Restaurants in small towns struggle to find waiters
Finding waiters in villages is still very difficult, even though many offer accommodation without asking for anything in return.
Others cover the costs of their daily commute from the nearest capital, and many waiters juggle their salaries to escape for a few days in search of a social life.
They'd like the local young people to stay, or for those who arrive to put down roots and have children who might one day run around the town square. But most of the staff depends on outsiders who are here today, and who knows what will happen tomorrow.
Working for a promising chef still offers the vague promise of building a resume. The dining room, however, doesn't enjoy the same prestige, and for the restaurant, it's almost more important that the service doesn't change with each season. "Recipes can be taught, but the waiter acts as my eyes in the dining room and conveys the soul of the place to the customer," warns a renowned chef from a small mountain village. That's not something you learn in four days.
A good salary and reasonable hours are essential, and everyone agrees on that. But there's something else that can't be measured in numbers and that can be more important than a contract: closeness, emotional well-being, harmony, open communication, and empathy. In the end, nothing fosters employee loyalty more than going to work happy.