Food Server

Reasonable expectation for the salary for a food server, including tips?
What would you think a "typical" food server should make? That would be a youngish person, not much education, working 8 hours a day, five days a week? At a middle price restaurant, perhaps a chain place like Denny's or Olive Garden. Would it be better for restaurants to pay this salary and stop all tips? (Of course, raise food and beverage prices to compensate) I understand why this could be a good thing; but what are the opposing view, and why?

I work at a restaurant like this and I make about 40,000 a year and I work about 38 hours a week.

Is there a state or federal regulation on food server hairstyle?
I live in California, and have always been under the impression that food servers with hairlength longer than their shoulders must pull their hair back and off the shoulder. Can anyone site a regulation to back this up? Am I wrong?

i can't find a site for you but it is true..if its long enough to put up in a pony tail it better be there..plus why the hell would you want to keep it down..do you know how gross that is..whether you realize it or not, your hair comes out all day long, nothing worse than someone finding your hair in their food..plus with your hair moving all aroud while it is down, you could get dander on the food, and thats another way hair falls out..plus a person with long hair could lean forward to get something and their hair could touch the food..its just not sanitary..

How is being a food server different in the United States than in Britain?
How is the art of serving executed in the United States vs anywhere else, say Britain for example? Is the food served from left to right? Order taken from left to right? How is everything done?

I think we have more etiquette rules in the UK, as the first answer indicates, but we aren't as enthusiastic, I do mystery shopping, and am often asked to comment on phrases fast food servers are meant to say, but frankly, if someone in McDonald's said to me, OH good choice the fries are good and hot today, I would back away from them and try not to make eye contact, but if an American said that i would just eye them suspiciously and say GOOD! English people do not like to be over engaged like that, polite unobtrusive, efficient service is most appreciated here.

Getting a job as a food server?
I want get a job part-time as a food server. I have experience about a year and dont know how to go about getting a job as one. i check the classifieds constantly but dont see any. Is it better to just go out and apply at various ones?

Most definitely, many restaurants are always hiring and they don't like to spend money on job placement ads. Check around town, the phone book, local places for the restaurants you are interested in and go apply. Most prefer job seekers visit between 2-4 pm when they are slow, and you'll have the best chance to talk to a manager. Explain you are going to each restaurant, adding a little pressure for them to make a decision and I am sure you'll have a job offer within a day or two. Good Luck!

Need tips for organizing your money working as a food server/waitress?
Please I need tips for organizing your money as a waitress. For the past 10 years I've worked as a bartender out of a register drawer, so now I am at a loss as to the best and fastest way to organize my money that I have to keep on my person. Any tips greatly appreciated!! P.S. This is not the type of restaurant where I can use a cash caddy, as the staff is not trustable.

Wear a pocket apron and keep big bills on one side and small on the other, use a rubber band to tye them together. Sew a few pockets INSIDE your pants, and after you get a certain amount (whatever you think a lot is) of big bills put them in that inside pocket so there is no chance that it will be stolen or fall out.

How must a waiter/waitress/food server in a hotel light a guest's cigarette?
Are there any specific instructions? Do I ask the guest if he would want a light? Or do I offer him/her my lit lighter? Thank you.

usually if you see someone with a cigerette in their mouth looking for something to light it with is the time to offer yours. offer them a lit lighter. People smoking cigars offer a lit match (not lighter) they might not and probably wont care if you offer them a lighter, but there are still a few hard core, usually older men who would be offended by a ligher as the fumes take away the aroma of the cigar. Pipes you just offer a book of matches. same as cigar. but dont light it for them. They ususally like to light it themselves until the "draw" is good

Does a food server make more money than a warehouse worker with KBR?
I was wondering about how much both of these jobs money in ayear. (Iraq)

No, I think they're the same pay. I'm in Iraq now with KBR, but with another position.

i work as a food server an sometimes get a paycheck from my employer that says zero?


That is normal. It is because that is used for tax deductions. It's better that way so you won't owe taxes at the end of the year. Is your salar y like $2.25 3.50/hr plus tips? That salary hourly makes up for taxes and your tip wages. Seems pointless as I always told my boss to keep my zero balance check, don't want it, but it helps for your taxes later. This is another reason why I didn't serve at resturaunts as a waitress because I couldn't depend on tips for full time steady income.

do you like it when you get a male food server?
I hate it. I dislike it so much I am tempted to ASK for a female server. What fun is going out to a restaurant if you can't flirt with the female server. Guys comes up and say, hey, what's up man? What can I get for ya? Give me a break.

I have been married to hubby for over 20yrs and he use to gripe and gripe over male waiters before they even arrived at the table. But slowly throughout the years he has shut up about it. But he feels the same way you do.. doesnt bother me but im female.

If your food arrives late, do you hold off from tipping the server?
In most cases, nearly always, the server is doing the best that he/she can, it's the kitchen crew cooking the meal that determines how soon the food is done. The server's job is to take it from the line out to the customer. Why do servers get blamed for a sluggish or inefficient cook or for a busy restaurant that the cooks can't keep up with?

You hit the nail on the head. Many people don't realize how backed up a kitchen can get during a rush. We try our best to keep up while reading hundreds of tickets. And then waitresses come back and say that table 204 has been waiting and they're complaining. Well 204 is still 9 tickets back. Anyway... Please be understanding with your servers, they do check on the progress of the meal. If everything else is fine, please tip. And especially if it's busy, understand that you've gone to a popular place! :)