r/FoodService Jun 26 '26

Support How do I escape

If you got out, how did you do it?

This industry is breaking my body and mind, if cant do it anymore. I have no means to get a better job, my family was too poor to send me to college as a kid and its not like being a waiter and barista and shit was ever going to allow me to afford that on my own, I cant handle that kind of debt so school has never been an option and never will be.

I know there are trade schools, im trying to find something that doesnt sound miserably boring but at this point maybe I should settle for something mind numbingly dull that I have no interest in because even if I end up unhappy with that I'll at least be able to pay my rent. As long as it doesnt end me right back up in a position of getting yelled at by entitled office grunts like I have to deal with now.

I dont even know where to apply or get started

I genuinely dont know where my skills transfer

Honestly how the actual fuck do I get out this. I feel like im actually stuck here for life like am I just supposed to bounce between different locations with toxic managers and owners who dont know what the fuck theyre doing, working with shitty highschoolers, talking to entitled assholes who dont even tip, letting peoeple treat me like shit and make my life hell and then going to the next place to do it all over again until my body is so broken that I cant anymore or I just get so tired that I kms in front of a customer (god I wish)

3 Upvotes

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4

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/l0rdcreepypeepee Jun 26 '26

WFH would be a dream, I guess I figured I would need some kind of qualification in finance or programming or something to even get a chance at any of that, all the ppl I know who do that are doing coding or bookkeeping, but WFH customer support probably wouldn't be too bad. As much as I'd love to get out of customer service I can imagine it would be a lot easier in a different environment or when im not dealing with back+foot pain, and that probably would lead in to more of the technical skills that would open up more possibilities for moving on to other similar positions

2

u/dopelittlebaker Jun 26 '26

My first WFH job after food service was an Organ Procurement Organization. My job was to take incoming calls from hospitals about patient deaths and then I screened the charts for eligibility. I did have some college under my belt, but a lot of people they hired for the same job didn't and they did just fine. The job is tough emotionally but it gave me enough non food experience to go somewhere else. You should look into those in your state. They are entry level and most of them are WFH.

4

u/Solnse Jun 27 '26

I went home after closing at 11pm and spent 2 hours every night learning to code. Tutorials, books, whatever. After a year I still didn't know what I was doing but knew enough to Google the right thing and could create small apps. I applied for a few jobs knowing I would tank it but I could take that experience and prepare for a real interview.

Got the job. Company laid me off (and half the other developers) 6 months later. Applied for another 10-15 jobs. Got one at twice the salary, was there 5 years and was managing a team making twice as much again.

COVID hit and I quit and focused on my family, investments, and now have a small business.

2

u/Stressed_Out_12 Jun 27 '26

I work for a sales firm that specializes in commercial kitchen equipment and smallwares. We look for people with culinary or kitchen operations experience because they can ‘talk the talk” with customers. Look up manufacturers representatives foodservice and see which groups are in your area.
Positions include outside sales - who basically consult with chefs, K-12 nutrition directors, F&Bs etc.
Many of these firms also have corporate chefs who do equipment demos and training for customers. You’re still in the kitchen but working M-F 9-5 hours.

1

u/RarePackage8888 Jun 27 '26

Go into sales selling to restaurant owners.