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How to get the best-paying server job in town

Money is only one of many factors to consider, if you’re considering work as a restaurant server.

Around 2.5 million people earn their living by serving food in America; they work in diners, pubs and at upscale steakhouses.

But, to get the best server job in town, you have to know the fine print of fine dining.

Mickey's Country Cafe has been serving up home style cooking for over 25 years.  At Mickey's, there's no time for breaks especially during the lunch rush, and they work to serve customers as quickly as possible.

"You have to be quick, and you have to be able to think fast. Problem solving is a must," says Mickey's waitress Chris Burgeson.

But at Johnny's Italian Steakhouse, it's all about the experience.

"We're performers here, we're not just servers. We're looking to get a standing ovation with every performance," says Johnny's waiter Mark Grotelueschen.  By standing ovation, he means a hefty tip.

Here's a comparison:

A bill for one person at Johnny's costs around $30; at Mickey's, one person spends around $10.

A lunch rush of 10-dollar checks puts a server at around 80 dollars a day. And a night with fewer tables, but 30-dollar meals, translates to about 150 dollars a day.

How to get the best-paying server job in town

"My training is extremely intense. Wine knowledge, beverage knowledge, menu knowledge," says Johnny's manager Jack Bibiani.

A Johnny's server isn't official until they pass a 23-page test covering everything on the menu.  If you don't know details including how long the beef is aged, what's in the crispy dill tilapia, or all the names of Johnny's first tier pinot grigios, consider yourself on the chopping block.

At a location focused on serving evening meals, your social life can suffer, too.

"People get off work pretty late at night, so a lot of times it's harder for people to have families, and relationships are strained every once in a while, too," says Grotelueschen.

A Mickey's a server may make less money everyday; but, what they don't make in cash, they make up for in relationships.

How to get the best-paying server job in town

Regular customers also like the relationships they build.

"It's just like coming home. Every time you come in here they know you. It's 'Hi Jamie,' it's 'Hi Mickey,' it's just great," says one long-time Mickey's customer.

But when it comes down to it, everyone has their taste.

 

 

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