I finally told a customer 'no' on a 14 hour shift request last Saturday and it felt strange

One of the regulars who's been coming in for 8 years said 'you're not the same chef you used to be' when I explained we couldn't do a last minute party of 20, and I realized he was right because I used to say yes to everything no matter how much it hurt the crew.

2 comments

2 Comments

holly_price28d ago

Yo, is it just me or does saying "no" feel like you just committed a crime? I swear my brain short-circuits every time I have to turn someone down at work. It's like we're conditioned to believe that bending over backwards for every request is the only way to be good at our jobs. But honestly, good on you for finally putting your foot down. Your crew probably appreciates you more than that one grumpy customer ever will.

leep8928d ago

Man, I feel this in my bones... I literally practiced saying "no" in the mirror once and it came out sounding like someone kicked my puppy. Last week I told a coworker I couldn't help with their project and my voice cracked like a teenager going through puberty. It's wild how my brain treats "I can't" like I'm swearing a sacred oath or something. Like my body physically aches when I gotta set a boundary... but honestly, my crew respects me way more now that I'm not some human doormat running on empty. The guilt fades eventually, right?