New wage rule for waiters and waitresses
 

Remember this next time you eat out. Read SPB 7210 their wages were just REDUCED as of 7/1/12 under this Senate bill.

Salaries Decreased!!!!
 

:undecided: For the life of me, I do not understand how any food business can get away with not paying their waiter/waitresses at least minimum wage! If they expect their customers to subsidize their help, then maybe they need to lower the absorbent prices on their meals!!!:sad:

I did a little research and found these three articles to be informative. One is from the Orlando Sentinel explaining the bill, and the others are opinion pieces that try to put it into some sort of perspective.

I'm not sure about this issue as of yet.

Senate bill could cut servers' hourly wages - Orlando Sentinel

The Case for SB 2106 and SPB 7210

Florida Minimum Wage Could Be Slashed For Restaurant Workers

:clap2:

Thanks for a post with references to BOTH sides of the issue.

Thanks for the various links, RichieLion.

Boycott the SOB's

According to the Sentinel article, one of the backers of the bill is Tampa-based OSI Restaurant Partners, owner of Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill and Bonefish Grill chains. OSI Partners gave more than $120,000 to 32 Florida Republicans -- and $500 to one Democrat -- during the 2010 election cycle, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics

Donating money to the party of your choice isn't what this thread was about.

I will remember that the servers aren't getting near as much base pay and up my tip. That is what needs to happen, if we care.

This is really nothing new. While growing up in St. Petersburg my first two jobs while going to junior college in '68 - '69 were in the food business, and in both I made a $1.00 an hour plus tips even though minimum wage at the time was $2.60. You did make up for it in tips and as a kid I always liked having the cash in my pocket, but your right, it meant more money for the owners.

This is a topic i am very familiar with, since the founder of OSI was my college roommate and best friend. Yes, let's boycott a restaurant chain that has created thousands and thousands of jobs throughout this country,a company that gets financially involved in every community they have restaurants in,and a restaurant chain that serves quality food at reasonable prices.On top of that, he has personally given millions to cancer research, especially pediatric cancers.Finally , the OSI waiters and waitresses ,when their tips are included, make a very decent income.In Lexington , we have 4 OSI restaurants and i've never seen an ad in our local paper about hiring,it's all through word of mouth. Just remember ,restaurants are in the business to stay in business.

So he's wants the wages lowered then because the waiters will benefit,
how does that happen?

Please explain how this is not for his self interests.

I would bet the wait staff at the establishments mentioned could care less what their base pay as it is virtually dwarfed by the tips the make/earn.

What ever their base pay is has no effect on the amount I tip. It is based on the service provided.....I am a very generous tipper for those who earn it.
For the one's who do not they get much less accordingly. These are the folks who are more apt to be affected by a reduction in base pay. The better establishments usually weed out these types as they expect customer satisfaction.

Has there ever really been a satisfactory pay level for this industry?

A personal decision type issue of concern for some....probably not the servers though!

btk

Of course this bill is in the interests of the restauranteur, but it can also be in the interests of the employee if it indeed does not significantly reduce their "real" wages by affording more opportunity for increased hours available to work.

All restaurants hampered by the higher wage scale in place often understaff and thus the customer is inconvenienced. This new plan, I'm told, should lead to better service through added staff, resulting in a more successful business and better served clientele.

Will that all happen??..........it depends on how good the business is, I guess.

Sounds like every other big company. Take away from the workers so you can increase profit and give the CEO a bonus because the numbers are up. If you notice also very few resteraunts down here advertse the workers usualy move from location to location because someone tells them about an opening. They already know what places are good or bad. I think it's a bunch of crap to use the tips to meet the states minimum wage amount.

Know a few people who work in this industry, one at an OSI restaurant, one at a different chain and one at an independent place. All 3 work very hard and provide outstanding service. However they also make a lot of money. They work 4 or 5 dinner shifts from about 3:00 to 11:00 each week. They earn any where from $200 to $500 a night in tips. I would guess they don't pay taxes on all of that either. They are excellent at what they do and work hard, but they do earn an excellent wage.

I am still not sure where I stand on this issue because I am sure many others don't do as well. However it is a job that if you are good at it, work hard, be at a place that is higher end and has decent turnover, you can make very good money.

.....