Average Pay In Restaurants

[marlowebro]

I live in NYC and currently work for whole foods market where I work a nice 40 hrs a week. I have been thinking about leaving to go into restuarants or even maybe hotels. Right now I make 12.65 per hr and would like to know if the pay difference would be much diffedrent. I like the hours and pay but it's not that exciting or challenging. I just don't know if I can survive on restuarant pay. What do you guys think about this.

[WYchef]

I always tell people that working in a kitchen for money is pointless! We are not a well paid group. I know most of my cooks could triple thier salaries by going to the oilfields but they love the challenge, the rush and the lifestyle.
Servers on the other hand can make quite a bit of money even with I.Qs that match thier shoe size.

[BistroOwner1]

Servers on the other hand can make quite a bit of money even with I.Qs that match thier shoe size.

[JewelsQ]

Rhett,
You may have been generalizing about servers but your remark was outta line especially in a forum where servers frequent and so many of us are dependant on our beloved FOH.

Yuck.

[WYchef]

Sorry that was a generalization, A good server is worth thier weight in gold. Problem being it's about one in twenty I feel that way about. My current FOH staff has me a little jaded because any time they get somebody decent they chase them off and we're left swimmming in a sea of idiots.

[ozob]

Hmmm...my daughter is a full time college student/part time server and at least she knows how to spell the word "their".

[Silverfox]

Hmmm...my daughter is a full time college student/part time server and at least she knows how to spell the word "their".

They're some there, at college, that have their "stuff together, but then there are some with their "stuff" not there.

[WYchef]

I am not an English prof. and I am known to make a few typos and I'm happy for you your daughter can spell "their".
I said before that I was making a generalization and as uncooth(possible misspelling) as that may be that is my opinion and I have the right to have one. I am sure at some point my own daughter will serve in my restaurant( If I can't convince her to be a fellow Kitchen Pirate.) and I truly hope she is the one in twenty I mentioned earlier because a great server is something really special and really rare.

Actually I hope my daughter does whatever she wants to do, but it would be fun to work with her while she decides what it is she wants to do.

[marlowebro]

Seem like you guys are not getting alone in this forum. Back to the question, I really need some advice

[lesanglierrouge]

You should not expect to make more than what you do at WF's. Also forget about benefits in most cases. Unless you're in a gi-normous corporate position (which seems that would defeat the purpose of your decision), pay usually ranges from $10-$13/hour. You will work harder and faster, and you will be yelled at.

[marlowebro]

are you talking about in a restuarant or hotel? is there a big different. I hear some have unions.

[Gourmet_Mom]

I'm not in the biz, but after considering this, I have a question. Have you checked out the market in your area? I would think this would be regional specific. Have you hit the pavement? Asked people in the biz where you are? Good research is very important in a career change!

All that said....have you checked out other posts regarding going into the biz on here. There are a lot of realities you need to consider. Do a search on "career". You will learn a lot on this forum...a lot of which has already been said in archives.

[SmokeyJoe]

Average pay is like 10 bucks if your just an average joe, ive heard horror stories of people making less than that, makes me shiver. If youve been in the buisness awhile and/or you kinda know what your doing and can presumably be relied upon, your prbably making like 11.50 to 15. If you want to make money you gotta lean towards management, or just insane chef superstar.
And since when is it wrong for a cook to take a shot at a waiter, its our God given write for the dues we pay over the fire in the back of the house. And yes there are quite a few proffessionals out there, im sure there the ones that frequent this site, but im talkin about the morons who are out there and who sometimes pull in more mony out there than some of the veterens in the back. Facts a fact.

[LIAM]

At my restaurant in Manhattan, we pay about what you're making, give or take. I have friends that work the line in some fancy-pants Iron Chef restaurants, and they make between $10-12/hour. There is always overtime, every week. If you're looking for another 40 hour a week job, you should probably do something else....

[BistroOwner1]

I have to agree with the consensus so far. A good line cook in an average restaurant will make between 10-13 dollars an hour. If you want to make more, step it up and think management.