The pros and cons of working in a UGA dining hall

Working in a dining hall isn’t the greatest job in the world, but it certainly isn’t the worst. There are many upsides to working on the other side of the glass, besides making enough money to go out next Friday night.

Aside from getting stuck in the dish room or getting a burn every now and then, there aren’t many problems. At times, I would even go as far as to say it’s a little fun. Although some aspects of the job are all right, there are some downsides that are unpleasant.

Students at dinner in the Oglethorpe Dining Commons

I deal with every kind of person

The greatest part of working at a dining hall is getting to talk to many different kinds of people. People from all different areas, religions and cultures come to the dining halls every day, and those who work there get the pleasure of meeting so many of them. We may not get to interact with customers every time we work, but when we do, it’s a good day.

Although some people wouldn’t want to hear about where our customers are from, what their majors are, or other cool stuff like that, we actually do. It keeps us interested. Trust me, someone’s life story is much more interesting than watching food cook.

The boredom

One of the toughest parts of working in the dining halls is how boring it can get. Often times, our work is repetitive and it gets dull quickly. Folding 250 burritos isn’t that exciting. Our coworkers are usually just as preoccupied, so it’s difficult to hold a conversation during work.

And we aren’t allowed to use our phones while on the clock, so a five-hour shift can seem like it lasts an eternity. That’s why some of us try to make small talk with our customers. A little bit of awkward chit-chat can make a night on the clock fly by much quicker.

Photo credit: Kevin Brooks

The stuck-up kids

The worst part about working in a dining hall is how some of the students treat us. Of course, many of our student customers are kind, polite and grateful for all the hard work we do. Although these appreciative students far outweigh the others, there is still a decent number of patrons who don’t appreciate the work we do for them.

I understand. Some guests may not want to talk to the stranger who is making their meal. But they should at least have the decency to put their phone away when we ask for their order.

Or maybe they had a bad day and their mood is reflecting that. Don’t take that out on us – we’re trying to make them food that will hopefully make it better. We don’t even need a “please” or “thank you.” Just treat us like human beings, that’s all.

Most of us don’t mind working at the dining halls. All jobs have their upsides and downsides, but we all want to be appreciated for the work we do. If everyone was recognized for the hard work they put in every day, most people would be a lot more content.

I’m not saying dining hall workers should be treated like heroes, but it’s nice to be recognized for my work every now and then.