Episodes

  • Ep. 29: To Get Cut, or to Not Get Cut

    Ep. 29: To Get Cut, or to Not Get Cut
    Aug 6 2023
    Jake and Kennedy are back with episode 29, and you won't want to miss this one. They dive in with Jake telling a story about a restaurant that had meltdown after meltdown. We've all had those days!The topic of the week surrounds being cut. They get into what that means for their listeners who haven't worked in the industry, and then they move into a few different instances that pop up when someone hears the words "who wants to be cut?"They top it all off with another round of "Am I The A**hole?" that had a surprising ending.
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    47 mins
  • Ep. 28: Just The (Cash) Tip

    Ep. 28: Just The (Cash) Tip
    Jul 30 2023
    Jake and Kennedy return from their recent trips to Missouri with a fresh week of stories. They get into what they've been up to in the past week, which includes another car accident ft. the most unlucky human alive - Jake Lavan.This week, the duo discuss how McDonald's announced a new promo brand similar to what they did with Grimace, the founder of Shake Shack shared his unprompted views on tipping for coffee, and a few new updates from the National Restaurant Association about the purpose of surcharges.For the bulk of the episode, Jake and Kennedy get into the pros and cons of receiving cash tips at the end of the night versus the bi-weekly paycheck model. They then read a Reddit thread about an impatient guest that gave both hosts flashbacks that are worthy of inducing a cold sweat and a walk-in cooler cry. They end the episode with round two of their game, We Want Plates. To join the game and see the images that Kennedy and Jake discussed, head to the Industry Sunday Instagram linked here.
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    54 mins
  • Ep. 27 “Con Artists & Free Food"

    Ep. 27 “Con Artists & Free Food"
    Jul 23 2023

    Jake and Kennedy kick off their 27th episode with a recent run in that Jake had with a fan of the show. He called Kennedy crying, and to know the rest you have to tune in!

    This episode explores what happens when a venue tries too hard to please everyone who enters a restaurant or bar. Jake and Kennedy want to expose the situations when the customer ISN'T right. They discover a string of stories on Reddit about con artists who go the extra mile to get whatever they can for free, and the satisfying stories of when they get caught.

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    51 mins
  • Ep. 26: "In The Weeds" - ft. Almendra (Pez)

    Ep. 26: "In The Weeds" - ft. Almendra (Pez)
    Jul 16 2023

    Jake and Kennedy are back with another episode, and this week they feature a Chicago server, friend, and longtime listener of this podcast - Almendra! To her friends, she goes by the nickname "Pez", and she is loved and admired by many of her coworkers for her optimism and kindness. She is the kind of server that rarely gets flustered by a guest, so when she does you know they have to be 10x worse than how she describes them.

    The episode begins with an introduction to Pez and her work experience. She started at Olive Garden, and took a 10 year break from the industry only to come back and work at some of the best restaurants in Chicago.

    The current events discussed today included a strike by Waffle House employees in North Carolina, and about the first ever lab-created chicken dish sold to guests in a California restaurant.

    The bulk of the episode is spent discussing what it's like working for large chains, how you can handle guests who want you to fail from the start, and how important it is to help your coworkers when you see them in the weeds. The episode closes out with an impromptu round of "Service industry things that would send a Victorian child into a coma".
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Ep. 25: Burning Out & Back of House

    Ep. 25: Burning Out & Back of House
    Jul 9 2023
    Kennedy and Jake are back and they are officially 1/4th of the way to episode 100! Current events in the industry this week - Andy Cohen has been seen promoting his new canned cocktail partnership by "bartending" all over the Hamptons, Domino's is delivering pizzas via drone to beaches near you, and SweetGreen opened their first fully automated location.Jake introduces the story he selected for the week, and it's all about why industry workers have been feeling major burnout since restaurants reopened post-Covid. He mentions it all, including many reasons why industry workers aren't afraid to rage quit their jobs anymore.Kennedy's story of the week was inspired by the Kitchen Confidential subreddit. She discovered a thread titled "Inside the Walk-In Rant" and shares a few of her favorite stories - these range from annoyingly dramatic coworkers, aggressive managers, and customer's who ask for something every time you return to the table. She briefly covers the tension between chefs and servers, and a few of the many headaches that your BOH team deals with daily. They end the episode with another round of "Am I The A**hole?" but with a hilarious security/doorman twist.
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    53 mins
  • Ep. 24: Weird Restaurant Laws & Industry Drama

    Ep. 24: Weird Restaurant Laws & Industry Drama
    Jul 2 2023

    Kennedy and Jake are back with a new episode immediately following a busy weekend. Kennedy spent 5 days at Electric Forest and tells stories from her weekend, and Jake reflects on his weekend at a Pride festival in Chicago. They move on to start the episode with a few current events in the industry - James Corden is still trying to rectify his behavior towards servers in famous restaurants, and a popular hotspot in LA is facing backlash amidst the owner's public divorce proceedings. They discuss Jake's story of the week, which involves many weird restaurant laws in different states and countries. Before the episode, Jake and Kennedy watched the movie Waiting staring Ryan Reynolds. They spend the remainder of the episode discussing the different service industry tropes that are explored in this movie, and laugh about how accurate a majority of the film really is. They end the episode with another round of their new game, "Am I The A**hole?".
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    57 mins
  • Ep. 23: "Am I The A**Hole?"

    Ep. 23: "Am I The A**Hole?"
    Jun 25 2023
    Kennedy and Jake bounce off of their last episode with a few new spooky service industry stories. Jake leads off with the tales behind a famous restaurant in New Orleans that has an insane backstory filled with tragedy. He also tells a story about a chef from this restaurant who opted to be buried with a fork, knife, and his restaurant menu. Kennedy eventually chimes in to share her story of the week, which contains the history and lore behind two well-known Chicago hotels and their bars that were opened right after the Prohibition ended. This was inspired by a listener's request based off of episode 22! You'll hear stories that are hard to believe, and different theories behind the creepy experiences from guests all over the world. They end the episode with a new game where they read first hand accounts from servers around the country and debate whether the server or the guest should take the blame.
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    52 mins
  • Ep. 22: Chicago's Haunted Restaurants

    Ep. 22: Chicago's Haunted Restaurants
    Jun 18 2023
    Jake and Kennedy are back for episode 22 with a new episode that goes in several different directions. They start off with some current events in the restaurant industry before Kennedy moves in to telling a story about a guest who was convinced that chickens don't have ribs. Jake takes over to tell a story about a notable Chicago steakhouse that has a long history of spooky sightings. This prompts them to research more haunted restaurants in Chicago, and they were surprised by some of the results and their origin stories. They end the episode by discussing the age old debate - should you talk about your tips (or lack of) when non-tipped employees are nearby?
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    53 mins