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AUDIO CLIPS
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Linda has waitressed for almost 40 years. She works at The Cottage Inn in Erlanger, Kentucky. In the entire time she's waitressed she's only worked in 2 restaurants.
...on waitressing...
I think this was my calling. I just feel God gave me a gift and this is what it turned out to be. I love coming to work and I love waiting on the customers. It's just been a great life. I've made a great living too, going from $8 a day to $150 a day.
I wait on people the way I would like to be waited on. My customers are like moms and dads, they way they treat me and I give it right back. I waited on one gentleman from the age of 75 until he was 104 years old and then he finally passed, but I gave him his 100th birthday cake, it was amazing.
...on younger waitresses...
When the young waitresses come in, you've got to check them out and see what their working ethics are. A lot of them want to make their money and leave and they don't have a clue about any side work. I had one waitress come in and I said, "Sweetie before you leave, this is your side work." She said, "I'm not mopping a floor for nobody." Then I said, "Guess what, you don't want to work for The Cottage." I said, "'Cause there's a lot to do." And if you plan on being a waitress I'm going to sit you down and let you know exactly what you're up against. I think she stayed 2 days. She didn't want to get her fingernails all messed up. Those were her exact words.
...waitressing stigma...
I should have been a union stewardess because I back
up everybody. If I think they're not being treated fairly,
trust me, I'll be the first one to stand up for them.
I'm for the underdog. Because you know people kind of
look down on waitresses, they say, "Get me this, get
me that..." and I have no problem getting anything.
Actually I'd walk 100 extra miles for them if I had
to. That's how much I enjoy it. And trust me, I get
tired, but it's worth it.
...the hustle...
Well, I do the tea room by myself from 6:30 in the morning
until 11. It seats 48 people. And plus on Wednesdays
and Thursdays, I do the banquet room. I have a breakfast
on Wednesdays with 25 people. If I get too busy, I serve
their drinks and then I stand in the middle of the room
and tell them, "I'll take everybody's order at once.
We'll get through this guys." They say, "Lyn, take your
time, it's no problem." I have some of them trained,
they'll get up and take the coffee pot around for me.
They even clean my tables for me [laughing]. I swear
to God, they do. It's a riot. But it's good exercise.
Do you know I'm the same size when I started waiting
tables that I am now? |
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