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April 3, 2007

Gratuitous Education

Students fund their living expenses and lifestyles on tips from waiting tables

Story by: Zabrina Ransom

The Shorthorn staff

The Shorthorn: Mykah Wright

Education sophomore Dara Young shows how the new electronic ordering system works. It’s covered with a protective covering because it is dropped a lot.

At just past 10 on a Saturday morning, the lobby in Arlington’s Studio Movie Grill is practically empty.

Although the day has yet to begin, a smile on the faces of two servers dressed entirely in black signifies that the place is open for business.

In one theater, theater senior Mykla Rhodes wields her PDA to take orders from families of eager children while education sophomore Dara Young greets them with a handshake before a special screening of Meet the Robinsons.

The day’s work will lead to hundreds of dollars in tips, which is common for the servers. But they represent a number of students on campus who pay for school, living expenses or activities by what customers leave on the table after they have been served.

Rhodes and Young have worked at the venue since its January opening, and with their work schedules, they have no time to hold other jobs. Though they work at the same business, they spend their earnings differently.

While Young focuses on paying her tuition and moving into her own place, Rhodes takes care of her apartment and splurges.

“It pays my rent, bills and extra things I want to do,” she said. “I can make rent on the weekend.”

Young worked at Rockfish Seafood Grill restaurant before Studio Movie Grill and said she made less cash there from six tables than the 50-table section she serves now.

“I love it here,” Young said. “The managers are friendly.”

Rhodes agrees.

“Everyone here is close,” she said. “They work with your schedule.”

Sociology senior Tereasa Jackson worked at Cracker Barrel restaurant before waiting tables at Razoo’s restaurant. She also makes more now, bringing in $400-$600 in tips per week.

The Shorthorn: Mykah Wright

Theater senior Mykla Rhodes takes an order from Max Sanchez, 4, of Grand Prairie as his family listens. She said that working for tips has not been too hard as a server for Arlington’s Studio Movie Grill.

Jackson uses the money she makes to pay for typical expenses, rent and school but is also saving for a summer conference trip to Ghana.

“I can make money instantly,” she said about her job. “I don’t have to sit down all day.”

Rhodes rakes in $450 in tips, and Young has never made less than $200. They typically work in teams of three or four people, sometimes more, where they may divide tips.

“It’s like a team effort,” Rhodes said. “If you help that person, it’s your tip, too.”

Studio Movie Grill holds special screenings, and the servers get $10 an hour for those events.

The server’s job is to take orders at tables, give refills and give the checks 50 minutes before the movie ends. Young said they have had problems with patrons walking out on their tickets in the past. Now, computers show all the tables to see how many are left in the theater and to make sure the customers don’t leave.

And the tips aren’t always nice, either. Rhodes said one woman left her $6 in change. Young was once given 23 cents.

As for Jackson, the worse tip she ever received was getting none at all, which happened three times on her shift Sunday.

“A lot of people do that. It can be frustrating, but you get over it,” she said. “After a while, other people tip and can make up for it.”