How much should a foodworker make?

Like it or not, speaking skills or selling skills amount to dollar sales. You gotta be able to sell what you got. You can have the best product and if you cannot market it, you will earn less. If your language is limited as mine is, you can only market in your own languange. I can only speak English.

I personally believe that the restaurant business is the same as any other business. You have to be able to market what you got. If you cannot do that, even though you have a great product, you will only get what the market will yield with your marketing skills.

The Sundancer also personally believe that folks dine for more reasons that just to eat. It is a personal experience where they can enjoy communication, fellowship or just enjoying the place where they like.

What a restaurant worker makes in dollars regardless of position depends much more on just skills, it depends on marketing. Management itself is responsible for cleanliness, quality, appearance and menu.

Just the Sundancers point of view.

BT,

Put the fork down...... Just lay it down and everything will be ok.

Too much coffee today?

i think the answer o this question really depends on whether or not I am the foodworker! I know i ALWAYS did more work then i was paid for,worked weekends,holidays,lousy hrs and it seems that i was always behind the worst slobs on the staff who either leave a mess or leave you out of prepped stock! So--i would say if you paying me---alot---if your paying those lazy bums--minimum wage!

quote:

Originally posted by Pogo

BT,

Put the fork down...... Just lay it down and everything will be ok.

Too much coffee today?

I drink only decaf--doctor's orders. But I have put the fork down. Now what?

Ok, that's the problem.... Go get a 24oz of real coffee, not unleaded, and drink it fast.

You can pick the fork back up now, but careful, it's sharp.

quote:

Originally posted by Pogo

Ok, that's the problem.... Go get a 24oz of real coffee, not unleaded, and drink it fast.

You can pick the fork back up now, but careful, it's sharp.

OK, but the last time I did that (drank "real" coffee) I ended up in the cardiac care unit for 3 days with atrial fibrillation (well, the fib only lasted one day--I think they kept me 2 more to heal from the wounds their blood-drawer made so I understand about sharp objects).

Interesting topic.

I have a serving line in my store and tips are hardly left, so no one expects one. I explain this when they are hired. My minimum starting wage is 5.75 and I tell people they will get raises based on their importance to the business (ie: learn and bust your tail and you'll get raises) and I follow through with the promise. I know that this is not a lot of money, but I do my best to keep prices down. Many months my workers are making more than me.

quote:

Originally posted by Slick

Interesting topic.

I have a serving line in my store and tips are hardly left, so no one expects one. I explain this when they are hired. My minimum starting wage is 5.75 and I tell people they will get raises based on their importance to the business (ie: learn and bust your tail and you'll get raises) and I follow through with the promise. I know that this is not a lot of money, but I do my best to keep prices down. Many months my workers are making more than me.

Please explain that "serving line"/tip thing. I am seeing that more and more--a tip jar next to the cash register at businesses where you line up at the register for service like a coffee shop or take-out sandwich place. You don't say what kind of "store" you have. But I am mystified why I should leave a tip--or why anyone would expect one--when the only service they have really given me is to hand me my purchase, take my money and return my change. I don't tip under these circumstances but have wondered whether I am a cheapskate and everybody is thinking so in such places. What's the deal? Used to be, in the food industry, you tipped for table service (or maybe a little for sit-down counter service) but not just to walk in, buy something and walk out with the purchase.

Both of my oldest daughters worked at Dunkin Donuts in high school and college. Tips at DD have been the norm around here. For a long time I thought it was a bad idea. Most of the DD workers around here now are from Brazil, rather than high school girls or dropouts and the turnover has gone way down. Now faced with the same smiling face, day after day, I leave a tip in the jar because I want to not because I feel forced to.

quote:

Please explain that "serving line"/tip thing. I am seeing that more and more--a tip jar next to the cash register at businesses where you line up at the register for service like a coffee shop or take-out sandwich place. You don't say what kind of "store" you have.

I run a BBQ restaurant and serve from a cafeteria type line. What you won't see in my store is a tip jar, as I'm of the same notion as you on that. We do bring folks fries and okra as they are not cooked until ordered, and we do walk around and remove dirty plates and such for the customers who are sitting around talking. I've even been know to refill drinks, but I don't expect tips left for just that.

If I pay with a credit card and add in 20% on the TIP line, does it always get back to the waiter?

Also - if I leave cash on the table and the busboy clears the dishes, what's to keep the busboy from pocketing the tip?

-Yumbo

quote:

Originally posted by yumbo

If I pay with a credit card and add in 20% on the TIP line, does it always get back to the waiter?

Also - if I leave cash on the table and the busboy clears the dishes, what's to keep the busboy from pocketing the tip?

-Yumbo

We make straight tips in our restaurant, even with credit cards. We make what you leave (and, Yumbo, thank you for the 20%. You keep us alive, or at least not so mired in debt). If we catch anyone purloning cash tips -- guess what's the special tomorrow. Bussers get 5% of the waitstaff's tips, and a momentary swipe of the tip would do no service to anyone. We are sharp. I cannot vouch for ethics everywhere, but in the month we have been open, the lesser help has been booted. Good restaurants only survive with good reliable people.

quote:

Originally posted by Grampy

quote:

Originally posted by yumbo

If I pay with a credit card and add in 20% on the TIP line, does it always get back to the waiter?

Also - if I leave cash on the table and the busboy clears the dishes, what's to keep the busboy from pocketing the tip?

-Yumbo

We make straight tips in our restaurant, even with credit cards. We make what you leave (and, Yumbo, thank you for the 20%. You keep us alive, or at least not so mired in debt). If we catch anyone purloning cash tips -- guess what's the special tomorrow. Bussers get 5% of the waitstaff's tips, and a momentary swipe of the tip would do no service to anyone. We are sharp. I cannot vouch for ethics everywhere, but in the month we have been open, the lesser help has been booted. Good restaurants only survive with good reliable people.

In my son's case at Bennigans, all tips left on credit cards come on his paycheck. I suppose they are tracked by the server number entered when the order is rung up.

Lonestar, I was under the impression (and I could be wrong) that a restaurant with holds tax even on cash tips, and that it is assumed that your cash tips are the same percentage as you get on credit cards. Based on that, when you stiff a server out of a $10 tip, he/she actually PAYS $1 or so for the privilage of serving you.

We batch out our server number every night, and tips are given accordingly. As for those whos "stiff" us, hell will be a brighter place thanks to them.

Grampy, you mean on the whole bill or just the tip?

I didn't know you had your own place now. How exciting! What kind of place is it?

tmiles - I don't know the answer to that. I will have to ask eldest son grasshopper. (like I am ever going to see him )

Lone Star: Whatever tip anyone leaves for us, we get that exact amount. Our tips are not subject to credit card fees, so no one should feel guilty about leaving a tip on a credit card for that reason. The only flaw is that we do not receive our tips immediately when on a credit card. We are told this will change.

In answer to your second question, I am working at a "fine dining establishment" the Blue Heron in Western Mass as chief bartender -- did you expect salt taster? I will post the Web site when available.

When I was waiting on tables this is how the taxation of your tips went: you were taxed on 8% of your sales each time that you worked. The IRS theory is that one will receive an average of 8% tips on their sales. So if your sales were $1000 you declared that you made $80 (even though you probably made $150 - $200 before tipping out) that night and the deductions came out of your paycheck (in CA we were paid the minimum wage instead of $2 that they make in other states so I usually made about an extra $300 a month through paychecks).

With this system you don't get taxed on your full salary, but it can work against you: when I had to apply for state disability they would only consider my reported wages so my benefits were really low.

Well, that sounds like a perfect postion for one of your knowledge of spirits and all fine things. Just be careful keep your facist pork tendencies in check when people order things like a Stalini.

I have served sour apple Martinis, Chocolate Martinis, Hennessey and Coke, and host of other atrocities. Capitalism wins over fascism every time.

But,did you do it with a smile on your face???

The customer is always right...I cannot berate them as I would my dearest friends.

quote:

Originally posted by ericats

When I was waiting on tables this is how the taxation of your tips went: you were taxed on 8% of your sales each time that you worked. The IRS theory is that one will receive an average of 8% tips on their sales. So if your sales were $1000 you declared that you made $80 (even though you probably made $150 - $200 before tipping out) that night and the deductions came out of your paycheck (in CA we were paid the minimum wage instead of $2 that they make in other states so I usually made about an extra $300 a month through paychecks).

The 8% myth. Or rather, the old 8% loophole. When I first served, fifteen years ago, if you claimed 8-10% of your tips you were virtually assured of safety from audit. It's no longer true. To avoid audit, a server needs to claim about 15% of sales as tip. That's fine if one makes all 20% before tip-out. That's about what s/he'll make. But if one makes all 15%, s/he will have to claim more than s/he leaves with; eventually paying taxes on more than s/he'll make.

Some would call that karma; today's servers paying the price of all of the former servers cheating the system. (Of whom I am one.) I just think it's unfair. Yes, servers should pay taxes on every dime they make -- but they shouldn't have to pay taxes on more dimes than they made...

The Wall Street Journal reported today that a typical trained cooking school grad makes $23 to $25k for a 60 hour week. People at chains make more. A lot don't make the grade and quit in a year or two. They all expect to be the next "Emeril", and don't seem to be willing to pay the dues that it takes to move on up. The story went on to say that often the "keepers" (my word) are former dishwashers who work their way up. I like the Sundancer seem to be turning into a cranky old man, but I think that "dues paying" is good.