I am working a second job at a national restaurant chain. Currently I am working as a server, but I do other little odds and ends around the place too. I honestly thought that I was going to really dislike the place, but it turns out that it’s a pretty good place to work. Sure, sometimes my hours are crappy… take this weekend for instance. Work at my main job from 6AM to 4PM and as a server from 5PM to ___ PM. I usually end up getting off around 9 or so, but on the weekends I’ve been there since 11 before. That hour in between jobs doesn’t leave much time to shove something down my throat before I head to the salt mines again. All in all though, it’s alright.
There is one bit of beef that I have with some people, and to be honest, I suppose you’re going to run into this in any tip-based job.
People forgot how to tip.
Maybe not all people, but definitely some people just plain forgot how… or never learned. Sometimes I think that it’s me doing a crappy job, but then I realize that I can’t do anything better for them. Drinks right away, crack a joke or two, everyone laughs, food out quick and tasting good, desert, check, smiles all around, thank you very much. Glance at the check and…10%. or less.
I’m not one to toot my own horn, but come on, that’s called good service, and you just shit on me.
I’ve heard some people even say that they simply don’t tip. I MAKE THREE DOLLARS AN HOUR. THREE. If my check at the end of 2 weeks is more than $100, I’m doing the Irish jig up and down 10th street. As a server, I survive off of tips. Alright, well not me personally, but there are plenty of people where that serving job is how they pay rent. And please don’t give me “the economy is crappy” as an excuse. We’re all in this together, and I’m feeling it as much as you are. If you can’t afford a couple extra bucks on the tip to get it to 15%, maybe you should be eating ramen at home. I’m not saying I don’t want your patronage, I’m saying that if the reason you aren’t going to give a decent tip to a good waiter is because you can’t afford a couple more bucks on the tab, then you shouldn’t be eating out anywhere. Don’t be a dick.
On the other hand some tables absolutely blow you away. I know if I’m doing a crappy job. Sometimes, I definelty am doing a crappy job with a table, and then they leave me a great tip anyways. I guess I just don’t get it sometimes, but that’s because sometimes it just doesn’t make any sense. Unfortunately the “Don’t tip” people usually outweigh the “blow me away” people most nights.
I remember the extreme tables while working. The extremely good, and the extremely bad. Honestly, if you come in and we have a good time, I’m going to remember that the next time I see you. I’m also going to remember if you gave me $5 on a $70 tab (happened) or worse, stiffed me on a $100 tab (happened to a friend).
Fortunately those cases are fairly rare, and for the most part, people seem to tip about right. It’s just the really bad tables that seem to stick out more than others.
The bright side of all this is that I really enjoy the people I work with there. With the exception of very few, I really enjoy seeing the people I work with when I go in. Even those that I don’t look forward to seeing, it’s not that I don’t like them, they’re just mildly irritating sometimes, not that I can’t stand to be around them.
I suppose that’s the important part. Tables will come and go, but your co-workers are going to be there to give you a pat on the back and tell you to keep your chin up when the night just isn’t going your way. That’s why I’ll keep going back. That’s why I’ll keep shaking hands and giving hugs to all of my co-workers. Because they aren’t just co-workers anymore, they’re friends… even the mildly irritating ones.
