’t just depend on all of your hard work (though that’s certainly a major factor). There’s a lot of luck involved, too. However, you can determine quite a lot of things that are going to impact your overall business and profit margins. You get to decide the location of the restaurant, the type offoodyou serve, the menu, who works at your business, the workplace culture, what the quality of the food and service will be like, etc.

Tweet about food service in Athens; waiter refuses chicken on Greek salad, maintaining authenticity.

Tweet about a food service job, describing an employee’s call from jail and their employer bailing them out to work.

Tweet humorously comments on the food service industry’s challenges, gaining high engagement on Twitter.

Celeb chefs aside, restaurant profit margins tend to fall in the range of somewhere between 0% to 15%, with an average between 3% to 5%. So, every decision you make can make or break these already razor-thin profit margins.

Receipt with $200 tip for server, showcasing experiences in the food service industry, handwritten note reads “Fantastic."

Text post about a food service experience with a customer requesting sauce on the side for social media photos.

Red container in a busy food service kitchen, surrounded by pots and pans.

The hospitality industry, which is a subsection of the service industry, is very broad and varied. It includes areas likefoodand beverage services, tourism, theme parks, event planning, hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars, on top of sports, wellness, andentertainment. But broadly speaking, what unites most people working in this industry is that they provide a service to customers.

Person in a food service kitchen stirring a large pot, wearing a foil hat and glasses.

Before and after cleaning of a fryer, showing differences in cleanliness in the food service industry.

Note with cash on a restaurant tray, message discussing taxation in the food service industry.

Owning and running a restaurant might sound like a dream come true, and many people hope to open one someday. However, from a practical, entrepreneurial, managerial, and financial point of view, it can be a massive challenge. If you don’t have any experience running a business, or if you’re super unlucky, your restaurant can fail, and you may have to declare bankruptcy.

Tongs on a stainless steel counter, commonly used in the food service industry.

Receipt from a food service industry job showing an unusual order for an extra creamy Pina Colada with server notes.

Tweet humorously discussing confusion about Michelin star restaurants and the tire company; related to food service industry.

So, while nobody’s trying to dissuade you from following your dreams of making it big in thefoodindustry, you should put a ton of effort into market research, create a solid business plan, and have people on your team whom you can trust. Even the best entrepreneur can’t be everywhere at once, 24/7. You need competent, well-trained, motivated managers and staff to whom you can delegate your tasks.

Large fish with a banana for scale in a food service industry setting on a metal counter.

Bread slice with explicit icing text in a food service kitchen setting.

Text conversation discussing personal matters related to working in the food service industry.

A big part of motivation and loyalty comes down to therelationshipsyou forge with your employees. First of all, you’ve got to get the basics right. That means offering a competitive salary, time off, proper training, room for personal and professional growth, healthcare, etc. On top of that, you want to ensure that you and your managers genuinely support your workers. Faking empathy won’t cut it here. If you want to avoid burnout, exhaustion, and demotivation, you’ve got to offer good work-life balance, actively listen to everyone’s problems, and give them a voice.

Cat sitting in a metal tray next to a container of cat litter on a tiled floor.

Grilled sandwiches filled with pastrami and cheese, popular in the food service industry.

Cardboard box with a plastic cup taped to the side, showcasing a food service industry hack.

Employees are big fans ofautonomy, purposeful work, and growth. So, if you end up micromanaging your entire team, distrust everyone and anyone, and offer no raises or career opportunities, you shouldn’t be surprised if your team is demotivated and looking for better jobs. In the long term, you want to find a business approach that offers sustainable growth and authentically leads to a loyal workforce. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it’s also far cheaper than having to constantly hire and train new people to replace those who have left in anger.

Eggs cooking on a griddle with shells nearby, illustrating food service industry kitchen activity.

Text messages about being late to work in the food service industry, with an honest excuse.

Worn kitchen knife with a beige handle lying on a white surface, representing the food service industry.

Food service worker in a messy kitchen with spilled sauces on the floor, highlighting challenges in the industry.

Burnt charcoal briquette in a food service industry setting, glowing red at the center.

Assorted cutlery and utensils in a drying rack, showcasing tools from the food service industry.

Text meme highlighting stress in the food service industry.

Food service worker playing ukulele behind counter with sandwich in foreground.

Tweet about food service industry: staff have funny nicknames for regular restaurant patrons.

Industrial kitchen with open flame grills, depicting the food service industry environment.

A stack of food service order tickets pierced by a spindle in a restaurant kitchen setting.

Worker in the food service industry with sauce all over their apron, giving thumbs up, in a kitchen setting.

Commercial kitchen with multiple deep fryers, showcasing a typical food service industry workspace.

Allergy warning card for food service industry; lists pepper and spice allergies, held by a person in blue gloves.

Confusing management note related to work responsibilities in the food service industry.