The novel was written while Danler was a waitress at Union Square Cafe and an MFA student at nearby university The New School.

Later, while a waitress at Buvette, another restaurant in New York City, she met Peter Gethers, a publisher, and informed him that she had recently finished a book.

Gradually her closeness to the two turns to bitterness after she discovers that they have matching tattoos neither one will talk about and that Simone raised Jake from the time he was eight.

When the restaurant is closed by the health inspectors, Tess goes upstairs to the general manager's office and accidentally discovers that Simone and Jake have planned a one-month vacation to France for his birthday without telling her.

She also tries to convince Jake that his relationship with Simone is unhealthy and asks him to quit for her but though he admits he is tempted he ultimately rejects her.

Feeling defeated Tess goes to speak to the general manager, Howard, to convince him to give her one of the prestigious server jobs even though she knows that Simone will try to block her promotion.

Howard has sex with her in return for the promotion; however, it turns out to be a transfer to one of their sister restaurants which Tess refuses.

"[12] In October 2017, Starz and Plan B Entertainment announced the development of a TV adaptation of the novel,[13] with Ella Purnell as Tess.