I hear that they are paid as little as $2.00 an hour---talk about cheap labor!! Are the waitstaff on a type of contract basis or they bonified employees? I realize the waitresses and waiters are able to keep most of the tips and do very, very well but I can't see how an employer can get away with paying so little while there is a minimum wage in effect.
2006-08-28 15:14:29 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Dining Out ➔ Other - Dining Out
I might be wrong but I think this started back in the Reagan administration. Whatever. $2.13/ hr is standard server pay. Since so many people out there do not understand the common courtesy of tipping AT LEAST 15%, this wage can really suck. I have never seen an employer who actually made up the difference if someone didn't make the equivolent of min. wage with his/ her tips. I do make a nice amount with my serving and bartending. Sometimes over a $100 /hour. Not often. Sometimes. I feel that the wage should be raised. I also feel that corporate operations should not limit you to forty hours. Overtime is not going to add up to that much anyway when you pay people $2.13. Teach people to tip reasonably every time and you just might have it made.
2006-08-28 20:30:08 · answer #1 · answered by curious in alabama 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The minimum wage for a waiter or waitress is @ $2 an hour. It is on a different pay wage than other jobs. The employer is suppose to make up the pay if the tips aren't enough to equal the regular minimum wage. It can suck but I know some who average @ $12 to $20 an hour with tips.
2006-08-28 15:20:17 · answer #2 · answered by mik 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What is the minimum wage for workers who receive tips?
An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 an hour in direct wages if that amount plus the tips received equals at least the federal minimum wage, the employee retains all tips and the employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. If an employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages of at least $2.13 an hour do not equal the federal minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference.
2006-08-28 18:38:18 · answer #3 · answered by redunicorn 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
wait staff have always been exempt from minimum wage legislation because they make tips. if you are a good server in a decent restaurant, you can make significantly more than the minimum wage with your tips. and since tip income is basically self-reported to the IRS, you come out ahead from a tax standpoint too. i had heard that the IRS was assessing taxable income now to wait staff at some percentage of receipts but i don't know the details. when i was in college, i waited tables at a pizza parlor. the hourly wage was $2.01 but with tips, i was easily bringing in $15-25 per hour and only paying tax on $5. so if your employees can depend on tipping to supplement the lower hourly wage, then i guess you can pay less. what other institution besides food service has that type of tipping structure?
2016-03-26 23:34:55 · answer #4 · answered by Jennifer 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because waiters get paid pretty well in tips, so it makes up for what they missed on on their check. Bascially, waiters/waitresses sometimes make more on tips per day than they do on their actual check, so some don't care that much. But, that's still unfair to be paid less than minimum wage.
2006-08-28 15:21:12 · answer #5 · answered by Fangirl ♥♥ 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm not sure where you live,but here in California wait staff gets minimum wage +tips. They are considering dropping to 2 an hour as long as your tips make it 4 an hour.If not,employer is to make up the difference.
Considering that the current min. is 6.75, this would still be a rip off!
Personally,if that passes(wich I doubt) I will be in another line of work.
2006-08-28 15:25:01 · answer #6 · answered by Ayla's Fan 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
TIP. That $2/hour is minimum wage for waiter/waitresses. You can make a lot from tip.
2006-08-28 15:19:55 · answer #7 · answered by shadowtemplar 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Typically they make up for the difference in tips. If they do not make the equivalent of minimum wage, with tips and hourly wages then most of the time the employer must make up the difference.
2006-08-28 15:18:14 · answer #8 · answered by GoodJob 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because the employer would not make any money. Think about it, he/she is paying the kitchen staff (cooks, dishwashers) waitstaff (busboys/girls & waiters/waitresses) host(-ess) bartender - now employer is paying for energy to run the joint, food cost, alcohol, etc., etc., etc. The waiters & waitresses make up for more than allowed in tips (bartender too) - nobody, in my experience, has ever complained about that.
2006-08-28 16:49:20 · answer #9 · answered by hey you 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In the beautiful State of California, miniwage is $6.75/hr. So they get tips on top of that wage. Visit the www.dol.gov.
2006-08-28 15:31:09 · answer #10 · answered by fullofsunshine 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋