What do we tip waiters for?

[The_Dude 1,142]

taco bell does not count.

if you're really as obnoxious to wait staff, as you have implied you are. i hope they remember you & treat you to the 'special sauce' when you return...so, how much 'special sauce' do you think you've consumed in the last year?...oh yah its happened, don't think it hasn't.

LOL, no, it wasn't a Taco Bell, it was a small italian restaurant that my aunt owned. Running a restaurant, can be difficult, but serving food and placating customers with a smile while taking their order and subsequently handing them their food is not. I never said that I was obnoxious to wait staff, if you read my first post, I stated that I do tip according to the level of service I get. My point was that it's legally not required and, I was objecting to paul's insistence that everyone who patronize restaurants should work as a wait staff as a prerequisite to dining out. No thanks, I don't need to do menial labor.

[Flames9_RN 358]

It probably doesn't matter if you tip or not--everyone is getting that special sauce,lol

[Ban Hammer 13,360]

LOL, no, it wasn't a Taco Bell, it was a small italian restaurant that my aunt owned. Running a restaurant, can be difficult, but serving food and placating customers with a smile while taking their order and subsequently handing them their food is not. I never said that I was obnoxious to wait staff, if you read my first post, I stated that I do tip according to the level of service I get. My point was that it's legally not required and, I was objecting to paul's insistence that everyone who patronize restaurants should work as a wait staff as a prerequisite to dining out. No thanks, I don't need to do menial labor.

nepotism!

[twowls 217]

I have every right to do so. I understand your sympathies as I imagine you've worked in the food service industry. That doesn't change the fact that it's not skilled labor, and anyone can do the work. Normalize wages and get rid of the tipping system.

Uh oh! I totally disagree and I will be hammering you on this from now on. Ish.

Normalize wages, yes. But that's not the system. And when I was a wee owl I waited tables and...sucked at it. I sucked. I was a terrible waitress because I am constitutionally incapable of being sweet and detached when people are as*holes. That ability is a goddamn art. Plus the physical intensity and the mental juggling and the abdication of the ego and much more--it's really quite a feat. Maybe that sounds absurd, but you've never had to try it. Surrously.

It is not stuffing envelopes, at all. And there is a group of professions that are set up this way. It's an unspoken agreement. You can object to the system, and I do, but while the system is in place, it's crucial that we accept it on some level--otherwise these people can't survive.

Serving is like this, hair is like this, bodywork is like this, etc. In some places servers are getting paid 2 bucks an hour. It's ALL tips for their livelihoods. Chiropractors and doctors aren't tipped because they make plenty already. The only reason I can do my work and live is tips. I cannot give intensive treatments 40 hours a week--I must make enough during the limited number of hours I can physically sustain the work each week. If I do not get tipped, I'm screwed. I make 25 an hour without a tip. I make 60 with a 15% gratuity. The boss makes all the money from the retail price of the product. The people actually doing the work--they need recognition in the form of cash. Or they can't do it anymore, and you can eat at home or not get your neck fixed by me.

This is our system Rob! What's your alterna-plan, beyond changing it up entirely? And no, you don't have to tip bad service.

[Ken y Leidys 20]

africa americans don't tip unless the wait staff is black.

I carry my cell phone for the sole purpose of calculating .20 * _.__ So, try stereotyping someone else.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

africa americans don't tip unless the wait staff is black.

And you criticize what I post?

[Welshcookie 17]

I don't object to tipping per se...But here I find it stressful because I know they earn totally ####### wages and therefore it is just 'expected' regardless of good service or not, in the UK I totally tipped on service and how well they did their job because I knew they were at least getting a minimum wage, if they were ####### they didn't get a tip. Here, you are almost brow beaten into giving a tip because you know they rely on it to earn at least a decent wage. Seriously, what's up with not having a minimum wage in some states in this country?.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Why should tips be based upon the cost of food? Tipping should be based on the quality of service, not a percentage of the food bill. Is it really worth more in tip to bring me a $6.99 burger on a plate or a $15.99 steak on a plate? If it's the same place, same server and quality of service, it should be no difference in tip.

18-20% of your food is the baseline. From there, it is up to your discretion to tip a bit less or more based on the quality of service (not quality of food).

I'm a bit unnerved though by the number up walk-up counter establishments with tip jars, and trying to know when and how much to tip in those situations. Also, a lot of these places even have an extra line on the credit card transaction for a tip.

[Ken y Leidys 20]

not the case in my experiences. Usually got really decent tips from certain races when I was a server. Teenagers were always the worst in my experience.

DE & RD should follow me and my friends around, and they'll see how misinformed they are.

[Gemmie 142]

Normalize wages, yes. But that's not the system. And when I was a wee owl I waited tables and...sucked at it. I sucked. I was a terrible waitress because I am constitutionally incapable of being sweet and detached when people are as*holes. That ability is a goddamn art. Plus the physical intensity and the mental juggling and the abdication of the ego and much more--it's really quite a feat. Maybe that sounds absurd, but you've never had to try it. Surrously.

I agree, I was once a waitress/bar-tender in the UK, and I hated it. I wasn't good at all, I was shoved into it without much training and had to remember silver service, body-language, order of tables, what was in the food, prices, etc... And because it was for weddings and thousands of pounds had been paid by the family, people had this unrealistic expectation that the service should be 10*, and that wasn't possible sometimes. People would yell at me for not having enough milk out, when I had to serve all 120 guests coffee by myself (staffing problem) or because they had dietary needs and couldn't eat the food served, or because they wanted another bread roll and didn't see what the problem was as I had a whole tray... because part of my job was to actually pour the wine and coffee, and some people didn't like that.. the list went on. It is not easy being a waitress when people are mean and obnoxious and you have to keep smiling, and also juggle everything in your head with each table.

Having said that, I earned around $13 an hour so even without tips (which we rarely got) it was enough to keep me there.

I agree that it's not something that ANYONE is naturally good at. I've had servers that would nervously try and joke around, mutter the specials, forget things, etc. I'm always polite about it as I know how difficult it can sometimes be. I think it's kind of crappy that they're paid such low wages here.

[fozzie 41]

18-20% of your food is the baseline. From there, it is up to your discretion to tip a bit less or more based on the quality of service (not quality of food).

I'm a bit unnerved though by the number up walk-up counter establishments with tip jars, and trying to know when and how much to tip in those situations. Also, a lot of these places even have an extra line on the credit card transaction for a tip.

Many credit card machines print that line, it doesnt mean you have to tip. A tip is supposed to be an additional reward for going above and beyond. If your job is to take my order, relay that order then bring my food and thats all you do then why should you get any tip. If you really make the customer feel welcome, special and important then you deserve a little extra. Thats how tipping started and thats how it should be.

Clearly thats not how it works and I do tip, sometimes generously, but I feel that the system has lost its meaning. Clealry it will never change.

NB: I nearly always tip in cash so that they can get away with not declaring it as often. Cab drivers in NYC were very unhappy a few years ago when they were told they had to install gps and credit card machines. Sorry, no more hiding your tips fellas.

[fozzie 41]

I agree, I was once a waitress/bar-tender in the UK, and I hated it. I wasn't good at all, I was shoved into it without much training and had to remember silver service, body-language, order of tables, what was in the food, prices, etc... And because it was for weddings and thousands of pounds had been paid by the family, people had this unrealistic expectation that the service should be 10*, and that wasn't possible sometimes. People would yell at me for not having enough milk out, when I had to serve all 120 guests coffee by myself (staffing problem) or because they had dietary needs and couldn't eat the food served, or because they wanted another bread roll and didn't see what the problem was as I had a whole tray... because part of my job was to actually pour the wine and coffee, and some people didn't like that.. the list went on. It is not easy being a waitress when people are mean and obnoxious and you have to keep smiling, and also juggle everything in your head with each table.

Having said that, I earned around $13 an hour so even without tips (which we rarely got) it was enough to keep me there.

I agree that it's not something that ANYONE is naturally good at. I've had servers that would nervously try and joke around, mutter the specials, forget things, etc. I'm always polite about it as I know how difficult it can sometimes be. I think it's kind of crappy that they're paid such low wages here.

No one is saying that these jobs are not tough, they are. What they are saying is that they are unskilled jobs, they do not require any formal training or qualifiactions/education. Thats why they dont get paid much. Not everyone is going to be a great waiter/server but im pretty sure everyone could do the actual job (take an order, relay that order, bring the food, refil beverages etc).

[SuperDuper! 230]

This thread is incomplete without someone posting the YouTube clip of Mr. Pink.

"Somebody" do it?? Ahh, now we know you.

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, And Nobody

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done

[Nagishkaw 510]

"Somebody" do it?? Ahh, now we know you.

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, And Nobody

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done

[evli1966 88]

Yay, I got called out by evli. Too bad you're dead wrong. I managed a restaurant when I got out of college. No, It wasn't a big restaurant, but I saw how it operated. It's not hard, just time consuming and tedious. Nice try though.

I am so sure you made that restaurant sing and make money.

Which is why you now stare at a computer monitor 90% of the time...not to say I could do that.

Uh oh! I totally disagree and I will be hammering you on this from now on. Ish.

Normalize wages, yes. But that's not the system. And when I was a wee owl I waited tables and...sucked at it. I sucked. I was a terrible waitress because I am constitutionally incapable of being sweet and detached when people are as*holes. That ability is a goddamn art. Plus the physical intensity and the mental juggling and the abdication of the ego and much more--it's really quite a feat. Maybe that sounds absurd, but you've never had to try it. Surrously.

It is not stuffing envelopes, at all. And there is a group of professions that are set up this way. It's an unspoken agreement. You can object to the system, and I do, but while the system is in place, it's crucial that we accept it on some level--otherwise these people can't survive.

Serving is like this, hair is like this, bodywork is like this, etc. In some places servers are getting paid 2 bucks an hour. It's ALL tips for their livelihoods. Chiropractors and doctors aren't tipped because they make plenty already. The only reason I can do my work and live is tips. I cannot give intensive treatments 40 hours a week--I must make enough during the limited number of hours I can physically sustain the work each week. If I do not get tipped, I'm screwed. I make 25 an hour without a tip. I make 60 with a 15% gratuity. The boss makes all the money from the retail price of the product. The people actually doing the work--they need recognition in the form of cash. Or they can't do it anymore, and you can eat at home or not get your neck fixed by me.

This is our system Rob! What's your alterna-plan, beyond changing it up entirely? And no, you don't have to tip bad service.

+1

18-20% of your food is the baseline. From there, it is up to your discretion to tip a bit less or more based on the quality of service (not quality of food).

I'm a bit unnerved though by the number up walk-up counter establishments with tip jars, and trying to know when and how much to tip in those situations. Also, a lot of these places even have an extra line on the credit card transaction for a tip.

In regards to the tip jar ask them them after getting your food what the tip jar was for. I never tip a QS reataraunt unless they deliver to me at home and they meet my expectations

Also som QS restaraunts typically smaller chains only establish 1 merchant account (brick&mortar) which has to take transactions for E-orders(online ordering), in Restaurants and delivery.

They do not realize in order to lower transaction fees and interchange fees they should manage 3 different merchant accounts for all 3. E-Commerce account for online orders and Moto Accounts for deliveries and phone Orders and the QS accounts for the Brick&mortar transactions.

"Somebody" do it?? Ahh, now we know you.

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, And Nobody

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done