Hi Nancy, I’m not in restaurants but I wanted to say I see you. It is hard and it feels intimidating and sometimes lonely in those early days. It’s a change - and finding understanding and support is important.
The search bar is helpful (try searching “restaurant” or “bar” and see what pops up) but there’s a lot of people who will understand you even though they’re not in restaurants specifically. Alcohol is woven into companies, companionship, and work in a lot of ways: salespeople do it, sports lovers, lawyers, mechanics, etc etc - just about every interest or occupation has the option of drinking woven into it somewhere.
Take some time to read around here and I’m sure you’ll find stories that are familiar. The check-in thread is a good place to start:
There’s also a lot of podcasts, books / memoirs, and groups that are great places to dive in and find understanding and support:
Welcome Nancy. You are not alone. Your path matters, your health and self-respect matters, and you deserve a safe, sober life where you can be your full self.