By Adelaide Clarkson

The chilling blast of cool air hits me when I step inside. The clean, sleek white tables shimmer with the morning sun, and I step behind the cash register, clock in, and begin my eight-hour shift. 

I needed a job this winter, so I asked around to see what openings were available at restaurants and nearby establishments. I have always loved the juice bar The Pit and the Peel, and seeing that they needed help immediately caught my attention. On a typical Friday with my friends, I decided to scan the QR code propped up next to the cash register. I did this without much thought but was offered the job shortly after. 

The Pitt and The Peel is a smoothie and acai bowl restaurant with three locations in Richmond: in the James Center office building downtown, right near VCU’s campus (with rooftop seating and bar), and Westhampton at Libbie and Grove, where I work primarily now.

The environment at The Pit and the Peel is very relaxed and inviting. Most customers that come in are happy and excited to order. Usually, the customers come in, order, and eat quickly, either inside or outside, but every now and then, people come in to get work done and focus. The clean atmosphere and subtle, uplifting music is excellent for those purposes. The most common orders are smoothies (around $9) or acai bowls ($10). The acai bowls have two base options: berry base or house base. The most common of the two is the house base, which contains acai, banana, and peanut butter. The less common, but my favorite, is the berry base, which consists of acai, strawberry, mango, pineapple, and orange juice. Besides the bowls’ mouthwatering taste, what is so appealing is the variety of toppings on the menu. Other items and categories on the menu are protein smoothies ($10), avocado toast ($12), breakfast sandwiches ($6), toasted breakfast ($3), power breakfast ($9), salads ($10), wraps ($10), and paninis ($12). 

When I began at The Pitt and The Peel in February, I had no clue what I was in for. I started training at the VCU location and recently completed it. While I was there, I had some interesting interactions, despite being employed for only a short time. 

If you’ve ever worked in customer service, have you ever been asked for your tip back? That was just one of the unexpected requests I got from a customer. This was a shock, as they had already finished their food and seemed not to have any issue with it. Right after being denied, they ran off. On another occasion, a customer walked in during the afternoon rush, while we were already busy and overwhelmed, and I was surprised when I was greeted with not one, but multiple winks and smirks. I’m sure he could tell by my awkward and uncomfortable smile that it was unexpected, and it caught me off guard. 

While customers sometimes make interesting remarks, I’ve made some myself. It was your average Saturday, and without much thought on my behalf, a customer asked for a black coffee. Naturally, I asked, “What milk would you like with that?” The silence was deafening. I asked again, while they looked at me blankly, wondering why I kept asking if they wanted oat milk, whole milk, or almond milk. Much to my chagrin, black coffee does not contain milk. 

So far, I have already learned a fair amount by working. I have enjoyed spending time and meeting my co-workers; however, I have had to learn how to manage working alone at times. Taking orders from hungry customers while trying to prepare and cook smoothie bowls, smoothies, paninis, and wraps on time with low staff can be chaotic. Thus, from these experiences, I’ve learned how demanding and stressful it can be when working in customer service. Never will I ever complain again about how slow it may be when waiting for food at a restaurant, because now I know what it’s like working behind the counter and in the kitchen. 

Photos courtesy of The Pit and The Peel via instagram @thepitandthepeel.