We all want a respectable career. The only problem is, it’s not clear who gets to decide what qualifies as a respectable career.
There can only be so many astronauts, brain surgeons, and inventors. How we end up treating nearly everyone else says a lot about our priorities, and where they might have gone wrong.
Famous pizza maker has words for people who say, ‘Get a real job.’
Jacob Bartoli, who goes by Doughtoli on social media, has built a massive following of well over a million people. He brings infectious enthusiasm for his job, a deep love of all things pizza, and a raw realness that has earned him legions of fans.
Not to mention, lots of free press for Papa Johns.
But many people he crosses paths with don’t know about his social media following or his online influence. They only know that he makes pizzas for a living. And, according to Bartoli, sometimes they ask him: “When are you going to get a real job, buddy?”
In a recent video, Bartoli had a perfect response.
“I just wanna know, when did making money from a place [become] not considered a job? …I think what bothered me the most is how quickly people dismiss a job like this. Honestly, some of the hardest-working people I’ve ever met work in fast food. You’re prepping, you’re cooking, you’re helping customers. And somehow people act like, because some parts are repetitive, it’s an unskilled job.”
He challenges anyone who looks down on food service or manual labor to give it a shot themselves.
“A lot of those people saying that wouldn’t even be able to make it past a Friday night rush.”
“They’re just trying to tear you down to make themselves feel better,” he continues. “You should never feel embarrassed about working hard for something. A title and a description doesn’t make you who you are. How you carry yourself and treat others means a lot more. If you’re really passionate about something, don’t let others take that away from you. Anyone who thinks this isn’t a real job, do me a favor. Respect people no matter what they do and do better.”
The full video is worth a watch:
Commenters agree service workers are among the hardest workers
It’s a major misconception in America that the richest people are the hardest working. In reality, the most taxing and difficult jobs are often the most under-appreciated. Jobs in food service, in particular, are hectic, fast-paced, and demanding. They can be mentally and physically exhausting without being softened by generous pay, benefits, or time off.
(For reference, CareerAddict lists jobs like oil rig worker and roofer as among the most difficult jobs in the world.)
Bartoli’s video received over seven million views on Instagram and another half a million on YouTube Shorts. Commenters had a lot to say about the topic:
“Former line cook here. 99% of people wouldn’t last a day in any kitchen”
“I work as a janitor full time. It’s a messy job, but someone’s got to do it. … People don’t realize all the crazy stuff I encounter on the daily, from fuel spills to making sure to clean up blood and other bodily fluids to keep them safe. I deal with loose razor blades, syringes, broken glass, and even trash cans with car parts people throw out, that’s the short list. How people can look down their nose at important jobs like mine and even food services is beyond me.”
“I briefly worked at Chipotle and I shit you not that was the most difficult job I ever had. If you’ve ever worked/closed grill you know what I’m talking about.”
“As an accountant, I can say that fast food and most ‘starter’ jobs aren’t any less difficult or any less important than any other job.”
“I paid my way through college working at Papa John’s. It’s hard work. It’s good work. Everyone deserves to have good wages.”
“I’m a mechanical engineer, fast food was the hardest job I’ve ever had”
And, of course, many were quick to point out the hypocrisy: society needs pizza makers.
“‘That’s not a real job’ coming from people who get home and order a pizza”
“People who ask why don’t you get a real job sure love to demand the services they receive from all those fake jobs”
“They say we dont do real work and yet during covid i was delivering pizzas 60-70 hours a week because i was an ‘essential worker.’”
Of course, not everyone will have the deep love of pizza making (and the corporate paycheck) of Bartoli. For many, being chronically underappreciated, overworked, and underpaid is more than enough to make them work towards another career. In fact, studies show that blue-collar workers are often less satisfied with and attached to their jobs.
The lack of respect is one reason many view it as just a pit-stop rather than a career.
But Bartoli’s point stands. He might love his life working at Papa Johns, but loving what you do shouldn’t be a requirement for basic human respect. Neither should a specific title, a white-collar job, or a minimum salary.
There’s been a sharp divide between the “labor class” and the “intellectual ruling class” for thousands of years. In 2026, with everyone just trying their best to get by, it’s probably time to let it go and take a good, hard look at what we truly value in each other.
