11 Dec Why That 13% Grat Just Isn’t Enough

It was many years ago that I had wanted to become a waitress. “It’s great money,” they said. “It’s so much fun,” they said. Now, I won’t lie. It is great money and I have been able to save more than I have in my entire life. But let’s talk about what no one else talks about. Your feet will be sore. You will get kankles. (Yeah, I know right.) And 100% you will lose your big toenails, maybe even twice.  Your entire body is sore at the end of the night and who knows, your table may or may not leave you a tip that just breaks even. They chug Red Bulls to get through the night shifts, and they probably haven’t eaten in 8 hours. Most of them work extremely late nights and have to be at their day job the next morning. You will work New Years Eve, and have to be the sober one at the party. Feel free to say “Happy New Years!” but don’t forget that Table 104 needs another round. We are the forefront of the mess. If your food is slow, it’s on us. If your drink takes an extra 10 minutes to come up, it’s on us. We need to make sure that your drinks come out before your table bread. And that your cutlery is on the table before the bread. Oh, and be sure that you are there after their first bite to make sure they are content with their meal. So yes, there is a reason we work for our gratuity at the end of your meal. Yes, we really enjoyed having you tonight. We had great conversation and you are the person that keeps me motivated to love my job. Yes, we really are thankful for our jobs. But no, 13% tip on a bill just isn’t cutting it.