Too much? Chinese restaurant's offer of $3,250 monthly pay for dishwasher draws heated debate

F&B establishments don't have the best reputation when it comes to salaries. 

So, when Chinese restaurant Tai Er was seen offering dishwashers $3,250 a month and part-timers $15 per hour, you bet it created a buzz. 

The establishment recently put a hiring banner outside one of their stores at Jem and this gained traction after a netizen shared it on Reddit on Sunday (Feb 19). 

"China restaurants are hella expensive but I'm glad they pay their staff well," read the post. 

According to the hiring banner, restaurant managers, assistant restaurant managers and management trainees will be offered monthly salaries of $4,350, $3,550 and $3,360 respectively. 

On the other hand, head chefs can draw a monthly salary of $3,750, while service crew and dishwashers can get $3,250. 

Part-timers can get either $1,410 a month or $15 per hour. 

Apart from the salary, the hiring banner also mentioned that staff benefits include training courses, staff meals, attendance incentives and career advancements. 

Is the pay justified? 

In the comments, some netizens were impressed by the salaries offered, saying that they felt like applying for jobs there. 

One even claimed that first-year accountants in Big Four firms don't make as much money. 

However, there were some who remarked about how the starting pay of a head chef is quite close to that of a dishwasher.

One also questioned why a head chef would be paid so low. 

One netizen pointed out the starting salary of a dishwasher at the restaurant is even higher than that of a diploma holder. 

"At least there's no taking work home, or any unnecessary admin stuff. Just wash dishes for 8-12 hours straight, go home and earn $3.2k."

Another netizen felt that since the difference in pay between a restaurant manager and a service crew is about $1,000, he "would rather be a service crew".

Higher salaries, higher number of applicants 

Speaking to Lianhe Zaobao, a spokesperson from the Chinese restaurant surnamed Zhang said that the recruitment salaries were actually raised by about $300 last December.

This, in turn, has helped to attract more applicants, he added.

"Dishwashers and waiters can get a monthly salary of $3,250 as soon as they join the job," said Zhang. 

"As far as I know, the starting salary of a restaurant manager is $4,350. If you join a new store and upgrade to a store manager, there will be an increase in salary."  

Last May, a restaurant in Orchard Road shared that only when they put up an offer of $3,500 a month for dishwasher - equivalent to the starting salaries for some fresh university graduates - did they manage to find a Malaysian worker.

Co-owner of Ishinomaki Grill & Sake Chen Weixin said that no Singaporean wanted to take up their offer.

The 50-year-old said they used to rely on foreign workers for this position but the pandemic had resulted in many of them returning to their home countries.

melissateo@asiaone.com

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