Waitressing Quotes

“The act of waitressing is a solace, it's got everything you could ask for - confusion, panic, humility, and food.”
― Eve Babitz, Slow Days, Fast Company: The World, the Flesh, and L.A.

“I was a really good waitress. Waitressing takes a certain gusto. You need a good memory and an ability to connect with people fast. You have to learn how to treat the kitchen as well as you treat the customers. You have to figure out which crazy people to listen to and which crazy people to ignore. I loved waiting tables because when you cashed out at the end of the night your job was truly over. You wiped down your section and paid out your busboy and you knew your work was done.”
― Amy Poehler

“Belinda was able to carry the most complicated orders for six or seven tables in her head without ever forgetting an item. She also knew instinctively what her customers would order before they did. Her predictions became something of a parlor trick for a while, in fact. Beyond such obvious attributes, however, Belinda was able to morph both her personality and her looks to suit whoever she was waiting on. For example, I'd watch her waiting on a group of young women and she'd appear reserved and fresh faced. Her conversation with them would be friendly but impersonal, never threatening. For couples, she'd become sophisticated, knowledgeable, and attractive. When waiting on men, she became girlishly flirtatious and subtly sexy. Were it not for her obvious sincerity at the table, Belinda would have merely been a good actress. But I don't believe that Belinda herself was aware of her transformations, and that detachment was part of the reason she made more money and received more compliments on her service than any of her coworkers.”
― Debra Ginsberg, Waiting: The True Confessions of a Waitress

“In my experience, I've noticed that waiting on tables is one of two things that almost everyone thinks they can do. The other is writing. Perhaps it's no accident that there is only one letter of difference between waiter and writer.”
― Debra Ginsberg, Waiting: The True Confessions of a Waitress

“Grizzled white men poured drinks and dispensed dubious wisdom. Young white women in tight clothes delivered the food and the smiles and said "sorry" all the time. Short brown men cooked it all and cleaned it all up, and still managed to rise above the racial oppression of the United states to make kissing sounds at us waitresses whenever we were in the kitchen.”
― Jennifer Baumgardner, Look Both Ways: Bisexual Politics

“Well, our Surf and Turf Burger is real good." I pointed to it on the menu. "It's a ground sirloin burger stuffed with seasoned blue crabmeat served on grilled ciabatta bread, or you can get them as sliders. Some people prefer the smaller burgers, easier to manage."
"Sliders sound great!" He handed me the menu after I scribbled it down on Betsy's pad.
"You want fries, onion rings, or french-fried pickles?”
― Kate Young, Southern Sass and Killer Cravings

“Waitressing: [...] She was a very old soul, which meant that her life was driven by love and not ego. [...] She, on a soul level, had decided to commit a huge part of her life to serving people, to being kind and caring and wouldn't seek a lot of attention for it. The work was its own reward.”
― Sonia Choquette, The Psychic Pathway: A Workbook for Reawakening the Voice of Your Soul

“She went to take his order. "What can I get for you?" she asked him.
He set down his cup, crooked his finger for her to lean close. When she did, he whispered against her ear, "You, over easy." Bold and suggestive. Teasingly sexy.”
― Kate Angell, The Café Between Pumpkin and Pie