Running a brewpub isn’t easy- it’s a lot of work, a lot of sweat and the occasional tears.

There are a lot of good, earnest people working behind the scenes, who put in a great deal of effort, round-the-clock, to ensure that everything you love about Toit stays that way.
And these people are none other than our never-tiring, ever-inspiring staff.
Our very own Toit Army- a battalion dedicated to the cause of good beer!

They’re an unstoppable tag team of positivity, doubled with the best work ethic around.
Say hello to our Housekeeping ladies, Rathnamma and Lalitha.

How long have you been working at Toit?

Rathnamma: A little more than five years.

Lalitha: Five years and four months.

Are you both from Bangalore?

Lalitha: Aunty is from Bangalore, and I am from Bihar.

 Both of us used to work on a contract basis.

What were you doing before this?

Rathnamma: Contract work. Both of us used to work on a contract basis.

So, you both were friends before joining Toit?

Lalitha: Yes! We became friends when we joined Toit. *giggle*

But we have been doing this work for close to 15 years.

You both live in Bangalore. Do you have family here?

Rathnamma: My husband, and two boys. I don’t have a daughter.

Lalitha: In my family, it’s my husband and our five children. I have three daughters and two sons.

My husband is not well. He stays in the room.

What do your husbands do?

Rathnamma: My husband is not well. He stays in the room.

Lalitha: My husband does construction work.

How did you hear about Toit and decide to join here?

Lalitha: I used work in another restaurant, as part of a contract, and do the washing. I did that for five years and then my boss told me to come here. He said that there is a new place, and you are an old employee who does good work, so why don’t you work here for some time until I get a contract for another place and call you.

He said he’ll call me later, when I needed to come back.
That’s how I started working here. The owners here were very nice and spoke very nicely.

We like everything here.

I got settled nicely. Then my boss called and said that the other place had started work, so to come back. But I said no sir, I want to stay here

Rathnamma: I came here through a company contract also. Even I told my boss that I liked working here and didn’t want to go to another place.

That means you enjoy working here?

Yes!

Lalitha: It’s very nice! We like everything here. The management and all the staff, they talk well, they treat us very well and don’t say or do anything wrong.

Can you describe a typical work-day?

Lalitha: We come here at 3:00 pm. Before that, I do all the house work. The children have to go to school, so I need to get them ready and make food for them as well.

I finish all that and come here. I tell them I’ll finish work and come back at around 11:00 pm.

What are your duties here?

Lalitha: Our duties here are keeping the floor clean, making sure the restrooms are also clean. No customer should have any complaint.
It is also our duty to be happy and smile and talk to the customers nicely. The customers are also very nice to us.

Sometimes they tell us that we’ve cleaned very well and kept everything nicely.

Our duties here are keeping the floor clean, making sure the restrooms are also clean.

They tell us that most people work for one or two years and then run off, but you both are hardworking and responsible. We work happily, and stay happy because of that.

So, what do you do on your off-days then?

Rathnamma: Stay in my house, watch some television and also make food. Sometimes I go out and buy some clothes also, and just roam around. Sometimes I also like watching cricket matches. I support the local Karnataka teams.

Lalitha: I don’t go out anywhere. I like to stay at home. I don’t even like watching tv. Actually, I really like working so I get bored during holidays. I spend some time with my children but apart from that I miss my work.

Do your children go to school?

Rathnamma: One of my sons goes to college.

Lalitha: Three of my children, two boys and one girl go to school. The other two girls are going to get married, but they haven’t studied too much.

You’ve been here five years. What is the one thing you like and one thing you dislike about your job?

Lalitha: See, we are poor people. We’ve come here to work, and we will do whatever work the owners tell us to do. We have to. We have to do it happily.

The owners give us a salary, and whenever we have any trouble, they take care of us and help us out. So, we have no reason to dislike anything.

Rathnamma: There is absolutely no problem here. Even if we have to do extra work on some days, we do it happily. They ask us if it’s a problem for us, and we say we’ll adjust and do it. It’s my work, and I will do it. Happily.

We’ve come here to work, and we will do it happily.

Lalitha: Actually, we are a team of three, three friends. One other lady has gone to her village so she’s not here right now. We do all our work together. Her name is Usha. We should work in such a way that the customer should say we do amazing work. There should be absolutely no complaints.

 If there was one thing you’d like to say about working here, what would it be?

*long pause*

Rathnamma: You say something, Lalitha.

Lalitha: No, you say. *laughs*

But you see, we tell the boys here also. Whatever work you do, however little or small it may be, do it well. Teach each other to do good work. If you do good work, the customers will come here, see it and be happy. Then, Toit will have a good name.