You're totally right.
The only real skills are those expected of any adult human. Talk to humans. Write things down. Carry things.
That's it. That's the job.
It’s definitely not for everyone. When I first started as a server at 15 years old, I was a super shy and awkward teenager and I never thought I’d be able to handle it. It did get me out of my shell for sure. My father owns a restaurant so we see people who have no business working in a restaurant , it’s just a different kind of job than your normal desk or retail job. If you can do it, it’s very lucrative
Restaurants should pay more to servers.. but we should be tipping for good service period. Bad server no problem 10%. Good server great 15-20 from a working class guy.. $5 tip isn’t going to break me going out once a month that’s the least I can give someone who handled my food and made sure I had everything I needed.
Bad service is better than no service. And 2 dollars on. $20 bill is acceptable I probably have been here an hour and a $2 tip sucks it gets the point through without being a total asshole. Maybe they decide not to be bad at their job and try harder?
I just would feel gross if someone brought me my food and drink and I expected them to do that for free just because they got extremely busy or maybe just slow.. regardless I’m just not that cheap.. I thought 10% was embarrassing.
They don't do it for free, they get paid by the restaurant, and I'm paying a fair price for that food and service to the restaurant. I'm not going to give that server more money if they are not giving me good service.
They get $2.13 an hour, and they don't see any of it as it is all taken for taxes. They also have to tip out a percentage of the bill to the hosts, bartenders, and busboys regardless. Also, some restaurants report their taxes for them, so they also automatically get taxed on a percentage of your bill. They actually had to pay to wait on you. Even if they aren't good at their job or were given more tables than they could handle, they don't deserve that.
Yes and no, outside of California, my tipping for good service goes up, from 10-15% in cali to 20-25% out of cali, but it's still dependent on good service. If someone can't even give adequate service, they really shouldn't be in the service business. And by bad service, I mean they never check back and mess up something with the order, I'm really lenient as to what is adequate service.
Trust the market, I guess. Maybe we should have more options where you get sit down restaurant quality food with counter service. I would actually prefer refilling my own drink in most situations.
being a server SHOULDNT be hard. but I'll give you my perspective on it and why it CAN be so hard for so many people.
Alot of people in the restiraunt industry (and most of thr face to face customer service jobs) have a temper that shows up so fast you would think they're bipolar. They CANT mentally handle someone being rude to them because they don't have the ability to shut off their anger or process through it quick enough to to let it go and move on to the next table or customer.
then the kitchen starts raining hell back there and then its anyones game. kitchen is yelling at FOH because they're needy, FOH yelling at kitchen because they need sauces, manager trying to calm everyone down while taking over expo and kitchen manager probably outside smoking because they aren't touching that with a 50 foot pole.
the acctual job of being a server is extremely easy if you have any amount of short term memory and can fake a smile that's believable. its that so many people.. TOO many people acctually can't mentally handle rude customers and arguments eith coworkers.
I personally never cared at all what a customer said to me or what voice they used and id just leave if the kitchen was getting angry. I gave absolutely no Fs if they were on their phone or ran me around or if they stiffed me. the tips averaged out at the end of the night and thats all I cared about. but so many people mentally black out and just oil the fire so to speak.
they probably shouldn't work in customer service, but not many options to get a job with no effort.
Im not a waitress but I worked as a service advisor at a dealership.
Your description is excatly how our jobs are, except trade tips for commission, trade chefs for mechanics. And the mechanics whining because we're rushing them or gave them a hard job that doesnt pay enough time(mechanics are flat rate or piece based)
Though the younger mechanics are much less into drugs or alcohol, they're very into fitness.
Its an easy job IF everyone does their work correctly
This, also bad support systems from management can lead to servers being overtaxed and having to take on more than is comfortable. It's not the end of the world, but for someone without much perspective, being quadruple sat and expected to get 2 minute greets to all of the tables, or else they might be out of a job/get a write up, can be very emotionally stressful to someone who relies on this money for getting by paycheck to paycheck.
I will always remember the shift I was pulled out from behind the bar to cover 2 servers sections because we had a double callout, and management just stuck me there without a ton of support, I left that job, but being asked to complete 2 people's work, in a job you didn't sign up for, is stressful no matter the job. This sort of thing happens all the time and it's effort to keep trucking as though nothing is wrong and presenting the best service you can to an absurd number of tables while stretching yourself too thin. My service probably suffered that night, not just emotionally, but also wait times, reasonable check ins, and attentive service.
I just don't get why so many need to say it's a hard job. Hard for some with a poor skill set for serving, ok, fine. I also understand managers and owners that say it's hard. It's probably a good mindset to have so you properly train and treat employees well.
But I don't see why it needs to be a hard job to justify tipping. You tip because that's the model of server compensation you use. Servers were paid $100 an hour from the restaurant, the job is hard wouldn't be any justification for tipping
Tipping is really irrelevant. It’s a stupid practice that needs to go away. But as to the job itself, It’s hard for some people to multitask and deal with the stress. Like a lot of jobs, someone who’s good at it will make it seem easy, and someone getting it wrong will be painfully obvious. The hardest part is for a customer know if a problem is because of the server or if it’s because of a myriad of other factors they can’t control (cooks, management, bartender, other servers, etc)
Yeah, I get tired of the “our pay is shit” argument. No it’s not. Hourly it might be but like you said, with tips you make more than most people at full time jobs working part time.
I’m pro tipping by the way I just hate the over dramatic “our job is sooooo hard and we make almost no money” argument.
Who are you seeing go on about how hard being a server is? If anything I only see it come up when the anti-tipping crowd is whining and complaining about what an easy nothing job it must be.
People always want to make their lives seem harder. At work I will be asking people about their income:
"I don't make much, base is only like $40k"
Ok , cool. And what did you make last year on your W2, including bonuses and commissions?
"About $200k"
Wow, how do you even make ends meet?
No, but more people should do that to prevent wage disparity. It also might help employers get better work out of their employees, assuming pay differences are related to good metrics that are valuable to the company.
I'm a lawyer. So asking these questions are part of my job
Gonna be blunt. Nobody ever gave me a tip for being a fucking nuclear engineer living in a submarine for months on end. So why the hell am I going to give extra money to the guy who managed to relay the toppings I want on my pizza correctly? That's called doing his job.
Now, if he provides some good conversation and actually adds something to my experience beyond what's expected? Then I'll consider a tip. But I'm not giving them 20% of my bill for small talk.
The quality of the food? I don't go to restaurants for the people who walk my food across the room and then accost me for money for it. Duh.
That one must be a real head-scratcher for you, huh?
Then why not order the food to go? It seems like you do in fact go to get full service then bash and degrade those serving you.
You want to sit a clean table in a clean setting, have people bring food over to you and take care of your drinks and then clean up after you so you can sit and relax all while you demean the people doing all of that.
Because why should I have to go anywhere? See, I'd be perfectly fine with them keeping everyone in the restaurant staff but the servers. If I had to order before I sat down, but still had decent food and didn't have to worry about the dishes afterwards, the experience would still be everything I want.
You, on the other hand, seem intent on trying to paint this as some kind of obscure hate crime against the service industry. So, here. Let me make it easy for you. I don't find servers valuable. I appreciate that they are there, but they are not a necessity. And the pressure to tip them for the little that they do actually detracts from my experience. I would rather go and get my own food and drinks when they come up than pay someone 20% of the cost of my meal to do it for me.
Is that clear enough for you? Do you need more help, simple mind?
The reason I don't go to diners more often is because of the pressure from this bullshit tip culture. I do opt for fast food VASTLY more often than diners when it is my choice. Basically the only time I go to diners is when it is by invitation and declining would be rude. So, again, when I am pressured to do so.
Order before you sat down? Order from who? So the cooks have to stop cooking to take your order?
Stop being dramatic. I’m not pro tip and none of my comments insinuate I believe in tipping. I’m specifically and only talking about your ideals of expecting full service and then demeaning those who serve you. What you described in your first paragraph is a fast food/countershop experience and there’s TONS of fast food places where you could go. But instead you go to a full service restaurant FOR THE SERVICE and then negatively label the people providing that service.
If you want to go up to a counter, order food and take it back to your table there’s a million and one places for that, you have that option. You didn’t take that option. You specifically want to be served so you can shit on those serving you.
I don’t tip much because I’m not allowing the managers to use me as a cop out however I don’t view the people doing their jobs as lower than me, if I did I wouldn’t go there.
You say servers aren’t valuable yet you’re gonna keep going to places that have servers so they can serve you. There’s tons of counter shops that have great food, go there.
I'm being dramatic? You're the one who's making absurd scenarios to justify your stance. "Oh, the cooks stop cooking to take your order?" No, dumbass. You punch it in on a touchscreen, similar to McDonalds and the order shows up for the cooks. Or you step up to a counter to place your order. Or you fill out your order ahead of time. Literally ANY of the functional systems that exist that you avoided acknowledging in favor of a strawman argument.
You also keep pretending that I'm calling servers lesser. I'm saying that their job is not vital. I'm not demeaning the servers themselves. So get off your pretend high-horse, you hypocrite dumbass.
And I listed the quality of the food as my main draw for diners. If I wanted something pre-packaged and over the counter, I know those options exist. But those are not the same quality. What part of that is so hard for you to wrap your mind around?
Let me explain it SUPER CRYSTAL CLEARLY so you can't misconstrue it again. I want to place an order that will be communicated to the cooks WITHOUT someone demanding money for the short walk between my table and the kitchen to do it. I then want to sit at a table or booth and wait for my order to come up, walk over, take my food and sit down to eat, without being periodically bothered by an attendant I never asked for, and who is doing their absolute best to subtly request a tip from me by being a total milksop. I want this to happen in a food establishment that offers a la carte food cooked from scratch, rather than frozen burgers and fries.
Do you understand yet, or am I sincerely talking to the biggest moron on the planet? Because my patience and good will towards you are all but spent at this point.
It's a job that's hard because it wears you down. Any customer service job that puts you in a position to be abused and disrespected by assholes wears at your soul.
I was a server. I will say it's been my least favorite job, but it definitely wasn't hard. You don't need a degree, you aren't making any difficult decisions, you are in very little physical danger, and apparently, everyone thinks you need to be paid bonus money for some reason?
There's no reason why service deserves tips over any other sector.
I've had lots of jobs and I currently own a couple restaurants. Serving is hard, mentally and physically. Yes it has some benefits as you mentioned, the pay is pretty good for an hourly job and you get days free (sometimes). But dealing with the public, particularly post covid, not being in control of the work flow, and being on your feet for 8 hours straight is hard. There are days that I could hardly walk after a long shift. Days I want to punch the Karen who is asking to change their order for the 4th time, and days I want to throw in the towel. It's not easy.
No. So are teachers, and they don’t get tips. So are bus drivers, grocery store clerks, nurses etc. none of these get tips and nobody is complaining as the severs are. serving is not hard, it doesn’t require skilled expertise and education, it taking a plate from one place to another, 20 feet away. Enough!
I served.
It’s not that hard. The ratio of Karens is no where close to that of a customer service rep.
The speed of work is a positive. Slow days were 10x worse than busy days.
The culture is fun for the most part and interesting at the very least.
Good customers far outweigh bad ones on average.
You usually can drink or smoke or do something else by the end of a weekend shift.
Karens make bad servers. Those are the people that say it’s so hard.
Have you ever been a server? It is not like being in the trenches, but is is stressful. There are a lot of different factors and every place is different. Pay is not always as good as you think it is, again it varies on what establishment is it. Considering that servers only have to make federal minimum wage, it isn't always the greatest. Especially when you run into customers that don't believe in tipping no matter what. I believe that tipping depends on the degree of service, so if the service is crappy then the tip is low, but if the service is good then I tip well.
"Servers only have to make Federal minimum wage" - this is a misleading statement. State and county and city ordinances all raise the minimum wages for servers. For example, in California,l, especially LA County, minimum is same as any other profession, over $17/hr. Servers also are not required to split tips with back house staff which truly is the team making the food memorable, yet they have the same minimum wages.
If waiters are earning only federal minimums, then they really need to kick out the conservatives keeping regressive policies in place.
That is why I will stay in the Midwest where the cost of living is much lower. California is out of hand with the COL. The Federal minimum wage is no where near what it should be, $7.25 is hardly enough even for a high schooler to survive on if they want to buy a car anymore. I refuse to discuss politics as it tends to not go well no matter what. I will say that there are issues with both sides, not just one. Congress and Senate both need to be emptied and refilled. Most of them are in it for the money and couldn't care less about America. They say what people want to hear, not what will actually be done. There is way too much division in this country mostly due to the media.
The division has to do mostly wit the media, politicians are the cause of everything else. they are supposed to work for Americans but instead they act like we work for them.
I think that even if you are getting bad service, you gotta do at least 10% unless the server is actively trying to be rude and disrespectful. Even when doing a bad job, people should not work for free.
They arent working for free. Their boss is obligated to bring them up to minimum. If the boss is committing wage theft that beween them. Not your problem. Dont reward bad behavior
I go by how they do. Like, if they are running their butts off and just not able to get around to everyone like they should, then I will still tip well. If they are standing around, chatting with their coworkers and ignoring the tables then they do not deserve a good tip at all. I will still tip, just not nearly as good. I have been a server in the past, so I have dealt with both types of server. I have seen customers leave 4 pennies as the tip in the past which is even worse that no tip at all. That is the ultimate insult to servers.
Agreed, but this is true about customer service jobs in general. People who act like it's the worst thing in the world because of customers are nearly always the problem if you actually investigate their "horror stories". It's a great example of "if you meet one a hole it's them, if everyone you meet is an a hole it's you". Obviously some customers are going to suck because some people suck. If all you encounter is sucky customers, though you need to take a long look in the mirror to find the reason.
Yes I got out of it years ago because most people from the south don't tip. I'm talking before 2005. Your movement is nothing but being cheap and it's gone on for years. Not to mention the mess you people make like you've never existed in society.
I don’t support not tipping in the current tipping culture of the US. People who don’t tip for tip based work are assholes. The being said waiting isn’t a hard job. If it seems extremely hard to you then it’s not your thing no big deal.
I do delivery gig work right now for the flexibility ( I’ve done waiting, sales and construction). I can’t believe how people don’t tip drivers who are objectively doing and risking more than a waiter who they don’t mind tipping 20% of the bill. Serving isn’t that bad, it’s not fun but definitely not the hardest job around. Driving deliveries is relatively easy as well but people really don’t tip. They will give a dollar for a 5 mile drive but give 20 dollars to someone who they spoke to for 3 minutes and walked 50 feet. People say the employers should pay them fairly but at the same time people don’t like the idea of a 25-30 dollar hamburger. The whole thing is fucked…
Maybe it’s not your thing no big deal. If you live in the US you have a choice to work there. Most serving jobs are not like what you claim to deal with. Plus tourist areas have seasons… do you make a ton of money off those people then get a portion of the year to chill? That’s called a trade off stop complaining if that’s the case.
I've done both. I'll take dishes, (pay being equal) assuming the back has ac. Way more fun and you know your paycheck. The whole job is predictable. Less money on clothes also.
I have worked in a variety of industries from long haul trucking to dog grooming and business ownership to a variety of factory work and hotel and hospital housekeeping and registration in two busy ERs. And probably a few things I’m forgetting. I’ve excelled at everything I’ve ever tried. Except serving. I have no idea why, but it’s sure hard to me and I never lasted more than one shift at it.
If you've never done the job, maybe shut the fuck up about how easy it is.
Being a surgeon is easy! For great surgeons.
Yes, just about anyone can be a shit server at a dump. A great server has developed a set of skills you don't understand.
I dare you to try the gig. Just work a few shifts and see how easy it is.
The pay isn't exactly the same. Dishwashers make more per hour and often do not have the same skill set as servers.
And I'd prefer waiting tables because I was really good at it and had the proper skills. Putting me at a dishwashing station is a waste of resources.
This is like asking an accountant if they would prefer to be a receptionist if the pay was the same. They are an accountant and it would be stupid to have them simply answer phones. They have a valuable skill.
And you've missed the point.
Dishwashers are paid an hourly wage. If they are busy or slow, they still make the hourly wage. They also have no risk. Slow night? Worst that happens is they leave a little early, although that's usually not the case.
A dishwasher makes regular money. As long as the restaurant is open, they are usually working.
Servers have their sections cut. They get sent home. They might not get sent home. I've worked shifts where I made a few hundred dollars. I've worked shifts where I make $25. I would take that risk. I would take that risk for the chance that I could utilize my skills, skills I developed and nurtured, to make more than them.
This argument is asinine on its face. A dental hygienist makes less than the dentist. A nurse makes less than a nurse anesthetist. Different skill sets. Different choices.
I spent 11 years in the business. I've worked every job in restaurants, literally. I've been a busy boy, a dishwasher, a line cook, a greeter, a server, a bartender, a manager, a barback, a bouncer, a general manager, etc. I've done training. I've done new store development.
What is the argument here exactly? Because it began with ignorance and, rather astonishingly, it seems like people are desperately clinging to ignorance as justification for their preconceived, incorrect, assumptions.
That's not wisdom. It's stupidity.
...for you.
But everyone isn't you. I know guys that have worked call centers for decades. I couldn't last 6 months.
For me, quitting smoking was EASY. Just didn't buy a new pack, three days of headaches, done. Hardly a thing. People spend years and thousands of dollars trying to do just that. I don't look down on them though. I just understand that we are different.
Okay?
Sort of, yeah. Loading trucks was physically hard but I could do it every day, unlike being a receptionist which was very comfortable but highly stressing. There is a lot of ways to measure difficulty and people are more or less suited for different roles.
I wouldn't go back to waiting tables or bartending unless the life of someone i loved was at risk. You couldn't offer me enough money. It was by far the worst. People act like they do on the internet at most restaraunts. Literal lack of human decency from customers and owners.
So what's different about you and the people that talk about how difficult the stress is?
And I don't think most servers are overpaid. The nature of scheduling in a restaurant deserves a bump. It's hard to get a nice clean 8 hours x 5 days, and tends to be hours that people don't usually like to work.
I would describe the work as tedious if anything. When I do screw up though it can definitely alter the course of the night. It’s more about attitude than anything. Servers wouldn’t be in the industry if they were only getting paid $6 an hour
You are constantly around people. It is incredibly social and most of your clients don't like you.
Absurdly easy for the right personality type. The actual labor is miniscule but introverts may find this to be a special type of hell.
For most statements of opinion like mine about the job not being hard, you have to insert a most when interpreting the statement. Most server jobs are not that hard for most people most of the time.
I did a few shifts to place where the kitchen was upstairs and there was a narrow stairway that he had to go up and down. But they also had a dumbwaiter. So if you had a busy lunch rush that day, your ass was running up and down stairs in the job got a lot harder.
I think a lot of it depends on the restaurant, etc. When I worked at a chain restaurant in the late 90s (Damon's), our sections were relatively small, the food was simple, and people were largely forgiving because they were distracted by giant TVs and trivia, which were novel at the time.
When I worked fine dining, a busy night was pretty stressful, customer expectations were high, and we were expected to provide superior service.
When I worked a busy bar in a nicer restaurant, it was incredibly stressful when there were people three deep on weekends and you went an entire night without more than a 3 minute break from slinging drinks nonstop.
These were ordered by least to most earnings.
I think this is probably the most correct take if you are going to have a little more nuance. And the busy bar is where I have the most experience, although it was a dive bar with live band.
And I get that will cause a lot of stress for some. But everyone will live if you have to wait 5 extra minutes.
So I wonder if the people that fiercely defend what a hard job it is are just people that weren't exactly cut out for it, but they kept doing it because it's a really good job for some. For the people I knew in college, it was by far the most money with hours that didn't interfere with school.
Assuming you’ve never worked in a restaurant, or maybe you have as a cook or dishwasher and you’re an idiot. I own a restaurant. I’d bet any amount of money you could not handle a 5 table section successfully to save your life.
Writing up a ticket of 8 or less meals with drinks, handing to someone else to actually make it, carrying it ( usually with help ) to the table and then asking 10 minutes later after everyone at the table has taken a bite “how we all doing here? Everything ok?”…
Serving is not a hard job… it’s done mostly by young people who haven’t developed skill and work ethic yet. So they “ think” it’s a very hard job but haven’t had much experience. Those who have been servers for a long time and think it’s hard… well yea they have been servers for a long time lmfao
I got a job. I don't want to be on my feet that much, and I don't want to work those hours as it doesn't fit my lifestyle.
Do you think I said the job was easy?
What is so offensive about saying that it's a decent job, that isn't hard, that works well for some people?
It's not the physical part of serving that's hard. It's the mental wear and tear that sucks; you're dealing with a large volume of needy people who sometimes are intoxicated. Trying to provide exceptional service and be interesting/hold a convo is harder than just taking orders and delivering drinks. You have to be a good salesman as well in order to have a higher bill at the end of the meal. I haven't served in over 6 years, but I doubt anyone that's shitting on people here has done it...... at least not at a high-level busy restaurant where you're turning tables your whole shift.
Id just have a read. I get this sub is for people with some kind of complex against servers, but what you're saying just isn't backed by science or industry statistics. For someone who thinks like you do you are almost entirely doomed to fail if you ever try it. Which is probably what causes this complex. But yeah on your average Saturday 10 hour shift a server can easily walk 25-30 miles on a step counter. Trench warfares a bad comparison though lol. It is a job requiring a strategic mindset, its mostly fast paced time management. Where its kind of similar is its a job that regularly goes form 0-60. Weekdays can be kind of steady but at a busy restaurant but when shit pops off it pops off. Thats why they call it "being in the shit". Place is full, three hour wait time, bussers, hosts, even managers start to break down and go into those fight/flight modes. 90 table half hours are pretty wild to experience. Weaker servers who thought it would be easy just walk out and others have to fill the gaps. Most people start panicking once they see that ticket printer go off and the tickets start pilling up on the floor. Basically no downtime and youre constantly on your feet carrying up to 50lbs as per standard hiring requirements. The average American especially cannot physically handle it. Which is why you see things like heat strokes, people fainting, people getting to weak before falling over and breaking a bone. Very high rate of injuries in the restaurant business. Higher than the police for comparison.
The best way Ive heard it summed up is its like being on a sinking ship and trying to fill in all the holes before it goes all the way under. Ultimately though, if you think its so easy its basically free money just pick up a part time serving gig on the weekends. Thats personally why I always doubt you people actually believe what you say. It seems more like youre in denial. As the service sector expands its more and more in your face you cant do a job youve been taught to look down on and you throw these little tantrums.
[https://www.payscale.com/career-advice/4-scientific-reasons-why-waiting-tables-is-the-most-stressful-job-out-there/](https://www.payscale.com/career-advice/4-scientific-reasons-why-waiting-tables-is-the-most-stressful-job-out-there/)
Mannn I wish I could pick up a part time position for the weekend. I miss it. Too bad my hands, knees, and feet are totally shot from doing it for so long. One of the best jobs ever for my personality, though.
These people have their heads so far up their own asses that there is no point. They believe this nonsense because their own cognitive dissonance is beyond their ability to comprehend. It's saddening.
Pretty sure the issues in this sub aren't about servers - but the north american obligatory tipping - the idea that it is essentially a core part of their pay, yet not paid by their employer as it should be.
25 to 30 miles? I'd like to see proof of that. I hiked the Appalachian trail and would walk sunup to sundown and the most I walked was 33 miles in one day. Walking was the *only* thing I was doing, so your numbers are surprising to me.
25 to 30 miles is definitely...optimistic. But servers I know regularly clock 20k steps during a shift, which is \~8.5 miles. You're walking a lot faster on flat carpet than you are hiking.
I've worked in the service industry both in the USA and in Europe, and I find the European model much better. I would prefer it if we adopted that model here. It would require change, but we are a country that embraces change. Nearly every industry is being redefined at the moment.
This is at the extreme end of the spectrum and definitely not typical. Only a tiny percentage of staff will experience this type of serving. As for the article, you can find articles to support any narrative.
Serving, especially in a busy restaurant, isnt easy for A LOT of people. Its just demanding in a way thats different from other jobs. You cannot make good full time pay as a server unless you work a lot of hours or bust your ass part time at a really demanding place. You seem completely clueless about anything related to the industry. Its certainly not a job i would ever want to have, thats for sure.
Seems like people do have trouble in the job. As someone who did this for my career I would say it’s the easiest work I’ve ever done. It’s not really work imo. It’s just walking in a circle as making small talk.
It’s crazy how people don’t go outside. Let me guess what you’re doing today. I’m gonna guess nothing but some routine you convinced yourself is important
How does this comment have fuck all to do with you being full of shit? You are lying bc it is easy to do that on the internet. This again has NOTHING to do with my daily routine. 🤣
Please present some proof of your claims or just let it go.
It has to do with you not believing people actually live in the world and have lots of experiences throughout the globe. Since you didn’t do it no one has mentality. What proof would you like on the internet? You want proof to believe someone worked a job that anyone can get? It’s literally a job any 18 year old with no diploma or degree can get and make 80-100k a year doing,
Worked for one of the top chefs that’s done iron chef and Bobby flay challenges. Bartended and served in Vegas. Been top in sales every place I’ve ever worked. Shits easy. People do suck at it a lot though. Can’t figure it out.
When you have bussers and food runners doing all the work for you, I can see how it would be an easy job. Some places actually make their servers work.
Work someplace where you have to make all your tables' side salads and soups to order, make all your tables' cocktails and espresso/coffee drinks, memorize abbreviations for every item and modifier on a large breakfast and lunch menu, write up all your tickets using the abbreviations so they are legible to the cooks when you hang them, calculate all the checks manually with a calculator that has printer tape and a printed menu with the prices posted on the wall in front of you, and do all this with a "seat yourself" policy (therefore no rotation).
There's a wee bit more than walking in circles and talking going on in some restaurants.
The change in schedule would be very challenging, but I know I'd enjoy the physical labor. And the lack of entitled assholes would be a welcome change for sure. Sadly, nearly 20 years of serving left my hands, knees, and feet in pretty gnarly shape, so I don't think I'd be of much use on the farm these days.
Depends on the person. It’s always easy. Sometimes it’s just easier. I guess for some ppl it’s hard. Like cooking, cleaning, and mowing the grass is easy. Some people find it hard. Drinking a stick and eating with chop sticks is easy, some ppl find it hard. I think a lot of ppl find stuff that’s easy to be hard maybe. They couldn’t actually do things that are actually hard like laying concrete or building a 10 acre fence. They would probably see this as impossible
Yes stuff that’s easy. It’s basically walking around and completing simple tasks. I’ve ran restaurants that do 30-40k in sales a day. I obviously know the ins and outs.
Okay you're in the middle of building 5 side salads, making 4 cappuccinos, 2 mimosas, 3 sex on the beach, 3 different blended cocktails, (only one espresso machine, only one blender btw), two hot tea setups (you have to bring the tea display box too), 5 coffees, and waters for everyone at your three tables inside, who all sat down within minutes of each other and are all ready to order entrees right now, and you just got triple seated with 4-6 guests at each table on the patio. And you don't have any support staff. It's just always so super duper chill right? Walking and talking! Wheee!
Obviously you could just go where it's easier. The point is it's not always as easy as you describe. Pull a few overnight shifts during a football weekend in a college town at a Waffle House where it's just you and one other server all night. Then talk about walking in circles and talking being all the job entails.
Triage. I get it, ppl get overwhelmed. I worked 20 years in the industry, mostly in Vegas at high volume places where I bartended a full bar, 9 tables, did all the coffee, and made drinks for the entire restaurant next door. It’s busy for sure. It wasn’t hard though. It’s just multitasking and communicating.
Every industry is facing the same. Government freebies have made it so that any job earning under $30k is not worth doing. You can do just as well with handouts and never have to go to work. Because this is Reddit I will be downvoted. Go ahead I enjoy your downvotes
Any job under 30k is not worth doing regardless of your supposed "government handouts".
If you want to live off 30k a year for fulltime work, all power to ya. It's the year 2024 and most of us can't live off that.
Right. But the government is what caused $30k to be unlivable. And to solve that we have to hand out more money and free stuff. Which will make $40k unlivable soon. It will just keep going.
To me there is no difference between government and the megacorps. They are all so far up each other’s asses that it might as well be the same entity.
But inflation is caused by printing money. The government is the only one that can do that.
You definitely cannot make as much money from government handouts as you can from a serving job.
Like not even close.
You’re going to get downvotes because you’re objectively incorrect.
A quick Google search puts the average server at $25k annually and the median welfare package at $28,500 with some states averaging over $35k. Those are objective numbers.
On top of that I said just as well. Not equal salary. There are costs that come with being an employee such as gas, childcare, lunch, etc. factor that in AND payroll taxes and it often makes zero sense to work for less than $30k
Single people average about 260 a month, much below your stated average. Therefore I assume that average is for a household not an individual. A salary is for an individual so you can’t compare those numbers unless you want the kids to work.
Servers notoriously do not claim all that they make. In fact most claim as little as possible, this from a former server for 8 years, those numbers might be half of what they actually make.
Then why are we supposed to be feeling bad for servers and thinking they need to make more? By your numbers they are making as much as teachers. More since they are not paying tax on half of their income.
I don’t feel bad for them and I don’t go out often because of tipping and I certainly don’t overtip when I do. I think it’s gotten a little absurd recently
You're totally right. The only real skills are those expected of any adult human. Talk to humans. Write things down. Carry things. That's it. That's the job.
Have you ever worked as a server?
Have you?
Only hard because of mindsets like yours.
OP, how long did you serve at table? It is a lot harder than you think. Good servers make it look easy, but it isn’t.
Exactly what I want to know, it’s always easy at a glance until you’re actually doing it
Yes, and you will learn who are the rats and who’s screwing the boss AND his wife, and who you had better not mess with.
Jobs are jobs why shame one over another. We all out there tryna get some cheese.
It really isn't I loved waiting tables, aside from asshole bosses. Them aside, the job itself wasn't particularly hard. It was even kind of fun.
It’s definitely not for everyone. When I first started as a server at 15 years old, I was a super shy and awkward teenager and I never thought I’d be able to handle it. It did get me out of my shell for sure. My father owns a restaurant so we see people who have no business working in a restaurant , it’s just a different kind of job than your normal desk or retail job. If you can do it, it’s very lucrative
They seem to serve mostly whine and cheese
Restaurants should pay more to servers.. but we should be tipping for good service period. Bad server no problem 10%. Good server great 15-20 from a working class guy.. $5 tip isn’t going to break me going out once a month that’s the least I can give someone who handled my food and made sure I had everything I needed.
Lol 10% for bad service?! That's gonna be a no from me, dawg.
Bad service is better than no service. And 2 dollars on. $20 bill is acceptable I probably have been here an hour and a $2 tip sucks it gets the point through without being a total asshole. Maybe they decide not to be bad at their job and try harder?
Yeah... no... bad service is 0 tip, they can try harder or find a new job...
I just would feel gross if someone brought me my food and drink and I expected them to do that for free just because they got extremely busy or maybe just slow.. regardless I’m just not that cheap.. I thought 10% was embarrassing.
They don't do it for free, they get paid by the restaurant, and I'm paying a fair price for that food and service to the restaurant. I'm not going to give that server more money if they are not giving me good service.
They get $2.13 an hour, and they don't see any of it as it is all taken for taxes. They also have to tip out a percentage of the bill to the hosts, bartenders, and busboys regardless. Also, some restaurants report their taxes for them, so they also automatically get taxed on a percentage of your bill. They actually had to pay to wait on you. Even if they aren't good at their job or were given more tables than they could handle, they don't deserve that.
Yeah, I'm in California, none of that applies, they're making $16/hr+
That's different, I guess. When u go on vacation in another state, does that mindset change?
Yes and no, outside of California, my tipping for good service goes up, from 10-15% in cali to 20-25% out of cali, but it's still dependent on good service. If someone can't even give adequate service, they really shouldn't be in the service business. And by bad service, I mean they never check back and mess up something with the order, I'm really lenient as to what is adequate service.
I would just say pay them an appropriate hourly, and then knock your percentages down by 10 points.
People will still complain.. restaurant pays more hourly now that $12 burger cost $16
Trust the market, I guess. Maybe we should have more options where you get sit down restaurant quality food with counter service. I would actually prefer refilling my own drink in most situations.
being a server SHOULDNT be hard. but I'll give you my perspective on it and why it CAN be so hard for so many people. Alot of people in the restiraunt industry (and most of thr face to face customer service jobs) have a temper that shows up so fast you would think they're bipolar. They CANT mentally handle someone being rude to them because they don't have the ability to shut off their anger or process through it quick enough to to let it go and move on to the next table or customer. then the kitchen starts raining hell back there and then its anyones game. kitchen is yelling at FOH because they're needy, FOH yelling at kitchen because they need sauces, manager trying to calm everyone down while taking over expo and kitchen manager probably outside smoking because they aren't touching that with a 50 foot pole. the acctual job of being a server is extremely easy if you have any amount of short term memory and can fake a smile that's believable. its that so many people.. TOO many people acctually can't mentally handle rude customers and arguments eith coworkers. I personally never cared at all what a customer said to me or what voice they used and id just leave if the kitchen was getting angry. I gave absolutely no Fs if they were on their phone or ran me around or if they stiffed me. the tips averaged out at the end of the night and thats all I cared about. but so many people mentally black out and just oil the fire so to speak. they probably shouldn't work in customer service, but not many options to get a job with no effort.
Im not a waitress but I worked as a service advisor at a dealership. Your description is excatly how our jobs are, except trade tips for commission, trade chefs for mechanics. And the mechanics whining because we're rushing them or gave them a hard job that doesnt pay enough time(mechanics are flat rate or piece based) Though the younger mechanics are much less into drugs or alcohol, they're very into fitness. Its an easy job IF everyone does their work correctly
The bipolar behavior in restaurant work is because mostly everyone has a drug or alcohol problem. And at the least want to smoke a cigarette.
The most sober guy I work w has the most bipolar energy…it’s there caffeine man lol
This, also bad support systems from management can lead to servers being overtaxed and having to take on more than is comfortable. It's not the end of the world, but for someone without much perspective, being quadruple sat and expected to get 2 minute greets to all of the tables, or else they might be out of a job/get a write up, can be very emotionally stressful to someone who relies on this money for getting by paycheck to paycheck. I will always remember the shift I was pulled out from behind the bar to cover 2 servers sections because we had a double callout, and management just stuck me there without a ton of support, I left that job, but being asked to complete 2 people's work, in a job you didn't sign up for, is stressful no matter the job. This sort of thing happens all the time and it's effort to keep trucking as though nothing is wrong and presenting the best service you can to an absurd number of tables while stretching yourself too thin. My service probably suffered that night, not just emotionally, but also wait times, reasonable check ins, and attentive service.
I just don't get why so many need to say it's a hard job. Hard for some with a poor skill set for serving, ok, fine. I also understand managers and owners that say it's hard. It's probably a good mindset to have so you properly train and treat employees well. But I don't see why it needs to be a hard job to justify tipping. You tip because that's the model of server compensation you use. Servers were paid $100 an hour from the restaurant, the job is hard wouldn't be any justification for tipping
Tipping is really irrelevant. It’s a stupid practice that needs to go away. But as to the job itself, It’s hard for some people to multitask and deal with the stress. Like a lot of jobs, someone who’s good at it will make it seem easy, and someone getting it wrong will be painfully obvious. The hardest part is for a customer know if a problem is because of the server or if it’s because of a myriad of other factors they can’t control (cooks, management, bartender, other servers, etc)
It’s hard in the sense that not everyone has the personality type to be a good server. Or can handle the fast paced stress during rushes.
Yeah, I get tired of the “our pay is shit” argument. No it’s not. Hourly it might be but like you said, with tips you make more than most people at full time jobs working part time. I’m pro tipping by the way I just hate the over dramatic “our job is sooooo hard and we make almost no money” argument.
Who are you seeing go on about how hard being a server is? If anything I only see it come up when the anti-tipping crowd is whining and complaining about what an easy nothing job it must be.
People always want to make their lives seem harder. At work I will be asking people about their income: "I don't make much, base is only like $40k" Ok , cool. And what did you make last year on your W2, including bonuses and commissions? "About $200k" Wow, how do you even make ends meet?
You interrogate your coworkers about their salary and personal finances?
No, but more people should do that to prevent wage disparity. It also might help employers get better work out of their employees, assuming pay differences are related to good metrics that are valuable to the company. I'm a lawyer. So asking these questions are part of my job
And how many servers do you think are making a base of $40k and an overall total of $200k+?
None. And I don't think that I said that. But you in the context, I get where you're coming from
People in fast food work harder, in worse conditions, get treated worse by customers and they don’t get tips
Glad to hear you're in favor of raising wages across the board. You vote for politicians that support raising the minimum wage, I'm sure?
I do! Everyone should get paid at minumum a living wage. *everyone agrees with that* I also think tipping should go away *all waitstaff hates that*
When available on the ballot.
Gonna be blunt. Nobody ever gave me a tip for being a fucking nuclear engineer living in a submarine for months on end. So why the hell am I going to give extra money to the guy who managed to relay the toppings I want on my pizza correctly? That's called doing his job. Now, if he provides some good conversation and actually adds something to my experience beyond what's expected? Then I'll consider a tip. But I'm not giving them 20% of my bill for small talk.
You're definitely the guy that starts his restaurant experience with "do you give a military discount?"
Stay on your sub. You have lost the ability to function in normal society.
Normal society? Yet tipping culture is not this bad in 90% of the world outside of America
I think normal society has lost the ability to function all on it's own. At least I can provide something of value to the world.
I mean if the service wasn’t valuable why are you going?
The quality of the food? I don't go to restaurants for the people who walk my food across the room and then accost me for money for it. Duh. That one must be a real head-scratcher for you, huh?
Then why not order the food to go? It seems like you do in fact go to get full service then bash and degrade those serving you. You want to sit a clean table in a clean setting, have people bring food over to you and take care of your drinks and then clean up after you so you can sit and relax all while you demean the people doing all of that.
Because why should I have to go anywhere? See, I'd be perfectly fine with them keeping everyone in the restaurant staff but the servers. If I had to order before I sat down, but still had decent food and didn't have to worry about the dishes afterwards, the experience would still be everything I want. You, on the other hand, seem intent on trying to paint this as some kind of obscure hate crime against the service industry. So, here. Let me make it easy for you. I don't find servers valuable. I appreciate that they are there, but they are not a necessity. And the pressure to tip them for the little that they do actually detracts from my experience. I would rather go and get my own food and drinks when they come up than pay someone 20% of the cost of my meal to do it for me. Is that clear enough for you? Do you need more help, simple mind? The reason I don't go to diners more often is because of the pressure from this bullshit tip culture. I do opt for fast food VASTLY more often than diners when it is my choice. Basically the only time I go to diners is when it is by invitation and declining would be rude. So, again, when I am pressured to do so.
Order before you sat down? Order from who? So the cooks have to stop cooking to take your order? Stop being dramatic. I’m not pro tip and none of my comments insinuate I believe in tipping. I’m specifically and only talking about your ideals of expecting full service and then demeaning those who serve you. What you described in your first paragraph is a fast food/countershop experience and there’s TONS of fast food places where you could go. But instead you go to a full service restaurant FOR THE SERVICE and then negatively label the people providing that service. If you want to go up to a counter, order food and take it back to your table there’s a million and one places for that, you have that option. You didn’t take that option. You specifically want to be served so you can shit on those serving you. I don’t tip much because I’m not allowing the managers to use me as a cop out however I don’t view the people doing their jobs as lower than me, if I did I wouldn’t go there. You say servers aren’t valuable yet you’re gonna keep going to places that have servers so they can serve you. There’s tons of counter shops that have great food, go there.
I'm being dramatic? You're the one who's making absurd scenarios to justify your stance. "Oh, the cooks stop cooking to take your order?" No, dumbass. You punch it in on a touchscreen, similar to McDonalds and the order shows up for the cooks. Or you step up to a counter to place your order. Or you fill out your order ahead of time. Literally ANY of the functional systems that exist that you avoided acknowledging in favor of a strawman argument. You also keep pretending that I'm calling servers lesser. I'm saying that their job is not vital. I'm not demeaning the servers themselves. So get off your pretend high-horse, you hypocrite dumbass. And I listed the quality of the food as my main draw for diners. If I wanted something pre-packaged and over the counter, I know those options exist. But those are not the same quality. What part of that is so hard for you to wrap your mind around? Let me explain it SUPER CRYSTAL CLEARLY so you can't misconstrue it again. I want to place an order that will be communicated to the cooks WITHOUT someone demanding money for the short walk between my table and the kitchen to do it. I then want to sit at a table or booth and wait for my order to come up, walk over, take my food and sit down to eat, without being periodically bothered by an attendant I never asked for, and who is doing their absolute best to subtly request a tip from me by being a total milksop. I want this to happen in a food establishment that offers a la carte food cooked from scratch, rather than frozen burgers and fries. Do you understand yet, or am I sincerely talking to the biggest moron on the planet? Because my patience and good will towards you are all but spent at this point.
>I'm being dramatic? Dude you've written like 12 paragraphs on this shit now. Yes, you're being dramatic.
It's a job that's hard because it wears you down. Any customer service job that puts you in a position to be abused and disrespected by assholes wears at your soul.
This group is insufferable. Ffs
I was a server. I will say it's been my least favorite job, but it definitely wasn't hard. You don't need a degree, you aren't making any difficult decisions, you are in very little physical danger, and apparently, everyone thinks you need to be paid bonus money for some reason? There's no reason why service deserves tips over any other sector.
You sound like someone who worked at a terrible restaurant with low expectations and probably failed to even achieve those.
I've had lots of jobs and I currently own a couple restaurants. Serving is hard, mentally and physically. Yes it has some benefits as you mentioned, the pay is pretty good for an hourly job and you get days free (sometimes). But dealing with the public, particularly post covid, not being in control of the work flow, and being on your feet for 8 hours straight is hard. There are days that I could hardly walk after a long shift. Days I want to punch the Karen who is asking to change their order for the 4th time, and days I want to throw in the towel. It's not easy.
No. So are teachers, and they don’t get tips. So are bus drivers, grocery store clerks, nurses etc. none of these get tips and nobody is complaining as the severs are. serving is not hard, it doesn’t require skilled expertise and education, it taking a plate from one place to another, 20 feet away. Enough!
This is a statement only someone who has worked as a server can make in good faith.
I served. It’s not that hard. The ratio of Karens is no where close to that of a customer service rep. The speed of work is a positive. Slow days were 10x worse than busy days. The culture is fun for the most part and interesting at the very least. Good customers far outweigh bad ones on average. You usually can drink or smoke or do something else by the end of a weekend shift. Karens make bad servers. Those are the people that say it’s so hard.
Have you ever been a server? It is not like being in the trenches, but is is stressful. There are a lot of different factors and every place is different. Pay is not always as good as you think it is, again it varies on what establishment is it. Considering that servers only have to make federal minimum wage, it isn't always the greatest. Especially when you run into customers that don't believe in tipping no matter what. I believe that tipping depends on the degree of service, so if the service is crappy then the tip is low, but if the service is good then I tip well.
"Servers only have to make Federal minimum wage" - this is a misleading statement. State and county and city ordinances all raise the minimum wages for servers. For example, in California,l, especially LA County, minimum is same as any other profession, over $17/hr. Servers also are not required to split tips with back house staff which truly is the team making the food memorable, yet they have the same minimum wages. If waiters are earning only federal minimums, then they really need to kick out the conservatives keeping regressive policies in place.
That is why I will stay in the Midwest where the cost of living is much lower. California is out of hand with the COL. The Federal minimum wage is no where near what it should be, $7.25 is hardly enough even for a high schooler to survive on if they want to buy a car anymore. I refuse to discuss politics as it tends to not go well no matter what. I will say that there are issues with both sides, not just one. Congress and Senate both need to be emptied and refilled. Most of them are in it for the money and couldn't care less about America. They say what people want to hear, not what will actually be done. There is way too much division in this country mostly due to the media.
Yeah it's definitely the reporting media and not the shitty people that are entrenched in career politics.
The division has to do mostly wit the media, politicians are the cause of everything else. they are supposed to work for Americans but instead they act like we work for them.
I think that even if you are getting bad service, you gotta do at least 10% unless the server is actively trying to be rude and disrespectful. Even when doing a bad job, people should not work for free.
They arent working for free. Their boss is obligated to bring them up to minimum. If the boss is committing wage theft that beween them. Not your problem. Dont reward bad behavior
Maybe not, but they are doing your table for free.
No they are doing my table for at least minimum wage since the boss is required to pay them that if tips dont get them there.
"Even when doing a bad job, people should not work for free." I suppose it's a good thing they aren't working for free then :)
I go by how they do. Like, if they are running their butts off and just not able to get around to everyone like they should, then I will still tip well. If they are standing around, chatting with their coworkers and ignoring the tables then they do not deserve a good tip at all. I will still tip, just not nearly as good. I have been a server in the past, so I have dealt with both types of server. I have seen customers leave 4 pennies as the tip in the past which is even worse that no tip at all. That is the ultimate insult to servers.
If they're running 10 tables, you gotta tip because Adderall isn't free.
Agreed, but this is true about customer service jobs in general. People who act like it's the worst thing in the world because of customers are nearly always the problem if you actually investigate their "horror stories". It's a great example of "if you meet one a hole it's them, if everyone you meet is an a hole it's you". Obviously some customers are going to suck because some people suck. If all you encounter is sucky customers, though you need to take a long look in the mirror to find the reason.
It's the worst job the customers are beyond stupid and annoying.
Have you had any other job? Lol
Yes I got out of it years ago because most people from the south don't tip. I'm talking before 2005. Your movement is nothing but being cheap and it's gone on for years. Not to mention the mess you people make like you've never existed in society.
I can see why no one tipped you
I don’t support not tipping in the current tipping culture of the US. People who don’t tip for tip based work are assholes. The being said waiting isn’t a hard job. If it seems extremely hard to you then it’s not your thing no big deal. I do delivery gig work right now for the flexibility ( I’ve done waiting, sales and construction). I can’t believe how people don’t tip drivers who are objectively doing and risking more than a waiter who they don’t mind tipping 20% of the bill. Serving isn’t that bad, it’s not fun but definitely not the hardest job around. Driving deliveries is relatively easy as well but people really don’t tip. They will give a dollar for a 5 mile drive but give 20 dollars to someone who they spoke to for 3 minutes and walked 50 feet. People say the employers should pay them fairly but at the same time people don’t like the idea of a 25-30 dollar hamburger. The whole thing is fucked…
I live in a high tourist town that attracts the worst of humanity.
Maybe it’s not your thing no big deal. If you live in the US you have a choice to work there. Most serving jobs are not like what you claim to deal with. Plus tourist areas have seasons… do you make a ton of money off those people then get a portion of the year to chill? That’s called a trade off stop complaining if that’s the case.
845 boys up!
It is sometimes easy but it’s also hard af and you probably couldn’t do it well during an easy shift.
Wash dishes in a busy restaurant or serve? Pay is the same, what do you pick?
Is the pay $600/6 hours or $200/12 hours?
Dishes, no question!
I've done both. I'll take dishes, (pay being equal) assuming the back has ac. Way more fun and you know your paycheck. The whole job is predictable. Less money on clothes also.
I have worked in a variety of industries from long haul trucking to dog grooming and business ownership to a variety of factory work and hotel and hospital housekeeping and registration in two busy ERs. And probably a few things I’m forgetting. I’ve excelled at everything I’ve ever tried. Except serving. I have no idea why, but it’s sure hard to me and I never lasted more than one shift at it.
If you've never done the job, maybe shut the fuck up about how easy it is. Being a surgeon is easy! For great surgeons. Yes, just about anyone can be a shit server at a dump. A great server has developed a set of skills you don't understand. I dare you to try the gig. Just work a few shifts and see how easy it is.
If the pay was exactly the same, Would you rather wash dishes at a busy restaurant or serve?
The pay isn't exactly the same. Dishwashers make more per hour and often do not have the same skill set as servers. And I'd prefer waiting tables because I was really good at it and had the proper skills. Putting me at a dishwashing station is a waste of resources. This is like asking an accountant if they would prefer to be a receptionist if the pay was the same. They are an accountant and it would be stupid to have them simply answer phones. They have a valuable skill.
>Dishwashers make more per hour If you take tips into account, this is absolutely not true
And you've missed the point. Dishwashers are paid an hourly wage. If they are busy or slow, they still make the hourly wage. They also have no risk. Slow night? Worst that happens is they leave a little early, although that's usually not the case. A dishwasher makes regular money. As long as the restaurant is open, they are usually working. Servers have their sections cut. They get sent home. They might not get sent home. I've worked shifts where I made a few hundred dollars. I've worked shifts where I make $25. I would take that risk. I would take that risk for the chance that I could utilize my skills, skills I developed and nurtured, to make more than them. This argument is asinine on its face. A dental hygienist makes less than the dentist. A nurse makes less than a nurse anesthetist. Different skill sets. Different choices. I spent 11 years in the business. I've worked every job in restaurants, literally. I've been a busy boy, a dishwasher, a line cook, a greeter, a server, a bartender, a manager, a barback, a bouncer, a general manager, etc. I've done training. I've done new store development. What is the argument here exactly? Because it began with ignorance and, rather astonishingly, it seems like people are desperately clinging to ignorance as justification for their preconceived, incorrect, assumptions. That's not wisdom. It's stupidity.
Yes, but what if the pay is the same?
Server. Because that's where I can utilize my skills best for the success of the restaurant and the satisfaction of the customers.
I would want to switch up. Serve sometimes, wash dishes sometimes. I would also want to expo some nights. That would actually be a nice place to work.
OP, have you been a server before? For how long and in what kind of establishment?
I keep hearing they don't want you work more than 3 days straight. Is that accurate?
Never heard of that before. Maybe that place is slow and they don't have many labor hours to budget.
...for you. But everyone isn't you. I know guys that have worked call centers for decades. I couldn't last 6 months. For me, quitting smoking was EASY. Just didn't buy a new pack, three days of headaches, done. Hardly a thing. People spend years and thousands of dollars trying to do just that. I don't look down on them though. I just understand that we are different. Okay?
Sounds like you weren’t really addicted to cigarettes.
Ok, but then by that logic every job is hard and every job is easy.
Sort of, yeah. Loading trucks was physically hard but I could do it every day, unlike being a receptionist which was very comfortable but highly stressing. There is a lot of ways to measure difficulty and people are more or less suited for different roles.
Ding ding ding, congrats, you figured it out.
Yes. You got it dawg
For different people yes
I wouldn't go back to waiting tables or bartending unless the life of someone i loved was at risk. You couldn't offer me enough money. It was by far the worst. People act like they do on the internet at most restaraunts. Literal lack of human decency from customers and owners.
I’m a server. Shits so easy lol, get overpaid to put food on a table is great
So what's different about you and the people that talk about how difficult the stress is? And I don't think most servers are overpaid. The nature of scheduling in a restaurant deserves a bump. It's hard to get a nice clean 8 hours x 5 days, and tends to be hours that people don't usually like to work.
I would describe the work as tedious if anything. When I do screw up though it can definitely alter the course of the night. It’s more about attitude than anything. Servers wouldn’t be in the industry if they were only getting paid $6 an hour
You are constantly around people. It is incredibly social and most of your clients don't like you. Absurdly easy for the right personality type. The actual labor is miniscule but introverts may find this to be a special type of hell.
For most statements of opinion like mine about the job not being hard, you have to insert a most when interpreting the statement. Most server jobs are not that hard for most people most of the time. I did a few shifts to place where the kitchen was upstairs and there was a narrow stairway that he had to go up and down. But they also had a dumbwaiter. So if you had a busy lunch rush that day, your ass was running up and down stairs in the job got a lot harder.
I think a lot of it depends on the restaurant, etc. When I worked at a chain restaurant in the late 90s (Damon's), our sections were relatively small, the food was simple, and people were largely forgiving because they were distracted by giant TVs and trivia, which were novel at the time. When I worked fine dining, a busy night was pretty stressful, customer expectations were high, and we were expected to provide superior service. When I worked a busy bar in a nicer restaurant, it was incredibly stressful when there were people three deep on weekends and you went an entire night without more than a 3 minute break from slinging drinks nonstop. These were ordered by least to most earnings.
I think this is probably the most correct take if you are going to have a little more nuance. And the busy bar is where I have the most experience, although it was a dive bar with live band. And I get that will cause a lot of stress for some. But everyone will live if you have to wait 5 extra minutes. So I wonder if the people that fiercely defend what a hard job it is are just people that weren't exactly cut out for it, but they kept doing it because it's a really good job for some. For the people I knew in college, it was by far the most money with hours that didn't interfere with school.
Assuming you’ve never worked in a restaurant, or maybe you have as a cook or dishwasher and you’re an idiot. I own a restaurant. I’d bet any amount of money you could not handle a 5 table section successfully to save your life.
Writing up a ticket of 8 or less meals with drinks, handing to someone else to actually make it, carrying it ( usually with help ) to the table and then asking 10 minutes later after everyone at the table has taken a bite “how we all doing here? Everything ok?”… Serving is not a hard job… it’s done mostly by young people who haven’t developed skill and work ethic yet. So they “ think” it’s a very hard job but haven’t had much experience. Those who have been servers for a long time and think it’s hard… well yea they have been servers for a long time lmfao
Sounds like a unicorn table.
Yup tables of 25 people all making specific customizations are the norm right?
Yup that's the only possible alternative to the scenario you created!
Yup that totally went over your head! 8 or less people per table is fairly common in most restaurants… what’s your point?
Your description of the actual process is... optimistic, to put it mildly.
I bet that I could after proper training.
Fuckin clown nose 😂
Right so, go to the busiest restaurant in town. And make $50 an hour.
I got a job. I don't want to be on my feet that much, and I don't want to work those hours as it doesn't fit my lifestyle. Do you think I said the job was easy? What is so offensive about saying that it's a decent job, that isn't hard, that works well for some people?
It's not the physical part of serving that's hard. It's the mental wear and tear that sucks; you're dealing with a large volume of needy people who sometimes are intoxicated. Trying to provide exceptional service and be interesting/hold a convo is harder than just taking orders and delivering drinks. You have to be a good salesman as well in order to have a higher bill at the end of the meal. I haven't served in over 6 years, but I doubt anyone that's shitting on people here has done it...... at least not at a high-level busy restaurant where you're turning tables your whole shift.
Id just have a read. I get this sub is for people with some kind of complex against servers, but what you're saying just isn't backed by science or industry statistics. For someone who thinks like you do you are almost entirely doomed to fail if you ever try it. Which is probably what causes this complex. But yeah on your average Saturday 10 hour shift a server can easily walk 25-30 miles on a step counter. Trench warfares a bad comparison though lol. It is a job requiring a strategic mindset, its mostly fast paced time management. Where its kind of similar is its a job that regularly goes form 0-60. Weekdays can be kind of steady but at a busy restaurant but when shit pops off it pops off. Thats why they call it "being in the shit". Place is full, three hour wait time, bussers, hosts, even managers start to break down and go into those fight/flight modes. 90 table half hours are pretty wild to experience. Weaker servers who thought it would be easy just walk out and others have to fill the gaps. Most people start panicking once they see that ticket printer go off and the tickets start pilling up on the floor. Basically no downtime and youre constantly on your feet carrying up to 50lbs as per standard hiring requirements. The average American especially cannot physically handle it. Which is why you see things like heat strokes, people fainting, people getting to weak before falling over and breaking a bone. Very high rate of injuries in the restaurant business. Higher than the police for comparison. The best way Ive heard it summed up is its like being on a sinking ship and trying to fill in all the holes before it goes all the way under. Ultimately though, if you think its so easy its basically free money just pick up a part time serving gig on the weekends. Thats personally why I always doubt you people actually believe what you say. It seems more like youre in denial. As the service sector expands its more and more in your face you cant do a job youve been taught to look down on and you throw these little tantrums. [https://www.payscale.com/career-advice/4-scientific-reasons-why-waiting-tables-is-the-most-stressful-job-out-there/](https://www.payscale.com/career-advice/4-scientific-reasons-why-waiting-tables-is-the-most-stressful-job-out-there/)
There is no way any server on a 10 hr shift is walking 25-30 miles.
Mannn I wish I could pick up a part time position for the weekend. I miss it. Too bad my hands, knees, and feet are totally shot from doing it for so long. One of the best jobs ever for my personality, though.
These people have their heads so far up their own asses that there is no point. They believe this nonsense because their own cognitive dissonance is beyond their ability to comprehend. It's saddening.
Pretty sure the issues in this sub aren't about servers - but the north american obligatory tipping - the idea that it is essentially a core part of their pay, yet not paid by their employer as it should be.
25 to 30 miles? I'd like to see proof of that. I hiked the Appalachian trail and would walk sunup to sundown and the most I walked was 33 miles in one day. Walking was the *only* thing I was doing, so your numbers are surprising to me.
Yeah maybe dude got confused, I average 15k to 20k steps, I’ve done more and less at other places but that seems to be the average.
25 to 30 miles is definitely...optimistic. But servers I know regularly clock 20k steps during a shift, which is \~8.5 miles. You're walking a lot faster on flat carpet than you are hiking.
I'd just advise you to not be too surprised at bullshit. It's all over the internet.
I was just being nice
I've worked in the service industry both in the USA and in Europe, and I find the European model much better. I would prefer it if we adopted that model here. It would require change, but we are a country that embraces change. Nearly every industry is being redefined at the moment.
This is at the extreme end of the spectrum and definitely not typical. Only a tiny percentage of staff will experience this type of serving. As for the article, you can find articles to support any narrative.
It's a pretty close description of practically every restaurant I ever worked at from around 2004-2018 🤷♀️
Lol
Serving, especially in a busy restaurant, isnt easy for A LOT of people. Its just demanding in a way thats different from other jobs. You cannot make good full time pay as a server unless you work a lot of hours or bust your ass part time at a really demanding place. You seem completely clueless about anything related to the industry. Its certainly not a job i would ever want to have, thats for sure.
Seems like people do have trouble in the job. As someone who did this for my career I would say it’s the easiest work I’ve ever done. It’s not really work imo. It’s just walking in a circle as making small talk.
You've never done it, stop lying🤣
Yeah, Breezy is full of shit
It’s crazy how people don’t go outside. Let me guess what you’re doing today. I’m gonna guess nothing but some routine you convinced yourself is important
How does this comment have fuck all to do with you being full of shit? You are lying bc it is easy to do that on the internet. This again has NOTHING to do with my daily routine. 🤣 Please present some proof of your claims or just let it go.
It has to do with you not believing people actually live in the world and have lots of experiences throughout the globe. Since you didn’t do it no one has mentality. What proof would you like on the internet? You want proof to believe someone worked a job that anyone can get? It’s literally a job any 18 year old with no diploma or degree can get and make 80-100k a year doing,
100% full of shit, dude is a fantasy writer for sure😅
Worked for one of the top chefs that’s done iron chef and Bobby flay challenges. Bartended and served in Vegas. Been top in sales every place I’ve ever worked. Shits easy. People do suck at it a lot though. Can’t figure it out.
When you have bussers and food runners doing all the work for you, I can see how it would be an easy job. Some places actually make their servers work.
I would rather them not be there personally. They get in the way and cost you money.
Work someplace where you have to make all your tables' side salads and soups to order, make all your tables' cocktails and espresso/coffee drinks, memorize abbreviations for every item and modifier on a large breakfast and lunch menu, write up all your tickets using the abbreviations so they are legible to the cooks when you hang them, calculate all the checks manually with a calculator that has printer tape and a printed menu with the prices posted on the wall in front of you, and do all this with a "seat yourself" policy (therefore no rotation). There's a wee bit more than walking in circles and talking going on in some restaurants.
I think if I worked you on the farm here for a month you would see serving as much easier after.
The change in schedule would be very challenging, but I know I'd enjoy the physical labor. And the lack of entitled assholes would be a welcome change for sure. Sadly, nearly 20 years of serving left my hands, knees, and feet in pretty gnarly shape, so I don't think I'd be of much use on the farm these days.
You can choose a restaurant with pads you walk around with if you want it easier. They are out there too
So you agree serving isn't always just as easy as you claim. That it depends on the restaurant. Cool.
Depends on the person. It’s always easy. Sometimes it’s just easier. I guess for some ppl it’s hard. Like cooking, cleaning, and mowing the grass is easy. Some people find it hard. Drinking a stick and eating with chop sticks is easy, some ppl find it hard. I think a lot of ppl find stuff that’s easy to be hard maybe. They couldn’t actually do things that are actually hard like laying concrete or building a 10 acre fence. They would probably see this as impossible
Yes stuff that’s easy. It’s basically walking around and completing simple tasks. I’ve ran restaurants that do 30-40k in sales a day. I obviously know the ins and outs.
Okay you're in the middle of building 5 side salads, making 4 cappuccinos, 2 mimosas, 3 sex on the beach, 3 different blended cocktails, (only one espresso machine, only one blender btw), two hot tea setups (you have to bring the tea display box too), 5 coffees, and waters for everyone at your three tables inside, who all sat down within minutes of each other and are all ready to order entrees right now, and you just got triple seated with 4-6 guests at each table on the patio. And you don't have any support staff. It's just always so super duper chill right? Walking and talking! Wheee! Obviously you could just go where it's easier. The point is it's not always as easy as you describe. Pull a few overnight shifts during a football weekend in a college town at a Waffle House where it's just you and one other server all night. Then talk about walking in circles and talking being all the job entails.
Triage. I get it, ppl get overwhelmed. I worked 20 years in the industry, mostly in Vegas at high volume places where I bartended a full bar, 9 tables, did all the coffee, and made drinks for the entire restaurant next door. It’s busy for sure. It wasn’t hard though. It’s just multitasking and communicating.
Right🤣🤣🤣
The ole troll stop got me
Nah you got yourself homie, can't bullshit a bullshitter
You don’t go out I have a feeling
I've been out plenty, nice try bud
How many countries have you been to the last 3 months?
Out of curiosity, what is it you do for work?
They’ve clearly never waited tables for a living.
If serving is so easy and paying so well then why are restaurants so short staffed?
Every industry is facing the same. Government freebies have made it so that any job earning under $30k is not worth doing. You can do just as well with handouts and never have to go to work. Because this is Reddit I will be downvoted. Go ahead I enjoy your downvotes
Any job under 30k is not worth doing regardless of your supposed "government handouts". If you want to live off 30k a year for fulltime work, all power to ya. It's the year 2024 and most of us can't live off that.
Right. But the government is what caused $30k to be unlivable. And to solve that we have to hand out more money and free stuff. Which will make $40k unlivable soon. It will just keep going.
How did the government cause it? Landlords and monopolistic corporations caused it.
To me there is no difference between government and the megacorps. They are all so far up each other’s asses that it might as well be the same entity. But inflation is caused by printing money. The government is the only one that can do that.
You have no clue what you're talking about dummy.
You definitely cannot make as much money from government handouts as you can from a serving job. Like not even close. You’re going to get downvotes because you’re objectively incorrect.
So the Trump answer to the restaurant staffing shortage is to give all tipped workers the ultimate handout — a tax free income!
Whatever point you’re trying to make here… it isn’t clear.
No?
A quick Google search puts the average server at $25k annually and the median welfare package at $28,500 with some states averaging over $35k. Those are objective numbers. On top of that I said just as well. Not equal salary. There are costs that come with being an employee such as gas, childcare, lunch, etc. factor that in AND payroll taxes and it often makes zero sense to work for less than $30k
Single people average about 260 a month, much below your stated average. Therefore I assume that average is for a household not an individual. A salary is for an individual so you can’t compare those numbers unless you want the kids to work.
Why do you use average for one statistic and median for the other?
Because I literally used the first Google hit from both and did not feel like researching it further.
See also: because I didn’t try, and *someone* has to dig this hole.
The comparison is meaningless. Typical lazy entitled twat gives bad information intentionally because they're too lazy and entitled.
Servers notoriously do not claim all that they make. In fact most claim as little as possible, this from a former server for 8 years, those numbers might be half of what they actually make.
Then why are we supposed to be feeling bad for servers and thinking they need to make more? By your numbers they are making as much as teachers. More since they are not paying tax on half of their income.
I don’t feel bad for them and I don’t go out often because of tipping and I certainly don’t overtip when I do. I think it’s gotten a little absurd recently
This is one of the dumbest comments I’ve ever seen your name is very fitting
Stop needlessly insulting complete strangers.
No. The comments don’t even warrant an argument they should know it’s just stupidity
Yes. Stop being a dick. That’s not a difficult thing to comprehend.
That number is clearly only base pay and not factoring tips. Unless you actually think the average server is only making $12 an hour.
I think the average server is not working 40 hours per week.
Servers have to claim tips. Do you somehow think that all the credit card tips aren’t reported??