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I will tell you, back when I bartended in New York (10 years ago), it was pretty common to spend a day or two being "tested" as you made drinks for customers, until they decided you were worth hiring. You wouldn't even keep tips, since they'd test you out just on drinks made for tables, or whatnot.

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Yes, but during a trial period don't you get paid?

You still get tips, which generally outweigh your hourly rate anyway.

Nope. No wage, no tips. In my case it lasted two nights only, and was paid the third night (and making the big bucks on weekend nights within a couple of months), but I'd heard of it being as long as a week at other places.

The worst part was, you wouldn't even know how long the trial period was -- they'd just ask you, last minute, if you could come in again for another trial. If it's a place you wanted to work at eventually, you'd say yes.

>"Nope. No wage, no tips."

That sounds illegal, at least here in Canada.

Sounds illegal in most jurisdictions that I'm familiar with

The food service industry in the US has never had much interest in labor laws I guess

It's illegal in the US as well.

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