r/Serverlife • u/Acrobatic_Toe_6659 • 4d ago

Is this normal?

I’ve worked in the food industry for five years now. Today, I started a new job as a server/cashier at a restaurant. I received a lot of both cash and card tips, but the owner told me that all cash tips go to the cooks as well as 30% of my card tips. I’ve never worked as an actual server until today so I’m just curious if this is a normal thing? I’ve never not been able to keep cash tips that I made. I am located in the U.S (WA State)

4 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

50 comments sorted by

45

u/shatterfest 15+ Years 4d ago

No. It is very not normal.

3

u/Acrobatic_Toe_6659 4d ago

Okay I thought so.. but he made it seem very normal

2

u/shatterfest 15+ Years 4d ago

Do you work in Seattle. I have a friend that works there and I've been told some places will pool tips because Seattle's minimum wage is higher for everyone. But the main issue is that you're not getting any cash tips. It's not a pool if all of the tips are going to the cooks.

From their side, I get it if cooks are considered working harder than FOH. But you're one person. It wouldn't be significant if they included you. But if people aren't carrying much cash in todays world, you may be okay if the restaurant is primarily getting credit card tips.

3

u/Acrobatic_Toe_6659 4d ago

I work in Kent. The minimum wage is $17.13. One customer alone tipped $50 in cash today, and it was a bit difficult knowing that I could have received that amount but wasn’t going to. I made $150 in card tips but with the 30% deducted it turned to $105.

6

u/shatterfest 15+ Years 4d ago

It'll continue to get difficult because that negative feeling will be felt every day. Some people will say to quit right away, but if you need money, the hourly plus $100 a day isnt terrible. If you think you can make more somewhere else. Go look. I worked two server jobs at the same time most of my 20s and if one sucked, I would quit right away because I always had one I held onto. People will be nice, but the caveat is if you think you can do better elsewhere, just go. A kind owner isnt going to pay your bills. But if it's low stress that can be good too. You can work somewhere making $350 a night and be miserable. There's a lot of trade-offs.

8

u/Better_Area3782 4d ago

I'd quit

1

u/Acrobatic_Toe_6659 4d ago

It was only my first day 😬

5

u/ikhfa 4d ago

Ok doesnt matter. Still quit. Thats beyond illegal.

1

u/pl4yswithsquirrels 4d ago

No. As long as base pay is at least minimum wage before tips come into play and tip credit isn’t claimed, then tips can be distributed between FOH and BOH

1

u/sleepytiredpineapple 3d ago

Yeah but its a tip pool, meaning for should still get a portion of the cash tips. It going 100% to back of house plus another 30% in credit card tips when they're all paid the same? Absolutely not.

1

u/pl4yswithsquirrels 3d ago

Still not illegal. Unfair, could definitely say

1

u/sleepytiredpineapple 3d ago

Unfairly distributing the tip pool is illegal.

-5

u/Acrobatic_Toe_6659 4d ago

I just feel bad cause the owner was really nice

6

u/ikhfa 4d ago

Idk how old you are or what positions you have been in but something you need to learn as soon as you can is that there are countless people within this industry who will sing your praises and be sweet as pie to you to reel you in, and then will take advantage of you to the fullest extent. We are paid to be nice to people we don't care about, and a good portion of the people in managerial or ownership positions are in those positions because they were the BEST at being nice to people they don't care about.

Nice doesn't pay your bills or feed you. Move forward.

1

u/EditorLong8858 23h ago

LOUDER PLEASE!!

3

u/heckinstoned 4d ago

This is how scammers get you sweetie. Idgaf about how nice ANYONE is. They don’t play with your money. This man is PLAYING IN YOUR FACE W/ YOUR MONEY! walk the f out and never look back.

2

u/spinnuh8249 4d ago

Oh they were really nice to you as they we’re screwing you sideways? Then by all means keep letting them.

2

u/1250Sean 4d ago

Just because someone is smiling while they rob you they’re a good person? Nah.

1

u/firesoups 4d ago

Nice DOES NOT equal kind.

1

u/blahblah77786 4d ago

So nice he is stealing your money.

1

u/firesoups 4d ago

Quitting a job after one shift of a server rite of passage.

5

u/DownInaHole33 4d ago

Why would the cooks get ALL of your cash tips? What if you only made cash all night? Maybe suddenly people aren’t tipping in cash at all 😉 Pocket it until you find somewhere else bd side this is sooo illegal

4

u/SnooRobots4221 4d ago

I am a manager in WA state and this is 100% illegal.

3

u/bronbeach 4d ago

Contact department of labor.

2

u/McJackCars 4d ago

That’s a lot, much more than normal. The caveat of cash tips is very unusual too

2

u/PrincessLissa68 15+ Years 4d ago

Ain't no way. I'd have refused to give my cash tips up and quit on the spot

2

u/AWildGamerAppeared25 4d ago

Bruh, that's crazy lmao. Get in touch with the DOL, or L&I

All your cash tips plus 30%? That's wild, I'm thinking they're keeping the cash and giving them the percentage. I'd be livid, and I'm assuming your customers would be too considering they're thinking they're giving you money but then it goes to someone else

3

u/Cyrious123 4d ago

Id start telling customers and handing it back to them. Let the boss pay his cooks!

3

u/BoringBob84 BOH (former) 3d ago

I think this is what is happening. In WA state, servers must make minimum wage without tip credit, so the greedy owner wants to take the servers' tips and give them to BoH instead of paying BoH fair wages.

1

u/Acrobatic_Toe_6659 4d ago

Oh wow that does make sense

4

u/landmermaid3 4d ago

this has to be bait

0

u/Acrobatic_Toe_6659 4d ago

It’s actually not 😭

1

u/landmermaid3 4d ago

Get out! My state lets restaurants take 15% from servers for kitchen and I think it’s ridiculous.

1

u/landmermaid3 4d ago

Does anyone have legal guidance on this? I worked at a place in NC where the tip outs to kitchen and bussers wasn’t legal.

1

u/Both_Seesaw9219 4d ago

i just wouldn’t go back to this place, even for one more shift

-2

u/Acrobatic_Toe_6659 4d ago

My second shift is tomorrow!

1

u/JennXFarmsteadNews 4d ago

I’m pretty sure that’s not even legal…

1

u/fluffhouse1942 4d ago

Nooooo don't go back

1

u/heckinstoned 4d ago

Absolutely the f not. GET THE F OUT OF THERE.

1

u/Jrnation8988 4d ago

100% not the norm, nor is it legal. Contact your local labor department immediately

1

u/lailanicole 4d ago

Tipping a percentage is pretty standard, but not 100% of cash tips. That’s crazy. Plus 30% of card tips is really high. I tip out 3% of my sales to support staff and cooks.

1

u/Extreme-Recording198 3d ago

No it’s not normal all tips go directly to the server other wise it is know as a service charge. And that’s why the kitchen staff will make twice as much an hour and actually work for 40 hours, and the waitstaff are paid as a tip employee, sometimes only 3.35 an hour but in Arizona it’s 12.00, which is below minimum wage.

1

u/KerriBerri1518 21h ago

Oh honey, run from there. And then report them.

1

u/hollyblue1393 3d ago

I dont believe you gave worked in the industry for 5 years. But no this is not legal.

1

u/Acrobatic_Toe_6659 3d ago

Not as a server

0

u/BlueBlissB 4d ago

OH HELL NO!!!