I work in a small restaurant where tips are split 3 ways, between the two owners and myself. Is this legal??

No, I don't think it's legal but in any case it's not fair. You're the one that has to please the customers & probably get the blame if anything isn't right. Sounds like you do a lot more than is usually expected of an employee.

Too many people yell at the waiters if their food isn't to their standards.

If they don't change the tip sharing, ask for a raise.

How are the tips received? If there is a jar on the counter for cash tips, and tips are added on the credit card slip, I think this should be shared 3 ways, but tips actually handed to you should be kept for yourself. If it is a new business, they are probably not even earning as much as you do. They are probably putting all the profits back into the business. Do you earn a fair wage? Are they nice to you? Do you plan to stay there a long time? Could you earn more money working somewhere else where you get to keep your own tips? When you get interviewed for jobs it may sound petty if you ask what the tip system is, and if you do get the courage to ask, then later down the line the system can change at the owner's whim anyway. When I used to waitress, we used to keep our tips for ourselves and then the kitchen hands would complain they didn't get tipped. Some waitresses got lots of tips and some none. It depended on their bra size.

I think it makes the evening more exciting when it is a gamble amongst the staff to see who gets tipped the most. When the customers start to leave at the end of the night and the tips start coming in and someone gets $50 from one customer, it is a bit disconcerting to have to share it with another staff member who you don't even like. But then the next night it might be that other staff member getting $50. Anyway it is a boost to the ego to see that you have been tipped a lot. The restaurant has to do its part too cos customers who are constantly told they can't have this or that that they ordered an hour ago, cos it has now run out, well, they don't tip.

I think its fair just because they are out there doing some labor themselves. If they aren't out their doing some work then no they don't deserve the tips. Tips are given for your services so, how do you know whether or not they left the tip for you or them?.. Would you consider it unfair if you share a table with some else and you take all the tip?

legally they are working the floor, and should get gratuities for their interaction with the customers. As owners they are due the profits from their investment in the business. So all is fair if they take their fair share of the tips after they did their fair share of the work...

Yes it is legal..Its called a pool where everybody shares the tips and splits it after shift instead of keeping the tips u earned.I had 1 job like that and i ened making alot less because it i get a 50 buck tip from one table i feel i shouldnt have to split it with servers who get 10 bucks

I believe it's legal, but NOT fair. Unless you're being paid $15 an hour, the owner should keep his greedy mitts off your money. Tips are given for your service.

You should check out the legality, it doesn't sound right. You should work out how much they have ripped you off over the time you have been there and take it out of the till one day. Let them have the legal expense of trying to get the money back off you rather than you having to sue them.

It is legal and is fairly common in small family owned restaurants. I don't like it either. When eat out, I tip based on service. I like to give an excellent waiter/waitress a better tip, and I don't like the idea that my tip doesn't go to the person I intended it to go to. But it isn't unusual.

So you should get all the tips when they are there working the floor too? That really seems fair to you?

hmmm

The owners should NOT be getting ANY of the tip money!