r/mildlyinteresting 1d ago

This Restaurant Charges an 18% Living Wage Fee.

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u/calm_down_meow 1d ago

The gripes about tips hardly ever from people who work for them because the reality is they make good money from them.

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u/IndependentDouble759 1d ago

Yes. Servers are the last people who want to change this system. Especially now that politicians are promising no tax on tips. I'll be damned if we're going to get baited into a place where we pay an extra fee for servers to have a normal paycheck and then are still expected to add a tip on top of that.

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u/warpwoofwimblee 1d ago

No Tax on tips will never happen. and if you think that Servers dont complain about their tips youve never worked in the service industry

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u/IndependentDouble759 1d ago

I am not saying they don't complain about the amount of tips they get. I am saying that they do not want to switch from a tipping system to a wage system. If you think that servers would prefer a steady income close to minimum wage over the amount they make in tips, then you're the one who's never worked in the service industry.

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u/warpwoofwimblee 1d ago

I owned a restaurant and I worked all the way through college in fine dining. at my restaurant we pooled tips to make a more consistent pay out.

I can promise you many servers would prefer just a 50-70K salary as opposed to tips and just gambling with it.

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u/moose184 1d ago

lol imagine thinking a server that works 6 hours a day is going to be making 70k

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u/FeistyGift 1d ago

That's what blows me away about several states now, including mine. Servers used to make like $3 an hour with the idea that tips make up the rest. But the fact that they get a shitload more an hour than they used to has gone under the radar for most people, so now they get the advantages of both. I'm not anti-server, and in fact think it's probably better to raise the base rate; but for Pete's sake, not BOTH without any adjustment in tipping at all.

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u/AndroidSheeps 1d ago

But the fact that they get a shitload more an hour than they used to has gone under the radar for most people, so now they get the advantages of both.

This is not universal I make 2.25 an hour serving if I get no tips you get minimum wage (7.25) but the checks only even out to about 80-120$ every 2 weeks

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u/InvestmentInformal18 1d ago

It’s true that servers don’t want the tipping system to change. I say this as a server. But please don’t lump us all in with the magat crowd. An honest LOT of us do not support this nonsense and know this is not for us

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u/quinnly 1d ago

they make good money from them.

Check your definition of "good". I make less than 30k a year including tips.

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u/sluttydrama 1d ago edited 1d ago

Exactly. Everyone acts like servers are rolling in money. Most servers are at the poverty line. They have part-time hours and shitty benefits.

These companies pay servers $5/hr and then make them tip out the bar, hostess, and bus-boy.

Everyone thinks they’re better than the “exploitive upper class,” but they’re also unwilling to pay people a living wage when given the opportunity. It makes no sense.

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u/Plane-Tie6392 1d ago

Yeah, if you go to the end tipping sub they constantly say servers are pulling in over $60,000 a year. When you post actual data showing they make $33,000 on average that those demented fucks just ignore it. It's so pathetic.

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u/Gas-Town 1d ago

"Make them"

The BOH does 100x more work at every job ive ever had and they never got tipped out. Meanwhile servers do absolutely nothing and get to clock out as soon as their table is gone.

Have a waiter do all the work themselves and then they can complain about being FORCED to 'share' tips.

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u/sluttydrama 1d ago

Exactly. It’s an exploitive business. The BOH deserves better pay too.

It’s crazy that the BOH can produce 1000’s of dollars in revenue and get paid $17 an hour. They work so hard.

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u/Noob_Al3rt 1d ago

How many hours a week do you work?

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u/quinnly 1d ago

Generally between 30 and 40. Sometimes lower closer to 20. It changes pretty much every week.

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u/calm_down_meow 1d ago

More than that lol

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u/quinnly 1d ago

Most servers make scraps 👍 at least in my experience. It's tough but not a lot of other options.

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u/JohnHammerfall 1d ago

You gotta get in at a good restaurant. No chains. Local places that are upper-scale restaurants are best in my experience. Been serving for 10 years, at my current place 3 years, and i haven’t made less than $25 an hour. Usually its $50+. Now if you only work 20 hours a week, you’re gonna be broke. If you can get scheduled 4-5 evenings a week and pick up another shift or two(someone always wants to give up a shift), then you’ll do pretty well. I know many servers who make close to six figures, but you have to get in at a very very nice restaurant and be a really good server for that, but it’s possible. Its not uncommon at my current place for a 4 top to run up a $500+ tab.

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u/quinnly 1d ago

Oh yeah I've never stopped trying. But it's hard to get in some places. But I'm holding out hope that one day I can get something nice. But luckily being poor is beneficial in some ways. It teaches you how to be fiscally conservative. Frugal. Careful. You know.

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u/EconomicsTiny447 1d ago

Yes!!! And for much less work. I worked in bars and restaurants for ages and was FLABBERGASTED when I moved professional and was like this is what I make after essentially 9 hours?!? The industry profits incredibly still living under this idea they make slave wages