How Much Do Waiters Make in Tips a Day?

If you read my article about monthly restaurant server salaries across the United States, you’ll recall that many make minimum wage or slightly over that when calculating hourly rates. That’s why tipping in the US is as popular as it is. In other countries, where restaurant workers are paid better, they’re less reliant on tips, and some countries, like Japan, don’t even allow tipping. But How Much Do Waiters Make in Tips a Day?

With tipping comprising more than 60 percent of an average waiter’s income, let’s peel back the curtain and review what restaurant workers can earn in tips, what influences how much they earn, and what they can do to increase it.

How Much Can Waiters Make in Tips Per Day? What About Per Month?

Here’s the thing about tipping, especially in the US. It’s extremely variable. You’ll see that more in the next section, where I reveal what goes into how much a waiter or waitress is paid in tips.

The average restaurant visitor will tip 15 to 20 percent; anything less than that is considered a poor tip. Bearing that in mind, the average estimate of what a waiter or waitress can make in tips is $100 per day.

Waiters and waitresses working full-time for five hours a day can make $500 a week in tips alone. That’s an additional $2,000 a month!

How Much Can Waiters Make in Tips Per Day

What Factors Influence How Much Waiters Earn in Tips

There are many factors at play that dictate what you can make in tips as a waiter or waitress. Some are within your control, but others aren’t. I should note that biases take place, and sometimes even prejudicing, but this factors are backed up by academic reports.

Bill Size

The bigger the bill, the greater the tip. Fifteen percent of $30 is a lot less than 15 percent of $300. While you might try a little upselling or cross-selling, otherwise, as a waiter or waitress, you can’t influence the size of the bill.

Party Size

Larger parties typically rack up bigger bills, but even smaller parties can do the same if they’re really hungry or celebrating a special occasion (or simply trying to be flashy and show off by spending a lot of money).

Of course, you will have earned your tip by the end of the night. Larger parties require more time, care, and consideration, as otherwise, serving them can get chaotic.

Service Quality

Here’s the unfair part of being a server. Even though you didn’t personally prepare the food, your customers will judge you for it and other areas of service. For example, the price, the environment of the restaurant, the food quality, and the speed in which they’re served all affect a customer’s overall quality of service.

As you can see, you yourself don’t have much say over a lot of that, but this is one of those unfortunate parts of working at a restaurant. Since yours is the face the customers see, you bear the brunt of the kitchen’s service, as they’re working invisible in the back.

Service Quality in Restaurant

Number of Hours Worked

Theoretically, the longer you work in foodservice, the more tips you can make. However, waiters and waitresses rarely get to dictate their hours. Your boss or manager will assign you a shift. You might get to cover for others occasionally, but the restaurant may try to avoid letting you work overtime, as it results in paying you more than your standard rate.

Number of Tables Served

The more tables you can serve while working, the more tips you can claim. That said, it’s important not to rush through the serving process. Dissatisfaction with the dining experience will come out of your bottom line, as customers will refuse to tip the full 15 to 20 percent, and some especially unsavory characters might not tip at all.

Waiter/Waitress Behavior

Here’s a factor in your control: your behavior. You should greet customers with a genuine smile, be friendly and personable, and know a lot about the menu. It helps if you’ve tried everything on your restaurant’s menu so you can offer personalized recommendations for meals, sides, and desserts.

Keep in mind that sometimes, even if you do everything right, you’ll only get the bare minimum tip, and sometimes (unfortunately) no tip at all. Some customers believe that you’re doing what your job requires and don’t deserve anything special for it.

Others will go out of their way to tip you more for outstanding service or being a pleasure to chat with.

Waiter Waitress Behavior

Payment Method

Another factor that influences what you’ll make in tips is how the customers pay. Customers who are splitting bills may leave a smaller tip. They may wonder who among their party should tip, and how much, so the math becomes confusing.

Gender

Yes, we sadly live in a world where factors like your gender affect what you can earn in tips when working at a restaurant. Men are usually tipped more than their female servers, but not exclusively.

Attractiveness

Another factor that ties into one’s gender is physical appearance. More attract bartenders or waitstaff tend to rake in more tips, no matter how sexist or misogynistic that may be.

How Much Do Waiters Make in Tips a Day - Attractiveness

Race

Gender and looks aren’t the only uncomfortable factor at play in tipping culture. One’s race is also an important consideration.

The Conversation, in a 2015 article, reported that white people tend to tip within a 15 to 20 percent range at a rate of 70 percent versus only 35 percent for black people.

Please, keep in mind that this isn’t exclusively true across the board. People aren’t that clear-cut, so you shouldn’t avoid or provide lower-quality service to some customers because you think they’ll tip you less.

Tips for Tips! How to Earn More

You know what waiters make in tips a day, but what if you’re dissatisfied with what you’re currently earning? Here are some pointers that will psychologically affect your performance and personalism, which should drive up your tips.

Smile

I know, I know, every waiter and waitress the world over is tired of hearing this one, but it really does make a difference. Smiling makes you look approachable and personable, whereas scowling or keeping a neutral face can be intimidating. Your customers might not want to bother you, or they may feel that they’ve offended you.

Another reason to smile? It might cause your customers to smile, who will feel happier and have a more positive dining experience. That will inspire them to come back sooner.

Greet Your Table Immediately

Even if you’re still cleaning up your last table or otherwise getting ready to serve your next guests, pop over, introduce yourself, say your hellos, and then be back to deliver menus and take orders.

This small gesture proves to your customers that they matter to you.

Greet Your Table Immediately

Place the Check in a Neutral Spot

It’s tricky when serving a man and woman. Are they a couple? If so, are they on their first date or are they married? Are they business partners or siblings?

You can usually tell by body language and getting to know your customers a bit, but you still won’t have all the details. That’s why it’s always helpful to deliver the check in a neutral part of the table.

This goes for serving any party size, of course. You won’t subconsciously put the onus on anyone in particular to pay, letting your customers figure out the best way to pay for them.

Learn About Your Guests

I really do recommend asking a couple of questions about your guests, such as whether they’ve been to your restaurant before, what kind of food they’re interested in, and what the occasion is for them coming in.

Some people might begin talking to you immediately about a few assorted personal tidbits, which is great. Building a rapport should definitely help you secure more tips. However, if you get the sense that your customers aren’t the chattiest bunch, don’t keep pushing. Leave well enough alone and focus on quality service in other areas.

Compliment a Customer’s Order Choice

Making a customer feel like they chose well is sure to fill them with pride…and possibly fill your pockets with cash. Don’t be too extra about it; just say something like, “excellent choice,” or “that’s one of my personal favorites”.

And please, only mention a menu item being a personal favorite if you’ve tried it and loved it.

Compliment a Customer’s Order Choice

Repeat a Customer’s Order Back to Them

This small step proves that you’re paying attention, which customers like. Repeating orders back also showcases to a customer that getting their order correct matters, which will make them feel like they’re in excellent hands.

Put Something in Your Hair

You remember how attractiveness is a benchmark for what you can earn in tips, right? Well, it’s been proven that both genders agree that women wearing hair decorations make her more attractive.

So, bearing that in mind, ladies, the next time you get ready for work, consider putting barrettes or hair ornaments in. It could mean more tips for you.

Write Thank You on the Receipt

Here’s another small but impactful step for more tips: write a little personal something on the receipt. It doesn’t have to be a novel. You can say, “thank you,” “I hope you enjoy your day,” or even “happy birthday/anniversary” if you know the occasion.

Waiter counts his Tips

How Much Do Waiters Make in Tips a Day – Wrapping Up

How much do waiters make a day in tips? It’s about $100, which can offset their low weekly wages to an extent. However, many factors are at play that determine what servers can hope to make in tips, everything from gender and attractiveness to the quality of the service.

If you’re working as a waiter or waitress, know that with a few psychologically proven tricks up your sleeve, you can balance the odds in your favor and make a good amount in tips!

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