Does the work environment matter? Sexual objectification and waitresses' body dissatisfaction

•Objectifying restaurants put waitresses' bodies on display and elicit men's gaze.•Working at objectifying restaurants is related to waitresses' body dissatisfaction.•Thin ideal internalization and self-objectification in serial mediate this link.•Working conditions and internalization processes shed light on body image concerns.

We investigated the relations between working in sexually objectifying restaurant environments and body dissatisfaction in a sample of 252 United States waitresses. Supporting our hypotheses, results indicated that working in sexually objectifying restaurant environments was positively correlated with waitresses' body dissatisfaction. Our findings also supported a theorized serial three-chain mediation model in which working in sexually objectifying restaurant environments was related to body dissatisfaction through more thin ideal internalization and greater self-objectification/body surveillance. Furthermore, thin ideal internalization had a direct, unique link to body dissatisfaction. Our findings highlight the importance of working conditions and internalization processes in understanding waitresses' body image concerns.