The Mezzanine

Actually, correction. My last waitressing job paid $2.13/hr.

A few years ago, the government tried to make restaurants raise the minimum wage to $3.13/hr, but they reversed that decision because I think too many restaurants were going out of business.

Serving jobs are pretty horrible that way. Bartending jobs are better because you'll either have a base of at least $4/hr + tips or even up to $10/hr + tips.

Sometimes it's awful and you make nothing. Sometimes you can make oodles. It's very capricious. Also, the better you are as a hustler (double entendre intended) the more money you'll make. I've known servers who work a double shift and walk home with $200 for 9 hours of work, but that's not the norm.

I'd average $10-15/hr waiting tables, but the problem is that your hours are often limited, so you don't have the opportunity to work full-time unless you fight for shifts.