E234 Niki McHugh

This week's guest is Nikki McHugh, who joins us for an in-person interview. Nikki is an 18-year veteran of Wildcraft and Waterloo, which is part of the charcoal group of restaurants. Nikki has been the daytime bartender at Wildcraft since day one when they opened. In our conversation with Nikki, we talk about her first job in the industry when she landed a job at the Lyric Nightclub in downtown Kitchener.

Nikki talks about her eventual move from working in a club to working in restaurants and the transition involved. Nikki discusses what made her realize that a career in the hospitality industry was best for her. We talk about the changes in the industry over the last two decades, such as staffing, the level of expectations of guests since COVID and the changes in guests spending and drinking habits. We also talk about bar regulars, what it's like to work with the latest generation of new staff, as well as a number of other topics as usual.

We want to thank Nikki again for coming over and giving us her time for this interview. Enjoy the show. Alright, we're back with another episode of the industry podcast. My name is Kip.

This is Dan. What is happening? Not too much. Another exciting start to the work week, as always.

So, that is an usual crap for yourself. It's obvious that we always record on Mondays and Mondays are my worst day as I've mentioned before on this podcast because I just wait to see how much money dumps into my account and then I start stressing about what I've already spent it all. Yeah. What does need to get paid this week?

Yeah. So, yeah, always fun. But then I get to come here and hang out with you, so it makes it always wild. Yeah, and your day in the next hour.

Yeah, something like that. Lucky you. We have a great guest as always this week. Before we get to her, we should mention that if you like what we're doing here on the show, the best way to help us out is to subscribe, follow, rate and review the show.

That helps have a great deal. And if you'd like to provide support or be a guest on the show, you can do that at info at theindustrypodcast.club or you can dms at theindustrypodcast. Instagram. Our artwork on the Instagram account is provided by Zacana at Zacana.co for all your graphic arts needs.

He's always doing amazing new stuff. So yeah, check out Zacana.co. Also check out our friend Ali, alchemist.ali at alchemist.ali on Instagram. Well, what doesn't she do then?

She will do cocktail classes. She'll do events in your home for cocktails. So, we'll help you host your event for your wedding anniversary birthday party or any sort of party backyard barbecue season this year. So, let's get down to average.

We'll run a cocktail class for you. Consulting? Consulting, help you with the bar program if you open up a new bar restaurant or just need a change. Yeah, she'll even get back in the backyard and grill those meats for you if you're having your backyard party.

Let's see if I can get her to landscape. We're back here. Yeah, we'll do that. Sure.

So, that's alchemist.ali. Check her out. And there's links to that in the show notes as well. Everyone we talk about today.

Yeah. And if you're in town, in the kitchen, want to do area, check out my bar sugar run. That's at Sugar Run Bar on Instagram to find out what's going on there. If you need wine or spirits, it's kypp at Babylon Sisters.ca.

Wine for Malibuar, winery, terroir, imports and spirits from Alora Distillery. Right? In Beautiful Alora by Canadian. Yeah, so check that out.

I think that's all we need to talk about except for the presenting sponsor of the industry podcast, which is in Biblioth. Yes, and Biblioth cocktail recipe app for bartenders and cocktail lovers alike. This version of Biblioth introduces professional profiles featuring showcase recipes, flavor profiles for all recipes and ingredients, search by flavor list creation and curation feature requests. And most importantly, the recipe builder, a unique and comprehensive interface for creating a recipe card for drinks.

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Anything else we need to talk about? I think we covered it up today. That's terrific because I'm already out of breath. Okay, so you're gonna have to do a heavy lifting on this interview Nikki.

Joining us today in person, which we always prefer Nikki Mckue. Thanks for coming. Thanks for having me. Cheers.

Yes, cheers. Okay, so anyone listening locally knows you, I think. I don't know. But she's one of the star tenders of the Kichor waterlucine, let's say.

But you have been at Wild Graph now for how long? Eighteen years. That place has been open that long. Yeah, I thought that was about everyone's.

Like how long have you been here? I'm like, well, since it opened. I'm like, I'm not thinking of a decade for some reason. I realize it's been almost two.

Holy smokes. 2007 is maybe when I got hired and then we opened in 2008. Oh, wow. I can't remember.

I just know I walked in. I was a second person. I hired. No, that's crazy.

I was definitely the only person standing. Oh, yeah, but I mean, it's been great for you. Like it's a good shift. Have you always worked the day shift there?

Yeah. Yeah, so. Initially they, you know, I had to like prove myself. Like, because I went in saying I want Monday to Friday days.

They were like, I can't guarantee it, but you know, see how you do it. So I worked like some 10 to 10 shifts initially, you know, when you're opening and learning and everyone's, you know, fighting for shifts kind of thing. But, you know, ever since probably a month in Monday to Friday. Yeah.

I went in. The girlfriend, you're like, let's get a job. Like I ever did a joint cleaners before that. I thought I wanted something more exciting.

So we went in, got a job there with cold check, you know, so we start at the bottom. Like how old have you been then? 18. Right.

Yeah. So, so, cold check and nightclubs like I hadn't been to them yet. And so it was like, I open her. Yeah.

That was so many crazy things there. Like people stealing your cash and like from the cash box. It was crazy. Yeah, I leared right downtown kitchen.

So, especially back down on a bit of a rougher crowd for that club, right? Yeah. Yeah. I'm not sure what made me go there, but anyways.

And then kind of worked my way up. Worked like one of the little bars there and then the beer bin. That was like the, what everyone wanted to do was be the beer bin girl. Yeah.

Yeah, it's easy, right? I remember like opening up models and serving. You're making just as much tips as the people doing the crazy bartending bar. Main bar.

You're also just opening bars of beer and Hannah. And every time you see it, because it's the easiest spot to get a drink. Yes. Like never too busy there or something.

There were three of them or something. So, yeah, I did that. And then I think I forget when it closed down. Maybe 2001, but I had my daughter in 2000.

So took a little bit of a break. Yeah. I'm trying to think about the other clubs over time. The other time it's open by then.

So there then was elements. Yes. What was the other one? The WACS.

The WACS. The WACS. Yeah. Right across the street.

Right? Upstairs. Yeah. Oh, it was called something else though.

Before that. The same owner. Yeah. Yeah.

What the fuck? The. No. Oh my gosh.

Yeah. Because the WACS is the new name from a decade ago. What was it? Shoot.

It was a great content. Conquer. Conquer. Then you right.

The content. Conquer. The concert is all about courts out front of one. That's right.

There were. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

So that time. That time. That time is a little bit better now. It's going to be a little sketchy.

But back then it was very sketchy. So for anything you're a girl. The bouncers will walk you to your car. Three in the room or whatever.

Right? That's an important point. You must have seen some crazy shit. Yeah.

Yeah. All the bars are let out at the same time. They're going to get the 1500 people coming out of one club. Yeah.

700 out of another. Yeah. It was. That's a lot of this stuff.

Crazy. Yeah. And I just don't know. You just run to your car and leave.

Like go talk a bell or whatever. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.

That's crazy. Especially at that age. Yeah. I can't believe my parents let me.

I guess really 18. You're kind of like ask for permission. But yeah. My sister and I both did it.

She did it for a while too. So at least we had each other. So we were together. You're younger.

Yeah. So we did that. So she was 17 doing that. No.

She didn't start until like a bit later. Yeah. Until elements. OK.

So then we both like they were forbidden. Then when Elman's opened, we started working there. And didn't have to work out. We were already beer.

We were already beer. Yeah. Yeah. Like told you were like to wear.

Like revealing clothing. Whatever. Like it was like looking back. I'm like, oh my gosh.

It's hard to imagine, right? Because now I'm sure the opposite of their silver bars and clubs that promote like are asked women to wear a certain kind of like caves. Like caves. But that's like a uniform.

But that's like a uniform more than like what Nicki's talking about where it's kind of like. It's a success. Very much. Yeah.

Yeah. The girls at the Rev and I work there. The shooter bar. The beer bins did the same thing all the time.

Yeah. And it was like a different. Yeah. We were able to walk around slapping each other's asses all the time.

Oh yeah. Totally. I'm so excited. I'm so excited to have a few bins.

The Reubins, you're trying to get people to come by from you. Right? You're looking back. It's kind of crazy.

But I know it's hard to imagine like that world now. Yes. Like even like even back when I started working at bars and clubs, same thing, it's like just like it. I imagine it's a much different scene now.

But who knows? I think I'm really jealous of them. Yeah. Like those.

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So you went so you had to get it then you went back. Worked at Elman for a little bit longer.

And then so just you did the beer car girl. Yeah. Two more years of elements. And I got really sick of the night.

Late nights. The crowds. So then it actually went to charcoal state house. Right.

So I was like, I'm like, I'm not going to hire. You know, you need more experience. Right. So I said, OK.

So then I went to Mordy's. He got a friend that worked there. And kind of like Jay would give you a chance, so to speak. You know, new servers.

So to speak, just like bartending background. Didn't kind of relate or whatever. So got a job at Mordy's. Worked there for I think a year or two.

It was a cool spot. And were you bartending there as well? Have you ever done like serving? Yeah.

Yeah. Like the Wing Knight. The current location? Yeah, the current location.

No, right. Like I said, it's the current. I think 2002. Yeah.

Yeah, down the street. So then yeah, like Mordy was still there. I remember him coming. So I did bartend at some point too there.

So I remember him coming behind the bar and I was bartending. And then I just when I heard the Kagan waterloo was opening, I went and applied there. So it was like the kind of craziest interview experience. You had to go like a group of people.

And then they wanted to like really see your personality. So you had to do like games and group activities and they watched you. It was kind of crazy. Like looking back on that work.

So we had to tell like your most embarrassing story. Like your partner. And I used the story. It wasn't my story.

It was my brothers. And I ended up winning. I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know if I ever told him it wasn't really my story.

But anyways, I ended up getting hired there. So I opened that keg 2005. I think it opened because it's been opened over 20 years. And that's what we did.

Yeah. It was quite a few people who worked there for a long time. But John or was there for one time. John Goldsmiths, do you remember him?

I feel like I can use something. Yeah, you would know. You guys are on a cross-country. He was a former guest on the show.

So you'd go back and listen to that one too. Yeah. Yeah. But he loved working there.

And I'm sure you did too. It was good money, right? Yeah. So that's kind of when you're learning a new style of service, though.

Yes. Because you were doing nightclub and then more uses more of a casual pub thing. Yeah. And now keg gets more.

It's not quite fine. Yeah. Getting in that neighborhood, right? Yeah.

What was that transition like for you? I felt like overwhelmed at first. I never drank wine before. Right.

So I had to learn about wine. I had to learn about steaks. They brought them like the cuts of meat. But they had a very good, for my recall, like training program.

And they had it down to a paddle. I don't know what, near the 50th I remember. How many kegs I'd opened before? Yeah.

So I don't know that I'd start a tri-line and learning more about it. They're big. Yeah. You know what?

You know what? People who are like, who sometimes expectations are a little too high though. That's the other side of that when you're, because I always think like when there's a, working in like a club is like shitty clientele for it because they're cheap and assholes a lot of the time. But then when you switch over to the fine dining style, it's kind of just a different kind of asshole.

Yeah. More pretentious or? Yeah. Like they tip better and but sometimes there's a lot more work, right?

Yes. What comes along with that? That was like, you know, something thinger. Yeah.

But yeah. But yeah. I think that's the culture there. It was a great restaurant to work for.

It was a great, good restaurant to work for. Nice. You never go back to eat anymore? Yeah.

Actually, I went on a date with my daughter there and Doug who is now the owner I believe back when I worked there, I think he was a GM, recognized me and gave us the keg discount. Oh, that's a good one. That's pretty nice. That's pretty nice.

So it's pretty awesome that you feel special in a way. I think I was there two years. Yeah. But I really, really loved that place.

And the only reason I laughed was because I didn't want to work nights anymore. Right. My daughter was five. Like I was, it was just too much.

Like I didn't get to see her enough. And I was like, okay, I have an opportunity. Because we had a day girl at the keg and she didn't want to give it up. And now looking back, I'm glad I didn't stay because they closed for lunches.

Oh yeah. I don't know what year because of their parking. They're parking lot for lunch. Like because there's like Williams and all these other restaurants.

People wouldn't find parking and be in and out in an hour. So excited friend that was the day bartender and then she ended up moving. You might know her Cynthia. Since an hour.

I don't know. Oh, maybe. I feel like anyway, but she moved to Concordin. So like, we're going to place with the keg and now where you work as well.

Yeah. There's lots of rules and specific steps of service for all of, for everything. Yeah. And then that helpful when you first are working there because you're learning a new style of service or like it's overwhelming learning on the rules.

It also serves to make things in a way much easier on you because you just follow the rules and you're going to do the job properly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

So the keg, they had like you literally had a script. You have a table like points to hit and then they wanted you to finesse it. You know, do it your own way. But I don't really remember like what rules we have in terms of like counting tables you're allowed to have or things like that.

The treble group is very stickler for rules. Like four eights, actually it's five, eight, sixteen. I think. So you're allowed five tables, no more than eight.

People had a table, sixteen guests total. Okay. So that's kind of like there. Yeah.

So they do allow me to have more than that. You probably earned that. But the guests, but they're right. But then it's also hard when the new people come in and then they see that and then they just expect it.

But you know, there's lots of things that go along with that. Like I have a lot of regular guests that I serve. So I go to a table, I already know what they want. I already know what their expectations are.

So it doesn't take me as much time, right? To serve that table all same, right? But it's the more I think about it. And I'm like, well, they're mature and you're just like, I get that there's rules for a reason.

And that in order to give good service, like they've done the research, they, you know, the owners and stuff they've been around in the industry longer than I have, which is like, because you want to give people that experience, right? In really any restaurant, I have expectations when I go out to eat and spending my money. But especially in a place like Baukkoff people are for special occasions or I serve a lot of business not just, but I know I have people tell me they appreciate, oh my gosh, I'll be here in 45 minutes. But that's kind of what, like our reasons for having some of those reasons and stuff.

Do you find the sort of expectations game that's gotten worse since COVID because people go out less often and get more of a special occasion that their standards have become even higher for what they expect? I don't know, I maybe don't experience it that much during the daytime. Oh yeah. Because my clientele hasn't really changed, right?

People are still spending money for business not just corporate, whatever. But I know initially, when we went back to work right away, it just felt different. I don't know, everything was just different. But now I feel like it's starting to go back to the way it was.

But I think people are maybe not spending as much as they used to. No. And definitely I've noticed alcohol consumption, because there's something non-alcoholic options now. We have four different non-alcoholic beers.

Right, four. Yeah, four different ones. So at lunch, we serve a lot and we have four mocktails too. So I noticed a shift.

Yeah. But it's funny because I'm eyeing. I'm always like, people are stuck with the people drink a mocktail. It's the same markup.

You make just as much money out of a mocktail as I make off of a cocktail. But it does worry me for the long range future of a bar. At least while craft isn't, people are going there for food. You will get people coming for a couple drinks, but more often than not, they're eating.

The food, totally. Whereas my places are more for drink, don't want to sugar them. No. So that's where my concern is, we're moving to an area where there's going to be much fewer bars and more restaurants to serve alcohol.

Yes. Yeah. And there'll always be room for the nightclub, I guess. But I wonder how many people drink at nightclubs now too.

Yeah, I don't know. I think the kids will never have. With like cannabis and other things. Like, I don't know.

Are they doing more of that or edibles and all these other things? I don't know. Maybe I'm just naive. But I don't even like my daughter's friends.

They still, and I remember doing this, you drink at home before you go out. Right. Right. That's super young.

I don't know. But I'm just going out to country bars. There's like Jason Eldin's bar, big old red or big red or whatever. But like, people are still drinking there.

I mean, obviously that's embarrassing. Yeah. I don't know. I do.

There's definitely, people are drinking less. That's for sure. And the generation, it seems like more so with each generation that passes. Like, the guy who's a step kid is 20, he drinks and his friends drink.

But a lot of his friends don't. Like, at all. And they all do drugs. But like, yeah.

The less alcohol. Which is not great for the Barbus. No, for sure. The good thing is people are always going to still go to either one.

I feel like the charcoal group restaurants really, I mean, they've always done what they do very well. But this pandemic has been like a boom to them in a way because going back to what I was saying earlier, it's like people are not going out as often when they do, they want to make sure that they get what they want. And they're probably with a bigger group. So they want to make sure everybody is satisfied.

And that's what the charcoal restaurants do better than anyone else in town. Right? Like, making sure you have something for everyone. Ooh, and friendly.

Can't base menus. And now I'm going to be back. So, yeah. So that's been like, and that's why I certainly don't say like I go to those restaurants all the time.

And you guys are always busy. And you're really the only places that are consistently busy all the time. But if you go to any of them. And especially now with my sales work, I mean all of them all the time.

And they're all, every single one of them is always busy. Doesn't matter what time of day, what day it is. And they're 18 years old. Because you know, as restaurants get older, it's more off.

But, yeah. You guys are lunch. Like two thirds full or? Yeah, sometimes they're full.

Like, yeah, lunch. Like it's a good thing. You know, just to bring your life up to street that. Yeah, we do like, you know, in large groups and then like financial, you know, financial.

Like they come in and use our, we have three private areas, right? Yeah. So they actually had a little like wedding this afternoon, two to four, or they came after the wedding. And so, and Patty starts opening and our patty was very big.

And it's really nice. Like I really like our patty. So then, and it's a lot of steps from the kitchen to the patio. So it's just, I mean, I can't handle that much out there.

Like it's just, it's a lot. But I don't work for it anymore. I'm down to Monday to Thursdays. I just, you know, gotten older any better.

Sure, no. I'm like 11 till two. How long do I let me do that? 12 to one third.

So I go in at 10. So when you, so when you're working there in a day, you have the bar, obviously the whole bar, which is pretty big. Yeah. And then you have how many tables on top of that as well.

Like usually I'm the whole bar. So it's 17. But I never have 17 tables. Never.

Like no one could do that. Right? Like I'm always like, I'm the hot superwoman. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But that's great. Because then if you get like, you know, five or six, then. Yeah. And then you've got people on your bar talk and no, it's great.

And then you have support there too. Or, you know, other people take tables. It gets too busy. Yeah.

There's always a lot of managers walking around at the charcoal spots. That's good. And they actually help you. Yeah.

So it's, because I've worked at places where there's been like tons of managers and supervisors walking around not doing shit. Yeah. Yeah. I just did Florida.

Yeah. I was like, I think she forgot about this because half an hour went on Trae Order. Like she was lovely. But we're like, did she actually forget about it?

Yeah. But no support. No, because I'm a manager at least because of like them down or, you know, they maybe would have noticed. But I was shocked because that would never happen.

I'm very, very just scrolling on his phone. I couldn't even see it. I'm like, where are they? Like where they go?

I went in for a Easter brunch in this area. I won't say where it just goes on a dispersive spot. But like, they definitely are server. We were kind of the back end of brunch.

So, you know, like, he obviously had already had a busy service all night. It was Easter brunch. And he just disappeared completely. And like.

I thought about you. Oh, yeah. Like, yeah, just like, you just gone. And at one point I just saw him and he was just hanging out with the host stand talking.

And I was thinking the same thing. I was like, this would never have another charcoal restaurant. No, like, no, you would not. And because of, yeah, that's the thing is being aware too.

Like other servers, like, you know, you look, you know, like, okay, someone's trying to make eye contact with me. I think they might need something or you know. I see other things like, you guys don't do split tips, obviously. You all have your own tips.

But you do stand to see them to look after each other. Whereas like, because I've worked in places where, and I clearly see what's happening at this restaurant. I'm just describing where it's like, people were walking behind me and they were just like, well, it's not my table and I appreciate it. Like, like, you help your, you know, your section beside you so to speak.

So everyone's kind of keeping an eye out, right? But me from the bar, I feel like I'm lucky because I can see the whole bar from where I am. I'm behind the bar. All my tables are around.

So it's really nice because you can kind of see where everyone's at and if you missed a table, I don't know how you would do that. But outside of COVID, which is an obvious one, what, being there 18 years, have you noticed any specific changes in the industry in general or in, well, perhaps specifically? You can take that in any direction, anyone. Yeah, like, not really other than, you know, me trying to get a job when I was in my early 20s and not really the charcoal, not really wanting maybe young new people.

Now I find they're happy to take on 19 year old servers or, you know, like really young, which is great. But I don't know if it's just that we can't get more experience. I was wondering, I was going to ask you what you thought that was because, yeah, like, I always take it in my spots too. Like, I love it when people have on their resume that they work from a charcoal restaurant, came from a charcoal restaurant because I'm just like, great.

I don't need some anything except for how we do things here. Right. And, but I, after COVID, we were starting to get like resumes from people. Because so many people did leave the industry.

Yes. Yes. No, a lot of them will come back. But I was talking about resumes like they hadn't had zero experience or they just worked at like Tim Hortons or something like that.

Yeah, that's food or something. Yeah. And I'm like, you need to go work at East Side Marios and then maybe come here. And so it's funny that you're saying that because I wonder if it's just those are the resumes they're getting now.

Yeah, I don't know. And like, usually in our charcoal group, I think they sort of hosts a little bit more than that young typically, right? And then kind of work their way up. So I think as some have done that, but I just, I'm getting older so they just seem so much younger.

But I mean, I was 27 when I started there. And you already had a fair amount of experience coming up the cake. Yeah. Yeah.

That's a good answer for a better experience. It was amazing. Yeah. So yeah, I don't know what it is.

I wonder. I'm very curious. I hear it everywhere. Like anywhere I go, any bar's there, I was like, oh yeah, it's all young kids now and they don't know anything.

And like, it's like, a lot of people say that. Yeah. And now it's like, even at my own bars, there have been times where I've had to hire people with almost no experience. And it's, they can't do it.

No. They can't do it to the level that we expect. And like, my place is not a cheap place to go for drinks. Right.

So I don't know what I'm saying there. And you order a $20 cocktail. Like you expect to start them out of service to go with it. Really?

Yeah. So I don't know what the solution is. But do you find maybe, are we starting to age out of the like, lifetime professional servers? Like most people are just like in it to get through in person.

It kind of feels that way. Yeah. I mean, that's what I think. And I mean, I talked to obviously like, my peers and like, some of them are like, a few, actually saying like, they love this.

So they will probably stain it forever. But not many. That's like maybe two or three. Yeah.

I know it was something I wanted to do, because I'm school for accounting, worked accounting firm, it was not for me. It's a great background to have, I find, but I just the social that every day is different. Like, I'm there, I'm wanting people's days better, because I've been in conferences where you have like grumpy servers, and I'm like, I've been like grumpy servers. I mean, we all have our days, but.

You're pretty good, you said we all have our days, but I don't think I've ever come in there where it didn't seem like you were at least faking it. So yeah, I had a hard time at the end of like, when I was working regularly tables and stuff faking anymore, and that's when I knew it was, I better just finish it. Oh, yeah, I'll see to see you. Yeah, it's a little fuck.

You again, but I worked at Ethel for so long, right? And then it was just the same tables every day. You would have something right at the same time. Yeah, and you almost get to the point where you don't, even the ones that you like, you're tired of the same.

You know what I mean? You're like, I'm just like, oh my God, get a hobby. Like, every day there? Like, I don't know how, okay.

There's certain guys who, well, maybe less so now, but when I'm working there in the prime of that, that's like, there would be, I'd say, a dozen people who were there every single day of their lives. Yeah, and like, you knew what time it came. Like, one, there was one who, because he worked sort of nights on that shift, and he would be waiting outside at 11 in the morning every day to get in. Oh my gosh.

And he would drink, that was the end of his day. So he would drink till two, three in the afternoon. Like, slam down a bunch of presents. And go have an app for one more time.

Yeah, and then go back to work. Oh my gosh. Yeah, and then the second wave would come in. It was all the guys getting off at five o'clock.

And they would be there every day. And you knew exactly how many points they were gonna have, exactly what they were gonna drink. It was never even a wild car where they were like, oh, maybe they'll get drunk. Oh my God.

So that was what I got. I find this little guy. I just can't see this person again. Yeah, it's like you used up all your niceness.

Yeah. Okay, I've done. Because we are good actors. Well, that's a good job, right?

Yeah. I don't think I realized it initially, but we always like, say it worked like kind of it's kind of like show business, right? It is 100%. Like setting the stage, just everything.

Yeah, and it is like, to do it for 18 years at the same spot, you obviously have a bunch of regulars now. Do you, obviously there's gonna be days where it feels like work to keep the, like, cause we all just. The positive. Yeah, something to it's initially.

Yes, yeah. Have you found that easier or harder as you've gotten older? I don't know. Like some days are harder than others obviously, but like now at this point in my life, like being able to cut back and work a bit less.

That helps. Yeah, it totally helps. Like I'm taking a lot of vacation. So then when I'm there, I'm like actually happy to be there.

Cause I actually enjoy what I do. Like in Florida when I was there, I was there for like three weeks straight. I debated working. I was like, just the work in a bar.

Just, you know. And I'm like, no, no, take a break. But there's so many things to that. Like as you get older, like, like, my body hurts more.

So like I don't, I think five days was so, like a lot for me. On your feet all the time, right? And I'm like, four days. I'm like, okay, this is doable, manageable.

So when I'm there, yeah, I find them almost better now than maybe I was in my past where I was like, oh, I have all these bills to pay. And I was like trying to buy house. And then once I did that, it's just become easier. Cause that's all the young ones, right?

Like not to me, but they just want to make money. You can't blame them. Are they gonna afford anything? Right.

And you also have the wisdom now that it's like, look, the money's gonna come. And so if it's just dead day, one day, sure, nobody likes working in a dead ship. But you know what tomorrow's gonna be busy. Exactly.

And it all evens out like that. So I'm not like freaking out for this low start. And I'm like, oh, like, you got nothing. I'm like, don't worry.

I'll come later. And usually that is like, kind of freaking out tomorrow. Yeah. You help out where you're needed or do something else or clean, there's always cleaning.

The only thing is that it's boring. Yeah. I can't tell you the last boring day I had. I'm not even like people think Mondays, but like maybe because as a bartender, there's always something to it.

Plus I get ordering some Mondays today. I was emailing and doing all that stuff too. So I find I always have things to do. And then I goes to them so they can chat.