If you want to work in a restaurant, especially as a waiter or waitress, you’ll face challenges like rude customers, long hours standing, and low pay. In the U.S., restaurant owners can pay servers less than minimum wage because they’re expected to get tips.
In 21 states, servers only get $2.13 per hour before tips. A report from The Wall Street Journal says about 15% of all waiters and waitresses, out of 2.4 million, live in poverty. They often need help from the government and don’t usually get paid time off or health benefits.
Even though waiters and waitresses expect tips, some customers are very rude and either give a lower tip than usual or none at all. This happened to waitress Taylar Cordova, who was so upset that she shared the bill online to show how badly these workers are treated.
She got no tip on a bill of $187.43, which should have been around $28.11. Her post has been shared over 12,000 times.
The message said:
“This is why I work so hard. This is why I feel so sad. I struggle to buy clothes and food for my daughter because of this. You are really mean. When you don’t tip your server, it makes life harder for them. This money could buy food for my family, but you chose not to tip, even after getting everything for free. It means my daughter goes without something she needs because you won’t give a little extra.”
Every choice leads to a result. Servers usually earn between $2-5 per hour from their employer. So, when you think about not leaving a tip, consider how hard they’d have to work just to feed their family. Could you manage your expenses with such low pay? Could you feed your family and yourself? Because that’s what happens when you don’t tip. Please, remember to tip your servers, even if the service wasn’t great. Giving a 10% tip is still better than nothing; not tipping at all really hurts. If you can’t afford to tip, it’s better not to eat out. You can always go to McDonald’s if you’re on a tight budget.”
But there’s hope for servers in the future. Eater says that seven states, including New York, have raised or gotten rid of the lower minimum wage for tipped workers, and seven more are working on doing the same. This change is important because, according to the National Restaurant Association, by the end of this year, 12.9 million people will work in restaurants, making up 10% of the U.S. workforce.
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