How do these restaurants get by with paying 2.50 an hour and is it really legal?

Question

This may be an odd question but I am really interested in what everyone thinks.I am 40 yrs old and I went to Pizza Hut to eat and had a really nice waitress, my husband and myself were talking and I was telling him how my first job was waitressing and at the time min wage was 3.15 but I only made 2.15 because as a waitress I got tips(though they never made up the difference)So when my waitress came back I asked her how much the job paid now and I was flabagssted when she said she got paid the same amount I did 24 yrs ago.

I have thought about this for a week and I just cant figure out how they can get by with this and why the waitress' let them.Please help me understand.

Answer 1

In some restaurants , waiters make a lot of money . So the wage laws cover them too . It would be impossible to have a different minimum wage for each restaurant .

People who go to fast food places are not the best of tippers . Get a job in one of the exclusive restaurants in your area .

Answer 2

It's legal because with tips, you make more than minimum wage. That's how it works. Not really, "fair," but just the system as it stands.

Answer 3

These kids are doing it for pocket money - spare change. It isn't a real job. It's not like they've got a house, car or kids to finance. That's probably it, but then, thats rotten wage!

Answer 4

Yes it is legal. And MESSED UP at the same time. There are people who cannot find jobs anywhere else or who are young ...... and yet, they work full time and many times do not get minimum wage! What is fair about that?

We are talking areas in the country that unemployment is high. Some persons have to take ANY job they can get, even college graduates!

Answer 5

It's a law in most states that companies only have to pay their tipped employees half of minimum wage. I only make $2.13 an hour.

Answer 6

yeah, it's true and completely legal ..... here's how they get you:

every state has a minimum wage for staff that is "tipped", whether directly or indirectly. i believe in the state of florida the average hourly amount paid for servers is $3.63 (i worked in a restaurant just 4 months ago, that's what i was paid hourly, plus tips, obviously). if i have my information correctly, if in a shift you don't make the state's minimum wage average hourly, then the restaurant has to make up for the amount, in your paycheck. so say i go to work for 5 hours, getting paid $3.63, and for whatever reason i have like one or two tables and only make let's say $6 in tips, after tip-out. so, multiply $3.63 times 5 (hours), plus the $6, equals $24.15. divide that by 5 (hours), that equals $4.83. so, i would've made $4.83/avg. per hour, so the restaurant will have to pay the difference it would be for me to make at LEAST minimum wage each hour, depending on the state.

when they "pay the difference", they usually spread it over a few paychecks, so you never really realize that they're making up for it, but by law they have to. it's crazy, i know. but think about it this way ..... if servers were so unhappy with it, why would they work as servers? .... because they don't care about their paychecks. as a server, you're working for tips, and as long as you claim the EXACT number of tips you make, then you'll always make at least minimum wage, but that's the thing ..... servers can potentially make SO much money, especially in high volume restaurants. pizza hut, probably not so much. i worked at tgifriday's and i've walked out of work there with $350 on a 4-hour shift. you do the math ;)

trust me, servers don't have it so bad. and if they were unhappy with their pay, then they should look into a higher paying job! the hospitality industry is a great opportunity to make a lot of money, doesn't matter if it's on your check or not, it's what's in your pocket at the end of the night =)

Answer 7

because they make their income through tips..it sucks...but also alot of them ...im not saying all...make a lot tip money and do not report it to the IRS...i think $2.15 is fair if you get  average of $5 a tips per customer.

Answer 8

The company can decide whatever wages it pays its employees. Therefore, it really isn't the company's fault because the person wanting to be employed can turn down a job if they don't like what they see. If they do take the job, they shouldn't be surprised though.

Answer 9

Yes, it is legal, because these are the types of salaries that waitresses make.  I have friends and family that are all in the serving industry, because although they only get "paid" so little per hour, they also get tips (which they have to record via computer at the restaurant so that they can pay taxes on it).  There are even jobs, where the employee does not get a wage, but works strictly off of commission...people wouldn't do it if they weren't making ends meet.

Answer 10

Yes, it's legal but the sad thing is , it's not fair, they get treated like c**p and don't make half the tips they deserve, espically when they work where you have to split tips.

Answer 11

It's legal.  I was paid $2.35 when I waited tables.  Because you get tips they can pay you less than minimum wage.  Just remember that there are jobs that are commission based only.

Answer 12

It's called Tip Credit and the laws vary according to state.  I worked as a waiter for Pizza Hut when I was in High School.  The minimum wage was $3.35 an hour, I was paid $2.10.  I more than made up the difference in tips.

Answer 13

In most restaurants the owners are suppose to make it add up to at least minimum wage. If the tips are less than that. Most don't care. I've know people that make 500.00 to 600.00 just working on the weekend. Didn't even work during the week. Some people don't make squat in tips. Some make alot.

Answer 14

Let me tell you this - at some places the owner keeps the tips too! And they will mutilate the employee's dog and kitty cat if they dare to tell anyone. But Hillary will put an end to this when she is elected President! And remember - only Subway is healthy. If you eat a Subway, you will lose weight! You must eat there now!

Answer 15

It is explotations of the young.  Truly sweat shop conditions for the same pay.

Answer 16

Though the tips almost NEVER make up the difference the managers expect the tips to.....i agree it is crazy

Answer 17

They depend on us customers to tip well!

So whenever you are out to eat remember to tip them!

2.15hr x 8 hr = 17.2

say they get 10 tips that day for $3 =30

so they made 47.2 that day

thats $5.90 an hour!

make sure you tip!

Answer 18

In some states it is legal to pay less than the hourly minimum wage because they are allowed to count tips as part of the wage.  Supporters of this (corporations) justify this by saying that people will give bigger tips to make up the difference.  That is absolutely false and it is quite unfair for servers to be paid less in this way.