I've been working in retail for the last 7 years and honestly I am fed up with it to point of swearing my next job will NOT be anything retail related. After talking to friends and other peps my interest in being server/waiter has sky rocketed but being comfortable at a job(the only thing my current job supply) is important to me.

Questions: On a scale of 1-5

1. How hard is it to be a server?(learning curve)

2. Dat monies? ( how much bank)

3. Flexibility (work/life balance)

4. Atmosphere(fun, boring, co workers, manager)

5. Good place for beginners?

6. For everybody else - Would be a server/waiter?

It's all about talking to people, so if you're not comfortable with doing that, it's not for you.

I guess it's semi-difficult to learn and extremely difficult to master.
You have to be able to juggle many different timings in your head while working with others and all the while looking confident and getting everything correct.
Money is great. I bank about 500 a week just doing 4 nights, and I have a dayjob on top of that for another 500.
Flexibility varies from place to place. Some restaurants open at 3, some at 7, some at 10am. You gotta find one that matches your schedule first and foremost.

Coworkers are great. The restaurant business is full of debauchery.

Why are you tired of retail? If its anything customer related, it's going to be a lot worse as a food server.

1. The difficulty depends on how fast you are and what kind of place you work at. Different cuisine and different menus would make for different results.

2. Good waiters make great money.

3. Depends on the restaurant. A place busy in the morning and evenings might be less flexible with your schedule than a place busy only at lunch or for dinner. I think it's a lot less flexible than a retail environment.

4. Would depend on the place of work. I have worked for good and bad places.

5. It's not hard work and you get good money for doing it. Gotta be willing to be on your feet all day, deal with stupid people, and basically be at the whim of those stupid people when it comes to your monetary reward. In a retail environment (unless working for commission) your quality of work is pretty much irrelevant. You'll get your money regardless, unless you just do terrible. When you're working for tips, you can be the nicest, fastest, most amazing server ever and still get stiffed. Just gotta be prepared to handle that. But the work itself is quite easy.

6. I don't understand the question, and I won't respond to it.[/Lucille Bluth]

Spurge, you work at the demons cradle?

The opinion of someone in the sales industry rather then the service industry.

I have.. Its kinda awfull depending on the place you work..

People show no respect.. Tips are usually shared with the others.. Work times are irregular depending who is available.. Money is not great.. No time to chat with the ladies.. Work can be hectic.. Its an easy to learn job and the only thing is that you need to have a good balance with all the trays and moving around.. Kids are a killer enemy in that part..,But..

That totally turns around when you are a barman.. Tips are waaay better.. Much more respect from customers... Work times are a bit better cause the owners depend on you more.. Better pay.. You don't have to move a lot.. Only need to learn mixing drinks and tapping drinks.. And the best of all.. The ladies.. They like assume you are a manwhore picking up a lady every night you work.. It just about raw sex.. I miss those days..

1. How hard is it to be a server?(learning curve)

I did the waiter thing for about 3 years. 2 different places. Both So different (learning curve wise) that its all about the place. After a week though, each was pretty easy. Easier if you have a good memory.

2. Dat monies? ( how much bank)

If I had worked the entire year, the second one (much higher scale than the first) I would have banked $60k. The other place was a Chain Type Family Restaurant, would have been around $40k a year.

Its true, the nicer and better you do your job, the more you will make in tips. At both of my jobs I was top 1/2 waiter in nightly tips. Every night.

3. Flexibility (work/life balance)

Dinner service destroys your "date night" nights, since those are always the best for the monies. I ended up dating other waitstaff/restaurant ladies, since they had the same schedule. Lots of late nights like every night.

4. Atmosphere(fun, boring, co workers, manager)

All depends on the place. The higher end place had an awesome environment. Family/Chains are much more corporate (obviously). Things have the be EXACTLY the same as all the others, really annoying.

5. Good place for beginners?
Sure

6. For everybody else - Would be a server/waiter?
Sure

Ya, Id rather write up something than answer on the 1-5 scale.

When my sister was in uni she did it, but didn't like it. Although she did say that you can make good money from tips.

What do you mean tips are shared with others?

I have Islands restaurant, Dave and Buster and On the Border on my checkout list currently. You guys think they'd be good places to start?