Waiters and Journalists

As August ends, the columnist offers a final toast to the people who served drinks and meals throughout the summer: waiters.

The writer says they kept a small notebook listing everyone who provided service at a bar or table. The list included men and women, tidy and untidy, and workers who ranged from excellent to poor. For this day of thanks, however, the columnist refuses to distinguish among them and raises a glass to the entire profession.

The tribute quickly becomes a criticism of its status. Waiting tables, the column argues, should become a respected profession rather than a form of subsistence work left to anyone with little preparation or enthusiasm. Some genuine professionals exist, but the writer describes the overall impression from the summer list as discouraging.

Employers often blame a lack of workers and say people no longer want to work. The columnist accepts that this may explain part of the problem, but argues that better working conditions are necessary if the industry wants to create a vocation. Without commitment, the piece says, excellence is difficult, although commitment alone does not always guarantee it. The writer ends by turning the same criticism toward journalism, including this very column.