Isn’t that a quote from somewhere?
It’s true. It really was the best of times and leaving the restaurant business back then felt like it was the worst of times. It was so amazingly social and to leave it was like I was leaving my best friend. But it was time to move on … age does that.
Back in the day I was a shift manager and comptroller at a local bar/restaurant licensed for 1000 people. Yup 1000 people could get into the building at one time to eat, drink & be merry. And a merry time it was for all.
There were pizza party lunches with the staff. The restaurant didn’t serve pizza so we snuck it in. We all chipped in $2 for the pizza and as manager I was able to supply the beverages and whatever treats I could grab from the kitchen … stuff like smarties and any other confectionaries stocked in dry storage.
I remember evenings dancing on the speakers, servers performing football plays in the dining room while customers were eating and one morning opening the office door to see every plant in the restaurant put into the office for me to find. I remember Scottie, bartender extraordinaire and morning fill in maintenance person making me the most delicious chocolate milkshakes every time we worked together. YT (an amazing waiter) serving ketchup to a table like it was a bottle of wine. Cap (yet another amazing waiter) serving a table speaking nothing but Italian. And Mark (the trifecta of amazing waiters) serving the worst wine ever like it was a $500 bottle of wine … bottle wrapped, poured for a taste, placing the corkscrew on the table … the whole full service deal … you had to be there.
I remember doormen manning the entrance checking ID’s ensuring no underage patrons got in and making sure the dress code was adhered to. Those same doormen patrolling the bar and in case of trouble quickly ejecting any troublemakers.
But mostly I remember a bunch of people aged from late teens to mid 20’s doing their best to earn a living while having some of the most fun working times in their young lives. I feel privileged to have experienced it.
These are some of the things I remember and cherish. What a time it was. And I’ll never forget it.
Until the next time.