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Money
on the Table
Tips
for the tipped
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Is Waiting on Tables Worth the
Tip?
For some servers, yes!
Being a restaurant waiter business can be a lucrative endeavor
since not only are you being paid a wage, but also tips are on
the top of this. The downside of this is that restaurant minimum
wages are lower than for most jobs, particularly in the U.S. where
restaurant minimums are under $3.00 an hour. Tips are thus almost
a necessity in Canada and the U.S. where people are tipped on
the basis of the quality of the service. How you deliver can make
or break the cash you take home at the end of the day. But there's
more factors affecting how much cash you clear from your tables.
Less hours More Money
Tips can be a measure of the type of service you give, but the
size of your tips can also depend on the type of restaurant you're
employed at. However how much you earn is going to depend largely
on where, when and how well you work. The right combination of
these factors may mean you have to work significantly less and
still come out with a greater stash of cash at the end of the
day - thus allowing you to dedicate more time to studying. Some
factors to consider:
The Weakest Link:
When you think about it how much you make is largely dependent
on the dining experience that you and your team put on; the host/hostess,
chef, kitchen and bussing staff. For example even if your service
is great but the food is overcooked, the hostess didn't seat your
table promptly, and the bussing staff dumped that remaining tiramisu
on the person picking up the tab, your tip is likely to suffer.
You want to have a great team backing up your strong skills
Tips for Servers: Getting the job
Most restaurants will hire in the spring for the summer rush.
After that your merit becomes an even more important factor in
the hiring. However turnover can be high in the business, so hiring
can take place even through the summer as people leave. Most high-end
restaurants will look for experience but the chain restaurants
will often train the right people. For first timers in the restaurant
it is probably a good idea to learn the ins and outs serving in
a chain restaurant where procedures are thoroughly documented
and laid out.
To find a job in the industry, the easiest way is to answer the
want ads but you will be in competition with many servers who
have a lot of experience. And of course they may not be the restaurants
that you want to work at. It is often preferable to find a few
restaurants you would like to work at and then apply to them.
Who knows, the manager or owner may see potential in you as a
server even though you may not have much experience. If you know
someone at a desired restaurant, all the better, as they can keep
you posted as to when new staff is being hired.
Do a test run
A way to see you like the industry is to be a barista at a local
coffeehouse like a Starbucks. This is a good way to test the waters
and see if the hospitality business allows you to keep your dignity
and still serve customers with a smile. Since being a server entails
performing many duties at the same time; serving multiple tables,
setting tables, getting condiments, and many other time consuming
duties, it may not be for everybody.
Choosing your restaurant:
How to decide which resturant will load up your financial plate?
Some factors to consider:
Research: Get the low down Talk to other servers and
ask about their experience in a particular restaurant or find
out about the ins and outs of the industry. They may tell you
that for a summer job there's nothing else that they would rather
be doing. Still others might say it is a frantic, hectic business
where you are almost treated as servants.
Look Long Term Proving yourself to be a good server could
mean being called back next summer saving you both the time
of looking for another job next summer. An employer will often
want to avoid the hassle and expense of looking for new wait
staff next summer. Doing a great job can also mean getting assigned
the better shifts and restaurant sections at some establishments.
Find out your costs and benefits This can have an impact
on what you may believe is the "perfect" job. Having
to drive a long way and then pay for parking cuts into what
you'll actually end up with as can a long bus ride or the expense
of a late night cab ride home. Of course as a server you might
have to buy a white shirt or black pants or possibly a specific
uniform for the restaurant all of which can add up.
Consider the benefits. Some restaurants will give you
a free meal - perhaps even letting you graze at their buffet
if they have one. Others will let you eat at a discount - perhaps
50% off. The discount may be a benefit, or in the case of a
high priced restaurant, could still be costly - and thus an
incentive to bring your own lunch.
Stay close to where you work Living close to where you
work can not only cut your transportation costs, it could make
you a prime choice to pick up extra shifts when the restaurant
gets busy. Make sure you let those handing out the shifts that
you are "only minutes away".
Buy Consignment If it's a standard uniform such as white
shirts and black slacks, check into buying at a consignment
store. It will greatly save you money, especially if you have
to buy more than one set. While dress shoes can also be bought
at a local consignment store, for health reasons, it may be
advisable to buy them new.
Uncorking profits: It's little wonder that restaurants
push the beverages in restaurants, as that's where the profits
are. And what's good for the restaurant is good for you since
the increased size of the bill tends to increase the size of
the tip. And while you don't want to get your patrons too juiced
so as to jeopardize their safety, a $30 bottle of wine could
fill your pocket with an extra $5 or more in tips. If your age
permits it working a licensed restaurant is likely to yield
you higher tips.
Know their style: Generally in restaurants where you
coral people up to a buffet, your patrons are apt to tip less
- usually 5-10% versus the traditional 10-20% of most restaurants.
Formal sit down restaurants on the other hand tend to have the
patron's tip higher - in the 15-20% range.
Know your clientele's business: Different clientele
will tip differently. People dining on business expense accounts
are likely to be freer with the tips than if the meal was coming
out of their own pocket. They may also be more likely to tip
well if entertaining clients so as not to appear cheap.
Know your clientele: Restaurants that tend to have regular
clientele also tend to be more lucrative as they don't want
to short change a waiter and risk getting poor service next
time. Holiday tippers are mixed story. On the positive side
people tend to be a little freer at throwing their money around
when they are on holidays - in a good mood and away from the
daily grind and perhaps a tyrannical boss. However at a restaurant
frequented by tourists, the size of your tip also may depend
on what country your patrons are from. In Canada and the U.S.
tipping on top of the bill is an expected practice, however
in many countries tips are not common practice or are already
included in the bill - meaning you may get a lesser tip or no
tip at all.
Americans are generally regarded as among the highest tippers
- owing in part to the fact that their minimum wage for wait
staff is so low. But before you go wrestling with your co-workers
to get that table of hungry Texans, keep in mind that in an
increasingly global world, many tourists from abroad learn the
North American tipping etiquette before they visit. Thus your
highest tips can sometimes come from the least expected sources.
For wait staff in Canadian restaurants (particularly in border
cities), you may also find yourself getting something even better
than a tip - at tip in U.S. dollars…which with the exchange,
may even pay your whole tuition!
Know your restaurants' pattern of business: Some restaurants
are hopping on weekends but are about as busy as a campus library
in mid summer, during the rest of the week. Others will do a
great breakfast and lunch business while others do most of their
business in the evening. Since people generally tend to load
up less on food and drink during lunch (something about waddling
back to the office and falling asleep that influences this decision!),
their bill and thus your tips, are likely to be less.
Of course on a seasonal basis, some tourist dependant restaurants
are steady for a couple of months and then business drops off
sharply. Forgoing your days off and picking up as many extra
shifts as possible during that time, may be your best way to
pack in the summer cash.
Making the most from your wait job: Tip Psychology 101
The word "tips" is believed to come from the acronym:
To Insure Proper Service. Generally intended as a way to reward
good service, tipping is more common in countries where citizens
value status and prestige more highly, according to a 1997 Cornell
University study. But how much people tip is also determined by
other factors:
- Size matters The major reason for a good tip is the
size of the bill. So as a waiter you are a salesperson as much
as a server. The better you are as a salivary salespeople in
order to bring the bill as high as possible, the more likely
you are to be on the receiving end of a high tip.
- Not to disappoint Another Cornell study revealed that
along with the size of the bill, the amount of the tip left
by diners is influenced surprisingly as much by the fear of
disappointing the server, as by the quality of the service.
Furthermore "there was relatively little difference between
a tip someone would leave for adequate service versus excellent
service. Although the major reason for a good tip is the size
of the bill, be aware that poor service still yielded a significantly
lower tip or no tip at all.
- Getting to know you Revealing your student status.
Often how well you relate to your customers will factor into
your tip. If you are friendly and build rapport, your customers
may be more forgiving of slips in service. If they know you
are a student working hard to put yourself through college or
university, they may also be more apt to open up their wallet
then they would if you were saving to buy say a Harley. A patron
able to identify with your situation can be to your financial
advantage. Little wonder that some of the best tips come from
those who have worked in the restaurant industry themselves.
- The golden touch In this golden age of political correctness,
we may be taught to keep our distance and avoid even minor physical
contact. But in the tipping game a gentle touch i.e. on the
shoulder, was found to be good for the wallet, as were other
non-verbal communication signs of liking such as crouching next
to the table. In fact a Cornell University study found that
when wait staff used slight touching, their tips averaged around
14.9% versus 11.5% where no touching was involved. The difference
was even more pronounced among younger paying customers.
Of course you can never fully predict what a customer will fork
out as a tip. Their mood, personal situation, financial circumstances
that day, may all have an effect. However combining your choice
of restaurant employer, hours of work, and strategies for connecting
with your customers, are bound to effect whether you're clearing
dishes from your tables, or just a lot of cash!
co-written by Jaz Sihota
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