What It's Really Like to Work in a Restaurant

You probably have very little idea what the life of a server, cook, or restaurant manager looks like if you’ve never been one. Thankfully, there’s the Instagram hashtag #RestaurantLife, which offers a voyeuristic glimpse into the daily existence of these intrepid souls. People who live the #RestaurantLife know all about the burns, the animal organs, the camaraderie, and the occasional tomfoolery that it brings with it. If you relate to the photos below, you’ve probably lived the restaurant life at one point or another.

You might work at a restaurant if…

You burn the shit out of your hands on the reg (and have too much fun with your burn cream).

Photo: @Tiffany_needham

Your pastry scale starts talking to you.

Photo: @allythehuman

You know how to cut the organs out of wild animals.

Photo: @krd204

You’ve turned vegetables unto humorous characters to amuse your bored coworkers.

Photo: ashleyyyyylove

You have seen things like “the remnants of sticky toffee pecan topping and hot fudge from brunch pastries” leftover in the kitchen, and you’ve eaten them with impunity.

Photo: @sheefner

You routinely shotgun Red Bulls before your shift.

Photo: @heavenjirak

You start to detest groups of young kids who haven’t been taught basic human decency by their parents.

Photo: dflow97

You have an obscene amount of $1 bills, which might be why the bodega cashier thinks you’re a stripper.

Photo: @rgerringer

You start playing with food in your free time.

Photo: @jordanhagy

You realize the dishwasher is the hardest working employee in the kitchen and deserves an annual salary of $50,000.

Photo: @beleek

You expect people to fuck with your shit (especially electronics).

Photo: @mattch2

You start fantasizing about switching over from working front of the house to the kitchen, because the sous chef makes cooking look so incredibly badass.