Service Industry

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

• generational
• server
• above and beyond
• slip

• on your feet
• service industry
• underappreciate
• customer service

• in their day
• wait on

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

In countries that tip, waiters and waitresses truly do depend on the kindness of strangers. A big part of their income comes from tips.

But people in the service industry also depend on their customers to get them through the day. It’s hard to be on your feet serving people all day and if those people are mean to you, it can be horrible. But if your customers understand your job is hard, it can make it a lot easier.

Listen to Beren and Devan talk about being waitresses.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Devan

Beren

Devan:  So, Beren, we’re both in the service industry. We both wait tables for a living. Do you ever feel like customer service people don’t get the appreciation they deserve?

Beren:  Totally. I’ve also noticed that people who have never worked customer service jobs don’t tip. And they seem to underappreciate more than anybody else.

Devan:  It’s true. That’s why I think that everybody’s first job should be a customer service job so that way they understand. When I go to restaurants, I’m a lot more patient and I tip better because I know how hard it is and I know what they have to deal with and it seems like you can always tell when you wait on someone and they get real impatient with you and they leave you a really bad tip, you just know that they’ve worked in the industry before in their lives.

Beren:  Exactly, I’ve noticed too that it tends to be like, at least where I work, the older people tend to tip less than all the young people. And they also tend to be more friendly or understanding if something takes a while and you’re like, “Sorry, your plate’s going to be five minutes later,” you know? They seem to be more understanding.

Devan:  The older thing is also a bit of a generational difference, too. Like my grandma, if she tips ten percent, she thinks that’s a really good tip because, you know, when she was younger that would be considered a really great tip. So she doesn’t know. She’ll be like, “Oh, you were so nice, I’m going to leave you a big, $3 tip.”

Beren:  Yeah, I had to talk to my mom about her tipping strategy because she was definitely a 6-10%-er on really great service. Like, “Uh, mom, no. That was like $60, really, really great server. Multiple water refills without asking and she went above and beyond and she overtipped. She probably tipped like 25% but it was pretty cute because she’s never worked a service job in her life either.

Devan:  Yeah. So when I go out with my grandparents now, I always bring a little extra cash on hand so when they walk out I can slip a few more bucks on the table.

Beren:  Well, back in their day, hamburgers only cost 10 cents!

Devan:  It’s true.

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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