>>>>>>>>>Just some advice...avoid eating at that restaurant for a while.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>No kidding today on my way to lunch I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read 'Vote Obama, I need the money.' I laughed.
>>>>>>>>>>I got into the restaurant and again no kidding my server had on a 'Obama 08' tie, again I laughed as he had given away his political preference--just imagine the coincidence.
>>>>>>>>>>When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. He stood there in
>>>>>>>>>>disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need--the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.
>>>>>>>>>>I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I 've decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful.
>>>>>>>>>>At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient needed money more.
>>>>>>>>>>I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>You might try this experiment yourself
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I have to eat at a new restaurant each day, in order to "spread the wealth around."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>You know, Obama shirt waiter could have been talking to (Mc Cain shirt ) cook who happen to get the share of the tips collected by waiters. Knowing republicans, guess what you might end up eating in your pie {g}
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Cooks are republicans? Or democrats? :o)
>>>>>Regardless. When it comes to money everybody is 'Jo the Plumber' {g}
>>>>>
>>>>>And yes in some restaurants (here almost, dunno US) kitchen gets the share of tips.
>>>>
>>>>I think that's unknown in the U.S. Busboys and maitre d's (misspelled, I'm sure) do get a cut of the tips but I don't think the kitchen help does. I worked in a couple of Italian restaurants in college as a cook. (Nothing fancy; mostly pizza). One night the busboy didn't show up so I was sent out front to cover for him. Imagine my surprise when the waitresses gave me $30 or $40 at the end of the night. So not only was I away from the 550 degree oven, and able to flirt with the waitresses, I made more money! Not fair.
>>>
>>>BTW, this is becoming more common. I have heard a few restaurants pool all the tips and divy it all out to the whole staff.
>>
>>Then they all better be making salaries more in line with each other. When I was a waitress, we were paid around 1.40/hr and were expected to earn at least minimum wage in tips. I averaged around 500.00/week in tips. It depends on the restaurant, it's atmosphere, and the food served. I've known waitresses who made an average of only $15-20/day in tips. The cooks were averaging 28,000-30,000/yr and that was in the late 70s.
>
>When I was first working I worked for a software company that did a lot of projects with Arthur Andersen (this was before Andersen Consulting was broken out). One of the guys I knew there was with their Atlanta office. He said he had been a waiter at a fancy restaurant before joining AA and actually took a pay cut when he started! Of course, that was before he made partner....

I don't doubt it a bit. When I lived in Florida I lived across the street from a girl that worked as a bartender/waitress at a bar on the beach - she made right around $500 a night in a 6hour shift 5 times a week and more than that during the 'tourist season".