There is nothing like the rush of working a busy restaurant shift. Sweat dripping, tickets flowing into the kitchen non-stop, adrenaline coursing through your veins — it sounds brutal, but somehow, it’s intoxicating.

There is so much to gain from working in foodservice: Professional skills that are transferable to any career and the selfless service of creating a positive dining experience for complete strangers. 

William Naegle, a hospitality manager at Café Tiramisu in North Raleigh, has worked in the industry since he was 16. He said working in restaurants is the perfect way to build interpersonal skills; in particular, serving guests helps develop communication skills and professionalism. 

“Every new guest that comes through the door is like working for a new employer, and your job is to integrate yourself within their realm and create the best experience you can,” Naegle said. 

Work in food service requires patience and the development of deescalation techniques. I worked in fast food in high school and experienced many encounters with unhappy customers. Hunger is a biological instinct that ignites primal emotions in people, so try working in food service if you want to be more even-tempered. 

“You get what comes in through those doors,” Naegle said. “What I like the most is the challenge of trying to use my experience with dealing with people and using that adversity to help make an overall better experience for [customers].” 

Having a restaurant career is also a great way for people to overcome social anxiety. You have to be confident and engaging, and there’s no room for shyness when creating a welcoming environment for diners. 

“[Restaurants] will bring out parts of you that may need developing,” Naegle said. “I was incredibly shy as a child, and working in restaurants kind of brought me out of my shell.”

The phrase “teamwork makes the dream work” rings true in the world of foodservice; a restaurant’s ability to function depends on every single employee pulling their weight. 

Jana Wojcik is the assistant manager of Aladdin’s Eatery North Hills, and she has worked in restaurants for nearly 30 years in the Czech Republic and the United States. She said the restaurant industry creates opportunities to work collaboratively with individuals from all walks of life.

“You meet a lot of people,” Wojick said. “Sometimes, you meet friends for life.”

You learn how to identify individual strengths and weaknesses of your teammates to support the restaurant’s efficiency. The same logic applies to any field for enhancing productivity and ensuring that employees are allocating their time and resources wisely. 

Restaurant workers gain crisis management experience from the unexpected challenges that can arise during a busy shift. 

I was once working a post-church lunch shift and realized we had run out of receipt paper, soda syrup and plastic silverware all at once. I remember walking into the deep freezer to take a breath before returning to triage each issue. 

Solving these types of predicaments may not seem significant, but it shows how restaurant employees are able to address conflict under pressure -– a skill that employers in any field look for. 

Aside from the interpersonal and professional skills, working a busy dinner shift on a Friday or a hectic Sunday brunch is absolutely riveting. With restaurants, no two shifts are the same. 

“Every day is a diverse day, and I think that really comes from working with the public,” Naegle said. 

An additional benefit of restaurant experience is that work stays at work. Unless you are an owner or in management, there aren’t emails to answer or paperwork to complete outside of work hours. 

“You just leave everything there,” Wojcik said. “You get home and you don’t have to think about, ‘I should have done that or this.’” 

Of course, food service isn’t always peachy. The restaurant life is physically demanding, and it can be hard to take flack from dissatisfied customers.

“Restaurants in particular can be a very thankless job,” Naegle said.

I believe if everyone understood the blood, sweat and tears that go into running a restaurant, people would have more compassion and would be less likely to rebuke food service workers for simple mistakes. 

“You appreciate everybody who works [in restaurants] when you go out to eat,” Wojcik said. 

If you’re looking for a job that will teach you valuable skills without being a total bore, I strongly recommend applying to a restaurant. When a future employer sees foodservice experience on your résumé, they will know that you’re well-versed in teamwork, customer service, multitasking and crisis management. 

But keep one thing in mind before entering the restaurant industry -– you might fall in love with its beautiful chaos.