Poll: Do you know wait staff does not get minimum wage?

[chaik76]

Yes, because I am currently a waitress. I make $2.87/hr. before tips.

[Rhonda in TX]

My best friend worked at a Pizza Hut (back before pizza delivery). She made less than minimum wage.

 

I'm getting more generous with my tips the older I get.

[TraceyS/FL]

When we travel, we're usually staying for a week (in a timeshare) and may have 10 bags. No way I could afford to tip $50 for him to bring our bags up and another $50 to have them taken back down to the car.

 

I hope we haven't been looked at as cheapskates.:confused:

That is what we tip $1-2 dollars a bag - and round up if i have bills, tip the valet when they bring the car (normally what i have in pocket).

 

Usually less than half, and they are expected to claim at least 10-15 percent of their wages in taxes. So yes, they can end up with zero checks. Barbacks and bussers are paid minimum wage but they are tipped out (paid a percentage of the wait-staff or bartenders tips) because they help do some of their work and make the job easier for them but do not get directly tipped. Many people don't realize that the car-hops at Sonic are paid like wait-staff. They are not paid minimum wage and do depend on tips. Considering that they work outside in the elements and that their overall tickets are lower, they should be tipped even an even higher amount.

 

Most hotels maids (with very few exceptions) are paid less than minimum wage and really depend on tips. It really doesn't matter how much you pay for the hotel room, the maid still gets paid the same amount.

Again, it varies on Sonic by state. But i don't tip at teh drive-thru at Sonic with a window. Sorry, not gunna happen!

 

As for the housekeeping staff - there is just no way. And i'll let any manager from here on out in a hotel that i stay at know why (but only a few states list that as a tippable position) that i'm not tipping.

 

See, i can stay at home a week or so without doing what they do, so i'm fine. Personally, a good housekeeping staff is there to protect the property of the hotel owners. Wear and tear, addressing issues before they become major problems and cause more money, that type of things. I don't see that they are really providing ME the service, but are there to protect the hotels property from the likes of me. They aren't personally bringing me my food. They have no interaction with me. I'd be happier with "on demand" housekeeping vs mandatory daily (most stays the "do not distrub" sign is out and they DON"T do anything). I'm not comfy with someone being in the room with my stuff. It becomes my space... i'll pick up after myself for a few days.

 

Anyway, that is how i feel - and like i said, i'll start being vocal about it if i have to be. It's not right....

 

And i still think a tip needs to be earned, not just paid "because". How can the person strive for a higher level of service if they are always rewarded for lackluster performance?

[Jeannie in NJ]

my mom once worked a job where she received no salary at all, it was just tips. As an aside, when I was a teen in Oregon in the late 1960's I worked picking fruit and beans in the summer. All the kids did this. The buses would come around about 5:00 am and cram so many kids on that the seats would be full and kids would stand in the aisles. We were paid 25 cents a carrier for strawberries and 3 cents a pound for grean beans and the average kid would pick 100 to mAybe up to 200 pounds a day so about $3.00 to the most $6.00 a day total, no min. wage. But all the kids worked in the fields, if you didn't, you never saw your friends in the summer. Also a lot of goofing off and flirting went on in those fields. It was actually quite fun and it was the only way I could have money to buy school clothes (I had a single mom and she couldn't afford to buy us kids our clothes, all her money went for food and rent, ect.). fMy kids now love to hear this stories, it is all so alien to them lol.

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

my mom once worked a job where she received no salary at all, it was just tips. As an aside, when I was a teen in Oregon in the late 1960's I worked picking fruit and beans in the summer. All the kids did this. The buses would come around about 5:00 am and cram so many kids on that the seats would be full and kids would stand in the aisles. We were paid 25 cents a carrier for strawberries and 3 cents a pound for grean beans and the average kid would pick 100 to mAybe up to 200 pounds a day so about $3.00 to the most $6.00 a day total, no min. wage. But all the kids worked in the fields, if you didn't, you never saw your friends in the summer. Also a lot of goofing off and flirting went on in those fields. It was actually quite fun and it was the only way I could have money to buy school clothes (I had a single mom and she couldn't afford to buy us kids our clothes, all her money went for food and rent, ect.). fMy kids now love to hear this stories, it is all so alien to them lol.

 

My mother loves to share her fond memories of picking fruit for pay in her small eastern Washington town. Buses would pick her and her sisters up early in the morning and they'd pick berries alongside the migrant workers. They drank water from a rain barrel and had a lot of fun. She said she probably ate as many berries as she turned in. She was quite young and can't believe her mom sent them off, but she loved it.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

 

K

[CookieMonster]

I worked as a waitress before. I got around $2.20 in my official wage. I worked at middle-class restaurants ($8-$17 entrees). I was not a very good waitress (not a gift I have). I made plenty of money.

 

I claimed all my tips - because that's the money I made. (Most wait staff claim the mandatory 8% of sales and nothing more, regardless of what they actually make). I usually had $0 paychecks (because they take SS, Federal, and State Taxes out of that $2.20/hr). I still made $300-$400 a week easily without working 40 full hours.

 

I always ended up making more than the minimum wage - and other servers made much more than I (they were much better). I knew several experienced wait staff who worked a couple of nights at more exclusive, more expensive restaurants as a boost to their family income. They made $300-$400 a night - and they only claimed to have made 8 percent of their sales in tips.

 

So I don't think it's a crying shame that wait staff get paid $2.xx an hour to cover their taxes. I still tip adequately (15-20%).

 

Now, hotel maids and security guards - that was new to me.

[Ann@thebeach]

I worked in the restaurant biz in high school/college so understand tips but I also worked very hard for them.

I never automatically give 15% or any other amt, the server has to earn it with good service. I'll tip up to 30% depending on service and am always sure to tell them if the food was bad, service was poor, etc. We've gotten some strange looks but I figure people need to know why I'm not paying them. (yes, I know the food quality is not the server's issue and I tell them that-unless it's cold-then it is)

I don't think anyone "deserves" a tip or any other pay unless they do the work well.

 

I also leave $1-$2 a bag for valets-depends on weather and ease of the bags I have.

 

I do not leave tips for maids unless we are in Mexico or other countries where we knew their wages were low.

If the hotels are not paying their staff min wage then they should somehow inform the customer-but you can bet I'd complain loud and clear if a Hilton told me to tip my maid on a $150 a night rm.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

I'm also amazed at how many people don't realize that HOTEL MAIDS/HOUSEKEEPERS don't make minimum wage, either. Think of the work they have to do.....and how many people "stiff" them.

 

Yikes!

 

I did not know this. I knew about restaurant workers because my mother was a waitress when young, but I didn't know about maids.

 

My family has never left a tip for a maid, when I was young and as an adult.

 

You can't know what you have never read or been told. I'm going to have to go ask a friend that works in housekeeping.

[TraceyS/FL]

If the hotels are not paying their staff min wage then they should somehow inform the customer-but you can bet I'd complain loud and clear if a Hilton told me to tip my maid on a $150 a night rm.

 

I've been pondering this more this morning - there is NEVER a tip line at a hotel when i check out and pay with a CC. Which says something to me....

 

I dunno.....

[Joanne]

So I don't think it's a crying shame that wait staff get paid $2.xx an hour to cover their taxes. I still tip adequately (15-20%).

 

I don't think it's a "crying shame", either. I *do* think it's frustrating that it's not common knowledge that the tips are relied upon and that the hourly wage offered by the employer not adequate.

 

I waited tables in a variety of settings from age 11 to 22. I put myself through college that way earning 2 degrees. I think it was reasonable compensation.

[Carrie12345]

I haven't read all of the posts.

I come from a family where nearly every member has been waitstaff at some point. The wage isn't a bad thing when people tip within "normal" range. It stinks big time when people stiff!

 

One of my sisters did work for a restaurant that paid a typical wage, but that was very out of the ordinary.

 

From our $2-something, we had to pay our benefits (when offered by the employer) and taxes, which often zeroed-out our check.

 

From our tips, we had to cut in the bar staff, hostesses, and bus staff when applicable.

 

The leftover was our income. Woo. Hoo.

[Jeannie in NJ]

when we went on our cruise a few years ago, we were a party of 10 and we ate every night in the fancy restaurant. We had the same waiter and waitress the entire time, an older Japanese man and a young Crotian girl. They were wonderful. They paid so much attention to my children. My son who was 6 at the time had the maddest crush on the young Crotian girl, he still talks about her. It was the best service, by far, that I have ever had. We all tipped them very well the last night, they had really added to our enjoyment on our cruise

 

One funny incident. One day when we were in the buffet area, I saw a young man in uniform that I assumed was a waiter. I asked him to bring my son some chocolate milk. He was very gracious and did it. I found out later that he was a British officer and not a waiter!

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

It depends on the restaurant. I made $8 an hour back in college at one place I worked. On a Sat. night I could come out with a few hundred in tips too. BUT- I had a lot more advantages than - for example- someone working at an IHOP.

 

My father tipped everybody- right down to the bagger at the grocery store. I couldn't imagine not tipping at a hotel. I just wasn't brought up that way.

 

I remember once we took some friends out to eat, and the other lady and I went to the bathroom. There was a restroom attendant in there, and our "friend" made a huge stink about how she wasn't going to tip the woman - it was like she had never seen a bathroom attendant before. I was so embarrassed. I will never go to a nice restaurant with those people again. Last time we went out to eat, we went to Ruby Tuesdays. :glare:

[Confuzzled]

I remember once we took some friends out to eat, and the other lady and I went to the bathroom. There was a restroom attendant in there, and our "friend" made a huge stink about how she wasn't going to tip the woman - it was like she had never seen a bathroom attendant before. I was so embarrassed. I will never go to a nice restaurant with those people again. Last time we went out to eat, we went to Ruby Tuesdays. :glare:

 

Hmm... I've never seen a restroom attendant before! What do they do and why do you tip them?

 

Kris

[BritAnnia]

My dd worked for Sonic and got paid well below minimum wage. Tipping is often lousy at a drive-in restaurant and the patrons don't realize how hard those kids work for those tips. Dd also had to purchase her own uniform each time the owners decided to change styles which was a couple of times during a 1 year period. She does not look back on that job fondly!

[Storm Bay]

I've known this for decades. But if I get a really rude server, I won't tip. Or a really poor one who is polite I tip less. But that has happened so seldom; I almost always give between 15 & 20 percent.

[Aubrey]

Many people don't realize that the car-hops at Sonic are paid like wait-staff. They are not paid minimum wage and do depend on tips. Considering that they work outside in the elements and that their overall tickets are lower, they should be tipped even an even higher amount.

 

My fil was a mgr at Sonic for many yrs. The carhops made $6-$8/hr + tips.

 

My frustration w/ tips is that if you weren't taught when/how to do it, you may never learn. It's not right for people to have to depend on such elusive info for their income. Also, I see it as a hidden cost. The way some employers can sluff health ins off on the gov't-- pretending to pay high wages but then offering no ins to their employees or cost-prohibitive ins--keeps the co's costs down in an invisible way. I think depending on tips to pay your employees is the same thing.

 

Now, I realize this is not going to change any time soon, but I do say it out of respect for the servers, not disrespect. I just can't see how it's a good idea to give customers that much power over one's self-respect. Yeah, yeah, I know. You're probably not supposed to take a tip or lack of tip personally, but I bet that's hard.

[CAMom]

My father tipped everybody- right down to the bagger at the grocery store.

 

I worked as a bagger in high school. It was in our employee manual that we were NOT allowed to accept tips under ANY circumstance.:)

 

BTW, I have worked as a waitress as well.

[Kay in Cal]

Really? We always tip the maid--I leave $5 every morning for a "regular" day in an average hotel (they cleaned, made beds, towels, etc), and I'll leave more if, say, my kids tramped in from the beach covered in sand the proceeded to dump the sand from their pockets on the floor as they changed. Not that that ever happens IRL....:glare:

[Holly IN]

I tip based on their service to ME and MY FAMILY. If they did a great job then I will tip the max but if poorly done job then I only give 10%. I am a firm believer that they will work harder if they know they will get more but if they know they will 15% every single time then they will not do a very good job.

 

I have been to a few restaurants that automatically put the tips in for you and I had very very poor service from the waitstaff vs. restaurants that allow you to put in the tip yourself the waitstaff are more apt to give me a very good service.

 

I knew the waitstaff do not get min. wage.

 

Holly

[Colleen]

Yes, I'm aware that in most states wait staff earns less than minimum wage as their base pay. As Crissy pointed out, that's not the case here in Washington. I believe when I worked as a server ~ summers during college ~ I was paid whatever the minimum wage was at the time. Since I worked at a fine dining establishment, my tips were fairly significant and overall I earned a very decent wage.

 

The base wage servers earn doesn't affect how much I tip, though. A gratuity is just that.

[KidsHappen]

That is what we tip $1-2 dollars a bag - and round up if i have bills, tip the valet when they bring the car (normally what i have in pocket).

 

 

Again, it varies on Sonic by state. But i don't tip at teh drive-thru at Sonic with a window. Sorry, not gunna happen!

 

As for the housekeeping staff - there is just no way. And i'll let any manager from here on out in a hotel that i stay at know why (but only a few states list that as a tippable position) that i'm not tipping.

 

See, i can stay at home a week or so without doing what they do, so i'm fine. Personally, a good housekeeping staff is there to protect the property of the hotel owners. Wear and tear, addressing issues before they become major problems and cause more money, that type of things. I don't see that they are really providing ME the service, but are there to protect the hotels property from the likes of me. They aren't personally bringing me my food. They have no interaction with me. I'd be happier with "on demand" housekeeping vs mandatory daily (most stays the "do not distrub" sign is out and they DON"T do anything). I'm not comfy with someone being in the room with my stuff. It becomes my space... i'll pick up after myself for a few days.

 

Anyway, that is how i feel - and like i said, i'll start being vocal about it if i have to be. It's not right....

 

And i still think a tip needs to be earned, not just paid "because". How can the person strive for a higher level of service if they are always rewarded for lackluster performance?

 

I agree with you on a couple issues here. I don't tip at the Sonic drive-thru, only if I have a car-hop. And most of the time, we decline maid service at hotels and just change out the towels and dispose of our garbage ourselves. In these cases, we only tip the final day as they still have to clean up after us when we leave and well, I have usually have at least four kids traveling with me so I know what a chore it can be cleaning up after them. In this case, I feel as if I have paid for the services that I used. I did not use the services the other days so I don't feel compelled to pay for those days.

 

If you don't want to leave a tip on principle then that is your progative. And I would agree with you if the person was paid tips on top of minimum wage but in these cases tips are part of their wages. If you are not happy with the services, complain to management just the same as your would do if you got bad service from a cashier at a store. You do not have the option to pay a cashier half of her wages just because you were not happy with her subpar job, you shouldn't have that option with a service person either. When we have had bad service we tip the minimum amount 10% and then talk with the manager and explain why. Because so many people tip poorly or not at all, not tipping doesn't really tell the service person or management anything at all. This means that the problem is not addressed and service does not improve. If a manager receives many complaints about a certain server then that person will be let go.

 

And finally, frequently service people are shorted their tips for things they have no control over. They didn't prepare the food slowly or incorrectly and yet when something like this happens it is usually their tips that take the hit. Talk to the manager. They will fix the problem. I can't tell you how many times we have received free meals or desserts or a large amount taken off the bill because we spoke to the manager. In these cases, we still leave a tip on what the original total of the bill would have been.

[Laurie4b]

It is legal because the wait person is making at least minimum wage counting tips. I worked at many restaurants and never got more than a pittance from the restaurant itself. I do know of one, and only one, very exclusive, local restaurant that pays a wage. That's because they only give you one table per night. It's the only one I ever heard of that did that.

[KidsHappen]

It depends on the restaurant. I made $8 an hour back in college at one place I worked. On a Sat. night I could come out with a few hundred in tips too. BUT- I had a lot more advantages than - for example- someone working at an IHOP.

 

My father tipped everybody- right down to the bagger at the grocery store. I couldn't imagine not tipping at a hotel. I just wasn't brought up that way.

 

I remember once we took some friends out to eat, and the other lady and I went to the bathroom. There was a restroom attendant in there, and our "friend" made a huge stink about how she wasn't going to tip the woman - it was like she had never seen a bathroom attendant before. I was so embarrassed. I will never go to a nice restaurant with those people again. Last time we went out to eat, we went to Ruby Tuesdays. :glare:

 

Oh, this reminds me when it was normal to tip baggers and overseas you always tip bathroom attendants.

[TraceyS/FL]

I have to dash - but.....

 

• The states i have mainly stayed/traveled in do not appear to have housekeeping as a tippable wage. I will be asking next time i check into a hotel and make a decision based on that info (not that i'm going anywhere anytime soon). SO why it is something to consider in some areas they are NOT paid that way, i can tell you that is not the case in the Orlando Tourist area. A friend said that on her last stay at Disney they never took the tip she was leaving (in an envelope marked for them).

 

• I always speak to the management regarding poor service - and over the top good. We also never fault the kitchen for their screw ups, but when we are still waiting for BBQ sauce for a child and the rest of us are DONE eating - well, that is a service problem. Or if DH never gets a soda refill (99% of the time it's empty when they get back to take our order).

 

• we always refuse free meals when we get offered them over problems. I'm not joking - i was raised that "i didn't come here to get a free meal, i came here to get a good meal with good service along side of it". But i can assure you, if i have to speak to a manager about service - i'm not leaving a tip.

 

ANYWAY, now i have to go make frosting for a birthday cake!!!

[bkpan]

I haven't read all of the responses, but..

 

I worked for years waiting tables and I always made well above the minimum wage. I worked in upper and lower level restaurants. I even worked the breakfast shift for couple of years and still made WELL above m.w., despite the low hourly wage.

 

I have encouraged relatives and friends to consider waiting tables as opposed to minimum wage type positions because they will make much more money!

 

I tip according to service received - nothing more, never less. IME, retail and such make a lot less. I am not concerned about the wait person who works hard at their job.

 

Kim

[mommaduck]

Hubby's relatives stiff the server every. single. time. It's to the point that I REFUSE to go out to eat with any of them. Some of them used to be servers and they pick on every little thing, then "tip based on service". Yeah right.

 

We will tip in the 15% range only if we don't have much money and are barely able to go out or if the service wasn't good (ie., not keeping up with our drinks, plates, etc). We generally tip in the 20% for good service and because our family is rather large. I will stiff if the waiter is just downright rude (we had one waiter that pretty much ignored our table thinking that since we are a large family we won't tip...she lost out, because I tip extra to those that really pay attention to our children's needs and because I know that sometimes there is extra items on the floor for cleaning). I've been a waitress, so I try to take things into consideration (like if the waitress really is balancing an overload of tables, seems to simply be having a bad day, etc...and will even do my part to make things simpler like sorting and stacking plates, keeping the table fairly clean, and not worry about my glass so much during those times).

Edited October 27, 2008 by mommaduck

[Wendy In KS]

Since I've worked before and am working again as a server. We've always been big tippers, we figure if we can't afford a 20% (min) tip on what we're eating, then we really can't afford to eat out. I will say that there have only been maybe two times where I've ever left a small amount and that was the server was obviously rude to us. And there have been a couple of time where we've left way more than what's expected. I've been on the other side of that (I once received a $50 tip on a bill of $75) and you have no idea how great it feels :) It makes up for all the people who are less than stellar tippers.

 

There will always be people who don't believe in tipping as a rule and don't really care that you're not making minimum wage. I always take into account how many other tables my server has. If we seem to be his/her only table on a slow night, we always add in more.

 

I've had to change my mom's perspective on this issue- she had no idea servers relied on tips and was quick to blame the speed of the food on her server. Now, when we go out, she always double checks with me on if she's giving a good enough tip :D

 

I've also seen the financial side of restaurant operating and most restaurants are barely staying afloat as it is, if you were to expect a restaurant owner to pay his wait staff minimum wage, the cost of your meal would go up dramatically, and also in my opinion the quality of service would go down.

[KingM]

I'm also amazed at how many people don't realize that HOTEL MAIDS/HOUSEKEEPERS don't make minimum wage, either. Think of the work they have to do.....and how many people "stiff" them.

 

Yikes!

 

No, that's not true. We pay our housekeeper $12.50/hour and she makes about $2-$3 more per hour in tips. It's not an easy job. Most people do not tip.

[Holly IN]

ok here is another spin...

 

I work for a church and my pay is more than min. wage. However I am underpaid though due to the fact businesses/companies and schools pay their cleaning staff way more than I get paid. All they do is clean...where I clean, babysit groups to make sure they are not violating rules and kicking them out when they overstayed their stay, arming the building (also securing the building) and so on. The other companies/businesses and schools pay their cleaning people twice as much as what I get paid. It really burns me that a church really expects you to do this for ministry because of the whole ministry aspect. I get no tips at all. Not even a bonus from the church at Christmas. I do get a gift from my boss but that is it. :glare: However the office staff gets a bonus (a big one).

 

sorry I am getting off to a tangent. :glare:

 

now when we are staying at a hotel and they change our towels, sheets and clean our room we tip. However if they do not then they get no tips. I tip based on service. I do get frustrated with people not tipping like they should in restaurants though. There are honest tippers out there. I do not believe in having a base line tip where the restaurant forces you to tip at whatever percent it requires you. I will not go to that restaurant.

 

Holly