Niagara University Library: Monthly Book Spotlight -- August 2003

Hey, Waitress! The USA from the Other Side of the Tray
by
Alison Owings

Personally, I've never wanted to be a waitress, but I'll admit to being curious about what it must be like to serve the public in this capacity. Hey, Waitress! The USA from the Other Side of the Tray is an engrossing book that gives readers a first-hand look at this famous, demanding and often unappreciated profession.

While researching this book, author Alison Owings learned that no two waitresses are alike. Women become waitresses for many different reasons, such as wanting to get out of the house or simply needing a job, and come from all walks of life. They work in all kinds of eateries, from diners to chain restaurants to fine dining establishments.

The women interviewed for this book talk candidly about their jobs, coworkers, bosses, customers, tips (or lack of), lingo ("two eggs on a raft and wreck 'em") and sometimes their private lives.

Read about:

The woman who was training to work at a famous pancake house but "flipped out" when it was time to take a quiz on all the different kinds of syrups.
The woman who celebrity Liza Minnelli "stiffed."
The woman who worked at a nice French restaurant but "could never remember wines."

People in every service profession certainly have stories to tell about what their jobs are like and what it's like to serve the public, but not all have been collected and made into a very readable book. Hey, Waitress! The USA from the Other Side of the Tray by Alison Owings is shelved on the first floor of the Library in the non-fiction section of the Recreational Reading Collection.

Samantha Gust wrote this Monthly Book Spotlight.