As a waitress I can have long and hard days that can lead to having long and hard nights. Serving can take a lot out of a person; constantly being on your feet, having to deal with unruly customers and only making a few dollars at one table. Most people don't actually know how much work can go into being a waitress until they have actually experienced the hardship firsthand. I have only had three jobs in my few years of experience but two of those jobs were waitressing. Although my current job at this small, family owned, hole in the wall restaurant in my home town, is very helpful when paying interest in student loans; I could never imagine making a living and raising a family on the mere $2.13 an hour. Working long hours constantly on your feet is only the start of your server filled day.
Waking up from the treacherous shift you had the day before could influence any person to quit there job and pray for something better to come along. Most waitresses have something driving them to wake up and continue their day. Two of the women I work with have children that drive them to get out of bed and slave over their share of the tables. A normal shift for a waitress can range anywhere from 5-12 hours a day, with very little time to go to the restroom, let alone take a break for a bite to eat. After about 3 hours into your shift your feet can start to hurt because you are constantly running back and forth to fetch some item for one of your many tables.
Taking the first table of the day can either start the day off bad or good. It can be bad if the customers have a bad attitude or are very needy. Waitresses know that some people just have bad days and don't necessarily to be rude or even mean; however, that doesn't mean it can't affect the waitress trying to make a living on tips. In North Carolina, it is advised to leave your waitress 20 percent of the bill so it adds her total time and wage to minimum wage. The women I work with and I only make 2.13 an hour and a customer not leaving a tip can make or break our weekly budget. Most restaurants have their waiters tip out at the end of a shift so they can pay the bus boys or cooks in the back. Even when tipping out at a 3 percent rate of every hundred you make still means if you don't leave a tip your waitress she is paying a little bit out of her pocket for the meal you consumed.
Though it is sometimes rare there are customers who will leave you 20% or more which can make it up for those lousy tippers. These people are blessings and little miracles that can really make your day or even your week. Tips is an Acronym for To Insure Proper Service and if you do not leave a tip or a good tip why should the same waitress continue to give you proper service. That would literally be insane. My personal experience with this would be a couple who came in to the restaurant wasn't a pleasant one. They were very nice people; however, they would never leave a tip and always have a high bill. After dealing with this couple for the first time and not being left a tip, I started to give them less than average service. They of course noticed this and started to leave a dollar but that isn't a decent tip for such a high bill. Some nights with tips can be good and other nights can be absolutely terrible. Most of the women I work with have degrees or are working on getting a degree and just need a little extra money to help out with bills and other financial struggles.
I never realized how much I never thought about the people who were serving me had a life other than serving. I think that because we are humans we forget that we are also people. We should treat everyone with the same amount of respect that we want and be more kind to everyone no matter what their occupation may be.