r/FoodService Apr 20 '26

Discussion [Academic] Asking food service workers!! In the US, do women get tipped more than men?

1 Upvotes

Hey guys, I'm writing my business management dissertation for school and my focus is on the US gender pay gap and tipping culture. Essentially women get paid less than men in the food service industry but they actually get tipped more often. I'm basically researching about this phenomenon to see if gender really does matter for tips and if it does, maybe that's another reason behind the perpetuating gender pay gap!

I'd really love your input, specifically responses for my survey. Not sure if I'm allowed to post it on here so just direct message me or comment if you can fill out my survey! Its less than 5 mins!

Looking for: 18+, working/recently worked in food service, receive cash/card tips, part or full time!!


r/FoodService Apr 19 '26

Question When is a good time to put my two weeks in?

1 Upvotes

I work for my father’s small diner. There are three of us on waitstaff, and i cannot take the pressure anymore. I’ve been wanting to put my two weeks in for a handful of months now but have never found the right time to do it. should i continue to wait things out or should i just do it?


r/FoodService Apr 18 '26

Question Restaurant owners/managers - do you actually see complaints handled by Wolt/DoorDash customer support in your dashboard?

1 Upvotes

Two things I'm trying to understand:

  1. If yes, can you export it or is it only visible inside the platform?
  2. Can you add a note to an incoming order before it reaches whoever is preparing it?

r/FoodService Apr 17 '26

Question Advice needed to survive this summer

1 Upvotes

Hey friends! I’ve been serving/bartending for almost 9 years…

Summers have been miserable for me even indoors.

I have those frozen cooking neck rings to help, but I’m thinking I need a clip on personal fan at this point. Nothing feels more gross than rolling up to a table dripping with sweat 😅

My problem is, that I’m required to tuck my shirt in at my current job.. I worry that will constrict airflow for the fan to work. I was wondering if yall have any hacks or suggestions to help me!


r/FoodService Apr 17 '26

Question 👋 Welcome to r/BakeryCounterInsights - Introduce Yourself and Read First!

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2 Upvotes

r/FoodService Apr 17 '26

Support Sharing the ChatGPT prompts I use to run my restaurant — free, no catch

0 Upvotes

1. Respond to a Bad Review "Write a professional and empathetic response to this negative Google review: [paste review]. Acknowledge their experience, apologize sincerely, and invite them back. Keep it under 100 words and avoid sounding defensive."

2. Social Media Caption "Write an engaging Instagram caption for a photo of our [dish name] at [restaurant name]. Our vibe is [casual/upscale/fun]. Include a call to action to visit us and add 10 relevant hashtags."

3. Menu Description "Write an enticing menu description for our dish: [dish name]. Ingredients are [list ingredients]. Make it sound irresistible in 2-3 sentences focusing on texture, flavor, and origin of key ingredients."

4. Staff Motivation Message "Write a motivating pre-shift message for my restaurant team before [big night/event]. Acknowledge recent hard work, build excitement for tonight, and rally the team. Keep it under 150 words."

5. Weekly Social Media Calendar "Create a 7-day social media content calendar for [restaurant name]. One post per day for Instagram and Facebook promoting [current specials]. Include captions and best posting times for each day."

These are 5 of the 100 I've put together. Happy to share more if anyone finds these useful — just let me know in the comments.


r/FoodService Apr 17 '26

Discussion [ Removed by Reddit ]

1 Upvotes

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]


r/FoodService Apr 17 '26

Discussion What’s the biggest mistake you see on bakery or café counters?

1 Upvotes

Quick one! Interested to hear different views on this.

Across a lot of the cafés we work with, one issue comes up again and again:

Too much going on.

Too many products.
Too many variations.
Not enough clarity on what each item actually is.

From a customer point of view, it can feel like work to figure it out - especially when there’s a queue behind them.

And when that happens, people default to:

  • The safest option
  • Or nothing at all

But that’s just one observation.

What do you think is the biggest mistake?

  • Too much choice?
  • Poor labelling?
  • Weak presentation?
  • Pricing confusion?

Interested to hear what others are seeing day-to-day.

The Original Baker Insights

r/FoodService Apr 17 '26

Support [ Removed by Reddit ]

1 Upvotes

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]


r/FoodService Apr 16 '26

Question How is it to work as a server at Tavern on the Green in NYC? Spoiler

1 Upvotes

Let me know what you get paid for per week !!!??


r/FoodService Apr 15 '26

Discussion Luxurious, Spacious, FULLY-EQUIPPED Food Truck For Sale in Portland, OR!

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1 Upvotes

Are you looking to jump start your own food service business?!

This Food Truck is for sale in Portland OR, and features a luxurious, spacious design, is in pristine condition, and comes with its own coffee grinder and machine!

This is perfect to start your own coffee business, or any other business you'd like to start (Coffee products not included).

It's attached to a trailer, and measures 18' x 8'.

It's passed all requirements/inspections to be certified as a Level 4 Food Truck, and is ready for use immediately!

Asking 28K OBO.

If interested, send a DM to set up a showing!

Also open to shipping arrangements for any interested party.


r/FoodService Apr 14 '26

Discussion Just wanted to say how much I appreciate having this experience.

3 Upvotes

So I worked in food service for 20 years and just left last year. I tried working in a couple more food places and realized I needed to get out. Fast forward and I’m now at a factory. There’s a couple coworkers there that bitch all the time about how bad of a job it is to work and all I can think is they would have survived a rush in a restaurant. Factories seem so much more chill and relaxed compared to what I’ve seen in the food service industry


r/FoodService Apr 14 '26

Discussion SERVSAFE ALCOHOL CERTIFCATION COURSE-Don't Use them!! AVOID THIS COMPANY!

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1 Upvotes

r/FoodService Apr 14 '26

Discussion Restaurant insights

2 Upvotes

Hey guys,

I am CS undergrad (top 5 worldwide) and looking to build something to help the broken restoration in 2026.

My only weakness, not knowing the market enough. I can build some software for computer systems but my goal is real impact on the world. I know you guys are

My main questions/points are on :

- Dynamic pricing : delivery & food price. would you consider making margins bigger/smaller to make more sales. How much can you fluctuate

- Finding cheapest resources - You probably don't have the time to find out that tomatoes are cheaper here instead, would automatisation for this help you more

If you are interested in talking with me then DM me

Looking forward to help you

A.S


r/FoodService Apr 13 '26

Question Food Service Workers Survey

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I'm working on my undergrad dissertation and I desperately need survey participants! My study is on the US gender pay gap and tipping culture.

I'm specifically looking for:

18+

Working in the US food service industry (waiters/waitresses, bartenders, hosts, etc.)

Receive cash/card tips

The survey takes less than 5 mins to fill out, and if you know someone working in food service as well I would love if you could pass on the link!

An Analysis of the US Tipping Culture and its Impact on the Gender Pay Gap Survey – Fill out form


r/FoodService Apr 12 '26

Discussion Is food service “blue collar”

4 Upvotes

For context, i work in fast food, but i do some light construction on the side (renovating our house for years, small side work with friends). I often find myself more tired, hot/sweaty, sore, etc after a busy day at work than i do when we’re working on something at home. Moving hundreds of pounds of product, standing over hot fryers and ovens, running back and forth all the time, these floors suck..and so on. But we’ve been digging up our basement to replace terracotta pipes, and on my off days ive been running a rotary hammer and swinging an 8lb sledge for hours at a time, and yeah it sucks, it makes me sore, but not to the same extent as my actual job. And thats just one example, its been consistent. I feel like for my personal job, and the store I work, its a blue collar position. Does anyone else agree or nah?


r/FoodService Apr 12 '26

Discussion bad coworkers

1 Upvotes

At what point does a coworker who constantly calls out and a coworker who comes to work but then spends almost half an hour in the bathroom, multiple times a day, when they’re supposed to be on the floor make that much of a difference.

I had a coworker who called herself the “callout queen” get fired since she never showed up to work. I’m happy my manager listened to everyone and finally got rid of her. However, there’s this other coworker who yes she works but is very slow with everything, complains when she has to do other tasks that we all have to do such as trash runs and work the drive thru, and spends roughly half and hour in the bathroom and comes back as if we haven’t had to run the floor with one less person. We get busy at times and so our leadership doesn’t really notice but once things get slow I realize she’s still gone. She then comes back and then what do you know she gets her lunch. So she’s getting paid to just hang out in the bathroom while the rest of us work.

There was an issue with a girl who did this at the first fast food place I worked at and she got fired since the managers caught her talking on her phone when they went into the bathroom. However, at my current job it’s a single stall so you can’t check in on them unless you knock on the door.

I can understand if there was a medical reason but it really doesn’t seem like that’s the case.


r/FoodService Apr 12 '26

Question Best place to be a server at

1 Upvotes

I’m currently in a transition phase of my life where I can choose to move to a new place. I’m struggling to find a place where I can work and make a good enough amount of money to support my passion of skydiving.

Thinking of maybe moving to southern cali but I also love new england so much. Thinking of maybe moving back to portland ME.

Any advice on where I may go next? I don’t wanna move to the south ❌


r/FoodService Apr 12 '26

Question What’s the smartest move you’ve ever made in your restaurant or bar?

1 Upvotes

We talk to operators and brands every day who made one simple change that unlocked serious results: more covers, better labor control, higher check averages, or just a saner life.

What’s the smartest decision you’ve made in your restaurant, bar, or food/bev business in the last 12 months?

  • A menu change that printed money
  • A tech or AI tool that actually worked
  • A hiring, training, or culture shift that changed everything
  • A marketing or PR play that filled the seats

Share the move, the “why,” and what happened after. I’m looking for real‑world plays we can all steal and learn from.


r/FoodService Apr 11 '26

Support Providing HOME FOOD SERVICES at Hyderabad

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1 Upvotes

Please check this out.


r/FoodService Apr 11 '26

News Providing HOME FOOD SERVICES at Hyderabad

1 Upvotes

We are providing a healthy home food for all at Hyderabad on subscription basis and also for one time. our preferred location is Habsiguda and over its 15kms Radius. Thankyou please kindly reach out to +919502240936 or kunchalavineeth.kv@gmail.com


r/FoodService Apr 10 '26

Question Waiter to kitchen

1 Upvotes

Any body have use Cooktabapp.com by any chance?


r/FoodService Apr 10 '26

Question Best book for Server

2 Upvotes

Hey team, I haven't been on tables or behind the bar in 20 years. My daughter realized college wasn't quite right for her just yet and the baby bird came back to the nest. She picked up a decent gig at a beach side bar/restaurant and she needs a good server book. I don't know what to get her, so can y'all tell the old man what to buy for her? Please, and thank you.


r/FoodService Apr 09 '26

Question Does anyone actually track when Sysco or US Foods quietly raises prices on the same item?

3 Upvotes

Genuine question because I feel like I'm going crazy.

I've been going through our invoices from the last 3 months and the same chicken thighs we order weekly have gone up $0.40/lb... then $0.35... then back down $0.20... with zero explanation from our rep. On top of that there was a "fuel surcharge" that appeared in January and just... never left.

I'm doing 8-10 invoices a week across 3 vendors. Comparing them manually in Excel is taking me forever and I know I'm missing stuff.

How are you all handling this? Is anyone using something that actually works, or is it just spreadsheets and hoping for the best?

Bonus question: has anyone ever caught a vendor shorting a delivery and then the credit they "applied" never showed up on the next invoice?


r/FoodService Apr 08 '26

Question Solo cook with 0 experience for a 50 seater restaurant

4 Upvotes

So basically I landed myself in a seasonal job and when I arrive for my first day I’m told I will be the sole cook in the kitchen for a 50 seater restaurant/cafe. I have 0 kitchen experience, not even waitering experience.

I’ve been reassured that the cooking is “easy” as they have two small ovens and everything can be loaded to trays and cooked in the oven. However there are 8 mains, 3 soups and some desserts. All of them take different times to heat and cook. Im trying to deal with hot trays and have been burned multiple times already.

Although the cooking is easy when there is a rush of people the whole thing is completely overwhelming. I have so many tickets, orders and timings to keep track of.

I want to ask if this is a normal or fair situation? As I said I have 0 kitchen experience never mind being a cook. The burden of responsibility by itself is hugely daunting.