I've had a multitude of jobs since I was 15 years old, but my hardest jobs by far are the ones in which I am a server/waitress. Nothing is more heartbreaking than going to a table whom you did everything you could for and finding a 10% tip. Servers make a majority of their money off of tips because they are paid under the average minimum wage. For example, in the state of Florida, minimum wage is $8.05 per hour, however, minimum wage for a server is $5.03 per hour. It may not seem like much, but it adds up quickly. In order to tip your server properly, there are a few things you need to realize.

1. We cannot control the speed at which your food comes out.

I promise, your server will put the order in as quickly as they can, but with the exception of maybe grabbing a premade soup or salad, the order is in the kitchen's hands. The kitchen is cooking for an entire dining room and will put the orders in as they come to them. Also, more likely than not, a kitchen will not send out a table's food until the entire table's order is complete. If every server were in the back yelling for their food to come out quicker it would be complete and utter chaos. The kitchen is doing their best, but it may take some time. If the food is taking longer than usual, that has nothing to do with your server and rather is a result of a back up in the kitchen. Do not blame your server for food taking too long.

2. You are not our only table.

Unless it is an extremely slow day, most servers with have a section of three tables or more. Now imagine someone has a four table section, and all four tables have six guests. (For the record, most servers will have a much larger section than this.) Thats 24 people ordering food and drinks that we need to remember. That's 24 people all at the same time who need assisstance. 24 people whom we want to give our all to. As a server, our goal is to provide you with the best experience possible; however, we are trying to give ALL of our guests the best experience possible and that can be a bit overwhelming at times. Please be patient with us if we happen to give you a diet instead of a regular or forget to bring you ketchup right away. We want to do everything we can for you, but our mind is running a million places at once.

3. Taking your order and bringing your food is not our only job.

Every single restaurant has side work for every server. Side work is smaller tasks that are meant to be done during any free moment. Examples of sidework include polishing and rolling silverware, stocking plates and napkins, refilling salts and peppers, keeping the ice refilled, and so much more. If you can not find your server, they are more than likely in the back doing their assigned sidework. Without servers doing sidework between guests, there would be no silverware or napkins, all of your condiments would be empty, and your tables would be dirty. We try our very best to be attentive to your needs and readily available to you, however we do have other tasks that need to be handled in order for the restaurant to run smoothly.

4. We have no control over our prices.

While it would be excellent if everyone could pay only what they wanted, that's not how life works. In almost all restaurants the price of a meal is listed very clearly next to the item. Asking for your cheeseburger without pickles does not constitute one dollar off your bill. Also, there are many add ons which will cost extra. On most menus this is very clear and the server should explain this to you. Servers do not have the ability to give anyone a discount without manager consent; even coupons need to be approved by a manger. Most systems only allow someone with a manager code to take any type of discount off of a check. We'll do what we can for you, such as maybe having the kitchen add some extra onions to your burger since you're not getting pickles, but a discount is something we have no control over.

5. We do not get to keep the entire tip you leave us.

At the end of the night, every server must tip out. This means taking a percentage of your total sales, and tipping it out to bussers, hosts, and bartenders. Most establishments have a tip out of 2% which might not seem like a lot, but it is 2% of your entire sales, not your entire tips. For example, if someone's sales were $200 that night, and their tip percentage was 15%, they would have made only $30. However, 2% of $200 is $4, meaning $4 is coming from the servers $30 worth of tips, so they only made $26 in tips before it is taxed. Also, some believe that our tips are not taxed, but this is untrue! Every server must input their daily tips into the system and this is then taxed like any other source of income. Because the majority of our income comes from tips and they are taxed, are paychecks are often very low and can often be under $5.

There are so many things that happen behind the scenes, but the most important part of every server's job is creating a happy environment for you to enjoy your meal in. If you feel that your server has done all they can for you, tip fairly. If you feel that your server went above and beyond, tip them higher. IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO TIP THEN YOU CAN NOT AFFORD TO EAT OUT! Most servers love their job, but we can't do it for free. Please keep this in mind the next time you are out to eat.