Whether we like it or not, almost every job has a dress code employees must follow, and the restaurant industry isn’t exempt. Perhaps painting your nails is a no-no. Maybe you’re forced to don an unappealing uniform. For this bartender, her grievance is how she must wear her hair.
How Does The Bartender Have To Do Her Hair?
“Every server or bartender knows what I’m about to do is the most soul-crushing, disgusting disgrace,” bartender Hailey (@hailllyse) says, sitting in her car.
Mustering a deep breath, she demonstrates her “worst part of the [workday]” by adjusting her long blonde locks, revealing how she looks with it down. Then, she runs her fingers through her hair and pushes it back until she holds it in a low ponytail.
“Oh, I can’t even watch myself do it!” the bartender groans, annoyed at the sight of the low pony.
Needless to say, this is her least favorite do. “Like I look so much hotter with my hair down bro,” Hailey complains in the caption.
Restaurant Industry Workers Enter The Chat
Hailey’s video garnered over 33,000 views. Many alleged waitstaff in the comments section echoed their dread of this part of the job.
“An absolute humiliation ritual. And we won’t talk about the dents from the hair tie when it was flawlessly straight before,” one viewer commented.
“I hate having to put my hair back and we can’t wear pony tails of any kind. It has to be a bun, braid, or some kinda twist,” a second remarked.
“I do it at work while staring at my manager while also saying, ‘this is a crime,’” a third echoed.
Meanwhile, those who work for more lenient establishments revealed that how they style their hair isn’t an issue.
“My job lets us [wear] what we want, shoes included and our hair down is encouraged. I’ve been in this industry for 22 years and I feel SO blessed,” one commenter shared.
“I work at TopGolf and it’s the first place where they don’t make us put our hair up god bless,” a second stated.
Why Do Some Establishments Require Updo Hairstyles?
Typically, an establishment’s grooming standards are largely based on policies and state health laws. As a rule of thumb, employees who handle food must wear a type of hair covering to prevent cross-contamination of illnesses like Staphylococcus bacteria. Think of the cooks, dishwashers, and food equipment operators, according to Webstaurant Food. Although it’s not mandatory, those with long hair should tie their hair back.
Since front-of-house employees like servers, bartenders, and hostesses don’t fall under this category, this is likely due to Hailey’s and viewers’ workplace preferences. And if a particular hairstyle is part of the brand. This was discussed in the r/Serverlife subreddit, where one server said that it “was required to wear my hair down. I got in trouble for even wearing it half up.”
Another experienced “having to tie your hair back in a specific way. You can braid it, wear it in a bun or wear it in a ponytail with two ties,” and a third noted that it “depends on the length of your hair” at their job. All of this is legally enforceable as long as it doesn’t discriminate based on race-based hairstyles, i.e., the CROWN Act (“Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair”) or gender.
Subplot reached out to Hailey via email and TikTok comment.
