Front of the House

Restaurant Workers Right Up There With Miners as Big Smokers

It's hard out here for a server...
It’s hard out here for a server… Photo: Clint Spencer/iStock Photo

According to a recent survey by the CDC, food service workers now rank with construction workers and miners on a list of professions that smoke the most. This means that servers and line cooks and such have risen up the ranks on a list traditionally topped by roofers and bricklayers, who spend most of their day outside. Theories as to why food service ranks so high include the relative youth of the workforce and typically lower education levels. But what about how goddamn stressful it is to have four six-tops on a busy Saturday night, all of whom are celebrating someone’s stupid birthday and want extra-special attention, and all you really want to do at the end of service is do a shot of Fernet and step out the back door and having a fucking cigarette?

CDC: Miners, construction, food workers smoke most [Business Week]

Restaurant Workers Right Up There With Miners as Big Smokers