Top 10 Funny Awards for Restaurant Staff

As the year comes to an end, it's the perfect time to add some fun to your restaurant's team appreciation efforts. Celebrate the unique and sometimes hilarious traits of your staff with these top 10 funny awards. Whether you have a server who's a master at upselling or a cook who's always ready to tackle kitchen disasters, these awards are sure to bring smiles and laughter to your end-of-year ceremony.

Top 10 Funny Awards for Restaurant Staff

1. The Eighty Six Award

For the waitstaff member who always seems to be out of something. Is there a server in your team who always seems to be 86-ing menu items? This award is for them, recognizing their unique talent for running out of specials just when they're needed most.

2. The Weed Whacker Award

For the staff member who can handle any situation. Got a team member who can navigate the busiest shifts with ease? This award goes to the one who can "whack" through the "weeds" of a busy restaurant without breaking a sweat.

3. Jack and the Beanstalk Award

For the best at upselling. This one's for the server who could sell snow to a snowman. They have a knack for upselling, turning a simple order into a feast fit for a king.

4. The Mix-Up Maestro Award

For the one who always gets orders creatively wrong. Mixing up orders can be an art. This award is for that one person who consistently surprises guests with their creative interpretations of orders.

5. The Spinning Plates Award

For the multitasking magician. This award is for the staff member who can handle multiple tasks at once – taking orders, serving food, and maybe even doing a bit of magic on the side – all without dropping a single plate.

6. The Daily Special Forget-Me-Not Award

For the one who can never remember the specials. Is there someone who always draws a blank when asked about the daily specials? This award is a humorous nod to their selective memory.

7. The Clean Sweep Award

For the most efficient busser. This goes to the busboy or busgirl who keeps tables cleaner than a whistle. They're the unsung heroes who ensure a fresh start for every guest.

8. The Fire Extinguisher Award

For the chef who's a master of disaster control. Every kitchen has that one chef who can handle any culinary catastrophe with grace. This award is for them, the calm in the culinary storm.

9. The Cash Register Chime Award

For the cashier who makes every customer smile. This is for the cashier who greets every customer with a smile and a joke, making the chime of the cash register a sound of joy.

10. The Order Overachiever Award

For the food runner who goes the extra mile. This award is for the food runner who does more than just deliver food. They ensure every dish is perfect and every guest is happy, going above and beyond with every step.

Recognizing your staff's hard work and unique personalities is a fantastic way to end the year on a high note. For more creative and humorous award ideas, be sure to visit Fun Awards. You'll find a plethora of awards that cater to every role in your restaurant, ensuring everyone gets the recognition they deserve with a good dose of fun!

World's Best Mom Mother's Day Certificate Free!

Mother's Day is just around the corner. And what better way to celebrate Mom than with a personalized gift from the heart? Or flowers. Not a tattoo, though. No mom wants that.

World's Best Mom Mother's Day Certificate

Click Here to Download Free Certificate (PDF)

The best gift for Mother's Day is something homemade and from the heart. Quickly customize your own "World's Best Mom" Award Certificate with our free printable PDF.  You can type directly onto the certificate template and add your own message before printing. Within seconds you'll have a unique award that will put a smile on your Mom's face! Just click the link to download the PDF and enjoy!

You could also create your own certificate from scratch using watercolors and a Sharpie. Either way, your Mom is going to hang this keepsake on the refrigerator where it will remain for the rest of your life.

Do you want your future boyfriend/girlfriend to see the watercolor disaster that you threw together the night before Mother's Day? Will she think it's cute, or will it be an ongoing source of embarrassment?

You're overthinking it.

Just print out this Free World's Best Mom Mother's Day Certificate and be done with it.

And be sure to tell your Mom that you love her. She won't be around forever.

World's Best Dad Award Printable - Free Father's Day Certificate

Father's Day is just around the corner. And what better way to celebrate Dad than with a personalized gift from the heart? Or a tie. Not socks, though. No Dad wants that.

World's Best Dad Father's Day Certificate

Click Here to Download Best Dad Award Printable (PDF)

The best gift for Father's Day is something homemade and from the heart. Quickly customize your own "World's Best Dad" Award Certificate with our free printable PDF.  You can type directly onto the certificate template and add your own message before printing. Within seconds you'll have a unique award that will put a smile on your Dad's face! Just click the link to download the PDF and enjoy!

You could also create your own certificate from scratch using water colors and a Sharpie. Either way, your Dad is going to hang this keepsake on the refrigerator where it will remain for the rest of your life.

Do you want your 10-years-from-now girlfriend to see your water color disaster that you threw together the night before Father's Day? Will she think it's cute, or will it be an ongoing source of embarrassment?

You're overthinking it.

Just print out this Free World's Best Dad Award Printable Free Father's Day Certificate and be done with it.

And tell your Dad you love him. He won't be around forever.

Administrative Assistant Day - Free Certificate of Appreciation

Administrative Assistant Day is actually a misnomer for Administrative Professionals' Day, although no one really calls it that. [Queue best Billy Bob Thornton in Sling Blade voice] Some folks call it Secretary's Day, some folks call it Executive Admin Day, some folks call it Office Managers Day...

No matter what you call it, the unofficial holiday occurs on the Wednesday of the last full week of April. If one day isn't enough time for you to celebrate, the entire week is known as Administrative Professionals Week (formerly known as Secretary's Week).

Free Administrative Assistant Appreciation Certificate

Click Here to Download Free Award (PDF)

The best gift for administrative assistant's day is something homemade and from the heart. Quickly customize your own "Admin Appreciation" Award Certificate with our free printable PDF.  You can type directly onto the certificate template and add your own message before printing. Within seconds you'll have a unique award that will bring smiles to your favorite Executive-Admin-Professional-etary! Just click the link to download the PDF and enjoy!

Typical gifts for Secretary's Day include cards, pins, flowers, gift certificates, lunch, and gift baskets. The  International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) suggests that employers support the holiday by providing training opportunities for their administrative staff through continuing education, self-study materials, or seminars.

So throw a party. Buy some gifts. Arrange some training.

Just don't ask your Administrative Assistant to plan their own party. What are you, a cast member from Mad Men? This is their day to enjoy!

Related posts:

• Administrative Assistant Day
• Administrative Professionals Day Ideas

Employee Appreciation Day

National Employee Appreciation Day occurs annually on the first Friday of the month of March.

How about a catered lunch? A half day? Free bagels!

If you're looking for the least you can do, then stop now. You're trying too hard.

If you're looking for slightly more than the least you can do, here are some free printable employee appreciation certificates to download, customize and share.

Employee Appreciation Certificate - Free Download

Patriotic-themed appreciation certificate - Free Download

Employee of the Month Appreciation Certificate -  Free Download

More Employee Appreciation Certificate Ideas:

Find More Employee Appreciation Ideas

If you need more serious National Employee Appreciation Day gift ideas, gift certificates are a good place to start. Or free bagels. And don't skimp on the cream cheese, either. Gheesh. We're not animals.

Most importantly, don't forget to say "thanks" for a job well done!

It's the least you can do.

Nurse of the Year Award Certificate Free

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12 (the birth date of famous nurse Florence Nightingale) in the United States. National Nurses Day, sometimes referred to as Nurses Day or National RN Recognition Day, occurs each year on May 6.

Typical Nurse Appreciation gift ideas include cards, pins, poems, letters, gift certificates, lunch, and gift baskets. If your theme or activities revolve around food, remember to gift healthy (fruit, nuts, light snacks). We don't need our nurses falling into a sugar-induced coma during triage.

Free Nurse of the Year Award Certificate

Click Here to Download Free Award (PDF)

The best gift for nurses day is something homemade and from the heart. Quickly customize your own "Nurse of the Year" Award Certificate with our free printable PDF.  You can type directly onto the certificate template and add your own message before printing. Within seconds you'll have a unique award that will bring smiles to your favorite teacher! Just click the link to download the PDF and enjoy!

Teacher Appreciation Week

Teacher Appreciation Week occurs on the first full week of May in the United States and Canada. Also known as National Teacher Week, Teacher Appreciation Week is on May 6-10, 2013. Teacher Appreciation Day occurs on Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week, May 7, 2013. Outside the U.S., many other country celebrate Teacher Appreciation every October 5, World Teacher's Day.

Typical Teacher Appreciation Week gift ideas include cards, pins, poems, letters, gift certificates, lunch, and gift baskets. If your theme or activities revolve around, remember to gift healthy (fruit, nuts, light snacks). We don't need our teachers falling into a sugar-induced coma during history class. That's the students' job.

Click Here to Download Free Award (PDF)

The best gift for teacher appreciation day is something homemade and from the heart. Quickly customize your own "Teacher of the Year" Award Certificate with our free printable PDF.  You can type directly onto the certificate template and add your own message before printing. Within seconds you'll have a unique award that will bring smiles to your favorite teacher! Just click the link to download the PDF and enjoy!

Here are some unique ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week 2013:

Funny Teacher Appreciation Certificates - Our exclusive line of funny teacher awards range from teacher superlatives to classroom awards. They reference common classroom objects, literary figures, noted scientists, fairy tales, popular culture icons, and much more. While some fall under the category of "poking light fun", the vast majority are creative ways to say "job well done". They are G-rated and appropriate for all types of schools around the World.

Teacher Appreciation Awards Show - Give your entire staff some much-needed laughter with a performance by comedian Larry Weaver. Full of customized jokes, everyone will love participating in this highly-interactive and hilarious presentation!

"Larry Weaver provided an excellent program for our Teacher Appreciation Banquet. He brought the house down. He was so funny, and the way he worked the audience was just out of this world. I asked for clean and funny and he gave me both. He was AWESOME!" - Teacher Assistant, Johnson Primary School Teacher Assistants Dinner

When is Boss Day

When is Boss Day?
National Boss Day Day (also known as Bosses Day or Boss's Day) always occurs on October 16. This year, it falls on Tuesday, October 16, 2012.

Bosses Day Gift Ideas
According to Emily Post, you should never give a gift to your boss unless it is from a group of employees. Nobody likes a suck up.Well, except maybe the boss.

Fun Ideas for National Boss Day
Humor is a great way to show appreciation while having fun at the expense of your boss. Just make sure they have a sense of humor first. Download these FREE printable certificates to jump-start the fun:

For the Boss who is Never Around

Download this free Boss Day Gag Gift Award

For the Boss Who is a Straight Up Baller

Download this free Boss Day Gag Gift Award

For the Boss who is a Fearless Leader

Download this free Boss Day Gag Gift Award

For the Boss who Talks a Big Game

Download this free Boss Day Gag Gift Award

Consider supplementing the humor with a real gift. Serious gift ideas for Boss Day include cards, flowers, lunch, gift certificates, or balloons. Or go in with your coworkers to get a gift from the entire office.

Just don't forget National Boss's Day 2012. Without your boss, you'd be forced to surf the Internet and NOT get paid. Oh, the horror!

Further reading: How to Toast Your Boss at the Office Party

National Employee Appreciation Day

National Employee Appreciation Day occurs annually on the first Friday of the month of March. This year, we'll celebrate employees on Friday, March 2, 2012. If one day is not enough, the entire month of March is also Employee Spirit Month!


Every wonder how "holidays" like Employee Appreciation Day get started? Well, according to the website recognition.org...
Employee Appreciation Day first arrived on calendars in 1995.  A Recognition Professionals International’s founding Board member, together with his publishing company, Workman Publishing, created Employee Appreciation Day as a way of focusing the attention of all employers, in all industries on employee recognition.


Typical National Employee Appreciation Day ideas include gift certificates, flowers, cards... (yawn)... I'm getting sleeping just typing this list. 


Remember that old saying "it's the thought that counts"? Well put your creativity to work and come up with something fun this year. Hand out the Barnes and Noble gift cards (remember them?) if you must, but have your own little Employee Recognition ceremony while you're at it. We'll take you step-by-step through the process with "Funny Employee Awards". 

I readily admit that the majority of images and certificate examples on the site land on the side of "poking light fun." But nearly half the certificates in Funny Employee Awards are actually "job well done" awards. Best smile? best dressed? First to arrive? Check, check, and check. We have all of those. 


So make this year's National Employee Appreciation Day one to remember. Pick up Funny Employee Awards by comedian Larry Weaver (that's me!) and you'll be halfway there. 

Funny Employee Recognition Awards

Funny Employee Recognition Awards

Fact: Employees love recognition. Most prefer positive recognition, but sometimes any recognition is a good thing.

The above photo is from a recent employee recognition program I hosted. I'm handing out the classic "TGIFriday's Award for most excited about the weekend". This recognition always gets a good response because every workplace has (at least) one person who can't wait to punch out on Friday.

This is also a great example of a funny employee recognition award that doesn't embarrass or overly poke fun at the recipient.

My awards are all about having fun without making fun.

Need more funny employee recognition awards? I've got dozens of them. You'll find them all here:
Funny Employee Awards

"As far as more recognition goes, I am happy with the amount of love and respect I have received from other artists and the public. Of course, I would love more, and think I deserve it." - Suzi Quatro

Certificate of Appreciation Example

Find free printable certificates of appreciation samples, templates and examples at FunAwards. Plus blank certificate of appreciation templates to make your own appreciation certificates.

Sample Certificate of Appreciation

Within every workplace, office or organization, there's always at least one employee, volunteer, or staff member who really deserves a raise in pay -- or maybe they just think they do. Show them you care without spending a dime with this free certificate of appreciation.

Download Free Certificate of Appreciation (PDF)

Suggested wording for presentation or speech:
"Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well." - Voltaire

This is just one sample certificate of appreciation you'll find in our Fun Awards signature collections:

• Funny Employee Awards - certificates of appreciation for employees, volunteers, staff
• Funny Teacher Awards - teacher appreciation certificates

Each collection comes with blank certificate of appreciation template in PDF format so you can add custom wording to make your own appreciation certificates. If you need volunteer appreciation certificates or staff appreciation certificates, take a look at either collection. They both have dozens of silly and humorous gag certificates applicable to any organization or gender.

Keep checking back for more free printable certificates of appreciation

Pastor Appreciation Ideas

Pastor Appreciation Day 2010 was October 10. If you missed it, don't worry - you can appreciate your pastor year-round. Just be sure you mark your calendar now for Pastor Appreciation Day 2011 (also known as National Clergy Appreciation Day 2011), coming up on October 11, 2011.

According to Hallmark.com, Clergy Appreciation National Day of Honoring is always the second Sunday in October. The celebration was established in 1992 with a mission is to uplift and encourage pastors, missionaries and religious workers. Furthermore, all of October is National Clergy Appreciation Month, or Pastor Appreciation Month - whatever you prefer to call it.


Favorite pastor appreciation verses or scriptures include...
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
"Now, brothers and sisters, we ask you to appreciate those who work hard among you, who lead you in the Lord and teach you.  Respect them with a very special love because of the work they do."  (NCV)

"And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves." (King James Version)


Popular ideas for pastor appreciation include gifts such as poems, cards, skits, letters, plaques, or speeches. Many churches will hold a special sermon or program. Some congregations looking for a little pastor appreciation humor will hand out printable awards like these funny certificates.

No matter what you do, follow the Apostle Paul's advice and "esteem them very highly in love". And not just on Pastor Appreciation Day - but year-round.

Administrative Assistant Day

Administrative Assistant Day is actually a misnomer for Administrative Professionals Day, which is the holiday formerly known as Secretary's Day. No matter what you call it, the unofficial holiday occurs on the Wednesday of the last full week of April.

Administrative Assistant Day 2010 falls on Wednesday, April 21, 2010. If one day isn't enough time for you to celebrate, the entire week is known as Administrative Professionals Week (formerly known as Secretary's Week).

According to Wikipedia, the National Secretaries Association, now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) created the unofficial holiday in 1952  to recognize the work of secretaries, administrative assistants, receptionists, and other administrative support professionals. You may also know them as "Executive Admins".

The International Association of Administrative Professionals has actually trademarked the term "Administrative Professionals Day", although people continue to call it whatever they want.

Despite the push for the name change, the top Google searches for this holiday are (in order) secretary's day, administrative professionals day, administrative assistant day, professional administrative day.

Typical gifts for Secretary's Day include gift certificates, lunch, and gift baskets. Some companies cater lunch because hey, somebody has to stay in answer the phones (sad, but true). Best of all, bosses clumsily attempt to plan their own office party.

If your ExecutiveAdminProfessional-etary has a sense of humor, you can always bring a few laughs into the office with these funny awards:

	Bermuda Triangle Award Give to the person who always seems to be losing paperwork. Download this free Printable Certificate
	The Raisin Pay Award Give to the staff member who most deserves a "Raisin" pay. Available for free Sample Certificate of Appreciation
	The Selective Hearing Impairment Award Present to the person in your group who only seems to hear what they want to hear. It's free! Get this funny Award Certificate

Need more ideas? Celebrate Administrative Assistant Day 2010 with our eBook of 101 Funny Employee Awards. It will give all of you non-admins the tools you need to throw a fun recognition ceremony for your staff.

Certificate of Appreciation Templates

Searching for quick and easy certificate of appreciation templates? We offer certificates of appreciation in PDF format. Unlike Microsoft Word certificate templates, our templates are pre-designed and offer limited ability to change their look and feel. But the advantage is that it's super-quick and easy to do.
Available in PDF format, "Funny Employee Awards: Your Complete Guide to Organizing a Humorous, Entertaining, and Rewarding Recognition Ceremony" contains 101 Printable Funny Award Certificates, such as the awards pictured below:


Download "The Raisin Award" certificates of appreciation for free.



The PDF also contains 6 Awards Templates for making up your own Funny Awards. The templates are really just blank versions of the awards pictured above. So imagine the second example without the wording "Baby Bottom's Award" and "For Smoothest in Times of Crisis". The templates include:
• Appreciation Award Template
• Excellence Award Template
• Leadership Award Template
• Recognition Award Template
• Teamwork Award Template
• Achievement Award Template

Again, these are not Microsoft Word templates. You can not change the design or colors of the awards. You can not change the fonts using the Free edition of Adobe Reader (but you can change the fonts and save changes with Adobe Acrobat). The best way to understand the template is to try it out for yourself:
Certificate of Appreciation Example

Be sure to download the free sample certificate of appreciation to make sure the PDF is right for you before making a purchase.

Funny Employee Awards: Your Complete Guide to Organizing a Humorous, Entertaining, and Rewarding Recognition Ceremony