The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1901-01-30
TRICKS OF WATERS.
METHODS BY WHICH THEY INCREASE
THEIR REVENUES.
They Get Small Wages, hut Manage
10 swell Their Pay by Tips ny
Making Mistakes aud by "StnndinS
In with the Cashier"

10 Swell Their Pay ny TIPS ny
Making Mistakes aud by "StnEairB
In with the Cashier"
Men who patronize the German resorts
which are n combination OF barroom,
club. restaurant and debating society and
possess many of the characteristics Of the
real German "bierlokal' have seen
great change in the manner Of conduct
ing them in the last few years. There
are still some places where the regular
customer, the "Stammgast,' makes his
own score and tells the waiter how much
he owes when he leaves the place, and
there are many places where the walters
call for what they want for their patrons
and make lump settlement before go
ing home. But those are the small places,
and even in these there are cash regis
ters as checks on the person who finally
handles the money.
But in the larger establishments there
are many elaborate systems by when
the waiter is held in check and COM
PEELED to curb his inclination 10 tip HIM
self. A system which was introduced
hy one Of the largest resorts OF this KIND
is known us the metal check system.
When the waiter goes 10 work, he buys
$40 worth OF metal checks, and with
these he pays for what he takes from
the bar. At the end OF the day or night
he receives cash from the cashier for
the checks still in his possession.
THAT system worked splendidly,' said
an old waiter. "as long as the cashier
was honest. but when he formed COM
bination with a waiter or with several
il became an easy matter to make nice
Bit every day. \ waiter would throw
down a dollar check and receive twice
as much in change, and at the end OF
the day or week there would be a d.
vision. Could this last? Well, | should
think so. | have been here for seven
years, and in that time several $40 a
week cashiers have opened places OF
their own.
"Some Of the best places in town be-
long 10 men who were walters and cash
iers, and when they become proprietors
their help does them just as they did
their former bosses, But the metal
checks were not enough for the new
saloon people, and they put In a new
thing, in which many slips, rubber
stamps, cash registers and spoilers were
employed 10 keep the cash out OF the
walters pockets.
"Well, that was the worst of all. Com
binations can be made In that game just
as well as in the old one, and at one
place the walters ran things so high that
the smart ones cleared rs much as $40
n night Wait till | get this ORDER and
he halted in his German discourse.
"Yes." he resumed, its pretty hard
for an honest man, because he gets no
credit for being honest, The boss knows
that he's being swindlcd, but he makes
money just the same. ana II he got all
| he made he would be able 10 ride about
in a carriage on his day on the same as
the cashier does. Low wages do ii all.
/ 4 cashier gets from $40 to $50 week
and handles all the cash, and he natural
ly pays himself a little every day on
/ account. lie usually swears at the wait
crs and puts ON a stern front, but those
who know all about the business will tell
you that the walters at whom he yells
the most are the ones who are his secret
| partners.
~ waiter at bier kneipe' gets the
| princely pay Of 81 TO 81 n week. In
some OF the best places there are old
hands who get as much as s., but they
are few. They 20 on duty at 6 O'Clock
In the evening and remain until O'Clock
In the morning, and in those places where
there are dancing halls in connection
with the regular business the walters
often have to remain until o'clock and
later. Many OF these walters have
down town jobs during the day, wher,
they work from 10 o'clock in the morning
until In the afternoon for 81 week
What do you think Of thatT And after
propounding that question the waiteI
hurried of 20 fill an order.
but the waiter doesn't get left" ht
resumed, making marks on the pad which
he carried. "and tips make the jobs worth
holding. In places like this walters make
good pay even when they don't stand in
with the cashier. Men give big tips q
show of before the women, and at times
when there's a fight at a table as 10 who
| shall pay, when every one insists that he
/ should foot the bill, the fellows who get
/ off free usually tip the waiter literally,
but in such way that every one at the
table sees just how much they give,
Cases Of that kind make up for those
where a man gets even with the house for
serving beer with too much or too little
collar or poor sandwich, or fiat 81
phon OF water, or mustard with fly in
it, by refusing TO give the waiter tip
Making a mistake In addition is fine
way to make an extra dollar in those
places where the check is not made out
at the desk. but, taking it all Ia all, stand
ing in with the cashier is the best game.
Many walters in up town establish
ments took their first degree In the serv'
ice in Bowery resorts where Drawn and
muscle were counted among the necessa
ry requisites for success. The old waiter
was one OF this class. In speaking Of his
early experience he said:
Down there we had to serve a rough
tough gang and often had TO fight fol
our pay. Occasionally we could do q
man who had too much or forgot to set
tie for a trayful Of stuff at the bar, Of
maybe sneak a couple Of glasses In tn,
rush. But that's the only way there wa!
of making an extra cent The bOsse:
know that, and that's why walters in the
Bowery district, WHO'RE tips are scarce
get three times as much pay as the mer
who work up town. \ good, stout waiter
who will keep sober during business
hours can make Sl5 a week in wages in
some Bowery places"
The waiter stopped in his discourse to
greet three men who took their places at
an empty table with the air Of men who
were prepared to make an evening Of it.
Beer in large glasses was served to them
without much delay, and then the waiter
whispered: Those are the customers we