Can You Survive on Waitress Wages?
A waitress is also known as a server or food service worker and typically works in restaurants, coffee shops, and diners attending to guests by taking their orders, delivering their food, and taking their payment at the end of the meal. Waitress wages are notoriously low and often amount to less than the federal minimum wage standard. Whether you can survive on waitress wages depends on a number of circumstances.
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Waitress Wages
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When you apply for a job as a waitress, you are typically offered an hourly rate. Waiter and waitress wages are often below minimum wage and may be as little as $2.13 per hour in some states. Wages may also vary depending on the restaurant. Although the hourly wage is small, the expectation is that the food service worker earns additional hourly income through tips provided by restaurant patrons.
Tips
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Many servers depend on tips as the primary source of income. Diners in U.S. restaurants routinely tip waitresses and waiters anywhere from 15 to 25 percent of the total bill. Although tipping is customary, better service often equates to a higher tip. With the combination of a minimum hourly wage and tips earned, a waitress can earn an average salary comparable to other positions. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, servers earned an average of $7.32 to $10.35 per hour in 2008, while the highest 10 percent of workers earned more than $14 per hour.
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Restaurant Caliber
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Your wages can be affected by the type of restaurant for which you work. A waitress who depends on tips to make a suitable hourly wage requires a position in a busy restaurant that caters to many guests throughout the day. Waiting multiple tables at one time increases the chance of more earnings through tips, as does working during busier times of the day such as the lunch rush or dinner rush. Additionally, working in a more upscale restaurant which caters to fine dining clientele often results in higher tips due to more expensive dinner checks and the higher level of service provided to diners.
Lifestyle
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Another factor that may affect your ability to survive on waitress wages is your current lifestyle and financial needs. If you are drowning in debt or have a high cost of living caused by an expensive mortgage, or high rent or car payments, it may be difficult for you to scrape by even if you achieve better than average earnings as a waitress. If you live within your means, keep your expenses low, or share your living expenses with a roommate or spouse, however, you may get by comfortably on waitress wages.
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References
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