An Olive Garden server revealed how much she made in tips while working a 12-hour shift on a Sunday.
The video, by TikTok user Brooklin (@brookmarcox), gave viewers a tour of what it’s like working a 12-hour shift at Olive Garden.
@brookmarcox missing OG rn #fyp #olivegarden #nebraska #michigan #server #servertok ♬ original sound – Brooklin
“So, today I work from 10:45 to 4 serving and then I bartend from 4 to close, which could be from 10 to 11,” she said. She walked in prepared with her booklet, apron, money pouch, Starbucks, and water in tow. Before getting started with accumulating tips, she ate lunch from the Olive Garden potato bar. Then, 3:15 rolled around and a co-worker bought her Starbucks. So far, she said she had made $130.
Right before her bartending shift, the content creator was able to take a half an hour break. However, Brooklin said her tip count dropped by $10 because she had a table “stiff her.”
By the end of her 12-hour shift, Brooklin said she made a whopping $371. She explained that one generous customer’s larger tip made up for the diners who stiffed her earlier. She said this customer left a $124 tip on a $27 tab. In addition, Brooklin made $41 from the restaurant’s tip pool. Overall, her total came out to $412.
The Daily Dot reached out to Brooklin via TikTok comment and direct message. The video garnered over 34,000 views as of publication, and viewers shared their thoughts about the amount she made in tips during her weekend shift at Olive Garden.
“Is that with tipshare?” one viewer asked.
“My trainee told me that it’s a good day when they make over $100, i quit the next day lmaoo,” a second commented.
Brooklin responded to both comments. “This is with tipshare taken out from serving but the tipshare added from bartending!” she stated. “Omg haha, my goal is $125 per shift (like 5 hours shifts) but weekends are where the money’s at!”
Indeed, servers make more money over the weekends. According to Monster Jobs, “The average customer tips 16% on any given day, Sunday mornings between 10 a.m. and noon see the highest average tip, with the brunch crowd tipping a full 20%. Maybe you shouldn’t give up that early morning shift after all…But not so fast. While Sunday morning is the best time for finding generous tippers, every other morning is actually the worst with breakfast times before noon yielding an average 13% to 14% tips.”
All things considered, this Olive Garden server seems to have come out on top in terms of tips for the weekend.