Entertainment

‘Broke’-lyn girls react

“I’ve waitressed here and there since high school. When I got laid off two years ago, waitressing took me back. Isn’t everyone on a budget these days?The economy is a beast.” —Amy Beth Fierro, 32

“Williamsburg’s role as a player in popular TV is as inevitable a conclusion as the high-rise condos on the waterfront. I’m already close to gettingpriced out of Bushwick!” —Anna Franklin, 28

MORE: THE REAL BROKE GIRLS

“Being a broke Williamsburg waitress means picking and choosing how you spend your money. How friendly you are with your landlord makes all the difference in the world as far as what you’re able to get fixed and what you’re not.” —Zoe Martez Cooper, 24

“The weird thing is how you get to, like, trade things. Because you get to know everyone in the neighborhood. It’s a total barter system.” —Aviva Falk, 25

“Teenagers definitely don’t know how to tip. We tell them once inawhile. Some people we embarrass. We say, ‘Was my service bad?’ They’re like, ‘No. I don’t have any money.’ ” —Michele Contreras, 33

“I’ve rolled my eyes at people who are just blatantly stupid. There was one girl who was like, ‘I’m from the city.’ I was like, ‘Oh, thank you for coming all this way to our restaurant.’ Under the radar, but still a slap in the face.” —Devvon Simpson, 33

“The best tip I had was random and weird.Aguy told me to keep bringing him beers. I brought him three beers, and he tipped me $100.” —Melinda Mantooth, 26