What working at Sup Dogs has taught me about humanity

We all remember our first Sup Dogs experience – walking past the wooden outdoor tables, your steps syncing up to a Fall Out Boy song as you take in your surroundings. A girl behind the bar yells, “Welcome to Sup Dogs! You can sit wherever you want.”

You grab a seat at a booth on your right, under a sign that says “Girls who love football get bigger diamonds.” A waitress in a cut up t-shirt hands you a blue menu, and you realize just how many ways someone can fix a hot dog.

We all also remember our first late-night Sup Dogs experience – seeing swarms of drunk college kids drinking Sup Swirls and chowing down on bacon cheese fries, their conversations practically drowning out the 2000s hip hop song playing. Every once in a while, a girl’s voice calls out a few names, prompting your friend to say, “Oh shit, that’s me” and run to the window to get their food. It’s a hot mess and a half, and you wouldn’t want to end your night anywhere else – mostly because those fries are just too damn good.

When I was a freshman, I was obsessed with Sup Dogs – the fun atmosphere, the good food and seeing everyone you know. There was nothing better. I would tweet at them to get them to donate to Dance Marathon, or just to tell them they were the only boyfriend I needed. I started to recognize the owner when he came in.

One time, I was on their Instagram page and I thought I was the newest campus celebrity. Every basketball game, I was there. Every Saturday night, when frats were no longer fun, my friends and I would head over there to talk about how much boys suck. I even ate there before a cocktail one time, because why would you not?

I was so obsessed with Sups that when a girl in my sorority asked if anyone was looking for a summer job there, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I emailed the general manager my pitiful resume, and stressed to her how interested I was in working there.

I became a “Sup Pup” this past June. I have learned more about myself, my peers, and my community than I thought was possible. Whether I’m waiting tables at Monday dinner or frantically trying to get in those last requests for beer at 1:50 in the morning, my job is something that I wouldn’t change for the world. Here are just a few things that you learn working at the coolest restaurant on Franklin Street.

Liking the people you work with makes a job way more fun

One of the best things Sup Dogs has taught me is how fun work can be, especially if you’re working with people who are excited about work. I have so much love for the Sup Dogs staff, something that I don’t think a lot of other people get to experience in their jobs. Everyone who works there makes it feel like one big family, whether it be the girl who’s been there the past two years, or the newbie that started a few weeks ago. When I mess up (which happens more than I’d like to admit), they remind me that it isn’t a big deal.

One of the biggest things that was stressed to me when I first started working here was how laid back the environment is – there is no room for petty drama. Bret Oliverio, the owner of both the UNC and ECU Sup Dogs, says that he wants a staff that wants to come into work. The key parts of this job are working hard, making money and having fun at the same time. And this is evident in the way that everyone works together.

Patience is key

When you work in the wee hours of the a.m. you realize just how hard it can be for drunk people to order food. The other day, an obviously intoxicated gentleman came in during late night and tried to order pizza. We do not nor have we ever served pizza, but this young man was certain that we did. The daylight hours can be just as hard, when you have five tables spread across the restaurant, and an old couple calls you over to the table, only to decide a football game day is the perfect time to create their own hot dog.

While these things are small annoyances, you know that your coworkers, your customers and your tip depend on you to still be calm and collected. Being patient is something that I have had to learn, but in a job where you’re interacting with so many different people, you learn to tolerate these moments, or even appreciate them for giving you a moment to catch your breath.

You learn that people will be patient with you, too. Sometimes you’ll forget their ranch, or forget the onions on their hot dog, or take a while to check up on them. You’ll realize that when people see that you’re trying your best in a stressful situation, nine times out of ten they will be patient, or even kind. Patience on either side helps restore your faith in humanity.

Chapel Hill is for everybody

Chapel Hill, Franklin Street and Sup Dogs are for everybody. You are just as likely to see a family, an elderly couple, or a paramedic in Sup Dogs as you are to see a college student. It reminds you that our university brings people together, in spite of differences, to celebrate how great it is to be a Tar Heel. Oliverio said that one of his favorite memories at UNC Sup Dogs has to do with the gigantic banner we hang across the restaurant before the Duke basketball games.

“The first time we did this, the sign read ‘Honk if Dook Sucks’ with a giant photo of Coach K’s angry face,” Oliverio says. “I knew the students would love it, but I expected a little backlash from some of the older residents of downtown Chapel Hill.  Students were lining up for photos with the banner and behind a big group of students was an elderly couple that asked me to take a photo of them with the sign. That’s when I knew this rivalry was intense. These two 85-year-olds loved our obnoxious banner and even said ‘Duke does suck, go Heels’ after they snapped the pic.”

You begin to realize that everyone you serve loves Chapel Hill as much as you do, and nothing will make your Tar Heel soul happier.

When you smile, other people will smile too

As a server, you begin to realize how much your mood will change a situation. When you smile or laugh with a table, it can brighten someone’s day. I love to dance any chance that I can, despite the fact that I’m terrible at it. Whenever I start dancing as I clean off tables, and I see people laugh or hear an “Oh, get it girl,” I get the dumbest grin on my face, because I know that my mood is rubbing off on the people around me. This job has taught me that you will never regret trying to be a bright part of somebody’s day.

The people you serve will change you for the better

The people you meet as a waitress have more of an impact on your life than you’d expect. Even though their experiences seem totally separate from yours, the little interactions that you have with them can stick with you, and remind you of how wonderful the human race can be.

Abbey Ammons, a junior who has worked at Sup Dogs for two years, has a special connection to all of the regulars who come in.

“There is one customer who comes in frequently who is deaf and his sweet energy just really inspired me,” Ammons says. “I actually ended up taking an online course to learn introductory sign language afterward, because I wanted to communicate with people like him and bridge that gap in communication. Later on, I applied for an internship that helps interpret.

“There is also a little girl who comes in every now and then with her mom to ‘people watch.’ She sits at table 12 and draws the other people there with crayons and she’ll compliment everything about you, from your Crocs to the way you smell (even if you’re covered in Sup Dogs Sauce and grease). Every time someone gets a little too drunk or is in a booth crying about their night you find yourself wanting to empathize with these people. And when people come in after getting engaged or for a first date you notice that you share in their joy.”

Working in the food industry, especially one of my favorite restaurants in Chapel Hill, has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Whether I’m putting ketchup and mustard bottles on tables at 10:30 a.m. or putting in our final food orders in the earliest hours of the morning, I get to interact with beautiful, soulful people on a daily basis, and that’s something I wouldn’t change for the world.