thoughts on working in the restaurant business?

[DJRice]

I have a friend who is looking to move here and just helping him out with some future planning. I dont know how it is here for you guys, but I did some research and it looks like the min. wage for Alberta is $5.90? Who has worked as a server? Whats the pros and cons? Now how about a buffet? haha would you ever work in one? What's the lowest you would work for to accept a job as a server in a buffet restaurant?

Lets give an example.

11am-2pm, 3hrs a day 5 days a week. Min. wage + tips (which the guy says Mon-Wed is $10-15 for that 3 hour lunch shift, and double of that on Thurs and Fri. So doing the math, it works out to be (with the Alberta min. wage of $5.90), going up to $7 soon I heard.

Mon-Wed - about $8.90 lowest -$10.90 tops.
Thurs-Fri - about $12.00 lowest - $15.90 tops.

Worth going for? Its an all you can eat buffet at lunch times. What are some benefits working in a buffet place as opposed to a high end fine dining place? One, is that you dont have to study a complex menu and know it inside out. Also, this is a new restaurant and just building their client base right now. They are located downtown, so obviously the peak times are lunch.

[arsenal]

Min wage in alberta will going up to at least $7 in september.

But working in the restraunt industry, I guess it is really up to you.
Probably a really good way to meet people, contacts, etc. With the increase in min wage comming soon, it could be worth working in that industry. Although, your tips may go down, as food prices will most likely go up.

As far as working in a buffet.. If I had a choice, I probably wouldn't work in a buffet. I would choose something more of a sit-down. You would make more money that way. In a buffet, there is no way to interact with the customers. As if the prices are high (like they usually are in a buffet), tips probably would be much much less.

just my thoughts.

[DJRice]

thanks kids. Well this is for my bud, Ive done restaurant way back years ago and lets just say "I" would never do it again lol.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

I worked in restaurants for years - good coin, good contacts. Fotze's right - though I found the perks outweighed the negatives.

No way in hell I'd work a buffet or any place where lunch is the big money maker. Fewer tips and contacts, which is the whole point.

A couple good rules:

- pick a place with a dress code, not a uniform.
- It has to have hostesses, and if the hostesses aren't hot, you don't want to work there (seriously, it's just better money)
- there should be at least 2 major office buildings within a 5-10 min walk

My $.02