Where to wait tables in Seattle... (Olympia: sales, hotel, wedding)

[scm17ca]

My two daughters and I relocated here about a month ago, and I need some advice. We moved to the Olympia area the day before the flood hit. I still can't find work, so we want to head on up to Seattle.
My question is, where should I begin applying for a waitress job? I'm 40, so I understand there are a lot of places that won't hire me, but there should still be a few who will. In the interests of saving a lot of cash in parking, I was hoping some of you have eaten out enough to know where I should start.
I was working at an upscale place in Dallas, and was able to clear around $1,000 a week, so I know it can be done. I don't have to make that, but do have a lot of experience in fine dining, so I don't really want to work at IHOP either, y'know? Please help! Savings are dwindling....
Thanks.

[ElkHunter]

With age and experience, you should go after a managers position. Like you say, waiting tables they want the younger crowd. But to ramrod them, they want experience and know how.

[pwright1]

In downtown Seattle:

Wild Ginger
Union Square Grill
Flying Fish
Dalhia Lounge
Palace Kitchen
Tulio
Oceanaire
Purple
Cascadia
W Hotel
El Gaucho
The Capitol Grill (opening 2/08)
Ruth Chris
Cheesecake Factory
Gordon Biersch
Il Fornaio

Just to name a few

[Woof]

Which of those gets fairly steady business all year round, pwright? This time of year the touristy places may be letting people go rather than hiring. I'm interested also in case I make my way up there during the monsoon season.

[wannabeaTexan]

Originally Posted by Woof

Which of those gets fairly steady business all year round, pwright? This time of year the touristy places may be letting people go rather than hiring. I'm interested also in case I make my way up there during the monsoon season.

They are downtown...I don't think you have to worry about a touristy season.

[disaffected pee n.w.]

you walked away from a waitressing job in dallas where you cleared a grand a week at the ripe old age of forty? tell you what: you can have my job (i'm forty-three, make okay money where i work) if you don't mind being made crazy by mismanagement and general lassitude among your fellow workers and if i can have your old job in dallas.

that information alone is enough to reignite my interest in moving to the dallas area. because i am relocating soon, it's just a matter of when...

good luck. don't let the age thing bother you. your resume speaks for itself, and youth, while it looks pretty, isn't everything in this prima-donna laden business. having a killer work ethic counts for a lot, when all the little darlings start to fall by the wayside because they have tickets to the gorge this week or a wedding to go to or another job that takes precedence, guess who'll be holding the fort?

pwright's right: there's essentially a metric ton of restaurants in this town to choose from. get your butt out there and apply. if i were better connected, i'd help you find something. if i were leaving tomorrow, i'd give you my job.

~heather

[bellabella2]

My brother in law is part owner of a restaurant/bar in Seattle... Not sure of the situation there but I heard that they had to fire the bartender... I know they hire waitstaff. Maybe it sucks to work there... I am also not sure how good the place is.. I visited only one day and it was packed.. It is in the Pike Place area..
email me if you want more info...
Perhaps there is something..

[scm17ca]

Thank you for all your help. I have a couple of leads, much more luck than I had in Olympia....there's practically no fine dining there!
Although, I must say, a couple of the replies made me feel really old. "Ripe old age of 40?" I always considered myself "only 40." I worked with people in Dallas 20 years older than me, who made more money than I did because they had more experience. Maybe this area is more youth-obsessed than Texas, but I hope not.
Anyway, I got some excellent leads from some of your posts, and I appreciate the supportive ones.....
Rock on!

[Treefriend]

Originally Posted by brookmole

My two daughters and I relocated here about a month ago, and I need some advice. We moved to the Olympia area the day before the flood hit. I still can't find work, so we want to head on up to Seattle.
My question is, where should I begin applying for a waitress job? I'm 40, so I understand there are a lot of places that won't hire me, but there should still be a few who will. In the interests of saving a lot of cash in parking, I was hoping some of you have eaten out enough to know where I should start.
I was working at an upscale place in Dallas, and was able to clear around $1,000 a week, so I know it can be done. I don't have to make that, but do have a lot of experience in fine dining, so I don't really want to work at IHOP either, y'know? Please help! Savings are dwindling....
Thanks.

Try the Banners Dining Room at the downtown Sheraton. The only downside is that the dining room is 3/4 of a block long, so you will get your exercise, but the money should be pretty good...it's medium scale and the people who stay there have money.

Years ago the Sheraton was the official hotel for the NBA so when there was a Basketball game the away team would stay there.

I met Kareem Abdhul Jabar there. Those Moderator cut: players are huge.

[addcore]

Besides dining what other experience do you have? What do you want to do? What do you enjoy doing?

Several years ago I was working at McDonalds flipping burgers making $5.15/hr and got a raise to $5.50/hr.

I said, this isn't going to work, so I got into sales and massively improved my income but didn't like the commission, wanted something stable. I then got into technology by only a one week class and started making $40,000 right off the bat. Then moved to Cali and started working as a Network Engineer making $60,000. Said, nope this isn't enough and came up to Seattle. Within three days I was working at Microsoft making well over $80,000. Next year started making well over 6 figures. Now remember, this all happened over three-four years. I am now a manager at Expedia and decided to start my company helping others acheive their dreams as well.

It's all about the mindset you're in and the limits you impose on yourself. If you're comfortable making a $1000/week or as you said it can be done, then you've limited yourself to $1000/week MAX! No room for growth from there. Instead ask yourself, how can I make $60,000; how can I make $80,000. Heck, how can I make $100,000. This guy did it working at McDonalds - I can do better. In this frame of mind you'll start noticing different opportunities, you'll meet different people and you'll start quickly moving up the ladder.

I worked with this one guy; he was a waiter at ClaimJumpers. He made about 8-9/hr and wasn't happy. I did some 1-1 coaching, gave some interviewing tips, revamped his resume and got him a job within a week making $16/hr + overtime. This was all in one week. You can do it too.

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Originally Posted by brookmole

My two daughters and I relocated here about a month ago, and I need some advice. We moved to the Olympia area the day before the flood hit. I still can't find work, so we want to head on up to Seattle.
My question is, where should I begin applying for a waitress job? I'm 40, so I understand there are a lot of places that won't hire me, but there should still be a few who will. In the interests of saving a lot of cash in parking, I was hoping some of you have eaten out enough to know where I should start.
I was working at an upscale place in Dallas, and was able to clear around $1,000 a week, so I know it can be done. I don't have to make that, but do have a lot of experience in fine dining, so I don't really want to work at IHOP either, y'know? Please help! Savings are dwindling....
Thanks.