1. "Break"
What it usually means: A 30-minute period to eat, catch up on texts, and prepare yourself for the remainder of your shift.
What it means to a restaurant worker: A two-minute period spent drinking out of a quart container and eating over a garbage can.
2. "Substitutions"
What it usually means: Small changes to preexisting menu items based on personal preferences.
What it means to a restaurant worker: Absurd requests that require both the server and kitchen staff to bend over backwards to complete.
3. "Yelp"
What it usually means: A website for people to read and write restaurant reviews.
What it means to a restaurant worker: A place to catch up on restaurant gossip and read about mistakes you and your coworkers have made.
4. "Lunch Hour"
What it usually means: A break in the middle of the day for employees to eat lunch, relax, and recharge for the remainder of their workday.
What it means to a restaurant worker: Two hours of complete and total chaos marked by an endless wave of difficult customers in a hurry to eat.
5. "Brunch"
What it usually means: A late-morning meal enjoyed on weekends with mimosas, friends, and leisurely conversations.
What it means to a restaurant worker: A nightmarish shift starting painfully early marked by a never-ending stream of bottomless mimosas and eggs cooked over-easy.
6. "Foodie"
What it usually means: A person with a strong interest in food.
What it means to a restaurant worker: The bane of your existence. Often the most difficult, disrespectful, and entitled customers you encounter.
7. "Sidework"
What it usually means: A job performed in addition to one's main work.
What it means to a restaurant worker: The root of all arguments between servers.
8. "Cut"
What it usually means: An opening/incision.
What it means to a restaurant worker: The rare and miraculous moment your manager lets you leave work early.
9. "Holiday"
What it usually means: A day off spent with family and friends.
What it means to a restaurant worker: A normal day of work marked by an increase in infant and elderly customers.
10. "Weekend"
What it usually means: A period of time from Friday evening to Sunday evening spent away from work.
What it means to a restaurant worker: The two worst days of the week packed with long shifts, late nights, and drunken customers.
11. "Sick Day"
What it usually means: A day taken off of work due to illness.
What it means to a restaurant worker: A day spent chugging orange juice out of a quart container, cooling off in the walk-in, and warming your hands under a heat lamp.
12. "Work Shift"
What it usually means: A period of eight hours spent at work complete with a 30-minute lunch break.
What it means to a restaurant worker: A twelve to fourteen-hour period spent frantically prepping for the rush, barely surviving it, and setting up for the next one.
13. "86"
What it usually means: The number between 85 and 87.
What it means to a restaurant worker: To get rid of (or run out of) an item followed by a wave of servers accidentally ringing it in.
14. "The Weeds"
What it usually means: Unwanted plants that grow in a garden.
What it means to a restaurant worker: A state of being marked by an overwhelming workload, thoughts of quitting your job, and a constant stream of tickets.
15. "Hot Behind"
What it usually means: A *possibly inappropriate* description of someone's butt.
What it means to a restaurant worker: A verbal warning used to get people to move (even when you're not actually carrying anything hot).
16. "Runner"
What it usually means: A person who runs for enjoyment and/or exercise.
What it means to a restaurant worker: The employee who delivers food to the table summoned by aggressive yelling (re: I NEED A RUNNER).
17. "Corner"
What it usually means: A place where two walls meet.
What it means to a restaurant worker: A verbal warning for everyone in your immediate area to clear a path (especially when turning a corner or opening a door).
18. "Fire"
What it usually means: The state of burning that produces flames.
What it means to a restaurant worker: The verbal cue to start cooking an order.
