More tipping: Many restaurant workers "food-insecure"

[Robin Garr]

Speaking of the tipping economy, check this: A horrifying percentage of restaurant workers' incomes leave them "food-insecure."

Cruel Irony: Food Insecurity of NYC Restaurant Workers

Today, Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York (ROC-NY) along with the Food Chain Workers Alliance and Food First released a new report, Food Insecurity of Restaurant Workers, a first comprehensive look at food security and employment conditions of workers in the restaurant industry.

The report, based on over 280 surveys and interviews with restaurant workers in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area, highlights the crucial ways in which restaurant workers’ employment conditions affect their ability to feed themselves.

Full Report:
http://rocny.org/foodinsecurity/

This goes back a LONG time - and is not meant to diminish the point of the article, as I know it's an anomaly - but I remember a survey of "21" in New York in the late 1960's/early 70's which showed that the average waiter there earned more than the average customer!

[Robin Garr]

I remember a survey of "21" in New York in the late 1960's/early 70's which showed that the average waiter there earned more than the average customer!

Anecdotally, Andrew, I have a sense that a really good server at a high-end place can still go home very happy, most nights. But it's an iffy way to make a living, and rough on most workers, especially at the lower end of the price scale.

I remember a survey of "21" in New York in the late 1960's/early 70's which showed that the average waiter there earned more than the average customer!

Anecdotally, Andrew, I have a sense that a really good server at a high-end place can still go home very happy, most nights. But it's an iffy way to make a living, and rough on most workers, especially at the lower end of the price scale.

Of course it is "an iffy way to make a living". So is any commission sales an "iffy way to make a living". Good commission sales people make a very good living. Good servers make a good living. Selling a weak product for a low price almost guarantees low income. Selling a good product for a good price usually results in a good income.

Better servers usually work for better places. Competence usually commands higher incomes.

For example, should bad writers make the same as good writers?

Since there's a new tipping thread, I'd like to ask any industry insiders (mgt or employees) whether the ideas expressed on the following link make sense:

http://www.foodieknowledge.com/the-reas ... 012/11/13/


It's a short writeup on the difficulties tipped employees have in paying for health insurance.