Birthdays are essentially your own private holiday. It’s the one day out of the year when everyone in your life is programmed to celebrate you.
Accordingly, many people opt not to work on their birthdays. A Hooters server recently decided to take the opposite course and clock in for her shift.
Judging by the tips she earned on her birthday, she’s glad she did.
Social media influencer Iana (@lolligrrl) posted a TikTok about her birthday shift at Hooters earlier in the week.
In the post, Iana has on her standard Hooters uniform in addition to a shiny sash that says, “It’s my birthday.”
“Come with me to see how much I make on my birthday at Hooters,” Iana says.
She then cuts to a clip from later in her shift. By then, she’s collected five $20 bills on her sash in addition to $129 in cash tips.
Later in her shift at Hooters, she says, “On card I’ve done $12, $24, and $14. Someone gave me $200, and another person gave me a 20.”
By the end of the day, Iana had made more money than some people make in a week.
“OK, so I just got off work, and since the last video I made, I think I had three more customers cash out,” she says. “So let’s count my money I made today together. I made $606.”
She’d expected to have a good day, but her tips that day exceeded those expectations.
“That is way more than I thought I was gonna make. I thought I was gonna make around $400. I’m really grateful for six [hundred],” she says.
The dozens of people who commented on Iana’s post added birthday well-wishes. Many jokingly said they’d claim their birthday was every day to earn tips like that.
“Do they hire guys? I’ll wear whatever,” Ollie joked, to which someone replied, “Bro speedo on and you all good to go.”
How Much Do Hooters Servers Make?
Front-of-the-house food service jobs are something of a gamble. Your tips depend on the restaurant, your skills, and a variety of other factors that can be difficult to quantify.
It’s commonly accepted that servers who work in restaurants like Hooters, where the typically all-female waitstaff wear revealing outfits, make more than those in other restaurants.
Three years ago, the New York Post reported that one Hooters server made nearly $400 during her shift. The year before, Business Insider reported that another made roughly the same amount in a shift.
That’s not bad for a single day’s work, particularly given that the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour equals less than $300 per week.
Even assuming that Hooters servers make more than, say, your average Applebee’s waitstaff, there’s still going to be a wide variation in tips per shift. Lunch typically makes less than dinner, for example, and weekend shifts often bring in more than weekdays.
And not everyone can land a job at Hooters.
What’s It Take To Be A Hooters Girl?
Generally speaking, Hooters servers are young, attractive, and fit. The chain is renowned for the hot young girls who sling wings and make customers feel a certain kind of way.
You have to be 18 or 21, depending on jurisdiction. And, while Hooters doesn’t specifically spell this out on its website, you have to look the part. Those iconic orange shorts, tights, and white t-shirts aren’t the ideal fit for everyone.
On its website, Hooters asks of potential applicants, “Do you have an athletic look and the all-American, cheerleader, surfer, girl next door image: beautiful and sexy yet wholesome, vivacious and friendly?”
Of the ideal Hooters girl, the company reiterates, “We look for the All-American Cheerleader/Girl-Next-Door image to fill our restaurants.”
Iana didn’t respond to inquiries sent via email and Instagram direct message.
@lolligrrl grateful 🙏🏼 #hooters #serverlife #server