$600+ In Tips Cut Down To $45… What’s Going On?

Location: Nashville, TN, USA

I work at a local cafe that gets plenty of business. The past 2 weeks I worked 28 and 29 hours respectively- And in those hours I’ve made $614 in Tips.

Yet, when it comes time for me to receive my check… I get the hourly rate, and a pitiful $45 in Tips. Obviously, in my mind this looks off so I went and texted the owner.

“Tips are pooled between the whole team.”

That was his response… I know this. Even so, that is a PITIFUL amount and for me to be making $45, I’d have to be like, the only person making tips at all, and it would be spread out between 13 other people for the math to make sense… But we don’t have that many employees. I’ve always felt like the pay was really light here, but I didn’t realize just how screwy it was until looking at this- I guess I always figured it was the hours I was given, not the tips.

My lease is up soon and I’m meant to be moving to New York… I was expecting to have more, but in this case my budget is going to be like… $1100. I feel seriously screwed over and I just feel like this isn’t right.

Are there any explanations??? What can I even do? I’ve already got my answer from the boss and it seems ridiculous.

Edit: There aren’t actually 13 people, that’s just the math I did that would explain this scenario… We only have like, 5 people at most switching out throughout the week- 1 of which being the Assistant Manager. There is a 2nd store but most of the staff is shared between the two (Not me) and I still don’t think it would account for this… Sorry for the confusion. Also, I have spoken to one other employee who was confused about the tips too… So it’s not just me. Should’ve included that, sorry.