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re: How much can waiters at high end restaurants in New Orleans make?
Posted on 2/10/19 at 9:56 am to yaherrdme
Posted on 2/10/19 at 9:56 am to yaherrdme
I woud assume it is rare for waiters to get any benefits (health insurance, retirement, disability etc) which is something a lot of us take for granted.
1
Posted on 2/10/19 at 10:56 am to TigerDeBaiter
quote:
I would think $75-80k is average for the high end.
This would be my guess too. In my experience, service industry folks overestimate their yearly earnings because they average out their really good nights out with the notion of working 5-6 days a week. They tend to disregard all the days they took off and the nights that weren’t go great. Still.. high end waiters do well. $70k isn’t exactly shitty.
When you drop below high end, bartending beats out waiting tables most times.
Posted on 2/10/19 at 11:51 am to inkorrect
I’ve been told by a waiter’s CPA that he clears 100k and that’s just what he reports to the feds. No telling what the true number is.
Said waiter had been doing it for 20+years and has plenty of regulars. Good line of work if you are able to make someone with money feel important in your resturant.
Said waiter had been doing it for 20+years and has plenty of regulars. Good line of work if you are able to make someone with money feel important in your resturant.
Posted on 2/10/19 at 5:19 pm to inkorrect
I've seen 70's and 80's. I'm sure there are 100's at a few places- The highest of high end in NY and LA. Have to have a ticket price that's high enough is the main thing. The 80 I saw worked most every night , had a very loyal following and the restaurant wasn't terribly busy.Average ticket was 125ish. He had several 750ish nights but also some $100 nights. Insurance is available at a lot of restaurants- especially the corporately owned, just the employer pays little if any of the premium.
Posted on 2/10/19 at 5:30 pm to jsquardjj
quote:
I would say about $60k
You are incorrect, my friend. I made near $60k while working in Baton Rouge. New Orleans high end restaurants definitely have waiters that surpass $100k
Posted on 2/10/19 at 5:37 pm to saderade
quote:
I woud assume it is rare for waiters to get any benefits (health insurance, retirement, disability etc) which is something a lot of us take for granted.
Incorrect too. Maybe your small mom and pop type place do not but many places do offer benefits to regular employees. When I worked in restaurants, we were eligible for health insurance as long as we avg 25 hrs per week over a 12 week period. After 2 years, the health insurance was completely free (this was the single biggest reason I stayed in restaurants as long as I did). We also got retirement with a 6% company match, fully vested after 4 years. We did not get vacation time though. This was while working at a fairly small corporate steakhouse (only 50 restaurants across the country.)
I know the Brennan's family of restaurants offers pretty much the same for all their restaurants. If they are offering that, I would imagine quite a few others do as well to compete.
This post was edited on 2/10/19 at 5:41 pm
Posted on 2/10/19 at 6:15 pm to inkorrect
I know a couple waiters in New Orleans who do very well in the quarter. “Reported” 60-70 but actual much more. Hell there is a bartender here in Shreveport that was pulling down over 100k at a casual dining place here in town. He had a following and took care of his customers so they tipped very well. He also worked about 120 hours a week
Posted on 2/10/19 at 7:14 pm to inkorrect
Couldn't tell you about now, but a cousin of mine worked at Antoine's back in the late 60's to the mid 70's and was making over $100 a night, which was great money back then since he started waiting tables about the time he turned 20.
Posted on 2/10/19 at 7:49 pm to LaPlace Mafia
quote:
Reported” 60-70 but actual much more.
quote:
He also worked about 120 hours a week
So, when you break it down, he was not really making all that much money, especially considering there was likely no health insurance, vacation plan, retirement plan, etc.
Posted on 2/12/19 at 11:23 am to LaPlace Mafia
Working 120 hours a week? So he averages over 17 hours per day pretty much 365 days a year?
That breaks down to $16 an hour with no chance to get more than 5-6 hours of sleep a night.
That breaks down to $16 an hour with no chance to get more than 5-6 hours of sleep a night.
This post was edited on 2/12/19 at 11:25 am
Posted on 2/12/19 at 11:47 am to CHEDBALLZ
quote:but it is all so normal for their regular big money customers will, give them money for certain things. college, Christmas bonus, etc.
You've heard right but it's not steady. May make $15,000 in December and $2,000 in August.
Posted on 2/12/19 at 1:03 pm to inkorrect
It depends on several factors. One of which being if it’s a “pooled” waitstaff or not. Which is tip sharing with the Sommelier who just sold the diners on that $1,200 bottle of wine, and things of that nature. I’ve never waited a table in my life but have paid and tipped on some rather large bills (work related) and have developed some friendships. One of which is a buddy who I have waits at The Modern in NYC. I would be very surprised if he makes any less than $200k. So NOLA at a Commanders, August and the like making 100k is very possible.
Posted on 2/12/19 at 5:04 pm to LaPlace Mafia
quote:
He also worked about 120 hours a week.
That's 17 hours a day, 7 days a week. If he makes 100,000 per year that works out to a couple of cents over $16/hour straight time and never taking a sick day.
Posted on 2/12/19 at 5:24 pm to LaPlace Mafia
quote:
I know a couple waiters in New Orleans who do very well in the quarter. “Reported” 60-70 but actual much more. Hell there is a bartender here in Shreveport that was pulling down over 100k at a casual dining place here in town. He had a following and took care of his customers so they tipped very well. He also worked about 120 hours a week
So your bartending friend starts his day serving the morning drunks at 10 am and has last call at 4 am - 7 fricking days a week?
I wasn’t aware there were so many CPA’s on this board with waiter’s, waitresses and bartenders for clients.
How much money does the LaPlace Mafia make?
Posted on 2/13/19 at 7:03 am to Martini
You guys are waaaay overestimating waiter pay. I waited tables for 8 years in HS and college and worked at some nice places. As said $100k is $2000/ week AFTER tippout which is 3-5% of their gross sales. Even the high end places, you are lucky to take home 15% of your sales after tip outs.
Your average nice restaurant the avg waiter is making $35k while the top 2-3 closer to $60-70k. $100k is laughable except at some nice restaurants that also turn and burn tables.
For every Friday and Saturday night you make $500 there are Tuesday nights you are lucky to make $200.
Your rush dies at 8:30 and you are lucky to get later diners during the week. You simply don’t have the crowds to push your sales.
Even at better places, there are not that many regulars. For every $500 tab you usually have multiple tables that are $150 or less. A couple on a date when neither drink or 1 glass each at dinner. You’d be amazed even at high end places the guy will order a steak and she will order a $18 salad for dinner. Tab is $90.
Your average nice restaurant the avg waiter is making $35k while the top 2-3 closer to $60-70k. $100k is laughable except at some nice restaurants that also turn and burn tables.
For every Friday and Saturday night you make $500 there are Tuesday nights you are lucky to make $200.
Your rush dies at 8:30 and you are lucky to get later diners during the week. You simply don’t have the crowds to push your sales.
Even at better places, there are not that many regulars. For every $500 tab you usually have multiple tables that are $150 or less. A couple on a date when neither drink or 1 glass each at dinner. You’d be amazed even at high end places the guy will order a steak and she will order a $18 salad for dinner. Tab is $90.
This post was edited on 2/13/19 at 7:11 am
Posted on 2/13/19 at 7:14 am to baldona
quote:
Your average nice restaurant the avg waiter is making $35k while the top 2-3 closer to $60-70k. $100k is laughable except at some nice restaurants that also turn and burn tables.
I don't believe this thread was talking avg. It ask how much, as in what is the high mark. There are for sure restaurants in Nola that have waiters making $100k even after tip out.
I worked in restaurants in BR for over 9 years. Started as a busser and ended as an assistant manager/wine somm. As a server in BR (so not even a high end NOLA restaurant), I pulled in near $60k and we didn't do near the business of some of the famous restaurants in Nola.
As a manager, we had a server that had been in the restaurant for 10+ years, only serving, and made into the $70k range between regulars and working private dining events at the restaurant.
This post was edited on 2/13/19 at 7:21 am
Posted on 2/13/19 at 7:21 am to rowbear1922
Yeah but the guys generally making the big bucks are high 20s early 30s that are hustling and working 35+ hours a week. Restaurants it’s tough to hit 35 hours a week as you are working 4-5 nights for 5 hours each and a lunch shift. The hustlers are grabbing all the extra shifts and what not. Most of your lifers in their 50s and 60s, they are working 4 nights a week and a lunch shift or 2. They’ll work like Wednesday through Saturday.
So sure it is possible, but I’m saying it’s extremely rare.
$100k is a lot of flo jo for someone in the service industry. That’s f250 with truck nuts money. There are very very very few waiters living well.
Eta: let’s put it this way, a lot of your service industry lifers are married or dating someone else in the service industry. They aren’t pulling in $150k between them. That’s a damn good lifestyle.
So sure it is possible, but I’m saying it’s extremely rare.
$100k is a lot of flo jo for someone in the service industry. That’s f250 with truck nuts money. There are very very very few waiters living well.
Eta: let’s put it this way, a lot of your service industry lifers are married or dating someone else in the service industry. They aren’t pulling in $150k between them. That’s a damn good lifestyle.
This post was edited on 2/13/19 at 7:26 am
Posted on 2/13/19 at 7:27 am to baldona
quote:
Yeah but the guys generally making the big bucks are high 20s early 30s that are hustling and working 35+ hours a week. Restaurants it’s tough to hit 35 hours a week as you are working 4-5 nights for 5 hours each and a lunch shift. The hustlers are grabbing all the extra shifts and what not. Most of your lifers in their 50s and 60s, they are working 4 nights a week and a lunch shift or 2. They’ll work like Wednesday through Saturday.
So sure it is possible, but I’m saying it’s extremely rare.
$100k is a lot of flo jo for someone in the service industry. That’s f250 with truck nuts money. There are very very very few waiters living well.
I agree it's definitely not all. I am just saying there are some.
I worked every week at least 35+ hours because I didn't have any other source of income. Now, it was a lot easier once I started barbacking then eventually bartending bc it was open later. Quite a lot I used to get to work at 4 to work a private party then stay until 2 am closing up the bar.
quote:
$100k is a lot of flo jo for someone in the service industry. That’s f250 with truck nuts money. There are very very very few waiters living well.
Definitely true. The poorest I have ever been was during my restaurant years. Granted, it didn't help that it was also my drunkest time and would go out after work with co-workers pretty much every night of the week.
Posted on 2/13/19 at 9:30 am to OTIS2
quote:0.0350%
What percentage are they reporting for tax?
Posted on 2/13/19 at 10:46 am to Ryan3232
quote:
0.0350%
Most restaurants now give you a paycheck so all CC tips must be reported. I believe all that has to be claimed without audits for cash is 9%.
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