Don’t Panic: This Server Loves Their Job!

I work at a breakfast restaurant, and today I have a couple probably in their early twenties at one of my tables. It’s raining, and they’re seated on the covered patio. I get them some drinks, and they want time to look at the menu. The girl gets up and goes to the bathroom looking really upset, but I think maybe she just really had to go and don’t think anything of it.

When the girl gets back to the table, I take their order and she orders a latte as well as food. I bring the drink out and she is crying. Her boyfriend is kneeling next to her squeezing her hand and looking genuinely supportive. I drop the drink off, don’t acknowledge the crying, and keep serving.

At my restaurant, we’re able to give away three pancakes a day to any table. I decide to send her a pancake. She ordered her benedict with gluten-free toast, so I order the gluten-free version of one of our best pancakes.

They get their meals and seem good. Then, her pancake comes out a few minutes later so I take it out.

Me: “This pancake is gluten-free, and it’s one of my favorites. It has white chocolate chips, caramel and vanilla sauce, pecans, cinnamon butter, and the best part: bacon crumble. And it’s on me today!”

Girl: “Oh, thank you so much! Thank you! I’m sorry for making things awkward by crying. I was having a panic attack.”

Me: “It doesn’t matter. Everything is totally fine! I just thought a pancake would help.”

The rest of the meal was normal. I gave them boxes and cashed them out. They left me $20 on a $40 tab, and on the top of the bill, the girl wrote, “Your kindness made all the difference. Thank you.”

I love my job. I love the interactions that brighten both my days and my guests. I love being a friend for forty minutes of someone’s life. Today was incredible and reminds me why I chose this job.