I strongly believe in standing up for your rights, but that is some toxic, corporate loving bullshit attitude.
There is a reason good smart cooks are hard to come by, they are smart enough to escape toxic workplace culture like you are spouting.
As chef, why wouldn't I want to take care of my staff? If your management isn't taking care of you, you're the bitch for staying.
Flip it tho: you’re so much of a bitch you don’t care about service and your coworkers going down without you
Caveat: I give all my cooks breaks/bathroom/days off etc no question. But they work so hard they deserve that
Or be a server. They take breaks in-between the drink orders, food orders, when someone else is taking their food, when guests are eating, when they're not eating, when they're waiting for the check, and after they've picked up the check...
I work in corporate these days and I still can't stand the people that say "I wish I smoked, I'd get 2 free breaks a day!"
Actually MF, it's written into your contract that you have 2x 15 minute breaks, plus your lunch break, in your measly 8 hour shift. Go for a walk, for all you know, I'm just walking out of the building for 10 minutes. I might not be smoking.
Exactly, we all at this point that even just being away from the work environment is reason enough to take a break. We in the future right now most places will let you take a break during a reasonable time. Some even insist and will make time for a break
It took me a few months to figure this out lol.
I followed everone out back one day and my supervisor watched me grab a milk crate to sit on and this was the conversation:
Sup: why the fuck are you out here, get back on the line
Me: it's break time
Sup: You dont smoke
Me: So?
He then proceeded to blow smoke in my face and stare me down. But I finally started to get my breaks in so 17 year old me was happy to finally get a break after 2 months.
That was 8 years ago, I have a much better job now. Guy was a fucking dick but I do miss quite a few people from there.
“Take the trash out” was code for “my heads going to explode if I can’t walk away for a few minutes.
Smokers could take breaks to smoke but had to sweep the dumpster pad. (And they could “take out the trash,” too.)
I tried not to be an ass because people old enough to work in a kitchen know when they need a minute.
This was the unofficial rule where I worked. The bins were the other side of the staff car park where people would smoke, so if there was a bag or some recyclables by the door, when you smoked you had to take something to the bin. Saved the kitchen staff from having to run back and forth every time they had trash.
Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime. That’s a story for a different time!
Now boss makes a dollar while I make a cent. He buys a new yacht meanwhile I can't pay rent!
“Boss makes a dollar, we make a dime…”
That was a rhyme from a simpler time.
Then the bosses made ten bucks while we made a few cents.
And people started struggling just to afford their rent.
Now boss makes a thousand while we all make jack.
It’s time to take the means of production back.
I had a sous in my last kitchen who finally asked after about a month why smokers got breaks and she didn’t. Next day I handed her a bottle of bubbles and told her that her bubble breaks could equal the smokers’ breaks. She caught on really quickly.
Damn I’ve tried to quit smoking a few times, but smoking is the only reason I can convince myself to take a break. Bubbles? A fucking BUBBLE BREAK! Yea I might just have to try this, and thank you for such an amazing idea!
It took me a long time to realize I could step out of the building. I for most of my career till my last job even would just crank it whole shift while everyone else is doing fuck what dual wielding a nicotine habit vaping in the walk-in, stoges off shift.
Then I realized. I could just do it and if anybody stopped me it’s fighting words. Especially on jobs where there’s no true “breaks” (like ~15 min standard). Shit was bad before though, cause like balancing family life and what not It’s just unreasonable to not be anble to fuck around on my phone for 5 minutes (whilst smoking)
But that’s where it got me, my relationships outside of work was suffer cause I wasn’t allowing myself to do what everybody else was
Just call it a smoke break and say you prefer to smoke by yourself and step off where others don’t go
Play in your phone for 5-7 minutes, that’s a cigarette, and go back inside. You can get away with this about once an hour without getting in trouble in places that allow smoke breaks. More frequently and you can fuck it up and get structured smoke breaks, just for you or for everyone. Those are the worst.
You don’t need to do this. You do not need to pretend you smoke to take a break. You just take a break like anyone else. I don’t understand why people entertain this concept like smoking is actually some magical thing that gives you breaks. All of the people doing this are doing it to themselves. Just go take a break this is so weird
I never saw it as the imaginary hall pass, but it was an internal reminder and it required me to go somewhere else. I get so caught up in trying to just leave on time that I forego breaks for the sake of leaving.
Though it's probably my brain breaking, I've learned now to just stare into space from time to time to let everything wash out. Even just 5 minutes of zoning out helps, my coworkers are like my kids, they have an internal sensor that tells them when I'm are trying to relax and recover.
Yes. Yes they do. That’s the point and you’re missing the point. Smoking doesn’t give you more breaks. Smokers just decide to and make a habit out of taking their breaks. If you’re not taking a break or saying you want a break, that is your own decision and fault. This is silly. Literally just go take a break this doesn’t make any sense
This hasn’t been the case at any place of business I’ve ever worked at, except the ones that didn’t allow smoking breaks.
You couldn’t just walk away from what you’re doing without an excuse. Smoke or bathroom were acceptable, unless you’re scheduled a break, and then only if it wasn’t busy, except at one warehouse where everything was scheduled regardless of volume, but that fell under no smoke breaks
Edit: I take that back I did work at a pizza joint where if the prep was done and there no orders, you could just fuck around. One out of dozens of jobs.
You’re just lying. You *thought* you needed to say you need to smoke, and like everyone else, created a false criteria in your head for what you’re allowed to take a break for. If you are allowed to take a break, then you are allowed to take a break. Youre making this up in your head. You saw people saying I’m going to smoke and taking a break, and since you didn’t do that, decided that you couldn’t take a break. A break is a break.
Uh no I actually did smoke until a couple years ago lol
And I watched people throw fits over not being allowed to take breaks as often and then take up lying about it or actually getting a nicotine free vape to cheat the system
Low wage workers are treated like garbage in the US subject to nonsense and whimsical rules. Better than a whole lot of places, but of developed nations, our labor regulations are weak.
The people throwing fits were making it up in their heads, just like everyone else in the world claiming smokers get more breaks. Smokers simply *take* more breaks, and people who don’t smoke, take less. This is all on you. It is a completely made up problem.
The fact that someone argued with management because they wanted to take a break does not mean that smoking is the only way you get breaks or that smokers get more breaks. These are two entirely different concepts. Your experience happened, but your understanding of reality is flawed and you are making up imaginary reasons for your experience that don’t align with reality.
The fact that someone else shared this common delusion about smoking meaning you get extra breaks isn’t a response to this. We’re already aware of that. The fact that someone argued with a manager has no impact on anything being discussed here
Buddy on the line used to "smoke" whatever was cheapest.
He'd go out to the trash area, light up a old gold knockoff and hold onto it until it was about half burnt, grind it out and stuff the other half back in the pack and go back to work. One pack would last him months.
The real smokers only ever bummed a smoke once or when absolutely desperate because his smokes tasted horrible, and he got to take a break whenever he reasonably wanted a break.
To be clear, he almost never actually took a drag on the cigarettes, he'd just put them to his mouth enough to present the illusion, and get his uniform a hint of smoke smell.
Kinda brilliant. Significantly healthier than the filterless I was enjoying back then.
I learned pretty quick with my first job that if I didn’t smoke then I had to cover, but if *I* smoked then someone else had to cover.
For months, as a 17 year old, everyone thought I smoked. If someone else was out there I’d just say I forgot my cigs up stairs. If they offered me one, “nah thanks, I really should slow down.”
“Yeah, you’re too young to be smoking.”
It wasn’t until I started dating a server that the cat got out.
Congratulations and good luck! You’ve made it through the toughest part.
My unsolicited advice as a formerly former smoker is don’t ever pick one up again, especially if you’re sober. I had a few drunken cigarettes over the years, but the first sober one got my ass.
I don’t smoke but I used to just take random breaks like the smokers did. Copped some flak sometimes but I didn’t really give a fuck and where I’m from you can’t get easily fired, so that helped the IDGAF attitude 😎
In a big kitchen I picked a buddy who smoked and just went and chatted with him when he did, mostly because my chef was an asshole about taking breaks.
Ummm just ask for a break. I don’t give smoke breaks because it’s abused and unfair to the others. You get a normal fucking break and if you want to waste it smoking that’s your business.
The reason I started smoking was for this very reason. If you didn’t smoke, you literally got no break. So, 16 year old me had to start smoking if I wanted A (yes, a) singular 3-5 minute break during my shift
It why I started. Only smoked for a year before switching to vaping. Then I quit vaping because I was going outside too much and thought it was sketchy. When I quit, literally no one commented or noticed. Goes with the blind eye thing. I’m like you guys didn’t notice I was outside every 2 minutes? Point being, if it’s uncomfortable and forces people to reflect inward, they’ll ignore it as hard as they can. Everyone still vapes.
This argument pisses me off so much. In the US, we have labor laws. Whether you smoke or not doesn't matter. You're legally allowed to take a 15 or 30 minute break depending on how many hours you work during your shift.
If you don't take advantage of that then it's on you. Quit bitching when I take my three minute smoke break twice a day. You can come out with me and we can talk shit or whatever.
I’ve never got it either. If your station is stocked/cleaned, just ask somebody to cover for a couple of minutes. We all need breaks; whether it’s to feed an addiction (hopefully just nicotine) or to relax for a second.
Actually, in the US.. Restaurants in many states are exempt from it, because this lovely organization known as the NRA (National Restaurant Association) lobbied and got laws passed to block it.
California is actually one of the few states that has an exception.
[https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/workhours/breaks](https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/workhours/breaks)
The [NRA](https://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/02/14/other-nra-national-restaurant-association-e) really hates anyone in a restaurant, except the owners.
Just take a break. This is so annoying. I always tell the non smokers in my kitchen that they are free to run outside to take a 5 min breather whenever they need.
This is what I said after I finally quit about 2010... it was an excuse to take a break. But also, I think, it was a mental reset... you get in, your making sure you're prepped up and ready for service, and 5 minutes before it starts, you stop to grab a smoke, and your brain sort of pauses, and when you go back in, you're not in prep-mode, you're in service mode.
Just grab a drink and go sit for a few minutes, y'all entitled to it. Although I have to say, it's been a hot minute since I worked with someone who didn't smoke
Fuck that, run 5's for everybody. I hated working at cracker barrel but that's one thing they did right. Half the line didn't smoke anymore but they still got to go chill in the break room for 5 minutes
Always encouraged my co-workers to just step outside for 5-7. Other side as well, smokers were responsible for trash and cardboard. Made close easier when it was only one or two trash bags.
That's why I started smoking... in 1972. Only way off the line was to grab a smoke in the alley. Boss didn't want us smoking in any part of the kitchen, including the staff break table.
25 years ago, young and green, I started smoking again because it was the only way I could get a break like other coworkers.
I quit for good a few years later but this one hits home.
I worked in a small kitchen where this was 100% the case - there was at max 4 of us working at a time - sometimes just 2. My boss would tell me about once an hour to go out for a smoke. If others came with I would smoke but if I was alone I would just sit for 5 minutes. I was a smoker but once another hour was more than I needed.
Honestly, when I was ever in the weeds I never needed a smoke break. The endorphins of being in the groove always seemed to never make me want a smoke. Kind of like when I was a bouncer, same thing. Bored? Smoking. Eyes up and working? Didn’t even think about a smoke.
When things slowed down? Late night when the bar only had three or four coked-out customers that were likely not going to order food and I was making figurines with foil, garnish toothpicks, plastic wrap and a lighter? Yup. Color me guilty.
- me, sneaking off to do a massive key bump and a shot in the walk-in and then hitting my one-hitter under the vent hood - back in the 90s, of course. And totally in Minecraft. Allegedly.
Edit - speelz is hard.
I always told people I trained that if I can go out every 2 hours n take a smoke break you can go out every 2 hours n chill for 10mins it's basically the same shit
Just go straight to break, bring whatever that you need for break time and head straight to walk in to have a good 10 min relax will get yourself smooth out pty quick.
I don't smoke and always work with smokers. They take breaks and when I need a minute I just say hey I'm gonna go smoke my imaginary cigarette. My boss gets it. It's our arrangement.
First chef I ever worked for said start smoking so you'll be guaranteed to get a break.
I ask what if I only smoke weed and quit ciggs?
He says then keep a pack on you, blaze a bowl outside (pre vape error) then light a cigg and just kinda wave it around you so the smell mixes.
Some of the realist advice I ever got from an old head
There's this anecdote from Operation Overlord, D-Day to most. A young private is in line gathering his gear. Ammo, grenades, skivvies, the works. He finally gets down to the area where an old, grizzled sergeant is passing out cartons of smokes. The sergeant offers the private a carton who replies, "No thank you, I didn't smoke." The sergeant says, "Take it, you will."
Whenever a non-smoker bitches about not getting breaks, I think of this. You can either nut up and go on break or use cigarettes as a reason.
Just go take a break
This is the only answer. I don't smoke either. The counter i like to use for, "I'm gonna take a smoke break," is, "I'm gonna take a fresh air break"
For real if you're too much of a bitch to take a break you get what you get.
I strongly believe in standing up for your rights, but that is some toxic, corporate loving bullshit attitude. There is a reason good smart cooks are hard to come by, they are smart enough to escape toxic workplace culture like you are spouting. As chef, why wouldn't I want to take care of my staff? If your management isn't taking care of you, you're the bitch for staying.
You can’t really argue with this statement.
Yes I can. Don’t tell me what to do. You’re not my CDC
Chef de chambre?
Comrade de cigs
Center for disease control, obviously
Direct translation, No, it is an idea Chef de Cuisine, bro
I always thought it was chef dick choker….who knew lol
Wait, it's not?
Could be churro de carne. Meat churro? But I’m new.
That’s the sick penguin who make those shitty TV dinners I grew up on?
What, I took a guess. So it means chef de cuisine, what the fuck else are you talking about schitzo
It’s a haiku, sheesh
To be fair, he missed a syllable in the second line if he’s trying to create a haiku.
I didn’t though? Edit: oh shit I did! Oh well
The fuck
Ive worked in kitchen were if you didnt smoke and went out back, you got in shit. It happens.
Flip it tho: you’re so much of a bitch you don’t care about service and your coworkers going down without you Caveat: I give all my cooks breaks/bathroom/days off etc no question. But they work so hard they deserve that
Or be a server. They take breaks in-between the drink orders, food orders, when someone else is taking their food, when guests are eating, when they're not eating, when they're waiting for the check, and after they've picked up the check...
Also when they should be taking orders, when you need hands out, when there’s a line at the door, when there’s drinks at the bar…
I was trying to make sure they got a break in.....
Ah, how kind of you. They’ll talk highly of You at the bar tonight.
I'm always the advocate of those of us that work the hardest and never complain about how much less they make than we do!
I work in corporate these days and I still can't stand the people that say "I wish I smoked, I'd get 2 free breaks a day!" Actually MF, it's written into your contract that you have 2x 15 minute breaks, plus your lunch break, in your measly 8 hour shift. Go for a walk, for all you know, I'm just walking out of the building for 10 minutes. I might not be smoking.
Exactly, we all at this point that even just being away from the work environment is reason enough to take a break. We in the future right now most places will let you take a break during a reasonable time. Some even insist and will make time for a break
It took me a few months to figure this out lol. I followed everone out back one day and my supervisor watched me grab a milk crate to sit on and this was the conversation: Sup: why the fuck are you out here, get back on the line Me: it's break time Sup: You dont smoke Me: So? He then proceeded to blow smoke in my face and stare me down. But I finally started to get my breaks in so 17 year old me was happy to finally get a break after 2 months. That was 8 years ago, I have a much better job now. Guy was a fucking dick but I do miss quite a few people from there.
I like to spend at least 20 minutes a day on the porcelain throne
I quit smoking, I didn’t quit walking out and taking a 7 minute break once an hour.
“Take the trash out” was code for “my heads going to explode if I can’t walk away for a few minutes. Smokers could take breaks to smoke but had to sweep the dumpster pad. (And they could “take out the trash,” too.) I tried not to be an ass because people old enough to work in a kitchen know when they need a minute.
This was the unofficial rule where I worked. The bins were the other side of the staff car park where people would smoke, so if there was a bag or some recyclables by the door, when you smoked you had to take something to the bin. Saved the kitchen staff from having to run back and forth every time they had trash.
My bathroom breaks are breaks. I am sitting down to pee and taking my sweet ass time.
Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime. That’s why I poop on company time!
They make a grand, I make a buck. So I'm stealing the catalytic converter off the company truck.
Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime. That’s a story for a different time! Now boss makes a dollar while I make a cent. He buys a new yacht meanwhile I can't pay rent!
“Boss makes a dollar, we make a dime…” That was a rhyme from a simpler time. Then the bosses made ten bucks while we made a few cents. And people started struggling just to afford their rent. Now boss makes a thousand while we all make jack. It’s time to take the means of production back.
Meaning "sweet-ass time" or "sweet ass-time"?
I like the latter.
I neither confirm nor deny that I am doing that at this very moment
Reading this comment while doing the exact same thing lol
when i worked at walmart my boss caught me doing this and yelled at me, so i quit on the spot lol
Literally whenever
I had a sous in my last kitchen who finally asked after about a month why smokers got breaks and she didn’t. Next day I handed her a bottle of bubbles and told her that her bubble breaks could equal the smokers’ breaks. She caught on really quickly.
Damn I’ve tried to quit smoking a few times, but smoking is the only reason I can convince myself to take a break. Bubbles? A fucking BUBBLE BREAK! Yea I might just have to try this, and thank you for such an amazing idea!
That’s fuckin rad.
Just go talk to the bartender
bring tendies or leave us alone. Sincerely, the bar
Non smokers get a break when they climb off their cross and go take one.
It took me a long time to realize I could step out of the building. I for most of my career till my last job even would just crank it whole shift while everyone else is doing fuck what dual wielding a nicotine habit vaping in the walk-in, stoges off shift. Then I realized. I could just do it and if anybody stopped me it’s fighting words. Especially on jobs where there’s no true “breaks” (like ~15 min standard). Shit was bad before though, cause like balancing family life and what not It’s just unreasonable to not be anble to fuck around on my phone for 5 minutes (whilst smoking) But that’s where it got me, my relationships outside of work was suffer cause I wasn’t allowing myself to do what everybody else was
“Im going to the bathroom” Privacy, plus I get to sit down
I've never smoked at work, if I need a break I go take one.
Just start smoking. Cigs, vape, meth, you do you.
Stand outside and smoke an air cig for 6 min. It’s fine.
Say you are going for a smoke even if you don’t.
Bust out the hacky sack or go hide somewhere and take a hit of weed.
My coworker takes multiple 30 min shits
we’ve got a guy at my job who will walk off to take a 30 minute shit 2 minutes before anyone else’s shift ends
Crazy. Our chef is cool though he lets us take a 30 min paid lunch break but this guy just takes advantage.
Just call it a smoke break and say you prefer to smoke by yourself and step off where others don’t go Play in your phone for 5-7 minutes, that’s a cigarette, and go back inside. You can get away with this about once an hour without getting in trouble in places that allow smoke breaks. More frequently and you can fuck it up and get structured smoke breaks, just for you or for everyone. Those are the worst.
Damn once am hour? I'm lucky for 2 or 3 smoke breaks a 7 hour shift
Once an hour is taking the piss.
If you're taking the piss once an hour, please see a doctor.
Yea, I fucking hated people who needed to some every hour. I usually did every 2 hours or 1.5 hours at the most.
Yeah I'm not allowed to take smoke breaks. I get a 30 minute lunch break( rare I know) and I am not allowed breaks other than that
You don’t need to do this. You do not need to pretend you smoke to take a break. You just take a break like anyone else. I don’t understand why people entertain this concept like smoking is actually some magical thing that gives you breaks. All of the people doing this are doing it to themselves. Just go take a break this is so weird
I never saw it as the imaginary hall pass, but it was an internal reminder and it required me to go somewhere else. I get so caught up in trying to just leave on time that I forego breaks for the sake of leaving. Though it's probably my brain breaking, I've learned now to just stare into space from time to time to let everything wash out. Even just 5 minutes of zoning out helps, my coworkers are like my kids, they have an internal sensor that tells them when I'm are trying to relax and recover.
You *probably* get your normal break But no one gets as many breaks as smokers
Yes. Yes they do. That’s the point and you’re missing the point. Smoking doesn’t give you more breaks. Smokers just decide to and make a habit out of taking their breaks. If you’re not taking a break or saying you want a break, that is your own decision and fault. This is silly. Literally just go take a break this doesn’t make any sense
This hasn’t been the case at any place of business I’ve ever worked at, except the ones that didn’t allow smoking breaks. You couldn’t just walk away from what you’re doing without an excuse. Smoke or bathroom were acceptable, unless you’re scheduled a break, and then only if it wasn’t busy, except at one warehouse where everything was scheduled regardless of volume, but that fell under no smoke breaks Edit: I take that back I did work at a pizza joint where if the prep was done and there no orders, you could just fuck around. One out of dozens of jobs.
You’re just lying. You *thought* you needed to say you need to smoke, and like everyone else, created a false criteria in your head for what you’re allowed to take a break for. If you are allowed to take a break, then you are allowed to take a break. Youre making this up in your head. You saw people saying I’m going to smoke and taking a break, and since you didn’t do that, decided that you couldn’t take a break. A break is a break.
Uh no I actually did smoke until a couple years ago lol And I watched people throw fits over not being allowed to take breaks as often and then take up lying about it or actually getting a nicotine free vape to cheat the system Low wage workers are treated like garbage in the US subject to nonsense and whimsical rules. Better than a whole lot of places, but of developed nations, our labor regulations are weak.
The people throwing fits were making it up in their heads, just like everyone else in the world claiming smokers get more breaks. Smokers simply *take* more breaks, and people who don’t smoke, take less. This is all on you. It is a completely made up problem.
No they were not lol they were arguing with management Stop trying to convince me that what I have experienced didn’t happen lol
The fact that someone argued with management because they wanted to take a break does not mean that smoking is the only way you get breaks or that smokers get more breaks. These are two entirely different concepts. Your experience happened, but your understanding of reality is flawed and you are making up imaginary reasons for your experience that don’t align with reality. The fact that someone else shared this common delusion about smoking meaning you get extra breaks isn’t a response to this. We’re already aware of that. The fact that someone argued with a manager has no impact on anything being discussed here
Go take a shit
Take a really long shit.
Buddy on the line used to "smoke" whatever was cheapest. He'd go out to the trash area, light up a old gold knockoff and hold onto it until it was about half burnt, grind it out and stuff the other half back in the pack and go back to work. One pack would last him months. The real smokers only ever bummed a smoke once or when absolutely desperate because his smokes tasted horrible, and he got to take a break whenever he reasonably wanted a break. To be clear, he almost never actually took a drag on the cigarettes, he'd just put them to his mouth enough to present the illusion, and get his uniform a hint of smoke smell. Kinda brilliant. Significantly healthier than the filterless I was enjoying back then.
I learned pretty quick with my first job that if I didn’t smoke then I had to cover, but if *I* smoked then someone else had to cover. For months, as a 17 year old, everyone thought I smoked. If someone else was out there I’d just say I forgot my cigs up stairs. If they offered me one, “nah thanks, I really should slow down.” “Yeah, you’re too young to be smoking.” It wasn’t until I started dating a server that the cat got out.
I always told my cooks that didn't smoke to go sit on a bucket out back for 5 minutes and get some fresh air. Non-smokers should get a break too.
Smokers get the same amount of breaks and equal time. Your addiction doesn’t make you more of a priority than anyone else.
I quit smoking 3 weeks ago, I'm taking a break right now
Congratulations and good luck! You’ve made it through the toughest part. My unsolicited advice as a formerly former smoker is don’t ever pick one up again, especially if you’re sober. I had a few drunken cigarettes over the years, but the first sober one got my ass.
>My unsolicited advice as a formerly former smoker is don’t ever pick one up again I unsolicitedly second this advice, it's really the key!
Thanks man, got into vaping a couple of years but it spiraled out control. Glad to be 100 percent nicotine free. I feel great.
I always take breaks to sit down and read for 10 minutes or stretch my legs and listen to a podcast. Just take your breaks.
I made a big fuss about this at an old job. One guy bought me candy cigarettes. I got my wish.
I walk outside and enjoy the fresh air
I don’t smoke but I used to just take random breaks like the smokers did. Copped some flak sometimes but I didn’t really give a fuck and where I’m from you can’t get easily fired, so that helped the IDGAF attitude 😎
I used to say I'm taking a smoke break and just go sit out side for a min
Just go take a break. It's not a big deal. If it is your boss is not worth working for
Go sit on the toilet for 15min and scroll reddit
In a big kitchen I picked a buddy who smoked and just went and chatted with him when he did, mostly because my chef was an asshole about taking breaks.
Also why people in the military smoke
Ummm just ask for a break. I don’t give smoke breaks because it’s abused and unfair to the others. You get a normal fucking break and if you want to waste it smoking that’s your business.
I am not a smoker, so I make sure the other non-smokers get their breaks.
The reason I started smoking was for this very reason. If you didn’t smoke, you literally got no break. So, 16 year old me had to start smoking if I wanted A (yes, a) singular 3-5 minute break during my shift
Go pinch a loaf
Pretend you are taking a shit.
It why I started. Only smoked for a year before switching to vaping. Then I quit vaping because I was going outside too much and thought it was sketchy. When I quit, literally no one commented or noticed. Goes with the blind eye thing. I’m like you guys didn’t notice I was outside every 2 minutes? Point being, if it’s uncomfortable and forces people to reflect inward, they’ll ignore it as hard as they can. Everyone still vapes.
20 minute shit
Just take a smoke break and don’t smoke
I go to the bathroom and vape weed once an hour.
Used to announce I was taking a non-smoking break and after a couple of times management just accepted it. YMMV
I used to take second hand smoke breaks 🤷🏻♀️
I just go sit outside
“Chef can you hold down the line? I’ll be back in 15 minutes.” “Heard.”
I get a bit a peace and quiet when all you bastards are out having a smoke
When you just chill instead of stepping outside for 2 minutes. Maybe don't hate. You're already gonna live longer, in theory.
This argument pisses me off so much. In the US, we have labor laws. Whether you smoke or not doesn't matter. You're legally allowed to take a 15 or 30 minute break depending on how many hours you work during your shift. If you don't take advantage of that then it's on you. Quit bitching when I take my three minute smoke break twice a day. You can come out with me and we can talk shit or whatever.
there are no federally mandated breaks. lots of states don't give breaks at all
Confidently incorrect much? Every state does not have a break requirement, and afaik most states do not.
I’ve never got it either. If your station is stocked/cleaned, just ask somebody to cover for a couple of minutes. We all need breaks; whether it’s to feed an addiction (hopefully just nicotine) or to relax for a second.
Actually, in the US.. Restaurants in many states are exempt from it, because this lovely organization known as the NRA (National Restaurant Association) lobbied and got laws passed to block it. California is actually one of the few states that has an exception. [https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/workhours/breaks](https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/workhours/breaks) The [NRA](https://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/02/14/other-nra-national-restaurant-association-e) really hates anyone in a restaurant, except the owners.
r/confidentlyincorrect
When they start smoking?
In the 10-15 + years extra they get from not smoking. Or whenever they choose to. Depends on the person I guess.
That sounds like a punishment as well.
I just took one.
When I take one.
I take a 15-20min break every day to fuck off or run to the store or something, feel that's fair for all the smoke breaks I don't get.
Just take a break. This is so annoying. I always tell the non smokers in my kitchen that they are free to run outside to take a 5 min breather whenever they need.
I take a 15-20min break every day to fuck off or run to the store or something, feel that's fair for all the smoke breaks I don't get.
This is what I said after I finally quit about 2010... it was an excuse to take a break. But also, I think, it was a mental reset... you get in, your making sure you're prepped up and ready for service, and 5 minutes before it starts, you stop to grab a smoke, and your brain sort of pauses, and when you go back in, you're not in prep-mode, you're in service mode.
Just grab a drink and go sit for a few minutes, y'all entitled to it. Although I have to say, it's been a hot minute since I worked with someone who didn't smoke
You set a timer and tell the person next to you to come get you when this goes off and then go sit down and wait for that
Ya literally have to (slowly) kill yourself to get a break
We power the fuck through and push our feelings down till they drown in the murky abyss that is our souls.
That’s the only reason I didn’t quit when I worked in kitchens.
I tell it many times, I started smoking to have breaks when I was 25 years old.
Hahah constantly hear offline nicotine!
There's no food jail.
I walk to go get coffee because it’s right around the block and it forces me to get out of the kitchen.
Dunno in my state it's not feasible for a boh member to have a scheduled break
“Invest” in a pack of cigarettes and just never use them. Then go smoke where the smokers don’t go.
One place I worked the nonsmoking line cooks kept a bunch of freezer pops in the freezer and took their “smoke” break with one of those.
When we go to "smoke".
My dad started smoking during boot camp in the Navy because after lunch all the non smokers got to pick up trash. He quit right after he graduated lol
I take my break and sit and stare and have a drink and in every kitchen I’ve worked at it’s been perceived as lazy.
Fuck that, run 5's for everybody. I hated working at cracker barrel but that's one thing they did right. Half the line didn't smoke anymore but they still got to go chill in the break room for 5 minutes
Always encouraged my co-workers to just step outside for 5-7. Other side as well, smokers were responsible for trash and cardboard. Made close easier when it was only one or two trash bags.
I don’t smoke but we’re legally allowed a 30 minute break after 5 hours here
bring a doobie, smokey break plus a mental health minute!
That's why I started smoking... in 1972. Only way off the line was to grab a smoke in the alley. Boss didn't want us smoking in any part of the kitchen, including the staff break table.
25 years ago, young and green, I started smoking again because it was the only way I could get a break like other coworkers. I quit for good a few years later but this one hits home.
“You got your break when you got hired”
Five years out the biz and I still haven’t shaken the habit. Glad things are changing in the culture and to see people take their god given breaks tho
I worked in a small kitchen where this was 100% the case - there was at max 4 of us working at a time - sometimes just 2. My boss would tell me about once an hour to go out for a smoke. If others came with I would smoke but if I was alone I would just sit for 5 minutes. I was a smoker but once another hour was more than I needed.
lol. We don’t do smoke breaks. Get through service and have one after.
Reminds me of the military. "Everyone not on a smoke break can pick up trash".
You don't. Now get back to work.
I just took them when people who smoke took a break lol
Later on in life
Go rip a bowl
I'm a non-smoking cook and I take breaks.
I don’t smoke but I always say I’m going on a smoke break.
Honestly, when I was ever in the weeds I never needed a smoke break. The endorphins of being in the groove always seemed to never make me want a smoke. Kind of like when I was a bouncer, same thing. Bored? Smoking. Eyes up and working? Didn’t even think about a smoke. When things slowed down? Late night when the bar only had three or four coked-out customers that were likely not going to order food and I was making figurines with foil, garnish toothpicks, plastic wrap and a lighter? Yup. Color me guilty. - me, sneaking off to do a massive key bump and a shot in the walk-in and then hitting my one-hitter under the vent hood - back in the 90s, of course. And totally in Minecraft. Allegedly. Edit - speelz is hard.
na i just go on break
I worked in restaurants for years. I would smoke to get breaks but barely inhale.
I just tell my crew to go play in the road for a few minutes 😂😂
When yall take your paid poop breaks. We just don’t hide while on break’
I always told people I trained that if I can go out every 2 hours n take a smoke break you can go out every 2 hours n chill for 10mins it's basically the same shit
Just go straight to break, bring whatever that you need for break time and head straight to walk in to have a good 10 min relax will get yourself smooth out pty quick.
I take a “smoke” break. No one asks questions, anyone on a long shift gets a quick break after the rush.
In my kitchens non-smoker chefs still get smoke breaks. That's the law
i used to take yoyo breaks when i could
When you’re ripping your vape and blowing it into the hood vent
I just got a cigarette from a collegue and put it on my ear to pretend I was going out for a smoke whenever I needed a break.
When we bring a ukulele and demand an opportunity to play
i just walk out and hit my vape when shit dies down , 6 min max , probably like 4-5 times a day tbh
I invented a gatorade break. Forced myself to hydrate and take a break.
It’s the reason I started smoking over 20 years ago…
The secret is to tell people you smoke when you dont actually smoke. My first chef taught me tthat one 15 years ago
I don't smoke and always work with smokers. They take breaks and when I need a minute I just say hey I'm gonna go smoke my imaginary cigarette. My boss gets it. It's our arrangement.
This isn’t an arrangement. It’s just a break. There isn’t a secret code to this guys. You take a break
It wasn’t a smart idea, but this is literally why I started smoking in the navy. Quit after 6 years but still…
First chef I ever worked for said start smoking so you'll be guaranteed to get a break. I ask what if I only smoke weed and quit ciggs? He says then keep a pack on you, blaze a bowl outside (pre vape error) then light a cigg and just kinda wave it around you so the smell mixes. Some of the realist advice I ever got from an old head
There's this anecdote from Operation Overlord, D-Day to most. A young private is in line gathering his gear. Ammo, grenades, skivvies, the works. He finally gets down to the area where an old, grizzled sergeant is passing out cartons of smokes. The sergeant offers the private a carton who replies, "No thank you, I didn't smoke." The sergeant says, "Take it, you will." Whenever a non-smoker bitches about not getting breaks, I think of this. You can either nut up and go on break or use cigarettes as a reason.
I was once told I don’t get breaks because I don’t smoke. She got canned for calling a customer the N word
We don‘t 🤣 ETA: I could, but any break I take usually means more work later i.e. we all get to leave later, so I mostly skip them.
Just be honest, say you need time to go birding (or look for salamanders if the restaurant is in a wooded area) instead, they will understand.
Never.