The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-11-04

Can IRE, Dut ne cannot hire.
The head waiter in a ,first-class hotel,'
said the manager of a down town hostel
~, lis paid from $50 to $1OO a month
and board Figure up what it costs a
man for board outside, and you will see
that the average clerk or bookkkeeper
has a small income in comparison with
head waiter. .s
HIS POWERS AND DUTIES.
He Is In full charge of all the subor-
dsnate walters, is responsible for every
thing that goes on in the dining room,
and can discharge any waiter who comes
under his displeasure. But he cannot en-
gage anybody. He is thus prevented
from letting out competent help merely
that friends of his may get the 'jobs:
When he needs help he makes out card
stating how many men he needs, sends it
to the Office, and the men are engaged.
"A really A. i head waiter is worth his
salary. There is something about his
massive dignity, his perfect control of
his subordinates, hisssattention to the
comfort and enjoyment of every guest,
that gives the patrons a feeling Of ease
and pleasure. They like to eat in a, place
where every detail is seen to by so able
a man. He almost ihypnotizes them They
believe that he makes it. a special point
to find them, the best seats, to send them
the cleyerest and quickest walters ito
see that nothing is too not or too cold,
and that the best portions of everything
are served to their particular table. The
head waiter is necessity.
WAGES OF SECOND WAITER. Z:
Second walters get s45 month and
allow tipping. Yes, know that the aver>
age waiter cannot resist a tip and will
naturally do his best for the patron
whom he knows to be a liberal Upper
The head waiter, I fully believe; always
does his hestznot to see the other walters
accepting any tips. It would not be
policy for him to hover, hawlklike, in the
a1sles and stop every man who was ac-
ceptlng money-so, irrespective of the.
rules, he forgets to look at the man who
is taking the dime or quarter
ss In hotels where indiscriminate tipping
goes on at all times a second waiter will
about equal his salary with tips-that IS
to say, his income from gifts per month
will be from $40 to $50. do not think
that head walters exact percentage OF
Ups from their assistants, although i
have heard rumOrs of such doings."
/. NOT FOR ORDINARY MEN.
"A particularly stately. head waiter de-
clared that his profession was one in
which no ordinary man could hope to
shine. ,.
To be success as a head waiter. and
to gain the salary which is attached to
the position" said he, a man must be
suave, quick witted and commanding. He
must be able to enforce perfect obedience
among his second walters without having
to bully them or threaten to fire them
half the time. He must be a man of good
appearance-that goes without saying No
one OF Sscrubby or undignified appearance
could hold the respect of his employees or
act in q manner pleasing to the diners
Many head. walters are wealthy. and
several men whom I could name have
bought hotels Of their own, in two Or
three cases the very hotels in which thew
We're employed. A man. in such q posi.
ton should be able to save a large per-
centage Of his salary, and the knowledge
which ne gains during his career as a.
mead waiter should certainly At him for
taurant. a, 80
do not believe that many second
walters graduate to the rank Of head
walters. Good head waters are born, not
tons ~ IS S5ss f7sT1gs91SS'
J: lips? Well, in New York, Washing
ton or New Orleans tips will run from
$50 a month.upward do not think thew
VIII average more than 80 q month In
Chicago. No. the head waiter does not
demand a percentages from his subor.
dinates. Unless he could keep an eagle
eye on every walter and note down the
exact amount each man received he could
not get a fair percentages the men would
knock down on him and not report one.
NTH OF the tips presented them. The
head waiter himself occasfonaIlys receives
Handsome gifts from old patrons. but lle
does not figure on such things as a rule.
+ He does not need to- "a g 1.