question regarding waitstaff policy at restaurant.

[Eagleeye 0]

I have a friend's daughter who recently got her first job as a server at a restaurant/bar. A couple walked out on their tab and she (server) had to pay the tab with her tip money. Is this standard procedure in the food industry? Location USA

[BartsDaddy 7]

It is not unusual but it should not happen at a good place.

Handguns are only used to fight your way to a good rifle

[quade 4]

Eagleeye

I have a friend's daughter who recently got her first job as a server at a restaurant/bar. A couple walked out on their tab and she (server) had to pay the tab with her tip money. Is this standard procedure in the food industry? Location USA

It is not standard. In fact, it's illegal. Some owners intimidate their wait staff to do it, but it's still illegal.

https://employment-law.freeadvice.com/employment-law/employment-law/salary_employr.htm

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[ryoder 1,590]

quade

It is not standard. In fact, it's illegal. Some owners intimidate their wait staff to do it, but it's still illegal.

https://employment-law.freeadvice.com/employment-law/employment-law/salary_employr.htm

Good!
That is as stupid as making a bank teller reimburse the bank for what the bank robber took.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[oldwomanc6 52]

ryoder

***
It is not standard. In fact, it's illegal. Some owners intimidate their wait staff to do it, but it's still illegal.

https://employment-law.freeadvice.com/employment-law/employment-law/salary_employr.htm

Good!
That is as stupid as making a bank teller reimburse the bank for what the bank robber took.

Minus the guns and notes and whatnot!

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[BillyVance 34]

Eagleeye

I have a friend's daughter who recently got her first job as a server at a restaurant/bar. A couple walked out on their tab and she (server) had to pay the tab with her tip money. Is this standard procedure in the food industry? Location USA

Tell your friend its illegal.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[tigra 0]

I waited tables at 2 different places when I was 19. Both used intimidation and illegal practices. It is kind of a crappy job for a kid.

The creepy owner/ cook at a small family owned diner leered at us and made sexually suggestive comments while his wife treated us like we were trying to steal her man- she also took tables and tip money from us when we were slow. We were all afraid to take the early shift because we'd be alone with the creep. There were maybe 3 of us, all in our late teens/early 20s.

At the other place, the manager took part of our tip money to pay the busboys but never gave them the money. And she had them sleeping on cots on the back room. The husband/ cook was mean as a snake too.

Based on my personal experience, I would say what is standard in the food industry is low pay, sexual harassment, poor working conditions and exposure to shady or illegal business practices. When you complain, you may lose your job or just find your shifts cut or not having customers seated in your station, that kind of thing.

[DougH 270]

tigra

Based on my personal experience, I would say what is standard in the food industry is low pay, sexual harassment, poor working conditions and exposure to shady or illegal business practices. When you complain, you may lose your job or just find your shifts cut or not having customers seated in your station, that kind of thing.

My ex-wife dealt with a bunch of unprofessional ridiculous behavior as a waitress, and she worked at Chili's. That is a national chain with a corporate HR department that should limit that sort of shit.

My take is that even these chain restaurants have this mix of young untrained workers in the kitchen and waitstaff that need adequate management, and horribly unprofessional (or worse) management that aren't capable or don't care about keeping a professional work environment.

I was kind of blown away that corporate would be willing to bear the risk of having such poor managers. It was a lawsuit landmine, but I think most of the employees just quit when faced with unfair and or illegal treatment.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[BillyVance 34]

DougH

***
Based on my personal experience, I would say what is standard in the food industry is low pay, sexual harassment, poor working conditions and exposure to shady or illegal business practices. When you complain, you may lose your job or just find your shifts cut or not having customers seated in your station, that kind of thing.

My ex-wife dealt with a bunch of unprofessional ridiculous behavior as a waitress, and she worked at Chili's. That is a national chain with a corporate HR department that should limit that sort of shit.

My take is that even these chain restaurants have this mix of young untrained workers in the kitchen and waitstaff that need adequate management, and horribly unprofessional (or worse) management that aren't capable or don't care about keeping a professional work environment.

I was kind of blown away that corporate would be willing to bear the risk of having such poor managers. It was a lawsuit landmine, but I think most of the employees just quit when faced with unfair and or illegal treatment.

Yep. Suing over a shitty job with low pay isn't worth it, unless there was sexual harassment involved or worse. Wait staff don't even make minimum wage. They depend on tips to make up the difference.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[DJL 235]

It's not her responsibility to stop people. The owner needs to call the police. Your friend's daughter needs to quit. Not standard at all, I've never heard of that and it's absolute bullshit.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[JohnMitchell 16]

DJL

It's not her responsibility to stop people. The owner needs to call the police. Your friend's daughter needs to quit. Not standard at all, I've never heard of that and it's absolute bullshit.

I'm afraid that's a common practice in the industry. I'm glad to hear it's illegal. Time to spread the word.

[DirtyChai 0]

BillyVance

Yep. Suing over a shitty job with low pay isn't worth it

Yep, not worth it for the lawyer, which is why they'd say you don't have a case, and the restaurant owners know this, which is why the problem persists. . .

BillyVance

unless there was sexual harassment involved or worse.

Yep, now suddenly it's worth it for them.

Some of these owners/managers are slimier than lawyers.

One woman (manager of a gas station) had 3 other businesses and a nice big yellow house on a lake. Her car broke down right before her vacation for her birthday. The assistant manager sent around a birthday card telling every one of their minimum wage employees to give money, sign it, and mark how much they gave.

One employee said that he's not giving anything, the manager said, "fine, then you can't sign the card." He said, "OK!" lol.

Shitty thing is, is that these people were given shitty hours and barley made $800/mth, and the manager actually took it!

If I was that manager, I would've fired my assistant on the spot and gave the money back. . .sick people.

[obelixtim 150]

Social media is your friend. Name and shame.

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[jclalor 12]

DirtyChai

***
Yep. Suing over a shitty job with low pay isn't worth it

Yep, not worth it for the lawyer, which is why they'd say you don't have a case, and the restaurant owners know this, which is why the problem persists. . .

BillyVance

unless there was sexual harassment involved or worse.

Yep, now suddenly it's worth it for them.

Some of these owners/managers are slimier than lawyers.

One woman (manager of a gas station) had 3 other businesses and a nice big yellow house on a lake. Her car broke down right before her vacation for her birthday. The assistant manager sent around a birthday card telling every one of their minimum wage employees to give money, sign it, and mark how much they gave.

One employee said that he's not giving anything, the manager said, "fine, then you can't sign the card." He said, "OK!" lol.

Shitty thing is, is that these people were given shitty hours and barley made $800/mth, and the manager actually took it!

If I was that manager, I would've fired my assistant on the spot and gave the money back. . .sick people.

I hate the practice of gifting up, people should know better.

[Tigerfly 0]

I was a waitress before and while I "heard" that would happen, I never had anyone dine and ditch so I don't personally know. I do know I was treated like crap when I was pregnant and needed a short 10 minute break every few hours to sit and snack (with a doctor note) . I was having fainting spells! The "breakroom" they gave me was outside in the snow sometimes below 30 degrees. they wouldn't let me borrow a chair from the restaurant to even sit in the kitchen. Then I would come back to customers that were ignored usually when I was on break. Restaurants treat their employees like crap.

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