To think DDs new employers are being CFs with her tips?

[Tippingcforno]

DD (18) started a new job in a nice upmarket Italian restaurant 1 month ago, she was really excited about it as it’s a lovely place.

They often get large parties of 8 or more who leave generous tips. Over Christmas DD worked loads of hours, she was mainly in charge of drinks and taking payments at the end of peoples meals. She also stayed behind to clean up when the restaurant closed.

She was looking forward to getting her first wage slip this month as she was told by a few colleagues that the tips are accumulated over the month and are split between all staff including chefs which I thought was great, with it being Christmas as well she thought she would get a particularly good extra tip amount on her wage slip.

Well she got it on Friday and there was no tip extra, just her normal (minimum wage) hourly rate with the hours she did.

She was working Saturday so she asked one of the managers about this. He said that because she was new she was classed as training for her first 12 weeks so wouldn’t get any tips for that time.

DD was training for the first week but she’s pretty much by herself with serving drinks etc it’s not as if an extra member of staff has to follow her around helping her, infact a few shifts she has said she was completely alone at the bar! So hardly training, and for 8 more weeks now as well.

AIBU to think the managers are being CFs here?

DD put in the hours and made a real effort over the last month and it seems her efforts have been unrecognised, I just feel it’s a bit nasty of them to do this to all new employees

Name and shame! That is appalling - particularly over Xmas when they would be extra busy and get better tips. Nothing you can really do about it unless there is anything in her contract of employment.

That's appalling!

My DS works in a hotel restaurant in the kitchen washing up and he gets a share of the tips. That was from day 1 too!

I would name and shame but worried it’d get back to DDs employer. It’s a family run business so there isnt really anyone higher up to ask or complain to.

If that is the policy she should have been told about it upfront, its not fair that they are dropping it on her now after busy season is over.

She’s told me a few things about how tight they are, apparently one of the waiters (member of the family who run it) gets irate behind the customers back when they dare to request tap water! He will come up to my DD at the bar and say “table 7 want free fucking water, tight bastards!” Obviously quietly so they can’t hear but a little unprofessional no?

That's disgraceful and they are indeed cheeky fuckers.

As a customer I'd want to know that was happening. We were out over Christmas, a big table, and I was chatting to our waitress who told me the temporary Christmas staff didn't get a share of the tips, so we made sure our tip went straight in her pocket, discreetly of course, and then I emailed the restaurant a few days later to tell them that I'd heard on the local grapevine and if that was the case, what a shit policy it was.

That does seem harsh, especially as it sounds like she was fairly competent at the job after the first week.

It’s standard procedure for most restaurants as the 3 month initial period is still covered as a trail, no matter how competent they are.

It’s to stop people getting tips and chipping off.

That’s really shit! I’ve worked hospitality for many years and that certainly isn’t standard practice.
Did she sign a contract? Does it mention this 12 weeks training?

@Tippingcforno I guess you have never worked retail complaining about some customers is the only way to stay sane, and I would assume its the same in hospitality.

How mean and low of her colleagues across the board. Can she look for something else soon?

@Ffsseriously I have kind of, I was a train guard (selling tickets and all that) and I’d certainly have a moan about customers when I got back to the staff room. But the guy says it in an aggressive way rather than a “customers are being cfs again haha” iyswim

@MustardScreams I didn’t know many places did that, I see your point but I do think it’s a little cruel to the new staff who genuinely want to put the hard work in.

I’ll ask her about the contract

Tbh that’s what a lot of waiters think about tap water

misses point

I suppose receiving a share of the tips is for longer standing staff members which I do get tbh.
She should have been told though!!!

This is not standard practice and is very unfair.

I’d be tempted to name and shame, but I guess that’s thy would mean leaving the restaurant.

I worked in loads of bars and restaurants over the years whilst a student/ starting out and never saw that policy. It's incredibly unfair.

I always tip for good service and expect the person serving to get at least a share.

Unless it stipulates this in her contract I would suggest she pushes back (but gets looking for something else just in case).

Sounds as though she was up to speed pretty quickly. With all respect to waiting/ bar staff, it is not a job that requires 12 weeks' training to be working at full capacity (don't know about silver service or anything like that).

It’s standard procedure for most restaurants as the 3 month initial period is still covered as a trail, no matter how competent they are.

It’s to stop people getting tips and chipping off.

I worked in hospitality for 20+ years, that's not been standard at any of the places I've worked. A 2 hour trial shift that's not paid unless you're successful, yes. One employer (the biggest brand name!) was an arsehole and told us we'd get our tips and 6 months later when I left was still making excuses as to why it would be "coming soon".

Best advice I can give is tell her to get out of hospitality while she can. I have been in it for 4 years and worst jobs of my life but once you’re in it it’s easy to get jobs in it, but trust me she will get treat like shit in every hospitality job these days

I worked in a hotel once and tips were pooled and the most junior waiting staff were given the least...used to boil my piss so now I give cash tip directly to waiting staff and leave it up them in the hope they will pocket it.

how horrible.

They should have said upfront! That's very unfair.

That said, I used to be the sole waitress in a small specialist restaurant, 6 nights a week and each table were easily spending hundreds and hundreds of pounds. Just a table of two would have a £200+ bill. As such they would also leave BIG tips. Never less than £20. There were 10 tables (one or two more squeezed in on some nights) and I served them all and the owner would walk around chatting to the guests.

I never saw any tips at all. The owner kept every penny of tips and I was on minimum wage for a 22 year old.
I was so glad to get out of there.

So mean. A friends daughter does weekend shifts in a naice restaurant where they get lots of Essex celebs (Rod Stewart/Beckhams , not towie) because she is under 18 she isn't included in the tip share out at all.

Very true Sparkle

I assume the restaurant is happy for her to let her customers know of the situation so they know where their tip is going and that it’s not to her.

My dd works part time in a gastro pub, she says tips get split equally, from day one. She works fir a small chain.

Christmas is the main money maker for tips in dd's experience. Your dd is being taken for a ride.