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Tips Don't Add Up for Most Waiters and Waitresses

AlbqOwl said:
I'm going to guess that many if not most of those who work as servers in restaurants do so because:

1. They are in college or other training programs and need a decent paying part time job to help pay for it.

2. They are in between jobs and marking time until they can find something better.

3. They are working as a second and presumed temporary job to supplement their income.

4. They are working in a great restaurant with quick turn over frequented by good tippers and they're making out like bandits.

The problem with articles like the one featured in the OP is that the writer rarely even looks at the demographics or the variables or the realities of why people are working. Several times during my working life both my husband and I have taken on part time jobs to supplement our income and if what we were earning on some of those jobs was the only thing taken into consideration, we too would have been among those poor pitiful people working for starvation wages with no benefits.
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There are people who work in restaurants for any of those reasons, absolutely. They are, however, still the minority. Most... save maybe in predominantly college towns... treat it as a career because they have no skills or other options that pay as well. The biggest things one needs to be a good server is some basic organizational skills and a good personality.


imagep said:
I suspect that most people who make tips don't report the majority of their tips. Just today someone was telling me about a Hooters waitress who was making $600 in a 4 hour shift in tips, that may be unusually large, but I think that most servers make pretty darned good money.

A server may wait on ten tables in an hour. Even it if its a low end place, surely they will average at least $2 a table - Thats $20 an hour, or right at the median income. Not a bad gig for something that is basically unskilled labor and requires no degree, no license, and no special training that the server has to pay for.
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And you would be correct. Most don't.
 
imagep said:
I suspect that most people who make tips don't report the majority of their tips. Just today someone was telling me about a Hooters waitress who was making $600 in a 4 hour shift in tips, that may be unusually large, but I think that most servers make pretty darned good money.

A server may wait on ten tables in an hour. Even it if its a low end place, surely they will average at least $2 a table - Thats $20 an hour, or right at the median income. Not a bad gig for something that is basically unskilled labor and requires no degree, no license, and no special training that the server has to pay for.
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That's assuming the average place is consistently booked
 
Crosscheck said:
How do you know their life story? Maybe it is a job they are taking while going to school. Maybe they actually enjoy it.

One can only imagine how sore one's butt can get from riding that high horse.
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I don't care about their life story. Everyone is personally responsible for getting an education when they have the opportunity. The fact that they didn't places it right in their own lap. I don't care about anyone's sob story.
 
sangha said:
That's assuming the average place is consistently booked
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Sure. Seems to me that most of the places I eat at have a waiting line, and when they don't they schedule fewer wait people.

I'm sure that there are lots of lower end joints that have a lack of customers though, particularly during between meal hours.

Almost every weekend I go out to eat with friends, often several other couples, and we may easily leave $20-$30 in tips, just from our one table. Even of the server is only waiting on two or three tables, they can still make some decent money in a mid-range sit down restaraunt.
 
imagep said:
Sure. Seems to me that most of the places I eat at have a waiting line, and when they don't they schedule fewer wait people.

I'm sure that there are lots of lower end joints that have a lack of customers though, particularly during between meal hours.

Almost every weekend I go out to eat with friends, often several other couples, and we may easily leave $20-$30 in tips, just from our one table. Even of the server is only waiting on two or three tables, they can still make some decent money in a mid-range sit down restaraunt.
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It's an average. Few places are constantly busy, and most places have "rushes". It all averages out to decent tips.
 
radcen said:
I have never been a server, but I was married to one for many years and I have many year's experience in restaurants in the kitchen and in management, so I got to know many servers very well.

The problem with the living conditions of most servers isn't the amount of money they make, but rather the fact that most servers are undereducated and/or undisciplined regarding their own money management.

Most stories like this always fail to address that aspect. But then, it's considered rude to suggest anything that might come off as blaming the person for their own life situation. No, it must be somebody else's fault.
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For my comment and thoughts about this, read my sig below.
 
Beaudreaux said:
For my comment and thoughts about this, read my sig below.
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That's really the problem, people don't want to take responsibility for their lives, they want everyone else to make up for their own failures. You have only one chance in life. You either make good decisions or you have a really hard time. The more bad choices you make, the worse your life is going to be. Bad decisions compound other bad decisions. Some bad decisions are so life ruining that, once done, can never be undone. If people are that foolish and irresponsible that they do these things, I don't want them to come running to me to complain that their life sucks. Of course it does. They made it suck. They need to live with the consequences of their decisions. Welcome to reality, people.
 
radcen said:
That warmed my heart.

Anyway, it may look like blaming to some, but to others it's a first step in (hopefully) fixing the problem. You can't fix it if you don't know what it is. Simply throwing money at it... as many suggest, not necessarily you... would be futile if people are still spendthrifts after they get it.
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Do I smell sarcasm ??
 
imagep said:
Sure. Seems to me that most of the places I eat at have a waiting line, and when they don't they schedule fewer wait people.

I'm sure that there are lots of lower end joints that have a lack of customers though, particularly during between meal hours.

Almost every weekend I go out to eat with friends, often several other couples, and we may easily leave $20-$30 in tips, just from our one table. Even of the server is only waiting on two or three tables, they can still make some decent money in a mid-range sit down restaraunt.
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Of course it's always busy when you go. You're going when everyone else goes, so it's busy.

3 o'clock in the afternoon....not so much and restaurants can't have people come in for the 2.5 hours it's busy for lunch, send them home, and have them come back for another 3 or so hours it's busy for dinner.

And then there's the work that servers do that isn't waiting on tables, like setting up, cleaning, filling ketchup bottles, cleaning, polishing silverware, folding napkins, and the million other things servers are called on to do........for less than $3/hr, no tips.

Basing your estimate on the busiest time of week (ie the weekends), at the busiest time of the day (dinnertime) when the bill is at it's highest is going to lead to a highly inflated figure.
 
sangha said:
Of course it's always busy when you go. You're going when everyone else goes, so it's busy.

3 o'clock in the afternoon....not so much and restaurants can't have people come in for the 2.5 hours it's busy for lunch, send them home, and have them come back for another 3 or so hours it's busy for dinner.

And then there's the work that servers do that isn't waiting on tables, like setting up, cleaning, filling ketchup bottles, and the million other things servers are called on to do........for less than $3/hr.

Basing your estimate on the busiest time of week (ie the weekends), at the busiest time of the day (dinnertime) when the bill is at it's highest is going to lead to a highly inflated figure.
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That's funny. It just proves how self centered I am, and possibly most people are. I assume my personal observations to be the norm.

I've got customers who complain that every time they call me and ask "how busy are you" (which means that they are asking for a rush job or a freebie favor), I always tell them that we are swamped. My business is very seasonal, there are times of the year where I simply can't get jobs completed on short notice, there are other times that when all I have to do is maintainance or paperwork. Anyhow, when they complain, I explain that our business is seasonal and that they always place orders during our busy season. They seemed to be shocked that we have seasonality in our business and often ask why. I tell them that I don't know why they always place orders during the early spring and early fall and ask them why they do that.

By the way, one place that I worked at when I was in college the servers had two time cards, one for serving and the other for rolling silverware - they got paid min wage for their half hour or so rolling silverware.
 
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KevinKohler said:
It's not all about immediate pay. It's about potential. I make a salary, but I do an exceptional job, do tons of unpaid overtime, etc, and it shows. The areas of the business I am responsible for are immaculate. And when it's time, I will be promoted. Again. Over others who have been doing this for far longer.
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That's it for sure. All of us who take pride in performance and excellence do that I think whether working at an hourly wage or on salary or on commission. But the fact is, those working as servers in a restaurant probably do not see that job as a career. I will guess the vast majority are doing it because it pays decently for a temporary part time job and don't expect it to offer a lot of potential. And that's okay too.
 
radcen said:
There are people who work in restaurants for any of those reasons, absolutely. They are, however, still the minority. Most... save maybe in predominantly college towns... treat it as a career because they have no skills or other options that pay as well. The biggest things one needs to be a good server is some basic organizational skills and a good personality.
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I'm not at all sure that a majority treat it as a career in an industry in which the average will see a 50% to 100% turnover in their wait staff in any given year. But you are right that it is an attractive job for somebody who doesn't want full time, needs some flexibility in schedules, and it pays better than your average part time mostly temporary job. I do think it takes a broader skill set than organizational skills and personality though. Immodestly perhaps, I have excellent organizational skills and can present an excellent service demeanor, but I sucked at waiting tables. I tried it, and found I had no natural aptitude for it at all. :)
 
I have a very simple way of looking at tips --- do your job well, I tip well. Do a poor job, you get nothing.
 
Cephus said:
That's really the problem, people don't want to take responsibility for their lives, they want everyone else to make up for their own failures. You have only one chance in life. You either make good decisions or you have a really hard time. The more bad choices you make, the worse your life is going to be. Bad decisions compound other bad decisions. Some bad decisions are so life ruining that, once done, can never be undone. If people are that foolish and irresponsible that they do these things, I don't want them to come running to me to complain that their life sucks. Of course it does. They made it suck. They need to live with the consequences of their decisions. Welcome to reality, people.
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I get tired of hearing that someone else is to blame for the circumstances that people find themselves in. I don't make choices for others. I don't control whether they take their education seriously, or whether they have the personal ability to do so. I don't tell them what job to accept. I don't even have control over the lives of my adult kids, much less other people that aren't in my own family. So, why am I responsible for them? As a reasonable member of society, I do however feel that those that are physically or mentally incapable to support themselves should get my help - BUT, way too many people are not in that category that complain and expect more, and more... and more, while not doing more to deserve more

Sorry, but it just frustrates me.
 
Helix said:
servers should be paid at least minimum wage plus tips.
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As long as tips arent automatically included in the bill and are subjected to the patron's discretion I got no problem with that.
 
radcen said:
I have never been a server, but I was married to one for many years and I have many year's experience in restaurants in the kitchen and in management, so I got to know many servers very well.

The problem with the living conditions of most servers isn't the amount of money they make, but rather the fact that most servers are undereducated and/or undisciplined regarding their own money management.

Most stories like this always fail to address that aspect. But then, it's considered rude to suggest anything that might come off as blaming the person for their own life situation. No, it must be somebody else's fault.
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cant say nationwide,but around fort hood,pizza deliver guys make about 100-150 a night in tips alone.the average waitress and bartender makes more.but maybe drunken soldiers tip better.i know sober i atleast tip 10-20% depending on the amount,the lower amount i pay higher percentage.
 
Just like fast food,being a waitress/waiter should only be looked at as supplemental income. It's perfect for a SAHM,college student, or even retired folks who just wanna get out of the house. I understand that sometimes people can only take what's offered, but if you set your sights low...
 
Regarding pizza delivery;don't they get a tip( they call it something else) added to their delivery now?
 
herenow1 said:
Just like fast food,being a waitress/waiter should only be looked at as supplemental income. It's perfect for a SAHM,college student, or even retired folks who just wanna get out of the house. I understand that sometimes people can only take what's offered, but if you set your sights low...
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Only exception I would make is the best of the best at high-end restaurants in big cities and tourist areas. They can pull in some big bucks consistently.


herenow1 said:
Regarding pizza delivery;don't they get a tip( they call it something else) added to their delivery now?
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Those delivery fees almost never get passed on to the driver. Or, if they do, only a small percentage. At least with the bigger chains.
 
beerftw said:
cant say nationwide,but around fort hood,pizza deliver guys make about 100-150 a night in tips alone.the average waitress and bartender makes more.but maybe drunken soldiers tip better.i know sober i atleast tip 10-20% depending on the amount,the lower amount i pay higher percentage.
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I just saw on Mythbusters where they did an experiment to see if tips went up depending on breast size, they got between $72-$95 in a Starbucks-type place in just an hour or two (80 male customers). Seems you can make a ton of money, just by doing your job.
 
Some restaurants or eating establishments split tips in the kitty, don't know if that works out better or not?

We tip based on service the waiter or waitress gives, for a $22.00 meal for two, we tip $5.00. don't know if that's a lot, or a little.
 
herenow1 said:
Regarding pizza delivery;don't they get a tip( they call it something else) added to their delivery now?
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yeah, delivery charge. our Dominos charge $2.80, we usually tip too.
 
AJiveMan said:
Some restaurants or eating establishments split tips in the kitty, don't know if that works out better or not?

We tip based on service the waiter or waitress gives, for a $22.00 meal for two, we tip $5.00. don't know if that's a lot, or a little.
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Usually, I'll just make it a nice round number, I don't worry about percentages, I make it easy for myself. If the bill ends in .78, I'll round it out to an even dollar number and give $xx.22.
 
Cephus said:
Usually, I'll just make it a nice round number, I don't worry about percentages, I make it easy for myself. If the bill ends in .78, I'll round it out to an even dollar number and give $xx.22.
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So for a $22 meal, are we being cheap?
 
AJiveMan said:
So for a $22 meal, are we being cheap?
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It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, tips are supposed to be for exceptional service. If you think the service was worth $5, it was worth $5.
 
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