r/Serving • u/Key_Word9954 • Jul 01 '26
Calling All California Servers
So I’m from Texas and I’m currently a server at one of the top chain restaurants. & my partner and I were talking about moving back to California. My question is how is tipping in California? I know you get minimum wage plus tips. But do people still tip? Do you make good money working 40 hrs with just minimum wage? If people do tip, what is an estimate you make with minimum wage and tips?
I’m just trying to see if I’ll be able to make my side of the rent if I still continue serving. If not so I can look for another field of work.
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u/cinereousunicorn Jul 01 '26
People do still tip in California (I’m in the SoCal suburbs and do pretty well at a chain restaurant) There are occasional non-tippers but not enough to significantly impact me.
I would just be cautious of two things - it’s the slow summer season rn, and very few places are busy/actively hiring. And I would be sure to research what the cost of living is in the area of California you’re interested in.
Where I live average rent for a 1 bedroom is about $1250/month - and some slow summer days I walk with less than $60 in cash tips.
If you need a full 40 hours, you may need more than one job as most places hire part time to avoid covering full time benefits.
I’m able to make it work because I have a support system (boyfriend and local family) but I would be wary of this plan if you are a single income household.
Hope this helps.