There is and there isn’t… I’ve only been a waiter at two places, both of them very similar in demographics. At a swanky restaurant, more tips are made, but you also have to tip out more people besides yourself. Swanky will include bussers and barbacks and water boys and all that nonsense. I’m sure you make more at Emeril’s than you do at Denny’s, though.
You become anything in this world with experience and a good personality and work ethic.
It’s a great company! Lots of teamwork and friendly atmosphere, shorter hours than a lot of restaurants, and you get to wear decently comfy uniforms. The company’s also doing well financially, check it out: RI is the stock symbol.
You can make about 12-20 bucks an hour, and in Tampa-ish, FL, that’s a decent living.
We have five different spoons, and we’re not even a fancy place. No.
At Ruby Tuesday, we have zone mates, wherein two people will share a 8-16 table section, depending on how staffed/understaffed/busy/dead we are that shift. When someone’s seated in our section, the person who didn’t get the last table takes that table. So we can be taking care of 4-8 tables at a time. Yes, it gets horribly hectic. When a ticket is started on the computer, it asks for a table number…some people have yet to master how to put in the right one, but if they do, it keeps track of people just fine.
It’s their money, let em have whatever they want. Just don’t tell me I brought it out wrong when you asked for it JUST HOW YOU GOT IT.
No, a higher salary would lead to a lower work ethic and thus lead to more work for people like me who have to pick up the slack of the people who are getting lazy at their higher pay.
We don’t have specials, we have the same menu all the time. Og, I hate that question.
Yes. God gets 10%, why should we get more? </sarcasm>
What’s the soup du jour?
Our food is served on plates so hot that we have food running towels. I agree fully with you, and my old restaurant (Bennigan’s) didn’t mind serving pasta marinara in a refrigerated bowl.
Welcome back, Dan. Hope you didn’t mind my babysitting your thread while you were away. Back to you now. Have fun! 
–Ian
I’m glad you disagree yet still do the socially acceptable thing. People need to learn that stiffing a server is not going to bring about a sea change in the way the business is run, it’s just going to get them crap service next time they come in.
It’s the soup of the day.
Thanks. Great answers, I was at work getting my heapin’ helpin’ of Sunday Funday Jesus Love.
What’s up with black people and tipping? You hear the stereotypes, and then you hear them refuted. Be honest, not politically correct, and give us the skinny on dealing with black customers.
You have my real name and the location of where I work, so I’ll answer about what I’ve heard other waiters say at my old job.
According to what I’ve heard from waiters at my last job, black people are often said to run you to death, send food back even if it’s right, then leave you a 10% tip. According to some people, it’s a stereotype that’s untrue. According to others, if you write down tips and bill totals, you will see there’s 100% truth to the parts that can be tracked quantitatively.
Ha! Do you ever read something and wonder if the poster was kidding? I’m having one of those moments.
DAN, when a customer flags you down and asks you for something do you ever say “This isn’t my section/table/job?” I hope the answer is “no.” I hate that.
No, but others due. Tell the management if that happens, it’s absurd and unacceptable.
Don’t EVER flag me down by snapping your hands or interrupt me while I’m talking to another table, that’s horrible.
Few things I hate more than having my back to a table as I’m talking to another table, and hearing the first table calling my name or asking for things. :mad: :mad:
I have a question that I have wondered about for a long time:
Is it a rule that you only question customers about the quality of their meal when they have a mouth full of food?
No matter what restaurant my wife and I are at, this happens, without fail. Not that I am complaining or anything, I just think it’s a little strange.
From your perspective, what constitutes crap service?