Better to work at Applebee's or Outback?

Question

Well, I have been looking like mad in my area for a server position. I have two strong leads at Applebee's and Outback.

The problem is this: I get the feeling I could make more as a server at Applebees, since they don't combine tips as Outback does, and there is a faster customer turnaround time. However, I was informed by the Applebee's manager today that they do not have much space for servers at this time but room for a hostess. I am told I could work my way up to server, but I will have to work days (I wanted weekend nights, serving).

I guess this is kind of a composite question. My interview at Applebee's is tomorrow, and my interview at Outback (I already passed the required test) is Monday. I feel like I have to decide now whether to go with Applebee's or Outback.

What is your opinions on this? Do you think working my way to server from hostess or turning down the hostess job and going to the outback interview is the better choice?

Thanks!

Note: I have graduated from school, I am looking for evening hours because I do volunteer teaching 20 hours a week, daytime.

Answer 1

Well, I've never worked at an Outback so I can't answer from personal experience on working conditions there. But, as a current Applebee's server I can tell you that the working conditions are TERRIBLE there!!!!

I don't know if you've ever served before -- I never had before now but from what I hear from people who've worked for other restaurants, Applebee's servers really have a bum deal. Applebee's is a cheapskate operation, hellbent on saving a dime on labor even if it means that customer service suffers so servers have to make all of their own side salads (which, trust me, can be HELL on a busy shift) and we have assigned kitchen cleaning/maintenance activities that we are responsible for throughout our shifts, even when we have tables to attend to. Instead of hiring another kitchen staffmember who could complete duties like sweeping the kitchen floor, restocking supplies, emptying trash bins, scraping dirty plates and dishes, making salads, pouring soft drinks, etc. so that the servers would be free to actually SERVE, Applebee's heaps these duties onto the servers who are already busy enough. Then, the managers will yell at the servers when one of their tables complains about being neglected or not getting timely service.

On the tips, I'm not sure if I just happen to work in a low-income area or what, but the tips are pretty lame and do not justify the effort you put into trying to earn them. Unless you were raised in the wild by wolves or unless you just crawled out of a cave, it should be pretty common knowledge that for good service, 15% is standard at lunch and that 20% is standard at dinner. I usually work the dinner shifts and, on average, my tips are about 10%. So, after an exhausting, frustrating, humiliating 5-hour shift, I will usually only leave with somewhere between $30-60 dollars in tips after tip-out (even though Applebee's doesn't pool tips, ever server has to give 3% of his/her tips to the bartenders at the end of the shift so I usually end up giving $15-20 to the bar staff).

Recently, where I work, many people's shifts dwindled down from 3-4 per week to only 1-2 per week. I heard from one of my friends that he spoke to the scheduling manager about why his shifts were cut down and he says that she admitted to him that management was trying to give more of the available shifts to the women with kids. While they may consider that tactic altruistic, I consider it reverse discrimination (I don't have any kids) and if someone without kids has other serious expenses like a car payment, rent, etc., it could really cause a serious financial strain to not be able to count on a regular, predictable schedule.

Sorry to depress you and to vent on you but if I could save someone from the frustration and disappointment that I've experienced I would feel better. Maybe the Applebee's that you are considering working at has nicer managers who treat people with dignity and respect and nicer customers who aren't cheap and who understand proper tipping customs. But, because Applebee's is just another corporate machine, concerned only with its bottom line, I would be very surprised if you had a much better experience than what I've described. Applebee's is basically a glorified coffee shop, barely one notch above Denny's (in fact, IHOP now owns Applebee's -- 'nuff said), and the management and customers will treat you that way too. Applebee's loves to tout itself as being employee-friendly and progressive from a human resources standpoint but their operational structure is rigged to work against their employees and has been a losing equation for me.

Answer 2

Honestly you would probably make more at Outback than you would at Applebees, with the main reason being that the average meal costs more.
Another thing you would want to consider is which restaurant has more business for the particular location. For example if the place is in a mall or shopping area, its pretty much guaranteed to have more business than a restaurant set off by itself. Or if the place is in a business area of town, it may be very busy on weekdays, but slower on the weekends when most businesses are closed.
More than likely Applebees will give you a few days before offering the position, which will give you time to do the other interview. If they happen to immediately offer the position, consider if you really want to take the hostess position over server. You should also consider other server positions in your town, unless these happen to be the only more upscale restaurants around.

Answer 3

Agreed, chances are they're both the same and both are well-known restaurants so you dont have to worry about it failing. Pick the one you feel most comfortable at, or perhaps the one that's closer to home. As long as your happy, the money will only be a few $$ difference.

Answer 4

You are over-analyzing this by a mile or more. Just go to work at one or the other. A server position is virtually the same wherever you work. This is not going to be your life-long career, I wouldn't think, so just get on with it.

Answer 5

From way you are talking you must be either planning on going to school or you are already in school if you want weekends and nights. So go with the one where you can work weekends and nights so you can keep on going to school.