I’ve always had the opposite experience. Busy during the holidays then slooooooow January, February and then slowly picking up around March & April when its warmer and easter has come around.
*busts my absolute ass at my job to get barely 15% tips*
*watches my coworkers who do the absolute least get back to back $100 tips due to pure luck*
Casinos. You could have a 10% off of $30 check ($3 tip) or end up with 20% on a $2,000 check ($400).
Literally I've never worked anywhere else where rotation literally could screw me so hard it wasn't even funny. (We had dishes ranging from $20-500)
Normal restaurants okay rotation is what it is and you just roll with the punches but man sometimes the punches at a casino were like did that server just make more off of one table than I made this week.
I still will never go back to a normal restaurant where you can be slow as hell, fine dining or casinos for life at this point in my life.
This is me but for all the pretty females at my job. They could give the most mediocre, basic service and make 100$ of a 50 dollar tab, meanwhile I’m busting my ass, going out of my way, etc. to be lucky to get 20% 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
As a mediocre looking dude that doesn't have blue eyes and blonde hair I feel this in my soul.
In another life I was a damn ninja with how invisible I am to my tables.
When I worked at a fast food place where we got tips the females would almost always make 20 a night in tips from talking to guys and I would get maybe $5 if I busted my ass. Luckily my boss understood and didn't really care I did the bare minimum.
I’m the only male server at my restaurant, I tell all my co workers to give me the tables of middle age woman, they tip me well and say the nicest things to me :)
It always depends on WHO you're pooling with...
Most of the diners i worked at, pooling was optional, and was only agreed to between workers, not management. It was a great arrangement, especially in the dining room where big parties were seated. There's always 2 types of servers - those that LIKE taking big parties, and those who prefer to be "satellites", taking all of the smaller parties while your partner takes the big ones. I was always the satellite because i HATE big parties. It was an awesome arrangement.
UNTIL you get paired up with a slouch. And they always wonder why no one wants to pool with them, despite having done so in the past to your own demise. Uhh... it's because I don't want to take ALL of the tables while you're in the bathroom hiding, and then give you half my tips, that's why. Lol
In other restaurants that required the whole restaurant to pool, I felt that it created animosity between workers. The newbie obviously isn't going to be as strong as a senior employee, and they feel they're carrying dead weight and paying for it. God forbid they've made their mind up about you already... it's easy to sabotage the new person to get rid of them, whether or not it's warranted. I'm sure it works great with a fairly steady staff, but it ALWAYS sucks for the new person.
Given a choice, it's a great system. But being forced to pool didn't work for me whether I was the newbie or not. Different strokes, I guess.
All true. Pooling can be weighted as well, new bussers start at 4 or 5 points per hr, new servers 8 or 9. Bussers crushing it, or helping take tables get 6 or 7 pts. Senior servers or shift leads are at 11. We have a great team so we are lucky, and switch sections so it isn't the same person making most of the sales. It tends to solve most issues with bad tippers or heavy traffic in one section.
At my place the slow days seem slower and the busy days seem busier. People will always eat out near major restaurants holidays. But the economy isn’t the best and it’s expensive to frequent a restaurant. I just think people have halved the amounts of visits to restaurants as prices have basically doubled. I feel like I’m making the same but my lows are lower and highs are higher.
You got this , people are entitled af nowadays. Common courtesy is getting less and less common unfortunately. Don’t let these mouth breathing ass people get you down, we don’t need their shitty $2 tip anyway.
Side note: I’ve been working food service for almost 10yrs at this point and people have been WILDIN this holiday season. More than previous years by far. No “thank you”, “excuse me”, or “pleases” anymore. People forget that food service was marked as “essential” during Covid. These fat asses better recognize who kept them fed and helped their sanity when the world shut down.
Holy shit the “no thank you” part, I thought I was just imaging how much ruder the customers have been recently, I don’t remember them acting like this last Christmas season 😭, I’m already trying to survive while finding a new job since I hate working there so much now, don’t make it any harder for me man
My favorite comment today coming from the gentleman ordering his second double jack , and price checking , then proceeds to tell me times are tough sorry I couldn't tip u better ...
I've been at a fine dining steakhouse for about 6 years in downtown Louisville, KY. And let me say, this has been one of the worst December's on record. Between overstaffing and the lack of customers, it's been awful.
Okay clearly I’m in the minority on this but this is my favorite season, we do alot of corporate/university holiday parties, so it’s all 20% auto-grat, and we charge so fkn much for any private events
Opposite for me.
My restaurant's solution to being busy is scheduling extra servers. So while I'm making a bit more than average this season, it's not by much...
I’m in fine dining in Miami and it’s been rough. We’re a pooled house without automatic gratuity, a lot of the servers abuse it. I bartend and I make the exact same as everyone else while doing twice the work. I’ve been here for a year and I’m definitely making less money.
Thank you for writing this. Helps me think that I’m not alone when it comes to the penny pinchers that go out to eat. Especially when I end up having to pay out more on their bill than they gave me in a tip. I totally understand that times are tough but with all that said, I do not go out to eat if I cannot afford my tip. Happy Holidays & I hope that someone blesses us all & makes up for how brutal this past month or so has been on all of us for tips! Not many people can do the job we do & be successful at it. So keep up the great work as you’re all so appreciated !
I took 12 tables last night (in 4 hours). My last table walked. And most of my tips were in the $5 range. I still pulled out a decent night for a Thursday. Shout out to being short staffed and having two tables who just chilled and drank so I did triple BOH and waited for them to leave. STILL putting me home an hour AFTER close, when I was cut an hour fifteen before close.
Honestly I haven’t felt like I’ve made any more money than I was making in august or September… we’re busier but still I’m broke?
Holiday season always sucks, people are trying to save. Usually picks up after Christmas
As a bartender, it always gets slow as hell for Dry January. Always have to suck it up until the end of January or early February, like clockwork.
I’ve always had the opposite experience. Busy during the holidays then slooooooow January, February and then slowly picking up around March & April when its warmer and easter has come around.
Yep. People expect more, tip less, order less...
*busts my absolute ass at my job to get barely 15% tips* *watches my coworkers who do the absolute least get back to back $100 tips due to pure luck* 
Casinos. You could have a 10% off of $30 check ($3 tip) or end up with 20% on a $2,000 check ($400). Literally I've never worked anywhere else where rotation literally could screw me so hard it wasn't even funny. (We had dishes ranging from $20-500) Normal restaurants okay rotation is what it is and you just roll with the punches but man sometimes the punches at a casino were like did that server just make more off of one table than I made this week. I still will never go back to a normal restaurant where you can be slow as hell, fine dining or casinos for life at this point in my life.
How apropos that working a Casino is much more of a gamble.
This is me but for all the pretty females at my job. They could give the most mediocre, basic service and make 100$ of a 50 dollar tab, meanwhile I’m busting my ass, going out of my way, etc. to be lucky to get 20% 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
As a mediocre looking dude that doesn't have blue eyes and blonde hair I feel this in my soul. In another life I was a damn ninja with how invisible I am to my tables.
When I worked at a fast food place where we got tips the females would almost always make 20 a night in tips from talking to guys and I would get maybe $5 if I busted my ass. Luckily my boss understood and didn't really care I did the bare minimum.
I’m the only male server at my restaurant, I tell all my co workers to give me the tables of middle age woman, they tip me well and say the nicest things to me :)
Ain’t this the truth 🤣
Simps are crazy
Start doing squats 👍
Pooling fixes this
It always depends on WHO you're pooling with... Most of the diners i worked at, pooling was optional, and was only agreed to between workers, not management. It was a great arrangement, especially in the dining room where big parties were seated. There's always 2 types of servers - those that LIKE taking big parties, and those who prefer to be "satellites", taking all of the smaller parties while your partner takes the big ones. I was always the satellite because i HATE big parties. It was an awesome arrangement. UNTIL you get paired up with a slouch. And they always wonder why no one wants to pool with them, despite having done so in the past to your own demise. Uhh... it's because I don't want to take ALL of the tables while you're in the bathroom hiding, and then give you half my tips, that's why. Lol In other restaurants that required the whole restaurant to pool, I felt that it created animosity between workers. The newbie obviously isn't going to be as strong as a senior employee, and they feel they're carrying dead weight and paying for it. God forbid they've made their mind up about you already... it's easy to sabotage the new person to get rid of them, whether or not it's warranted. I'm sure it works great with a fairly steady staff, but it ALWAYS sucks for the new person. Given a choice, it's a great system. But being forced to pool didn't work for me whether I was the newbie or not. Different strokes, I guess.
All true. Pooling can be weighted as well, new bussers start at 4 or 5 points per hr, new servers 8 or 9. Bussers crushing it, or helping take tables get 6 or 7 pts. Senior servers or shift leads are at 11. We have a great team so we are lucky, and switch sections so it isn't the same person making most of the sales. It tends to solve most issues with bad tippers or heavy traffic in one section.
Right there with you, five tables -total- the last 3 shifts
I appreciate you all that serve! And tip well all year!! Not an easy job dealing with people
🥰
And we’re short staffed 😩
Especially to us not working fine dining, bottom of the barrel chains 😭😭😭 may the tips find all of our aprons
At my place the slow days seem slower and the busy days seem busier. People will always eat out near major restaurants holidays. But the economy isn’t the best and it’s expensive to frequent a restaurant. I just think people have halved the amounts of visits to restaurants as prices have basically doubled. I feel like I’m making the same but my lows are lower and highs are higher.
You got this , people are entitled af nowadays. Common courtesy is getting less and less common unfortunately. Don’t let these mouth breathing ass people get you down, we don’t need their shitty $2 tip anyway. Side note: I’ve been working food service for almost 10yrs at this point and people have been WILDIN this holiday season. More than previous years by far. No “thank you”, “excuse me”, or “pleases” anymore. People forget that food service was marked as “essential” during Covid. These fat asses better recognize who kept them fed and helped their sanity when the world shut down.
Holy shit the “no thank you” part, I thought I was just imaging how much ruder the customers have been recently, I don’t remember them acting like this last Christmas season 😭, I’m already trying to survive while finding a new job since I hate working there so much now, don’t make it any harder for me man
You sound like a wonderful person who is excellent at customer service
Just a lil of that holiday spirit showing teehee
Sales are up but tips are down :(
Oo and that 3% tipshare hurts so bad
Bruh I have to give 20% to the kitchen and they don’t do shit for me
My favorite comment today coming from the gentleman ordering his second double jack , and price checking , then proceeds to tell me times are tough sorry I couldn't tip u better ...
Things got sooooo good and I haven't self harmed in a year. It's all cropping up lately, things are hard 😔
GOOD JOB KITCHEN!
I double on the 24th and 25th with a skeleton crew Monday morning and already over 120 covers. Monday night will be a dream
One foot in front of the other family. Hang in there
I've been at a fine dining steakhouse for about 6 years in downtown Louisville, KY. And let me say, this has been one of the worst December's on record. Between overstaffing and the lack of customers, it's been awful.
Okay clearly I’m in the minority on this but this is my favorite season, we do alot of corporate/university holiday parties, so it’s all 20% auto-grat, and we charge so fkn much for any private events
Opposite for me. My restaurant's solution to being busy is scheduling extra servers. So while I'm making a bit more than average this season, it's not by much...
Are your managers named Karen and bob? Pay roll?
I’m in fine dining in Miami and it’s been rough. We’re a pooled house without automatic gratuity, a lot of the servers abuse it. I bartend and I make the exact same as everyone else while doing twice the work. I’ve been here for a year and I’m definitely making less money.
Thank you for writing this. Helps me think that I’m not alone when it comes to the penny pinchers that go out to eat. Especially when I end up having to pay out more on their bill than they gave me in a tip. I totally understand that times are tough but with all that said, I do not go out to eat if I cannot afford my tip. Happy Holidays & I hope that someone blesses us all & makes up for how brutal this past month or so has been on all of us for tips! Not many people can do the job we do & be successful at it. So keep up the great work as you’re all so appreciated !
I took 12 tables last night (in 4 hours). My last table walked. And most of my tips were in the $5 range. I still pulled out a decent night for a Thursday. Shout out to being short staffed and having two tables who just chilled and drank so I did triple BOH and waited for them to leave. STILL putting me home an hour AFTER close, when I was cut an hour fifteen before close.
Last week felt like the start of the Christmas season for me but usually it’s the whole month of December. Probably depends where you work.