Big Days

Every restaurant has certain days during the year that are “big days.” Days that require more effort. Days that everyone looks forward to, but also lead to a sense of impending doom. If anyone has seen the recent show “The Bear,” they might be familiar with the sort of underlying tension and anxiety that can come with preparing for an important day of service.

I can happily report that “The Bear” dramatically overstates what it’s like to work in the restaurant business (at least at this restaurant.) But one thing they do capture is that sense of communal preparation and concern that goes into the larger days. Weeks before, staff members start to discuss it. Schedules are set earlier than usual to ensure everyone can work it. Plans are made around those weekends. White boards are filled out with reminders. The building itself seems to carry a little extra weight in anticipation. New employees aren’t sure what to expect - seasoned veterans do their best to relay calm.

Then the day comes. The building is clean. The staff is prepared. The service happens. Things go smoothly. Little fires pop up, but are handled. Everyone does their best to recognize that we’re all pushing through it together. It’s always enjoyable to see the level of comradery that is created during our busiest, most stressful moments. Our entire community is striving towards the same goal, and you can feel the effort as if it were something alive. Then, at a certain point in the night - the tide shifts. The group realizes that we’ve done it. We’ve passed the peak of the tension. We’re going to survive the night. Then, real joy. If you hang around long enough on one of these nights, you might even see some celebratory dancing and drinks as we decompress and clean. Then, it’s on to the next shift.

There’s something special about working in a restaurant. It isn’t quite like other jobs, for better and for worse. Problems feel more immediate, more urgent. But the satisfaction and real happiness that I see from this community on nights where we know we’ve worked hard and done a great job is like nothing else I’ve experienced.

See you on the next Big Day!