The Legendary Life of a Roadie

On the Monday before we left for Thanksgiving break, I began my career as an officially hired Texas Roadhouse server. While I thought the training would be a cakewalk, it most definitely was not!

Each day, I was required to take a quiz on things that I learned in training, from sanitation rules and server etiquette to knowing everything about an item on the menu. After an hour long of book training from the training manual, I had the chance to put what I learned into action by shadowing the server trainer I was working with that night. After five long days of training, I took my tests on Black Friday. 

You may not think that a test on Texas Roadhouse would be hard. I thought the exact same thing when I was told on my orientation day started. This was far from the truth. To become a member of the Texas Roadhouse family and, more specifically the serving staff, you must take a server test, a bar test, fill in all of the locations of tables in the restaurant and a 103 question menu test. The menu test was a tough one. In addition to general knowledge of the food, you're required to know the exact ounces of food included in combo meals, steaks and pulled pork dishes, the exact ingredients of salads, the amount of sides included with meals and more. 

Luckily, I passed the tests and finished my final night with a trainer. As of November 30, I have been serving the hungry masses of Lima, Ohio solo. So far, I love my new job! While the obvious perks are tip money that I get to take home with me each shift and free salads and fresh baked bread while I'm working, there is a lot more to it than that. The people that work there are great and act like a huge, extended family. People hang out with each other outside of work. They know each others kids, buy cookie dough to help support whatever fundraiser is currently going on and take care of each other on and off the clock. I'm not stuck behind a register for hours at a time like I was at Rite Aid and I get to talk to people from all walks of life. I've figured out things like not everyone tips like they should (not yet from personal experience!), peanut shells do not like to come off the floor very easily and it is very easy to trip over your feet while line dancing. 

If any of my lovely classmates are bored the last two weeks of classes, come visit me at work!