Anyone work as a server...question re tips

[Kelkens]

I am sure someone knows as this board is so helpful.

Our son is working as a server at a retirement home being that he is only 15 he is excluded from working as a server in a licensed restaurant.

He gets $9.50 when he works as a server and $12 when he does dishwasher/kitchen help. As well any time over his scheduled shift(servers are usually scheduled for six hours split shift) is time and half. Plus if there is a special event he gets time and half for that and as well time and half for stat. holidays.

I think for a 15 yr old it is decent pay and they are very good about scheduling weekend only work.

But I would like to know what the going rate is for servers in restaurants. The hard part is figuring out the tip as the wage is lower but there are tips. One restaurant(Moxies) said $9.05(minimum wage) for server and $10.50 for tip.

Has anyone worked at some place like Moxies, Earls, BP, Sawmill, Dennys, etc...what kind of tip can be expected and how is split amongst the servers and kitchen help.

[Hailey'smommy]

It's hard to say tip depends on the server and coustomers so it is random can't really put a number on it. Any of the resteraunts that I have worked in you keep your own tips and then depending on your ring out you would pay a percent to the kitchen staff anywhere from 1-5 % is what I remember paying.

[Kelkens]

I realize it would really depend..

We tip 20% if the service is reasonably good and go down from there but nothing lower than 10%. So on a $50 bill that is $10. Now $50 would only be for three of us.

I am trying to estimate how much tip someone would get but it sounds pretty iffy..but for one table at 1% it would be $1..As he gets paid $1.50 more an hr than what Moxies was quoting that would mean he would have to 10 tables tip at 20% to break even for his usual hourly rate then there is overtime rate.

If the weather holds out he will likely stay where he is. He likes the others he works for and they have been teaching him some good skills in the kitchen. Once he turns 16 he will have more options.

[frugalkitty]

I have never worked as a server.

I am just guessing but perhaps the people in the retirement home tip at a lower rate than the general population? Not all seniors are strapped for cash, but many do need to budget carefully and maybe tip based on older standards.

[coolmum95]

considering your son's age, and where he is presently working, I would think that $9.50 an hr. is fair. Being that he works in a retirement home, the 'guest count' is most likely consistent on a regular basis. Do the seniors even tip or is that included in their monthly expenses? If you have concerns or questions, I would address the kitchen/restaurant management or Human Resources. Good Luck.

[Kelkens]

No they do not tip.

This is a very upscale retirement home with private suites and a meal plan. Kind of like a stationary cruise ship.

I think all things considered he is doing well. He is learning kitchen skills and also dealing with seniors.

The restuarants just not give what the average tip per day would be and that makes me quite suspect. The old thing "if something is too good to be true it probably is"

I expect that those serving at restaurants do quite well during busy times but there is also times when it is not busy and you are still at work getting paid $9.05 and few tips.

[Kelkens]

Well I got the first straightforward answer from Moxie Kingsway.

The manager said dishwashers get about $2.25 an hr extra tip but they start at $10.50. So that is .75 more than what he is now getting as a dishwasher/kitchen help.

I am glad I got an answer as he has better deal where he is working with the over time plus he also gets free meals and I know that at restaurants you pay at least half the meal retail cost. The extra .75 per hr would easily be eaten in a day at Moxie's prices and you can't work all day and not eat and who takes their own food when you work in a restaurant.

[mcandlish]

When I worked as a server, we tipped out the kitchen 2% (i think.... this was a few years ago) of our total gross sales each night. So if I did $1,000 in sales, I gave $20 with my cashout to the manager that night.

The tips were distributed weekly by adding up all the tip-out money from the servers and divided by the hours worked in the kitchen. Usually ended up 100-200 per person depending on the hours worked.

Hope this helps.

[Kelkens]

Thanks to all for their response.

Today he was offerred the weekend dishwasher/kitchen help position at $12 per hr plus time and half for over time and for stats and free food for his shifts. The head chef told him it was because he shows up on time, does not refuse shifts and works hard when he is there.

Fortunately he is an early riser as the morning dishwasher shift starts at 7 a.m.

Funny I worked as a dishwasher in high school but I sure never got paid $12/hr. I think it was $2.65...

[aww]

Congratulations for you son on his promotion. I was going to point out that with the (former) serving position, even if he made less in wages/tips considering his age, it would be a good work environment. He wouldn't have been serving people in a restaurant where people may become inebriated, cause problems, etc. but rather was working with what I would assume was a stable clientele in a safe environment.

[Kelkens]

Yes they don't get drunk but some of them are particular.

He said once "you know all the picky people sit together"..

He is very fortunate to have cooks that are very patient and interested in teaching.

[mhk]

You have a great son. How many 15 year olds actually do want to work these days eh? Congrats to him, and to you for being his wonderful Mum kelkens

[jessicakk]

your son is great,congratulations to him!You are a good parent.

[Kelkens]

Thanks so much.

He is not into sports and we discourage hanging in malls. He easily handles his work so we figure he can do something productive during his weekends as on the other side he will do a heck of lot of gaming, tv watching,etc.