For the last three years of my life, I’ve worked in the hospitality industry. Hotels, restaurants and bars have been my life when I wasn’t traveling and even when I was. I like working in hospitality because the jobs are easy to find in between my various jaunts around the world. I like meeting and interacting with people, which is something I also love about travel. I’ve learned some valuable lessons about travel and life in general while working in the food and beverage industry.
1. A smile goes a long way.
In every service industry, a smile can make a guest feel welcomed or take them from a bad mood to a good one. It can get you a tip or a repeat customer. Companies are made and broken over smiles and friendliness. In some places, smiling is the universal language. I’ve been one of the only farangs in a small village in northern Thailand and all I knew how to do was smile. You never know who might come talk to you just because of that smile.
2. There will always be haters.
No matter how hard you try to do your job well, no matter how big you smile or how friendly you are, there will always be miserable customers who want to make you miserable as well. This is unavoidable, unfortunately, but all you can do is stay positive and not sink down to their level.
The same rules apply to travel. There will be the people who tell you you’re selfish or irresponsible for choosing a life of travel. They will tell you there’s no way you can travel the world alone. That you’re too old or too young. They will judge the way you travel, telling you to party more or volunteer more or to only stay in hostels or to only visit countries that aren’t listed in Lonely Planet guidebooks. Smile, even if through gritted teeth, and prove them wrong.
3. Have cash handy.
In the restaurant business, this is a no brainer. You need to be ready to give change. But in many places in the world, cash can be helpful for greasing the palms of crooked border patrol officers and in countries where there aren’t ATMs available.
4. Always be prepared.
It’s the old Boy Scout adage and it rings true with every job. If you don’t come ready with your pens, uniform, apron, knives or bottle opener, you might as well stay home. Know what you need to pack before your trip so you’re not caught trying to ask for your prescription at a foreign pharmacy or in need of duct tape for that rip in your backpack.
5. You never know where a conversation will lead.
Customers remember the servers and employees who are really interested in what they have to say. If you get involved in a conversation, you never know where it might lead. They might have job contacts or great stories that get you interested in a place or hobby. The same goes for conversations with travel companions. You could end up getting recommendations for other places to visit or you could be in this person’s wedding one day. All you have to do is introduce yourself and be interested in what they have to say.
6. Sometimes you just have to wing it.
Did you forget to put in the table’s order? Or not book your hostel ahead of time but arrive in town to discover everywhere is full? Sometimes you just have to think on your feet to decide how you’re going to fix a situation. There’s only so much advance preparation that can be done.
7. There will be bad days sometimes.
You forget a few orders, you spill some drinks and you get one of those aforementioned miserable customers. You want to go home, crawl into bed and forget about the world. These days happen in every job, not just hospitality. There’s nothing you can do to prevent them because they’re as inevitable as jury duty.
In a life of travel, you will miss your train, have snoring dorm mates and be worried about money. And with these days, you might want to hop on the first plane home to sleep in your own bed and pig out on your favorite comfort food. But you stick it out for those days when you remember why you love to travel in the first place, for the things you see, the experiences you have and the people you meet.
8. How you dress does matter.
A neat clean shirt is always appreciated in the food and beverage industry. People notice when you’re dressed nicely. Dress appropriately for your destination. Don’t wear revealing clothes in conservative countries or at religious sites.
9. You can’t judge people by their appearances.
I’ve been guilty of this many times. I’ve assumed the young people I’m waiting on will be bad tippers, but I can’t judge based on age, appearance, gender or anything else. I would hate for people to make assumptions about me just because I’m Southern, American, female and young, but people ultimately do.
10. You remember the good over the bad.
When I think back on past jobs, I don’t think about the twelve hour days or how gross cleaning beer taps is. I think about the international gang of girls I worked with and the regular customers who tipped us in Cadbury chocolate. And when I’m traveling, I block out the uncomfortable night bus rides and scam artists over the people I meet and the experiences I’ve had.
Great tips! I worked at Starbucks in college and waitressed in high school and have to say I’ve had my share of misjudged tippers as well. Hardest part for me is still to smile all the time — after an 8-hour shift or an 8-hour day of traveling it can be hard to keep smiling!
Seriously! Such a struggle.