your life's work to each may have his own individual preference but no matter whether it's a hot dog at the county fair course dinner at the ritz there's no denying that people like to eat food is the high spot in our daily lives whether it's aboard a speeding train or in our favorite lunchroom around the corner for man must beat and therein lies the secret of the growth and popularity of one of our biggest industries the restaurant here is a business employing over two million persons and doing over two billion dollars worth of business annually all because people have to eat like to eat and don't like the work of fixing their own food but not all people like the same food served in the same way and at the same price therefore we have different types of restaurants offering different types of service to meet varying tastes the first is the table service type this group provides waiter or waitress service it offers a more dignified atmosphere and extensive menu than that found in other type restaurants appointments and service in this group are generally of a standard comparable to those in a good well regulated home a variation of this group is the coffee shop here the tables are generally left uncovered and the method of service more informal also in this class is the tea room this provides waitress service and emphasizes choice foods daintily prepared and served in attractive surroundings the second type of restaurant is the self service group best known among these is the cafeteria here the customers burnish their own service by making their selection from foods displayed at a serving counter and carrying it themselves to convenient tables this style of restaurant offers the distinct advantage of speed and economy the third type includes counter service foremost among these is the corner drugstore this type of service is an outgrowth from the serving of ice cream here the customer may secure various sandwiches or lunch and snacks quickly and economically also included in this group is the luncheon that this is a style patterned after the drugstore soda fountain but with a somewhat more extensive menu and better appointments here to speed and economy prevail the fourth and most recently developed type is the drive in or curb service type here the customer need not even leave his car to enjoy the tempting varieties offered by this type service this is a restaurant soda fountain and picnic all rolled into one its location is determined by the flow of automobile traffic to provide a constant source of business but regardless of the style or type of restaurants they all have one thing in common and that is the serving of food this must be prepared on the premises so a restaurant is a factory as well as a retail and service institution here in its kitchen or workshop must be manufactured all the goods sold to its customers this is its production line hurrying to keep pace with a hungry world but this is no ordinary business of assembly for here we are dealing with perishables many raw materials must be obtained daily and kept under refrigeration until used for the more it must be handled under the strictest sanitary requirements for here rests a great public responsibility and a private reputation this is a department for skilled and careful workers for on their ability depends much of the success and the future of the organization but there is more than food and service needed for success behind this move the fish and running restaurants is the manager on his shoulders rest the responsibility of the success or failure of the business if the restaurant is large his duties are only supervisory if the restaurant is small he may be the manager cook and waiter all in one but large or small he must have a working knowledge gained only by experience with each and every job over which he has control he must have perception to gauge his customer's desires and know when their wants are being satisfied he must have knowledge of food in order to plan menus and understand what constitutes efficient buying he must have bookkeeping ability to know where he stands in his accounts he must be a man of tact and diplomacy to handle petty disputes and grievances that often arise within an organization he must have all these attributes and more if he is to be truly successful for the urge behind the daily flow of customers to his establishment is produced by his foresight his planning and his initiative managing a restaurant takes more than just being good in some one phase of it take for instance and martha all her friends told her she was the best cook they knew she made the best pies she made the best puttings and her muffins well anyway and martha decided to go into the restaurant business so she rented of a can store the first one she found got busy and cleaned it up got new furniture and spent plenty of money decorating the place and soon and martha was ready for business  business wasn't ready for aunt martha the fact that the store happened to be on a quiet side street hadn't occurred to her and neither had the fact that she didn't know how to plan her meals economically all in truth is that her experience is typical fifty percent of the people who start their own restaurants think of it that so many failure should occur all because too many and my peers rush in with no real preparation for the job successful management takes a lot more than just knowing how to cook it takes the knowledge and forethought of a business man coupled with a thorough understanding of each of the many phases that go to make up the operation of the restaurant business this all takes training lots of training training that cannot be acquired by the hit and miss process of unguided experience but where can one get the necessary help to fit him for the work nearly a hundred vocational schools located throughout the country offer specialized training in the field in addition special restaurant administration programs have been inaugurated at leading universities some of these programs even lead to a master's degree in business administration but perhaps you're saying you're not interested in managerial work perhaps it is someone specialized field like cooking or dietetics that hold your interest here again training is just as important as it is in an executive capacity the knowledge of foods and their preparation is a science in itself and only by a thorough understanding of what constitutes a balanced meal can one hope to realize the better jobs offered by our meeting places special courses in high schools vocational schools and colleges are offered to help one in securing and maintaining better positions in large restaurants hotels and hospitals these courses include not only the preparation of food but its economical purchase as well this does not mean buying provisions of poor quality it means buying the right quantities at the right prices the buyer for any large restaurant is a key person who services are in demand for much of the success of his establishment is due to his judgement then there's the job of being a hostess or a head waiter this tool requires careful training such persons other restaurants direct contact with its patrons it is through them that the customers form their opinion their importance is never underestimated by a successful restaurant their jobs are good ones but it has taken training and personality to get them and keep them but no matter what one's individual preference may be as to the type of restaurant work he wants to do he should first have a genuine liking for food and people for this is the very foundation of his aptitude if you have this natural inclination plus the proper training and willingness to work the restaurant business offers many opportunities and a promising future as your life work