By TANNER COON
Contributing Writer
One Saint Rose student drives two hours south every other weekend to the town of Carmel, New York, where she works a 12-hour shift as a waitress at the local Friendly’s. Courtney Bernardo, 19, leaves campus on Thursday nights to prepare for the hectic weekend.
Bernardo’s career goal is to be an art teacher. She has a major in Art Education and a minor in Creative Writing. She has a work study position in the office of the Assistant to the Dean of the Arts and Humanities.
“She always has a smile on her face and I love working with her. Her enthusiasm is great! When I ask her to do something she is always enthusiastic! Very often she will make a recommendation for how it can be done utilizing her creativity,” Melanie Bowman wrote in an email.
Bernardo started at Friendly’s as a hostess, rather than a waitress. During her second day of hostess training, her assistant manager saw she was a quick learner and she was promoted to waitress on the spot.
During her shift, Bernardo keeps customers happy while juggling the duties of her workplace. These include filling the ice machine, rolling silverware, bussing her own tables, and if she doesn’t have a dishwasher on duty, washing her own dishes.
Bernardo usually preps and serves food at the salad bar while waiting on tables in her section.
Bernardo also keeps track of her turntable time and her guest count average. She is expected to turn over her tables every 45 minutes, meaning her guests must be seated, eat, and pay for their meals in under 45 minutes. Her guest count average must be at least $10, which means each guest should spend an average of $10. Bernardo and her co-workers try to up-sell and get customers to buy 99-cent waffle fries.
“The more money you spend, the higher our tip is,” Bernardo said.
At the end of the night, Bernardo and her co-workers have to clean up the restaurant and count the money they keep in their apron they wear throughout the day. Since they don’t have a cash register, Bernardo and her co-workers keep track of how much money they have throughout the day.
Bernardo also has to wipe down counters, sweep the floor, hand-scrub the floor, mop the floor, and vacuum up the leftover water from scrubbing.
Her responsibilities at Friendly’s are almost overwhelming.
“It’s absolutely chaotic and especially even if you mess up even the slightest bit, your whole work day is ruined. It’s crazy,” Bernardo said, describing a busy lunch rush hour. The hectic workplace she faces doesn’t stop her from being energetic and enthusiastic.
“She’s really great to work with. I actually prefer working with her,” said co-worker Adrienne Mirtuono.
“She’s a good team player and always has a lot of energy. It’s refreshing.”
Bernardo’s paycheck covers her gas and upkeep on her car, a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix, new brakes, oil changes, and new tires. Bernardo said she is working at Friendly’s because they are understaffed and need help.
The two-hour commute may be long, but being a waitress helps put extra money into her pocket. She eventually wants to work as a bartender because they make better tips.
While talking about tips, Bernardo emphasized, “Let everybody know that if you’re going to a restaurant, pay your waiter or waitress with cash tips. It just helps everybody out, you know? Not a lot of people like to do that.”
Cash tips are more valuable to waiters and waitresses, than credit card tips. Bernardo shared her thoughts on why this is: “I think people don’t like to pay cash because a credit card is easier and more convenient for them. Waiters and waitresses prefer cash tips because it’s pocket money for them. It helps them out a lot to have money in their pocket directly.”
