Stop suffering and start working: We’ve got a list of the best restaurant shoes for the front of house
The struggle to find the perfect restaurant shoes is real. As a server myself, I’ve been through all the motions. You wear your street shoes, you wreck your back. You wear clogs, you look like a clown. You wear… literally any kind of shoe and usually they just don’t live up to what’s needed for restaurant workers, but shoe shopping for work shoes is a headache. So you suffer for weeks if not months, until you can’t feel your feet anymore. You start to lose hope that there’s even a shoe out there for you. One that supports you, comforts you and is always there when you need them.
Looking for any kind of relief, we talked to Sarah Rickert from Shoes for Crews. She gave us a list of their top selling shoes made perfectly for front of house positions.
Restaurant shoes for when you’re standing for 8 hours straight organizing parties that clearly can’t organize themselves.
When you’re a host, you do a fair amount of standing and running around, so when you’re looking for work shoes you need something that’s comfortable and gives you the support you need. “Hosts are the first impression of any location; they will need nice styles that keep them going all day.” says Rickert. Some of their recommended restaurant shoes for women’s sizes are Jasmine and Karina. Jasmine has more of a sleek loafer look, while Karina carries more athletic undertones. Both are made to be durable and comfortable. For men’s sizes, Rickert suggests their Dockers Director and Dockers Partner. The Director is slip-on and the Partner is lace-up, but both are leather, sophisticated and sturdy. All the above shoes are light-weight, slip-resistant and water-resistant, making them the perfect shoe for hosts and beyond.
Restaurant shoes for when you feel like a chicken with its head cut off because people are sheep and they all come in at the same time and then order the fish.
While many servers come off like they’ve got it together, the truth is, they’re a step away from losing it. Servers have to develop hustle as a survival method, because hungry people don’t give a fuck. So when you’re working the floor, you need shoes that are comfortable, safe and durable enough for an Olympic speed walker. Sarah Rickert says, “Servers will be on their feet for long hours, but will need something that is easy to clean.” That’s right, you’ve got to clean those shoes too – because you’re not just running a marathon, you’re also the face of the restaurant. No worries, Shoes for Crews has two pair of shoes that come in both men’s and women’s sizes that meet these high-maintenance standards: Cater and Saloon. Both shoes are easy to clean, slip-resistant and water-resistant. The Cater has a slip-on style and removable sole so they’ll keep you extra cozy for a long time. The Saloon is a lace-up style with a padded collar giving you that extra support.
Honestly, all the above shoes would do great for any FOH position, but no matter what type of shoe you’re looking for “… the number one priority for a good work shoe is slip-resistant safety,” says Rickert. Always make sure your shoes are at least trying to help keep you up straight. If you’re tired of wearing the wrong shoes because you’ve given up on finding that perfect work shoe, give Shoes for Crews a visit. They’ve made shoes to keep your 8-hour shift from feeling like 14-hours in hell.
Shoes featured in this article:
1. Jasmine
2. Karina
3. Dockers Director
4. Dockers Partner
5. Cater
6. Saloon
