Is is common to be hired in a bar as a bartender just for tips at first?
Asked by ScoobyDoo
How can you get a bar manager to hire you just for tips at first while training you so you don't commit to it if it is not your cup of tea, and so they can see if you are an asset to the place or not ? ? What could you say to them durring the interview ?

Best Answer:
They can't do it for you. Labor laws state you must be an employee to be trained. They also state that as a tipped bartender you have a minimum wage - albeit lower than the norm.

I have managed bars before as well as bartended (which more money was made, of course). I have never hired in a new bartender and paid them just tips during their training period. All employees, ie cocktails and bartenders, were paid a higher wage during training and did not receive tips. However, if you worked more than you were in the way while training, I know of some fellow employees that would give the trainee a tip-out for his/her help. But, that was not expected of them. When the employee is through with his training time, the hourly wage is dropped and then he acquires tips. I always told the trainees to stick with it, because they could see how much money was being made by the employees on just tips.
Answered by ladybug