I started working at the Cloquet Perkin's location in the early 80's.  I loved that job!  Great people to work with, my "regulars" became friends and the job taught me things that I still use in every day life now.  I gained knowledge and advice that I have passed on to my daughter who is now a food server while going to college.

 

I learned how to anticipate people's needs, for instance an extra napkin, their water glass filled or that they are nearing the end of the meal and want their check.  I learned diversity serving all walks of life and how important it was to cater to each individuals needs. It taught me to accept and accommodate to all personalities that I called co-workers.  I'll be forever grateful for my Perkin's job, it prepared me for my future career choices.

If you've visited a Perkin's recently you may have seen a sign that says something about spending a minimal amount to be seated and/or at managers discretion.  This is why.  Back when I worked at Perkin's we had customers we called "coffee drinkers".  I considered them my "regulars".  They would come in and sit for hours with the "bottomless cup of coffee" and once in a while would order food, but not always or very often.  They became friends and I didn't mind them except that they took up tables that I could making tips from.  Oh, and the reason for my blog, they actually wouldn't pay for their coffee either, they would use "coffee cards" like the one in the picture above. They would come in several times a day and do this.

I still have a few of these coffee cards and smile when I run across them, they bring back some great memories of co-workers, favorite customers and the time I spent working at Perkin's in Cloquet.

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