A cook is a professional who prepares food for dining guests. Diners often leave tips to demonstrate their satisfaction with the food or service they have received or to express thanks for an inclusive menu with various options. Some establishments ask servers to pool tips or to tip out other staff at the end of the shift. In this case, the cook may receive a portion of the tips. However, because they rarely interact directly with the dining guests, cooks rarely get tips directly. Some restaurants are also experimenting with including a service fee on the guest check or increasing menu prices to include the value of a tip so that wages may be higher for non-tip positions. States have different labor laws about tipping and wages, so be sure to look up your local regulations.
According to Nolo.com, it is illegal for restaurants to make waiters split their tips with line cooks or any kitchen (back of the house) staff. Line cooks do not get tips unless tipped employees voluntarily share their tips.
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Line Cook Talk #22 | Line Cook Tips & Tricks PT. 1
FAQ
Do line cooks share in tips?
Can you make money as a line cook?
Do servers split tips with cooks?
What can a line cook do?
Every line cook can aspire to a larger role: sous chef, executive chef, food and beverage director, owner, restaurant manager, etc. All that is required is a commitment to grow. The challenge is that those positions do not simply come your way because you are close at hand.
Is a line cook a good job?
When it works, it is incredibly gratifying and fun. Keep in mind that the ability to keep this pace up becomes more limited as you age, so the line cook’s job should be viewed as a pathway rather than an end game.
What does it take to be a line cook?
All that is required is a commitment to grow. The challenge is that those positions do not simply come your way because you are close at hand. Line cooks with a vision need to invest the time and seek out opportunities to learn and grow.
How much should you tip in the kitchen?
We’re talking about tipping the people in the kitchen who make $10-$12 an hour. The line cook prepping the mise en place, the prep cook washing the kale, and the dishwasher doing the dishes. Like an old man in a retirement home, plates don’t wash themselves.