DiningBuzz Server Q&A Thread
 

In response to the Flight Attendant, Reservations Agent, and Pilot Q&A threads on the United forum (my normal FT hangout), I thought maybe some of you DiningBuzzers would benefit from having a current server answer some of your questions. I've seen lots of pet peeve, tipping, and expense questions lately, and it seems like most questions about such topics are being answered either by former servers, or people who think they understand the industry, but might benefit from a more "insider voice". If not, my thread will quickly fade off of the main page. :D

My background:
First serving job: Red Lobster, Olathe, KS. Learned the ropes. It's purely a volume restaurant, little training. My colleagues consisted of many of the crappy servers you all encounter on a day to day basis. Nonetheless, managed to make good money and eventually move my way out.

"Best" serving job: Wild Ginger, Seattle, WA. Zagat Guide #1 most popular restaurant in Seattle. Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. At the end of my employment, dinner server and banquet server. Fine dining while still a volume restaurant. Good servers at a destination restaurant.

Current serving job: J. Alexander's, Overland Park, KS (come in and and see me). Best working environment I've ever had. Mid-Level to Fine dining, while still a volume restaurant. Less voluminous wine list, but still substantial enough to satisfy a connoisseur. Teamwork style, great steaks and seafood. Going to get better service at a lower price than many, many other restaurants.

Let me know if you all have questions. I normally check into FT at least once a day.

Chris

:td:Thanks JayhawkCO
But judging by your responses in this thread
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=775435
some of us would rather do without any further education in the treatmen of serving staff by you :D

My restaurant career mostly consisted of bussing tables, but it gave me a good position to observe good and bad practices by those from whom I would (should) receive a tip-out.

Lenox House Lenox, MA Upscale steak & seafood. Locals & business travelers. Busboy.

Curtis Hotel Lenox, MA Summer courtyard sandwiches. NYC tourists. Server.

Coachlight Pittsfield, MA Upscale steak & seafood. Locals & business travelers. Busboy.

Longhorn Lenox MA All you can drink beer & wine. Rowdy locals. Busboy. Designated driver. :D

Thanks for setting up this thread!

Couple of questions:

1. When the IRS calculates your "assumed income" based on tips, what percentage of sales do they use? Is it a straight 15% of subtotal, 15% of post-tax, or some other amount?

2. I don't know if you have worked at a buffet before, but I was wondering how the "assumed income" for servers at buffets compares with servers at non-buffet restaurants? Basically - and I don't think I am alone in thinking this way - I see tipping at a buffet as tipping just on what I am served - this would mean drink + refills, and the bussing of the table. Hence buffet tips from myself - again and many others - are a significantly lower percentage of the subtotal than at full-service restaurants.

Not everyone has the same opinion on every topic, on FlyerTalk or anywhere else. Just because you happened to disagree with me on one subject doesn't mean others couldn't benefit from a little education.

1) Well, I'm not the expert on server taxes. I just know I owe somewhere between $4k and $6k every April. From what I've learned though, individual restaurants have the ability to tax either "allocated tips" or just straight tips. If I'm not mistaken, allocated tips are a certain percentage of your sales that the IRS just assumes you make, and calculates your tax liability based on that. My restaurant, however, claims all of your credit card tips automatically, and when you clock out at the end of the night, you claim all of your cash tips minus the amount that you tipped out to the host staff, bartenders, etc. This is the number on my W2.

2) I would assume so as well. I don't know for sure if most buffet servers get paid minimum wage or higher, but I would assume they do. If that's the case, I'm pretty sure that their restaurant wouldn't use an allocated tip system, just only what the server claimed, which I'm guessing is probably not much. I don't regularly eat at buffets (don't remember the last time I did), but I would also probably tip lower, say in the 10% range.

Chris

While I appreciate the OP's effort, the other forum Q&A threads reside within the airline forums, and its assumed that those answering questions on the UA FA thread can answer their questions based on their experience as a UA FA.

Since DiningBuzz encompasses all types of eating venues all over the world, I dont think its appropriate for one poster to solicit questions covering such a vast topic, and am closing this thread.