Hillside is certainly the trendiest, if not the most spacious, eatery on campus - a chic little alcove at the bottom of the 21 Campanella Way. Its small size can make for either a hectic dining experience (as anyone searching for a table on a weekday lunch time can attest) or a comfortable one (if you choose your mealtime wisely). But while clamoring for a table or feverishly reading The New York Times, it's easy to miss the true blue-shirted, black-trousered heroes of Hillside: its servers. Whether slathering your wheat bread with a generous serving of tuna and bacon, or calling out your orange mocha Frappuchino order, these panini-frying geniuses can make you a sublime Tuscan cheese sandwich and have fun while doing it.
Hillside values versatility in much the same way as the New England Patriots: Students are cross-trained so they can work in any number of positions, from cashier to coffee bar, and are assigned each day by the manager on duty to their position.
"In general, we punch in then find one of the managers to see where to go - coffee bar, the line, stocking, et cetera," said Samantha Staub, Hillside student manager and A&S '07. "It varies from person to person whether you stay in one place throughout your shift."
John Rodier, CSOM '09, knows the ins and outs of each. "I have worked every station in my time there, but mostly I end up making sandwiches," he said in an e-mail.
He does, however, have a preferential work station. "My favorite job, though, is the register because it is the most social and requires very little effort," he said.
Every student employee must interact with the multitude of customers, and as with a job in any service industry, their feelings towards customers are mixed. "There's a lot of fun stuff with customers, and goofing around with customers. Most customers are generally very polite and reasonable.
Unfortunately, others will come up, and they'll order a sandwich, and they want six different things changed. They ask for extra meat. We can't put extra meat on it. And then they get all indignant about it," said Rodier. He stressed that servers cannot serve a sandwich to go; customers can find a cover at the station in the back corner of the store.
The students get along well with the cooks and adult help, and often form real friendships with them.
Victor Broccoli, A&S '07, has worked at a number of on-campus jobs, and thinks that Hillside's workers are by far the easiest to get along with.
"We joke around a lot. They're really fun people," he said. "They're good around us college kids. The full-timers there are really cool people, and they're friendly to everybody."
Most of the workers at Hillside seem to relish the relationships that they form there, and make the most of their time at work. Many of the workers had numerous anecdotes of behind-the-scenes shenanigans.
One of the most beloved traditions is Moose Night, which seems somewhat hard to explain. On Moose Night, in the tradition of the Ramones, everyone has a name involving the word "Moose." Rodier, for instance, is Cowboy Moose because of his affinity for country music. Moose Night involves singing, among employees and often for customers, as well as a variety of quite inventive pranks.
"I definitely love working at Hillside," said Rodier. "The pay isn't great and some weeks it is tough to get all my schoolwork done because I have to go to work, but the people there are amazing and I have made some great friends working there.
"It's a wonderful place to work," said Broccoli. "In terms of an on-campus jobs, it's by far the best one I've ever had. The workers are remarkably personable. It's a great place to work and it's the best food on campus.
"Let's be honest, Hillside food is clearly superior to McElroy."
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