Different pay at different restaurants?

I used to work at Applebee's in high school and made about $30-$50 a night in tips. That's just crap pay. I've heard about servers making $100 a night and more, so I'm assuming that's at places that are more up-scale, in the "city" part of town. Maybe restaurants like Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Olive Garden, etc?



But I've never known anyone that's worked there. If they make so much more money, why do people go for these lower paying jobs for so long and not even try to go to a better restaurant?



Is this all hype?Different pay at different restaurants?
People will work wherever they are hired at and whatever hours work best for them.

Tips are just an added bonus.

You could work at a great restaurant or bar, and make great tips, but because of the location, it takes you over an hour to get to work and their scheduling does not always fit into your school schedule or your kids schedule.

You could work at a not so great restaurant or bar, make lesser tips, but because it only takes you 5 minutes to get to work, and the managers are really flex-able to your scheduling needs, that job may be a better fit for you.

It's not always about the money.

I know two bartenders. One works at a family owned pub, works day shifts, is home in time to pick her son up from school, and makes about $100 bucks in tips a day.

The other works nights, at a busy nightclub, gets home at 4:00 a.m, barely sees her kids, but takes home sometimes $500 bucks a night in tips.

Both of these people wish they were in each others shoes.

The trick is to find a happy medium, to find somewhere that works out well for you both schedule, travel and money wise.Different pay at different restaurants?
There are horses for courses not everybody will be qualified to get the good paying jobs on offer, therefore some people have to be satisfied with the lower paying jobsDifferent pay at different restaurants?
All depends on the type of restaurant, the type of customers, and the the person waiting the tables.



Everyone loves attentive, non intrusive waitstaff, especially the people that tell you they have limited time, or want two full pitchers of beer, water etc on the table at all times. Large tables ALWAYS want every plate to come out at the same time, and if there are some plates that come 10 mins after the first couple, you can be sure even if the cook died and the kitchen blew up, the tip for the waitperson is going to be small, because the customer gets all his in formation about how things are going with his dinner, from the waitstaff before there is a problem. Sloppy waitstaff who do not check with the kitchen about food times, or things running out, will always get low tips.



It's not hype, it's a matter of how has money to spend on tips, and who is willing to tip. I tip the same at Applebee's as I would at a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Olive Garden, if I get crappy service, the tip reflects it. Extra crappy service (that I managed to stay for), gets no tip and a note telling why there is no tip and a visit with the manager.