Origin of the profession
The concept of ”café” was born during the 18th century. Already at that time, it was a meeting point for people to socialize, drink coffee, and discuss the news of the day. The waiter became the epicenter of the cafe life and played an important role in the neighborhood. The traditional attire of waiters in cafes in France during the second empire consisted of a white shirt, plants pants, and an apron. Here is where the Garcon was born. The waiter was more than just a person providing drinks to customers. He was elegant, artistic, and personified French life and culture.
Professional Skills
A successful waiter required several talents and skills: he must be able to memorize orders, calculate prices, and fluidly move between tables without spilling a drop of his orders. In many respects, the tray was figuratively glued to his hand. A successful waiter was always upbeat, smiling, and never lost his temper when patrons were upset or rowdy. Owners of cafes would always recruit motivated people who were confident and demonstrated success at the position. Being a waiter is a fast-paced position, but the objective is to not run. This is why many waiters races prohibit running.
Salary
The salaries of waiters are generally modest all throughout the world. It is often the area’s minimum wage. However, an important revenue for waiters is the tip. In some countries, servers are only paid in the tips. Customers are generally expected to leave around 10% of the bill to the waiter. The tips are an important and integral income for waiters. An important goal of having waiters races around the world is to improve the recognition of the profession and increase the public awareness on the issue of tips being an important source of income for waiters.
Career
Making a career out of waiting tables can be a very attractive one. Especially for those that would like to lead a team of waiters. For those in the profession, they all share a common theme: their pride for belonging in a long, traditional, and honorable profession. Furthermore, the professional unions of those in the service industry are powerful with the ability to mobilize quickly. In addition, many training schools have been created to facilitate the process of becoming a successful waiter. However, the profession still needs to gain better international respect and recognition. That’s where the waiters race comes in: It will be an opportunity to pay tribute to these hardworking individuals who make our lives so much more enjoyable.
Attire
The attire of the waiter is very typical. It gives immediately the look of elegance and of a gentleman. The waiters belong to a kind of a Professional Society which is in charge of keeping the image of the profession.
Photo by Jean Louis Zimmermann
