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Ilona Baliūnaitė

“Kitchen Confidential”: 106 Food Service Workers Reveal The Behind The Scenes Of Their Job In Honest Posts (New Pics)

Operating a restaurant truly takes a lot of elbow grease. Every industry employee has to be fast, clean, efficient, able to multitask and communicate well for it to function smoothly. All while trying to be the best of their craft, making top-notch food, and meeting customers' expectations and demands. So there’s really no surprise that workers sometimes try to do everything just to get through the day, even if it means cutting corners or committing unethical practices

However, all of this is happening behind the scenes, where such industry secrets are kept tightly shut. But mysteries exist so they can be revealed, and the online community “Kitchen Confidential” takes pride in doing exactly that. From poorer-than-poor conditions to ridiculous rules to dealing with weird customer requests, scroll down to find restaurant workers getting real and spilling secrets about the industry.

#1 Can We Stop Glamorizing This

Give us cooks a break to sit and eat a meal like a human.

Image credits: Honest_Concentrate85

#2 Reviews/Owner Responses Like This Make Me Unbelievably Happy On The Inside

Image credits: _thisjustin

#3 I’m Still In Shock

Image credits: ScooterBobb

The restaurant and food service industry is expected to continue to grow in 2024. Experts also predict that it’s going to reach a profit of $1 trillion for the first time and create 200,000 job positions, pushing the total number of industry workers to almost 16 million people. 

However, such impressive growth comes with a price, unfortunately, mostly for employees. And the high turnover in the food industry proves this. Data shows a staggering rise in this rate of around 75% - a number that has been growing since the pandemic. This percentage is more than one and a half times higher compared to other sectors. 

#4 Prep Guy Left A Spoon In The Fish Batter. Figured He Was Saving It To Eat Later So We Plated It For Him

Image credits: thirdeyebrown_666

#5 Thought You Guys Would Enjoy This

Image credits: honeydewr

#6 Local Restaurant Posted Online Today…

Image credits: DangerLime113

Because of such high turnover, restaurant owners said that recruiting and retaining employees were among their top business challenges in 2023.

Chances are, you’re now wondering why so many workers are leaving positions in this sector. Well, ironically, one of the main reasons is that businesses are short-staffed. 

A 2022 survey has found that 90% of food service employees have worked overtime, double shifts, or extra ones. Of those, 75% said they had to do so because of a lack of staff.

#7 Dishie Asked For A Handburger. I Had To Make It

Image credits: amusered

#8 Flipping Burgers

Image credits: solside65

#9 About To Work The Grill In 100°f+ Weather With No A/C. It Was Nice Knowing Y’all

Image credits: AndyJaeven

Bruce Tracey, a professor of HR management at Cornell, commented on workers' dissatisfaction with the industry, saying, “Hospitality jobs, especially front-line, are notoriously known for low-wage, low-skill kinds of work — it’s associated with working conditions that are not necessarily conducive to adequate life-work balance.”

#10 Stole This Off Facebook, Sounds Like They've Had A Few Chats About This Lol

Image credits: pac-sam

#11 My Prep Cooks Got Tired Of Slicing Onions

Image credits: Themightyquinja

#12 Yep

Image credits: jeremyelderr

Another factor contributing to high turnover is low pay. The effort to provide higher wages is there. However, it doesn’t seem to be enough. In the last few years, wages have driven up by 23%, and at the end of 2022, the minimum hourly pay was $17.30, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

#13 May This Person Find Their Special Pickle

Image credits: PedestrianMyDarling

#14 Music Not Allowed In The Kitchen

Image credits: behemuthm

#15 Worst Day In Sauce History

Image credits: gravewisdom

Unpredictable hours also add to the fact that people are leaving. A 2021 report found that 64% of workers received their schedule with less than two weeks' notice, more than a third had one week of heads-up, and a quarter said they had only 72 hours’ notice.

#16 There's A Story Behind This Sign That I Need To Know

Image credits: Bender_2024

#17 I Was Fired For Reporting Unsafe Practices. Shrimp And Chicken Were Left Out At An Ambient Temperature Of 81° F For Over 14 Hours

Image credits: anonymous

#18 I’m Not Even Mad. That’s Hilarious

Image credits: Wrong-Tip-7073

“For an hourly worker, their pay is determined not just by their wage, but by the number of hours,” Kristen Harknett, co-founder of The Shift Project, comments. “You can’t create better conditions for workers by only having the one side of the equation.” 

Additional challenges for restaurant industry workers include poor communication, physically demanding tasks, and difficult customers.

#19 Girlfriend’s Little Brother Just Worked His First Thanksgiving Double. This Was The Staff Meal

Image credits: VVarlok

#20 Soup Du Jour! (Dishie Refuses To Change The Water And Just Says He’s Been Washing Dishes For 40 Years)

Image credits: burnedflag

#21 How Does Everyone Dry Their Mops

Image credits: brisvegasvip

What can be done to improve the situation for staff is to increase technology in the workplace, which can take orders and payments and even bring food to customers. This way, the demanding workload is not as challenging for real human beings. 

#22 The Way The New Guy Labeled This Box

Image credits: nooyork

#23 A Tally Of Pet Names My Just Turned 18 Waitress Got Called In An Hour

Image credits: Aaron123111

#24 Am I In The Wrong Here? I Called Off Yesterday After Talking With A Nurse, My Manager Told Me To Come In Today, This Is The Third Time Theyve Asked Me To Come In While Sick, Once When I Had Covid

Image credits: antichristanarch145

John Quinn, one of the heads of Bank of America also recommends offering workers additional employee benefits. “Even if those benefits introduce some incremental day-to-day operating expenses, the reduction in employee churn rates can give owners a very compelling and financially beneficial reason to invest in benefits for their employees,” he says.

#25 Whelp, Ok If That’s The Ticket

Image credits: moolord

#26 Fired After Working A Double On Christmas

Image credits: Eradicate-Humans

#27 He Should Probably Start Preparing His Own Food

Image credits: Revealed_Jailor

Extra suggestions that restaurant owners may want to consider include a lifestyle spending account, tuition reimbursement, or health savings account. “Another valued benefit is a dependent care flexible spending account to allow workers to pay, using pre-tax dollars, for daycare, preschool summer camp, before- or after-school programs, or adult care,” adds Quinn.

#28 Im Positive This Has Been On Here Before But I Couldn’t Help Sharing Again

Image credits: reddit.com

#29 Fng Was Asked To Strain Out The Stock

Image credits: Thebassistcain

#30 Just Told Doordash To Get F**ked. Feelsgoodman

Image credits: monsterscallinghome

Trying to foster a healthy workplace culture is very important too. Establishing restaurant values, and communicating standards and expectations allows everyone to be on the same page and achieve shared goals. Allowing people to make mistakes and kindly approaching them is also crucial, as it boosts morale. Meanwhile, training to detect burnout, showing appreciation, and giving feedback helps to develop sustainable careers in which people aren’t overworked and unhappy.

#31 Our Walk-In Is Just A Closet With An Air Conditioner

Image credits: dietpeptobismol

#32 New Restaurant Might Not Make It

Image credits: Djshitzgiggles

#33 After All These Years I Didnt Know This

Image credits: elmurfudd

#34 Sliced Tomato’s For Burgers As Prepared By My Colleagues

Image credits: hazo240

#35 *common Sense Has Left The Chat

Image credits: DankSideoftheMoon420

#36 So My Dishwasher Was Sent Home Beyond Drunk When He Was Caught Sleeping In The Customer Bathroom, Guess Who Has To Clean This Up. Happy 4th Of July Everyone

Image credits: lechuga217

#37 The Color Of The Water That Drips Out Of The Ceiling In Our Walk In

Image credits: EchoIsAlive

#38 Line Cook Quit

Image credits: Ecstatic-Ad-9322

#39 When You Go In To Eat On Your Night Off

Image credits: HedgyWitxh

#40 It’s Used Coffee Grounds. FoH Will Think Twice About Eating Things That Don’t Belong To Them

Image credits: Matty-Slaps

#41 I Received This Tip Today. What Does It Mean?

Image credits: DrWhoisOverRated

#42 Table Had Just Ordered And The Server Was Already Done With Them

Image credits: DocThel

#43 Absolute Chad Chef

Image credits: tattvamu

#44 Tell The Owner We Need Potatoes For Potato Salad For A 55 Person Dinner, And He Brings In A 5lb Bag

Image credits: rossposse

#45 Got This In A Little While Ago. I Have No Words

Image credits: jellok2

#46 Work Smarter, Not Harder

Image credits: TehShew

#47 Chef Forgot To Order Sugar. I’m The Baker

Image credits: 9inchSnails

#48 I Wonder What The Meeting Is About

Image credits: scampwild

#49 Its Cool I Dont Need Those Fridges

Image credits: dreamygothy

#50 My Sister Is Having A Disagreement On Presentation With Her Head Chef

Image credits: levitatingpenguin

#51 Somebody Just Ordered This

Image credits: youngchef95

#52 Please Give Me A Notice

Image credits: ITSDIRTYDBABY

#53 Love Cooking, Hate People

Image credits: stonedtrashbag

#54 I Know Cubes Are In The Past But.... Squid Cube!

Image credits: herpadertis

#55 A Very Real Note Passed To Me By A Customer At My *pizza* Restaurant

Image credits: DoctorMcTits

#56 This Is From A&w Near Me

Image credits: SenatorSharks

#57 My Disaster

Image credits: saurus-REXicon

#58 I Accidentally Used Pancake Mix Instead Of Biscuit Mix. Y'all Think Anyone Will Notice? The Other Cook Doesn't Know Yet

Image credits: SodaDonut

#59 One Sysco Driver Finds A New Way To Make Me Ask "Why?" Every Delivery. He Doesn't Think. At All

Image credits: ApocalypticNature

#60 Prepping Carrots And Came Across This Monster

Image credits: Totemic_Pariah

#61 My Kitchen’s Hood Is So Loud They’re Giving Us Earplugs

Image credits: MrSmallMedium

#62 Not Sure Whether To Laugh Or Cry

Image credits: rva_rdf

#63 Fire Inspector Accidentally Set Off My Ansul System

Image credits: BadFishCM

#64 Found This On Craigslist

Image credits: OkayLouis

#65 Aitah For Not Letting Them Cook Asparagus With Plastic Rubberbands Left On Them?

Image credits: Ragentnk

#66 Owner Bought This Instead Of Reg Butter, How's This Gonna Go?

Image credits: Financial-Habit5766

#67 I Was Told To Pick Through These And Wash Them Off To Serve. Is This Wrong? It Seems Gross To Me

Image credits: LAVA_LAMP_N_MY_ASS

#68 Whoops

Image credits: FoxDaim

#69 Co-Workers Put Up A New Sticker For Our Ticket Machine

Image credits: xenobot11

#70 Never Thought I’d Have To Make This Sign

Image credits: The_Muddy_ChicK3N

#71 Nuff Said

Image credits: treeconfetti

#72 Thought This Group Would Appreciate…

Image credits: lisamon429

#73 Fun Fact, Adam Sandler Brings His Own Ezekiel Bread To Restaurants

Image credits: Large_Desk_4193

#74 Ok Then

Image credits: Nocamin1993

#75 You Already Know We Roasted Tf Out Of Jakob

Image credits: ImGolik

#76 What Do We Even Do In This Situation?

Image credits: Safari_627

#77 They Don’t Want Me To Scrape Or Clean It

Image credits: loopvroot

#78 My Dishy.. Broke Up With Me?

Image credits: FOOFOOAZZLAME

#79 Walked In To Work Today And Saw This

Image credits: XohXwiseXoneX

#80 Someone Had A Single Chicken Wing Roll Off And Touch The Table. She Asked For One More Remade For Her

Image credits: Justdoingokay1108

#81 Seen On My City's Subreddit

Image credits: One-Discipline6812

#82 Why Do You Hate Brunch?

Image credits: Altruistic_Molasses1

#83 Guys... I'm The Truffle Guy From Yesterday. I'm Begging You Pls Don't Shoot The Messenger

So the guy just ordered 400 oysters on top of the 200 we already had ( and are getting old) + the ones in the showcase for sale... Long story short, what do I do with 600 fresh oysters we can't sell??? Ideas so far: shuck>sousvide>freeze>fried oyster special. Home made oyster sauce.... Today I almost passed out when I realized the situation

Image credits: mikulashev

#84 How Does This Make It To The Table?

Image credits: renzonelisanchez

#85 My Demented Chefs Rules Aka "Kitchen Truths"

Image credits: lizthebeth

#86 This Is How The Kitchen Are Putting Out Chicken Wings. Should I Say Something To Management? It's An Embarrassment

Image credits: FluBone

#87 Just Found Out What This Restaurant Uses For “Goat Cheese”

Image credits: inifinite_stick

#88 Is This Legal?

Image credits: hornygengar

#89 Wanted To Make Some Beer Dogs Tonight For A Father's Day Buffet. Asked The Bartender For Whatever Beer Was Not Moving And Got A Bunch Of Bud Light. Made "Woke Dogs" With The "Woke Beer". They Won't Drink It But They Sure Will Eat It. Every Single One Was Gone

Image credits: jlmckelvey91

#90 Got Fired Over Text This Morning. Happy New Year!

Image credits: Jtrich

#91 “We Gotta Defrost The Shrimp” - Chef

Image credits: mcflurvin

#92 Another Critter Situation

Image credits: Affectionate-Log-885

#93 Allergy List From Customer!

Image credits: puffintoucan123

#94 Made A Guy A Burger. He Wanted A Picture Of Me And My Ukulele. But He Also Wanted The Burger In The Photo. This Is My Job

Image credits: Heavy_breasts

#95 S Hook Found In Our Pasta Tonight

Image credits: New-Blackberry8300

#96 People Have Been Asking Why Chefs Hate Brunch…

Image credits: Few-Treat4618

#97 I Need To Use Up 36 Gallons Of Skim Milk Due To An Ordering Error. Any Ideas How To Use It Up?

Image credits: dkote3

#98 Someone Paid $95 For This…

Image credits: Resident_Rise5915

#99 Congealed Oil Fat. For The Grubbiest Of Waiters

Image credits: DragonBassist

#100 Pretty Sure I'm Never Going To This Chipotle Again. Good Lord

Image credits: Famusmockingbird

#101 Chef Is Trying To Convince Me This Is Medium Rare

Image credits: Cute_Tradition_7074

#102 Pervert Dishie Got Fired After Three Days And Keeps Sending This Stuff To My Boss

Image credits: Marqueso-burrito

#103 Just Experienced The Worst As* Kicking I’ve Ever Had. Happy Father’s Day Everyone!

Image credits: yeahimcason

#104 Local Spot Enforcing Their Own Rules. Thoughts?

Image credits: FeastorFugu

#105 Premise Of This Show Was Ridiculous

Image credits: jeffsaidjess

#106 So Owner Decided He's Going To Cook A Couple Days A Week. This Is His Station. Yes We Are Open

Image credits: rossposse

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