Post: #1

has anyone here ever been a waiter? i'm new to it, and pretty bad at making high tips. while all my co-workers earn clear over $50 a night, i'm lucky to just make $50. i realize this is a learning experience, but i'd like to close the gap between sucking and being fairly good relatively quickly. anyone have tips (pun kind of intended)?

Post: #2

I worked in catering for a couple months as a server and bartender. In my experience, the key to getting good tips is to just be very outgoing and give the people whatever they want.

Post: #3

(11-16-2011 11:55 PM)theoogabear Wrote:  has anyone here ever been a waiter? i'm new to it, and pretty bad at making high tips. while all my co-workers earn clear over $50 a night, i'm lucky to just make $50. i realize this is a learning experience, but i'd like to close the gap between sucking and being fairly good relatively quickly. anyone have tips (pun kind of intended)?

Been in the waiter'ing business since I was 16.

I think its more important to NOT suck than to be GOOD.

What I mean by that is most people are "set" tippers. Which means either they are bad tippers, average tippers, and good tippers. So as long as you dont SUCK they will tip you what they generally tip people.

Like with me Im a good tipper. Im pretty much gonna tip 30-50% everytime I eat out just so long as the waiter isnt terrible.

My mom is an average tipper. No matter what she is gonna tip around 15%.

So your probably wondering how not to suck right?

1) Prompt Service! Dont make people wait for ANYTHING.

2) Make sure you take down the order correctly and make sure it comes out the way the customers want it.

You do these two things and you will be alright imo.

Alot of people disagree with me thinking that you have to be very personable and smile ect.

I go with the flow of the table. Im not gonna initiate alot of convo, but if the table wants to chat and be funny ect ill play along.

Your tips might be alittle higher but not much imo.

Also sections and day/night shift play a role in how much you make.

The biggest thing I found to determine how much you will make is the CLIENTELE.

If you are in the bad part of town you will make shit.

If you are in a rich part of town you will make good tips.

The restaurant is a great way to meet people and is great for picking and choosing when you want off ect.

No other job would let me just pick any 2-4 weeks I wanted off to go to another country.

Downside is dealing with dumbass people all the time.

Post: #4

(11-17-2011 02:10 AM)Dash Global Wrote:  Like with me Im a good tipper. Im pretty much gonna tip 30-50% everytime I eat out just so long as the waiter isnt terrible.

50%?! That's ridiculous.

Post: #5

How long have you been doing it? If you're still kind of learning the ropes right now, just keep focusing on getting better and eventually you'll get better tips. It's important to just become extremely competent first, and then you can start thinking about how else you can go that extra mile - as the job becomes second nature to you, then you'll recognize what that actually means.

For instance, some people try extremely hard to please people to get a better tip and end up hovering and bothering the person when they want to eat, not realizing that people like you to be attentive but not constantly "there." Also, don't focus too much on the money and then sit there feeling bitter when you go above and beyond. Your focus should be on giving the customer the best experience possible - each and every customer. Some will reward you big for it, but not all - but it's important to be consistent and give it your best at all times.

So just keep getting to know how your job works. If you can, watch the experienced people who get big tips as they work, or go out to a fancy restaurant known for good service and observe the industry pros in action. One thing you might notice is that besides just being really good at what you do so you "don't suck," being able to get people to genuinely like you is what really draws out the ridiculous tips.

I think I saw an ebook one time that some guy was selling that talked about how to get bigger tips....anyone ever heard of this before?

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #6

(11-17-2011 03:17 AM)Soma Wrote:  

(11-17-2011 02:10 AM)Dash Global Wrote:  Like with me Im a good tipper. Im pretty much gonna tip 30-50% everytime I eat out just so long as the waiter isnt terrible.

50%?! That's ridiculous.

When I was in the states, I used to always leave a huge tip. If it was an expensive meal, I'd usually go for 25-30. If it was smaller, I would even do 50.

Service jobs are shitty. A nice tip will always make a waiter's day better.

I've been spoiled since I've been in Asia, though. No tips required.

Post: #7

My tips are to stay on top of refills, show your knowledge about the food, and be gracious. Also, the longer you work at your restaurant, the more responsibility(table assignments) and better shifts you receive. The biggest factor in the amount of money you make as a server is the type of restaurant you work at. I bussed tables at an italian fine dining establishment(in a big yuppie college town) in my final year of college and made $15/hr in tips, however all the waiters who came from Olive Garden and the like were very happy to be making at least $24/hr in tips because they were previously busting their tails doing never-ending breadsticks and similar promotions for only $4-5 tips. Just hang in there, and they'll give you more tables to manage or a better section of the dining room.

Post: #8

Worked in food service my entire life (mostly in the BoH mind you, but I know enough)

Besides the obvious stuff like actually checking up on a table, keeping drinks filled, ect...

Smile, but not in a cheesy exaggerated way

Talk to them like they're human beings, most restaurants will sit you down and make you watch a tape where some schmuck gives you this scripted bullshit that you're supposed to say and makes you come off like a little food service robot, dont do that unless your manager is over your shoulder. You'd be amazed how people react when you treat them like people, not customers.

Apologize, a lot, no matter how stupid the issue is "This coke doesn't have enough ice in it" "I'm sorry, let me fix that" Its a bit demeaning, but you're a waiter, get used to it lol

BE NICE TO THE COOKS, we run this shit and our fuck-ups are your ass. I have motherfucked many servers because they're were dickheads, if the cooks like you your plates will come out faster, fresher, and fuller so many dipshit servers dont get this. You'll be amazed at how fast "you want something to drink" will make you a friend.

Chef In Jeans
A culinary website for men

Post: #9

(11-17-2011 03:17 AM)Soma Wrote:  

(11-17-2011 02:10 AM)Dash Global Wrote:  Like with me Im a good tipper. Im pretty much gonna tip 30-50% everytime I eat out just so long as the waiter isnt terrible.

50%?! That's ridiculous.

anything less than 5 dollar tip is horrendous. I dont leave nothing less than a 10 dollar tip. So sometimes I tip 100% if the bill is like 10-12 bucks.

Chad,

Ive almost gotten into a few fights with cooks. I dont play that game with them. If I can tell shit is taking to long or my shit is not looking right ill have the manager on their ass real quick.

Post: #10

(11-17-2011 03:17 AM)Soma Wrote:  

(11-17-2011 02:10 AM)Dash Global Wrote:  Like with me Im a good tipper. Im pretty much gonna tip 30-50% everytime I eat out just so long as the waiter isnt terrible.

50%?! That's ridiculous.

I usually tip 20% but if it isn't an expensive meal it can be a lot more. The way I see it the waiter really isn't working that much harder to bring you a $30 steak dinner with wine than he is when you get a $3 breakfast special and a cup of coffee. In the latter case I'd probably leave close to 100%. Some of my best friends have worked in the restaurant industry and I know how shitty it is so I consider it money well spent.

Post: #11

(11-17-2011 07:50 AM)November Wrote:  I've been spoiled since I've been in Asia, though. No tips required.

I thought that was only in Japan. At least in China you tip.

Post: #12

Dash, this is just me, but I try to never piss off or insult people who are cooking my food. Who knows what they might do to it.

Post: #13

(11-19-2011 02:57 AM)youngmobileglobal Wrote:  Dash, this is just me, but I try to never piss off or insult people who are cooking my food. Who knows what they might do to it.

I try to not piss anyone off, but I dont put up with assholes. I dont care if they are cooking the food or not.

Muc,

You also dont tip in Korea. I felt very weird about not leaving a tip! Just didnt seem right! lol

Post: #14

I've been in this biz since I was 17 (25 now). You can bank. In one upscale casual place I was working at, I would take home $800-1000 off 4 nights and still have my weekends off. And it's all cash.

But as stated above, be very kind to your BOH staff. They can make it very easy for you or very difficult, and you want to be working with them, not against them. Every server acts like their shit is the most important thing in the restaurant, at all times, but the guys in the back have your table, plus everyone else's table to balance out.

Be cool. Be calm. Be on point.

Run food out of the kitchen even if it's not your own. Be a team player.

And a nice thing about restaurants... usually lots of young hot ass. Hostesses, waitresses, even guests to practice game on. Everyone wants to go out and drink/smoke/party after the shift ends.