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Sunday, June 28, 2009

Training...FINALLY

I have been more than slacking in the updates department.

Lets see...I haven't written about my 4 days of training or my first 3 shifts on the floor by myself.

As I obviously don't have the memory to recall everything exactly I'm just going to do my best.

Lets see...

Training:

Training went really well. My trainer turned out to be the girl that finally acknowledged me after standing at the door for a good five minutes on the day that I went in to get my application.

She has worked at Hooters for like 4 years and was super sweet! Since I've served before she didn't have the hardest job in the world, and I was putting orders in on the micros like a pro by the end of day one.

My second day of training I was with the same girl. Everything went wonderfully. There were only a few things that are done differently at Hooters that I/still am having some trouble adjusting to.

#1: I've never worked at a restaurant where the guests didn't have their silverware automatically at the beginning of the meal. Hooters is the exception. The Hooters girls are supposed to take your order, sling it into the kitchen, and then bring you your setups for your app/meal. Basically it's just some plates, forks, and knives. Easy enough right? Today was my third day on the floor alone and I still have trouble remembering to bring my tables their setups. I don't know why I just can't get it into my brain! Oh well, it's a minor deal, and I always remember eventually, even if it is right as I'm bringing them their food and realize that they don't have silverware to eat it with....ooops.

#2: You having to ring the food into the computer in a certain order. It makes sense, honestly. You ring the food into the computer in order of items that take longest to cook ----> items that are quicker/easier to cook. That way the cooks can just go down the list and see right away what they need to start making so that the order comes out all at once. As I said, it obviously makes sense, I've just never worked somewhere that operated that way, so it's taken some getting used to. I've pretty much got it down though.

#3: It is so goddamn unorganized! Maybe I'm just an exceptionnally organized server or something but I swear it seems like those girls do everything the most difficult way possible there.

Example:
Lets say they get a table of 15 people. When they take the order they don't have any way of knowing which guest ordered what as they are normally just scribbling it on a tiny notepad or a napkin. They enter it into the computer not bothering to use the seat buttons (which separate the orders to correspond with a number which coresponds with the person at the table that ordered that item). Then when the food is ready they have no way to remember who ordered what so they end up just auctioning the food off at the table rather than looking prepared and knowledgable and remembering which guest ordered what. THEN when it's time for the bill and they want it all separated they have to go to the micro and struggle to remember who ordered what so that they can split the bill up properly. I just don't understand why the girls do this to themselves! Yeah every now and then you'll get the party that all pays together and they luckily don't have to split up the bill, but it's pretty rare. *sigh* And all this could be fixed by changing like one step in their routine and making their lives so much easier.

Oh well, I'm on my own now and therefore I do things my (much better and easier) way.

Anyway. My third day of on the floor training was with a different girl, AND, it was Daisy Duke Night! I wore some cute shorts of a normal length, and an adorable plaid shirt that I bought from the little boys section of Target and tied up under my boobs. I took out my bellybutton piercing since I was told when I was hired that piercings and tatoos can't show, but when I got to work realized that apparently dress up days are no rules days. All the girls had their belly rings in in all their glitzy, hanging down three inches from their actual bellybutton glory. Honestly, I'm pretty sure this tackiness is what has inspired my to take my bellybutton (and nose ring) out and let the holes close up. I'm kind of over it.

Anyway my trainer is fairly new to my location, but has worked at Hooters for a while. She did things a bit differently than my first trainer. She is a really nice girl, but apparently a lot of the girls don't like her. Oh well, Hooters drama, I don't want it. Anyway, she had me do pretty much everything on my own, and it went really smoothly since she was right there if I had any questions. It was actually pretty entertaining because most of the tables told me (while she was away doing...or not doing...something else) that they liked me much better than her and that I should be the one doing the training, not her! While rude, it did brighten my day to hear that the guests thought I was doing well. There was a table of a couple guys in the night that was drinking pretty heavily (as the Hooters I work at doesn't really regulate the amount people drink apparently..though I'll get to that later) and they got more and more "friendly" with the girls the more they drank. They weren't being inappropriate or anything, it's just entertaining to see guys loosen up the more they drink. Anyway I talked to them a little bit. During one of these bouts of conversation one of the guys asked me if I bale hay.

I just stared at him.

What?

Do you bale hay?

Why would you ask me that?

Well you just are dressed up all country, and you have a nice stomach. You would get that if you baled hay.

It's daisy duke day. That's why I'm dressed like this.

Oh. Well...you would get a stomach like that if you baled hay.

*sigh*

One difference I noticed right away between this trainer and my first trainer was that this one decided to take full advantage of the little trainee following her around and made me do all of her sidework and clean her section whenever her tables left. Apparently she doesn't realize that laziness gets you nowhere in life.

My final day of training was hostess training. We only have one hostess at our location, and she is a petite 18 year old that wears excessive amounts of makeup but has a ridiculously gorgeous face that I oftentimes find myself staring at.

It's weird of me.

She is a really really nice girl though. That day of training was extremely boring though. It was a Saturday night, but for some reason was extremely slow. Her only job is to seat the girls if no one takes the table themselves when they see them walk in, and to take to-go orders. We spend most of the time holding open the doors, greeting people, taking a few to-go oders, and texting on our phones.

Training=End.

Thank goodness.

More to come tomorrow, I promise. I have the day off and absolutely nothing else to do so I'm devoting the time to nurse this blog back to health.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Dropped off the face of the planet...

Sorry I haven't been updating lately. This last week wasn't only my training at Hooters, but it was my finals week as well. Needless to say, it has been EXTREMELY stressful. However, I'm now on summer break, and have today until Wednesday with no work and plenty of time to write. I'm visiting some friends in Chicago so I will still be doing some other things, but I'll have plenty of time to catch up on my training and share my hilarious stories.

Keep your eyes peeled for my updates, they're gonna be worth it! :D

-HG (finally done with training!)

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Finals+Training=STRESSED

I am quite possibly the biggest procrastinator you will ever meet. Or not meet, because I will probably never meet any of you in my life.

Moving on.

This week is my last of school before summer break. I take 5 classes per quarter, and as previously mention, I am a HUGE procrastinator, therefore...I didn't even start working on my final projects until today. Today also happened to be a family day since it was the last day my sister and her husband were in town visiting. That means my other sister, her husband, and my nephew also came over, and so did my grandma and my ex boyfriend. (long story why we broke up, even more confusing why he was at my family day). So I had to juggle spending time with the family and such while attempting to get homework done for school, not to mention studying the packets Hooters gave me to look over to prepare for my tests.

*sigh*

It's been a busy busy day. Unlike my family, I couldn't fully relax and enjoy the sun/games/pond/everything. I did still have a great time, I just never really relaxed. I still am extremely stressed and in slight freak-out mode right now, but I'm trying to calm down.

On the plus side, I'm extremely proud of my progress I've made today.

I have the entire Hooters Girl liquor study packet memorized. Memorization has always been a strong point of mine. I know all of our liquors we have and I can tell you all the ingredients and garnishes to all of Hooters signature drinks. I know all of the mixers, and all of our juices, along with our different glasses, and what drinks they are used for.

**WE DO NOT SERVE JAGER BOMBS, WE SERVER HOOTERS BOMBS!**

They also gave me another packet to look over, but complete memorization of that is going to take a little while. It contains all of the menu items and their garnishes, and what comes on them and such.

I do, however, have the 12 steps of service memorized.
#1 Greet all guests entering the restaraunt.
#2 Greet your table, Introduce yourself, Take beverage and app order
#3 Drop off app. setups, drinks, and take food order,
#4 Drop off setups for meal
#5 Entertain your guests!
#6 Secret Service (007)
#7 Drop off food
#8 Check back (2 bites, 2 minutes)
#9 Teamwork!
#10 Sell merch!
#11 Coffee and dessert!
#12 Present check.

Yep, I did that without looking. you'd be even more impressed if you knew how extensive my liquor knowledge is.

I swear, if GM doesn't test me over all this liquor shit I'm going to tell him that he should, just so he knows how good I am.

Needless to say, today was a fairly productive day. I got to have tons of fun with my loved ones, got the finals for two of my classes finished, and prepared myself more for my upcoming job. I'm still feeling extremely stressed though because the finals for my last three classes are going to be due before I know it, and I haven't even started them.

*deep breath*

I train tomorrow at 10:28? (random time, but I swear that's what he said...I asked him to repeat himself like 3 times and that's what I heard every time....) same time on Tuesday, and then not again until Friday (Daisy Duke Day!) and again on Saturday.

I'm gonna be ttiiiiiirreedddddd....


P.S. Tony Bellissimo added me on facebook. I smiled.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Hooters Orientation

I had dreams of Hooters all night last night.

I wasn't feeling well at all this morning due to good old ulcerative colitis (yeah, a REAL sexy disease, let me tell you) and so I couldn't even force myself to eat more than a cracker with cheese on it. I started to get ready for my orientation, blocking out an hour driving time. I wasn't thinking that the location is actually a little over an hour away, but I thought I'd still be fine.

Traffic was STUPID! My orientation was at 2:30 and apparently there was some sort of 2:30 rush which caused me to be about 10 minutes late. Great second impression, especially when they stressed the importance of punctuality during my interviews. GM wasn't mad though. Didn't even mention it in fact. I'll just have to be more careful in the future so I don't make a horrible first impression as the perpetually late new girl.

Orientations are the boring part of new jobs. We went through the Hooters employee handbook. I signed about a million different papers. Filled out tax forms which always confuse me, but GM helped me out. He gave me the Hooters girl study packet and the Hooters girl liquor study packet so that I can study for my upcoming tests.

I'm extremely nervous. I'm only 20 so of course I really don't go out to bars or clubs or the like, and I honestly don't have time to drink all the much otherwise either. This means that I know slim to none about alcoholic beverages. *sigh* These tests are going to be rough.

The most exciting part was getting my uniform. I have been waiting for this since I got hired! I was sad to find out the I bought the wrong shoes, as mine are not slip resistant. Boo. So I have to take those back and get the slip resistant ones. GM took me back to the office, looked me over and exclaimed "Gosh, you're tiny!" Then he asked me how big my waist is. I told him I wear a 0-1 in jeans. He gave me an xs shirt (due to my size C breasts) and xxs shorts. He got my socks and pantyhose from a vending machine in the back which I found extremely amusing and told me to go into the bathroom and change. The pantyhose are extremely tight, and the socks are comically 80s, but I looked damn good! Minus the fact that I was wearing a white bra which was extremely obvious through my tanktop I looked sexy! Those tanktops though...man are they stretchy! The shorts are beyond tiny as well, but not so tiny that my ass hangs out, which is good. I like to think I have a nice, perfectly cute-sized butt, but the pantyhose squeesh it down a wee bit. I don't mind too bad though because at least my shorts don't look like underpants!

My first day of training is Monday. I train again on Tuesday. The next day I work after that is Friday which is *drumroll please* DAISY DUKE DAY!

Explanation? I'm not sure if it is all of the Hooters, but apparently at least some of them do dress up days once a month now. Last month I visited a Hooters on "Naughty School Girl Day". Apparently this Friday is Daisy Duke Day! I'm not sure how much freedom I have over what I wear though, so we'll find out. GM asked me if I wanted to work. He told me it was my choice since it was a dress up day. I told him I didn't mind working it at all!

I'm really excited about having such a fun job!

That's all for now.
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Thursday, June 11, 2009

I just became creepy.

I have never been one of those people that become obsessed with celebrities. Ever. Of course I enjoy catching up on jon and kate plus 8 drama every now and then, and I enjoy a good "reality" tv show as well, but I've never been one of the "lyke OMG did you hear about blah blah blah blah...." and shit like that.

*sigh*

I love so you think you can dance. The season just started, and I fell in love with Tony Bellissimo from the beginning.

He got voted off tonight. The first guy to go home is one of only two heterosexual men on the show (I have a good gaydar) and TOO cute.

I was sitting on facebook at the time and thought "Hey, I'm gonna see if I can find Tony on facebook!" I really honestly didn't expect to, but I did!

I added him.

I'm not sure why. I don't know what part of my brain thought that he would be like "Hey, yeah, random girl, I'd love to add you even though I know you're just a crazy sytycd fan!"

I'm so weird.

How to cover up my tat?

When I was hired on at Hooters, I was asked if I had any tattoos or piercings that would be visible while I was wearing the Hooters Girl uniform. I told them I have my nosed pierced, and a tattoo on my wrist. I said taking out my nose stud was no problem. They told me a couple other girls at that location have tattoos on their wrists as well, and they just cover them up with makeup and all is well.

My orientation is tomorrow, and I'm starting to scour the net for ways to cover up tattoos. I found this video on about.com.


For those of you too lazy to watch the video I'll explain.

Apparently the ingredient I have been missing in my recent attempts to cover my tat was red lip color.

Really?

Apparently I need to cover my tat with 2-3 coats of red lip color letting each coat dry in between applications. Then I need to cover the red with a light concealer (let dry). Then I need to cover the light concealer with a darker concealer that is the same color as my skin tone (let dry). Then I cover all that business with translucent powder to cut down on the shine.

I'm about to go try this out. I'll let you know how it works.

BTW isn't this new layout bombass?

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Anticipation, fake bitches, and the sims 3.

Anticipation:

I want to start my job. REALLY badly. I am insanely nervous, as I voiced in my last post, but I'm so ready. I'm ready to not feel so damn worthless and broke. I'm skipping my class at 1pm tomorrow to go to my class at 1:30 to get my license to carry liquor. I was suppose to get it for my job at RT but they never actually required me to, therefore I didn't. Hooters, however requires that I bring all the info from the class and such to my orientation. I'm glad though because I really don't like other people taking care of my tables. I get annoyed when I'm out and someone other then my waitress keeps bringing things to my table. It makes me feel like my waitress can't handle her job. Therefore I don't like it when others have to take things to my tables for me because I don't want my guests to think I'm incompetent.

I got to tell a few more people today about my new job. I get excited every time I get to tell someone else where I'm going to be working.

Fake Bitches:

*sigh* There is a "friend" of mine that I've known since my first quarter at college. She is high strung, loud, obnoxious, and always wants to be the center of attention. She has on multiple occasions stolen stories of mine and told others that they happened to her. She does this while in my presence, which makes me think that she honestly just has something wrong with her brain that makes her do this ridiculous shit without even thinking. She'll tell stories that we both know are not true just to make people pay attention to her, and think she is way more interesting than she actually is. She is one of those girls that will change the way she acts, and the things she says to suit the group of people that she is hanging out with at that time. I'm really one of the only people who knows this because her and I used to be attached at the hip, so I've been around her with very different groups of people, and I swear to goodness it just amazes me how fake this girl is. I put up with it though because I honestly always thought that when it was just her and I or just a few close friends around that she was actually real and I liked who she was deep down under all her different facades.

I think I was wrong.

Boyfriend and I broke up a couple/few weeks ago. That's a whole other story for another time. We're still insanely close. He knows everything about my life, and we still update each other daily on new developments in all aspects of our lives. Well, skanky fake bitch apparently hit up my boyfriend immediately after our breakup to tell him about my apparently promiscuous ways and that I had been sleeping with all these guys. I called her today and asked her if it was true. Upon said phone call she became immediately extremely defensive. I allowed her to go into her immature rant and then told her that I was going to hang up the phone before I said something that was going to really hurt her feelings.

I'm sure she just didn't get the memo that she graduated two years ago yet.....

Poor girl.

The Sims 3:

WANT.

That is all.

Monday, June 8, 2009

What people think and steadily rising nervousness.

What people think....

I thought I would share what others think about my newfound employment at Hooters.

I will start by saying that I am doing this because I want to do it and I am beyond excited about it. I do not do things because others want me to, and I do not refrain from doing things because others don't approve.

I asked my mom a couple weeks ago what she thought about me applying at Hooters.

Mom: They're not allowed to touch you are they?
Me: Never!
Mom: Then go make that money!

I love my mom more than anything in this entire world. :)

My middle sister seemed slightly indifferent when I first told her, but we have had lots of fun talking about the things I will be wearing/doing/dealing with, and she is always supportive of anything that I want to do. As long as I am happy she (and the rest of my family, for that matter) are happy for me. Part of our amusement includes a Hooters song written to the tune of "Don't Trust Me" by 3OH!3. I will post it shortly. You will be amused.

One friend responded to one of my tweets by saying DO NOT WORK AT HOOTERS! to which I replied that I had already gotten hired, and start this friday. She did not respond. She is also religious, and I am not in the slightest. *sigh*

Another friend of mine from my current place of employment says that she would love to work at hooters, if her body weren't covered in tattoos, and her face in piercings. I love her to death though, and she has a perfect personality for Hooters honestly.

Upon posting at status on facebook about my newfound place of employment, it was immediately "liked" by 4 of my male friends (3 of which I barely speak to) and one of my college instructors. It was also commented upon by many; some men voicing their approval and promising to come see me and enjoy the views, and others from girls warning me about the "pervs" and sexual harassment. I will take this opportunity to say that I firmly believe they are jealous, and I don't care how cocky that makes me sound, I believe it's the truth. And the guys, I honestly don't think they're being creepy, but it just goes to show how much attention it's already bringing.

Some of my girl friends are totally excited for me though. One has said on multiple occasions "I'm so excited that my best friend is a Hooters girl!"

I'd also like to take this time to state that I didn't decide to work at Hooters for attention. This is honestly something I really want to do. I am beyond excited about something new in my life, and believe me, I need it. I'm hoping to gain at least a few genuine friends from the experience, and of course be amused by silly drama and ridiculous customers. I'm psyched, and can't wait to start and share my stories.

Rising Nervousness...

So I've become recently obsessed with The Hooters Girl blog. I've been reading it constantly. One because I find her witty and amusing, and two because I'm trying to prepare myself for what is to come with my job as much as possible. Honestly though...I think it's making me more nervous than I already was before! I mean....hula hooping while pouring beer is just hilarious...but the tests, and the "shop" and ugh...it's just all making me so nervous.

I honestly don't know what. It's not something that I haven't done before. As I said, I've had two serving jobs already so it's all the norm for being a waitress.

I honestly think I'm just really nervous because I want it to work so bad, and I want to succeed so much.

One thing helping me keep my confidence? The fact that I consider myself an intelligent girl, and well...I'm not going to overgeneralize but I know there there are some girls that work at Hooters that are..well...not so much.

I know I can do this.

-Nervous New Hooters Girl-

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Applying at Hooters

First, I'm sure some of you will want to know what possessed me to apply at the Hooters restaurant in the first place.

My last two jobs have been as a waitress. First at Applebees, now at Ruby Tuesday. I was doing just fine and making plenty of money (not an excess, but definitely enough, with some to spend on things for myself every now and again) at Ruby Tuesday until recently. It's honestly just not cutting it AT ALL. Not too long ago I went to Hooters for lunch with a friend and he was telling me how I would be great working there, and I agreed. The thought never really left my mind since that conversation, and making $17 on a Friday and Saturday night at RT was enough to push me to the decision that I needed a new job;;specifically, as a Hooters Girl.

I honestly love being a waitress. It really is an easy job as long as you are a people person and friendly. I honestly don't think the work is hard in any way shape or form. I would rather be a waitress than work at some fast food joint or clothing store (and I would know because I've worked previously in both types of environments). I knew that I would fit in great at Hooters. I'm very confident in my looks and personality, and I knew that I would make good money there too which was my main concern. And honestly, I love dressing up and I felt like working at Hooters would be like one big fun dress up day.

I woke up yesterday morning, put on a sunshine yellow dress and bright orange pumps, straightened and curled my hair perfectly, and went to my 9 am class. Afterwards I put on my makeup perfectly, and drove to my nearest Hooters location. I put on my lipgloss in the parking lot and sat there for a couple minutes while my butterflies settled. Then I walked in. I was immediately checked out by all men near me. I was also looked up and down by every Hooters girl that walked by. They, just like the men, looked at my body first, then made eye contact, only they didn't smile back at me. I was ignored by three Hooters girls standing at the Hostess stand, and one finally walked by and complemented me on my shoes. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the hostess came up to me and asked if I had been helped yet. I told her no, and that I was actually just there to get an application. She told me that they only take applications during certain times on certain days, and today was not one of them. She was nice though, and said she would go ask a manager if it was okay for me to apply anyway. She came back shortly with an application and told me to go sit at a table in the corner and fill it out.

Shortly the waitress that had originally complimented me on my shoes came over to clean her tables, and struck up a conversation with me. She was extraordinarily nice and I was thankful for her kindness. She told me I would definitely get hired. In her words "If I like you, they'll like you, you'll definitely get hired." When I finished my app. I walked up to her and asked if there was a manager I could give it to/talk to while I was there. She had actually been talking to the waitress (we'll call the waitress LC) and she took my app and asked me to sit back down and talk.

We went through the normal interview questions. She asked me what brought me to Hooters to apply, if I had any problems with the Hooters girl uniform (why would i be applying if i did?) and if I had any tattoos or piercings that would show while wearing the Hooters girl uniform. I told her I have my nose pierced and a tattoo on my wrist. I followed that by saying that taking my nose ring out is no problem and that I don't mind covering my tattoo either. She then asked if I had ever eaten there before and what I normally eat there. Between you and me I've been to Hooters 3 times that I can remember and am not a huge fan of their food. Of course though, I told her I'm in love with their boneless wings. She asked me if I could stay and wait for the GM to get back and have another interview with him, and she warned me that he would be asking me to "sell" him boneless wings because (in her words) "he's a bit more daring than I am."

He was indeed.

He asked me the same preliminary questions that the first manager had (I can't for the life of me remember their names...awesome) and then started to ask me to sell him boneless wings...

GM: Pretend I'm a customer. How would you...wait a second...Can you hula hoop?
ME: (not really thinking before speaking) *enthusiastically* yeah!
GM: Really?
ME: well...I mean...I probably haven't done it since I was thirteen but...
(it was too late)
GM: Hold on a second...*goes to get hula hoop*

I swear to god this hula hoop was insanely thick and weighed like 5 pounds! It was huge! I had already gotten myself in too deep though, so there was nothing left to do but...well....hula hoop!

My first try was a massive fail...my second try was slightly successful, and by this point some of the Hooters Girls were cheering me on and giving me tips...and then my third try was a charm.

As I walked back over to GM he was laughing and said "Good job, you'll do just fine here." I then asked him if I needed to jump rope, or hopscotch next. He really liked my humor. :) I was more relaxed during that interview than I have been for any other one. I knew if I was myself I'd be just fine ad it turns out I was right. I wasn't fake during any point in my interview, which makes me happy, because I know I got hired for who I am, not some fake person that they thought I was.

He asked me a few more server related questions such as;;

GM: If someone orders a gin and tonic, what's the first question you should ask them?
ME: To see their i.d?
GM: Well, that's not exactly what I was thinking, but yes, good!
ME: What kind of liquor they want?
GM: Yes! We always try to upsale here....yadda yadda yadda

and

GM: If you see that someone has only taken a couple bites of their food and stopped eating, while everyone else continues, what should you do?

etc.
etc.
etc.

There were some more norm interview questions thrown in there too, but that's all boring business.

Then he went and got the paper I need to fill out to get my liquor liscence, and the paper that tells me when my orientation is (Friday), what I need to bring to my orientation, and when the next ATC date is to take the class for my liquor liscence.

LC told me that Hooters Girls basically don't have to do any real work. They don't have to do side work, roll silverware, they don't even get their own drinks!

My job will literally be to look sexy and flirt....


and that, my friends, is amazing.

On top of that, all the people that really matter in my life are really excited for me. Everyone else are just haters anyway *brushes shoulder off*.
My mom is seriously ecstatic and insanely proud of me. You would think I just graduated valedictorian, or was elected president of the USA. It's great. :)

I'll keep you updated.

-New (excited and nervous) Hooters Girl-

p.s. I'd like to say that with the exception of my very first job, I've never had to wait for a call back, I've always been hired on the spot. Hooters turned out to be no exception.

woot+woot!