Restaurant Industry & Lunch Breaks

I have a question for you restaurant industry people. I don't work in the industry but my boyfriend does, and it bothers the heck out of me to hear that he pretty much never gets a break to sit down and/or have a bite to eat during his shifts. These shifts can last 10 hours or more, and he is on his feet and hustling the whole time. He doesn't complain about it, and he won't even mention it unless I specifically ask, but when I ask if he got a lunch break, he'll usually say something like "No, there wasn't any time. Nobody got one. We were too busy." Sometimes he'll even say, "You don't even have an appetite when you're busy like that. You don't even think about it." It still bothers me that he's not even being offered an opportunity to take a break. Isn't that illegal, or is there a different standard for the restaurant industry? Is this the norm? Are all of you guys starving to death until you get home? Is this just something you get used to? The poor dude comes home like a limp, malnourished noodle. He's worked at several restaurants since I've known him, and never once has he worked somewhere that gave their cooks actual breaks. What's up with that?

Sounds very familiar to me! From what I understand from my husband, you just get in "the zone" and eating doesn't occur to you. He doesn't find it unpleasant, it just is what it is. I get the same thing when I am on a roll with writing. When it's good, you keep going!

The only people that get breaks in a restaurant kitchen are the smokers, and they usually only get one per shift.

I've worked in several restaurants - only one had a "family meal" together before service. I have never gotten a lunch break anywhere else, Laura (but I rarely come home hungry - we just nosh a little bit here and there all shift, I mean - we have to taste what we're preparing. And many restaurants allow you to make something to eat after you're off the clock or to take home.) And he's right, there usually isn't time. It might be technically against employment regulations, but no cook worth his or her salt will be bringing that up any time soon.

You realize, of course, that many of us don't get any vacation days, paid sick time or insurance benefits, right? It's just part of the game.

Make him something to eat that he can eat before he goes to work, and have something waiting for him when he comes home - that might be all you can really do. It's sweet of you to be concerned, but real cooks get used to it pretty quick, and I'm sure Robert's no exception.

That is an accepted part of life in the "Bizz"... Most of my meals are consumed standing and consist of whatever I can stuff between a roll or wrap up in a tortilla... At any establishment I've ever worked at; If a cook complained about not getting time to sit down and eat, they would definitely be ridiculed and become the butt of many jokes and possibly a few unsavory pranks!

it is what it is

sometimes you're lucky we don't steal of piece of your pie before it hits your table

Lots of lite protein before work, and nibbling during the shift (if allowed). More protein after! Light on the alchohol.

That is an accepted part of life in the "Bizz"... Most of my meals are consumed standing and consist of whatever I can stuff between a roll or wrap up in a tortilla... At any establishment I've ever worked at; If a cook complained about not getting time to sit down and eat, they would definitely be ridiculed and become the butt of many jokes and possibly a few unsavory pranks!

LOL, my husband doesn't even sit down to eat at home. After 12 years working in kitchens, sitting to eat feels unnatural!

KY doesn't give restaurants tax breaks for feeding employees so there is no incentive to do so.
In NY where there is that incentive I was always feed. The House of Dead Cow which brought in 1 million a month fed us slop (think chicken rondeles for three weeks straight with canned tomato sauce.) Yet at a little French Bistro we ate on tablecloths and had a small buffet every night that included wine and dessert.

I havent worked a restaurant since I was in High school, being underage they were doubly sure I got my breaks and lunch....during the school year. In the summer they worked us non stop and we'd just repay ourselves by making our own meals on the clock with whatever was around.

The title of this thread made me laugh...

Haha thanks to all for your insights. I'm sure I'm being overly concerned, and like Marsha suggested, Robert's not nearly as concerned with it as I am. I'll just have to be all June Cleaver-ish and make sure he has something waiting for him at home.

There you go girl. Work that frilly apron.

The punch line to this is..... I am required by my job description to feed the clubhouse staff twice a day and the grounds staff once a day.... Meals mostly made up from left over food from banquets, frozen pizzas we doctor up (a staff favorite).Or when we are really busy I'll buy frozen prepared entrees.

At the height of summer chaos, we will have over 120 employees so you can probably figure that this is one of the least favorite parts of my job. I wouldn't mind it so much if I got the occasional "Thank You" but more often than not, I normally here grumblings from a ungrateful FOH staff about receiving a free meal that I spent valuable time preparing that could be better utilized elsewhere.

I managed a Mc D's for 21 years and we followed all the laws regarding break time. There are 10 minute breaks, half hour breaks, amount of time that can be worked in a day, etc. I do have a question to pose. Are the labor laws different when ones owns an independent restaurant as opposed to an owner of a franchise or a company owned restaurant? If they aren't, would the business not following the labor laws be breaking those laws?

K.R.S. 337.365 Rest periods for employees.
No employer shall require any employee to work without a rest period of at least ten (10) minutes during each four (4) hours worked, except those employees who are under the Federal Railway Labor Act. This shall be in addition to the regularly scheduled lunch period. No reduction in compensation shall be made for hourly or salaried employees.
Effective: July 15, 1980
History: Amended 1980 Ky. Acts ch. 356, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1980. -- Amended 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 386, sec. 106. -- Created 1958 Ky. Acts ch. 36, sec. 1, effective June 19, 1958.

That is the current Kentucky Law on the subject.