For servers, the real money is made on the weekends. Friday and Saturday nights are especially lucrative, while weekday and breakfast shifts typically bring in less money.
TikToker Caitlin Beth (@caaitlinbeth) has gone viral for showing just how little the take-home is on these less desirable shifts.
“Let’s see how much money I can make on a Monday night at Dave & Buster’s,” Beth says to start the video. She then shows several clips of her co-workers. It appears that a lot of the footage she takes is a means of passing the time as she waits for customers to arrive, which is confirmed later in the video.
“Just waiting on a table because where the heck are they at? They’re not at Dave & Buster’s; I’ll tell you that,” she says. The video then transitions to Beth eating a plate of nachos, which she paid $5 for after her 50 percent employee discount.
Beth then pans her camera over a desolate dining area lined with empty tables. “Here is how dead it was. What the heck? Where’s all the tables at? Who’s hiding the tables from me?” she jokingly questions.
To stay busy, Beth rolls up silverware. She says she rolled up two buckets worth before she finally received her pay for the night.
“Your girl had a whopping two tables. And after two tables, I made $29. Yeah, it’s been rough,” she says.
@caaitlinbeth Lets see how much money I can make on a slow Monday night at Dave & Busters🪩🤍 #daveandbusters #server #servertiktok #servervolg #howmuchimakeinaday #howmuchmoneyimake #howmuchimakeinaweek #servertok #servertips #dayinthelifevlog #Vlog #restaurant #resturantlife #waitressproblems #waitress #serverpov #serverstruggles #viral #fyp ♬ original sound – Caitlin Beth 🪩
In the comments section of Beth’s video, many viewers were surprised at how little the TikToker made that night.
One commenter said they would immediately leave their job if they only received two tables: “2 tables ?!!! That’s enough for me to put in my two weeks.”
A second pointed out that Beth’s take-home was even lower when factoring in the cost of her meal: “29 minus the 5 for food lol.”
Another commented: “$29 would have me on the floor crying.”
However, some commenters were unsurprised by how Beth’s shift turned out.
One commenter who said they worked at Dave & Buster’s suggested that this sort of evening is common in the dining area: “I used to work at DB this is accurate af.”
Another commenter said their workplace had a similar lack of customers and urged people to dine out more: “it’s been dead out here too, people please go out to eat.”
According to Convenience.org, Americans want to eat out more but are “pulling back on discretionary spending, including dining out, as inflation takes its toll.”
The Daily Dot contacted Dave & Buster’s and Beth via email for further information.
