A Glimpse at Life Behind the Apron

illustration by gigi rose grayWhen you go out to eat, chances are the people in the aprons know more than you think. From allergies to stereotypes, and with help from Open Table, New York City servers have just about seen, and heard, it all.

There are the tables that fail the water question: "Would you prefer bottled or tap water?" To which "people look bewildered, like you've just asked them the most confusing question in the world."

There's the person with the allergy to "spice," which left a server wondering, "All spice? All? Including salt?" who then goes on to ask listeners, "Do you know what it's like to have to go into a kitchen and tell the chef, I'm not talking about Denny's, I'm talking about a Michelin starred restaurant, and tell the chef that somebody has an allergy to spice?"

"The unfortunate end of this business is that no matter how awful somebody is being to you, you're still responsible for them enjoying themselves." [Narratively]