Why should you tip? It is amazing how often this question is asked and debated. To me the answer is painfully obvious. When someone asks me why people should tip, I answer their question with a few of my own. Do you want hot food? Do you want your drink refilled? Do you want the person taking your order to care about the quality of food you are going to eat? The answer to these questions is always yes. So why would a person that is getting paid hourly whether you eat there or not care about any of those things if there is nothing extra in it for them? The acronym T.I.P.S. has been said to stand for: Tipping Insures Prompt (or Proper) Service. The argument above is usually very hard to argue against because there is no doubt that servers give good service based on what they perceive to be a carrot on the end of a stick. They will work hard for you and you will reward them at the end for a job well done. So to me, the question is not really to tip or not, but rather how much to tip.
Tipping standards vary greatly from region to region and country to country. To complicate matters, tipping standards change over time and what services require a tip also change. Back in high school I had a friend who believed that tipping on drinks was not necessary. I never did figure out his logic on that one but it does go to show that there are many ideas about tipping.
When figuring your tip, you should consider the following circumstances that may or may not apply to the server depending on which state you are in.
* Hourly wages are typically significantly less in the service industry, because tips are considered part of the servers income.
* Your server does pay income taxes. In absence of proper documentation of tips, the government will look at the servers food and beverage sales and base their taxable tip income on a percent of it. So if you do not tip the server, it has actually cost the server money to serve you. See the IRS tipping tax laws.
* Believe it or not, servers do not always get a paycheck. Sometimes, because of the taxes they pay and/or deductions, servers must pay in additional money to cover the taxes rather than get a check.
* Your server has to tip too. It is very common for a waiter or waitress to have to tip out their supporting staff, ie; the bartender, buss person, food runners and others. Bartenders may have to tip out their bar backs. These tips are based often on the sales of the server, so if you don’t tip them, in addition to the 8% the government gets they often have to shell out money to the support staff putting them further in the hole. Sometimes the support staff is tipped a percent of the servers tips. So not tipping the server is the same as not tipping any of the hard working support staff in the restaurant.
* Servers do a lot of work that they are not tipped on also. It is called side work and it is work that is done for no more than their hourly rate. Side work usually involves cleaning the restaurant, stocking supplies and getting the store ready for the next shifts business. Side work can be time consuming and at times physically straining.
The most common argument (and frankly the most annoying and ignorant) against tipping is that by not tipping you are “helping” the servers cause for better hourly rates. For starters, hurting one server here and there on any given day is not going to further any cause. Second there is no cause. Most servers do not rely on their hourly income. Serving is hard, fast paced work. Servers can earn a good living from the tips they get. If servers were going to work for a strictly hourly rate, I can assure you that rate would be high. If the hourly rate were high, guess what would happen to the prices you pay when you go out to eat or drink? That money would have to come from somewhere.
Do you legally have to tip? No. Occasionally, you will have a situation where gratuity has been automatically added to your bill. This is usually on larger groups or parties. This gratuity has been added because it is easy for the server to get a tip that is far less than they deserve, because in a group setting it is easy for one or two people to under pay causing the rest of the group to fall short. Again, you do not legally have to pay this gratuity, but if you don’t you should have a talk with the server and/or manager and explain why. Remember, just because a gratuity has been added, it may still be less than a good tip for the server. For example, a gratuity may have been added at 15%. This is a tip for average service. If your server did a great job it is good to add in the difference to make up to 20% or more. Many times the server had to give up several other smaller tables to take your party, so even with automatic gratuity they end up making less on their shift.
After all that, why do servers do it? Well in the end, there are enough people out there that understand that a good tip is a kind reward for a job well done. And waiting tables can be quite profitable. It is no surprise that the most financially successful servers are typically the most friendly, efficient and entertaining. These servers are rewarded for exhibiting those behaviors. And we all want to encourage those behaviors. Don’t we?
Revised 11/2/2009
Take our poll: If tipping were to be abolished, what’s the wage range servers should make?
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November 22nd, 2007 | 
TopCoat
I never said I didn\’t appreciate it. I say thank you when i am given a drink and brought my meal. I say please, have a nice day, no thank you, everything else. I just don\’t see why I should have to go further than that. I also don\’t know what restaurant you\’re eating at, but I am usually in and out in under an hour unless the kitchen screws something up.
Former Waiter
Well maybe it is just the law here. I wasn’t aware that other states didn’t do it. If it is the employer that is stiffing the servers why should the people who spend money at the restaurant have to make up for it? The reason servers get paid so little is because they put up with it. If they went on strike then there may be changes. It is most likely too late for that kind of action but years ago it could have helped.
I’m sorry that you think serving food is the only job out there that is flexible. Cashiers can be part time. Actually many positions at grocery stores can be part time. Offices are also usually looking for assistants or receptionists which can be part time. There are also companies that have “stay at home” options, such as putting things together and getting paid by the piece. I don’t know why anyone chooses to be a server. Since they do choose though, they shouldn’t complain when they don’t get huge tips. I highly doubt these people were generous tippers before their serving endeavors. Were you?
No I will not get up and refill my glass, although I hardly need a refill ever. A server’s job is to serve. That means doing what I ask. I don’t do so in a condescending manner. I ask politely, if at all. Most of the time I am asked what I need. I do not really care how warm the server is to me. They could never look me in the eye for all I care. I just want my food and the bill.
I see a tip as just a nice gesture. An extra thank you. Like if your parent gives you a gift for doing what you are supposed to do, or if your boss gives you an extra sick day for nailing that presentation. I should not have to tip to be treated in a decent manner. I’m sorry that you believe that. I do not despise servers. However I do despise people who take low paying jobs and then complain that they get paid so little. It’s incredibly silly to believe that the people that support the restaurant should also support the entire staff. I rarely go out to eat. I only go out to eat when I am constantly bugged to go with someone. I prefer to fix my own food. Often times restaurants do not have acceptable real vegetarian options. You also meant to say no man(yes I am gay) would want to date a “cheapo” like me. I am not cheap in any way, I just pay what I believe I should pay.
Friendly service and prompt customer service should be included in the job duties. If you believe otherwise than maybe it is best that you are not a server anymore. Nothing bugs me more than a server with a bad attitude.
If you do know people who do this, one question I have is why did you not report them? I am guessing you didn’t since you didn’t mention it. If servers want to be treated fairly shouldn’t they do the same? Spitting on or licking food will not magically make money appear in the tip jar. Another question, do you really want to admit this kind of thing goes on in a kitchen? Of course it is good information but if this is how you want serving staff represented I don’t think you are helping the cause of getting tips. Anyone who does such disgusting things obviously shouldn’t be working in the food service industry and should go back to elementary school where they can behave that way with more their own kind.
I’d rather die than eat at McDonalds, so no thank you. If the workers did that, then still no I would not tip them. Actually it is common knowledge that it is courtesy. Not common knowledge and courtesy. A courtesy is optional. I see no reason why you should hate someone who doesn’t tip. As you said, bad tippers are in the minority, so is it really a big deal if you have 15 different people and only one of them doesn’t tip?
Melvin
You are missing the point I made. Yes, I know that there are many part-time jobs students and single mothers can do, but they DON’T PAY AS MUCH AS WAITING TABLES. Hellooooooooooo. Why bother taking a full time job for 7 bucks an hour, 40 hours a week, when I can work 20 hours per week at Applebee’s and possibly make the same or a bit more (twice as much on a good week). The reason college students find that line of work appealing is because we can make as much as the Walmart cashier but not have to work 40 hours AND you can work 2 to 3 days a week, instead of 5. Get it now? Sheeesh. Yes, we’d still make good money regardless, even if a few stinky cheap patrons (such as yourself) didn’t tip us, but imagine if 99 percent of our patrons tipped 15 percent? It’s also about common courtesy. If you know that waiters don’t get paid minimum wage (most states they don’t), then why not tip for exceptional service? Do you tip taxi drivers? Taxi drivers I have heard don’t get any of the money they get from cab fare. They rely on tips too. Same with hairstylists. Do you want to start cutting your own hair? I think not. Most hairstylists don’t get paid a regular salary and rely on commissions and tips and most don’t even have health insurance!! Do you also think those in the beauty industry to be “losers” because they choose to cut hair? They choose to get into that line of work for various reasons and most of them also rely on tips, as their styling products, rental of chair, etc. costs them a lot of money, but they still do what they do because they ENJOY IT.
Yes, Melvin, maybe in an ideal world, waiters should unite and fight to get paid regular wages, but it hasn’t happened yet. So if you KNOW that waiters don’t get paid minimum wage… and that waiters are providing a SERVICE to you, versus merely taking your order, then why not just tip? And you call yourself gay? I am gay too (lived in South Beach, FL; they gayest mecca on the East Coast) and most of the gay men, including my gay friends, knew how to tip and tip well. Most of my highest tips came from gay men. It was the heteros (sorry straight people, lol) who tipped the least. I don’t know what part of the country you are from, but as a gay man, you need your gay card revoked! I suggest you take your gay card to the nearest mailbox and drop it in there. Or else, I will send the gay police to your house to tear it from your hands! LOL
But like u said…it is a risk or gamble. Yea u CAN get paid as much as someone working full time but it is customers and not the employer paying u…that is Ur risk and if u choose to take it that’s Ur choice. Me personally ….I like knowing what I will be paid every week. I am a salaried member of management and get paid the same every week. I feel it easier knowing my exact dollar amount than hoping for the generosity of others … in the end…waiters can bitch and moan bit is the choice they make. If they want to treat the customers that don’t tip they will eventually lose their job or just be miserable and will be requested to not be their waiter …not a hard concept …
Melvin,
I am sorry if I am beating up on you, but I had to post one last thing. You did have one good point: I was NOT a good tipper BEFORE I became a waiter. Because I didn’t know how to tip and I was not aware (as most people are) that waiters don’t get paid well. I can honestly say that I believe most Americans are not aware how waiters or hairdressers make a living. I think they just tip from force of habit or custom, but they don’t know why they do it. Or because they don’t want to look “cheap” to their friends. In fact, I don’t think many understand how those in the service industry, period, are paid. So I can safely say that those who tipped me badly were either not informed (whether educated or not, middle class or working class) or were tourists who weren’t aware of our customs. I didn’t grow up dining out with my family as we were poor but as I got older and then befriended waiters (in Miami Beach, waiters are probably the majority of the service industry), I then became aware of what I was getting myself into, but I still decided to enter that line of work. Yes, it’s my fault for choosing that line of work but I had a very strenuous school schedule and only wanted to work 3 days a week and still make good money. Melvin, we still make a great living, regardless of a few bad tippers. At least, I did.
My point is if you are aware of how badly waiters are paid, why don’t you tip? It’s not like your excuse is because you aren’t informed or you are a tourist. You know, yet you still opt not to tip well. Until restaurants start paying waiters above minimum wage, you should tip. Don’t take it out on the waiter. If they provided excellent service, even if you are eating for 20 mins and you are eating alone, you are being provided a service. If you don’t like that “custom”, then as I said, make your own veggie burgers at home and take them to the office with you. Plain and simple.
Again, you seem to be making excuses, by making it seem like it is our fault, instead of helping us make a living. I am just glad that 90 percent of my patrons were well informed and good tippers. Otherwise, I would have had to take in a second job while I attended school!!
Oh, and if restaurants DID pay us a fair wage, don’t you think that would be reflected in the menu the next time you come to eat? Where do you think that wage increase is going to come out of? It comes out of your pocket whether you tip us or if the food is costlier. The restaurant needs to make it up somehow.
Then up the price and make it a normal wage…that really isn’t a retort if I would have to pay it tip or in actual price …rather u get paid a regular salary than hoping for generosity …
And as far as the strenuous schedule…you still tale the risk. Did 21 credits plus 40 hours a week retail …it is possible…not fun but doable..
Then up the price and make it a normal wage…that really isn\’t a retort if I would have to pay it tip or in actual price …rather u get paid a regular salary than hoping for generosity …
And as far as the strenuous schedule…you still tale the risk. Did 21 credits plus 40 hours a week retail …it is possible…not fun but doable..
So if servers make twice what other workers make I am not sure why there is such a fuss over it. The main thing is that people should not complain about something that doesn’t have to be done. An article on this site describes something about a server who got a $50(may not be that but somewhere around that) tip and complained that she was “stiffed” because it should have been double. How about being glad that you got anything at all? When people take the time to give you something that they otherwise didn’t have to, even if it’s one penny, you should be glad that they did. If they don’t, forget it and move on. Don’t take a mental photo and mark a V over it and be bitter until you get your revenge.
If servers enjoy it, pay shouldn’t be the main thing they think about. Yes money is very important but if you like your job and you already get enough you shouldn’t worry about not getting a tip from one person.
I do not tip my barber. My dad also never tipped when I would go with him. The barbers were always nice and polite even though we didn’t tip. Why? They are supposed to be nice, they understand that a tip is extra and should not be expected so they didn’t judge people who didn’t tip. I’ve never been in a cab since there are none around here and wouldn’t get in one if there were. Again if you must rely on others to pay you then maybe you should go somewhere else to work. I don’t think servers or hair stylists are losers. I just think they need to stop having this attitude of entitlement. A great way to avoid all this is to start your own business. That way you determine just how much you will make and you can change the less than minimum wage pay. I also looked that up and by law if the servers pay and tips don’t match minimum wage the owner is required to make up for it. That is everywhere. Maybe it doesn’t happen because the servers don’t know, but it is the law.
I have no gay friends so I can’t speak for other gays except for myself. I don’t associate much with other people either so I really can’t speak for anyone. If your friends tip that is fine. I hardly believe that a persons sexual orientation will correlate with the amount they tip. Perhaps a study could be conducted but I would bet money the results wouldn’t be very interesting. I also do not fit the typical gay guy description so you wouldn’t be the first to question my homosexuality.
I don’t feel like you’re beating up on me at all. A discussion or debate is all this is. The reason I do not tip is simply because I don’t want to. I am not required to and I will not. I expect to be treated well because that is how it should be when you are working. If I am treated well I will respond in kind by doing the same. Another reason I don’t tip is because I have better things to or not to spend my money on. It is mine after all, not theirs. It isn’t custom to tip, otherwise it would be included in the bill, and if that were the case then no I would never go to a restaurant. Food is already expensive enough so I don’t think people would tolerate any increases. If servers were bumped up to minimum wage I believe that there wouldn’t be a server for every day of the month anymore and restaurants would cut it down to a few people.
In a way it is your fault. No one forces anyone to be a server. Just like if a lagoon worker complains, no one forces them to do it. The excuse “someone’s gotta do it” is a silly way to justify why you do the job you do. I refuse to support people who are choosing to work for less than they believe they should be getting. I don’t and won’t donate to charity so why tip? It’s basically the same thing, just a different name. Strangers giving strangers money.
When I was younger me and my family were frequent diners. My dad would always want to do 20% or more, my mom would say %15 is just fine. Sometimes the meal would be around $50 and my dad would pay with a $100 bill and say keep the change. So I don’t know where my tipping habits came from. My brothers and sisters are all on your side, agreeing that servers don’t make much so it’s our job to help. So again I am in the minority, so you don’t have to worry much about me.
This is an endless debate and we will never see eye to eye. Melvin, please post that link where you say that is a federal law that restaurant owners have to pay us the difference if we had a slow business day or a rainy day with no patrons eating. I want to see that. I find that hard to believe. Where I worked, in Miami Beach, we were screwed if it was a rainy day, as we were a mostly outdoors restaurant (as most of South Beach is) and we went home with little money. I was not aware of this “law”. Please post a link.
Second of all, in Miami Beach and many other “large cities” the tip IS included. I don’t know where you live, but if you were to travel to a touristy city, most likely the tip is included. They do this because most European tourists don’t tip well (and most are unaware of our tipping custom). So I guess you won’t be dining in Miami Beach anytime soon. LOL
And finally, you make yourself out not to be cheap but you don’t hesitate to admit that you don’t even donate to charities. That is cheap, dude. What’s a dollar going to do? Drain your pockets? Sheeesh. Just admit that you are cheap. If you don’t eat out that often, then what is an extra 3 bucks on the check going to do? Again, you seem to be blaming the victims instead of blaming the restaurant. Take it up with the laws that permit restaurants to pay their employees very little. Take it up with the restaurants who make us tip the busboy and the bartender and everyone else, because they also don’t get paid a “regular salary”. Don’t take it out on us! As for starting up our own businesses? Doesn’t that take money, time, good credit and collateral? Start up a business in this economy? LOL You must be joking. Besides, being an entrepreneur is not for everyone and it doesn’t work for everyone.
Guess what… you are wrong about people not going out to eat if the price of food went up. In Europe, tipping is not customary because restaurants pay their employees high salaries. The price of the menu items are higher than in American restaurants, yet, Europeans STILL go out to eat. Maybe YOU might not go out to eat, because you are cheap. Everything you have said to me indicates you are cheap, Melvin. Because eating at a restaurant, is a luxury. I dont even go out to eat at a restaurant if I don’t have enough money. I stay home or eat at Chipotle’s. When I go out, I go out so that I can be serviced. And for that good service, I tip well. For bad service, I don’t tip and tell the waiter why, so that he can learn from his mistakes. If you go out, then be prepared to tip the waiter, so that he can make a living or expect the restaurant to pay his salary and expect to pay more for your food. Either way, YOU will be paying our salaries. And judging by what you said, if menu items went up because they are now paying waiters 10 bucks an hour, I doubt you will be going out to eat again. YOu will be doing us a favor, Melvin.
Most debates are endless. Rarely are opinions changed. I really just wanted to see others opinions on the subject and share mine. I got a lot from your comments even if my mind was not changed.
Here is the link: http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs15.pdf
it’s in pdf format so i don’t know if you can see it. it’s on the first page.
I don’t live in a large city so the tip isn’t included. I do see that for a party of eight or more they include a tip and you can be sure that I will not be dining at those establishments if I have that many people in my party. I don’t travel and if I did, again if the tip is included they can forget about my business, even though I obviously wouldn’t make or break them. I don’t like being forced to do things as I’m sure others don’t. If restaurants were so concerned about their staff then you’d think they’d make the effort themselves to compensate them.
I don’t like to brag about how much the items I buy are but I assure you I am not cheap. No shirt I own costs less than $65. No jeans cost less than $80. My computer was $2500. A cheap person wouldn’t spend that amount on any of those. I am not cheap, I just do not give away money. I also do not spend it unless I get something out of it. No a dollar will break me but it won’t help anyone so why should I give it up? Not to mention that it is in my bank account so what I choose to do with it is up to me.
I don’t know about tipping in Europe but I would guess that the tipping as you say has always been that way. It isn’t that way here. If all of a sudden the price of each menu item went up $3-$5, I don’t think you’d see many people dining out. I can get a box of spaghetti and marinara sauce in ACME for less than it costs in a restaurant. I’d hardly call eating out a luxury. Ever since I can remember me and my family have eaten out mostly every weekend. Occasionally during the week we’d go or at least go to a dessert place.
I still fail to see how you think someone behaving as they should warrants a tip. A server should always provide good service. No matter what. I’m not a server but occasionally I deliver for my dad. I’ve dealt with some difficult customers but I didn’t frown at them or crush their merchandise. I smiled, thanked them, wished them well, and left. I stayed professional. Then it’s up to my dad whether or not he will continue with the account or not, which he won’t if they were rude to me for no reason. It may be a little different at a restaurant because it’s a different industry, but providing good service is always top priority. It should be anyway.
I don’t know why you feel like I’m “taking it out” on you. I’m simply not tipping. I’m not upset at anyone. I don’t feel disdain towards servers. Again if you think the practices are unfair, you are welcome to leave and do something else. Although you say the pay is good so I think every server should be happy and should always be all smiles.
Melvin,
Thanks for the link. I will check it out. As for buying expensive shirts and having expensive tastes, that does NOT mean one can’t be cheap elsewhere. I used to have this one loaded patron who would park his expensive cars outside at the meter in front of the restaurant to show off his wealth. He lived in this million dollar condo on the beach a few blocks away from our business. This man would hog up a 4 top and read his newspaper for an hour and half during morning rush and then, ask for multiple ice tea refills and then leave me pennies as a tip! So you can still be cheap and have lots of money. Usually, from my experience, it’s the really loaded ones who are the cheapest, because they feel, like yourself, you are entitled to spend your hard earned cash on yourselves and not to support anyone else.. hence why you don’t donate to charities or tip at restaurants. Another case in point… when I waited on JLO, she and her entourage of 10 made me run up and down like crazy and after all was said and done… she left me a 30 dollar tip out of a check of 300 bucks. Yes, at least she left me a tip, but… she has tons of money and even she didn’t tip me 15 percent of the total check! And there are a host of other celebrities who are notoriously stingy at tipping but have loads of cash.
Melvin, you still are not getting it. If you have so much money and money is not an issue with you, why are you not willing to tip waiters, if you are aware of how little we are paid. Again, you keep saying we should look into other professions, but is that fair? Why take it out on us? You still haven’t answered that to my satisfaction. If you know its a custom to help us make a living and that we depend on tips, why not pay us what we deserve, IF the service was outstanding??
Read this article I am posting: http://waiterrant.net/?p=502
I know it’s hard to change your mind as you seem pretty set in your beliefs, but maybe this will help provide more info as to why providing waiters with livable wages is not always a good idea. Until livable wages for waiters becomes a reality, Melvin, why not tip? It just seems mean-spirited to take it out on someone merely trying to make a living- regardless how you feel about the profession. I am still shocked you are gay. I thought us gays were more compassionate and understanding of the bunch. We should know how hard it is to be oppressed and misunderstood. Waiters are also a misunderstood bunch who still get berated by people who begrudgingly tip, even though they wish they didn’t have to.
Again, I encourage you to rethink your position and not take it out on your fellow man who is only trying to make a living. If you have a beef with tipping, then don’t take it out on waiters. Take it out with restaurants and business owners or write your politicians, but don’t deny waiters the only way to make a living. Yes, we still earn a pretty good living without your tip, Melvin, but imagine if more people thought you like you? And most do, from the blogs I have read… most people still wish they didn’t have to tip, for the same reasons you have talked about: mainly, that we should be asking for higher wages and that they shouldn’t be asked to pay waiters salaries via a tip. If more people ended up taking your cause, waiters would be broke… not to mention, restaurants wouldn’t be able to keep waiters long.
One final note: I waited tables for 5 years and will NEVER do it again. It helped me get through college only working 3 days a week (5 hours a day). It was fun meeting new people and making new friends at work, but I’d rather poke my eyes out than ever do it again. It’s hard work.. being on your feet, walking back and forth, physically exhausting… so much so that when I got home, I had to nap for a few hours to recover (Miami heat and humidity…. what can i say?). It’s not easy as most people think it is; especially if you have to run the food, do refills on 5 separate tables every 5 mins and run around with your head cut off, but it does have its rewards: good tips from regular customers. That one dude who never tipped? I ended up giving him a huge pitcher of ice tea and would ignore his table for the most part when he’d come in daily. I was still “polite” but I didn’t give him exceptional service. I saved that for my regular customers who knew that I lived off of my tips and for new customers. Have a nice night, Melvin.
Melvin, I didn’t mean to be so brash in my former post, but it really does bug me when people compare full service dining to fast-food, delivery, or other jobs where the customer contact is 2 minutes or less. Those jobs all typically make MUCH more per hour (wages) and have virtually no interest in your satisfaction or return visit.
I like waiting tables (for the most part) but I can assure you that I wouldn’t do it if all I made was minimum wage, whatever it may be.
TC
Topcoat,
I just read a post on Waiterrant.net (cool site) about this one guy who explains what will happen when waiters are paid a regular salary. It’s quite funny actually. Here is his response to someone else who advocated “living wages” for servers: “Now that the server is not working hard to make you happy(to get your money), please explain to me how you quality of service will stay at the same level it is now. Where is the incentive for the server to kiss your pompous ass? Without the lure of making more money for giving better service, the quality of the restaurant experience will suffer greatly.
Labor costs will rise in another way. What server is now willing to run extra tables? Your getting paid the same amount to run one or five tables so why work harder? In short, more servers need to be on the floor.
Most servers are smart and educated people. Who in their right minds will do this incredibly stressful and demeaning job for a lousy $8 an hour? I will tell you right now that all the intelligent, hard working, good servers will go get a desk job and you’ll be left with the fast food work force dropping off your pasta and steaks. Trust me, no server is giving you great service because they want to be your friend.
THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES THIS JOB WORTH PUTTING UP WITH THE SCUM OF THE EARTH IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE MORE THAN MINIMUM WAGE VIA TIPS!”
What he wrote is sooooooo true. As it is, customer service is hard work (I have done it all from retail to phone work) and it entails dealing with assholes most of the time… but waiting tables is where you meet the most assholes, so it better pay good, or else waiters won’t do it. Not everyone can wait tables, despite what most of you cheapos believe… I’d love to see you try it out. I doubt most of you waiter-haters will last a week!! You will end up cursing most of your patrons, I assure you. It takes a TON of patience and lip-biting.
Man, Exactly. For some reason, all the people that are against tipping miss the whole point of it. QUALITY service. Christ, any monkey can drop a plate off at the table. When you go out to eat, what are you going for? You could make it at home, right? With maybe the right ingredients and perhaps some Chef school?
People always are asking me for recipes, more this and extra that. Can you take our picture and put a candle on that desert. Where is the closest comedy stage or strip club?
I’m sure a monkey could provide all that, right?
That’s why I voted for the highest possible wage in lieu of tips on the poll on this site. http://www.tip20.com/if-there-was-no-tipping-what-should-servers-make/1124
$10 – $20 an hour wouldn’t do it for me either. Do you really want to pay $20 for a salad or $30 for a hamburger?
Former Waiter
Just because someone has a lot of money doesn’t mean they should spend it all. Keeping it is how you stay rich. Maybe I am cheap when it comes to tipping, I’ll give you that much. You should never expect a tip. It may be what most people do but not everyone will. You should also never expect a big tip. Expecting it is what will let you down when it’s not a lot. You shouldn’t expect something that isn’t required.
There are lots of people who don’t get paid very much. Teachers are always complaining about low wages. They don’t get tipped when they treat a child extra nice. If you want another reason I don’t tip is because I don’t give out freebies. If you knew me you’d know that I am not one to ask cash from. Why should I give my money away to other people? The reason a lot of people give to charities is for a tax cut. Ask my parents about that one.
I read your article and believe your attitude needs to change, as do others with the same attitude. I’m speaking of “getting back” at people who didn’t tip you enough or at all. It’s not professional and it certainly isn’t mature. Any decent person wouldn’t think of doing such things. Imagine if someone spit in your food or let it meet the floor a few times before serving it. No you wouldn’t know, but if you found out you would be disgusted and possibly outraged. No you don’t have to like people who don’t tip 20%, but you should definitely treat their food the way you would want your food to be treated. Reading these kinds of things is not making me lean towards tipping at all. You said you ignored the guy after you gave him the iced tea, also not professional. That may impress other waiters but it disgusts me, good service should not be determined by tips.
Gays being misunderstood is very different from this. People don’t choose to be gay. People choose to be servers. That whole thing is a different argument and something that would take years to discuss.
If more people thought like me, then maybe your pay would go up. Believing the price of food would sky rocket is unrealistic. Restaurant owners would just change the way things are. They wouldn’t hire so many people and they wouldn’t have so much waste.
I don’t think being a server is easy. Just because a job isn’t easy doesn’t mean you should get rewards all the time.
Top Coat
Yes the jobs I said are different from being in a restaurant but I still think it’s the same concept. Why should a few jobs be so special as to receive extra from strangers. You shouldn’t put on a fake smile, laugh at the guests stupid jokes, compliment about how nice they look, and tell them everything they want to hear just for tips. If you want to do that fine, but don’t do it just for tips. In face I really don’t care if the server does that. I’m fine if they just have manners and keep my food clean. I ask of nothing else.
People who behave in such disgusting manners as viewed on this site and the site “Former Waiter” linked to should reconsider their job. If they want to be childish, then maybe a preschool career would be best. Food isn’t something to play around with. One time something will go to far and a person could become seriously ill or die. If they trace it back to the restaurant I guarantee the server won’t be high fiving their co workers about what happened anymore.
Melvin,
I am done with you. You still claim waiters are getting freebies when it’s not a freebie… it’s our WAGES. Since restaurants leave it up to the consumer to provide our wages, then you SHOULD tip. You tip according to service and its customary to tip 15 percent minimum. Most people don’t tip because they are unaware of how waiters make a living, which is not your excuse. Your excuse is you just want to take it out on waiters because of their choice of work. God forbid every American thinks the way you do!! It’s common courtesy and practice to tip (whether you like it or disagree with it is BESIDES THE POINT) because we are providing a service and in most places, we get paid 2.15 an hour. Yes, we choose that line of work and we should EXPECT to get tipped IF THE SERVICE PROVIDED IS EXCEPTIONAL. Waiters don’t get paid a regular salary and we have to tip out the entire house before we make any money at all. Melvin, your excuse is you KNOW and are AWARE how restaurants work and how waiters make a living and you still insist on taking it out on waiters by stiffing them. I hope to god you never become desperate and ever have to depend on the generosity of others because you will then see what it is like to be on the other end. Good fortune doesn’t last forever. I hope one of your family members never ever desperately have to resort to waiting tables… I am sure you’d stiff them too. Never say never, because it can happen to any of us, especially in this economy. You are just mean-spirited. As I said, complain to the restaurants and your local politicians… but don’t take it out on a waiter and his livelihood. If his/her service is bad or good, you have already told us you won’t tip anyway, so why bother arguing with you. I am done. You are just stingy and stubborn. It’s very clear.
Again with this feeling of entitlement. That really bothers me. If the restaurant leaves it up to the consumer to pay your wages then you shouldn’t work there. It’s not like the restaurant contacted us and we agreed to it. As I stated before, if you don’t make enough the restaurant is required to pay the difference. If they don’t they are breaking the law. Saying servers don’t make minimum wage is misguided information. Most people must not know that they have to be paid the difference, so that must be where the complaining is coming from.
If you only want the tips to make up for the rest of the pay why are you so greedy? 10% is enough. You must be trying to get rich off of it. Another this is being told that you have to tip. It would help to tell people it would be nice to tip, that it is appreciated. Telling people that they must tip is not going to make them want to tip. You are right it is a courtesy, not a law. When it becomes a law then things will be different. Until then, appreciate those who tip and if someone doesn’t, oh well.
It is very unfortunate to behave a certain way towards someone just because they do not tip. You tell me not to take my dislike out on the servers. Don’t take your dislike for being paid so little on people who don’t want to pay your way through college. I would think you’re at least 28, since you mentioned Jennifer Lopez and she hasn’t been popular for a long time. Someone of your age should know better than to have this mentality. I’m 20 and know that it’s silly to do that.
You should never expect something that isn’t required. You shouldn’t expect someone to let you in front of them when driving. You shouldn’t expect someone to let you cut in line at the grocery store. You shouldn’t expect someone to hold the door for you. None of those things are required so shouldn’t be expected.
Yes I am mean spirited but that has nothing to do with me not tipping. I just refuse to give out freebies. Yes it is a freebie. You get paid by your boss, if you want to make more go somewhere else. When people say that, you retaliate that the pay is good, so why so much complaining?
The worst thing though is that you think anyone who doesn’t tip is a jerk and that you are always right about needing 20% of the bill. Maybe the person forgot to leave the tip. Then next time you spit in the food and they tip you triple and explain that they forgot to tip last time. How silly will you feel. Maybe they can’t afford more than 5% tip. Maybe they didn’t like your service. No matter what the reason though, you shouldn’t treat them differently. You shouldn’t do anything to their food. For people who act so high and mighty servers certainly are very immature.
Actually I’ve had cousins be servers. I told them the same thing, people are not obligated to tip them. Family or not family, no one will get a tip out of me. Unless the attitude changes, instead of telling me that I must tip, how about just leaving it alone. No one has to do anything.
To Melvin
Yes, waiter must serve the customers that is correct and we are not saying that YOU MUST TIP, the argument with you is that YOU DO NO TIP BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE giving a good serivce is a MUST for WAITERS!!?? On the other hand, why do you think you deserve the BEST SERVICE? because of you are eating out? because you think that’s a WAITER MUST DO? It is not FREEBIES because those waiters are selling their BEST SERVICE(waiters work hard for it!!)
Does not matter if you can afford a 2500 dollars computer or not!! It’s just your attitude is really bad about tipping!!
Waiters are selling their services, it is never a FREEBIES!!!
YOU are SO CONFLICT
“Family or not family, no one will get a tip out of me. Unless the attitude changes, instead of telling me that I must tip, how about just leaving it alone. No one has to do anything.”
YES, NO ONE HAS TO DO ANYTHING so waiters does not have to serve you?
THERE are no laws says YOU MUST TIP so stop saying like EVERY WAITERS ARE ASKING tip from you!
However, you should tip if you think that waiter sell you a good or even the best serivce, and you can choose not to tip because you do not have enough money or because of the bad service, but your point is that ALL WAITERS are begging for money becuase tips are FREEBIES??(of course you have the right to tip or not but the way you are saying is that you would not even bother to give tip to waiters because you think it is their job to do it, so how about just asking yourself that do waiters have to provide you the BEST service???) TIPING is becoming a cultre for resturant, unless YOU change this culture or the society…
The reason waiters’ bosses pay them is because they are work for them as a SERVER!!!! AND waiters are SELLING their SERVICE to customer so it is never a FREEBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do not know if my Englsih is making any sence or not maybe is because I am just so angry about what you post!!
Will
I believe that a servers job is to serve me. I’m not asking them to treat me like a king but treat me like they want to be treated when eating out. I should not have to tip generously to avoid spit, snot, dirt, or other unwanted ingredients being put in my food. Anyone who engages in such childish practices obviously has some issues that need to be worked out.
If I think the server was good I thank them. I say thank you when they give me my food/water and I say please when I ask for something. Yes servers should provide the best service. Is that not what everyone should do? How would you like it if your maid came to your house and only cleaned half of it? Or only dusted but didn’t vacuum? How about if the delivery guy leaves your package halfway up your driveway instead of at your door? When it’s your job you should always do your best. Regardless of what the profession is. If you don’t already know that, then I don’t think you will get it.
No servers are not selling their service. They may be selling themselves so they can take home a big tip but they aren’t selling a service.
Melvin
You say: Regardless of what the profession is. If you don’t already know that, then I don’t think you will get it.
Hmm, I think it is YOU who doesn’t get it. You say that it is the job of waiters to do a thorough job, just like a maid should clean a house thoroughly and a garbage man should do a complete job. Well, a maid and a garbage man get paid a salary. That is their job and they should do it well to get paid 100 percent right? Well, servers are selling a service in order to GET PAID too. It’s not even worth arguing with you because you just don’t like to admit you are wrong. It’s customary for patrons to pay their waiters when they get great service and to pay a waiter their salary involves good to great tips. That is how you pay them. Your “thank you’s” mean nothing to us. Melvin, you say you are so polite and so generous with your compliments… well save them. We have to pay rents and bills. Compliments don’t pay the rent, moron.
If you dont like the tipping system, then why don’t you stay at home and eat at home or bring your own lunch. Tipping is how it is. You are probably a bitter lonely soul because there is no sane attractive person that would ever date the cheap likes of you. And if they do, don’t take them out to eat because if they saw how cheap you were and how much you dislike waiters, they’d dump your ass to the curb.
FYI, one of the main points you always seem to make is: waiters choose their profession and if they don’t like it, they can leave. Well maids and garbage men ALSO choose their professions (even if they are lousy professions that you look down upon) and imagine if THEY had to work for tips and not a steady salary? So just because a waiter works for tips, they shouldn’t make a livelihood? Your argument is null. We waiters don’t have to worry about the likes of you. We still make a decent living and sometimes make more than most people in and out of the service industry, so we don’t need your lousy money. Keep it, Melvin. Thank goodness not every patron is like you. Otherwise, we’d starve to death. Stay at home, Melvin. Good riddance. Sheesh. I hope that they get rid of tipping to make you happy. Let’s see how much food will cost you then and let’s see how well servers take care of you.
Melvin sucks!
Great username! Anyway, who pays the garbage person and maid? Their agency right? So should it not be the restaurant that pays their servers? If you think you don’t make enough maybe you should have a talk with your boss. I’ve said more than once that a restaurant must make up the difference if you don’t make minimum wage, so if you aren’t getting that then the restaurant is operating illegaly. Just because something is customary doesn’t mean it’s the law. As a matter of fact everyone agrees that it isn’t the law so why condemn someone who doesn’t do it?
I think you’d be surprised just how far a kind word can go. It can completely change someone’s day around. It’s nice to know though that the only thing that matters to you is how much tip you are left. So asking me how I’m doing or if everything tastes alright is just a charade to get on my good side? You really aren’t helping the argument any. It is the servers that seem to be the greedy, money hungry ones. Not the patrons. Me spending my money on you is not going to pay my bills either.
I actually don’t eat out much. Maybe once every few months, and then it’s only because of a family dinner. If someone breaks up with someone because of how little they tip then that person seriously needs to rethink their priorities. I really don’t care how people see my tipping ways. If they don’t like it oh well, they can leave the tip.
I fail to see what would change about a maid or garbage man if they “worked for tips”. Maybe they would be a bit nicer, but the work effort shouldn’t change. I didn’t say a server should be poor, just that they shouldn’t think that just because they claim to make so little that people should support them. That’s what you have parents for. A lot of servers brag about how much they make so what is all the fuss? If one person doesn’t tip you does it really matter that much? Do you think AT&T is going to cause all hell to break loose if I don’t send in a payment? No because it is one person and one time. Just like servers shouldn’t engrave the person’s face into their memory, save some spit for them, and go about complaining for the rest of their lives how they got “stiffed” one time.
So many times do people equate tipping with good service. These do not go hand in hand and anyone who does so should not be working as a server. You’re right, I did say they can go somewhere else because they can. No one is forcing anyone to take any job. If you think you make too little then find something else to do. If a real estate agent thinks they make too little should they invoke a customary tipping rule as well? I don’t see why servers think they are so special that they must be tipped. Not only do you want a tip but you demand what exactly you get. How about being happy with what you get instead of complaining? Is something better than nothing, no matter how little?
I’m glad you don’t need my money because there is no way that you will be getting it directly.
Wow. I’m surprised this thread is still going on.
Melvin must just be trolling this site or be a complete moron. Obviously, someone so set in his ways is not going to admit an error in their thinking.
The truth is:
When you enter a dining establishment, you are expected to tip your server. Yes, custom does dictate this but ethics do as well.
When a patron enters a restaurant, they have certain service expectations: fast, friendly, and efficient service.
The server also has expectations: to get tipped a fair amount for the service they provide.
When a patron enters a restaurant, they already know both terms of this arrangement. For them to sit in a server’s station and have their expectations fulfilled (receive good service) without meeting the server’s expectations (tipping accordingly) they are being unethical – especially when the patron admits purposely not tipping just because they don’t like the system.
Regardless of what Melvin argues, there is nothing he can say that will ever excuse his behavior. He is taking advantage of the system, without contributing to it – and doing so willfully. The reason everyone is so repulsed by him is less because he is cheap and more because he is very ego-centric and self-centered.
A person’s tipping patterns say a lot about what kind of person they are outside of the restaurant walls. A willful non-tipper is more likely to care less about social issues like homelessness, world hunger, the working poor, and welfare reform. That’s because these issues don’t directly affect them. They are also less likely to volunteer for anything – including to chaperon their own child’s school field trip. They think it should be someone else’s responsibility. These reasons are why a person who goes on a date with a non-tipper should steer clear: the non-tipper is always a taker and never a giver. Who would want to marry a person like that?
To Melvin
I do not know what’s wrong with you, YOU MISS THE POINT!!! Servers DOES SELLS THEIR SERVICE because they CAN ONLY dliever the food to you once or never refill your water (well, if you only deliever the food and water once then that CALLS BAD SERVICE) I am not saying servers should treat you like KING or sometihng like that!! ALSO, I never said YOU have to tip to avoid spiting or anytihng like tht to your FOOD!!
YES, SERVERS “SHOULD” PROVID BEST SERVICE, HOWEVER, YOU MISS THE POINT beucause THEY DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE YOU THE BEST SERVICE!! So They are SELLING their BEST SERVICE instead of the BASIC SERVICE(only deliever food and fill water once) WELL, then DEFINE YOUR “BEST SERVICE”!!
Why do you eat out instead of EAT IN? because you do not SERVE yourself at home?
Tip your waiter is the COMMON SENSE in the United States of America or in Western Culture!! It’s never a profession problem, why you think waiters are not selling their service too?? Waiters could DELIVER FOOD or things to you and THAT’S IT..if they do not sell their service then they can just be rude to you or just let you have the empty glass whole time!!! there are no roles tells people or waiters that they have to ask how’s the food how’s everything!! If the server’s service was not good or he’she was being rude then you could at least tip 10% and tell they or the head waiter about what should be changed!!! In stead, all your point is that WAITERS should not expect/get tip from people since people choose the WAITER JOB or because it is WAITER’s obligation to take care everything when you choose to eat out!!!!
ARE you saying EVERY MORNING the NEWSPAPER BOY ring your bell wake you UP and deliever the NEWSPAPER to YOUR HAND instead of through it on your yard or fron door???
As you said WAITERS’ PROFESSION, clearly, you do not UNDERSTAND that profession even you helped your DAD as DELIEVER before, and because YOU do not UNDERSTAND the meaning of what WAITERS do and you do not UNSERSTAND the meaning of TIP!!!!!
STOP INSULTING ALL WAITERS!!! WAITERS ARE not GREEDY about tip!! THE REASON I AM ARGUING WITH YOU IS NOT ABOUT how much you are welling to tip… IT’S ALL ABOUT YOUR twist mind and RUDE ATTUTID about WAITERS!!
IT’S ALL ABOUT the ATTUTID!!!!!!!! I know your going to say “that’s waiters job to dfeliever the food or something like that.” However, PELASE think deeply, DO THEY HAVE TO?
There is an old lady who always ONLY get a soup and rice(that’s the cheapest thing on the meanu) but she still tip one dollar, I even told her it’s ok and I still selling my service to her!! It’s the attitud!!!!!!
“I’ve said more than once that a restaurant must make up the difference if you don’t make minimum wage, so if you aren’t getting that then the restaurant is operating illegaly.” What’s the difference between the boss make up the money to the minimum wage and you tip the waiter??? For example, if the waiters salary should be 100 dollars with tip(50 dollars from hours and 50should be from tip) but because you did not tip so he only get 46 tip this month and the owner should make it up for you!! Is it FAIR let the owner pay the tip for you?? WAITERS SELLS their best SERVICE so they SHOULD deserve the TIP from you instead of the boss because they are not serving their boss!!! AGAIN, this is not about the money I jsut want you UNDERSTAND the MEANING!!!!
PLEASE, TIP is part of WESTERN CULTURE already and if you are in WESTERN COUNTRY PLEASE respect that CULTURE, aslo STOP let other people pays the TIP for you!!!!
P.S I BELEIVE YOU WOULD NEVER UNDERSTAND THE MeANING OF TIP or WHAT’s WRONG WITH YOUR attitude about WAITERS!!!!
I typed a really long thing and it didn’t post so I’m just going to go short this time.
Waiting,
Yes I’m self-centered but that has nothing to do with me not tipping. I don’t tip simply because it isn’t my job to make up for poor wages. Do you even know why you tip? Do you truly care for your server or are you just tipping because it’s what you observed or were taught? Also it is the servers job to bring food and drinks in a timely manner, so no extra money from me.
Will,
If it’s not about money why are people demanding twenty percent? Why get upset at someone who only leaves one cent as opposed to twenty dollars? It’s about the money and you know it.
Yes servers do have to provide good service unless they want to be out of a job or their restaurant fail. What do you mean the owner of the establishment shouldn’t have to make up the difference? They are their employees and as far as I know it is the employers job to pay the full wage of any employee.
Custom this, custom that. It’s custom to slaughter animals for food and I don’t so I am a bad person? It’s custom to hold the doors, some people don’t, are they bad people? Is anyone who doesn’t blindly follow a custom a bad person? I refuse to do something just because everyone else is doing it.
I eat out because I may not feel like fixing my own meal or I go out with someone else. There is no rule that says you must tip to eat out. I pay the restaurant for the meal and that is also I should pay for. Unless all restaurants include a tip in the bill I will continue to eat out as I please.
You are absolutely correct. I tip if I receive hot food, prompt service, drink refills, etc. But some people think tipping is mandatory. Good service deserves, a good tip. Excellent service deserves, an excellent tip. But the same applies to terrible service. If I have to ask you for eating utensils, a refill, come look for you for my bill, feel free to ask me why you didn’t get a tip. I’d more than willing to explain.
I am completely disgusted with servers who DEMAND a tip; a tip should always be earned. I have no problem with servers expecting tips for providing a good service, although I think it should 1, be tapered slightly in some cases, and 2, be reflective of the level of service provided.
If you, as a server, cannot provide refills, serve us cold food, never check up on us, make me wait over 30 minutes AFTER we’ve eaten our meals to give us our check (without checking up on us, if we’re happy and talking that’s fine), then you should not be expecting a tip. End of story. Bad service, bad tip.
A lot of servers think they’re so great, but we go out a lot (by the way, I am actually a high tipper), and poor service is quite common. I bring it up with management. Its your JOB to provide good service, no matter what. IN ANY job, if you provide good service, your job is at risk. I don’t know what people are getting at, I have a lot of pleasant experiences at fast food, because I go to places that have good management. As a former retail manager, anyone who didn’t provide excellent service would be fired; its actually really easy to fire people, so I don’t know why people use that as an excuse. And no, we did NOT earn more than servers, even on an hourly basis. In fact, most earn less. Most department stores in the area start at minimum wage; here in California, it is also LAW to pay the minimum wage for servers, no matter the amount of tips. So again, I don’t feel bad. In the retail stores I worked, if you put out a tip jar, you’d be fired. If you didn’t go out of your way to help customers, you’d be fired. End of story. Nobody gets a free ride; if you work hard in retail, you’re often rewarded with promotions, but that takes a lot of work, and a long time. If you serve, you will probably get tips. However, neither is a GIVEN, particularly for bad servers.
I do think tips should be provided, I’ve had plenty of excellent experiences, my favorite local places for service are our Chilis and IHOP (I know other areas aren’t so lucky to have good service in those locations). When we get servers who are fun, provide excellent service, make sure our drinks are promptly refilled, and comp us for terrible/poorly made food if it occurs, then we tip well beyond what is recommended. But, I will also say, if we go somewhere more expensive, and the service is mediocre or sub-par, then even a 15 or 20 percent tip seems a little absurd. For example, say we go to a steakhouse, for my wife and I, it could cost us up to $100; if you’re expecting a $20 tip, you better provide damn good service to earn it, because that’s not a given in my book. Doesn’t mean I won’t tip that much or more, but again, you better damn earn it.
So, to sum up, DO NOT expect a tip. Provide excellent service no matter what, and be grateful for those decent sized tips you do receive.
Also, spitting in food, urinating in food, or whatever other disgusting thing you can think of in food is ILLEGAL, so that shouldn\’t even be in discussion with tipping.
Has anyone actually thought that this argument/debate is going in the complete wrong direction?
It can easily be argued here that the consumer is the worst victim within this whole argument because even after the consumer has done what he/she is legally obliged to do to obtain the service, it is practically demanded that they then pay extra to support the employees of the organisation and if he/she chooses to not do something that is OPTIONAL they are victimised and abused.
Why should it be accepted that the consumer has to firstly pay for the service (which is usually overpriced for ‘established’ organisations) and then in addition the consumer is expected to pay the wages of the employees of the organisation? How is that fair for the consumer? What if the consumer themselves are on a low wage, have a family to look after and are in poor circumstances, what happens then? What do they get for putting themselves further into poverty? A good feeling of altruism? A free drink?
Instead shouldn’t the attention be directed to how the state/organisations have manipulated the concept of a tip and have established it as a part of its governance/operations to act as a ‘scapegoat’ so the state/organisations don’t have to fulfil their responsibilities?
Shouldn’t the attention be directed to the creation of new tax cuts for the top 10% within the American Economy?
Shouldn’t the attention be directed to the fact that the people who were responible for the economic crisis have actually come out of it mainly unscathed?
It just seems bizarre to me that the people who choose not to tip are blamed and accused of making living conditions for people worse. Instead of accepting the beliefs, the values and the operations the state creates and practically forces onto you as soon as you step into some form of institution such as a school and instead of spending all your time hating people who are only doing their duty and utilising their free will, think for yourself and actually do something about it.
When I walk into a restaurant I expect to be served in a timely fashion with hot food and refills. The waiters expect to receive a good tip. If my expectations aren’t met, then theirs won’t be met either. I refuse to pay 15% for terrible service. That just tells the staff they can serve my food to me however they like and when they feel like it. Like what was said before, good service deserves a good tip. Excellent service deserves an excellent tip. I’m not going to tip just to avoid foreign substances in my meal. If the service was that bad I probably wouldn’t go back to that place anyway.
for those of you who say you don’t tip, or tip poorly, I really hope you don’t frequent the same restaurants on a regular basis. If you do, there is a really good chance that you have eaten anything from boogers, to spit, to urine and fecal matter. When some less then reputable waiters see someone come in who has stiffed them time and time again… there is a really good chance you are eating one of the above things.
We had a cook at a restaurant get fired for shaking his dandruff off on someones pasta. So enjoy someone else DNA in your food, and hope it is just dandruff and not semen.
In Melvin’s Defense
i’m glad someone here has some sense and can understand that tipping is not required.
Waiter
of course those kinds of comments really make me want to start tipping. i would obviously want to reward people who find such things acceptable and humorous. if you can’t be professional all the time you have no business working in a position that deals with customers directly.
Melvin is right on tipping is not mandatory (unless there is a large party gratuity added to the check), but stiffing a great server who made you feel welcome, always gets your order right *even when you make it the most COMPLICATED order in the world*, entertains your children, keeps them calm, cleans up after them, makes sure you get your food out with the right timing for your needs and makes sure hot food stays hot and cold food stays cold, brings you refills before your glass is half empty, laughs and smiles at your “witty” comments, brings you an accurate check in a timely fashion *even when you want to split the check 50 ways only telling us this AFTER the entire meal* and we thank you and welcome you back warmly and even tell them to ask for yourself so you can make sure they get the best experience every time, is WRONG. We make 2.13 or less an hour unless you serve at a fine dining restaurant (like a 5 star or diamond hotel). Tips are our income. Our LIVELY HOOD. If you don’t tip us, we just PAID the restaurant for you to eat there. We are required to tip the other staff 3% to 12% of the amount of SALES we generated, not the tips we generated, but the sales. So 20-50 dollars of our tips is automatically the restaurants. Then we also pay taxes TWICE on those tips. So, tip according to service. If it was shit tip nothing to 10%, if it was good 15% if it was excellent 20% or higher.
So, restaurants have the ability to sock away perhaps 10% of their sales, if they do it all correctly. 30% to food and beverage costs, 30% to overhead, and 30% to labor, as current practices dictate. That means servers getting a pittance from the boss, while the boss relies on the customary 20% tipping practice to compensate his front-of-the-house employees. If a \’living wage\’, i.e., $8-$10 per hour were paid to the servers/bussers/hosts/runners, etc: the tipped employees; the restaurant concept in America would cease to exist. Menu prices would either go through the roof, or many restaurants would close because it would be unprofitable to remain in business.
Melvin, economics dictate this system…please understand it.
Also, you are starting to remind me of church people that tell a server up front that there will be no tip because of their belief that nobody should work on Sunday…WTF! If people should not work on Sunday, stay away from restaurants, whereby your presence requires people to work (FOR TIPS, ASSHAT)!
Servers have memories like elephants, and remember shitty people; not just bad tippers, but shitty people like yourself. I love people, and I\’ve met some pretty interesting folks, both good and bad, in this industry. Believe me, every server has a mental rolodex, charting all customers that cause either euphoria, or rage…Kinda like a bipolar thing! If you stiff a person on the wrong day, that person could just go crazy-depressed on every other customer for the rest of the day…bad for a place you might like to frequent. Customers might tend to stay away from a situation you helped create by just being your self-absorbed, egotistical, non-tipping dickhead that you already claim to be.
The American system is not the best, but it is what it is. If you don\’t like it, buy a stove and a microwave, and maybe some expensive Emirilwear, or All-Clad cookware…your position on tipping won\’t change the change the industry, but maybe it will allow you to rejoice once again at owning some overpriced shit that you can use to iron your expensive shirts!
If paying a reasonable wage would mean skyrocking food prices – I wonder how the heck all those countries (like mine) where tips are NOT required – manage to still have world class restaurants, world class service and reasonably priced meals! I agree with those who say that the employers are skimming it at the expense of their customers.
I dine in restaurants from your basic Denny\’s through to first class and expect the same quality of service. In 90% of cases that is what I get – and NO TIP EXPECTED.
Hit your employer up for a decent wage or go to another job where they will pay you a living wage.
Melvin you Rock !!!
I hate waiters who think they are entitled to get a tip…
Why should I pay for your wages? That’s your employers responsibility… not mine…
It’s your obligation to provide excellent service…
Most waiters complain about making less than minimum wage… well guess what? You can’t make less than minimum wage and that’s the law…
I think some waiters and waitresses think they are owed tip i usually tip 15% to 20 % and still get shitty service because i’m black, even black folks that wait on you think they are gonna get stiffed i’m done with restaurants that require tips i will do take out so i won’t have to tip.
I am a server. I get paid $2.13 per hour. If you tip on your credit card, we get less on our pay check. Where I work, if you don’t get tipped, you make no money. If you leave NO TIP at all, it costs the server money because we have to pay for a small percentage of our sales. If your service is terrible, I understand if no tip is given. But if your service is good, leave 20 percent please. I’ve worked a 4 hour shift before and left with less money than it takes in gas to get there.
Okay, this is coming from a former server who knows the laws. If your boss decides not to inform you then they are ripping you off. If you get paid 2.13 an hour and do not make a combined total of the minimum federal wage for the hours you worked (7.25 per hour) then the boss has to make up the difference on your paycheck. IF you do not report him/her then that is your fault. Now I know in reality if you do say something then most likely you will get less shifts which just goes to show how a lot of restaurant owners want to get away with not paying their fair share of a salary to employees.
Employers would not have to hike their prices either. They would merely not make as much money. Welcome to the real world of owning a business!
Please quit whining and complaining that your job is worth more than the next person who has to please their customers and also multi task as much as you do. I used to be grateful for the times I made a minumum of $20 an hour but I never felt that I was entitled and I also never felt it was the customer’s responsibility to make sure I took home fat wages. And the servers who complain that they don’t take a paycheck home should be logical enough to realize that normal employees don’t take cash wages home every night in their pocket. Plus normal wage employees pay FULL taxes on their income. Servers get away with only having to report full credit card tips because it can be tracked by an IRS audit. Cash tips are usually reported to the discretion of keeping off of a radar from the IRS. And NO you do not have to pay taxes on sales from customers who do not tip. Quit saying that if someone does not leave a tip that you are legally obligated to pay taxes. Normally your employer uses (let’s say an average of 8% total sales you report as tips) just to keep the IRS off your and her back. So if you did not really make that much and also keep a record book then you win against the IRS because they cannot prove otherwise. They can only prove credit card tips.
You all sound like a bunch of entitled spoiled brats. Be thankful for the money you’re making now and save it. You do not work harder than most people who have to multi task and treat customers well. The cooks in restaurants work just as hard as you do and do not feel they need to make over $20 an hour.
[...] answers you question about why tipping is necessary, it answers every aspect of the question. Why should you tip? | Tip20! If you don’t want to tip, go eat at McDonalds. It’s common curiosity to tip for any SERVICE [...]