After 5 long years this month I finally waved goodbye to the serving industry forever - and it felt amazing. That's not to say I hated it, quite the opposite! Where some people feel like smacking their head against the wall working with the general public I always found it entertaining - just when you think you've heard it all someone comes out with something absolutely jaw dropping and Twitter-worthy. But what I would say is that working with the general public makes you really appreciate the day to day shit people in customer facing roles put up with and in turn makes you become a better and more patient person yourself - it should be law that everybody has to work at least 1 year with the general public, it would definitely make the world a better place!

So I've definitely learned a lot, and though I'd pack together a little Top 10 things I've learned from working in the serving industry!

1) The customer is NOT always right. OK, I get the sentiment of what this mantra is getting at, but let's face it - anybody who has worked with the public knows this just isn't true. For instance, no matter how much you insist that when you visited last week you got a jacket potato with your steak , the fact remains that we don't sell jacket potatoes, haven't in the past 5 years and probably can't get you one today. You're wrong - get over it.

2) If you're nice to me, I'll sort you out. This is so so true, especially in instances where things aren't going so great. If you're polite, patient and friendly we will go the extra mile to keep you happy. And you might just get a little something extra out of us. OK, so a few extra chips on your plate isn't the most amazing gesture in the world but we feel like it's the thought that counts!

3) If you're a nightmare, I'll make things difficult for you. If you talk to me like dirt, or are rude, I will do little things to annoy you. OH you ordered a Coke a while ago? Sorry, must've forgotten, let me go get that for you right away! *Definitely 'forgot' on purpose because you're gross and I enjoy watching you get frustrated as you wait*

4) Busy servers don't make good babysitters. And a lot of us can't STAND children! (Mostly as a result of working in the service industry). Please don't bring an entourage of screaming toddlers and expect us to deal with it. I am not here to mind your kids, cut their food up and keep them in line - that's your job. Oh, and we'd appreciate it if you could stop them racing around our feet whilst carrying multiple hot plates, thanks!

5) Trust your server. I've got you. I haven't forgotten that you LITERALLY JUST ASKED for sauce, or a refill - I just have a mental list of things to do and I'll get to you in due course. For things like sauces or refills that you need right now chances are I'm probably getting sauces or refills. Don't ask the subsequent 5 people for the same bloody thing, because the likelihood is that in about 5 minutes you're going to have 5 bottles of ketchup arrive at your table. Asking once is enough, I promise.

6) There is such a thing as a stupid question. Think before you speak. Seriously, unless you're sat in the restaurant on a dead Monday afternoon, chances are we're busy, and every minute we have to stand at your table and listen to you ask what the difference is between chicken and chicken and shrimp is time that could have been better invested grabbing other tables refills or putting orders through.

7) You're not getting anything for free. I don't owe you anything. I don't know you. And even if I do know you, I'm not risking my job so your cheap ass can suck down a free Coke. Not gunna happen, so don't bother asking. And if you do feel the need to ask don't be a dick when the answer is no.

8) I don't care that it's your birthday. Seriously, you're like the 10th person today who has excitedly whispered in my ear that it's their friend's birthday and can I please make this extra special. Just know that you're getting the same bog standard birthday treatment - pathetic free slice of cake and JUST AWFUL birthday song sung to you by people who clearly hate you. ENJOY!

9) You fit into a category. That's right, those of us who are veterans to the industry have a list of pre-set categories, and the minute you walk into our section we're analysing where you fit and ultimately whether this means you're going to tip us or not. And the service you receive from us reflects this analysis accordingly. Sorry 'bout it.

10) Serving is difficult. The ultimate worst insult is when people assume they can do this job with their eyes closed. A wise man once said to me that serving is the easiest job that people make difficult for themselves, and whilst that is true it doesn't hurt to cut your server a little bit of slack because you are probably oblivious to the shitstorm happening back of house. And also I've seen grown men reduced to tears because they couldn't hack the grind of serving, so I guess it takes a certain kind of grit to really be good at it!

I hope that has enlightened those of you who have never worked a serving job and I'm guessing those of you who have are nodding along in agreement - night!

Wow I have majorly slacked on this this month! I have been mega busy at my new job (which I LOVE!) and also I've been working 6 day weeks because of an event we currently have running and any spare time I've been...well I've been riding rollercoasters because what the hell else would I be doing?


So a few weeks ago a few of us decided to go crazy and hit up the east coast. Major pockets of creds in these locations but only 2 for me because I'm a veteran now!


Considering I only had a couple of creds to get and the drive to Skegness is about 3 hours, we left slightly later and met up with everybody at Dunes Leisure for the Miner Mike cred. Upon seeing the thing I had totally underestimated quite how pathetic it was, and had to consider whether this even counted. But apparently they're fine for adults to ride so I sucked up the embarrassment and got on. Needless to say we had a hilarious ride, laughing at how ridiculous this 'coaster' was. +1 and on to the next location.

I hadn't been to Fantasy Island since 2009 and was excited to get back and ride Jubilee Odyssey, one of the more substantial coasters in the UK. And I was being nice and escorting those who hadn't been before. This side of the country is very flat and we saw Odyssey emerge upon the coastline from quite far away - and our eyes were locked on it all the way to the car park. You see, Odyssey is a temperamental beast in that if there is the slightest fart of wind: it closes. No ifs or buts about it. And unluckily for us today was apparently a windy one (not from where we were standing it wasn't!). Those who needed the cred were rightly pissed off, I just found it ridiculous to the point of being hilarious. No wonder Fantasy Island has gone into administration on more than one occasion - they can't even manage to get their major attraction open on a hot sunny summer day!


I remembered the inside of FI being quite fab - kind of like Splash Landing at Alton Towers - so I insisted we headed inside. Upon entering the pyramid we were faced with a giant waterslide which we saw getting riders totally drenched. Because they're mental, Conor and our friend Jordan got tokens and headed straight on. They got drenched. Mission accomplished.

I didn't take many photos in Skegness because, well, it ain't pretty. We ended the day with a ridiculous drive to Hunstanton for the last coaster, played some 2p machines (because that's the law when you go to the seaside) and headed off for a cheap but satisfying dinner at a Brewer's Fayre next to the hotel before proceeding to get quite drunk.

The next day involved a lot less driving as we headed down to Great Yarmouth where pretty much all of the coasters are within an hour radius. We popped into Pettits Animal Fun Park for those without the cred first before heading on to the seaside.












Our first stop was Joyland, which I believe is probably the most amount of attractions squished into the smallest amount of space in the world. It's proper old school seaside fun with some weird (and dubious) coasters and rides all piled on top of one another. It's pretty cool and even if you're not big into theme parks/rollercoasters I'd suggest going just to experience what a kooky place this is!




Anyway, I got bored of watching people riding stuff so went for a walk and stumbled across a vintage car show! So pretty <3

Great Yarmouth is so classy, it's like the British Las Vegas!



See, it's like you're really there.

Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach had recently gotten a new coaster and they have one of only a few operating 'brake-man' coasters left in the world, so a few reasons to revisit.












The new coaster, called Whirlwind, is one of a few new family coasters popping up that features spinning trains - a nice twist to the standard boring Big Apple or Wacky Worm family ride. It had a cute circus/carnival style theme and is a lovely addition to the Pleasure Beach.

We were running out of time so we jumped in the car to our final destination Pleasurewood Hills so that the guys could finish their East Coast coasters. Conor and I sat in the car park laughing when we realised that the big coaster at this park was also closed. Spite!

A nice +2 to finish the weekend on, which is a massive achievement for me at this rate! Not many to go now, I've got lots of weekend trips planned for the summer to hopefully finish up the UK!