Restaurant Workers Share All Their Best-Ever Quitting Stories

Ada Elder

Feb 22, 2023 3:00 PM EST

I've never quit a job. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I can endure a situation far longer than is healthy for me. Lord knows I've spent years in relationships that didn't serve me. I slogged through the toxicity because change is scary. I once stayed at a job for seven years even though they only gave me a single raise, and forced me to work in a non-heated, building with no electricity in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. I want to be more like the people who throw in the towel at the first sign of disrespect. I want that kind of confidence and strength. You don't attain that sort of bravery overnight. You have to work at it every day. It's all about changing your state of mind.

While I try to pull up my bootstraps and have faith that I can make it through anything, stories from other (stronger) people help to keep me motivated. This week, in one of my restaurant worker Facebook groups, someone asked the members to share their best quitting stories. Many members obliged, sharing tales of times when they or someone they knew simply said "F*ck this, I'm out" and then gave their employer the proverbial middle finger. To me, these people are heroes. And I'm here to celebrate them

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Here's mine:
After having worked as a bartender at parties that required pouring wine and opening beers, I was hired by a bustling seafood restaurant in the West Village. They knew my bartending skills were limited, but after hiring me as a server, had me work my second training shift as the sole bartender on a Friday night. After an hour of fumbling, apologizing, and embarrassment, I took my apron, calmly folded it up, and walked out. They weren't happy about this, but it was incredibly unprofessional for them to put me in that situation. It's also a surefire way to get some negative Yelp reviews. Good riddance.

Updated November 23, 2022