[nabs-l] Food Service Jobs?

[Arielle Silverman]

Hi all,
When Brandon gave a list of entry-level jobs earlier that a blind
person could perform, I noticed one job on the list was "working at
Subway". It made me curious to know if other blind students have
worked at restaurants, cafes, etc. and if so, what special techniques,
if any, did you use other than the techniques we use for cooking and
serving food at home?
While food service may not be the most glamorous job, it is a common
way many of our peers in high school and college earn a basic income.
However, I don't know many blind people who have done these jobs, and
I'm not sure if that's because the jobs aren't accessible or if so
many of us have just been discouraged to pursue them. When I was in
high school I was obsessed with Starbucks and thought it would be fun
to work there, but I was quickly talked out of it.
One question I have is how a blind employee would handle or serve food
without touching things, which would violate many restaurants' food
safety codes. Not that I get my fingers all up in food, but if I am
cooking or serving something, I will often just lightly brush my hand
across the plate to check that the serving size is reasonable, for
instance. I wash my hands compulsively when I am cooking and it's not
a big deal if it's just my family or friends, but it's different if
you are serving food at a professional establishment. What about
cutting or chopping without feeling to make sure the slices are even?
I am quite confident that a blind person with good skills could do
something like flip hamburgers, and of course wash dishes, but has
anyone ever done it?
Also, for waitressing, are there techniques for carrying a tray with
multiple plates or glasses while also using a cane or guide dog? I'd
think that's the only part of waitressing that might be tricky.
What about making drinks at a bar or coffee shop? If everything is
labeled it should be doable, but again there's the issue of finding
another way to tell when a cup or spoon is full without using your
finger. And at a busy bar, keeping bottles labeled in Braille is
probably not realistic.
If anyone has answers to these questions, other than "I don't think
it's possible" please share. I think we need to work on expanding the
horizons of these entry-level jobs which, for so many sighted folks,
help pay the bills in college. If more of us could land these jobs, no
matter how menial, less of us would need to receive SSI in college.
Best,
Arielle