Waiting staff earnings in USA

[burritoNinja]

Yeah most of the table staff don't earn much. We had friends who worked in Applebees and the pay was terrible. They pay you something crap like $3.50 an hour and the rest is made up via tips. They all lived in poverty and received medicare and section 8 housing help.

[poing]

It's not really any different to many sales jobs, they get a very low wage which is boosted by commission.

As a student I remember doing tele sales for a double glazing firm, the pay was terrible but they worked on the fact that you got a bonus for every customer you signed up for a sales visit. I never signed a single one in two weeks so was advised it wasn't the job for me! I'd be a terrible waitress too

[Jasandjules]

The Moose said:

It's actually quite straight forward and the good thing is that the wait staff are motivated to provide more than the bare minimum level of service.

OR, pay them a good wage and they will be motivated to work hard in any event to keep nice earning job.

[Sam All]

Excellent service, don't begrudge what they earn.

[Moonhawk]

Condi said:

....its people who want to do it, earn a decent wage, and as a result the standard of service is much higher.

Odd - that's not my experience. I got pretty much the same level of service in the US as I get in a restaurant in the UK.

Yes there may have been a few more faux pleasantries thrown in ("have a nice day" etc) - but in terms of bringing menus, taking orders, speed of service, how long it takes to get/pay the bill at the end - nothing was significantly 'better' or faster.

[rambo19]

My cousin, born in the US, is now 43 and an accountant.
Worked in texas steak house waiting tables until about 2 years ago, despite earning good money as an accountant.
I asked her why;
"because I earn about $200 a night in tips on a fri/sat.

[The Moose]

Jasandjules said:

The Moose said:

It's actually quite straight forward and the good thing is that the wait staff are motivated to provide more than the bare minimum level of service.

OR, pay them a good wage and they will be motivated to work hard in any event to keep nice earning job.

Ironically would work out more expensive for the consumer.

Also, if people know they are going to get paid anyway, they are more likely to offer a lower level of service.

[red_slr]

_rubinho_ said:

I was told by a waitress in Austin that they are taxed on an expected amount of tips supplementing their sub minimum-wage earnings. This means if customers don't tip and they don't make the expected amount they pay income tax on money they haven't earned. Tips are effectively part of the salary declared or not.

True but they will get a tax refund cheque at the end of the year if it works out they are owed money back. Very common in the US.

I would suspect the card payments taking over the industry have had a big impact on tax!!

I also suspect a lot of the tip gets spread about and I know some places retain a % as profit too, i.e the "team" get a max of 10% and anything over goes to the business.

[red_slr]

Oh and FWIW being a waiter in France is regarded as being a very, very good job!

[Mal001]

One thing that I don't get with tipping a certain percentage is that if I order say a $40 bottle of wine as opposed to a $20 bottle, or a more expensive meal, I'm obviously paying a bigger tip. You should pay what you think the service is worth, not what is expected.

[Funkycoldribena]

The Moose said:

Jasandjules said:

The Moose said:

It's actually quite straight forward and the good thing is that the wait staff are motivated to provide more than the bare minimum level of service.

OR, pay them a good wage and they will be motivated to work hard in any event to keep nice earning job.

Ironically would work out more expensive for the consumer.

Also, if people know they are going to get paid anyway, they are more likely to offer a lower level of service.

Employer by any chance?

[so called]

I quite often pay the tips with cash so that the waiter gets all of it.

[The Moose]

Funkycoldribena said:

The Moose said:

Jasandjules said:

The Moose said:

It's actually quite straight forward and the good thing is that the wait staff are motivated to provide more than the bare minimum level of service.

OR, pay them a good wage and they will be motivated to work hard in any event to keep nice earning job.

Ironically would work out more expensive for the consumer.

Also, if people know they are going to get paid anyway, they are more likely to offer a lower level of service.

Employer by any chance?

Not of wait staff.

[The Moose]

so called said:

I quite often pay the tips with cash so that the waiter gets all of it.

I've chatted with a few waitresses here in the UK at medium sized chains to be told that even if it's cash, the company considers it to be gross misconduct for the wait staff to keep any tips in full. They all have to go into a central pot and distributed amongst all the staff, management and owners.

Of course, they're also one of those places that automatically adds on the service charge (absolutely hate that - really pisses me off)

[cat with a hat]

jonah35 said:

My point is simply they must be on good money so it's arguably a viable career in the states especially in busy places like Vegas on the strip.

There are a number of figures throw around in the uk that at restraunts in the UK takehome is £26k.. Tips are undeclared and tax is only on the 14-16k or so theyd earn usually.

[so called]

The Moose said:

so called said:

I quite often pay the tips with cash so that the waiter gets all of it.

I've chatted with a few waitresses here in the UK at medium sized chains to be told that even if it's cash, the company considers it to be gross misconduct for the wait staff to keep any tips in full. They all have to go into a central pot and distributed amongst all the staff, management and owners.

Of course, they're also one of those places that automatically adds on the service charge (absolutely hate that - really pisses me off)

Yes, I should have expanded on why I have done this.
Talking to some waiters in both restaurants and hotels and some have told me the owner keeps the lot if its on a card

I normally give 15% to 25% depending, in North America but in India, for example, I don't give so much.
A couple of years ago a ran up a bill of about IR12000,- (120 quid) and billed it to my room with IR1000,- tip (10 quid).
The bar guy came rushing back telling me that I had put too many zero's on the tip At the end of that business trip the bar guys game me a present to pass on to my Wife, pearl stud earrings. They dont earn much but still spent some of the tip money on the gift.
They do love me at that hotel.

[J4CKO]

I have wondered this, we were in a Chinese in Vegas, five of us and I cant remember what it came to but my missus gave the waitress $40, she had brought two rounds of drinks, starters and main course, so maybe eight trips to the table including ordering, she had a face like a slapped arse and launched the food at us as if it was all she could do not to tip in on our heads, the food wasnt that great and it was expensive, then she gives her $40, total time serving us was maybe 20 minutes, didnt even say thankyou, my wife is keen to not offend or have anyone think bad of us, but to be honest I wouldnt have given this one a Penny, my wife works in a school as a classroom assistant, it would take her two to three hours to earn what she gave away for 20 minutes of faceache, would rather have gone and got it myself.

I dont mind tipping if the service is good and the waiter pleasant and they enhance your experience, thats why they up their game in places where tipping is customary.

My wife got on at me for not tipping the waitress in our local chain pub/burger place, I asked for a beer, it didn't turn up, it still went on the bill, she was too busy gabbing to the other waitresses and forgot, she didnt do her job, she doesnt get the tip, next time she may be more attentive if she realised that conversation and forgetfulness, in what was a quite period cost her money.

[bobtail4x4]

a few years back several of us were in Croatia, we had a meal with nice starters a good main and icecream afters, along with plenty of beer,
it came to the equvalent of £17 each, we all threw in £20,
our host explained we had tipped more than she would earn in a week.

I always tip if the service is good.

[Steve H]

bobtail4x4 said:

I always tip if the service is good.

Likewise, good service can make a big difference to the enjoyment of a meal.

On the other hand, and at risk of re-running the Res Dogs scene, it should be paid when deserved and not automatic.

15-20% does sound like a lot but I have two different jobs working for the public and neither of them are considered tip-worthy

[48Valves]

northwest monkey said:

This is a bit "Plumbers Wages" maths that you see in the papers - i.e. if a plumber gets a call out at night & charges £100 per hour then it stands to reason a plumber makes £800 per day or £160k per annum based on a 200 working day year.

"Outrageous, that's more than the PM" etc.

Apart from you won't get 8 callouts a night every night for 200 days.

Don't get me started on Plumbers Wages.

Judging by some of the recent quotes I've had from plumbers to do my bathroom and move a radiator in my kitchen some of them must be on more than the PM.