How do I leave my job gracefully and without screwing anyone over?

I think you should just be upfront about and gives a months notice. Also you can try and help find someone to replace you that maybe even you can train to be a good worker. your marrige is important to you im sure so dont let a dead end job like this get in the way of that and im sure you will be able to find a higher paying job.

Honestly in a small business like this I don't think it is possible to refuse the promotion of her daughter's position and stay where you are. However I'd talk to her. Like you said you have a wedding coming up and she is offering you a promotion. Talk to her about it. What would be the conditions of this? 2 weeks paid vacation, 1 week of sick days. I mean now is the time for negotiation on this. She's in a bind. The worse that can happen is she says no to your suggestions. In which case, she refused the offer not you so you can very easily say I think I'll stay at the counter.

Though I don't understand. Why aren't you looking for another job?? A tad over min wage. Everyone is quitting which means you'll be at like 80 hr work weeks. You are in a relationship but you aren't even engaged so it's a bit early to be worried about the wedding several years out. If I were you I'd be looking for a real job and offering to help her do the hiring to replace those people leaving in December. How could you possibly stay at this job until you get married?

A 4 year commitment. No one can actually hold you to that btw. Basically she wants the commitment that you aren't already thinking about quitting. So let's say you take the job and work for a year, the boyfriend proposes, and you work for the year you are engaged and then quit. There are no reprocussions for quitting after 2 instead of 4. She just wants to know that when the girls quit in Dec, you won't be abandoning ship with them, leaving her by herself with little notice. Though again--if I were you, that's exactly what I'd be doing. Most of my friends work in hotels. Most make really good money. On average $12 an hour. You have experience. Move up. Though I strongly disagree with these people telling you to put in your notice. The job market isn't what it used to be. Don't put in your notice until you have been hired elsewhere.

OK your first responsibility is to yourself and since she is demanding a 4 year commitment she should also give you a decent and livable wage plus all benefits so basically she is trying to screw YOU over by getting you to work for slave wages (I guarantee you her daughter was making great money) with no benefits so why would you even consider this? No vacation and no sick days; the woman is a total monster whop is trying to enslave you with no benefits at all so let her get emotional you owe her NOTHING and you need to get out of there now. To avoid doing this face to face, send her a certified letter of resignation, that way you avoid all her fake hysteria and just because you have a moral compass does not mean she has one...don't ever let anyone bully or manipulate you esp when the situation is so entirely without any benefit to you at all.

Yea, she is manipulating you. You have your own life and dont have to succumb to the ultimatums of your boss. Just because you are friends at work doesn't mean you would be friends in real life. The business isn't your responsibility and they don't even pay you that good. Come to your senses and just quit, you will feel way better in the long run, in my opinion.

If they are expecting that much out of you , they should be paying you a decent salary .

Being left with 2 people running a 24/7 business is really not your problem, since they aren't paying you enough to worry about their problems.

Here is what you say :

"I'm putting in my notice for a better opportunity " with everything going up these days Its difficult for me to stay here and not enjoy time to myself." Thank you for giving me the opportunity of employment here at (--------) " I will miss you all.

Be sure to get a good reference from them .

They can hire new people. Don't let them emotionally blackmail you (crying, making you feel guilty, etc) into taking less money/benefits than you are worth, or sticking around in a job that is not benefiting you anymore. You work for them, not the other way around. You are doing them a favor, and they are paying you for it. You don't owe them anything.

Just say you've really enjoyed your time working there but you feel your life is taking you in a different direction. Tell them you'll happily help them train a new hiree. Then give them written notice, telling them what your last day will be, and stick to it. You can give them more than two weeks if you want to be nice, but you don't have to. You don't even *have* to give them two weeks, it's just considered good manners. Don't let them trick you into staying longer than you want to ("we haven't been able to hire someone yet", etc.).