What do you think of career waiting and bartending?

My daughter had to take a pay cut when she left her job serving at a steak house to become a teacher. The tips were very good.

It would have a LOT to do with location. some places wait staff can easily make $100. a day/night in tips alone. It can be a very well paying vocation. It is only for certain people. Those who do not work well with the public should not try to fake it. People person’s can find places where they can do VERY well.

I haven’t personally known anyone who made a career of it. But I know that there are some who do.

So much depends on the restaurant/bar and how successful it is—stability in chefs, stability in food. A high quality high end restaurant, a waiter can make significant tips over a long period of time. The issue, of course, is that most restaurants don’t have that stability.

I know some who do very well at bartending particularly.

They do not make less than minimum wage on paper, by law they need to earn at least “regular” minimum wage when tips are combined with their hourly pay.

I think the career is physically tough, and gets harder as you get older like most physical jobs. Most restaurant hours are long, can be very late, can be during the holidays when the rest of the family and friends are off, and working with the public like that can be stressful and some customers are downright awful. However, I know plenty of people who make a good living waiting tables. Working in high end restaurants can be great money and the atmosphere at work is very nice. The comradery in the restaurants can be very good, although it can be bad also of course. It can be exciting as the restaurant open for meal service, like lifting the curtain to a production. One big negative is it is not uncommon for people in the restaurant biz cheat on their spouse, do drugs, and drink. I am not saying it is the majority of people, I don’t know the stats, I am only saying it is not hugely uncommon. You see it more in some parts of the business than others.

I’ve worked the kitchen in a lot of restaurants, and I second what @JLeslie says: i.e. it’s a high stress job, physically and emotionally.

The best tips are for a solo performance working evenings, weekends and holidays. That translates to carrying a lot of heavy trays and having a difficult family life, if any.

My niece – who is 38 – has done just that. Currently she works as a special events bartender for Universal Studios in Orlando. She makes good money and loves what she does.

My ex-MIL worked as a barmaid for years. She made enough in tips to pay off a 30 year mortagage in 5 years. She left for personal reasons and started working in a machine shop. While she liked that work, she did lament the cut in pay.

My favorite bartender has a PhD and was teaching college, but he makes more tending bar. He’s an amazing people person. That’s the key.

yes. and good ones can make a great living at it.

I know some people who serve or bartend for a living. If someone enjoys the job and is a “people person”, it can easily be a great career choice.

Why would it be impractical?

As with any job, you get out of it what you put into it. There are many places that actually pay a living wage, especially in upscale restaurants.

I know people who are waiters who make $50k plus a year. That’s a good wage in my opinion.

Great money, but no benefits.

Here in Spain, waiter can be a serious career. with some waiters making as much as a doctor (about 2800 a month)

In the UK wait staff and bartenders usually get paid enough to live on. Bartenders especially can certainly live on that alone if they work enough hours. My sister was a waitress in a four-star restaurant for a few years. Tips were extra but she still got paid more than minimum wage. Personally though, I would never want to do it because I don’t want to work in the evenings.

One of my granddaughters is waiting tables to put herself through her PhD program in Psychology. By the time she graduates, it’s a toss-up whether she’ll have learned more about human psychology in her graduate work or on the job waiting tables and talking to lonely souls.

@tedibear Thanks for sharing those experiences!
@Seelix I only thought it would be impractical for a full-time career because as @Haleth said, there aren’t really benefits that usually come with traditional jobs.
@poisonedantidote It seems like the serving profession is taken more seriously in Europe than it is here in the United States.
@Judi That’s interesting and sad at the same time. Teachers should be paid more!