Well, I know where I never want to work even if it’s the last restaurant in the free world: this place called Krazy Moose Subs in Wasilla, Alaska. Knowing there are two sides to every story, this photo of the tip pooling contract is only one side of the story. Granted, it sounds like a really shitty story where servers get screwed by a giant Alaskan moose with no condom or lube, but this is all I have to go on. I do not know if this is a full-service restaurant or one of those places where you order at the counter and maybe drop a couple of dollars into the tip jar. Since this is Wasilla, Alaska I assume the tip jar is an old I ♥ Sarah Palin coffee mug. Moving on, let’s dig into the six points that are stated on the contract:
- You must work 6 months without tips. Ummm, no. If there are tips to be had and some of those tips are given to me, those belong to me. I would never work someplace for six months and watch tips pass me by like the Northern Lights in the Alaskan sky. Nope. And who is getting my tips, anyway?
- After 6 months of employment you will get a review of your work. If you are doing your job correctly and up to speed you will receive tips. If you are not up to speed or not doing your job correctly then you will get a percentage of tips until we feel you are doing everything that is accepted. Another big nope. Who is making this decision? What if they have grown accustomed to keeping the tips I have been making and that person decides, “No, you still sorta suck at what you do. I’m only going to let you keep 10% of the tips you receive but the other 90% will go someplace else.” Who is this person and why does he or she have so much power?
- There will be a credit card fee of 2.75% taken off credit card tip totals daily. This is a very common occurrence these days, but are they saying that even though you don’t get to keep your tips for six months, that you are still paying the credit card fees for those tips? Basically, doesn’t that mean that you are paying them to work there? I would take that Sarah Palin coffee mug and shove it up someone’s asshole at this point.
- All of the credit card tips and cash tips will be added onto your paycheck and will have taxes taken off. I guess this assuming you have worked there for six months and someone felt you were doing your job correctly enough to actually get to keep your tips. And again, who the fuck is this person who gets to make all of these important decisions??
- When you are late for work then you forfeit your tips for the day and they will be given to Tamara Suders. Ah ha!! Now we know where all those tips are going to: Tamar fuckin’ Suders. I don’t know what her job is, but I want it. I would just hire people all the time and collect their tips and as soon as their six month review period was up, I’d fire their ass and get someone else in there so I can keep on collecting their tips. And by the way, if I was on my way to work and realized I was going to be late, I’d turn my ass right back around and go home to my igloo. Why the fuck bother showing up late if you don’t get to keep any of your tips?
- Tips are divided equally among all employees that qualify for tips and are only given to you during the hours you are scheduled and worked. I don’t even know what this means, but it doesn’t matter because I don’t work at Krazy Moose Subs. And I don’t know who would.
If you are one of the employees of Krazy Moose Subs, I’d love for you to clear this up for me. And if anyone knows how I can get Tamar Suder’s job, please tell me where I can send my resume.
DTAK
This is a counter service sandwich shop. How many tips can there really be? Most people I know don’t tip at a place like that!
Bea
wow that sucks just generally, but given the fact that americans are actually legally allowed to be paid under minimum wage because of tips and then shit like this happens? rididculous and should be illegal. if you are being paid under minimum wage because of tips, you should get those tips. fucking scumbags
Sharon
I wish every place that did this was ratted out.
I know it may not be the perfect answer, but I avoid places like this. Why go somewhere an leave a tip for a server who is working their backside off and have that tip pocketed by an owner???? No thanks. I do not give money to thieves. And, that is just what those owners are.
Juniper Castro
A place in Denver like that. Hated it and walked out after second day of no tips and working my ass off.
Thanks for showing this places tip policy. What a degrading of human value and dignity. How embarrassing people treat us.
Viva El Bitchy Waiter!!!
Joey B
Thanx Anonymous -appreciate u even read my post -Joey B 🙂
Melanie
Wow, that’s fucked up..
Joey B
Yes , there is worse place to work -Delmonicos Steak & Lobster House in Encino .I’ ve lasted there 9 months ( others went after 1-2 weeks) . Sometimes you can’t find the job right away , or you are just not getting hired & you get stucked -working just for a paycheck .I was a hostess there . Had to train myself on fine dine menu & comp w/strict sequence of serv rules . They would keep all of everybody’s tips giving us handouts -10-20 -15 bucks a night . I waited on celebrities ( not that it matters who they were -but Michelle Pfeiffer -that 100 you left me -I’ve never got a dime of off …) . I was obligated to host and bus and take orders -but the tips went ” to the House ” . I would get 8-10 $ . Even if I just waited tables -I was told ” you work for the house today ” after a month there they gave me 2 days when I could keep my tips , but I still had to ” tip out” ( that mony was never going to my co-werks just my boss) & they made sure I never got too many tables .I was physically blocked from sitting my section. I was harassed and humiliated there . The owner and his wifey and a ghetto bitch daughter are real assholes .They recycle old leftover lemons , bread , butter even stuff from cust plates -like big rice cracker from Tuna Tartare -that shit had many lives .We had to walk around with a tray under the arm all the time for no reason , which made food running very hard . I had to remind myself every shift that I can’t afford to go to jail bcause my cats and my obligations & my partner was angry w/ me ” why do u take this shit ?!?!” While he is not making any money . I knwe they were stealing but where do I go and what do I do & if I do anything I will lose even that meager paycheck I had to depend on . Everyone that works there is illegal or somewhat in troubled state -that’s why they pray on people . I’m welcoming any ideas ( other that bashing their skulls ) , but this restr. workers abuse gotta stop . And -believe me -I got some stories for you . ..
Anonymous
Joey-
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/FAQ_tipsandgratuities.htm
Good luck to you.
Delaney
My friends filed a class action lawsuit over unknowingly being charged to run credit cards. Place had to pay like 5 years of back owing. I don’t know if letting people know ahead of time makes that legal, or them unliable? But fuuuck that.
Von
Dude, can you please get rid of the video attached to the “how to avoid tipping” guy. Since that post appeared, the video autoplays every time I open this page. He is annoying enough without being forced to listen to him.
Thanks.
Anonymous
Go in your browser settings and turn off autoplay
Von
I’ve done that, but he still starts yapping when I open here. Thanks anyway.
Just A Poor Server
Something tells me based on what I’ve seen on their social media pages, this is gonna get fixed real quick.
Kim
Someone really should forward this flyer to the Alaska Attorney General and their department of labor.
Erika
Tamara, you fuckin’ bitch!
nico@Rei
a quick search on google indicates that she and the crazy moose shop have the same Po Box …….
Stephanie
Awesome article like always. I have been reading your blog since day one and have been a server for 15 years and not cannot wait to get your book
Susannah
Aw man, I love that place! I’d hate to keep frequenting a restaurant that treats its employees so badly though. Hopefully they’ll change their policies soon!
Lisa
Alaska is not in the Continental US.
The Bitchy Waiter
Alaska is unique among the US states as it is part of the North American continent, meaning it is attached via Canada, and so is part of the “Continental United States”. However, Alaska is not part of the “Contiguous United States”, because it is not attached directly to the lower 48 states
miss kitty
Love you so much!
Jessica
That place is under siege on facebook. So funny. I just left a place who would take 70% of credit card tips. Not only was it a very pricey restaurant but they wanted to steal from their employees too. There’s no legislation here in Australia regarding tips and we are given an hourly base wage. However, I’m working two jobs to support myself right now and my tips (usually) help pay the bills. I try not to think about how much money they took from me and continue to take from the people who work there.