Front of House 86'd

Jay Hawk
  • 5.0 (1)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS

Front of House 86’d is a no-bullsh*t podcast about the service industry — told by the people who actually live it. I’m Jay. Career server. Burnt out. Underpaid. Overworked. Still standing. I’ve been screamed at by guests, tipped in spare change, and cried in the walk-in more times than I’ll admit on mic. If you’ve ever held it together on the floor just to fall apart after close — this show is for you. Every week, we dive into FOH horror stories, guest rants, listener confessions, and the real mental toll of serving for a living. Clopens. Brunch hangovers. $200 tabs with $0 tips. Ranch refills at midnight. No corporate scripts. No fake positivity. Just the truth behind the smile. New episodes weekly Anonymous stories always open NO MANAGERS ALLOWED You’ve been 86’d. Welcome to the front of house.

Episodes

  1. FEB 2

    Shift One - My Worst Shift Ever

    Clock-in for the first shift. A table brought Kool-Aid into a restaurant. The soda machine died mid-rush. The kitchen collapsed. Management celebrated bonuses. And somehow, we were still expected to smile. In this episode, Jay tells the story of the worst shift of his life — 14 tables solo, hour-long ticket times, zero backup, and total disrespect — and breaks down why the restaurant industry burns out its best people. We talk about customers who game the system, managers who disappear, being treated like a number, and why “86’d” means more than being out of food. If you’ve ever cried in the walk-in, carried a broken shift, or felt invisible after saving the night, this one’s for you. We don’t clock in. We enter the arena. Welcome to Front of House 86’d. NO MANAGERS ALLOWED

    22 min

  2. JAN 25

    PRESHIFT

    Welcome to Front of House 86’d. This is the pre-shift before the chaos. In Episode 0, Jay introduces a raw, honest podcast for burnt out, underpaid, overworked service industry workers. We talk burnout, bad guests, worse management, and the mental breakdowns nobody sees. No corporate spin. No fake positivity. No managers allowed. If you’ve ever clopened, cried after a double, or smiled through disrespect — you’re home. You’ve been 86’d. Welcome to the front of house.

    4 min
  • 2 Episodes

About

Front of House 86’d is a no-bullsh*t podcast about the service industry — told by the people who actually live it. I’m Jay. Career server. Burnt out. Underpaid. Overworked. Still standing. I’ve been screamed at by guests, tipped in spare change, and cried in the walk-in more times than I’ll admit on mic. If you’ve ever held it together on the floor just to fall apart after close — this show is for you. Every week, we dive into FOH horror stories, guest rants, listener confessions, and the real mental toll of serving for a living. Clopens. Brunch hangovers. $200 tabs with $0 tips. Ranch refills at midnight. No corporate scripts. No fake positivity. Just the truth behind the smile. New episodes weekly Anonymous stories always open NO MANAGERS ALLOWED You’ve been 86’d. Welcome to the front of house.

Information

  • Creator
    Jay Hawk
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Front of House 86'd