4 ms·

Sounds like you’ve never waited tables! Two-tops are the best for earnings, both for the restaurant and the server. Easier for a charismatic career server to s

Sounds like you’ve never waited tables! Two-tops are the best for earnings, both for the restaurant and the server. Easier for a charismatic career server to separately charm three couples on dates than a single table of six all at once. And higher turnover is better for revenue. 1-on-1 business meeting? They’ve got work to do. Couples on dates? They’ve got fucking to do. Smaller parties -> faster turnover -> more money. Large parties are worse in every way. Special table arrangements for reservations made in advance mean more seats left empty while waiting for the arrival. People at large gatherings will buy less food/drink just as often as they’ll buy more. Sometimes it’s a work party where everything is expensed; cool! But lots of companies don’t cover alcohol expenses, which is your most profitable item. Just as often it’s a going away party for a bunch of retail workers where everyone nurses one drink for two hours and splits 3 appies across the whole table. Large parties suck. Some servers prefer them, but those people are heroes (and rare). Minimum 18% for large parties is standard where I am, but if it was my call it would be 30.

theshrike79 4y ago
> Easier for a charismatic career server to separately charm three couples on dates than a single table of six all at once. As an European from a non-tipping country this sounds really horrific to me. So you actively need to "charm/seduce" people into giving you larger tips to make over minimum wage?
- viridian 4y ago
  It's worth noting that it's not just over minimum wage, your hourly can often be miles ahead of any other unskilled labor depending on how busy you are. Both of my sisters would frequently clear $400+ a night on weekends, amounting to over $50 an hour. The state minimum wage is $10/hour, so they can make over a week's worth of minimum wage pay in a single Saturday. Ultimately waiters and waitresses are hustling so they get paid like engineers, not Wal-Mart greeters.
  - theshrike79 4y ago
    Yea, I've seen the videos about Hooters waitresses clearing a grand a night just from tips. It's absolutely bonkers.
- hoorible 4y ago
  Perhaps it’s an English translation thing, but note that I didn’t use “seduce”, intentionally. But yes, people who are more charismatic/friendly/charming/whatever other word, will make more in tips. Which is easier to do with smaller table sizes, hence my point. I agree with you though! As I said, I also hate tipping, even as someone who grew up with it and worked (pretty successfully) in the industry. Lots of other service businesses have successfully demonstrated that you can incentivize good service without requiring tips (non-commission retail, etc).

theshrike79 4y ago

> Easier for a charismatic career server to separately charm three couples on dates than a single table of six all at once. As an European from a non-tipping country this sounds really horrific to me. So you actively need to "charm/seduce" people into giving you larger tips to make over minimum wage?

viridian 4y ago
It's worth noting that it's not just over minimum wage, your hourly can often be miles ahead of any other unskilled labor depending on how busy you are. Both of my sisters would frequently clear $400+ a night on weekends, amounting to over $50 an hour. The state minimum wage is $10/hour, so they can make over a week's worth of minimum wage pay in a single Saturday. Ultimately waiters and waitresses are hustling so they get paid like engineers, not Wal-Mart greeters.
- theshrike79 4y ago
  Yea, I've seen the videos about Hooters waitresses clearing a grand a night just from tips. It's absolutely bonkers.
hoorible 4y ago
Perhaps it’s an English translation thing, but note that I didn’t use “seduce”, intentionally. But yes, people who are more charismatic/friendly/charming/whatever other word, will make more in tips. Which is easier to do with smaller table sizes, hence my point. I agree with you though! As I said, I also hate tipping, even as someone who grew up with it and worked (pretty successfully) in the industry. Lots of other service businesses have successfully demonstrated that you can incentivize good service without requiring tips (non-commission retail, etc).