A Career in Restaurants and Proud of It

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Working in foodservice is something to be proud of. Plenty of executives and white collar workers, even if they moved on to other industries, had their first job in a restaurant kitchen. Or a deli. Or bussing tables at beachside cafe. According to the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, that initial employment experience instills the value of hard work and accountability, as well as the idea that work can be loads of fun.

That same pride of work extends to today’s teens. Among workers under 18, 78% are proud to work in foodservice. Many of those kids are enrolled in school at the same time they are putting in the hours at restaurants. Forty-one percent of them work under 20 hours per week, but they still find a lot of pride and satisfaction in their part-time gigs.

And that sense of pride stays with foodservice employees as they work their way up the ladder. Ninety-two percent of foodservice managers are proud to work in restaurants. It’s even higher with chefs and cooks, back in the hot kitchens, with 92% claiming pride in their jobs. Front-of-house staff feel that same sense of satisfaction, with 80% of bartenders, 85% of hosts/hostesses and 75% of wait staff, bussers and dishwashers all say they are proud to work in foodservice.

Long-term foodservice workers are even happier. Among employees ages 35-64, more than 90% are proud to work in restaurants. And that includes 40% who are putting in at least 59 hours a week behind a stove, a host desk or a bar.

This paints a picture of an industry that creates a lot of goodwill for society. All these employees have a hand in making a welcoming establishment full of great food and wonderful hospitality. Scores of people celebrate anniversaries, promotions, graduations and other special occasions at restaurants. The pride of the workers means that they enjoy providing this service to people and they feel well-respected by their managers and well-compensated for their work. And that is good for everyone, customers and workers alike. Check out this A Career in Restaurants and Proud of It infographic.