Poll: Poll: Waiter's Rant-Tipping

[Branovices]

Countries I've been in that didn't require tips, just had a service fee already worked into the bill for example, didn't have outrageous food costs. About the same or maybe a tad more than here in America.

I think we have a flawed system for service people in restaurants but I always tip, my mother was a waitress when putting herself through college so I know how it works.

 

[MrTub]

I might be wrong about this but I believe that here in sweden waiters get a decent salary and the tip is just a bonus..

 

[Lord Mountbatten Reborn]

Maths is fun.

Good waiter = Nice tip.

Bad waiter = Bad tip.

Being an arse I'd have to think of something suitably hilarious to give as a tip to the bad waiter (it certainly won't be money).

 

[Radeonx]

I don't tip, because tipping traditionally was only done by rich dudes as a way of saying "I am richer than you." In modern times, it has become wide spread, but I do not do it as I already pay for the service, you are being employed, and if you don't like your wage quit or take it up with the boss. Construction workers don't get tipped, neither should you in my mind.

And because our wages are so low the food you buy is a hell of a lot cheaper. Lets see how much the food you purchase goes up after they raise waiters wages by 300%.

Do you tip construction workers at your house?
Do you tip your bus drivers?

Odds are, you don't. Waiting, like those two things, are professions that already have wages.
Adding on to that is just giving you money for something that you are expected to be doing for the money you're already getting. That's why I don't tip.
And even if you did get a little more money, then the prices wouldn't raise dramatically.

 

[Diddy_King]

I don't tip, because tipping traditionally was only done by rich dudes as a way of saying "I am richer than you." In modern times, it has become wide spread, but I do not do it as I already pay for the service, you are being employed, and if you don't like your wage quit or take it up with the boss. Construction workers don't get tipped, neither should you in my mind.

And because our wages are so low the food you buy is a hell of a lot cheaper. Lets see how much the food you purchase goes up after they raise waiters wages by 300%.

Do you tip construction workers at your house?
Do you tip your bus drivers?

Odds are, you don't. Waiting, like those two things, are professions that already have wages.
Adding on to that is just giving you money for something that you are expected to be doing for the money you're already getting. That's why I don't tip.
And even if you did get a little more money, then the prices wouldn't raise dramatically.

Did you read the fact that in America, in MOST places waiters only make 2-3 dollars an hour. There are very few places in the states where we make at least minimum wage. If you have 20 waiters on the floor and you raise their pay by 6 dollars an hour each and they work 5-6 hours. That's an increase of 720-840 dollars per night. At a small family resteraunt, on a slow night the store may only do 6-7k in sales. Because of such an increase either A) the resteraunt would have to charge more to make up the increase or B) they would have to cut the amount of servers on the floor. Therefore either the price rises, or you get 1 waiter taking care of 2-3 times as many tables. The way customers monopolize a servers time I'd hate to see one guy having to take care of 10-14 tables.

 

[Timotei]

I like to round the tip to the nearest 5 or 0, but I never round lower. So if the tip ends up being $2, I'll just give out a five.

It tends to put a smile on their face and leaves me with less ones in my already crammed wallet.

 

[Otterwuff]

I had to go with the first one, because in Norway, tipping isn't a norm.

Don't get me wrong, if I go to a fancy restaurant in a foreign country where tipping is common, then yes, I would maybe tip if I could afford it or if somebody reminded me, but it isn't a norm here, therefore, I don't do it. It isn't considered poor etiquette to refrain.

 

[Ridonculous_Ninja]

My thoughts on tips are this.

You did your job. Why do we give you more than your pay?

Do we tip the person who builds our house?

Do we tip the guy who fixes our appliances?

Probably not.

That said, minimun wage where I live is $8 an hour. Where are you working? That is ridiculously bad pay.

Also isn't it illegal to NOT pay employees minimum wage?

 

[Blackadder51]

I dont tip

Australian culture as a whole dont tip (i think), also why should i tip you for doing your job?

Would i tip a friendly cashier?

No, because there already getting paid to do the job, if the pays shit move.

 

[Altorin]

I don't tip, because tipping traditionally was only done by rich dudes as a way of saying "I am richer than you." In modern times, it has become wide spread, but I do not do it as I already pay for the service, you are being employed, and if you don't like your wage quit or take it up with the boss. Construction workers don't get tipped, neither should you in my mind.

And because our wages are so low the food you buy is a hell of a lot cheaper. Lets see how much the food you purchase goes up after they raise waiters wages by 300%.

Do you tip construction workers at your house?
Do you tip your bus drivers?

Odds are, you don't. Waiting, like those two things, are professions that already have wages.
Adding on to that is just giving you money for something that you are expected to be doing for the money you're already getting. That's why I don't tip.
And even if you did get a little more money, then the prices wouldn't raise dramatically.

Did you read the fact that in America, in MOST places waiters only make 2-3 dollars an hour. There are very few places in the states where we make at least minimum wage. If you have 20 waiters on the floor and you raise their pay by 6 dollars an hour each and they work 5-6 hours. That's an increase of 720-840 dollars per night. At a small family resteraunt, on a slow night the store may only do 6-7k in sales. Because of such an increase either A) the resteraunt would have to charge more to make up the increase or B) they would have to cut the amount of servers on the floor. Therefore either the price rises, or you get 1 waiter taking care of 2-3 times as many tables. The way customers monopolize a servers time I'd hate to see one guy having to take care of 10-14 tables.

and getting paid 2-3 dollars an hour is a problem. It's bullshit, we get it. But it shouldn't be the customers obligation to pay the part of your wages that aren't paid by your boss.

Basically, you're getting hosed, whether we tip or not. sure, you may get the feeling that you're getting ripped off by the people who sit at the table and don't leave a tip, but that's not how it is at all.

You're getting ripped off by an industry that sees tipping as a standard of service. You're getting ripped off by an employer in an industry that regulates your wages based on your tips. Basically, they're paying you minimum wage (assuming that's how much tips you end up making), and footing the bill for keeping you employed and happy directly on the customers.

This thread should be "Guess what? Fuck the restaurant industry when it comes to waiter wages, That's what"

It really shouldn't come down to the customers to keep your wages from dipping below a living wage. That should come from your employer. If they raise the prices of everything by 50 cents, they'd be able to pay you better wages, and the customer wouldn't made to feel like a jerk themselves if they can't afford to give you anything extra.

They're tough times for everyone.

 

[Diddy_King]

My thoughts on tips are this.

You did your job. Why do we give you more than your pay?

Do we tip the person who builds our house?

Do we tip the guy who fixes our appliances?

Probably not.

That said, minimun wage where I live is $8 an hour. Where are you working? That is ridiculously bad pay.

As I said, this is the norm for waiting positions in most of America. Minimum wage here is 7.55, but that's just how waiting positions work. Like I said, if I don't make at least minimum wage when the night is done with, then the company will make up the difference. But when tips are more of a necesity for us waiters, not getting tipped is like saying F*** you to us.

 

[Empireth]

2.15$? 2.18$? Holy hell, man. That's incredibly, incredibly low.
In Canada, we have minimum wages in place, they differ by province, but they are all well above 2.18$ an hour! Try (at the lowest) 8.00$. I know in Ontario it's something like 9.50$, 8.90$ for students... In Nunavut the minimum wage is 10$!

I know, I know, Canadian money versus American money is not the same amount, but it's generally close, more or less. I mean, our dollar is very close to parody right now (.97 last I heard).

I know in Canada, waiters have to earn minimum wage, and tips are added on after that... And it's generally a 15% tip that is expected, which I try to give, though I don't often go out to restaurants much. (When I do, it's with big groups of like, 10+ people, so we try to give over the 15% then.)

 

[Altorin]

My thoughts on tips are this.

You did your job. Why do we give you more than your pay?

Do we tip the person who builds our house?

Do we tip the guy who fixes our appliances?

Probably not.

That said, minimun wage where I live is $8 an hour. Where are you working? That is ridiculously bad pay.

As I said, this is the norm for waiting positions in most of America. Minimum wage here is 7.55, but that's just how waiting positions work. Like I said, if I don't make at least minimum wage when the night is done with, then the company will make up the difference. But when tips are more of a necesity for us waiters, not getting tipped is like saying F*** you to us.

It's a psychological game your employer is playing with you. If your employer is bringing your total wages including tip up to minimum wage standards, then THEY are stealing your tips. It's not us. It's them.

Look at it this way

you get paid 2 dollars an hour before tips
you work for 8 hours
that's 16 dollars
you get 40 dollars in tips
Minimum wage for 8 hours (at 8 dollars an hour) is 64 dollars..
So your employer pays you an extra 8 dollars and says that's it.

They should be paying you minimum wage themselves, but they're not. They're taking every tip off the table and saying "Ok, I don't have to pay you that for this hour"

and that's fucked up

and that's what you should be complaining about.

 

[Zombie_King]

I think you'd like http://waiterrant.net/. Got some great waitering (waittering? waiterizing?) stories on there.

Of course people are going to stiff you. It's basic human nature to be greedy. Some people are just assholes. I always tip at least 15%, sometimes I go really overboard, like 30% if I'm feeling really generous. I've never worked for tips, so I don't really get the feeling, but I understand. I'm actually pretty surprised though, you working at a family restaurant and all. It seems like people would be unusually generous in front of their families.

 

[WickedSkin]

Well in my country they add 12,5% of your total as a tip on your bill. Say you spend 80-160 dollars on your visit to a restaurant... it generates quite the tip. So tipping around here is just silly. I think 12.5% is fair. Waiters around here still make, at least, minimum wage.

I don't get paid massively, I work really really (and I mean REALLY) hard and I'm very polite to asshole-customers, but I rarely get even a "thank you". Damn it I hate the system... AND people.

 

[sirdanrhodes]

If the service is good, it will be anything from all the spare cash I have in my pocket (Anything up to a fiver normally).

 

[axia777]

I ONLY tip if the service is good. Fuck tipping if the waiter sucks or is an ass. Yes, that has happened before. I can tell if a waiter is having a bad day and taking it on people by giving bad service. Personally, I could give a fuck about their bad day. I am not here because they are in a bad mood. When I go out to eat I want good to great service and I want it now damn it. The better the service the better the tip. I also don't care if they live off of their tips. If they give shitty service then the should have thought about that when they served me and who ever I am eating with.

Having said that I will tip a minimum of 10% is the service is mediocre. If the service if good then it goes up to 15%. If it is great it goes up to 25%. If some waiter just gave me the best service of my life who knows how much I would tip. I once tipped a waitress who gave seriously excellent service at a restaurant a whole $20 for a meal that cost under %50. That is just how I roll.

They same rules for for strippers too!!!

 

[chronobreak]

I really do my best, but if you are so concerned, I would recommend getting a different career, or at the least lobbying to have waitstaff get paid a regular living wage. You go to work for eight or more hours a day and preform a service people want, I say we get rid of tipping, and just have you make a normal wage like everyone else. Burger King doesn't get tips. Besides, who in their right mind would take a job that pays 2.12 an hour, and rely on the kindness of others to feed your family? Sounds a little nutty to me.

 

[Flos]

I only ever tip based on how the waiter treated me.

I'm a really nice person and I hate making people go out of their way for me. My grandmother worked as a waitress and my parents have instilled good tipping habits in myself and my siblings. I'm not hard to please. If you've still managed to neglect me, though, your tip will reflect that. I really have no qualms about giving zip to a crappy waiter.

I am guilty of tipping well at places I want to return to, too, as well as tipping more during the holiday season. I don't base my tips on how the food is unless I ask for something and the waiter neglects to get it fixed (like, if I ordered no onions and I got onions even after I asked for them to be removed. Minus more money if you serve me something like shellfish after I've expressed that it will kill me).

That being said, based on how waiters treats me and my guests, you'll get anything from a penny to twenty percent of the bill. I tend to lean higher if the food complimented the service.

Working in that environment is though and I try to give the server the benefit of the doubt, but if you do a bad job I don't feel obligated to pay you. If I wanted poor service I would have eaten in.