Waiter/waitress questions.

[DCSL]

I'm doing a project and I need some information on being waitstaff. Anyone here that can oblige?

I know that they make less than minimum wage hourly but how much less? With tips added on, how much would the average person make? Do men or women get more tips in general, not counting ultra hotness or great personalities that tip the scales? How long are shifts usually? For those that've worked in 24-hour places, what's the late night crowd like? Do you get any benefits as a waiter?

I'll probably think of more questions later. Thanks in advance for the help.

[Bobmuhthol]

Wage rates vary by state. You're better off looking for the appropriate wage laws. The lowest number that I can remember is $2.13.

[WRoss]

I know that they make less than minimum wage hourly but how much less?
In GA I was getting paid about 3.40/hr. In IL I believe minimum wage for a server is 5.40/hr.

With tips added on, how much would the average person make?
I started out in 2004 and reported about 34k working about 30-35 hours a week. I moved up to fine dining by 2007 and was reporting about 48k working about 25-30 hours a week. The thing about being a server is that you only have to report tips to match 12% of your sales. You get paid every shift and a lot of servers are spending a ton of money before they go to the bank. I've had paychecks range from 2 cents to 150 dollars.

Do men or women get more tips in general, not counting ultra hotness or great personalities that tip the scales?
Percentage wise, woman typically can start out more. The more upscale dining you go it starts to even out. Some of the people making the most money were the people turning tables over the fastest but only averaging 15-18% tips. More tables, more money.

How long are shifts usually?
There were days where I'd work from 9AM until 1AM. Other shifts I'd work when its dead would only be about 2-3 hours. Servers are constantly trading out shifts. Waiting to clock in until their fist table comes. Clocking out as soon as the last table leaves. It all really depends on where you work and how much you want to work.

For those that've worked in 24-hour places, what's the late night crowd like?
I never worked in a 24 hour diner, but I worked at a nice bar that was open until 5AM. Asking what any crowd is going to be like at those hours would be like asking what the weather is going to be in 5 months. There is no telling.

Do you get any benefits as a waiter?
Every restaurant I worked at offered benefits.

I liked serving for a while. Its decent money, but the lifestyle got old. My weekends were Monday and Tuesday. After dealing with customers for so long, I really started to hate people. In every restaurant I worked at, there was a huge amount of drug use and alcohol abuse, which was very easy to get wrapped up in.

[Sean of the Thread]

I'll put it this way.


My ex is mild mannered attractive and is an elementary school teacher.

She quit teaching because she made much more money being a waitress and bartender.

She's also very shy.

And unbeknown to her I still get our credit card statements (well hers) in my email and she's having no problem dropping $1000 a month on them to pay them off.

But she made at the time I think $2.13 an hour unless she was training than it was min wage and of course tips.

[phantasm]

With tips I'd say a good average is $12-13/hr

[TheEschaton]

When I waited tables, I made $2.50 an hour, but with tips, usually minimum $15 an hour. My average shift was something like 3-9, or 4-10, and in 6 hours I'd usually clear $100 in tips a night.

-TheE-

[WRoss]

I used to do pretty good but started making bank when I worked at this place that would give you 10% of every bottle of wine you sold over $50. I had one party of 30 I split with another server. They were drinking $350 bottles of wine (Gaja Barberesca 94) all night. That night I made over a grand easy. Fun times.

[Kuyuk]

Dont make the kitchen staff hate on FOH staff in this thread.

I know I want to!

[Barundar]

I used to work on tips and make the 2.13 an hour, I hear that minimum has been raised out here but can't be sure. I can say that I used to rip down a retarded amount of money for the job I had, nothing beats walking out of work with a pocket full of actual cash.

[TheEschaton]

Believe me, Kuyuk, I started as a dishwasher, worked up to busboy, and then finally to waiter. I was the only waiter the kitchen staff liked cause I didn't give them shit.

And there's that thing I did to that waitress when I was a dishwasher that helped, lol.

[WRoss]

nothing beats walking out of work with a pocket full of actual cash.

like getting robbed on the way to the car

[phantasm]

So the payscale at a restraunt is thus I assume (lowest to highest):

Dishwasher
Busboy
Cooks
Waitor
Host
Bartender
Kitchen Manager
Owner

[B2]

Serving wage here is still $2.13. In California, servers make minimum wage + tips. I'd average $20/hour when I worked at the Cheesecake Factory in San Fran, which I guess is in line with the $15 estimate for people actually on serving wage.

California is very strict about breaks and things like that, so we had Breaker shifts that we rotated through. A breaker would take your table for 30 minutes while you had your break. The breaker made $15 an hour regardless of what your table tipped. I had a breaker shift while I was on overtime on a federal holiday. It was glorious. I always liked breaker shifts on weekdays; guaranteed money and you didn't have to worry about tips. I still gave my best service.

When I worked at Pyramid Brewery in California, they didn't have breakers. They had us sign a sheet saying we waived our right to take a break. They gave us the option to transfer all of our tables away without being able to take them back if we did actually want our break. We, uh, bankrupted the company with a class action suit over that one.

In Chicago, with the foreign and touristy crowd, I made much much less. Serving wage there was around $4.50 I think. Hot, angsty patrons + management that didn't care did not make for a very good environment.

Things I remember:

Women would tip me MUCH higher when I didn't wear makeup.

Men didn't care about makeup, but tipped higher when I wore my glasses. But women tipped lower when I wore my glasses.

I don't want to be judged on my appearance or by any of those random 50 things listed in that other thread. I hated those tables who would be so cheerful, gush over how wonderful everything was, thank me so much for my time and attention, and then tip me two dollars and three frowny faces on the tip line. What? Really? Huh? I grew to hate the feeling that everything I did was being judged on some random, different-for-every-person scale.

I would serve again only if the restaurant did not let servers accept tips, and paid $15/hour.

[Kuyuk]

So the payscale at a restraunt is thus I assume (lowest to highest):


Dishwasher
Busboy
Cooks
Waitor
Host
Bartender
Kitchen Manager
Owner

Doubtful.

Most busboys make a % of tips. It's more like this:

Dishwasher
cooks/busboy
lead cook
host
KM
waitstaff
bartender
owner

all depending on the establishment. a lower ticket operation will have a KM thats hourly between 12-14, a finer dining will have a KM thats salary between 29-35. Either way, a decent waitstaff can beat it.

[DCSL]

Wow. I had no idea servers could make so much or so little. Three frowny faces? Really? Do people really do that? FFS, I can see that the industry could really give you a dim view of humanity. Thanks for the information!

[Belnia]

I've never worked as waitstaff, but I was one of those all-nighters in a local 24 hour diner chain called Jims down here in Texas.

The late night crowd is very hospitable, on a first-name basis with the crowd and anyone on the waitstaff who has been there more than a week. The Jims crowd even printed up their own nametags and wore them around. In general, they got along awesomely with the waitstaff, smoked with them, went partying with them when not working, and the waitstaff would take their breaks with the crowd.

It helped that this particular diner had free Wi-Fi, so a lot of people would bring their laptops and set up for WoW raids and enjoy the free coffee refills and order food as the night went on.

The only other thing of note I can remember is that the late night crowd knew exactly when their server's shifts were up, and made sure to leave tips with that server before they left the building.

[Paradii]

One thing that bothers me as a customer, is when you sit down for a few drinks and after bringing out the first round the server lets you know that they are leaving and wants us to cash out. I can understand if we had food and were 7 rounds deep, but c'mon. Eat a dick.

[SolitareConfinement]

One thing that bothers me as a customer, is when you sit down for a few drinks and after bringing out the first round the server lets you know that they are leaving and wants us to cash out. I can understand if we had food and were 7 rounds deep, but c'mon. Eat a dick.

its been my experience when working in a restaurant that when they are asking you this, its because they have all their outs done to leave, their shift is up, and one cannot clock out with an open ticket like that. SO in order for them to go home after most likely a 10-12 hour double shift, they ask you to be human, close out a ticket so they can actually leave and have a life too. perhaps to go out to eat like yourself... lulz

[Clove]

Waitstaff can a make very good livings... I used to book their receipts :D. Takehome pay really varies depending on the type of place you work at and the shifts you get. Like others have said, more tables more money; but also since tips are a percentage of the ticket the more upscale and expensive the food the bigger the tips. The women tended to book more until we got to 3 star or above then it was pretty even (no idea why). One of my friend's from highschool paid for his UConn biochem degree waiting tables on weekends at a 4 star in town, no problem.

Always write "thank-you" with your name on the receipt :D

[Sean of the Thread]

Man if anyone has ever been to a Sweet Tomato's those bus peoples make a fucking fortune!

[Tsa`ah]

I'm doing a project and I need some information on being waitstaff. Anyone here that can oblige?

I know that they make less than minimum wage hourly but how much less? With tips added on, how much would the average person make? Do men or women get more tips in general, not counting ultra hotness or great personalities that tip the scales? How long are shifts usually? For those that've worked in 24-hour places, what's the late night crowd like? Do you get any benefits as a waiter?

I'll probably think of more questions later. Thanks in advance for the help.

The minimum wage law in IL allows employers to pay as little as 4.80 an hour so long as the employer is implementing the 40% credit against tips. If not the employee has to be paid 8/hr. As you can guess, pretty much every establishment with a wait staff in IL pays 4.80 an hour.

I don't think you find any one standard as tips vary between the class of the establishment, the quality of the food, the location of the establishment, and the time of day the person is working.

The biggest being the time of day. If you're filling the hours between rushes ... you're making shit for tips.

I waited tables in the early morning for my aunt. From 5am to 8am was the farmer rush and so long as you kept the coffee topped off and knew the difference between attending in an annoying fashion and a serviceable fashion ... one could walk away with 50-70 bucks in that brief shift.

I waited tables for a short time in college, as well as tended bar, and I learned to get as far away from campus as possible. A five hour shift in an establishment close to or on campus would end in maybe 20-40 in tips during a rush. In establishments not frequented by students or staff the same shifts would result in double to triple.

Odd shifts suck no matter the location.

That was some time ago and the hourly wage for wait staff was around 2.25 an hour.

In my experience I learned that the elderly, the 16-25 crowd, students, college educators, foreigners (be they immigrants or visiting), and of course the poor (working or not) tip for shit or just don't tip. Not waiting in country clubs and college dives drastically reduced two of those groups.

[Latrinsorm]

I hated those tables who would be so cheerful, gush over how wonderful everything was, thank me so much for my time and attention, and then tip me two dollars and three frowny faces on the tip line. What? Really? Huh?
Three frowny faces? Really? Do people really do that?I only had to put sad faces once, but I wasn't disingenuous about it and still left I think 10%.
I grew to hate the feeling that everything I did was being judged on some random, different-for-every-person scale.At least people were honest about it, unlike every other job in the world.

[Paradii]

its been my experience when working in a restaurant that when they are asking you this, its because they have all their outs done to leave, their shift is up, and one cannot clock out with an open ticket like that. SO in order for them to go home after most likely a 10-12 hour double shift, they ask you to be human, close out a ticket so they can actually leave and have a life too. perhaps to go out to eat like yourself... lulz

I honestly doubt they have worked 12 hours at a sports bar by 3 pm. They can eat a dick if they are hungry.

[Bobmuhthol]

In my experience I learned that the elderly, the 16-25 crowd, students, college educators, foreigners (be they immigrants or visiting), and of course the poor (working or not) tip for shit or just don't tip.

This pisses me off because I think it's a motivator for waiters to give me subpar service. People complain to me that I tip too much (never less than 20% for "normal" service).

[ThatDamnTep]

Not quite the same as wait staff, but...

When I was working as a pizza delivery driver, we were paid 5$ an hour. You were charged 1 dollar per run out of the shop to cover the taxes that you were supposed to report, but were granted an auto-expense of 8% of the total bill to cover mileage, gas, etc. That 8% adds up pretty quickly on an average order of 20$, but since I was a campus driver I frequently pulled the 200$-400$ club, faculty, frat runs, etc. I averaged about 50 runs a night, and usually walked with at least 150$ on nights when there were no huge dollar amount orders.

Oh, those were the days.

[Tsa`ah]

This pisses me off because I think it's a motivator for waiters to give me subpar service. People complain to me that I tip too much (never less than 20% for "normal" service).

Did it ever occur to you that you're the exception and not the rule?

Ask anyone that has waited tables, especially if they have worked some place were students are the bulk of the customer base ... there's a pretty damned good chance they'll tell you that students (as a whole) tip for shit.

Bob isn't indicative of the entire collegiate demographic. Bob is but a single person among a very large demographic.

If it pisses you off so much, don't eat so close to campus or start telling your fellow students that they're too cheap and too inconsiderate ... and to tip appropriately or just stop wasting the time of waiters and waitresses and eat some where that gives you food wrapped in plastic or paper.

[AnticorRifling]

I made fat cash when I was a waiter. I was the only guy and I always made more than the girls that were servers. I would probably average 25/hr which was sexy money for a 16yr old.

As for students tipping like shit I'd agree with that. When I'd come home on leave and visit the woman her friends wouldn't tip much but that's because they are students what money do they have?

[Tsa`ah]

but that's because they are students what money do they have?

That is no excuse. If you don't have the money to tip appropriately you do one of three things.

1. Know what you have to spend before you order. Look at the menu and figure out your tab before you order ... adjust your order downward to accommodate the appropriate tip if necessary.

2. Know what you have to spend before you decide on where to eat and decide on the most cost effective establishment in order to accommodate the appropriate tip.

3. Don't waste the wait staff's time and just go to McDonalds.

If you don't have enough to tip the cab driver you call for the cab to pick you up closer to your destination and start walking.

If you're out drinking and are not sure you have sufficient funds to tip the bartender or server ... you drink less and tip the bartender or server.

There's a reason students (and other groups) get shit service ... it's so they hurry the fuck up and then get the fuck out asap. Despite the small chance that the student may be Bob who tips well, it's a numbers game. The faster I can turn that table around, the better the chance that I'll recover from a cheap ass student or group of cheap ass students.

[TheEschaton]

I hate to do it, but I agree with Tsa'ah, if you can't afford a decent tip, don't eat there.

[Latrinsorm]

I think Tsa`ah overstates his case a bit.

[Joe]

That is no excuse. If you don't have the money to tip appropriately you do one of three things.

1. Know what you have to spend before you order. Look at the menu and figure out your tab before you order ... adjust your order downward to accommodate the appropriate tip if necessary.

2. Know what you have to spend before you decide on where to eat and decide on the most cost effective establishment in order to accommodate the appropriate tip.

3. Don't waste the wait staff's time and just go to McDonalds.

If you don't have enough to tip the cab driver you call for the cab to pick you up closer to your destination and start walking.

If you're out drinking and are not sure you have sufficient funds to tip the bartender or server ... you drink less and tip the bartender or server.

There's a reason students (and other groups) get shit service ... it's so they hurry the fuck up and then get the fuck out asap. Despite the small chance that the student may be Bob who tips well, it's a numbers game. The faster I can turn that table around, the better the chance that I'll recover from a cheap ass student or group of cheap ass students.

:yeahthat:

[AestheticDeath]

I laugh at that actually. You sit there and tell me you can clear twice what I make per hour, for running trays and drinks back and forth, and you want to complain that people don't tip enough? Please.

And don't get me started on the fact that you don't have to pay taxs on 100% of your earnings since 99.9% of the wait staff pockets tips without reporting them or whatever.

I don't tip on a percentage. I tip a min. of $2, and a max of $10. My average meal in a tip required placed is about $10, and my most expensive is like $15, rarely $20. I have never stayed in a restaurant more then an hour or so, and that is usually a large gathering. Which means multiple people are all tipping. I'm not there eating out to pay your wages, etc etc.

My higher tips come into play when I notice there are only 1-2 tables being worked by the person, or I stay the hour long period. Don't even expect some 20-30% tip from a large bill of mine if your working half a dozen tables. My responsibility at the most extends to helping you earn as much as I do per hour, after that you are on your own.

Also I think there is a HUGE thread on servers and tipping and all that somewhere on here already if you search for it.

[AestheticDeath]

Oh and tipping cab drivers? Seriously? I have never taken one personally, but don't they already charge a fucking arm and a leg, and try to take your testicles as your slamming the door?

[EasternBrand]

Oh and tipping cab drivers? Seriously? I have never taken one personally, but don't they already charge a fucking arm and a leg, and try to take your testicles as your slamming the door?

I don't know how it works in every city, but I'm pretty sure that in NYC, cab drivers who don't own their own vehicle have to pay the dispatcher a rental fee each day. I think they may be responsible for their gas, too, at least after a certain amount. A typical shift is 12 hours long, and some of these guys work 6 days a week. From purely anecdotal evidence--that is, talking with cabbies--it seems that an average yearly take-home is about $30,000. It's not like these guys are making some eye-popping salary for what they do.

If a cab driver can safely get me to where I want to go, fuck yes he deserves a tip. If I didn't want to pay the rates and the tip, I'd take mass transportation and/or walk.

[Clove]

Oh and tipping cab drivers? Seriously? I have never taken one personally, but don't they already charge a fucking arm and a leg, and try to take your testicles as your slamming the door?Okayy...

http://www.kennedy.icecentral.net/images/mr_pink.jpg

[SolitareConfinement]

I honestly doubt they have worked 12 hours at a sports bar by 3 pm. They can eat a dick if they are hungry.

wow...people like you make me glad to not work in this industry anymore.

[TheEschaton]

Not tipping a cab driver is stupid, once again proving how you fail at everything AL.

[AestheticDeath]

Not tipping a cab driver is stupid, once again proving how you fail at everything AL.

I am assuming you meant AD. But like I said, I have never taken one. But all I have heard about them is crappy driving habits, and taking you the long route to charge more and all that.

[AestheticDeath]

And, I feel the same way regardless. Whether it be for a waiter, cab driver, mail man, or anything else. The only reason I should have to tip is because someone did an exceptional job and I want to reward them.

They just need to raise the wages to what it should be and stop expecting people to tip in order for them to make a living.

[AestheticDeath]

Okayy...

http://www.kennedy.icecentral.net/images/mr_pink.jpg

ismurri wannabe?

[Sean of the Thread]

When I delivered pizza I made a killing back in school. It was in and around the boot ranch area.

$4.00 an hour. $1.25 a run. I'd also put in long hours and all day if I could.

In my experience the worst tips were the kids everywhere. Parents would leave them money for dinner and they'd keep the change.

Second on the list for bad tips were the upper class rich fucks.

Tips start to get good with the normal everyday mid income people.

Tips were good on runs to corporations with 30 pies. *A couple of the big ones had a new class of trainees graduating every week.

Regulars... usually older women that request the same driver tipped well. I'm sure "regulars" tip well in almost every industry.

Keep in mind this area and our radius is a pretty nice area/demographic.

I wouldn't dream of slinging pies in my area of Clearwater without someone riding shotgun.

[TheEschaton]

It's a reference to Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs, who goes on a famous (for film) rant about tipping waitresses. Every other character berates him for being a cheap asshole.

[Kuyuk]

oh, I never did understand tipping the mailman

and for AD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLV4OxzDKwI

[TheEschaton]

I tip everyone. Speaking of which, I have to tip my doormen soon, hmmm.

[Kuyuk]

did you tip Sean when he asked for money?

[TheEschaton]

Yeah, my tip was: Don't fuck up your court proceedings.

[Sean of the Thread]

Yeah, my tip was: Don't fuck up your court proceedings.


And it worked.

Thank you very much and after I ensure the girls get a solid Christmas from me I'll be able to start repaying.

All said and done it had cost me over $6k and I was just short a little at the time but that little made all the difference.

That's not counting the other costs including losing a job/transportation/house/family...

It's still going to cost me a fortune down the road to get my license back not counting the insurance increase and purchase of another vehicle. However I'm not even slightly thinking about that anytime soon.

[Latrinsorm]

Wait, AestheticLife isn't AestheticDeath with a new handle? >_<

[AnticorRifling]

That's the story he's sticking with.

[AestheticDeath]

No, AestheticLife is not me. Any of the mods can confirm it.

- I thought I knew who it was, until they were posting all the political junk. And I don't keep up with that shit enough to figure out who it is.

[Paradii]

Shouldn't the name be UglyLife?

[EasternBrand]

Somewhere Mr. Pink is smiling. The Express-Times reports:

Moravian College senior Leslie Pope and John Wagner, a Lehigh University graduate student, were handcuffed and transported from the Lehigh Pub to Bethlehem police headquarters Oct. 23 after failing to pay a mandatory 18 percent gratuity.

Pope and Wagner, members of a party of eight during happy hour, refused to pay a $16.35 service charge on top of their $73.87 tab because of what they say was shoddy service as well as a surcharge that was nearly 5 percent higher than the 18 percent listed on the menu.

“Gratuity is thanking you for your service,” Pope, 22, said. “You can’t give us terrible, terrible service and expect a tip.”

These kids don’t have any idea about what they’re talking about. These people bust their ass. This is a hard job.

According to Pope and Wagner the service was really bad. After the jump, a tipster throws out some counterclaim ideas.

The news report tells us that the “mandatory tip” was actually much more than 18%. Sounds fishy to me, and an ATL tipster:

* Even if the tip was 18%, that only adds up to $13.29. Maybe the bar should be brought up on fraud charges.

* What if this had been brought as a civil case? Could the couple counterclaim for breach of contract, eg, the mandatory tip was an implied agreement for gratuity-worthy service?

More to the point, what the hell are they being charged with? They pleaded not guilty, but the Express-Times doesn’t tell us the crime.

Of course, in most states there is no statutory prohibition on being a dick. Maybe they should have paid the $16.35 and moved on with their lives, maybe they should have paid $13.29 and stormed out of the bar. Or maybe they did exactly the right thing. Regardless, there is no way case like this should take up any judicial time.


http://abovethelaw.com/2009/11/is_it_illegal_not_to_tip.php

[Kuyuk]

hey, I Dont blame them. if the service was shit, I wouldnt pay it either, but I probably would have talked to a manager.