Move to San Diego?

[Cardiff Kook]

good luck! let us know how it goes

[turbo1992]

What about high end server/waitress/cocktail jobs as a job? Will that be enough to pay the bills - $3500/mo?

[Cardiff Kook]

Originally Posted by turbo1992

What about high end server/waitress/cocktail jobs as a job? Will that be enough to pay the bills - $3500/mo?

she found a job in accounting already

[tonyinsd]

Originally Posted by turbo1992

What about high end server/waitress/cocktail jobs as a job? Will that be enough to pay the bills - $3500/mo?

The answer to that is yes, you can do it that way. If you need $3500 a month, and you work 20 days a month, that means you need to take home $175 each day you work.

In order to do that, if you assume people tip 15 percent -- and a lot of them will tip more -- you need to generate a shade under $1,200 in revenue each night. On a slow night, where you only get a couple of tables, that might be tough. On a night that's banging, where there's a line and a 30 minute wait, that won't be a problem. You need 12 tables of four with people spending $25 each. Jack up the average spend to $30, and now you only need 10 tables of four. Make it $50, and you're looking at needing only six tables.

You'd be surprised how quickly you can get to that $50 if you throw in a few drinks. And people with a buzz tip better.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Career or part time serving jobs for high end establishments can be tough but not impossible. Before I was doing what I am doing now, I was in this industry here in SD. I know I liked hiring locals that knew the area, because at least 95% of the clientele would be from out of town and having that rapport about where to go, what to see was an added benefit.

Some advice:
- When new places open downtown or places that are trendy/higher end, owners and managers can be VERY selective with whom they hire these days. What skills do you bring to the table for high end? Do you have any kind of wine certification or know about local beers etc? That can really set you a part from the rest of the crowd.
- If you are working downtown, your ONLY source of constant revenue is convention business. When that goes, you have 3.5 days to make as much as you can from weekend business.
- Check out the convention calendar to see what is coming to town. While the convention business is not what it was during the bubble years, it has picked up a bit. Business accounts have been changed across companies these days, but there is spending.
- If you are part time (weekends or picking up tables for someone) its likely you will be at the end of the line in terms of sections. If a night is not as busy as predicted, there is a chance you get shafted. This could be common knowledge for you but thought I would throw it in anyway.

When conventions are busy and you work in a high end establishment, they will hire more servers which will cut into your tips. Remember that any reuptable restaurant wants to make sure that local clients are remembered and treated well and that conventioners spend a lot of money.

During the summer months when conventions are down, its all tourism dollars. Its picked up here, but again how people are spending their money is a whole other issue. While SD's tourism was much better this past summer than 10 and 11, its questionable as to how much money can really be made based on the above.

Good luck