What to Know When You Date Someone in the Restaurant Industry

Dating can be challenging, no matter what industries you both work in. The restaurant industry in particular can have specific challenges that can make it difficult to maintain a long-term relationship unless you know what you’re getting into. If you’re dating somebody who works in the restaurant industry, here are some things you should know.

Weekends aren’t weekends

When you work a normal 9-5 job, Friday night marks the beginning of your weekend. Saturdays and Sundays are lazy days, sometimes spent catching up on Netflix, shopping or just lounging around the house. Friday nights and Saturday nights are dedicated to going out.

In the restaurant industry, though, things get switched. Friday and Saturday nights are busy nights, and your partner probably prefers to work these nights since they tend to lead to bigger tips than, say, a Wednesday night orThursday afternoon.

In the restaurant industry, though, things get switched.

When dating someone in the industry, prepare yourself for going out during the week and not seeing your partner on weekends. This is just part of the deal. But, as an added bonus, you won’t be dealing with crowds when you go out on a Monday!

How you treat restaurant workers matters

When you do go out to eat, your partner is going to pay attention to how you treat the staff at the restaurant you are in, no matter what type of place it is.

Are you polite to the hostess, even if she doesn’t greet you right away? Are you patient with the waiter, who is clearly new at his job? How do you talk about the food? Perhaps most importantly, how do you tip?

If you tend to fall on the low end of the tipping scale, now’s the time to up the ante or think about whether you really want to date someone in the restaurant industry after all.

If you tend to fall on the low end of the tipping scale, now’s the time to up the ante.

Feet are the way to his/her heart

Nope, it’s not the stomach but the feet that can unlock the key to your partner’s heart. No matter what role they have in a restaurant, they are on their feet pretty much all day long.

Treating your partner to a nice long foot massage at the end of a hard day is pretty much the nicest thing you can do for him or her.

Going out to eat might not be fun anymore

But not for the reason you might think. This one depends on your partner, their role in the restaurant and how seriously they take their job. Some people are able to remove themselves from their work environment and enjoy dining at another restaurant whole heartedly.

Others may find themselves criticizing anything at the restaurant that is out of place.

Others, though, may find themselves criticizing anything at the restaurant that is out of place or not done to perfection. Know this going in. It might simplify your life to perfect your cooking skills and eat in most nights.

Get used to really late nights

Getting back to the whole working on Friday and Saturday nights deal, it’s good to know that restaurant workers’ evenings don’t usually end as soon as their shift does. Many workers head straight from the restaurant to the late night bar down the street to blow off steam and unwind after a grueling shift.

You’re going to need to be able to stay up late and meet them at their favorite late night bar.

If you want to see your beau, you’re going to need to be able to stay up late and meet them at their favorite late night bar. Bonus: this is a great way to get to know their friends, many of whom they probably work with.

Every industry arguably has quirks, but dating someone in the restaurant industry has special considerations. Knowing what you are getting yourself into can help you understand your partner and be supportive. 

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