Getting Bigger Tips
October 25, 2008
Generally, waitress and waiter positions pay minimum wage.
But imagine earning more than twice the minimum wage by earning tips. I know of some people who make a really good living from their tips alone.
Of course this will depend heavily on the restaurant and the prices of the menu items. The higher the prices, the more you stand to make in tips. The downside is that everyone wants to work at these places and so it’s difficult to get in.
Just to give you an idea of how big a tip you can receive, let me tell you a true story.
My boyfriend and I went to a neighborhood restaurant. The average menu item was about $10. Our total bill came out to $30.
Now usually, people tip between 10 and 15 percent. The waitress was so good, that he gave her a $10 tip which is about 33%!
Why did she get such a big tip? Well for one, maybe he was trying to impress me. But I too was very happy with the waitress. She always filled his coffee cup, came by the table more than a few times to check on us and basically made our dinner there very enjoyable.
So even though you may work at a more inexpensive place, you can still get big tips! All it takes is your willingness to go the extra mile to pamper your guests and make them feel at home. Heck, everytime we go to that restaurant, we ask to sit at one of her tables… even if we have to wait.
She knows us by name and not because we go there all the time, but because she took the time to get to know us. And remember us! It may seem trivial, but it’s what sets her apart from 99% of the other waiters and waitresses.
I can only imagine how much she could earn if she worked at a place where the average meal was $30 an item!
Not to brag or anything, but I once made a $100 tip. This was a special circumstance though because it was Christmas time and the elder gentleman was in a giving mood. Generally, my tips averaged around 22% and it paid my way through college.
So the big secret to getting better tips is to connect with the customer. Make them feel special and comfortable and you’ll have a fan for life.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not how I started out, but it’s what I learned as I went along. And I’m a very shy person! So if you suffer from shyness as well, it becomes easier as you go. you’ll notice regulars and can bond with them. Once you know them, there’s no reason to be shy.
In future posts, I’ll be getting into more details.
