Tipping at resturants

[Hope of Glory]

In several places where I have managed, it's against the law to automatically add a tip into a bill. Some of those places make exceptions for large parties. Even then, the large party can get a tip removed for bad service.

 

[cojosh]

*************************************************Well, if you think you're better off, cojosh, I'm sure all of the servers will agree that you should do what is better for you and stay home.********************************************

*************************************************
Like it or not, restaurants operate on the concept of tipping. If you aren't going to tip, you shouldn't accept such services. Using those services is part of an unspoken bargain, and you have broken your end of the bargain and been dishonest by refusing to tip.
*************************************************

Unspoken bargain????? That's an interesting concept, but I don't believe that I'll be held responsible for a bargain that I never agreed to. I don't recall anyone ever confronting me with this bargain that you speak of.

I've had jobs were individuals would tip me, but I never expected it. In fact I tried to refuse it. Why? I feel like I should do my job well, because it is my responsibility as an employee. I don't have a problem with waiters/waitresses, but I do have a problem with the idea that I have to leave a tip. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. It's my money, it's my choice. God has placed that money in my hand to be a good steward. I can truthfully say that God doesn't want me to tip due to an idea that people will dislike me if I don't.

Maybe I should stay at home, because the restaurant buiz doesn't make any since to me. Working for $2.50 an hour???? That's like slave labor. When I eat out I'm supporting slave labor!!!

You know I'd like to get in on this tipping deal. Hey I got an idea. My wife is a school teacher. Her services to this community and nation are a lot more important than someone that brings a glass a water to the table. We all know that teachers are under paid. I'll send a tip jar to school with her, she can put it on her desk. Then she could send a note home with all her students, and let them know that if they want to continue to receive good educational service they'd better consider tipping. I thought I'd be nice enough to make an actual bargain with them, rather than wait for the "unspoken bargain fairy" to make her rounds throughout the community. Funny she never made to my house. Hey, I appreciate all of your posts.

It's been fun!!!

 

[Gina B]

*stirs cojosh's coffee with a dirty spoon*

 

[Elnora]

Originally posted by Gina L:
*stirs cojosh's coffee with a dirty spoon*

 

[Alcott]

I have never worked in the prepared food business in any capacity (and never wanted to), but some things I hear from those who have correspond enough to be believable, but some are rarer and questionable.

What a majority waiter(ess)es claim:
Groups that are obviously part of the 'church crowd' are more demanding and less generous in tipping.
They dread having to work on Sundays for the above reason.
The hourly wage is very low, so that they have to give good friendly service to get enough tips to make a living.
If the tips they get don't cover up to a certain level, it is assumed their service is not up to standards, so they are dismissed.

Some contentions made by a few waiter(ess)es which are still questionable from my perspective:
They are required to give 3% of the value of the tickets they write to the bus help; if there is no tip, they lose this 3% from their 'own money' they didn't get.
There is more work for servers at an all-u-can-eat buffet even though they don't assume responsibility for a particular entree ordered (this was told me when I said since all they do is refill your water glass if it's low and maybe take up your dishes that I only tip about 10%).
Women are more demanding, make more complaints, and are stingier tippers than men (waitrESSes have said this).

 

[In His Grace]

cojosh,

You can rationalize it all you want,

it's too bad, tippers like you turn more of the unsaved off to the Lord than you will ever know.

"Working as a waitress/waiter, not knowing if your going to bring home minimum wage is a type of gambling. That's right. It's like playing the lottery."
Now that is the number one crazy idea of the year.

Therefore the millions of salespeople who go out day to day not knowing if they are going to bring home minimum wage is a type of gambling also. That's right. It's like playing the lottery too.

And I'm sure the apostle Paul really felt like he was playing the lottery, when he would go out day to day in his travels not knowing where he would get his next meal or that any of his tents (because his was a tent maker on the side) would sell, in order to give him a way of buying a meal.

 

[Hope of Glory]

Personal observations and anecdotes, but based on experience all around the country:

Originally posted by Alcott:
I have never worked in the prepared food business in any capacity (and never wanted to), but some things I hear from those who have correspond enough to be believable, but some are rarer and questionable.

What a majority waiter(ess)es claim:
Groups that are obviously part of the 'church crowd' are more demanding and less generous in tipping.
They dread having to work on Sundays for the above reason.

You better believe it! More stiffs and lower tips, with far more demanding service. "They said it would be an hour and it was; I didn't think they were serious!" "I gave money at church today, so I'm too broke to tip you $1, but I can spend $48 on food."

No server wants to work on Sunday. Some because they want to go to church and others because they don't want to deal with the church crowd.

The hourly wage is very low, so that they have to give good friendly service to get enough tips to make a living.

Tipping has been around since at least the 1700's in the US. I don't know the origins. However, I do know that this is one incentive. There are others.

If the tips they get don't cover up to a certain level, it is assumed their service is not up to standards, so they are dismissed.

Generally, this is not true. A manager will get complaints about bad service or bad attitude. Managers know that many people are bad tippers. Good managers can also spot a scammer a mile away.

Some contentions made by a few waiter(ess)es which are still questionable from my perspective:
They are required to give 3% of the value of the tickets they write to the bus help; if there is no tip, they lose this 3% from their 'own money' they didn't get.

Some places require you to split your tips. I've personally seen the split as high as 10%. I've also seen places that pay the bus help very well, because their performance can be rated in a much more objective manner.

There is more work for servers at an all-u-can-eat buffet even though they don't assume responsibility for a particular entree ordered (this was told me when I said since all they do is refill your water glass if it's low and maybe take up your dishes that I only tip about 10%).

Generally, the buffets pay the wait staff a little better, and they get many more tables. However, there is also a higher percentage of stiffers. So, if you get outstanding service on the refills, let them know you appreciate it, because when the church groups come in on Sunday...

Women are more demanding, make more complaints, and are stingier tippers than men (waitrESSes have said this).

Generally, this is true, but women almost always tip. Men, while they don't tip as often, generally tip better. NASCAR fans are the worst. I had to fill in as a driver once in an area that I was training. Out of 18 deliveries on Daytona 500 day, I got a total of $1.

 

[Pete]

Yet another reason why it's better to be an Aussie, don't have to worry about tips

Do get a few now and then in the pizza/cab games, but it's not at the "Do it or you're cheap, and breaking Hezekiah 5:18 if you don't" level of....some places...

 

[Rachel]

I believe in tipping for good service. If the waitress is rude or bad, then no tip or very little.

 

[Hope of Glory]

If the server is rude or bad, say something to the manager. Otherwise, you're just assumed to be a stiff. If it's you just being too picky, there won't be other complaints. If the server is truly rude or bad, there will be more complaints.

 

[Rachel]

Originally posted by Hope of Glory:
If the server is rude or bad, say something to the manager. Otherwise, you're just assumed to be a stiff. If it's you just being too picky, there won't be other complaints. If the server is truly rude or bad, there will be more complaints.

Oh we usually do that too. We are usually pretty easy to please. But we believe in rewarding good service and making them feel it in their wallets if its not. I would expect the same if I was a waitress.

 

[chipsgirl]

I worked hard for tips for 7 years. It paid my bills and got me through school. It was tough work and some people are just cheap no matter what. I never got upset though if some people left me less than 15%. Sometimes a friendly customer was enough to get me through a hard day whether or not they tipped well. God always provided.

Now the people who leave a penny just to be rude are a different story......

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

Leaving a penny is worse than leaving nothing and is an insult to a waiter/waitress. It means they thought the service was lousy...

 

[cojosh]

_________________________________________________*stirs cojosh's coffee with a dirty spoon*
________________________________________________

I don't drink coffee!

 

[cojosh]

_________________________________________________Therefore the millions of salespeople who go out day to day not knowing if they are going to bring home minimum wage is a type of gambling also. That's right. It's like playing the lottery too
_________________________________________________

That's a good point, but you're taking what I said out of context. I was referring to the employee/employer relationship. Salespeople know that their income depend totally on the relationship with the customers directly. Restaurant corporations pay their workers low wages and on top of that wnat a percentage of their tips. It's unfair to the employees and the customers.

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

Restaurant corporations pay their workers low wages and on top of that want a percentage of their tips. It's unfair to the employees and the customers.

Yes, it is, but unfortunately that IS the way it works. The government has to have their 'share' of the tip money also...

What this has done is put servers in the position of lying about how many tips they receive.

 

[Hope of Glory]

Restaurant corporations pay their workers low wages and on top of that wnat a percentage of their tips.

It's illegal for the restaurant to take a percentage of their tips for themselves. They can do a tip-sharing, but cannot take a portion of it.

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

No, but they can take a percentage for the bus boys, even though the bus boys get paid a higher wage.

If you don't pay the bus boys out of your tips, your tables get cleaned off very slowly...

 

[Gina B]

Originally posted by cojosh:
_________________________________________________*stirs cojosh's coffee with a dirty spoon*
________________________________________________

I don't drink coffee!

See what happens when you don't tip? You get something you don't even drink!

 

[chipsgirl]

Yep. You are expected in many resturants to give a certain amount of your tips over to different people like silverware rollers, bus boys, food runners, the hostess, etc... I always found that frustrating but they have to make money too and they help you out just in a background sort of way.