Highest paying restaurant jobs

Working as a server can be an ideal strategy to earn quick cash without having to start a business and have the potential to earn higher hourly wages than a traditional retail or other hourly job.

These were compiled from feedback in Glassdoor.com and a restaurant server forum.  Places with higher tip potential are listed towards the top, although the bottom ones do have good tip potential compared to all restaurants, they just have a lower average in this particular list.

I did list three positions that pretty much only females would do well, like Hooters, beer cart girl, and night club waitress, but the rest should work for both sides.  If you have any other suggestions, by all means let us know in the comments! –

1. Any steak house or a high end restaurant (will most likely need previous server experience).  Bartenders do well here too.
2. Beer cart girl at country club golf course.  Good option for those without restaurant experience.
3. Hooters – one waitress stated it was rare she left her shift with less than $150
4. Waitress or bartender at a downtown night club – go where the crowds (and volume) are.  You’ll work hard, but the tips should be better than average.
5. Cheesecake Factory – has good night crowd that can result in decent tippage
6. Cracker Barrel – better to work here during the day, night crowds could be lighter.  Total bill will be smaller than upper scale restaurants, but the crowd and table churning can make up the tips.
7.  Carrabas Italian Grill – good tips, “The hours are awesome…you only work four to six hours a night and can sometimes walk with $100 or more a shift,” one employee notes in a review.
8. Texas Roadhouse – good tips, has been noted to have good family environment and corporate support
9. Outback Steakhouse – good tips, hourly wage is usually on low end
10. California Pizza Kitchen – free pizza and pasta
11. TGI Fridays
12. PF Changs – although tips are good, has been noted management can be hard to work with.
13. Red Robin – decent tips, management are usually very flexible with schedules
14. Chili’s
15. Applebees

One other tip seen is to find a server job at a nice downtown place that has a busy lunch crowd.  Something that might be known for corporate meetings and such, resulting in big tabs.  This could be an option if you’re not looking for an evening shift.

Do you have additional suggestions you might have from experience or from friends?