Working At Friday's

No, that's NOT me.
I don't even know the guys.
I just pulled the photo from the Friday's site.
But I did have to wear that ugly uniform.

But the thing about working at Friday's is that we made money.
Since we served food until 1am, when other restaurants closed - those employees would come over and spend their tips on me.

But the worst days were the holidays.
Why? Because everyone would take their mothers, girlfriends or whatever out to a spot that was one or two places better than their regular haunts - but tip in the same percentages from their normal spot.
(Our regulars went to Ruth's Chris, Ruth's Christ's regulars would go to Spago, and we would get the Denny's regulars.)
Most people went to a spot that they really couldn't afford.

The past few decades have been like Mother's Day.
Too many people had jobs, homes and cars that they really weren't prepared to have.

Too many people who should have been teachers were making a nice amount of money at executive jobs,
Too many teachers should have really been janitors,
And too many politicians should have been unemployed.

Too many who could afford a bungalow in Riverside - instead, bought a beach home in Laguna.
Too many who should have stayed in their paid-off home in South Central - instead, acquired new debt to live in the Inland Empire.
Too many who could afford Baldwin Park - instead, bought a home in Baldwin Hills.
Too Many who could afford a home in Pasadena - instead, bought a home on the Palisades.


That the economy went south is no surprise.
It should have been expected.
The only real problem was that too many assumed that the holiday would last forever.