Questions for Servers about Tips, Tables, Hours?

Question

I'm thinking about getting a part-time job as a server at a chain restaurant (Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday's, Olive Garden, etc.) and have a few questions for people who have been servers or are servers:

1) On average, how many tables are you serving at one time? 3? 4? 5? I'm a little worried that I might get overloaded early on and be asked to wait on 5 tables, which is too much IMO.

2) How long is your average work shift? Does it vary depending on whether you are doing an afternoon or night shift?

3) On average, how much do you bring home in tips per shift? How much does it vary depending on the time of the shift (whether it is day/night or week/weekend)?

I've never been a sever before, so I was just curious about these issues and anything else you think I should know.

Thanks for the help in advance!

Answer 1

Here's the deal. All of these questions have varied answers. I will do my best to help you out.
1. ON average you will serve 4 tables during the rush. (the time which a restaurant does the bulk of business) After the rush the management cuts the floor and lets some servers go home upon finishing their side work. Side work being filling dressing or ice comartments, sweeping your section of tables, filling condiment items (sugar, salt, pepper). At this time if you are not one of the serves cut from the floor you may have 5-7 tables. No worries though you already made it through the rush so you can handle more tables. Once the floor is cut to the closing servers you may have up to 10-15 tables to cover. Needless to say though, all your tables will not be sat. This is typically right before closing.
2) Average shift will run (Applebees where I worked) from 5:00 until you are cut. If you are closing you could be there until after midnight. Typically thought it isn't more than 5 or 6 hours. Day shift runs about the same from 11 or 12 till when your replacement comes, be it 4 or 5 or sometime in between.
3) there is a huge variance in tips and yes it does depend on day shift or night shift week vs weekend. Here is how the tips go...Friday night and Saturday night are your money shifts!! That is when people go out. Also Sunday morning is a good time to work cause you have your church goers.
Typically, on a Friday or Saturday I could pull in 100 to 200$ in a 5 or 6 hour shift. Sunday mornings I could make 75 to 100$. You must remember though, a server is only as good as the kitchen that backs them up! If people are not happy with their food they will not be happy with you. Look for a restaurant that has a good back of the house crew! Also you must always be on top of your game. Fast and friendly always attentive. If you see their glass is half empty then you had better go and get the pitcher of tea and have it back to the table before they take their last sip. It may mean the difference between a two dollar tip and a 5 spot!
Serving tables is a great way to get extra cash because you don't work as long of hours yet you make great money doing it. You have the potential to only work 3 or 4 days a week yet make as much money as someone who has to work 5 days for 40 hours per week.

Answer 2

1. Since you will be brand new to the serving game, your manager (if they're smart) will start you out with a two table section, then bump you up to a three table section when you've demonstrated that you can handle it. 4 and 5 table sections are typically given to the seasoned server. If you want good service from you wait staff you never over load them. And always be honest with your manager about what you're comfortable with.

2. It depends on the shift, morning is usually just a couple of hours (the lunch rush is at the most two hours) and the night shift should be anywhere from four to five hours, potentially longer if its a Friday or Saturday. Remember, your shift doesn't end just because you are no longer taking tables, you still have to clean your section and do side work. (And heaven help you if you get campers!!) Campers = people who sit there for hours on end taking up your table for no apparent reason.

3. Morning will typically be less, unless its a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Which Sundays aren't always that great because the Church crowd aren't the best tippers. I used to get Church flyers all the time. Friday and Saturday were always great, 100 200 or even 300. If you live in a big football area, always work the games, guys get in there and drink and eat and don't always realize how much they leave!!

Always be nice (not matter how bad someone has pissed you off) and never go to a table with a pre-conceived notion that someone's a lousy tipper. It will show in your attitude and your service, and besides some people will surprise you!!

Answer 3

I work at Golden Corral, which is a buffet style restaurant chain. Should you decide to work at this type or restaurant (I had never been a server before either, so I thought this would be a good way to learn), it's a bit different than full-service restaurants.

When you're in training, you shadow servers. So you just follow and watch for anywhere from 1 to 3 days. Typically on the second day, you'll get a couple of your trainers tables to start off with. The last day you may get 3 or 4. Once you're out of training, at the place I work, it's like this:

During the rush, you have anywhere from 7 to 14 tables, depending on what section you're in. The two sections closest to the front line (where they pay) is split up so that each server only has 7 to 10 tables. Banquet rooms and far sections have up to 14 but tend to get the bigger groups that pull tables together. Once the rush is over, they cut. At that point servers will have anywhere from 10 to 23 tables. On week days, they'll give one server the far section and both banquet rooms, which equals 50 tables, but the banquet rooms can be closed if it starts to get busy. Day time typically gets more tables than evening, but it's usually busier at night.

Average work shift is 5 to 6 hours, longer if you have to close. They push for servers to work doubles on the weekend, particularly Sunday. If you do a double it's anywhere from 8 to 14 hours (we're open for breakfast to and they're really bad about not cutting people that come in at 8 or 9 am, which is why I told them to stop working me doubles on Sundays... also bad because, for us, tips are horrible from church-goers. Lots of them stiff us).

Tips vary a lot. Mondays are the slowest, and I've left with just over $20 for a 5 hour shift, but some Mondays, like yesterday, I made $50. I make $40 to $70, depending on which section I get and how busy, for 6 hours during an evening weekday shift. Saturdays are about the same because we have fewer tables, but Sundays I bring home usually $80 to $110, however I work 10 to 12 hours, so it's not good. I hate Sundays. We all do.

If you click on my profile and check my last answer before this one, it lists everything we have to do, which is a lot more than you probably realize. It surprised me when I first started. If the link doesn't take you straight to it, its near the bottom of the third page of answers for that question.

Answer 4

Depending on what kind of establishment. If it's one that has a busser, the servers are required to tip them out a percentage of what they each made, for the server to tip cooks and bartenders can be required at some places, but most servers(if they're smart) will tip them to make sure they're food and drinks are a top priority, which in turn the server is securing his/her customers the best possible experience they can provide. I have always played by this rule as a server, also the bussers most of the time work harder than the servers.

Answer 5

I often end up submitting the same question on other sites

Answer 6

YOU PROBALY BRING HOME 100 A NIGHT THEY ARE PROBALY 8 HOUR SHIFTS IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE WORKING

Answer 7

wow verry tricky

Answer 8

Don't know!!!!!