Anyone else here serve/wait tables?

[Tyler1991]

Just wondering who else does this for their job. I've been doing it for almost six months now and seem to really like it.

 

I truly think this job should be REQUIRED by all people to do before turning 21 or whatever....so many customers just simply do not understand!!!

[Samstertje]

Hey

I'm not doing that anymore, But I used to from the time I was 18 until I was almosgt 22, so for almost 4 years.

And you're right a lot of customers don't undertstand. It's a hard job especially when it's f** busy

Am glad you like it

I used to like it too!

[Jacqui]

I'm working at a fast food place in a mall while I'm studying... so I don't really wait tables, except when the customers go sit down while I'm making their food and drinks, because they don't realize we don't do table service...

 

But TOTALLY agree that customers don't get it!!

E.g. Complaints about prices that I have no control over, expecting me to stop what I'm doing and make a cake RIGHT NOW because THEY forgot to order in advance, complaining that we don't have certain products, yelling at me because the hot mustard is "too hot", changing their minds and deciding they want something else AFTER I've already made the food... they're just stupid LOL!!!

[Tyler1991]

Yeah, I can't stand it when a bunch of cheapasses come in and tip like crap because they can't pay a $60 check. If I give the best service I can, I expect 10 bucks off that, at least, and some rednecks like to leave their change for me. *vents*

[volleyceline]

I always though it was rude for people to leave crap as a tip. My dad tips heavy and my mom gets mad

[Tyler1991]

LOL yeah. I know. Some people don't get that it's NOT a game.....we don't get a check at the end of the week. The ONLY thing we get is what you put on the table, so when you think of leaving 3 on 21 (which technically is 15%, the standard for some people), consider leaving 5, which the number 5 has pretty much became the standard for a lot of people on bills ranging between 20-30.... what may seem like a couple extra bucks to you adds up for us...

[Bralo20]

LOL yeah. I know. Some people don't get that it's NOT a game.....we don't get a check at the end of the week. The ONLY thing we get is what you put on the table, so when you think of leaving 3 on 21 (which technically is 15%, the standard for some people), consider leaving 5, which the number 5 has pretty much became the standard for a lot of people on bills ranging between 20-30.... what may seem like a couple extra bucks to you adds up for us...

 

For tourists it's not always easy to know how to tip... Here in Europe for example the tax and service is included in the price. So when it says 18.50 EUR for a steak than the 18.50 EUR is the price one has to pay. No more, not less, some people may decide to leave 20 EUR instead but it isn't required and nobody will look bad at you if you don't leave a tip. I always tip, even here in the sandwich bar where I get every morning my fruit smoothie and a sandwich for breakfast. The first time I entered and left a tip they looked at me with eyes like: dude, you can get some change back... Simply because it's not too common here and certainly not at a sandwich bar. In a restaurant it can be more common but even then the tips will be rather small.

 

If one enters the USA or Canada for instance he or she has to learn to adapt... No tax is included and no service either... It takes some time to get used to it, so have some patience... When in the USA or Canada I'll always try to leave a decent tip whetter it's in a restaurant or valet service or whatever... I consider 20% as the minimum to give and in some cases I like to tip upfront (valet service for example: I'll always leave a 20 when I hand over my keys, this ensures that my car will be taken care of and will kept close. Bartender at the casino: always start with a 20 upfront if you are playing and your drinks are comped: no cheap drink but the top shelf will be available and will be comped as long as you play (During my previous trip my favourite seat was kept available at the bar, a bottle of exclusive single malt was searched for and found for me and they even found a special glass to drink out (I like my malt from a specific kind of glass (tulip shaped, thin glass on a foot) and not like it's most of the time served: in a wide, think glass with a bunch of ice) and the word was spread among the other bartenders that I was a big tipper and never needed to wait, was always treated with respect and enjoyed nice chats with them). IMHO if you tip well you can get some bloody good service...

 

Some just don't understand... My uncle for example who was with me on my last Vegas trip declared me nuts after seeying me giving big tips... Why is this necessary, bla bla bla... But when he saw the next day that I didn't have to wait at the Hard Rock Café even when the place was packed, that our drinks arrived in no time, etc... he finally understood...

 

It's part of the culture in some parts of the world but in other parts it's not... So if one doesn't tip well don't be mad... If it's a tourist maybe explain it a bit what is "required", ask if everything was ok, if they were happy, etc... Some people just don't know and need to learn

[Bralo20]

Oh, while it wasn't a "job" I did (and sometimes still do) some bartending at events (open house, etc...) of our fire department. A few times even served tables... Never ever got a tip... And so did nobody... We were offered to have a drink on the client's account yes, but tips? Nope... It's just not common

[Alex_Incognito]

I'm back to waiting until I go to grad school.

 

I especially hate doing it here in the states because I think American customer service is ridiculous. Severs get paid under minimum wage and could potentially go home with less than they started with!

 

I'd also like to complain about the US' need to "have it your way." If the food comes with onions and you don't like them, order something else!

 

I'm done! LOL

[Dionesque]

I've never been doing that job but it's interesting to read some of your comments.

 

As Stijn already said, it's pretty different here in Europe and even more different in Eastern Europe (Poland, for instance) than it is in the US/Canada when it comes to tax and tipping.

 

During my first trip over the pond I didn't know the tax wasn't included and it made me very confused for a few times at some shopping/meals activities in Montréal until I finally realized why I always had to pay more than what the price tag said! I will never understand this politic in Northern America! I know, it may make the price look smaller but wtf?! It's sooo much easier when you know from the beginning how much exactely you'll have to pay at the counter and don't have to do maths each time, lol!

 

As for tips, until now I didn't know waiters in the States don't get paid but the tips they collect?! Does that apply for any waiters?! I mean, you don't get regular salary, your only income are the tips?? That's what I understand from your comments...

If that's the case than, of course, I understand the reasoning for proper tips! In Europe, as far as I know, waiters get regular salary and the tips are just an "extra" for them, same goes for hairdressers and taxi drivers.

 

To be honest, for that particular reason I've never been a good tipper myself, in opposite to my husband, hehe... I always considered tips as an extra money that you can (but don't have to) give out of generousity etc. but as I used to be on very tight budget for many years, I couldn't allow me that generousity but still thought it's not a big deal if I just leave my change as a tip or such because they are getting their regular salary anyway.

 

So yeah, often confusions like that come out of lack on knowledge. You don't hear much about stuff like this so if you don't have a friend who's waiter/bartender/hairdresser/taxidriver etc. or there's noone who creates a topic like this one, you marely have chance to learn right...

[Tyler1991]

Yeah, confusions often do come out of a lack of knowledge. Some people though, have the knowledge, but still won't leave the tip just because they are so used to doing it the way of their own country, and won't adapt. If a foreigner is coming over, they should have to adapt at the very least, to that.

 

I was thinking the other day about the great tips that servers in NYC and Vegas probably make, because they have SO MUCH turnover...those tables get sat and sat and sat, etc....but then I realize they probably get a lot of tourists and people who don't tip at all.

 

I like serving because unlike other jobs, I don't know what I'll make. It's all up to me (well kinda...). When I worked a minimum wage job, it SUCKED. I woke up each day knowing I was going to make about 30 bucks after taxes for my 4-5 hour shift. So boring. Here though, I may make 5 bucks, I may make 50, or maybe 200....who knows?? It's a mystery, and the unknown element is exciting. So I generally like the job.

 

And yes, servers generally do not get paid. I'll explain it.

 

In MOST places, servers get $2.13 an hour. So let's say you work 25 hours. Before any taxes that would be about 51 bucks or so... but you first have taxes come out of that money....so that 51 goes down, ever so slightly.

 

Additionally, every tip we get on credit, we must claim. Because we receive our money through tips, the government wants us to "claim" the money we make. Different places vary, but for us, we have to claim 10% of our sales. So let's say our total sales are $1000, and we have 70 bucks in charge tips. Well, we need 10 percent, so we would also have to claim 30 bucks in cash...so we claim $100 in total. There are times where you may have to claim nothing in cash, there are times where if everything you have is in credit, you end up claiming more than 10 percent, and then there are times where you have no credit and end up claiming just 10 percent in cash....

 

Anyway, so let's say for your 25 hour work-week you claim $300 in tips (you would have made more, but you don't claim all you make)..... well you still have to pay taxes on that. And this is why the government wants us to claim our tips, so they can get their piece of the pie. So the taxes you pay for that comes out of your paycheck. And because we pay taxes, we only claim 10 percent. So there are nights I make 100 bucks, but I may only claim 70 dollars....The more I claim, the more that comes out of my check.

 

Usually it doesn't matter anyway because almost all my checks are zero from so much being taken out.

[celinefanonline]

well i'm in hospitality since end of 2006 so yeah pretty much been a waiter (but did bartender and cashier too!)

 

it's different to USA cause we don't have the tip thing like u don't really need to give tips at all so yeah

but we do get pay more here in australia though! (but we do get tips never the less)

before in NZ the wages was like around $13 - 14 an hour (NZ dollar) and then i got like $15 an hr...

and after i got here in australia and got a job here it's pretty good the wages it's about almost $20 dollar an hr (australian dollar) so yeah

 

and i have to say some customer understand the job but some r just complainers..... i hate that.... and as some said they wnat this instead of this or no this or that...... sometimes the chef would just go kind of nuts about it..

oh also i hate those ones that order this dish or so and then after i put through the order they change their mind.. say sorry can i change my order to this and that instead........ lol

 

oh and and a funny one have u ever get customer ask you about the drinks, and u explain the drinks... coke , diet, sprite, juices (orange, apple, pineapple and etc..) and so on and the customer just order water.............................

[RLAAMJR.]

i was able to experience it for a month and most of the customers i help really leave money for me. I couldn\t say no because they'll just call my attention to clean their tables and when i get there, they left the money.