I am a professional waitress. I have trained staff for several multi-million dollar companies, over the years. I have a small business from home, and am finishing my RN this summer. My mother raised the six of us on tip income, and I left it several times, but missed the extra, quick income and ended up back to slinging bacon and eggs, or now burgers and fries.
See, people do tip. But sadly, they will take into factor things that a server can not control like: how long it took to get seated, if the hostess was friendly, how long it takes to get certain items from the kitchen, or if we run out of something. Though all the people involved in those situations, still get their pay, I see mine cut to the bare buck, if they, watching like vultures, happen to have to wait for some thing, etc.
When eating out, remember these facts: did the server know the menu? Did she address you in a prompt, and polite manner? Did you receive your hot food hot and your cold food cold? Did she check back on you to make sure everything was all right before she moved on to another table? Did she clear the dishes and offer dessert or coffee? Did she invite you back? Was her area in the restaurant tidy? Was her floor area clean? If there were issues, did she send a manager? Did she find a remedy for the issue? Will you remember her name?
Yes, there are some who do not tip. In the middle income bracket, like where is fling food, it is usually, white women loaded down with kids, that they act as though we are to baby sit, and watch after while the run around untamed in the restaurant. We call them white trash. You know the ones: the kids have on 100.00 dollar sneakers, and their pants are so big they hang around their knees, and swear like adults, and talk to you like you are trash. They tend to leave a dollar.
But, I'll take that dollar. Because with the other 94 of them I picked up off of tables last night, makes 95 in four hours of work, plus my hourly wage.
I did though at a restaurant that I worked at for 14 years, volunteer to take the back station, that seated only parties, after church. The dinning room would fill up with people of color. While the other waitresses complained and moaned, I took the entire huge back dinning room, and made a killing each and every Sunday. Reason: Everyone is a person, and if treated with respect, and kindness, the same comes in return. I do not care the color, or age, or looks, I count my money at the end of the day, and do very well for myself and my family.
I do though, NOT feel an empathy for servers. Where I work, I have been told to cut back the amount I claim in tips for taxes. That all but one of the girls, is SKIMMING. Meaning, reporting the least amount possible. That is cheating and lying. If the hourly employee has to pay taxes, the local cab driver pays, the clerk at the grocery pays, so should we.
