The Deli
Having now worked in the deli for a couple days, I can say that the place definitely keeps one busy. Unlike Quick, there is much less emphasis on actual sandwiches. The two parts of the job that require real effort are the sandwiches and the drinks. There is a coffee-bar type setup here, like a Second Cup. Most of my training has revolved around learning the differences and methods of creation for cappachino, mocha, latte, chai etc. since I didn't need a whole lot of training with the sandwich part. Lauren actually worked at a Second Cup before so she didn't need help with that part as much. I still don't like it though. The things just take so much time. Especially since you have to keep refilling the various milks.
Thankfully when there are more people working, there will be more dedicated "stations", where you stick and just deal with that part of the line. For example, at the front to greet and try and get them to buy a premade sandwich, or the sandwich station, or the coffee station. As long as I don't get that one too much I'll be fine.
The work itself is kind of like Quick but to the enth degree. Since there were always at least 4 people on at all times I've worked so far, what we would consider "steady" at Quick barely registers. However, the rushes that come to the deli are just not possible in Waterloo. The driving force of these rushes is tour groups. Technically they are supposed to warn us about big tour groups coming (if they give us an hour or more warning, the driver gets a free lunch...not always enough of an incentive though). On the first day (Friday) we had a 50-ish person British tour group, a smaller American group, and a larger Korean group. As such training would be half explained during slow times, and half asked in the middle of actually trying to make whatever it is the person wants.
Saturday had only one tour group, but that was more than enough. A five hundred and fifty person group, composed entirely of Christian women. So when they arrived things were pretty busy for a while. Of course not all 550 went to the deli, but enough came to keep us busy, that's for sure.
Yesterday was "Appreciate your job day", or more accurrately, function help. Since summer workers are mostly just arriving now, places that need lots of people, for example, banquets, will draft workers from other departments to help if they have a big function. Lauren and I were so drafted. So at 6 AM I showed up at the Victoria dining hall to help prepare the breakfast and lunch banquets for the same Christian women's group that swamped us at the deli the day before. Working in banquets definitely made me glad that I wasn't doing this full time. I got there at 6 AM and didn't leave until 5:30. The official banquet people stayed longer. Apparently this is pretty standard too.
My actual job consisted of being at the front, greeting the women as they came in, and watching one of the lines to see if it was getting low. If it was I had to go to the back and get another tray and replace them. Since there were so many of them I was moving pretty constantly. My feet were glad for those insoles that were so highly spoken of, but I realized that your feet feeling better does not do anything for the rest of you. I was quite sore after that.
One thing I have noticed is that the staff bathrooms in the hotel, like in many other public places, are decorated with the deep, philosophical musings of the countless budding intellectuals who use such facilities. Other than the expressions of general existential alienation communicated through advertisments desirous of a mate or "good time", there are quite a few messages that express a rather strong feeling. To be specific, one rather plainly stated "I hate this place". It says something when the work you do can cause you to hate a place like this. Whether it says more about the job or the person working it, I haven't figured out yet.
Luckily, I have today off and can relax a bit. I don't work tomorrow until 3pm so I can go to the pub tonight without risk and meet the new recruits. Look for another update at some point this week.
Stay Frosty,
Trevor
Thankfully when there are more people working, there will be more dedicated "stations", where you stick and just deal with that part of the line. For example, at the front to greet and try and get them to buy a premade sandwich, or the sandwich station, or the coffee station. As long as I don't get that one too much I'll be fine.
The work itself is kind of like Quick but to the enth degree. Since there were always at least 4 people on at all times I've worked so far, what we would consider "steady" at Quick barely registers. However, the rushes that come to the deli are just not possible in Waterloo. The driving force of these rushes is tour groups. Technically they are supposed to warn us about big tour groups coming (if they give us an hour or more warning, the driver gets a free lunch...not always enough of an incentive though). On the first day (Friday) we had a 50-ish person British tour group, a smaller American group, and a larger Korean group. As such training would be half explained during slow times, and half asked in the middle of actually trying to make whatever it is the person wants.
Saturday had only one tour group, but that was more than enough. A five hundred and fifty person group, composed entirely of Christian women. So when they arrived things were pretty busy for a while. Of course not all 550 went to the deli, but enough came to keep us busy, that's for sure.
Yesterday was "Appreciate your job day", or more accurrately, function help. Since summer workers are mostly just arriving now, places that need lots of people, for example, banquets, will draft workers from other departments to help if they have a big function. Lauren and I were so drafted. So at 6 AM I showed up at the Victoria dining hall to help prepare the breakfast and lunch banquets for the same Christian women's group that swamped us at the deli the day before. Working in banquets definitely made me glad that I wasn't doing this full time. I got there at 6 AM and didn't leave until 5:30. The official banquet people stayed longer. Apparently this is pretty standard too.
My actual job consisted of being at the front, greeting the women as they came in, and watching one of the lines to see if it was getting low. If it was I had to go to the back and get another tray and replace them. Since there were so many of them I was moving pretty constantly. My feet were glad for those insoles that were so highly spoken of, but I realized that your feet feeling better does not do anything for the rest of you. I was quite sore after that.
One thing I have noticed is that the staff bathrooms in the hotel, like in many other public places, are decorated with the deep, philosophical musings of the countless budding intellectuals who use such facilities. Other than the expressions of general existential alienation communicated through advertisments desirous of a mate or "good time", there are quite a few messages that express a rather strong feeling. To be specific, one rather plainly stated "I hate this place". It says something when the work you do can cause you to hate a place like this. Whether it says more about the job or the person working it, I haven't figured out yet.
Luckily, I have today off and can relax a bit. I don't work tomorrow until 3pm so I can go to the pub tonight without risk and meet the new recruits. Look for another update at some point this week.
Stay Frosty,
Trevor
posted by Sibtiger | 10:23 AM
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