Apparently it's pretty common to rag on the newcomers.
We didn't have pranks on newcommers at my office, only to people once they had been around a while. My coworkers (all terribly messy-desked engineers) quickly noticed my aversion to a cluttered workspace. If I encountered a bug in the code or got frustrated, I would start packing up the cardboard boxes, cleaning up the random components all over the desks / floor, etc. It didn't take long for them to start purposefully cluttering my desk when I was in a long meeting. I would leave with a spotless desk and come back to find a pile of components, office supplies, and literally whatever else was laying around. They really enjoyed watching me come back frustrated from another stupid meeting to find my space had been overtaken. Assholes. The best part was they would change my mood thingy (only the best thing ever) to be "postal" whenever they did.
This raises an interesting question. Who here has been hazed at work etc? Who has experienced a prank because you are a newbie? Back when I was running a restaurant, we had a new hostess. I wrote down on the waiting list the name "Monkeycrisp party of 6." I told her Mr. Monkeycrisp was the brother of a VIP. We all laughed our asses off as she walked through the crowded bar/waiting area loudly calling for "Monkeycrisp party of 6." Fun stuff. sounds_sound -wasn't there also a prank for newbies to go find the "pasta thinner" or something like that?
Pasta Stretcher. Chef Rob sent a new waiter down the street to the Real Seafood Company to ask the chef for a pasta stretcher. Poor thing.
Haha, that's awesome. We used to do the same stuff at this restaurant I worked at a while ago. For example, we'd wait for a waiter to get super in the weeds, and then we'd make an announcement to the whole restaurant, that it's that waiter's birthday (totally a lie), asking for everyone to help in singing him Happy Birthday. So on top of having to do a million things, he'd have to stand there for ten to fifteen seconds while everyone sang him Happy Birthday. Good times.
Well done! I loved working in restaurants because of things like that, the comeaderie and the friendships you develop are unlike any other type of job. What's great is that if he or she were in the weeds, their tables would likely be more forgiving if they thought it was their birthday. God, I still have nightmares about being in the weeds. The worst.
Dude, it's been 11 years and I still have the occasional nightmare. You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.
I work at a bar occasionally, mk, _refugee_, wasoxygen, I can't remember, so you'll have to remind me if a tiny blonde girl was working at the Pinch that night, but she's one of the owners. I have no fucking idea how she ever ended up in the restaurant business. There's in the weeds, and then there's that newbie kid who thinks three tables is in the weeds, but she's been that kid for ten years. And then she panics, and starts yelling at everybody, and any attempt to help her is seen as a sleight against God himself, so you get fucked over for helping, and just as fucked for not. And if she has a problem with a ticket, everything stops to listen to her about it, no matter what it's your fault, and don't you lose your cool while listening, because she's an owner. And these are Monday nights usually. Saturdays with two shows, good weather, and a game on? Lord help you. I think I'll make my exit from the tending scene if I get this promotion.
I worked with a woman that owned a restaurant I managed. She was the chef/owner. She was on TOP CHEF. She's an extremely talented chef. AWFUL COOK. There's such a difference between being a chef and being on 'the line.' Her own line cooks would boot her from the kitchen when things got too hairy. Talented woman, just not the best under pressure. Probably why she was voted out of TOP CHEF in round two.