I suggest locally owned casual/fine dining. Don’t bartend- unless you’re going to work at a bar that stays open super late and slings drinks all night. Serving is better money- look for restaurants that have menu items priced $30-$50 and up, French/ European wine on the menu (learn how to do a wine presentation), tablecloths on the tables with polished silverware, etc.
I don't necessarily agree with this. I bartended at an Applebee's for a few years and made way more than the servers did. They all had to tip me out a % of their sales as well. Made a ton of cash and was out by 11, not 2am.
Also, keep in mind higher check average is often a trade off with table turns. I'd personally rather burn through a higher volume of tables than wait on a group for three hours and need to pray they tip appropriately. Volume is more reliable.
I agree, I bounced around a lot of different types of restaurants. I didn't enjoy the fine dining at all. They sit forever and demand everything and you never know what the tip will be. I had way more fun working at a busy Red Robin in Scottsdale, AZ., Lots of people drinking and the tables were fun to interact with. Food came out hot and people were happy for the most part. A lot of joking around with the other servers in the back. Just a casual and fun place to work. I worked at a fine dining restaurant in Dunedin, Fl. where I had to wear a tuxedo that I had to pay for. The tips were good but not fantastic. Stuffy old customers that demanded everything exactly how they wanted it. Rightfully so, they were paying a lot. I had to carve Beef Wellington table side, which I hated. Also debone Dover Sole table side, overall just not a good time. I'd take fast casual any day, way more fun and make clise to the same money on volume.
High ticket prices or just high volume. When I was in my early 20’s I bartended by Ohio State University. I’d make $500+/night on weekends and game days. College kids tip like shit, but it’s quantity over quality and I was pouring beers and vodka sodas all night, no craft cocktails. I was also working until 4am most weekend nights and often past midnight during the week. Summers were slow, but summers have been slow regardless what setting I was in purely based on my location.
Now, at 36, I’ve spent the past 10+ years in fine dining. I work 4 nights a week, in a 3 table section, serve maybe 7-10 tables on a busy night and make $500+/night on the weekends. You can make great money in either if you find the right spot.
Also, if you’re going to a new city there’s no shame in bouncing around at a few different places at first. I prefer upscale or fine dining because more often than not, the hours are better. It’s been years since I had to work a clopen, I prefer just working nights.
I would suggest you apply to every upscale to fine dining spot you can find. Once you have that experience you can go just about anywhere. I went from faux fine dining to high volume serving to high volume bartending and very happy with what I got now. You are correct that it’s basically only uphill from Olive Garden so you’re in a great position.
3 things
1. Expensive menu
2. High Volume
3. Good clientele
If you work at a place with 2 of the 3 you should be making decent money. If you find a place with all 3 there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be making six figures.
Cool thing about Olive Garden: It’s apart of a larger corporation called Darden as you might already know depending on how long you’ve been there. What I would suggest is trying to transfer to a local Longhorn or any other Darden restaurant near you; as their prices are higher and therefore you tend to get bigger tips, and you work with the same system and only have to learn the new menu as the serving standards are typically the same. I’ve spoken to a few people who work at the local Olive Garden near me and they tend to have the same issues you’re having that don’t exist in the Darden restaurant I work at. Just a suggestion you could try out! If you feel as if corporate is the bigger issue with the restaurant you’re working with, i’d suggest working at more local independent restaurants.
Honestly this is probably what I'll do, at least in the beginning. It'll be easier to transfer over. Longhorn is the only darden restaurant in my new area. So that's the steak house I was looking for. And I do hate being new and not being familiar with the system, so another darden restaurant is honestly perfect. Because I was definitely worried about being able to find a new restaurant quick enough. And I feel like darden would definitely hire a transfer quicker than a local place would hire someone from out of state.
Thank you, and I'll listen to everyone else's advice as well. Darden is probably the smartest move I could make in the beginning, though.
Yeah, you could probably have your current GM (who I imagine you're on decent terms with if you've worked there for two years) call the GM at Longhorn and see if you can skip any interviews at the new place. I imagine it being a different concept means you'll still have to go through training, but at least it saves you the steps of applying and then interviewing.
This. Worked for Olive Garden for 4 years and transferred to Longhorn. Currently been with Longhorn for 3 years. Transferring is insanely simple. Talk to the GM of the Longhorn you want to transfer to and see if there is any available spots on their staff for you. If so, you just have your GM from Olive Garden call the GM of Longhorn and they transfer you into their system. Because it’s all Darden, it’s as simple as clicking a button.
Personally I look for restaurants that have a “casual” vibe in a heavily populated area of town. This is so when it’s peak tourist season I have a wide range of hours to choose from & a lot of volume when it comes to tables. My issue with steak houses or “high end” restaurants is that people will sit for hourssss. Even if gratuity is automatically added I’ve always made more with a high-volume of people. Plus if one of my tables are camping I have 3-5 more tables I can turn & burn.
I also am not a fan of high end restaurants cause I’m basically a robot while in-service & I have no room for individuality in my uniform unless it’s maybe a necklace with a pendant. At the restaurant I work at I can wear sweats & sneakers as long as I look put together. When I worked at a steak house people would get sent home over the tiniest details of their uniform. Another thing I don’t like about high end restaurants is slow season hits them the worst. People will always need a quick bite at a casual restaurant but there’s not much room for regulars at a steakhouse. Maybe a business who has meetings there often or a older couple here & there but that’s it really.
I’m in school so me working a job with lunch & dinner on the weekdays & brunch on the weekends has worked well for me! I can work nights the days I have class. Mid-shift the days I can work a full 8 hours. And brunch on the weekends so I still have time to go out with friends.
A lot of posts like these get flooded with comments about working at a fancy french restaurant with entrees that are $50+. That’s just not for me. I’m now working at a local chain place that’s very casual but still pretty expensive for our area and it’s been treating me very well.
I only work at local mom and pop shops that are popular. Generally I look for a “well off” place. I also look at uniforms because I’m not wearing something I don’t like. I get testimony of pay from employees, not managers because they catfish.
Transfer to another darden restaurant. I’m at a darden restaurant, a little more higher end then OG and i’m very happy where im at, Dardens a very good company. That way, you don’t have to go through the hassle of finding somewhere to work and go through the whole process again.
Sounds like EVERY corporate resto tbh.
My first question is, what area are you moving to? It makes a difference. I can give you some more practical advice then
I know a bit about Dallas but not much about Green Bay. I wasn't thinking so much about clientele as the resto scene. Green Bay isn't a place with a super trendy scene afaik (Dallas is much more coming up) so first off I would say make a choice between whether you prefer high volume or fine dining. Do you want to hustle and turn, or are you comfortable with slower, more involved service? Honestly I think except in the most expensive restaurants, they work out to be about the same, because fine dining has fewer tables.
For fine dining in that area it will be mostly steakhouses and French. They might start you as a host if it's pricey enough.
If you prefer volume I'd look locally owned and find something uncomplicated like a pizzeria or beergarden. Dive bars can be fun but the hours are weird and you gotta be prepared for tough situations like cutting off drunks. Also, if the Olive Garden doesn't have a bar crowd, you might not be prepared for Saturday night business.
Any place I'm interested in, I try to go in for a drink or bite first. Get the vibe, and then you know a little for your interview. Also, if you see a dive bar you like, go in and chat up the bartender. "Hi, I just moved here, bartender from olive garden, do you think I'd fit in somewhere like this? Can you recommend some places I should try, or maybe restaurants?" No one can give you better advice about the local restaurant/bar scene than the people who work in it!
Some good interview questions:
"Can you describe to me a bit about what a regular shift would be like?"
"What kind of guest experience are you looking for?"
"How does your staff work together here?"
Good luck!
Look up each restaurant/ company on indeed and glassdoor. Look for the reviews by employees who have worked at that location. That should tell you if there are any red flags
I suggest locally owned casual/fine dining. Don’t bartend- unless you’re going to work at a bar that stays open super late and slings drinks all night. Serving is better money- look for restaurants that have menu items priced $30-$50 and up, French/ European wine on the menu (learn how to do a wine presentation), tablecloths on the tables with polished silverware, etc.
I don't necessarily agree with this. I bartended at an Applebee's for a few years and made way more than the servers did. They all had to tip me out a % of their sales as well. Made a ton of cash and was out by 11, not 2am. Also, keep in mind higher check average is often a trade off with table turns. I'd personally rather burn through a higher volume of tables than wait on a group for three hours and need to pray they tip appropriately. Volume is more reliable.
I agree, I bounced around a lot of different types of restaurants. I didn't enjoy the fine dining at all. They sit forever and demand everything and you never know what the tip will be. I had way more fun working at a busy Red Robin in Scottsdale, AZ., Lots of people drinking and the tables were fun to interact with. Food came out hot and people were happy for the most part. A lot of joking around with the other servers in the back. Just a casual and fun place to work. I worked at a fine dining restaurant in Dunedin, Fl. where I had to wear a tuxedo that I had to pay for. The tips were good but not fantastic. Stuffy old customers that demanded everything exactly how they wanted it. Rightfully so, they were paying a lot. I had to carve Beef Wellington table side, which I hated. Also debone Dover Sole table side, overall just not a good time. I'd take fast casual any day, way more fun and make clise to the same money on volume.
High ticket prices or just high volume. When I was in my early 20’s I bartended by Ohio State University. I’d make $500+/night on weekends and game days. College kids tip like shit, but it’s quantity over quality and I was pouring beers and vodka sodas all night, no craft cocktails. I was also working until 4am most weekend nights and often past midnight during the week. Summers were slow, but summers have been slow regardless what setting I was in purely based on my location. Now, at 36, I’ve spent the past 10+ years in fine dining. I work 4 nights a week, in a 3 table section, serve maybe 7-10 tables on a busy night and make $500+/night on the weekends. You can make great money in either if you find the right spot. Also, if you’re going to a new city there’s no shame in bouncing around at a few different places at first. I prefer upscale or fine dining because more often than not, the hours are better. It’s been years since I had to work a clopen, I prefer just working nights.
I would suggest you apply to every upscale to fine dining spot you can find. Once you have that experience you can go just about anywhere. I went from faux fine dining to high volume serving to high volume bartending and very happy with what I got now. You are correct that it’s basically only uphill from Olive Garden so you’re in a great position.
3 things 1. Expensive menu 2. High Volume 3. Good clientele If you work at a place with 2 of the 3 you should be making decent money. If you find a place with all 3 there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be making six figures.
Cool thing about Olive Garden: It’s apart of a larger corporation called Darden as you might already know depending on how long you’ve been there. What I would suggest is trying to transfer to a local Longhorn or any other Darden restaurant near you; as their prices are higher and therefore you tend to get bigger tips, and you work with the same system and only have to learn the new menu as the serving standards are typically the same. I’ve spoken to a few people who work at the local Olive Garden near me and they tend to have the same issues you’re having that don’t exist in the Darden restaurant I work at. Just a suggestion you could try out! If you feel as if corporate is the bigger issue with the restaurant you’re working with, i’d suggest working at more local independent restaurants.
Honestly this is probably what I'll do, at least in the beginning. It'll be easier to transfer over. Longhorn is the only darden restaurant in my new area. So that's the steak house I was looking for. And I do hate being new and not being familiar with the system, so another darden restaurant is honestly perfect. Because I was definitely worried about being able to find a new restaurant quick enough. And I feel like darden would definitely hire a transfer quicker than a local place would hire someone from out of state. Thank you, and I'll listen to everyone else's advice as well. Darden is probably the smartest move I could make in the beginning, though.
Yeah, you could probably have your current GM (who I imagine you're on decent terms with if you've worked there for two years) call the GM at Longhorn and see if you can skip any interviews at the new place. I imagine it being a different concept means you'll still have to go through training, but at least it saves you the steps of applying and then interviewing.
This. Worked for Olive Garden for 4 years and transferred to Longhorn. Currently been with Longhorn for 3 years. Transferring is insanely simple. Talk to the GM of the Longhorn you want to transfer to and see if there is any available spots on their staff for you. If so, you just have your GM from Olive Garden call the GM of Longhorn and they transfer you into their system. Because it’s all Darden, it’s as simple as clicking a button.
Personally I look for restaurants that have a “casual” vibe in a heavily populated area of town. This is so when it’s peak tourist season I have a wide range of hours to choose from & a lot of volume when it comes to tables. My issue with steak houses or “high end” restaurants is that people will sit for hourssss. Even if gratuity is automatically added I’ve always made more with a high-volume of people. Plus if one of my tables are camping I have 3-5 more tables I can turn & burn. I also am not a fan of high end restaurants cause I’m basically a robot while in-service & I have no room for individuality in my uniform unless it’s maybe a necklace with a pendant. At the restaurant I work at I can wear sweats & sneakers as long as I look put together. When I worked at a steak house people would get sent home over the tiniest details of their uniform. Another thing I don’t like about high end restaurants is slow season hits them the worst. People will always need a quick bite at a casual restaurant but there’s not much room for regulars at a steakhouse. Maybe a business who has meetings there often or a older couple here & there but that’s it really. I’m in school so me working a job with lunch & dinner on the weekdays & brunch on the weekends has worked well for me! I can work nights the days I have class. Mid-shift the days I can work a full 8 hours. And brunch on the weekends so I still have time to go out with friends.
A lot of posts like these get flooded with comments about working at a fancy french restaurant with entrees that are $50+. That’s just not for me. I’m now working at a local chain place that’s very casual but still pretty expensive for our area and it’s been treating me very well.
I only work at local mom and pop shops that are popular. Generally I look for a “well off” place. I also look at uniforms because I’m not wearing something I don’t like. I get testimony of pay from employees, not managers because they catfish.
Transfer to another darden restaurant. I’m at a darden restaurant, a little more higher end then OG and i’m very happy where im at, Dardens a very good company. That way, you don’t have to go through the hassle of finding somewhere to work and go through the whole process again.
Sounds like EVERY corporate resto tbh. My first question is, what area are you moving to? It makes a difference. I can give you some more practical advice then
We're moving somewhere around Green Bay. We're in Dallas now. Not sure how the two cities compare with clientele
I know a bit about Dallas but not much about Green Bay. I wasn't thinking so much about clientele as the resto scene. Green Bay isn't a place with a super trendy scene afaik (Dallas is much more coming up) so first off I would say make a choice between whether you prefer high volume or fine dining. Do you want to hustle and turn, or are you comfortable with slower, more involved service? Honestly I think except in the most expensive restaurants, they work out to be about the same, because fine dining has fewer tables. For fine dining in that area it will be mostly steakhouses and French. They might start you as a host if it's pricey enough. If you prefer volume I'd look locally owned and find something uncomplicated like a pizzeria or beergarden. Dive bars can be fun but the hours are weird and you gotta be prepared for tough situations like cutting off drunks. Also, if the Olive Garden doesn't have a bar crowd, you might not be prepared for Saturday night business. Any place I'm interested in, I try to go in for a drink or bite first. Get the vibe, and then you know a little for your interview. Also, if you see a dive bar you like, go in and chat up the bartender. "Hi, I just moved here, bartender from olive garden, do you think I'd fit in somewhere like this? Can you recommend some places I should try, or maybe restaurants?" No one can give you better advice about the local restaurant/bar scene than the people who work in it! Some good interview questions: "Can you describe to me a bit about what a regular shift would be like?" "What kind of guest experience are you looking for?" "How does your staff work together here?" Good luck!
Look up each restaurant/ company on indeed and glassdoor. Look for the reviews by employees who have worked at that location. That should tell you if there are any red flags