I’ve worked in plenty of restaurants from dish washing to management and like it fine, evidently better than someone who only did a little of it as a teen.
My statement was about work in general, I’m not a big fan of it.
Working in a restaurant was always available to you, even as a second or third job, or night work, or weekends, or in all kinds of ways, so what made you not keep doing what you enjoyed so much?
It was a need to make more money and support a family. Fortunately I’ve liked most of the jobs I’ve had since then. But that particular restaurant job was probably a unique experience. It was an independently owned restaurant and the owner was quite generous to the employees there. For example, we were allowed anything we wanted on the menu for a meal during our shift. Even if it was lobster or scallops, etc. And if we wanted something from the bar, we got that as well. Not sure that would be allowed these days.