Whether you’re a server, chef or bartender, a new music video from St. Louis folk duo River Kittens will have your heels tapping as Allie Vogler and Mattie Schell weave crystalline harmonies out of the most aggravating parts of working in the food industry.
Released Thursday and filmed on location in The Fountain on Locust, the band’s video for “Dressing on the Side” hits impressive high notes as a concept, with both singers delivering remarkable performances in-character as a pair of servers being steadily beaten-down by inane customer requests, complaints and come-ons.
The song really has everything: Running around with a tray of hot tea — check! Kids making a disaster on the floor? Oh yes, lots of that.
As the song’s name touts, there is also, of course, the bizarre psychology evidenced by customers who order salad dressing on the side when they’re just to eat it all anyway. Who they fooling, indeed!
The tune is just the soundtrack for our time, with restaurants struggling to maintain staffing amid a combination of low pay, grueling conditions and pandemic-flouting human garbage customers.
While “Dressing on the Side” is a delightful earworm, this is also a good opportunity to remind all you restaurant goers: Even if you ordering dressing on the side, the tip goes right in the middle of the table. (And please, maybe skip the hot tea this time!)
@D_Towski
