I work in a place with over 60 employees. We used to have this issue where one guy took over as the ‘resident DJ’ and played the same music all day, so we all voted and agreed on some basic rules to keep things fair. We have the radio playing low in the mornings, and the PM shift can use a single speaker for everyone, as long as they switch it up if anyone complains.
But new people join and start playing music straight from their phones in their pockets while walking around. It’s rude and just doesn’t fit our setup. I get that this is a management problem, so I’m working with onboarding to make it clear in orientation.
But wow, it’s wild how many people think it’s fine to do this, especially in a busy kitchen where we already have enough noise and confusion.
I get it, I work with a small team, like four cooks and a prep guy, and we have the same issue. The first person in gets to use the Bluetooth speaker, but sometimes the salad guy will still blast his music off his phone. It’s tough because you need to communicate, and having multiple sounds just makes it stressful.
Had a kid do this on his first day. Walks in, puts on his apron, then pulls out a speaker and starts playing rap loud.
I told him no, it’s not gonna work, especially since I’m constantly explaining things to him and need him to hear me. Next day, he shows up with earbuds instead. Not safe in a kitchen, especially when you’re new and need to listen up. He didn’t make it through a couple of weeks.
The worst are the ones who crank up some awful music from their phone speakers at max volume, with only three songs they repeat all day and ads that are louder than the music. Then they leave their phone somewhere blasting, so you can’t escape it. It’s not even good music, and they sing along badly!
These same people usually have their phone sound on for everything, so you hear every notification, every beep. It’s maddening when you’re trying to focus.
Honestly, no music should be allowed. It’s work, not your living room. I had to stop it in my place because there were constant arguments. Everyone wanted different music: loud rap, heavy metal, you name it. And it’s not worth risking more drama.
I get that. At one job, I took over the music and picked mellow stuff that wouldn’t annoy anyone. It was a good compromise. We don’t need more stress, so I chose relaxing tunes that didn’t have people getting worked up. Sometimes you just have to take control so things don’t spiral.
Exactly! We tried setting theme days, 80s on Fridays, or downtempo for a chill vibe. But people kept pushing the limits, and it started fights. Eventually, I had to just cut it off. It’s like I’m dealing with overgrown kids who need constant rules.
Same! At another place, we even had to stop people from drinking after shifts because it got out of hand. It’s like, even in small doses, some folks just can’t stick to the rules. The kitchen attracts a…unique crowd, for sure.
One place I worked didn’t have any setup, so I brought in my own speaker. That became our music, one CD or radio station at a time. It kept things simple.
The best places I worked didn’t allow any music for personal entertainment. Some kitchens are so busy, we didn’t even miss it, just kept focused on the work. When the team is tight, you don’t need background noise to keep things moving.
I work with just one other cook most of the time. They can play it on their phone or speaker; doesn’t bother me. But in a bigger setup? Yeah, then it’s gotta be one sound for everyone, or no sound at all. Don’t need each person turning into a one-person jukebox.
That sounds like a headache. I sometimes work dish, and I can’t stand silence, so I bring a speaker. But I keep it to my area, and it’s not loud enough for others to hear. I’d honestly consider a ‘no phones during service’ rule if it keeps getting worse in your place.
At my place, I still have to remind at least one person every day about their music volume. My rules are simple: no explicit stuff, keep it low enough to not be heard outside the kitchen, and I need to be able to talk over it. Still, every day, I’m asking someone to turn it down.
That’s frustrating. We used to play instrumental pop covers that matched the music in the dining room. It gave a nice vibe without adding chaos or safety issues.
We have an Alexa, and most of the time, one cook will choose a song, and then it runs on autopilot until someone picks something else. Keeps it fair and easy.