Waiting Tables and why I don't do it anymore- Page 4

[Calvin]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 9:27am

All credit card charges carry a fee (called an interchange fee) that is a part of the contract allowing a business to accept the card. It's set by the card companies or the issuing banks (Chase, Citicorp, etc.). It's also usually considered a breach of contract for a business to directly pass that fee along to the customer -- in other words, surcharge for credit card purchases -- but I'm not sure of the rules on passing it on to other employees.

Another fun fact: You know those places that set minimums on credit card purchases? Like, say, they won't allow purchases on credit cards under $15? They're really not supposed to do that either, under their credit card contracts.

[peach]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 10:40am

I've never had the cc handling fee charged back to me when I was working in restaurants. I imagine that would be illegal?

For those who are curious how the waiters get credit card tips, it works something like this (at least this is how it worked where I have worked). It's a bit confusing so bear with me.

The waiter acts as sort of a "bank" for each shift - that is, the money on items the waiter "sold" doesn't go to the actual restaurant until the end of the waiter's shift. The waiter holds cash transactions and credit card transactions in his pocket. At the end of the shift, the waiter has to basically reconcile the transactions with the restaurant.

He closes out all of his checks, each is coded as "credit card" or "cash" or "gift card" etc. If he has a credit card tip(s), indicates the amount of the tip on the computer when the check is closed out.

Once he is finished, he runs a report of all his sales and transactions for the evening. Then he "pays" the restaurant the sales, minus the credit card tips he is owed. If the waiter has no cash because all of his tables were credit cards, the restaurant pays him the credit card tips. It's all outlined on the report. If the waiter had all cash tables (rare), he simply pays the restaurant what he sold, and keeps the rest. Usually it's a combination of cash and credit card sales, so the "reconciliation" is important. The manager usually has to sign off on the report before the restaurant will "pay out" or accept the waiter's "pay in."

Then typically, the waiter uses his own remaining tips (by this time, all credit card tips have been converted to cash) to give a percentage (usually a percentage of his sales, not of his tips, although this is really up to the waiter) to the bartender and another percentage to the busboys. This is called "tipping out." Tipping out is important, not only because the bartenders and busboys work hard and deserve it, but because they remember which waiters are "good tippers" and the service they provide YOU as a waiter can be affected either positively or not so positively.

Sammich - thanks for the Reservoir Dogs bit! I had forgotten about that.






Updated On: 4/20/07 at 10:40 AM

[Kringas]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 11:14am

I've never had the cc handling fee charged back to me when I was working in restaurants. I imagine that would be illegal?

I know it's illegal in some states (not sure about all). I know it's a sh*tty thing to do, though. I've worked in several restaurants where the credit card fee was passed on to the servers.

Peach gave a really good breakdown of how it all works. I'd like to add, though, that in some restaurants the tip out is a set percentage that's then divided among the parties who are to receive it. Where you work depends on who gets a cut. My experience was that sushi places are one of the worst places for tipping out. If I can remember correctly, it was a 30% tip out that was broke down by the following:

Chefs 10%
House 2%
Mgmt 3%
Bar 5%
Food Runner 2%
Busser 5%
I can't remember where the other 3% went, but that's a fairly close approximation to the way it was.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 12:15pm

Interesting, Calvin. I didn't know it's illegal to set a minimum purchase amount on credit card purchases. My school's general store thing used to do that, and it always honked me off.
Props to servers, yo. I eat out a lot and I know for a fact that I couldn't hack it. IMHO, retail is a lot easier.

[2373]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 12:56pm

I was laid off from my job a few months ago and was unemployed for a few weeks and it was the worst period of my life. Now I have a new job (it's not a perfect job) but I am so grateful for it and would never complain. I am so grateful to have money coming back in.

If you don't like your job then quit; remember that those people who annoy you so much are the reason that you have a job in the first place.

On the flip side, I find it sad that most people in the service industry (cashier's/barista's, etc.) that I have come across are extremely rude and act as if Iam interrupting their day.

What ever happened to "Hello, may I help you" "Thank you", "have a nice day" a smile even...none of that happens anymore and it's pathetic.

It works both ways..

If you hate your job that much then find a job that you enjoy. Life is too short for anyone to be unhappy.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 1:06pm

"What ever happened to "Hello, may I help you" "Thank you", "have a nice day" a smile even...none of that happens anymore and it's pathetic."

Yes, it does. I make it a point to ask each customer who comes up to cash wrap at least "Did you find everything all right?" and to smile. Some people, despite my best efforts, choose not to respond or to just stare at me sullenly. I don't get it.

[2373]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 1:55pm

Rose:

Well, hats off to you. Thank you for being one of those people that is kind and friendly as it is your job to work with the public.

But it doesn't change the fact that alot of other people in the service industry are NOT pleasant at all.

[Revolutionary]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 2:43pm

Where I work the management and the bar don't get a cut. Two of the managers are actually co-owners of the restaurant and the bar is a basically a different entity than the restaurant. We do have a sommelier but he gets a big ass salary so he only gets 2% from us.

I think the credit card handling fee or interchange fee or whatever it's called is like 3% of the total bill. I remember working at Baskin Robbins one summer when I was 16, and my boss told me that's why he had a minimum purchase sign up on the register, because if someone was buying like, a single scoop of ice cream for $1.79 than it was just such a hassle and the cost of ink and paper would end up costing more than the actual cost of the ice cream. Incidentally, that cheap old bastard used to keep everyone's tips too. We had a little tip jar out in front where people would leave quarters and such and he would do random sweeps and just dump the whole thing into the register. And once in a while people would tip a few bucks on a receipt and he would never ever reimburse us on out paychecks. He should be arrested, lol. So listen you guys, if you're ever in Falls Church, Virginia and feel like getting ice cream, please do not go to the Baskin Robbins on Route 7. :) Go to Ben and Jerry's instead.

[ABSteel]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 2:46pm

Someone might've answered this, but in Texas, waiters only get $2.15.

I worked to go and made $6.

[Kringas]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 2:47pm

Speaking of tips, have any of you current or former servers had to deal with pooling tips? I found that to be an ever-lovin' nightmare anywhere I worked where I had to do that. Inevetiably I always wound up walking with less than I actually earned.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 2:48pm

*shrug* I've generally received good service myself.

[ABSteel]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 2:54pm

You have to earn tips from me and Ivan. We just don't hand out 20% because it's "expected".

The most I've ever tipped is 50%, and that was because our server ROCKED.

[robbiej]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 3:00pm

What sort of nasty, voodoo, dead baby vibes are people giving off that they rarely ever get good service?

I find it VERY rare to ever get sub-par service. I also find it very rare that I have rude waitstaff. The only time I really ever get slow, tedious service is when the person is an absolute idiot. But then, they're usually really sweet...so how much could I REALLY hold that against them.

I also usually find Starbucks and Jamba Juice to have exceedingly friendly service. Sometimes to the point of me wanting to rip my face off. But who can get pissed off at people being too nice?

[ABSteel]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 3:02pm

Except for that whole "DYKE" incident...

That wasn't a very friendly staff member.

[morosco]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 3:03pm

"...It's also usually considered a breach of contract for a business to directly pass that fee along to the customer..."

Ticketmaster does this at promoter's request. It's hidden in the "convenience fee". Most promoters take advantage of passing this fee back to the consumer.

[robbiej]

Posted: 4/20/07 at 3:04pm

I'd be thrilled if anyone would call me a dyke.

I've been working on my butchness.

[RobbO]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 7:59am

some of you tipped 50000%. nice going.