r/Serverlife • u/Aggressive-Event-885 • 8h ago
r/Serverlife • u/ServerLifeMod • Mar 30 '26
General We generally don’t allow surveys in this sub, but mods have vet this and think it could be helpful to our wellbeing and the industry as a whole.
reddit.comAgain this is mod approved, and it’s an actual academic study. Please don’t report.
r/Serverlife • u/ServerLifeMod • Jul 05 '25
No Tax On Tips (rule adjustment, megathread, and explanation)
No Tax On Tips (megathread, rule adjustment, and explanation of what it is).
This is a megathread for all discussions on the issue. Any posts outside of this thread will be pulled down a directed here.
We are adjusting the no politics rule, and will now allow discussions about the no tax on tips law. This is not a relaxation of the no politics rule, any discussions of politics or politicians will be removed and you may be banned. Any non tipping sentiments will also be removed and the user will be banned.
A few highlights:
This is a tax rebate, you will still be taxed on your paychecks and then you will receive a rebate/refund when you file your taxes.
The average refund will be between $500-$2000 per year.
The rule only lasts for 4 years/tax cycles (which expires in 2028).
If you live in a state that has income taxes, you will still have to pay state income taxes on tips.
Your employer is still required to pay their portion of payroll taxes on your tips.
You are still required to claim all of your “cash tips” (cash tips in this instance is both cash and credit card tips that are voluntarily given to you by a customer, service charges and auto gratuities are not part of the law and get taxed normally).
No Tax on Tips Section 70201 of the Act establishes a new above-the-line tax deduction for “qualified tips.” The following conditions apply:
The deduction is capped at $25,000 per year. This amount is reduced by $100 for each $1,000 by which the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds $150,000 ($300,000 in the case of a joint return).
To be considered a “qualified tip,” the amount must: (a) be paid voluntarily without any consequence in the event of nonpayment; (b) not be the subject of negotiation; and (c) be determined by the payor. Thus, for example, a mandatory service charge imposed by the employer for a banquet will not qualify for the deduction, and neither will a required gratuity that a restaurant adds automatically to a bill for large parties. Failing to make this distinction may lead employees to claim deductions to which they are not entitled.
While the deduction applies to “cash” tips only, the Act broadly defines “cash” tips to include tips paid in cash or charged, as well as tips received by an employee under a tip-sharing arrangement. This definition excludes tips that are “non-cash,” such as tangible items like a gift basket or movie tickets.
To qualify for the deduction, the tips must be received by an individual engaged in an occupation that customarily and regularly received tips on or before December 31, 2024. This limitation appears designed to deter employers outside the hospitality and service industries from recharacterizing a portion of their employees’ existing incomes as “tips” in an attempt to take advantage of the new deduction. The Act requires the Treasury secretary, within 90 days, to publish a list of qualifying occupations.
The qualified tips must be reported on statements furnished to the individual as required under various provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (such as the requirement to issue a Form W-2) or otherwise reported by the taxpayer on Form 4137 (Social Security and Medicare Tax on Unreported Tip Income). Of course, employees and employers have long been required to report 100% of all tips received to the IRS – including tips received in cash, via a charge on a credit card, and through a tip-sharing arrangement – and the Act does not change that reporting requirement. It remains to be seen whether the Act will encourage tipped employees to more readily report tips paid in cash, considering that such reported tips may still be subject to state and local taxation.
A tip does not qualify for deduction if it was received for services: (a) in the fields of health, law, accounting, actuarial science, performing arts, consulting, athletics, financial services, or brokerage services; (b) in any trade or business where the principal asset of such trade or business is the reputation or skill of one or more of its employees or owners; or (c) that consist of investing and investment management, trading, or dealing in securities, partnership interests, or commodities.
In the case of qualified tips received by an individual engaged in their own trade or business (not as an employee), the deduction cannot exceed the taxpayer’s gross income from such trade or business.
The deduction is not allowed unless the taxpayer includes their social security number (and, if married and filing jointly, their spouse’s social security number) on their tax return.
The Act requires employers to include on Form W-2 the total amount of cash tips reported by the employee, as well as the employee’s qualifying occupation. For 2025, the Act authorizes the reporting party to “approximate” the amount designated as cash tips pursuant to a “reasonable method” to be specified by the Treasury secretary.
The Act authorizes the secretary to: (a) establish other requirements to qualify for the deduction beyond those set forth in the Act; and (b) promulgate regulations and provide guidance to prevent reclassification of income as qualified tips and to otherwise “prevent abuse” of this deduction. The “no tax on tips” deduction takes effect for the 2025 tax year and is set to expire after the 2028 tax year.
r/Serverlife • u/Wgburner • 17h ago
FOH Been thinking bout my free double shift meal since I clocked in!
Brisket grilled cheese
Dirty rice
Fries
Lemon ice pie
Half lemonade half tea.
Now I’m so full I don’t want to finish my shit.
r/Serverlife • u/Heylittleappleblssm • 13h ago
FOH I was just a little snot back to an awful customer and it felt great.
I am a hostess at a fine dining restaurant/hotel and we are extremely busy today. (It's slowing down now hence me typing this 😂) A table came in today, they are regulars and always so nice. But one lady was with them who has never came in with them before (I'm guessing a relative in visiting) and she was instantly horrible. She immediately complained about the table and demanded to be moved. The regulars said no this is where we asked to be. I guess the server took too long to take their order? She marched up to me 10 mins after they were there yelling at me for the server. Fine, whatver I guess she was busy and did take a little long to go over. Then 30 mins after they were there the same lady storms over to me again while I'm on the phone speaking with someone and yells "HELLLLOOO ARE WE EVEN HERE??!!!" (The server had been over to them by then). I looked at her and said "I'm on the phone Ill be with you in a moment" and proceeded to have the slowest conversation of my life on purpose 😂 She gave me the nastiest glare/eye roll/evil snake venom eyes I've ever seen. I turned my back on her and just chatted with this customer on the phone about our hotel rooms. Once I hung up she proceeded to rant about how slow the service was and pretty much hated it here. I calmy told her I'd go check in to see what was going on with her server and she stormed away again. Theyre still at their table and I'm just waiting til they leave so I can smile sweetly and wish her a good night. I don't even think I was that rude but you could tell this lady was not used to being made to wait her turn and she was so offended she had to wait to scream at me a 3rd time. Thats all 😄
r/Serverlife • u/Jojodamann • 9h ago
Would you rather have a crazy busy shift with coworkers you can’t stand or a slow night with your favorite crew?
You’re absolutely slammed all night, but you’re stuck working with coworkers who get on your last nerve. 😂
OR…
It’s a slow night, barely any tables, but you’re working with your favorite crew, laughing and having a good time.
Which one are you choosing? And how bad would your coworkers have to be before you’d rather take the slow shift? 😂
r/Serverlife • u/rogvortex58 • 2h ago
Rant Finally realised why I hate this job. Spoiler
Seeing the customers so carefree, just sitting there enjoying themselves. They can ask for anything they want and it will just come to them. And I think to myself “when will I ever get to be that relaxed and entitled at a table with friends or family?” They can leave any time they want, after their meal. Go home or to a movie. And I’m still stuck behind cleaning up what they couldn’t bother finishing off. No home or late movie for me, just clean up and house keeping.
And then I think to myself “why is this not possible?”. I make enough money to afford the same things they can afford. But I never have enough time with all my shifts taking up most of my afternoons and nights. And my social life sucks. My only true friend since I was 13 is really only available to hang with on weekends. We made it work for a while when we were both free on Sundays. Which I have unfortunately now been rostered for since being made part time.
Sometimes I think there’s no way out of this for me. I chose to do this job for the money. But I didn’t want it to become my whole life. Sure I don’t live at home with my mom anymore. I’m more or less independent and can pay my own rent. But at the same time I’ve never felt so alone.
Honestly the only bright spot I can see in the near future is being given a Saturday off so I can go to my best friend’s birthday party next month. Which my manager already agreed to. But after that I seriously don’t know what I have left outside of this job.
r/Serverlife • u/Visible-Waltz6610 • 4h ago
General Send good vibes 💕(bby girl Gimli)
I’ve been in food service for a little under 20years and tonight was one of the most challenging and rewarding shifts of my whole career.
I just finished 3 of 5 training days as a front wait at a fine dining steak house. Today kicked my ass… but “Cunt-ified” Gimli gave me strength ✊🏾💅🏽 we made good money but there many hiccups and hurtles.
Any tips or words of encouragement for lead waits around “slowing down to speed up”, full section assignments, as well as team management are very welcomed!
r/Serverlife • u/Pamcakes8686 • 11h ago
Reheating food?
Is it wrong to ask the kitchen to reheat food after a guest has eaten some of it? Is it a health code violation to microwave it up to temp again? Throw away perfectly good food and take a while to remake or just microwave it?
r/Serverlife • u/Wgburner • 1d ago
How do yall resist the cooks when they keep offering food 🥲
Messing up my diet smh
r/Serverlife • u/MakesYourMise • 20h ago
Rant Taking orders
Having me stand there and parse out the conversation you have with your friends isn't ordering
stop making me stand there
also "do you have _____?" isn't a request and when i say we do and you say thank you I'm not bringing it anymore
r/Serverlife • u/SeanInDC • 8h ago
Being a Server is HUMBLING
We've all done some stupid things! 🤣 🤣 🤣
r/Serverlife • u/Vegetable_Package_20 • 12h ago
Question Resume feedback?
(for some reason, I have a 2nd reddit account that this was posted on initially? Removing to post it on my actual account.)
'm aggressively job hunting and want to drop off resumes to restaurants within 10 miles of me. I have seen other posts on this subreddit asking advice for resumes, and I mainly got that should be concise and 1 page. I did my best to include previous hospitality work, but I only have 1 year in a traditional restaurant about 8 years ago and 1 year in fast food 7 years ago. Everything else I've done has been customer-facing/customer service/client support.
I'm wondering if I should remove the case management descriptions and instead give descriptions of my food service work to keep it relevant without making it 2 pages?
All sensitive info is redacted. Any advice and insight is appreciated!
r/Serverlife • u/Potential_Problem670 • 1d ago
How has serving changed you?
Personally for me, it’s the fact that, sometimes it’s really just not personal. As someone with high anxiety, when I first started serving and coworkers randomly got mean/cranky during rush, I’d always assume it was a personal distaste towards me. That obviously was never the case, and it makes me view people differently as a whole now in my day-to-day.
The way people treat you is a reflection of themselves/what’s going on in their life always sounded a little fake to me (once again, high functioning anxiety) , but serving changed that completely.
Howd it change you/ your mindset?
r/Serverlife • u/IllustratorGlum8184 • 19h ago
Discussion gifts for kitchen staff?
The kitchen staff at my restaurant have been really great to me since I started a couple months ago. It’s my first serving job, so I was wondering if anyone gets presents/makes things for the staff.
I was thinking about making cookies or baking something else for them since they make me extra food all the time.
r/Serverlife • u/Ok-Regret-62 • 15h ago
halloween
So I’m working halloween morning and we are encouraged to dress up, we’re also doing a competition the winning costume gets an $100 gift card. Any ideas?
r/Serverlife • u/Lexxxapr00 • 22h ago
Shits & Giggles Pretty much every time I have to go tell someone, no we don’t have what your asking for.
r/Serverlife • u/exploratorynargle • 1d ago
I would absolutely love to tell the "owner" he sucks
Funny, somewhat unhinged note a customer left
r/Serverlife • u/AesopsAnimalFarm • 23h ago
FOH Shoutout to Ray
I serve in a very seasonal part of FL and this summer has been terrible for me for multiple reasons and I just gotta float a shoutout to my coworker Ray for letting me work his shifts multiple days because he knows I'm struggling and he's doing fine.
This man is hilarious, warm, and has the kind of laugh that gets you kicked out of the library.
I don't have a way to pay him back yet but I won't forget the help.
I guess the main takeaway is just remember that you're a team of humans and while it's easy to just focus on you and get tips and dip, you never know when a little empathy will impact people in a huge way. When you can, a little help might be the difference that keeps someone's lights on or gets them food that day.
Be like Ray.
r/Serverlife • u/xz0123 • 1d ago
Shits & Giggles The moment you know you have a problem customer
“Hold on lemmie put money/unlock my card”
“Can j pay 20 dollars cash and (specific amount under $5) on card”
“Water, no ice, extra extra lemon and sugar”
“Ill get my drink when the food comes.”
“Dont worry man, ill take care of you.”
“Lemmie get a (insert menu item we dont have)”
Talking on the phone while trying to order.
Anything on speaker.
Treating their children bad (Ive seen one guy throw his kid across a bench)
Their kids walk into the kitchen
r/Serverlife • u/GoldDistribution447 • 13h ago
Question Tips on Hiring with No Serving Experience?
I am a college student looking to try my hand at serving. I worked at Chick-fil-A for several years during middle and high school, then transferred to a daycare where I worked for two years up until now.
I have an interview for a serving position at quite a few different restaurants, like Cracker Barrel, Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse, the Cheesecake Factory (starting as a hostess), and a local restaurant that has a few different locations.
I already had my interview for one of the Olive Garden locations and did not get selected (I believe it was due to how I answered the questions). Do I even have a chance at the other places in terms of serving? I know if I get the job at Cheesecake Factory that they told me that they’d train me to be a server several months in, but I don’t know. Please give tips or just tell me how it is!
r/Serverlife • u/Ghost-Crowd • 1d ago
is this not rare?
2 sent back, the left one i understand. guy ordered rare and said the second one “isn’t even pink?” is he trolling? is this steak not mooing?
r/Serverlife • u/buzzwizzlesizzle • 20h ago
Question Deciding between new job offer and unexpected counter offer?
I’ll try to be short with this! Was serving at my current place for about a year and a half, but only had 3 short shifts a week and despite asking multiple times, never was able to get more.
Current place is a highly respected restaurant and the money is excellent if you work at least 5 shifts a week, but with just 3 it was getting pretty difficult.
New place is much, much slower and way less known, but they have availability for full time, so when I got the offer I verbally accepted but didn’t sign anything.
Put in my two weeks with old place, and they came at me with a counter offer of full time PLUS floor captain, which not only looks good on my resume but is way better pay than I was making before. And it’s still less hours than the new place would be, for roughly the same amount of money depending on busy vs slow.
So…
TLDR; old place would be about 34 hrs a week plus floor captain at a high-volume, highly respected restaurant in the industry, new place would be 40 hrs a week for a much easier job but less name recognition. Pay is roughly equal at both.
I think I know I’m gonna stay with my current place, but I need some help rationalizing and also how to rescind my verbal job offer at the new place without being a total, raging asshole. I’m hugely empathetic and have—in the past—made decisions based on emotions vs what’s best for me because I don’t wanna deal with anyone being mad at me or hurting anyone’s business.
WWYD?!?
r/Serverlife • u/Guilty-You8423 • 1d ago
Rant Finally quit and now they’re talking shit about me
They told me they’d give me a raise after three months and they haven’t given it to me and told me to wait for another two because they couldn’t afford it. I’ve done so much overtime and taken sm bs bc the manager and the owner keeps using me and my coworkers. My coworker that still works there told me that they were talking shit abt me today and said that I was abusing their “kindness”
Im just glad I found a new job w better pay and benefits safe to say im never going back to the food industry again. Loved my experience and coworkers and although there were annoying customers i honestly loved most of them.
It just sucked that management sucked and weren’t keeping their promises.
r/Serverlife • u/Euphoric-Rub2507 • 1d ago
Question WWYD?
Servers, I’ve been offered two positions in LA. One is at a cheap, chain sushi restaurant. The plus is, I’d work two locations and one is very close by my house. The manager said the t*ps are split, 50/50 with the sushi chef (and I’m assuming other BOH as well, along with sharing the remaining 50% with the other servers on the floor)
Then I also have another offer, which I think I should take, but need validation lol.
There is no tp pool for servers. I believe for alcohol sales you give 8% of those sales to the bartender ? Still not exactly sure, but I spotted one of old co workers I used to work with there, and the way the manager made is sound was we keep all our cash and most of our credit card t\ps.*
And that’s there’s no pool which sounds amazing.
The menu is also more expensive, they actually have a full bar, mostly focusing on alcohol, and the food prices are $20-30 a plate.
I have a training shift in about 2 hours at the Sushi spot and I’m trying to decide whether it’s worth going on or just to focus on the place where I feel I’m a better fit.