Waitresses only make $3 an hour, that's less than minimum wage, do you think that's crazy?

Question

I'm going to start tipping better!

Answer 1

Either the waitresses are illegal in the country and are afraid to protest about their wages or the restaurant owner is a Greek !

Answer 2

Is that even legal? I thought that employers HAD to pay minimum wage. Or maybe it varies by state. When I was a waitress, we made minimum wage, no more, but they took taxes out of our paychecks for what they ASSUMED we made in tips - so if we didn't get a tip, we were stiffed the money. Sucked.

Edited to add: but I worked at a lower-class restaurant because they gave me the night hours I needed. I was a great waitress, and could have made some really good money in a higher-class restaurant but couldn't work the day hours. Oh well, I'm just glad I don't have to do it anymore, it's HARD work!

Answer 3

Ok, so I'll go out on a limb and say that I rarely go out for dinner cause I have a little baby at home.

BUT, when I do, we go to relatively expensive restaurants. $150 for dinner for 2 with wine and dessert.

The waiter or waitress takes home $30 in tips from me. They probably serve 4 tables at a time, 2 or 3 seatings per night, even during the week (they are always busy). So, $360 a night in tips is pretty damn good.

If you work at Denny's and you earn $50 a night in tips, I recommend you get a new suit, get a nice haircut and start pounding the pavement... Work your way up the service ladder to nicer restaurants. The work gets a little a harder with more demanding guests, but as the meals (and alcohol!!!!) prices rise, so does your tips!

Answer 4

However. if a waitress doesn't clear enough tips to make minimum wage the restaurant has to make up the difference.

Is waiting tables worth more than minimum wage? I don't know, is serving up burgers at McDonalds? Like any job though, the nicer the restaurant, the better you're paid, and the longer you work there the better you're paid.

Not quite a scandal really, if you ask me. =)

Answer 5

Some make more than that, it all depends on the restaurant really. And if one thinks about it they make a pretty good amount of money an hour. Say they had 5 tables in a hour... and all left a $5 tip. That's $25 plus the $3. So that's not bad at all.

Answer 6

you are waitressing in the wrong restaurant. a GOOD waitress can make a couple hundred dollars a day + hourly wage. but you wont make that working in a dive reastaurant. personally i think there should be a school for waitresses. it is so RARE that i get good service (not even great service), that i tip a little too much for that service..... cuz you dont get it that often. a sad commentary on this generation. :(

Answer 7

No, I think its fair because most waitresses that work in a decent resturant make twice the money most of us do from tips. A friend of mine used to make 100-150 bucks in a few hours on the weekends.

Answer 8

I used to work as a waitress and actually made nothing. I had to pay the restaurant enough to cover my SS and taxes. Tipps are the primary source of income, so that is why I always tip when I get good service.

Answer 9

No, they get good tips, if they work hard enough and at a busy enough place. My buddy gets 3 bucks an hour, has his weekly deposited directly into his bank account as gas money and takes home 150$ every night he works.

Answer 10

I'm not sure of your statement. The waiters that I work with make min.wage but get 15 to 20% gratuity on their customers total dinner checks. If one waiter works a banquet alone, I ensure he makes at least $100.00 in bartender fees as well as his 20% on the total check. Normally he will make $400.00 on that one banquet alone. It depends on what the menu prices are, and the area your restaurant is based in. I do agree, as a whole, most waiters are under tipped based on the total of the check. If they have served you well, please tip at least 15%. They must declare 8% of their earnings to the IRS in California.