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Thread: Can you let me know...

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    Featured Member Amy Lee's Avatar
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    Question Can you let me know...

    Have any of you ever worked as a waitress? I am looking to do it through the summer in addition to camming and I can't seem to figure out where the best place to waitress would be because I have never did this kind of work.

    I've already been a professional and decided to go back to school and now school my schedule does not allow me to have a 9 to 5.

    Can you share your experiences with me and the restaurant chain or bar, etc? Whatever you can let me know...I am clumsy, so not too sure about it.

    I need to go out and apply tomorrow...

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    God/dess laurielegs's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can you let me know...

    I had a friend who said she made way more as a cocktail waitress, and the work was somewhat easier (no super heavy trays of food).

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    Featured Member Amy Lee's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can you let me know...

    Quote Originally Posted by laurielegs View Post
    I had a friend who said she made way more as a cocktail waitress, and the work was somewhat easier (no super heavy trays of food).

    Yeah and when people get drunk...I guess they can tip more...lol. Thank you for writing something hun.

    I can just picture myself in a restaurant carrying a tray and spilling the whole thing on the customer......urrrggghhh

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    Default Re: Can you let me know...

    I've mostly worked bars and mom and pop restaurants because they tend to be nicer places to work at. The money is actually pretty good depending on what days you work, but keep in mind to make that money you need to be a great waitress.

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    Default Re: Can you let me know...

    I've worked as a waitress since I was about 15 'til I was 18.
    Best advice I can give you: I don't recommend Mexican restaurants, I was always having nasty construction workers try to hold my hand or talk to me, or flirt in some repulsive manner, and at the time (I was 16 or so) I thought to myself, does this look like a fucking strip club? Oh, the irony......... seriously though, WTF is up with paisas?

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    Featured Member Amy Lee's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can you let me know...

    Quote Originally Posted by Kellydancer View Post
    I've mostly worked bars and mom and pop restaurants because they tend to be nicer places to work at. The money is actually pretty good depending on what days you work, but keep in mind to make that money you need to be a great waitress.

    That's actually a good idea, because the chain restaurants tend to have strings attached...well tomorroe I go on the hunt to look, I need this extra money...thanks ladies.

    I am clumsy as hell, so I am gearing more toward bars-strio club kind of jobs to wait tables in....

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    God/dess BlkSharpie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can you let me know...

    My bit of advice is to not go for corporate restaurants, but independently owned/smaller restaurants/bars/ etc. Also, my friends in the industry all told me to lie and say I have some experience, but Im a horrible liar and was honest...for that, I ended up working as a hostess making a per hour rate instead of as a server making tips... I worked there about 3 months before I had to quit cause I was broke and exhausted...LOVED the restaurant, but couldnt afford to work there anymore.

    A friend of mine worked at this unassuming small mom and pop diner, and she was surprised with the amount of traffic they got in there....but it was like a neighborhood diner, not well known, except among the locals..and locals/regulars are loyal and will tip well too. She would make about $100-150/shift there and the place was only open from like 8a-3p

    I only know of cocktail waitressing on south beach..and while I really wanted to do it for awhile and applied at a few places, Im glad I didnt end up doing it. Going out Ive paid more attention, to see them going around in the dark trying to find the person who ordered the drink, or always getting bumped around and nearly losing thier tray of drinks and such. And if they are really pretty, guys trying to talk them up or bold with drink...I never noticed how annoyed cocktail waitresses looked until I thought about being one...

    But...thats just on south beach, and also, Im sure the tips make it well worth it.

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    Default Re: Can you let me know...

    the more expensive the menu, the more tips you'll get. but on the flip side, the more expensive the restaurant is, the more polite you'll have to be. it's NOT like being a sex worker where you can run your mouth off at anyone who pisses you off and people WILL piss you off, but you'll get used to it.

    and don't worry about dropping things. I worked in a restaurant and dropped things occasionally. I've broken dishes and dropped customers' food when I was bringing it out to them. it's really no big deal. you just clean it up, keep going, and be more careful next time.

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    God/dess sammii's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can you let me know...

    There is this really expensive restaurant near me, and I know this guy that used to work there, and he told me that he made at least $400 a night. Unfortunately, the more expensive restaurants are usually looking for people with experience. A cocktail server or waitress job at a bar might be decent; just prepare to be hit on a lot by drunk guys.

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    God/dess sammii's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can you let me know...

    Quote Originally Posted by xGigi View Post
    the more expensive the menu, the more tips you'll get. but on the flip side, the more expensive the restaurant is, the more polite you'll have to be. it's NOT like being a sex worker where you can run your mouth off at anyone who pisses you off and people WILL piss you off, but you'll get used to it.

    and don't worry about dropping things. I worked in a restaurant and dropped things occasionally. I've broken dishes and dropped customers' food when I was bringing it out to them. it's really no big deal. you just clean it up, keep going, and be more careful next time.
    I never got used to people pissing me off when I worked customer service jobs. The more people pissed me off, the more I had the "I hate people" attitude. I wish my last day at the job would have been me telling off someone ... it would have been epic.

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    Featured Member Amy Lee's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can you let me know...

    Quote Originally Posted by BlkSharpie View Post
    My bit of advice is to not go for corporate restaurants, but independently owned/smaller restaurants/bars/ etc. Also, my friends in the industry all told me to lie and say I have some experience, but Im a horrible liar and was honest...for that, I ended up working as a hostess making a per hour rate instead of as a server making tips... I worked there about 3 months before I had to quit cause I was broke and exhausted...LOVED the restaurant, but couldnt afford to work there anymore.

    A friend of mine worked at this unassuming small mom and pop diner, and she was surprised with the amount of traffic they got in there....but it was like a neighborhood diner, not well known, except among the locals..and locals/regulars are loyal and will tip well too. She would make about $100-150/shift there and the place was only open from like 8a-3p

    I only know of cocktail waitressing on south beach..and while I really wanted to do it for awhile and applied at a few places, Im glad I didnt end up doing it. Going out Ive paid more attention, to see them going around in the dark trying to find the person who ordered the drink, or always getting bumped around and nearly losing thier tray of drinks and such. And if they are really pretty, guys trying to talk them up or bold with drink...I never noticed how annoyed cocktail waitresses looked until I thought about being one...

    But...thats just on south beach, and also, Im sure the tips make it well worth it.

    You make a very good point and thank you...I was thiking hostess because it is less walking around...but then again getting tips would be hard that way...definately looking into places that are no chain restaurants and bars. Thank you =)

    I didn't want to lie and say I had no experience, but I might say I did it for a year when I was a teenager...if it will get me in, I need the money.

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    Default Re: Can you let me know...

    ^yeah say you did it a couple years ago but the restaurant you worked closed down. I've definitely done that before I mean, I DID waitress, just not for 2+ years like I would put on most job applications...

    Quote Originally Posted by sammii View Post
    I never got used to people pissing me off when I worked customer service jobs. The more people pissed me off, the more I had the "I hate people" attitude. I wish my last day at the job would have been me telling off someone ... it would have been epic.
    well you learn how to deal with it more efficiently at least and stop taking personal offense. you have to bear in mind that people who are rude to waitresses just hate their life and want other people to be as miserable as they are. it's pathetic. I just laugh.

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    God/dess BlkSharpie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Can you let me know...

    Quote Originally Posted by Amy Lee View Post
    You make a very good point and thank you...I was thiking hostess because it is less walking around...but then again getting tips would be hard that way...definately looking into places that are no chain restaurants and bars. Thank you =)

    I didn't want to lie and say I had no experience, but I might say I did it for a year when I was a teenager...if it will get me in, I need the money.
    Yeah dont be like me...lie lie lie!! Cause they brought me on as hostess and siad they could move me up to a server position once I have some experience in the restaurant... But then they *loved* me as hostess, and all said how I was great as a first impression to the restaurant, and how long time guests have complimented saying it was great to see me when they walked in...

    While people without as much people skills and more of a hustle vibe got moved to server...and one of the other hostesses I was working with said it had been 2 years and they still hadnt moved her to server. Thats about when I gave up.

    Some places, hostesses get tips, but its not much...being a server is where its at. Even better is being a bartender. But Im not devoted enough to learn all of that for tips...I could do it at a place where people just come in for a beer or something, but not to mix drinks or anything.

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