Alex, I'll Take "Restaurant Experience" for $1,000
Last week, I was a reference check for a former employee. (Spoiler alert: she got the job.) I’ve done plenty of reference checks before, but never one that lasted over 20 minutes where I walked away feeling like I made a new friend.
The role was in a completely different industry, but very early in the conversation, the hiring manager and I started talking about hospitality as a transferable life skill.
While this role had nothing to do with foodservice, it was immediately obvious (at least to me, and proudly shared that) her hospitality background made her a strong candidate for a client facing events position. Working in restaurants teaches you how to think on your feet, manage personalities, solve problems quickly, and smile while internally screaming through clenched teeth. A corporate training manual simply cannot replicate that real life learning experience.
Wait a minute, this storyline reminds me of another former server who made the jump into corporate media, marketing and events 😉 She now coordinates conferences, live podcasts, sponsor activations, and networking events with the exact same positive energy as carrying six plates of food to hangry guests. Which honestly explains a lot about my ability to manage chaos while smiling pleasantly. (Wink wink.)
So I started making my own list of skills we learn in hospitality and why they translate so well into literally every other industry:
Communication: You want to be a great server? You better know how to communicate with more than just your table. The BOH matters too. During a dinner rush, with hungry guests and chefs deep in the weeds, success often comes down to properly managing expectations and timelines before chaos erupts.
Leadership: Every restaurant has leaders, and not all of them have “manager” in their title. Hospitality teaches people to step up without being asked. Someone has to take control when the printer won’t stop spitting tickets and Table 42 suddenly “forgot” they ordered medium rare.
Humility: Have you ever been waved down for a check like someone’s hailing a taxi? Or whistled at from across the dining room? Hospitality workers somehow manage to grit their teeth, smile, and respond with “Absolutely, coming right up!” while quietly whispering “be right there mother (you know the rest)” under their breath.
Patience: Taking an order from that table (yup, I’ll own it, my table 🙈) . You know the one. Gluten free, dairy free, no carbs, dressing on the side, extra lemons, and “actually can we make this spicy but not too spicy?” followed immediately by “and another round of tequila shots!” Hospitality workers deserve Olympic medals for patience alone.
Quick Thinking: You ran out of a menu item. The reservation system double booked. It’s someone’s birthday and somehow there are no candles in the building. Restaurants train people to problem solve in real time with approximately 11 seconds to figure it out before Yelp threats gets involved.
Multitasking: Two servers called out. The dishwasher disappeared. The bartender is in the weeds. Suddenly you’re seating tables, running food, answering phones, covering a section, printing schedules, and somehow still remembering to refill ranch dressing.
My partner Jimmy always says he looks for three qualities when hiring people: have they worked in a restaurant, played on a sports team, or served in the military or another group organization? (As the mother of a budding thespian, I’m going to add being part of a theatre cast to that list).
What do they all have in common? Teamwork. Discipline. Adaptability. Accountability. Knowing your role while still being willing to jump in wherever needed.
So what’s my point? Working in restaurants prepares people for the good, the bad, the crazy, the “in the weeds,” and the “we are SO back” moments of life.
The hospitality industry is one of the greatest real world training programs out there. In fact, the National Restaurant Association says the industry employs more than 15 million people in America, and for many, it’s their very first job.
So if you’re reading this and you’re not in hospitality, trust me when I say: restaurant people make incredible hires.
And for those of us in the industry, never underestimate the impact this business has on shaping people far beyond the four walls of a restaurant.
