“It’s Easy When You Pretty”: SA Waitress Flexes Pay After 16-Hour Shift

• A South African waitress shared a video showing bundles of cash she earned during a single 16-hour shift at work
• With waitresses earning an average of R6,465 monthly in SA, her tip haul sparked conversations about service industry earnings
• Social media users were amazed by her earnings, with some sharing how waitressing funded their university education

A young South African waitress left social media buzzing after showing off the impressive amount of cash she earned during one gruelling 16-hour shift this May.

Content creator @nadiasayshi_ shared a TikTok video at the end of her workweek, displaying bundles of R200, R100, R50, R20, and R10 notes sprawled across her lap. The video gave viewers a glimpse into the financial rewards of working in the service industry, especially where one receives tips.

The post was shared with the caption:

"Gap year ain’t for the weak😔 My wallet after a 16-hour shift as a waitress."

Waitress earnings surprise many

The video sparked widespread discussion about earnings in South Africa's hospitality sector. According to recent data, the average waitress's salary in the country sits at R6,465 per month, with Cape Town offering the highest wages at R9,164 monthly.

However, tips can significantly boost these earnings, and legally, gratuities don't count towards minimum wage requirements. This means that staff must still receive their full base salary regardless of tip income.

Many restaurants across Johannesburg and Pretoria operate under Bargaining Council jurisdiction, while other areas follow the Hospitality Sectoral Determination guidelines. These regulations ensure that even when staff earn tips, employers must still pay the prescribed minimum wage for every hour worked.

Some establishments also employ commission-based waiters who earn percentages from sales. However, their hourly rate must still meet minimum wage standards regardless of additional tip income. The combination of base salary, commission, and gratuities can create opportunities for those willing to work long hours in busy restaurants.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi reacts to cash flex

The impressive display of earnings caught the attention of many South Africans, who flooded the comments section with their own experiences and reactions:

@Natalisa gushed:

"Worked at Spur as a waitress and it paid for my law school."

@TAylor joked:

"It's easy when you're pretty 💀"

@desiree pleaded:

"Girl where?? Lemme come work with you 😭🙏🏼"

@thabang celebrated:

"So we're all making money on our gap year? I love this for us 🤣"

@Kari shared:

"Haibo, I've worked 24 hours with a payment of R200😭😭"

@jazzy confirmed:

"I can confirm, this is so real 😭😭 Although, we have our days."

@H revealed:

"One time this guy tipped me R2.6k because I got his order wrong and he felt bad for me… Money was great but not worth my mental health."

@RubyRubz96 noted:

"Wow, it's better to be a waiter than a chef 🤣👏 Lol, if only we the chefs can get that for the food we cook ✨"

Other waitress stories making headlines

• Briefly News recently reported on a hardworking waitress who celebrated her graduation, showing how she balanced restaurant work with her studies to achieve academic success.
• A cheeky South African man had Mzansi in stitches after he pretended it was his birthday at Spur, receiving special treatment from his waitress in a hilarious viral clip.
• Social media was left divided after footage emerged of an angry waitress throwing hot chips at a customer, sparking debates about workplace behaviour in the service industry.

Source: Briefly News