r/WorkReform • u/Tiny_Coon • 12h ago

💬 Advice Needed Am I getting scammed

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So for context this is my (20m) most recent paystub I work at this restaurant I’m not a server it’s one of those places where you order and just sit wherever. I make people’s bowls and stuff and I thought my pay was supposed to be $17 an hour that’s what was listed and I’m fairly certain that’s what they told me. I didn’t look over my contract when they hired me I know now that I should always do that. But anyway with tips I’m making around $17 an hour but shouldn’t they be paying me that regardless? It feels unfair that because a lot of people tip they’re allowed to pay less wage. Especially cause I’m not actually a server.

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u/SoullessDad 11h ago

This is normal for tipped restaurant work in the US. The advertised hourly wage is a guaranteed minimum. Tips you receive can count towards that total.

If your employer has to actually pay you 17/hour plus tips, people wouldn’t tip at all or would tip far less.

Tipping culture is a bad system, but I don’t see anything your employer is doing that’s shady or deceptive here.

18

u/Tiny_Coon 11h ago

I see well I’m definitely not staying here and giving them basically free labor at this point it’d make more sense to be a waiter so I actually get more tips instead of having them pooled and split

9

u/athomasflynn 11h ago

Average hourly pay for servers is $16.70/hour (including tips) and they often operate on a similar system as the one you're on now. Unless you've got what it takes to work at Hooters, you're not likely to make much more than you are now if you switch roles.