If you choose to enter the restaurant industry, particularly as a waiter or waitress, you should be aware of the challenges that come with it. These include handling difficult customers who may be impatient and disrespectful towards you, as well as the physical strain of being on your feet all day long.

The pay is the main problem, as it is quite low. Since these workers are supposed to receive tips, the U.S. permits restaurant owners to pay them less than the federal minimum wage.

Servers in 21 states earn a mere $2.13 per hour before tips. A recent report by The Wall Street Journal reveals that almost 15% of the country’s 2.4 million waiters and waitresses live in poverty, which is higher than the 7% poverty rate among all workers. These servers are more likely to rely on public assistance and less likely to have access to paid sick leave or health benefits.
Some customers are extremely rude and choose not to tip their waiter or waitress, even though it is expected. This happened to a waitress named Taylar Cordova, who was so upset with the customer’s behavior that she shared the bill online to bring attention to the disrespectful treatment of these workers.
Cordova didn’t get any tip for a bill of $187.43. If she had received a standard tip, it would have been $28.11. The post has been shared over 12,000 times.

The caption read:
‘“This. This is the reason I work so much. This is why I cry in the shower. I STRUGGLE to put clothes on my daughter’s back and food in our bellies because of THIS. You, are the lowest of the low. Whenever you feel like it’s probably fine to not tip your server, that’s one more bill stacking up because they’re short on money. This is food for the week that our families will go without because you didn’t think it was necessary, even after asking for everything under the sun and receiving it free of charge, mind you. This is one less basic necessity my daughter needs because even TWO more dollars is too much for you.

Every decision has a consequence. Servers are paid a base pay of $2-5/hr depending on the employer, so next time you don’t want to tip, regardless of the situation prior to receiving your bill, think about how much you would have to work that week off $2-5/hr to feed your family, not just you. Could you pay your bills based on that pay alone? Could you feed your family AND yourself? Because that’s what happens when you choose to not tip. Please, please tip your servers. Even if it was the worst service you’ve ever received. A 10% tip is a big enough slap in the face, this completely tore me apart. Don’t even bother walking into a restaurant if you can’t afford to tip. There’s a McDonald’s down the street if you’re that cheap.”
Servers may have a brighter future ahead. Eater reports that several states, such as New York, have raised or removed the lower tipped minimum wage, with more states following suit. This change is crucial as the National Restaurant Association predicts that by the end of the year, 12.9 million individuals will be employed in the restaurant sector, making up 10% of the U.S. workforce.

This article was first published on May 16, 2017.

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