Probably - but people too lazy to cook their own christmas dinner are spoiling mine

[SheinIsShite]

My youngest DS is 16 and works in a pub kitchen. Dish washing, food prep, plating starters/dessert. He is contracted to do 8 hours a week which is usually OK. Obviously this time of year is busy and because he is not at school he has more shifts.

School finished on Friday, he worked Friday evening. And Saturday, and Sunday. Did an extra shift on Monday afternoon as they were short. Yesterday was rostered 11-6 but got home at 22.50 as they were so busy and needed to prep for the 700 covers they have booked today between 12 and 4.30pm. He starts again at 10am this morning, and although they have said he'll be done by 6.30 I don't believe that so he will more than likely miss our family meal.

So all of you paying £85 a head for Christmas lunch in a very standard chain pub, thanks for that.

Totally appreciate that some people have to work and we are all grateful to the police, fire, midwives etc. But going out for your Chrtistmas lunch is not essential.

Exactly. He's not doing it for charity!

I didn't always have Christmas with my own parents years ago when working Christmas Day (out of choice). Not a big deal. I just ate it after my shift.

Nobody’s forcing him to work there, OP 😂

Hilarious. We ate out yesterday though spent considerably more than £85 a head. But apparently the pub staff actually fight to work Xmas Day because the pay and the tips (we tipped our lovely waitress £25) are so good.

I really admire their (and your DS's) work ethic and pragmatic approach to money. Our DDs grew up in an affluent home but we insisted they did local part time work from being 14. It's the best way for them to learn the value of money and hard work. It also engenders self discipline and a sense of personal achievement.

I would say YABU regarding people having Christmas dinner out. I would say your DS has an incredible work ethic which you don’t see often so you should be very proud however I would be checking the guidelines/laws for 16 years olds working hours as this doesn’t seem completely legal if the times you have given are completely correct.

Absolutely a hard working 16 year old, one to be proud of.

OP I completely agree with you but I think everything should be shut bar essentials over Christmas. Effectively it’s all for greed. The amount restaurants make off people is ridiculous ( I mean £75-80 a head is extortion) and places like next, primark etc do not need to be open for you to buy a pair of socks or return those pj’s that you don’t like.

I worked for years in retail and it was horrific. People are rude, arrogant and entitled and have the gall to stand there and say ‘can’t believe your open’ or ‘shame you have to work’. The world isn’t going to end if we give more people an extra day or two off.

A lot of us have worked Christmas day, it's not all bad, I bet there's quite a buzz working in a busy restaurant. I worked in various childcare settings over the Christmas period as a young person and my stepmum nearly always worked Christmas day as a nurse. We cooked dinner and ate when she was finished.Good times!

What?
What is the issue, that people are paying hard earned money that ends up in your sons pocket?
I cant say this highly enough - I LOATHE people like you

Maybe cooking a full Christmas lunch is too much for a lot of people, give them a break! And sometimes people like to meet halfway at a restaurant if they live far away.

Can't he just work the hours he was contracted for?

You absolutely can. I work in hospitality, albeit as a second job. I’ve been very clear what days and times I can do. The manager has kept pushing and expecting but I have stuck to the rota’d hours and walked out at the end of my shift. It’s not my problem if he hasn’t staffed sufficiently for the day or bookings. I probably rely on the shifts more than your ds too. Shifts likely will be scaled back massively in January and February anyway and he won’t be returned the loyalty he’s shown.

And your point is?

People might be eating out for reasons other than they can't be arsed. We ate at our local pub yesterday because we moved house 2 weeks ago and we have no working oven and my FIL has just had a terminal cancer diagnosis and my MIL's not in the right place for hosting. Luckily the landlord managed to squeeze us onto a table for 90 minutes. We massively appreciate everyone who worked hard to provide us with a lovely meal and a special memory of what might be FIL's last Christmas.

The staff were on double pay and were receiving larger than average tips so it was a win for them too. I used to work in hospitality as a teenager/early 20s and I loved working the busy Christmas period. I was out mixing and meeting people and made great friendships in that time.

Sorry about your losses this year, but the year my Mother died, we went away to a lovely hotel for a Christmas package for 4 nights, simply because it WAS different and we thought it would be easier to get through it. It was the right decision and I know lots of people who have done similar over the years. It's not weird at all and you have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about @SheinIsShite

All my kids worked from 15
2 have first class degrees, youngest is doing a degree cadetship
work ethic is extremely important, as is teaching young people how to interview, have self discipline and reliability
I worked Christmas Day in catering through a level and uni days, I actually really enjoyed it

YABU, but so are the pub, to a certain extent. Finishing late after a busy shift happens sometimes, sure- but over 4 hours?? It sounds like they've known for months they would be short staffed over Christmas, but didn't want to do anything to alleviate it ( advertise for more staff, get agency workers in), preferring to put an unfair amount of pressure on a teenager.

Were they paying their staff any extra today? I'm going to guess not- because if they were, they probably wouldn't have had a problem getting enough staff!

Yes, weird

Maybe people should stop being ill, having accidents or being beaten up then, so they don’t disturb your Christmas lunch??

When my DS was at University he did some P/T hours in KFC
He did 24th / 26th but would happily have gone in 25th ( just to escape from me )

He also (gasp) did the later shift as some of his workmates lived further and he was less than 10 minutes away and if push came to shove I'd have picked him up . (There were fights when the pubs came out )

The unreasonable little scrote !

Nobody is forcing him to work! Plus it’s how pubs and restaurants survive these days! But if this helps I was doing the same between 13 and 17 until I went to Uni. I worked nearly every Xmas in a pub and it was the making of me. Few people I know have my work ethic and stamina.

Please make sure your son makes notes of the extra unscheduled overtime he works (and extra shifts) so he gets paid for it

Hey op you been at the sherry. You are being so unreasonable it’s fucking entitled at its best.

YABVU to be honest. If you don’t want your son to work Christmas Day, that’s your problem, not the people eating out. If your son doesn’t want to work Christmas Day-similar really. I know people who aren’t bothered by working Christmas. It’s always been a busy time.

We ate out, not because we’re lazy, but because our local pub has a lovely offering, great staff, and pubs need supporting at the moment. The atmosphere was friendly, familiar and lots of banter between staff and customers, many known by first name. It was busy and they would’ve made a good earning imagine. It’s a small chain of pubs to a local brewery. If it makes us evil, then so be it really. They did a sit in carvery and take away mains too. In January I bet it’s quieter. Will that be a problem if shifts aren’t to much on offer, all if a sudden will they also be dreadful to you?

absolutely agree
my boys have all had part time jobs as teens and have a brilliant work ethic, as well as academic success
contrast my stepson who is 22, dropped out of Oxford because finals made him anxious, and acts like work is beneath him, whilst staying up all night gaming.
you should be very proud of your son