Do Wolfgang Puck waiters really make $120,000/year?

[Anonymous]

I need to stop working low paying non profit jobs and start waiting tables somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Concur with other former servers.

The last time I waited tables in DC, it was at a moderately priced place, and I made $200-250/night. An amazing night might get me $400.

But I don't see why WP servers could get $500 regularly since:

-It's a much pricier place-- 2-3x more expensive. A tip on a $250 meal is $50 vs the $20 tips I got on $100 meals
-It's 14 years since I waited tables, and people tip a higher PERCENTAGE now, as well
-WP may also pay $10-15/hr base to keep good servers, vs $2/hr (so that's another $100)

$500 per night would be easy.

Don't see why they COULDN'T make $500, of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://75main.com/

This is hardest restaurant in the US to get a reservation at this summer.

Folks will tip thousands just to get a table. Folks are scalping reservations on line, my favorite if you let folks join you they will pay for your meal.

Waiters get use of customers beach houses, boats. Cars as cash tips are so 2020.

A good tip is here is $500 plus a week at my Aspen ski house.

lmao. the food looks soooooooooo mediocre

[Anonymous]

Yes, I'm from San Francisco and that number is very believable. Most wait staff at those places are "professionals."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they really make that much money, go see how few of their waiter staff are actually BIPOC (hint almost none of them).

👆

[Anonymous]

It's worth pointing out that you don't START as a waiter making $120k. It's a profession that requires skill, personality, stamina and seniority to make the big bucks. In my restaurant, almost everyone worked in the kitchen first, graduated to bussing tables, then started on lunch shifts and weekday dinner shifts. You usually didn't get to work weekend dinners until you'd been there awhile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://75main.com/

This is hardest restaurant in the US to get a reservation at this summer.

Folks will tip thousands just to get a table. Folks are scalping reservations on line, my favorite if you let folks join you they will pay for your meal.

Waiters get use of customers beach houses, boats. Cars as cash tips are so 2020.

A good tip is here is $500 plus a week at my Aspen ski house.

lmao. the food looks soooooooooo mediocre

You don’t go to a restaurant for the food.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2021/06/19/table-seekers-offer-big-bribes-to-get-into-hamptons-restaurants/amp/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's worth pointing out that you don't START as a waiter making $120k. It's a profession that requires skill, personality, stamina and seniority to make the big bucks. In my restaurant, almost everyone worked in the kitchen first, graduated to bussing tables, then started on lunch shifts and weekday dinner shifts. You usually didn't get to work weekend dinners until you'd been there awhile.

Skill? You are only required to be really good looking at the high end places. Oh and have the ability to memorize the menu and drink recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's worth pointing out that you don't START as a waiter making $120k. It's a profession that requires skill, personality, stamina and seniority to make the big bucks. In my restaurant, almost everyone worked in the kitchen first, graduated to bussing tables, then started on lunch shifts and weekday dinner shifts. You usually didn't get to work weekend dinners until you'd been there awhile.

Skill? You are only required to be really good looking at the high end places. Oh and have the ability to memorize the menu and drink recommendations.

Waiting tables is absolutely a skill. As a person who is both clumsy and forgetful, it was never something I could do, so I worked at camps and regular retail instead in my teens and early 20s while my friends were servers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No problem. I tended bar in the 80s and could easily make 500-700 a night in tips. I have friends who worked at high-end DC places who made double that. One bartendress I knew ended up with three houses and 3 apartment buildings in Dupont and Logan. Not a bad gig if you can land it.

+1 the bartenders down at the waterfront in Georgetown - Tony & Joe’s etc. - in the 90s/00s made enough during the warm weather months - say April to September - that they didn’t have to work the rest of the year.

[Anonymous]

My dh golfs with a guy whose dd and SIL worked at the Palm + Prime Rib respectively. They were each making about 90k a year in 1995. So yes, someone at WP's place could make $120k. Tough job!

[Anonymous]

I remember the early 80s scandal where the Palm waiters were making $70k a year in tips and underreporting their income. They did jail time. Wages started to be reported as a percentage of sales sometime after that point.

So yes I believe it as a college student I worked as a cocktail waitress in the late 80s and was pulling in over $200+ a night in cash tips for a few hours of work. Still my all time favorite job. Easy money.

[Anonymous]

Not if they’re relying on DCUM posters for their tips.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they really make that much money, go see how few of their waiter staff are actually BIPOC (hint almost none of them).

👆

What kind of conclusion should we make based on this info?

[Anonymous]

Family member has 8 kids and until recently her husband supported them all on a 6 figure salary working 2 nights and 3 days a week at a high end restaurant.