Thread: What do you think sharing 50% of tips with the restaurant owner?

Originally Posted by Marianna

Unfortunately there are dancers who would accept those circumstances, but also a lot of us would not.
It is really funny the way it worked out, because I was planning on going last week, but they had a private event so I went now. And this specific night the dancer was late because she was coming from Mexico.

I am not even counting on them calling me, if they do great, but they might stick with the dancers who would accept less.

A few years ago an owner called me from a hookah lounge (this was actually in 2005, and I told him how much I charged, which was $10 more than what he payed. He tried to negotiate it down, I wouldn't let him. Then he said ok, but please don't tell others. I didn't. I danced there 3 times, then he didn't call, and I heard that because he didn't want some of his favorite dancers there to find out he was paying me more.
I didn't care, for me it was about the principal. About a year or 2 later he called me again and I danced there for a while. And guess what: by that time he raised his compensation to what I was asking for.
The key is not to get desperate. I didn't care that I didn't dance there for a year or so, there are so many other places. But owners / people remember you and respect you for sticking to your values.

I sent an email to the house dancer so she can't assume the worst. She's pissed and thinks I am in the wrong. She said I should have told her out of courtesy that I was going to the restaurant. WTF? I have to announce to her that I am going to have dinner???

oh my gosh that is rediculas that we need to inform her. when we are not dancing we are patriens. who can eat any where we like. it is all in her head and it is sad to be like that.

Yes, Nadirah, you're right. No one ever informs me when they come to a place I dance at :)) (even when I was a house dancer / scheduler). I'm just happy to see people, I don't take it that they're there to steal my job :) And that's how 99% of the dancers I know are.

Is the owner dancing too? If not, HELL the to Mutha *#&$^% NAW!

maybe it's time to revive this thread :)
last night I got a call from the scheduling dancer to see if I could fill in. It was last minute, but since i already was out, why not?

I was wondering how the payment issue would work itself out. The dancers are still getting paid less than what I and most dancers charge for restaurants, and I do believe they still take half of their tips. When I was there a few months ago, it was understood how much I get paid and that no one touches my tips. But at that time I communicated directly with one of the owners, and now it was with the house dancer. The owner could clearly say that he didn't promise me more money this time.

so I put my tips away and figured if they ask for half I would probably laugh in their faces, because it's not like it was so much money anyways. Then, at the end of the night the house dancer (who was there) asked me if I got paid, lead me to up to one of the new owners. (This place has like 2-3 owners, brothers). She told him I needed to get paid, I wanted to make it clear that I needed my rate, but didn't want confrontation and make the house dancer feel weird. So I told the owner in Arabic. He was first very surprised, but the other owner was there, too, who reassured him that that's what it is. We kind of made a joke out of the fact that the conversation was in Arabic, and that it was obvious why, and then he paid me what I asked for. he didn't really hesitate, he was just surprised, I guess.
I thought it was cool, that I got what I asked for without getting into it, looking bitchy, and the house dancer probably had no clue what was going on :)

so all I can say is that stick to your values. This place didn't call me all this time to dance, and part of the reason was that I asked for more, I think, but I don't care.