Many students from high schools are picking up restaurant jobs around their towns. While the paycheck may be a nice sight, the hours can take a big toll on students’ personal lives, education, social life, sleep, and more.
Many teens work several days a week. This is often after school and on weekends. According to the National Restaurant Association, restaurants are the largest employer of teenagers, with about 1.9 million jobs held by 16 to 19-year-olds in 2025. That’s almost a third of all working teens. While some students work just a few hours, others take on long shifts that end up going late into the night.
Senior Brodie Scott, a student who works at The Shack, understands the commitment of a job: “I work at the Shack, it definitely does take up a lot of my life. I usually work from about 5-8:30 on weekdays, and sometimes from the morning till we close on weekends. My job takes up time where I wish I were with my friends or just anywhere but there.”
According to a report from The Saratoga Falcon, many student workers say the biggest challenge isn’t the job itself, it’s balancing it with school and social life. “Some workplaces are flexible and supportive, while others expect teens to work late hours or handle stressful shifts”.
Senior Maria Campo agrees, “I work at Fat Tuna down near the Niantic Bridge. I almost wasn’t able to go on our grade’s senior trip because they wouldn’t let me take the day off. I work late nights and miss out on a lot of things I shouldn’t have to miss out on. I also struggle with homework because I get home so late, it’s definitely a struggle”.
Madison Vernotzy, who works at Castello’s in Niantic, also agrees with this claim: “I just recently started working at Castello’s in Niantic; it hasn’t been an easy adjustment,” she said. “I work 5-9 PM whenever I’m on schedule. I don’t like these hours at all because I get fomo when I’m there while all my friends are out doing things. It also doesn’t help when I usually don’t end up getting out until about 10:30, leaving me to not go to bed until at least midnight. Then I struggle getting up in the morning and either sleep past my alarm and miss class, or I’m just tired the whole day. The restaurant part isn’t so bad, it’s the effects of it that are.”
Not every job has to be overwhelming and feel like it’s taking over, though. Some students find work that fits better with their lives, that isn’t in restaurants.
Senior Jillian Saad works at the Friendship School for Carelot and says her schedule works perfectly for her. “I work at the Friendship School for Carelot. This job does not consume my life at all,” she said. “I work two hours from 3-5 Monday through Friday. For me, this is perfect because it doesn’t interrupt my social or educational life whatsoever.”
For high schoolers, finding a job that doesn’t take over their life can be tough. Restaurant work can teach responsibility and bring the money in, but it also comes with the not-so-great things. Missing out on time with friends, struggling to stay awake in class, and feeling burned out are all real problems that occur in daily life. Students like Brodie Scott, Maria Campo, Madison Vernotzy, and Jillian Saad show that while working during high school can be a good thing, it’s all about finding the right balance, how to handle it, and what job works best for you.
