Maybe you or someone you love is facing job insecurity.
And they need oursupportmore than ever.
This is not a low-skill profession.
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I also work part-time as a server where my responsibilities are guest-oriented.
I love the public interaction, combined with good food and beverages.
My days are rarely the same, and I enjoy thehustle.
I was built for the hospitality industry.
When news of the pandemic started, I wasnt nervous.
I think thats because I was around during the AIDS epidemicIve seen some shit.
I tried to gather as muchfactual informationas was available.
But once the social distancing mandates happened, I was anxious and concerned for staff that book with me.
I was also concerned for vendors, hotels, caterersthe entire hospitality industry.
Its important to remember that this is not a low-skill profession.
Pauls Cook, 56, business owner and part-time server
2.
Customers are happy we are open, but some can be rude and demanding.
When the closings first started, I was anxious because I was out of work for a month.
Plus, things werent going well for me before all of this happened.
I spent 2019 struggling and only started this job in March.
So I was depressed, and the uncertainty has made things a bit worse.
Right now were open for takeout and delivery only, but I still feel like Im struggling.
My employers are doing the best they can, but I wish they could hire more people.
Im a cashier, so I answer the phones and I also take orders.
It gets hard to keep up with all the orders.
At first we only wore gloves, but now wewear masksas well.
Customers are happy we are open, but some can be rude and demanding.
For instance, we dont have much on the menu, so they get agitated.
I wish customers could understand that we are doing the best that we can.
Patience is important because we are trying.
Not everything is exactly the same as before.Lebene M., 26, customer service
3.
I give a shot to remain optimistic, but Im sad for businesses.
I miss little things like meeting friends or clients for a cocktail.
I miss chatting with my parent community at my sons elementary school.
We only go outside once or twice a week for a walk or groceries.
I have refocused my energy these days on crisis communications.
Social distancing may become the new normal.
Once the mandates came down, I feltconfused and scared.
I have worked through a polar vortex, hurricanes, blizzards, etc.
My fears were only eclipsed when people began to get laid off from restaurants.
I am lucky enough to work at a restaurant that has the reach to continue to support their employees.
Social distancing may become the new normal.
We just wanted to keep working and stay healthy any way we could.
I think we were shocked because it all seemed to happen so fast.
One week we were all in the office, planning events as usual.
The next week we were all limited to seeing each other over the internet.
And for some of our employees, its been scary and isolating.
So weve made sure westay connectedas much as possible.
But we lived through September 11, the 2008 recession, and Hurricane Sandyevents always came back.
So we hope and predict that they will come back again.
There are so many people who cant get unemployment because they arent citizens.
However, a few of my coworkers feared guests accidentally spitting on them when yelling across the bar.
Im personally afraid of how long this will go on.
So many people live paycheck to paycheck.
Meanwhile, there are landlords demanding rent.
My therapist says Im grieving, and I believe her.
Since COVID and the government mandates, Ive lost all of my clients except for one.
So my future is really up in the air right now.
Mytherapistsays Im grieving, and I believe her.
So like the service industry, Im suffering too.
I wish everyone understood that small businesses are getting hit hard.
Without us, the world is already different.
I am a server and acocktailserver.
My job is to ensure guests have an unforgettable experience.
I provide beverage and food pairing recommendations while anticipating guest needs.
I knew that in my home country, South Korea, COVID-19 hit them before it started here.
My job was very hands-on aboutsanitizingand making sure there were disinfectants at every service station for us.
There was little to no room for social distancing, but we washed our hands every chance we could.
I wish people understood that we are essential too, and this is our livelihood.
Most of us have college degrees or other skill sets, but many of us love what we do.
Without us, the world is already different.Ellie S., 26, server
9.
Im mindful of prevention at all times.
I was concerned at the beginning of the pandemic because no one in my life wastaking this seriously.
Most people around me thought all this was a hoax.
It was hard to digest, but I knew I had to take all measures into my own hands.
When people dont follow guidelines, I stay as far away as I can.
Im mindful of prevention at all times.
At work, every single day brings its own challenge.
We have established stricter hygiene measures, and weve halted our regular operations.
We are mindful when it comes to the six-feet distancing rule too.
Its hard to do when you are in a kitchen, but weve been very cautious about it.
Were also required to wear masks at all times.
My business has had to take a back seat.
Im an event planner, and everything has come to a halt.
To be completely transparent, my business has had to take a side seat.
My two young children (ages six and two) are now home from school.
Before this happened, they were both in school and daycare, respectively.
Hospitality is not for everyone, but it is for us.
I grew up in an environment where I wasnt able to live my life authentically.
I work with the team that started one of the most successful drag brunches in Chicago.
I do my very best to verify that every person that comes in has the time of their life.
So I wish people could understand that our profession is extremely social.
Hospitality is not for everyone, but it is for us.
How are small businesses going to stay open?
How are we going to pay our rent?
I feltscared and angry.
But after a few days, I decided that I could not continue feeling this way.
I have to remain positive and strong throughout these times.
I have to offer anything I have to help in these situations.
I hope we see more compassion, patience, and improved human connection overall.
Ill admit that the first time I heard the wordpandemic, I thought it was an exaggeration.
It wasnt until the NBA made its cancellation announcement that I realized the magnitude of what was happening.
Such a large-scale and unprecedented situation made it hit home.
Right now the future feels very uncertain.
Trying to plan or even imagine what is to come is a challenge and a harsh reality.
Its unnerving for sure.
Working in hospitality often includes dealing with other peoples frustrations, moods, harsh words, and actions.
Initially we were doing takeout and delivery only, but the drivers and guests could still enter.
Now there is a door and screen to prevent everyone except employees from entering.
The owners have also been providing us with whateverPPEwe can get.
People are either very kind and cautious or mean and careless.
I think this is bringing out the best and worst of all of us.
I really have to take it one dayor even momentat a time.
Some days are easier than others.
The pandemic is also bringing up a lot of old fears and realities I have faced.
So this is bringing up fear around economic backlash, the widespread unemployment.
Ultimately, eating out is almost always a luxury, and thats especially true when people arent earning.
While I am considered essential now, the reality is that I provide a luxury service.
I know, for today, neither my family nor I will be homeless.
But that fear is always there.Erin Detroit Vesey, 30, kitchen manager
Quotes have been edited for clarity.
