 June 21st, 2010
12:00 PM ET
Last week, Eatocracy shared a compilation of restaurant pet peeves from friends and colleagues. In turn, we asked “What should we add to the menu of complaints?” Over 1,500 responses later, and there are clearly two sides to every story. For every customer complaint, there wasn’t a waitstaff counterpoint far behind. So, we decided to turn the tables: diners, you’re about to get served. Turns out industry folks have just as many grievances as customers do. And in this corner, the waiters:
Thanks for the tip…or lack there of
Are you still working on that? The reason we ask is because we can’t tell
Closing arguments
Geez! We know there’s more where that came from. Do we sense a diner rebuttal coming on? The comment ring is open. |
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Well i'm from Ireland, and throughout Ireland bono and the lads are unquestionably liked and also could certainly not do truly much incorrect, we all love them.
I think VetranServer said it well...
"Tipping is not required, but it will get you a warm welcome back and even better service the next time. If you want to be treated like a king when you visit your favorite restuarant all you have to do is be a pleasant human being and tip well. If you can't tip well, be courteous and don't run our butts all over the restuarant with special requests, because you won't be paying for our service. I never mind not getting tipped out well by someone who didn't ask for more than their drinks to be refilled once and their food to be delivered to their table, but don't waste the time I can be spending on guests that tip well by making me run to get you extra sides of ranch dressing for your 6 oz. salad or 5-10 refills of coca-cola for your kid before your meal even comes out. Whether you run my butt off for a good tip or not, I'm never rude, but have SOME consideration."
I myself have been in the food industry as a waitress and nothing says running your butt around like waiting on elderly people. They expect steller service for little to no tip. I have always acknowleged that if I didn't give good service it would be reflected in the money I received. So that should ensure that our servers strive to give that great service. I don't demand much but my food be warm, my drink refilled, and if the food didn't come as ordered it be corrected. I will tip well if my server is excellent and maybe they can't controll all aspects, but at least give me a good understanding why it isn't what I expected.
I have also not left a tip. When I order a pancake I expect syrup to come with it as it is the servers job to get the extras that come with the food. Not for you to bring the pancake and then ask if I wanted syrup and then never return with it. Or if my meal includes a side with it make me aware of it and ask what I want. Do not let me make my order and just skip out of what is due. It is part of your responsibility to know your menu.
I do not agree that it should be standard to leave a 20% or more tip. Maybe I am a bit old fashoned for this idea, however if we are all required to leave a 20% tip standard where does that leave the customer service aspect? If my server is rude or has no interest in their job, why should I be required to leave them what they think is owed? If you are worth it great, yes you should get a fair tip. Otherwise stop expecting.
well reading to the posts i am glad i am not working in the states but in good old europe. where eating out is civilized and nothing is a 'must'.i am a Chef since 45 years and Executive Chef since some 30..I have worked in little restaurants and big hotels. And as we all know, kitchen very seldom sees any tips.BUT every good server knows, when/if he or she hs a good or big table or wants something special or extra, a share of the tips is appreciated. because Chefs have a LONG memory and a little co operation goes a long way. Also WE work long hours, on top of it in the heat and noise. at least we don't have to smile if we do not feel like. a good server also will always give a little something to the dishwashers. and they always will have clean coffee spoons on the side ready.
do I tip when i go out. YES i do,but both the server and i will ask them to make sure that the kitchen gets a beer or some soft drinks if they feel like. and believe me, this is appreciated. but if the server is a skunk and has an attitude, i even walk out without ordering. He does not do me FAVOR to serve me. i come here to eat and also have the right to be treated correctly and PROFESSIONALLY. If the server has first to ask the kitchen, what is the soup of the day, does not know the items on the stop list and does not know the basic drink service, he or she is in the wrong place indeed. and for that can not expect a tip.
i do not make the law about low hourly wages, you guys have labor unions, are THEY doing something about it, besides sitting on their fat bums all day long.(i never belonged to any union my whole life).
so, as the old saying goes, you get what you give...
The amount of ignorance present on this comment board is astounding. Both sides of the argument have valid points and there is no right answer!
To all those who dont like tipping: what do you do for your job? Im sure you experience your own level of stress, but do you ever have up to 15 tables of hungry or thirsty people asking you for something at the same time? Your server deals with a section of tables... NOT just yours. That is reality, and you are aware of it. If you want different, go to a restaurant expensive enough to provide one server per table.
Also, did you know that the average server walks (or runs) approximately 12miles for every 6 hour shift he/she works? No, the job does not require a high level of education and you may think these people are "lesser", but having worked in over half a dozen industries, I can say with complete honesty that servers are among the nicest and most beautiful people I have ever encountered.
I have worked as a server and a telemarketer... but also as a currency trader and a CMA for a huge accounting firm. And I must be honest; it takes a special type of person to work nights and weekends with no benefits, and still smile at every testy CEO who walks in thinking theyre better than you.
Also, did you know that servers must tip-out to kitchen staff and hosts based on their DOLLARS OF FOOD CONSUMED? If everyone for a single night did not tip a penny, the waiter would actually lose money, having gone to work!
However, to servers: you knew when you took your job what you were getting into. If you are rude to someone WITHOUT cause, you deserve not to be tipped. Just like in any other business, if you are rude to a client, they will not patronize your establishment!
They call it the Hospitality industry for a reason... try to be hospitable! There are benefits to your job too... you can often drink on the job, you can laugh and be social, you dont have to sit in one spot at a desk, and if you hustle, it pays off!!
NO, tipping is not required and it is not the law, but it IS socially acceptable. You tip for the same reason you thank someone for holding a door open for you... because it shows appreciation. And because in our society, it is the accepted norm!
Two things: 1) I can understand if you feel you have to sit at my table if the management asks you to do so, but I hate hate hate it! If a server does that when I am eating out, I politely ask them to get up. You say you don't know if something one customer likes another one hates. If I've nicely asked to not to do something, you now know that I am one of the customeres who do not like it. Please don't get pissy with me. 2) On th whole tipping thing, I think America is really screwed up in not sharing tips with the chefs/cooks in the kitchen. In Europe, most restaurants have a trunk for all tips and they are shared by all staff. I know servers and back waiters get paid below minimum wage and on slow nights sometimes don't make enough for gas money, but as a chef de partie in a fairly nice rstaurant where the typical cost per diner was $100-$150, I could never make more than my 10.25 per hour for a 10 hour shift no matter how slammed the kitchen got and how hard we worked back there. Meanwhile, on good nights, a good server could make over a thousand and still come out way better than me even after tipping out. How happy and satisfied the diner is and how much they are willing to tip for a good meal (always assuming they are not non-tipping jerks), is a result of both front of house and back of house together. The tipping situation should reflect that. Either even out the base wage for all employees and split the trunck equally, or share the trunk proportionally with more going to the front of house staff that are paid below miniumn. Reward the kitchen staff for a job well done!!
Question: On more than one occasion, I have hosted a luncheon/dinner with an open bar. My contract states that 20% gratuity will be added to the total cost of food and beverages which are on separate lines on the bill so I know how much was spent on food, how much on drinks. In some cases, I have even had to pay a fee for a bar set-up and bartender. Then, I turn around and there is a tip jar sitting on the bar which brings me to my question: Who is getting the 20%. Was I out of line to tell them to please remove the tip jar. I felt these people are my guests and should be treated as such. It just happens that I am entertaining them at a venue outside my home. I wouldn't expect them to tip if it was in my home so why should they feel they need to tip outside my home?
Wow, lots of hate going on here. I take meds that require I drink TONS of whatever I'm drinking, usually diet soda. A waitress/waiter who brings me a new glass w/o asking with just make my day. That = good tips. Then I've had to ask other servers where my waiter is, track them down, etc just to pay the bill. I do understand I'm not the only person he/she is serving, but we shouldn't have to look for you.
But in regards to a lot of the complaints from servers, if you hate your jobs so much why stay working as a server? I'm in the medical field with a masters degree and probably make less than you could ever imagine, but I do it because I love to help people regardless of whether I'm compensated what I think I should be or even thanked by a client/patient.
I have enjoyed (not really) reading both sides of this argument....
So I have decided to leave an excerpt from my FB page...
Coincidentally...I have been as high as a General Manager in the service industry and as low as a dishwasher...
So here goes...
NOT only do i recommend this site to my fellow servers...(note the comments about poor service)...but I recommend this site to all of Galax, and other cities (hint hint FB friends, pass this on)! However, taxes aside (consuming that massive... $2.13 an hr) and people who are too inept to cook that need to be educated in the art of the tip, we as servers deserve some respect, which we gladly accept in a monetary form! We don't come to your job at 5 minutes until close and order a well done steak...we don't consume a gallon of our beverage of choice causing you to run a marathon...and we certainly are not members of the kitchen staff that incorrectly prepares your food. We are in fact the friendly smile that says hello and asks how your day is going. We entertain your children (no matter what mess they are making that we have to clean up later). We do our best to ensure your experience is going smoothly even if you are having a bad day...wife problems, dog crapped on the rug, kid failing basic math....and most times our management staff (which are paid handsomely) just take a back seat to watch us bust our a%$! So if you can't tip the 20+% we are worth, save yourself some of that hard earned money, which we don't come abuse you at your job for, and buy a frozen pizza/pre-made meal at wally world and eat it in the comfort of your own home! That way you can beat your dog, yell at your kid and not talk to your spouse in peace! THANKS.....fellow servers please feel free to forward this, I didn't copyright it!
Where do I begin? There are so many uninformed people making comments in ignorance on this board.
1. Wherever you shop you are subsidizing the employees even in industries that don't use tipping.
2. Basing your tip on the amount of tax is just … well, stupid. The amount of tax varies from city to city.
3. @Mike- Your ignorance is palpable. The biggest reason service is so bad in America is because, unlike Europe, it's not seen as a profession. It's something you do until you get a "real job". We are SERVERS not SERVANTS. Your attitude is the problem.
4. @Brian- You want to know why you should tip according to the bill? A $10 meal will get you $10 service- i.e. a quick salad or appetizer= Minimum effort, lower tip. A $60 bill suggests a full meal- more effort therefore more tip. I'm assuming, of course, you want to tip the $60 meal at the $10 rate. Cheapskate.
5. Hey Canadians! I hear it all the time, "We don't tip where we're from." YOUR NOT "WHERE YOU'RE FROM." As they say, "when in Rome" Maple Leaf.
I have worked in the restaurant business before, and I try to be generous with my tips. I realize that it's a tough job. My tip runs usually between 20-30%. However, as long as I am living and working in this country, I am allowed to decide how I spend my money. So, after hearing the tone of the remarks from the people I have, up until now, helped to support with my patronage, I am going to take their advice (especially the disgusting one who handles my food last, wink, wink) I am giving up restaurants. It's no longer worth the chance of offending someone who has a lousy opinion of their customer base anyhow. I think of a once a month trip out to eat as a special occasion for my wife and I, who both work for low wages, where we can be waited on in addition to getting a nice meal. Obviously, I am mistaken. I will return to a fast food restaurant where some mature people (those who can't get a livable wage because of their age) will be happy to have my patronage. To those single mothers and fathers who are waiting tables and serving drinks and busing tables, thanks for the memories. You will not be getting my business any more.
I generally tip 20% on the pre-tax amount of the bill.
"...remember, they're the last people to touch your food. ;-)"
See, this why I don't like to (and try not to) eat out any more. You want a good tip? Give good service first – don't complain and say if you give me a good tip I'll be nice to you next time. If you screw up my order or give bad service, I will NEVER go to your restaurant again. You lose money, your boss loses money and you're out of a job in short order.
I'm just trying to work out the math when people say "if the servers were properly paid, the meal would be twice as expensive" and then declare that the tip should be 20%. Perhaps it's just a statement that, for all their complaints, servers would much rather have their compensation determined by their customers than by their bosses, a very reasonable sentiment in the restaurant industry.
Ya know, I have read some of these comments and I am amazed at the emotion(s). I can tell you this; in all my years of dining (53 years), I have had maybe two occurrences of substandard service, and those weren’t really all that bad. This is over HUNDREDS of experiences in all kinds of restaurants from five stars to greasy spoons serving budget breakfasts. Do I tip well? Heck yeah, I’m getting GREAT service! Except, that the server does not know that I tip well ahead of time, remember? What is the secret? Well, I like to think that it is respect, a mutual respect. Admittedly, I’m different though, I actually make eye contact with flight attendants giving the safety speeches before takeoff because I feel that they are doing it for my own good and I respect them for that. Even though I have heard the story hundreds of times, it just feels respectful to stop what I am doing for 45 seconds or so and pay attention, and smile at the conclusion. It is the same with servers; I do not interrupt when they are explaining something or obviously busy elsewhere. I ALWAYS ask for their names, if they do not offer it, and I remember and use the name when addressing them, yes even in the greasy spoon diners. It does not take long in any type of restaurant for the server to realize that I am not demanding nor conceited. I have fun with them, for they really are fun people, else they wouldn’t enter into that line of employment in the first place. After all, there is always an auto parts counter somewhere where you can be grouchy to the customer, hell, it’s just about expected. Wait staff are inherently people folks and it is part of the dining experience for me to engage them both politely and playfully. The two are not mutually exclusive! It seems that especially in the high-class establishments where the customers tend towards “needy and bitchy” that the staff find me rather refreshing, as I do them. I let them know what to expect. For instance, I do not drink alcohol. Often I say, “(insert name here) it would be a good idea to bring me the biggest glass of Coca Cola that y’all have back in the kitchen so that I don’t have to run your legs off with refills”. I’m smiling, they are smiling. Most often I get a pitcher of Coke set before me, or two Cokes to get me started, or they simply watch out for me because I explained that I have a powerful thirst. It isn’t really that hard to communicate. Let your needs be known, let your expectations be realistic, let your heart be glad that you can afford to dine out, and don’t take yourself so seriously, after all, we both know that you, nor I, are all that. If you think you are then you are a butt by definition. Finally, on countless occasions after dining I have asked to speak with the manager on duty just before leaving. I can see it in their faces when they approach me that they expect some sort of butt chewing; sad really. When I tell them quietly and privately what a fantastic experience I had and how (insert name here) enhanced the evening/morning/afternoon with his/her level of attention, professionalism, and fantastic sense of humor it never ceases to amaze me how surprised they are. Most of them tell me that they almost never get that kind of feedback, and ALL of them thank me profoundly for taking the time to let them know that their staff is first rate. Really folks, isn’t life somewhat short to act like doo-doo heads? Is it not more pleasurable to be happy? I have never been a waiter but I can imagine it to be very demanding, and to those that serve me I say we will get along just fine, for you know intuitively that you don’t have to act a certain way with me; just be you and I will be me. We both know that we are not better than the other; we breathe the same air after all.
A tip is gratitude for a job well done and when I was younger I learned that even when a job is well done, some people just won't tip. I delivered news papers at the age of 10 and then right out of high school delivered pizza's for a large national delivery company and I learned from those experiences to not rely on the kindness of others to make my ends meet.
I've worked in Customer Service for 20 years and the only thing I can say is this... If you don't like what you're doing, or the money isn't there... Do something else and don't complain about it. One server in an earlier post mentioned that I should think about her two dollars an hour while I eat my 30 dollar steak. Why? Why should I have to worry about you and your financial situation?
I've worked hard to get where I am in my career and to be making the money that I make and I did by working in the ditches without a college education. I have defied many odds in my career to make the money I make today and I am certainly not going to worry about the two dollars you make while I eat a steak that I worked very hard for.
Given that I know how customers can be, I tend to tip on the heavy side. Heck, there have been nights where I can see the wait staff is short handed and doing their best to stay above water and those are the nights I will tip even heavier because it's hard to keep up with people call out sick or just don't show up.
So don't tell me that I have to worry about your financial situation... Do a good job for me and my family and I will do my best to put a few bucks in your pocket. (Too many things these days have become rights versus privileges)
How many times will a person working in the food service industry threaten "doing something" with the customer's food on this blog? It that really the attitude of a professional?
If you want to be treated as a professional, then act like a professional both on the job and on the Internets Tubes.
In reading this tripe, it appears that wait staff have poor attitudes because of crappy customers and the customers have poor attitudes because of crappy wait staff. Can anyone see a circular pattern here.
So who is gonna put on their big kid pants and stop this cycle?
Dear self-righteous waitstaff...who do you think you are? You are employed by a business and it is your JOB to wait on customers in an effecient and courteous manner. I have worked in this industry for over 20 years in all different kinds of places..greasy spoon breakfast joints to fine dining. At my peak, I made $30,000-$35,000 a year and worked about 35 hours a week. That, by the way, was at a casual family style restaraunt, nothing fancy. I approach every table thinking about providing good service and doing my job. It is not always easy. I may get a lousy tip for whatever reason... maybe the cook screwed up, maybe I screwed up, maybe some people are just cheap, ignorant jerks who don't believe in tipping or are impossible to please. It is a thankless job. But it (usually) works out in the end. You take the bad with the good. And keeping that attitude is way less stressful than obsessing over who tips what.
Dear Pompous Ass Customer....servers are not mind-readers, we don't know who made the reservation, or who expects to pay the bill. (And whats with fighting over the check right in front of me? Oh so NOW tipping suddenly becomes an important issue to you, now I get threatened with "If you want a tip, you'll give it to me.") We don't know if you are done with the plate in front of you or you're just taking your time. And we are not trying to be pushy when we suggest a drink or dessert. Many restaraunts require their staff to make certain suggestions or upsell. Most of us hate it. And believe me, I don't want to sit down next to you either, but if my boss says I have to, well, sorry dude...scoot over.
I feel better now.
there's a bunch of holier-than-thou waitstaff patrolling this article..
To the people who say paying min. wage to waiters would increase food costs:
Obviously. Food costs are already increased by the expected tip. The only difference is that you would have the "tip" built in, in the form of the min. wage. The way you could argue for a system based on tipping is if you are looking to short your workers; looking to shift the burden to your customers because you don't care enough to properly look out for your workers. Food service workers are constantly being exploited by owners, whether it's through shift work or working for tips. It's a farce.
To the self-entitled waitstaff:
You may work a long grueling shift at $2.03/hr or whatever it is you work for, but even if you only served one customer per hour and that person tipped you 20% on a $10+ order... you would make around, with an 8 hour shift, let's say $32. But obviously you're not only waiting on one customer per hour. Increase it to two and you make $48. But obviously you're not only serving two people. If you serve three people per hour who all tip 20%, you're now making more than minimum wage. So if you think that just because you only make "$2.03/hr", you're somehow entitled to a 30% tip from the six person table you just waited, as well as the 6 or 7 other couples or groups of three you waited on during your shift... you're crazy. I mean let's say a 6 person table spends $70 (on the low, low end). At 20%, that's $14 just for that one table. Add that to your 2.03/hr and the 4 or 5 other tables covered during your shift (again a low estimate) and you're bringing in, very roughly, around $77.
Anyway, everyone I know who works for tips makes a killing so.. I don't get all the "our livelihood is at stake" if you tip less than 25%.
@Wow- regarding the waiters' livelihood thing-
Currently I'm writing a master's thesis on the service industry, not that that entitles me to anything like expertise, but I feel I can shed some light. My info is obtained through waitstaff interviews at multiple establishments. Here are some of my findings, casually presented:
Waiters at all types of restaurants I've studied have 'good nights', where they have higher sales, say anywhere from $500 to $800+, and therefore (hopefully) on those nights make at least 20%, $100-$200+.
Then there's the 'bad nights', when they sell $200 or even less, and make 20% on that. Why so little sales? Many possible factors: Maybe the restaurant is just slow, or maybe it's a Tuesday, or maybe there's more waiters that needed working on the floor, or maybe it's raining...maybe any combination or all of those. Whatever the cause, bad nights happen, and in my research area (city), they seem to happen frequently, at least once a week.
So far most of the people I've interviewed have worked, on average, four shifts a week. (By the way- they are students 66%, supplementing primary job income 21%, only waiting tables 11%.) Just hypothetically now, let's do the weekly take-home-tips math: one bad night at $20, one ok night, such as you suggest, at $80, one good night at $100, and one great night at oh, $180. (One server's actual numbers from a week in mid-September). That total number is $380, for 32 total hours of work. If the server is making 2.13/hr, and 'claims' all of his/her tips per shift, the $2.13/hr is negated, resulting in that blank paycheck servers are talking about. Also bear in mind the 10% tipout per shift which goes to the bartender and busboys. We're now down to around $340 per week.
$340/week= $1360/month = $16,320. That's only about $5,000 over the 2009 poverty line. And in cities like mine, where cost of living is higher than the US average, these servers are only $1500 off the city poverty line.
Economically speaking, livelihood indeed.
I've stopped hiring ex-servers at my business, I've learned too many times that they are some of the most entitled and untrustworthy employees in the world, they have no respect for anything.
I used to be a server in a high class restaurant while in college. I always tip well , at least 20% standard. What really pisses me off is the servier asking "you still working on that?". I am eating my meal, not "working on it". I am dining, not working on anything.
I was raised with manners, and whenI'm finished eating I put my fork and knife together on the plate. Its very telling when a waitstaff says that, I'm done with that restaurant as it means they train their staff poorly and have bad standards of service..
allow the ignorant fool to join the conversation. @Mike, Why do you expect so highly of your servers? (I am terribly sorry if I offended anybody..) anybody serving you would be in a bad mood by the end of the meal, and please remember nobody is perfect. I say tip everybody. Tip the excellent servers highly and the medicore servers the lowest possible.
1. I would prefer to have the cost of my food increase 10-20% if that meant I would no longer have to tip.
2. I do not understand the argument of those like "owner/chef" that believe that getting rid of the tipping system would make a $25 meal cost $75.
3. "Paul" was very wise in saying that the tipping system is degrading for both customer and server.
I waitressed for 13 years. I got a huge kick out of it because of the kind of restaurant it was, but it was definitely hard work. It's not easy being "on" all the time, running around, keeping things straight, cleaning things up–it's very physically draining. I was lucky; I had a full-time job very different from the restaurant work I was doing. Most everyone else was working two or three jobs just to make ends meet. I was an AMAZING server, and I consistently scored 100 on my mystery guest assessments. Even then I had my share of cheap people and people who thought they were better than me simply because I was a server. I would NEVER, EVER do anything to someone's food, but I occasionally would call someone out if he or she was truly an ass. I am lucky I had the luxury. My friends/fellow servers didn't. I also had the support of the restaurant. I do not tip less than 20%. People work in the service industry because they need the money. While it's only $1 or $5 for you, sometimes that's the only way your server is going to be able to pay for food that month or keep a roof over his or he own head. Cheap people SUCK.
Most of this forum is giving customers a bad taste in their mouths about servers and I just want to clarify a few things. I've been waiting tables for the past 10 years and I now do it as my 2nd job, not that I have to, but because I want to. When I put on my uniform and strap on my apron, I am excited to go into work. Not only am I working with people I consider to be my friends, but I'm waiting on great people who actually come back to see ME. I take pride in making my guests happy and have a great feeling if they leave with full tummy's and smiles on their faces. The matter of tipping seems to be a huge issue on here and it is! I feel that, if you get crappy service, then tip accordingly. I understand if you feel that leaving 10-15% seems sufficient to you because of whatever reason, that's okay. Because for every one of your 10-15% tips, I'm getting 20% or higher from someone else. You win some, you lose some and that's all a part of life. All of this "they should make your pay minimum wage and cut out tipping" would only make finding good help impossible and your dining experience go even further down the tube. Yes, it's not a hard job, but we put up with a lot. Don't believe that all servers hate their jobs and hate people. Some of us actually take pleasure in making your experience memorable.
I remember I waited tables along with working retail and being a full time high school student and athlete. One incident sticks out in my mind. On a very slow night I had a table of six. They had my full attention since there were no other tables. I had to fill up ketchup bottles and dishes of ranch along with getting dinner roll after dinner roll, extra napkins, my salad doesn't have enough cheese, my fries don't have enough salt, i don't like this wine lets try another one, even more ketchup bottles, and so on. I was completely pleasant the whole time and got what they wanted seconds after they asked for it. The total bill ended up being over $100 and I got a $2 tip, In most cases gratuity is automatically added for parties of six or more, unfortunately this wasn't one of those cases.
I worked hard, and with a smile on my face every single second I served at this restaraunt. I even came in with food poisoning one day and still was completely pleasant considering the intense amounts of pain I was in all night. I agree that servers are not automatically entitled to their tips, they should earn them. But that's just it, if they earn them give it to them. I alway judge a server before I tip and I think that's exactly how it should be ever time.
To all the waiters out there, working hard at what is surely one of THE most trying jobs ever, Thank You! You are appreciated.
Worth a look: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20428990_3,00.html
If some of the restaurants would start charging less for the meals we now get less of...I would gladly leave larger tips!
People are downright rude at restaurants.. Seriously if your waitress walks up to you and says Hi how are you today and if you dont respond back your gonna have a waitress who treats you like crap right back. If you clearly see that your waitress is busy do not suck down your drink and expect a refill immediately.. your not her only table!!! When you see your waitress taking care of another table do not interrupt her wait until she walks away from the table. Your gonna get treated right back how you treat people.. If your just gonna leave a penny as a tip after your waitress has busted her butt for you don't bother it just makes us more mad. If your waitress was downright rude and deserved not to get a tip thats fine but if your waitress kept a smile on her face and got you what you wanted as fast as they could they deserve a tip. some of us are working 2 and 3 jobs just to support their kids. wouldn't it make you mad if your child was busting their butt for someone and they weren't getting paid for it?? Hey at least we are working and aren't just sitting on our bums collecting your tax dollars
I always tip 20%. Even if the person does not deserve it. I do it because it's just the right thing to do.
I expect servers to be polite and do their best. Not because I deserve it but because it's the right thing to do.
If a server gives bad service because they don't get tipped well, then their priorities are not right. To give only good service because you're expecting a good tip shows your motivations are wrong. There are other ways to grab cash.
If a customer does not tip properly then he or she should not be eating out. It's how the system works.
Everyone who complains about tipping should learn about the methods employed in the cost controlling of restaurants. If you were to stop the tipping habit, most outstanding "mom and pop" style restaurants would go out. Only the flavorless corporate giants would be able to ride that one out. Also, YOUR cost would increase quite a bit to supplement the increase of labor costs. Most restaurants (try to) run a labor cost percentage of around 30%. Considering that wait/bar staff are sometimes 1/2 the staff, an increase in their salaries would be hard hitting to the restaurant and would most likely raise the price of food at least 30 more percent (kinda makes 20% a deal, doesnt it?). At least in this incentive based tip system, your waitstaff (should) work harder to please knowing that their livelihood depends on your generosity. In a system where incentive is removed and the waitstaff has no incentive to work hard... hehe, you complain now, just wait.
For you servers that think you automatically deserve a tip whatever it is....lose the entitlement. Yes I know your base salary is $2 an hour and you depend on the tips, but no one is forcing you to work such a lousy arrangement.
hahahahahhaha YESS I LOVE THIS!! I used to be a waitress and honestly .. you learn some people reallyyy suckkk and for every complaint they have about their waitor we have about 1000000 worse things to say to the customer! LOL ON POINT!
i always have to laugh.... people who have been waiters are MUCH more likely to treat their servers respectfully... they also are much more generous with tips. People who have waited tables before are not inherently better people, they just know how hard the job is, and are more able to appreciate good/excellent/outstanding service.
in my job now, i try to never ask or expect anyone to do something i have not already done myself at some point. you can't reasonably gauge someone's quality of work if you haven't done it yourself. its a shame the same cannot be true for restaurant servers... anyone getting waited on should have been a waiter themselves, it would change many a perspective. of course that's not possible, so we'll always have creeps who think waiters are their personal slaves and that leaving no tip is ever appropriate.
Will not tip if a server calls me hun. End of story. it's childish, presumtive, and plain bad manners. Shows a lack of Intelligence on the servers part. Don't know how to address me? Look it up. U DON"T KNOW ME well enough to call me hun.
Will stiff a server for it everytime. USUALLY I ask to be addressed in a different manner before I lose it. If you continue, I will ask for another server. I'm not a hooker/bartender so don't try and butter me up with calling me hun.........My job? I'M A SERVER!
stop going to diners.... that's the only place they call you hun... and that's because its expected as part of the diner experience. it's a term of endearment, before you i've never heard of anyone being offended having been called hun.
frankly... its a little bizarre that the word hun would cause you to not leave a tip, you should see a therapist about that, hun.
Will not tip if a server calls me hun. End of story. it's childish, presumtive, and plain bad manners. Show a lack of Intelligence on teh servers part. Don't know how to address me? Look it up. U DON"T KNOW ME well enough to call me hun.
@ OWNER/CHEF
If you only make .18 cents on a $25 steak/meal...you are definitely in the wrong business. My brother own a small shop and if he isn't making at least 70% above cost he would close up. I think you should stop whining and learn how to run your business properly and pay your staff a little more. If I get poor service, you get poor or no tip...
For those of you that complain about 15% versus the preferred 20%, one thing I would like to point out is that some of us are government employees eating on the government dime while travelling very far away on government business. We are only allowed to be reimbursed for 15% gratuity and although I may desire to tip more, as a lowly state employee I really can't afford to. I also do not have the option of eating at home. Please, at least try to be grateful that you get the full 15% because although I will be reimbursed, sometimes I don't think the server is worth that much of my tax money.
The whole "if there wasn't tipping the price of the food would be exorbitantly high" thing is specious at best. Not every place only pays 2.00 an hour. Here in Washington state, servers are paid at least state minimum wage (which is higher than federal minimum) plus tips. I think it's currently like 8.50 or 9.00per hour. The price of restaurant food here is pretty much the same as restaurant food everywhere (I travel a lot, I know) and I have never, ever, ever been charged $75.00 for a hamburger or a steak or whatever it was.
I had dinner at the Space Needle restaurant recently and I think our dinners were about 45.00 each. That particular restaurant is a little on the pricey side. I'm sure there are more expensive places in town, though I haven't been to them. Nevertheless, even with the prices @ the space needle the servers average 9-15 per hour (PLUS tips). I know this because I had a conversation about it with the server who was by the way given a 26% tip. I rounded up.
My point though is that the prices at the average "family" restaurant are congruent with the prices at the same type places throughout the country even though backwater places like Kansas pay only 2.00 per hour. The higher wages that are paid here do not cause the cost of restaurant meals to go through the roof. It's a BS argument with no merit in fact.
@Customer Advocate.. I guess economics is really an issue here. In the restaurant business as in grocery stores, as well as businesses there are many expenses, consider a mortgage or rent, taxes (including property, sales and employment), utilities, which are all truly astronomical. Although I do see your point, however in order for an establishment to receive that price for all of those items they must maintain good quality food, a clean establishment and good consistent service. Good service is indeed something that you will always pay for through tipping. If you stiff your mechanic, attorney, or doctor, they turn it over to collections. I claim all of the money that I make, otherwise that is stealing, not only from the government, but from the establishment. I have been in the restaurant business for almost 25 years. I am lucky, I put myself through college and after I graduated, I found a good job, however the restaurant that I worked at asked me if I would consider staying on after I found my career path. I love what I do as a server; I like the people that I get interact with. I have a clientele; I know who will be good to me and who will just be mediocre. No matter how badly a guest treats me, I would never ruin their food, but have seen many servers not be so caring. Karma has a way of working those things out. I will admit that I am also grateful that I do not have to provide service to any of the customers that have complained about having to tip on this board. Really if you don’t want to tip, consider ordering take out, allow these people to make an honest living and raise their families. Most people consider tipping a gratuitous issue, but my mother who worked her fingers to the bone raising four children alone on tips would disagree, so honestly most have no real idea what it means to basically have to beg for money. This is really what tipping is all about, and instead of standing on a corner holding a sign they are politely smiling, tolerating your humorless jokes and how badly the children of bad patrons treat them. I do agree that unfortunately, African American patrons on the whole (NOT ALL) do not tip well, and tend to abuse their servers. I am not stereo typing, I am telling you the way things really are. I treat everyone the same, with respect. It would be great if guests in a restaurant treated their servers the same way, however we will always be the help.
Customer Advocate,
Your logic is sound, but you are not exposed to the real economics of the food service business.
Please learn more about it.
“Those with all of the answers seldom understand the questions”
It helped pay my way through grad school and prided myself on my performance as a server; I was compensated accordingly on a weighted average basis. ( by tips)
I was very happy to reach my goal. (My current career)
Always complain about poor service! Understand what you server can control. (This helps every other customer, good servers and owners)
I tip - but I just don't understand why we as a society single out one specific group of people to treat differently. If I am paying $10-20 per plate, and $5-7 per drink, $30-50 on a bottle of wine (this is in a cheap city!) - why is there simply not enough money to pay the staff a fair wage ??? - and why must the customer be forced to pay and extra 20% surcharge ???? And why does this surcharge scale with the cost? Is it 5 times harder to bring a $50 steak to my table than a $10 burger? It weighs about the same.
what about the checkout person at the grocery store? they have kids, rent, living expenses? why con't we give them an extra few percent?
what about the guy that comes to fix our cable? or internet?? would it really hurt us to pay them a $5 for showing up on time?
Or our flight attendants and airline captains - they risk their lives every day to make our travel safe. go beyond that to the luggage carriers, schedulers, gate agents, and air traffic controllers. should't an on -time flight arrival justify a few hundred dollars to spread around the they guys that make it happen??
What's even more interesting is the vilification of the customers, by the servers. The waitpeople are kings and the customers (people who pay the bills) are monsters. The waitpeople can't be bothered to transfer a check from the bar to the restaurant - no, the customer must go OUT OF HIS WAY to make the servers happy. wow - if i treated my customers like that I would be fired within months, if not weeks.
And all of these servers that chastise older people for using tip cards are now economics experts. As if they would be waiting tables if they had the capability to do a thinking job successfully. For some reason if the restaurant had to pay its employees, the customers would end up paying MORE that the current price+current tip? That's just simply not the case.
I know things won't change in the US, at least until after the financial meltdown that is going to occur. Until then, I will tip - but I just won't understand it. And I do realize I have little choice than to tip - and even an fair complaint is likely to get something disgusting on my plate.
I think we all know that servers are paid below minimum wage and that their salary depends on tips from customers and I've often wondered why. I don't buy that a restaurant would have to TRIPLE prices if paying staff an extra $8-10/hr. But that aside, this has been a difficult read. It would be much easier to cite our need as clients to do the right thing by servers if not also reading about how vindictive many are. So, you don't forget bad tippers and treat people accordingly?
Outsider hit the nail on the head. If your job requires that you provide service to paying clients of an establishment and you keep a hit list of those you think have mistreated you...it seems you are in the wrong profession. Because your bad behavior will be just as remembered but it's your bottom line that's being affected.
I may not like the whole idea of tipping but I always tip. Contrary to popular notion that women are bad tippers, I and my friends use a standard of 20% but I have no problem making a statement to poor service with a lower tip. And really...poor service in my book is less about some detailed particulars or a wait as it is about attitude. You bring a nasty, rude demeanor to our table...and I can guarantee you it will be reflected in your tip; sort of like the chicken and egg...which came first? Bad attitude or bad tipping?
I think the stupidity from Palin2012 and the uptight racism from dc big mac or w/e killed this thread.
Sleep well, sweet prince.
I have served for two years to pay for school, and it has been an overall enjoyable experience. I am a friendly person and definitely go above and beyond for my customers; my comment cards always reflect that fact. Most servers will always go the extra mile, and most customers will always show their appreciation. One person on either side who does not shouldn't put a bad taste in your mouth.
One thing that many people have addressed is that the official government policy is that when a server doesn't make minimum wage, the restaurant must make that up. Although that is the official policy, it is DEFINITELY NOT enforced. Because there is no way for you to prove you're not squirreling away cash tips, they will NOT make up the difference.
The use of the world 'entitlement' makes me laugh. The restaurant industry has been this way for as long as I can remember...the customer expects good service and the server does their best to see that they receive it. And then the customer is expected to tip as compensation for that service. That's how the industry works. It's not as if this is something new. And quite honestly, isn't that essentially how all business works? Admit it...you go to your job, whatever that job is, and expect to be paid for doing it well. But just think if you had to depend on how your boss was feeling that day as to how much you'd be compensated. You could still do the best job possible, and if he was in a bad mood or blamed you for something that is beyond your control, you'd get little or nothing. So now you're the one complaining that you don't make enough money....shall we accuse you of being 'entitled' now? Look, no one is saying that you should tip for poor service, but you should at least go to the restaurant with the expectation that if your waiter/waitress gives you good service, you should compensate them.
Whether you agree with how the restaurant industry works or not isn't even the issue; if you decide to go out to eat at a restaurant and let someone else serve you, you've agreed with their practice. You are essentially the 'boss' in this situation. You determine whether your 'employee' gets compensated well, poor, or not at all. Maybe you could think about that the next time you go out, and also, try to take into consideration everything that's going on. 90% of the time, your food taking a long time or it not being cooked to your liking isn't the server's fault. There are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that are out of their control. If they're sincere and apologize, and try to fix any issue, then you can rest assured that they are doing the best they can.
btw, I do have to agree that there are a lot of negative service workers on here, but please don't think that all servers feel the same way...I'm sure the negative ones on here only represent a small percentage of waitstaff in the US.
I have been a waitress for 4 years. The first three were at a job where I did not make tips because we served the same people every day. I made a little over minimum wage. Now I make half of minimum wage plus tips. If someone comes in that I know is not going to tip I ring them up under carry out so I don't have to pay any of my hard earned taxes towards their sale. We all know who you are who don't tip. It's easy to tell, that's probably why you get sh*tty service! If you walk in with an attitude why would you expect good service? That doesn't make any sense. I work in a fast paced environment and frequently remind my rude customers that they are not my only table. I can't hover because I would never have time to get to all my tables if I did that!
In all the articles and all the comments that I have ever read, I've never been inclined to comment myself...until now. I usually read the comments to amuse myself, considering that a good majority of those people that do comment just make themselves look stupid, but I felt that I had to put in my two cents, if only to respond to all those people who feel that waitstaff should find another job if they can't live on $2 – $3 an hour. You do realize that if they all did that, there would be no one left to serve your food, don't you? If your argument is that if those that wait tables should get a different job if they can't get by on their paid wage, then what happens to the restaurants? All that would be left would be fast food, because the nice restaurants would have no one to work for them. All those waiters/waitresses would be out getting a 'real' job.
Quite honestly, I'm really not sure what the issue is here. If you go out to a restaurant and want to receive good service, you should expect to pay for it. Obviously if the service is bad, they don't deserve a tip, but in reading a lot of these comments, I get the feeling that most of you don't feel you should have to tip at all. If you have that attitude, perhaps you should petition the government to raise the minimum wage for waitstaff, but don't take it out on the people that are trying to make a living. It's not their fault that they don't get paid much. The bottom line is, in the US restaurant industry, waitstaff get paid a pittance, and a tip is expected to insure good service. If you don't like it, like I said, write to your congressman or stay home. If you want to eat out, expect to tip. At least for good service...I don't expect anyone to tip for bad service. Or perhaps restaurants could just add on 15% to every patron's bill and then pass that along to the staff. Then you don't actually have to think of it as 'tipping'. I can only imagine the kind of service you'd get then. I'm not sure you realize that if a server depends on a tip from you, they will do everything they can to make sure your dinner is a pleasant one. What would happen if they already made their money just by being there? I can't imagine you'd find really good service anywhere then.
And yes, I was a waitress for 10 years, and I was a darn good one. I gave great service, endured many jerks, and never once did anything to anyone's food. And quite honestly, I loved the job most of the time. I CHOSE to do it, I didn't HAVE to do it. It takes a special kind of person to work in the service industry and I can honestly say that a lot of you on here, (at least by your ignorant comments) would never make it more than a month, if that. I totally respect anyone who's ever worked as a waiter/waitress and stuck it out. I know it's been said many times here, but it is totally true...if you've never done it, you can't appreciate it.
Where is our government during all of this? Why wont Obama help these people?
I've been waiting at tables for years, and I've noticed soem striking things:
1) Blacks always order water and stiff people on the tip.
2) Jews dont tip at all.
3) Whites always bitch and complain about the food and are REAL picky with their tip leavings.
4) Hispanics always bring groups of like 25 and leave only $5 at most.
Sorry for the breakdown bros but I'm justs aying what I notice. I'm not racist.
I waited tables for over 8 years. Generally I really enjoyed it and thought it a very rewarding profession. But it astounds me that some people can be so mean to waiters. These people don't seem to realize that waiters have an incredible amount of power over what people injest. I've seen some things that would make you cringe. To those that think it is okay to be rude, disrespectful and not tip, be especially aware of the same waiter should you go back to the restaurant. Especially if they are being extra sweet. There is probably something in your food you would rather not be there. And the visine bottle that some waiters carry, is not for their eyes. Think about it.
hey alex u wanna put ball juice in my food. go for it. considering i only order bottle water at flemings.... with cap still on. i dont order food. i come hang out with my +6 buddies. taking up your 3 tables, 2 at each but we request to sit near each other. we stay there for 2 hours at least. the more ball juice u wipe ... the more ppl we bring next day. ordering nothing again.
I wait as well and if you are in the profession for the tip, you are in the wrong line of work.
I waited tables for several years throughout high school and college and have gone out to eat many, many times since then so I have been on both sides of the spectrum. I once had a server who took my table's order and then I saw him leave and get in a car. He came back 30 minutes later and brought us our food. Needless to say, he got no tip. It all depends on the situation. If the service is slow because the restaurant is packed, I don't let that affect the tip but if a server is genuinely rude or terrible, their tip starts to lessen. However, having been a server myself, I have to say I encountered far more unpleasant customers as a server than I have unpleasant servers as a customer. The next time you treat your server like a dog, just keep this in mind- you don't see your food being prepared in most places. I have personally witnessed horrible things happen to peoples' food because they were being rude, arrogant pricks. So the next time you want to cop an attitude with a server who is working their butt off for you, enjoy the snot rocket that gets mixed into your soda and also know that if you stiff someone, they're very likely to remember who you are the next time you come in.
I'm curious to all of the wait staff that has so rudely been responding, when you see a "tip" jar or some other equivalant do you tip that person or establishment? Somehow I don't think so, look, your "entitled" attitude over tips is really quite disgusting. Most people tip and tip the 15-20% that has been the standard amount, if it isn't enough to live on and pay your bills, then find a new job, and before all the rude comments come in, I work for the county Social Services office and really deal with people who most of you won't even let into your establishments, but I do it as it is a job and pays my bills...we all have issues and problems going on in our lives, learn to suck it up!
1) I did not bad mouth him. I said that I didn't think he changed the world. I still stand by my opinion.
2) I said that I am happy that a black man was elected in this country because I I am against racism and bigotry in all forms and Obamas victory is a vicotory for all Americans by the very nature that he is black. It was great day when he was elected. Do you hear me saying that?
3) You attacked me for being white. Yes it is true that I have never been black and can not fully understand the plight of the black in America. Yet, I still can acknowledge that Blacks have been put down, and treated horribly in America and be sad that this took place. And I truly would like race relations to improve.
4) Racism comes from Ignorance. It would seem that you immediately hate me because I'm white and you perceive that I slighted Obama. Bad news is, you are more of a racist than I am or ever will be. You would think that with all your complaints about white racism that you would learn a lesson, and try not to HATE. But you have hate in your heart.
5) I am not the reason for BLACK OPPRESSION. I am your friend, and a friend to all who recognize intolerance and attempt to cleanse it from society.
6) It would be nice if you didn't pre-judge me based upon my the color of my skin. You don't know my heart, you don't know what I teach my children, and you don't the example I set in my community. If you did, you would hug me.
7) Prejudice is very ugly. Try not to hate so much. The world will be better for it.
8) Lastly, I voted for Obama as did my wife and two children. I personally like him very much and think that he is sincere, smart and has a lot of class. I think Michelle is superb too. But you should know that for me, his color has nothing to do with it. I voted for "a man" not "a black man". And although he may have changed your world, he has not yet changed "the world"
9) Jesus Christ may be the one man who has had the most dramatic influence and "changeD in the world", but even his change has only effected about 1/3 the world's population.
FRED
i dont feel bad at all about small tips, because they have 4-6 tables at a time and the money adds up fast and all servers know it
June 21, 2010 at 2:21 pm | Reply
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not all tables got there at the same time, so not all of that is made in "1 hr" since some people may stay 2 hours, others 35min, and so on. This skews your ignorant idea of an average "per hour"... so camping tables hurt your average, as do low tippers. Tip what is deserved due to service, you have no idea what other customers will do and it is rude for you to expect so. What fi everyone thought like you? Thats 4-6 low tips due to moronic ignorance.
GOD WANTS YOUR MONEY
@bro2044: Yes, I'm sure a all powerful God really gives a shit about peices of paper issued from the Federal Reserve.
You're a tool and a fool. The 10% bullshit got started by the Catholic church because they wanted money. Around the timewhen they sold peices of paper that "forgave you of sins".
June 22, 2010 at 11:09 am | Reply
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LOL ok, re-read. I was making fun of someone esle's comment about tithing and "what people give", not actually saying what people should do with their money. Now please, less screaming, more research. I actually don't think God cares about federal reserve paper and was making that point with what I said. Slow to speak, quick to listen bud. Read again ;)
Chris in Tdot
Oh dear...
Servers: Firstly, to suggest that workers in the food industry work any harder for their pay than anyone else is simply ignorant. I pumped gas for my first job. It sucked, paid poorly and I never 'expected' to be tipped. When it did happen, I was appreciative and took it as a sign that I was doing something over-and-above what was expected of me.
Realizing that the job sucked... I did something apparently beyond the comprehention of many of the indivs posting here..... I got an education and bettered my employment situation... Crazy thought eh?
Secondly: A tip or 'gratuity' is exactly what it sounds like: Not assumed, not expected, not required and completely at the discretion of the paying-party. It is, in fact, a bonus of sorts; gifted to the server for exceptional service. It is not: 1) guaranteed income or 2) requisite compensation for lackluster service.
Thirdly: If a propper understanding of "the tip" is outside of your grasp.. as is personal betterment. Perhaps prospect employment for an establishment who's pay structure doesnt assume 'gratuity'.... McDonald's maybe? Then you wouldn't have to 'try so hard.'
June 21, 2010 at 3:05 pm |
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maybe you should change your name to "Chris an Idiot"
sorry you pumped gas as your first job, that sucks that you chose such a stupid place to start. Oh, was that insulting? Because you just insulted an entire working class due to your moronic assumptions about their lives. You will find partiers and lazy people in this industry, but I sure bet you weren't allowed to pump that gas for 55-60 hours a week, now were you? No, servers are not all that heavily worked in comparison to many jobs, but for what we make on average we are working hard on our feet all day. I remember coming home and my feet being red and hard to stand on because I had just worked a 13-hr shift and had trouble walking. Is it the toughest job? no. do we choose it? yeh, for some reason or another we did... and mostly it has to do with the hours while either going through school, getting another job, or holding down 2. I'm currently working on a masters in Music, interviewing as a Personal Banker at Chase Bank where I already have a job, and working 30 hrs a week at Silver Fox Steahouse.
so please stfu and keep your ignorant comments to yourself.
RIGHT ON! That was my situation (at the time). I was going through a Masters Program and had to work with idiots who base their lives off assumptions, assuming that I was going to be serving for the rest of my life...NOT! I think it's so funny how people who work everyday lackluster jobs and lead boring lives can talk about me, when they don't realize, in a few months I'll be surpassing your loser life and going on to bigger and better.
@Sourdiesel.....YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!! You sound more like a racist then you do worried about tips. YOU STEREOTYPING UNEDUCATED FOOL! You should be ashamed of yourself. I have worked in a restaurant for a year before I went to law school, and I have seen some serious "white trash" and other cultures who absolutely SUCK at tipping. Old people aren't really aware of how it goes, and yes, it does seem like those that order well done steaks tip horribly, but you have no right to generalize. "NAACP TABLES" ?! seriously?! And by the way, your ignorance is showing when you say things like "this is fact" then follow it with saying "in my experience". READ A BOOK AND IF YOUR STILL SERVING, TRY A NEW OCCUPATION!
The well done steaks thing is funny, haven't heard that before. A member of my family is older and always orders steak well done – and, she's not a great tipper. But it's not b/c she's a jerk, she's a wonderful person who is super nice to servers. But she comes from a time and place where the bill for the entire meal might be $10 – so a certain habit developed where she just leaves a few dollars, that's a tip in her mind, she just doesn't put any further thought into it, she's not trying to stiff anyone.
Now, she's getting it though and will ask me 'is this enough of a tip?' :)
Thanks Obama. Now the effects of your recsession are felt all the way to the resturant industry.
Lou
they choose to wait tables because of that attitude that would be tolerated NO where else or because they're to lazy to work 40 hour weeks and interrupt their time to "party"
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wrong. its lenient hours, but you can pick up anytime while you go to school to become a professor or a lawyer as well... so stop ASSUMING and making yourself look so ignorant. Sometimes these people are working harder because they never had any parents or family to help them through anything ever.
@bro2044: Yes, I'm sure a all powerful God really gives a shit about peices of paper issued from the Federal Reserve.
You're a tool and a fool. The 10% bullshit got started by the Catholic church because they wanted money. Around the timewhen they sold peices of paper that "forgave you of sins".
TJ
I'm not quite sure what's developed in the service industry here in the US, for whatever reason folks have developed an "entitlement" mentality. If I take my car to a mechanic before having work done I am told a price and at the conclusion I can expect to pay no more than quoted (no tip required or expected), if I am delighted at the outcome I can certainly grease the mechanics hand with a few greenbacks as I say thanks alot. The shop isn't expecting me to su;pliment the income of the mechanics. The same holds true of most jobs. Yet, way too many restaurants charge a price for their food near the maximum most communities can afford and then expect the customer to do what the establishment should have been doing in the first place which is to pay the server and staff. I find it odd that the service industry and the IRS both feel as if they are entitled to large portions of our earnings, God only asks for 10%, neither of them match up with the latter.
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yeh um... God asks for 10% of EVERYTHING... IRS and businesses just ask for a percentage of money. If you consider money to be everything, then you definitely haven't given your 10% to God.
JonnyK
If servers had flat wages instead of working for tips, there would be absolutely no incentive for a server to go out of their way to satisfy YOU, the person they really work for, and you'd get crappy service every time. Also, Einstein, if servers wages were higher and there was no tipping system, the added cost of labor would be included in the price of your food/drink.
I swear, America is filled with a bunch of these cheap, lazy, conservative, economically illiterate idiots.
June 21, 2010 at 5:21 pm |
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untrue, or that would be true of EVERYONE in business. Businesses are trusted to provide good service to their customers in any case, so if a restaurant paid its servers then all of them would work hard because they're already making the money. Sometimes we work hard and make squat, and its because someone had an argument on the way here, bad traffic, kids crying the whole time, business deal gone wrong, no loan from the bank, long wait at the host stand, etc... tons of the time its not about just giving great friendly service, but actually flipping the entire mood of a frustrated customer even though you had nothing to do with it. Can we do it? Yes. Is it above and beyond? YES. lol...
well I watched the news this morning and guess what demodorks? i didnt see ANYTHING about this tipping thing on there which just leds me to believe taht this is just all part of the democrat agenda to distract everyone from there lack of response to the BP oil disaster.
They make mountians out of molehills in order to blind the SHEEPLE. WAKE UP AMERICA! THEY ARE RUINING OUR GREAT LAND! Stand up! Do something! Say something! They are kill us and our great land!
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall have eternal life.
as a restaurant owner i got tired of having to deal with people not tipping my wait staff so i simply started charging 20% on top of the check. there are signs posted above the door as well as on the menu stating this fact. If people dont like the fact i do this they are more than welcome to patronize another eatry. Oh and a fast way to make sure your service really goes down hill is to complain in a loud and rude manner if i just don't ask you to leave i promise you will not get any better service. However if you feel that your service was unsatisfactory pulling a manger to the side and calmly explaining the problem in a normal tone of voice most often will score you a discount if not just a full out comp of the check
I agree with your plan to charge an extra 20% for all the items on your menu as long as you give that 20% to your servers. Just don't tell me it's for their SERVICE. Include it into your cost. A gratuity should be just that a gratuity for their SERVICE RENDERED or as TIPS – TO IINSURE PROMPT SERVICE. I still agree that everyone should be making more money but servers and customers should also look at it this way; not all people get paid an hourly wage. Some people only get paid on commision, piecework or other type of individual basis. Service workers being among those. Any additional money given to service workers is just for that – HOW WELL THE SERVICE WAS. If the service isnt good then they should not get any extra money no matter what the status quo is within the industry. PERIOD!
Travis
So without tips, the owner would need to charge me more for the meal. So I should tip more, because it keeps the cost of my meal low ... but not really, because I'm tipping. So really, by tipping, I'm subsidizing the meal of the jerk who doesn't tip?
Honestly, I'd take the higher priced meal without the "requirement" to tip in this case. Lets spread the extra cost around everyone, not just the nice people.
June 21, 2010 at 4:55 pm |
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the servers didn't make the rules, but servers do get 2.13 an hour based on the fact that tipping is expected in the industry by government and business standards. If you don't like the "guideline" of tipping, stay home. Its how the restaurant WORKS, its part of the whole deal... we didn't make it like this, but don't take it out on us for other peoples' decisions.
jd
for all you whiney wait staff on here, get a REAL JOB and quit the whine. i quit working McDonalds at 18 because i wanted to make some real cash.
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you should apologize for your lack of correct association and intelligence with anything in this article. Waiting tables is not working at McDonalds. My girlfriend and I work at a fine-dining restaurant called the Silver Fox Steakhouse, she is finishing up her law degree at SMU (and she's top 10% of her class!) and I am starting my masters in music at the University of North Texas.
Next time do some research before you say something stupid, which is most-likely the highest percentage of the things that come out of your mouth.
I have worked as a waitress in the past so I understand how the tipping system works. Having said that I disagree that consumers should feel obligated to tip even if they are getting poor service. When you are working as a server it is your job to do your best to provide good service to the consumer. The acronym TIPS – stand for To Insure Prompt Service. I tip well (minimum 20%) unless my server is not doing his or her job. I realize that if they are busy the service may be slower than if they are not however you can tell if a server is doing there best. Also, the argument from the owner regarding raising wages doesn't wash either. A steak costing $25 would not need to cost $75.00. If the owners would just raise their prices by 20% and give that 20% directly to the servers then the servers would automatically be getting the same as if they were being tipped a mandatory 20%. At that point then the actual TIP would then come into play as it was originally intended TO IMPROVE PROMPT SERVICE. Servers who do a good job would then be receiving better tips because they would work harder to earn the extra money that the TIPS provided.
True. Why the min. wage for servers have not gone up is beyond me and just is not right. The amount % of the tip should never have to to be raised.
Wow, some people here are totally ignorant of reality. YES, in this country, in the United States, servers make a little over $2.00 AN HOUR. That's legal because of the tipping system. YES, they split the tips with other workers such as the busser, etc. So your cheap-a$$ tip of 50 cents gets split 2, 3 or maybe even 4 ways. This is the way it is, people. If you don't like this system, then work to get it changed. Don't blame the servers and tell them to 'complain to the boss.' That won't get the system changed. However, keep in mind that if they change it to pay servers minimum wage or higher, the cost of the food they serve WILL go up.
You understand market rates for everything else, don't you? You know that you can't go out and buy a brand new Lincoln or a new house for $5,000; you can't buy a new suit for $20.00; you can't buy a week's groceries for $10.00. So why would you think you should tip less than the going rate, which is 20%? Get over your sense of entitlement and realize that most people work hard for that money. You want to be treated like you're special? Then be nice, be fair and be generous. Trust me, being courteous and pleasant AS A CUSTOMER these days would make you stand out like the sun.
"tipped employees" are a class of employee for which the standard federal minimum wage does not apply. Instead, employers must pay a tipped employee at least $2.13 / hour. HOWEVER, the law also states that if an employee's wage plus that employee's tips do not equal at least the standard minimum wage (currently $7.25 nationally, higher in some states), the employer must make up the difference.
So you don't have to split your wages. You will always make minimum wage. You are now yelling at customer to get extra pay over minimum wages, so I'm sorry, with that little lie, you lost my sympathy.
The going rate for tipping used to be 10 to 15 percent. The charge for meals have gone up, so the tip goes up with it. Why do you now deserve more of a percentage of the total bill? What extra service are you now providing that you didn't before?
And boy – all this rankor from wait staff sure has killed my desire to tip well. I'm so impressed with the attitudes.
enough with the McDonald's references. Just tip well. A lot of miserable, self-hating people take out their anger by shorting a server a few dollars. They are pathetic.
I've been confronted for not tipping the cashier for curb-side carryout service. I've never been back to that resteraunt since.
Reading many of these comments makes me hesitant to go to any resteraunt again, if just the suspicion that a person may not tip as desired will lead to contaminated food... I always tipped 15-20%, but I guess I'd be better served and safer spending that extra on untainted food for my family rather than people who hate and may poison customers.
By-the-way, has anyone else noticed that the waitress in the picture above looks like Gina Davis?
I'm sure someone has said this but we have two sides of a coin. Two unique subcultures- servers and customers. If you've never served then it difficult to identify with their poitn of view. If you have served then its difficult to identify with the customer's point of view. I think most of the servers feel they don't get paid enough by their employers and thus tips to them are their income. Some make more, some make less, and some make a killing. Tips are their wages and customers have a difficult time with this because for one they feel the mployer alrady pays them albeit $2 isn't much. The customer is also under the improession that a tip is not a wage- its extra incentive for a job well done. Most customers don't care if they get their food, and most don't want to be sucked up to (there are exceptions), but they do want their experience flawless for a tip to be considered.
I don't think the servers on this page think that a mandatory tip of 20-30% should be required by law but they do expect to be compensated fairly- remember- the tip is their wage. Most restaurants can't afford the higher wages but some can. There is a restaurant here in Des Moiens that pays their wait staff $15 an hour (I think) this makes the staff very happy but tips are often in the $50 range. Its a high end restaurant that over charges a lot for its ood and they expecet high quality wait staff. You can't be lazy and work here- they will fire you in a heartbeat. This is one of my favorite places because the staff is trained and almost seem to read your mind. Because of this I treat them like they are a good friend- and I don't mind a tip of 30-50% (I don't eat much).
Employers just love this arrangement...convince waiters and waitresses to simply expect a tip so that they will accept being paid a mere $2.13 per hour. This attitude seems to be prevalent.
I am disgusted by this thinking...this sense of entitlement that has waitstaff acting shortchanged if they don't get a tip from me even of they are lame and rude. They should really be chasing their restaurant owners for a real wage and eliminating this expected tip mentality altogether.
The reason that they 'accept' being paid $2.13 an hour is because that is all the government requires them to be paid. They don't have a choice, except to get a different job, and as I've already said, if all servers did that, there would be no one to wait on you at that expensive restaurant.
Quote from Laura:
Laura
I get paid $2/hr as a server. if u dont tip me, I go home with no money. so when you chew on that $30 steak and dont tip me, ull be sure 2 get lousy service next time u come in.
June 21, 2010 at 1:18 pm |
Laura,
Maybe the reason you're being paid $2/hour is because you cannot write. Do you know how to spell or punctuate a basic sentence? By the way, "you" is spelled "you", not "u". Go back to school, learn basic grammar, and watch your income rise.
@ all servers
Customers are not required to tip. Tips must be earned by the level of service given.
Stop your complaining about customers not tipping enough. If the customer didn't tip you well, there is probably a reason for it. If you don't like your job or the way you get paid, get a different job.
I just don't understand why someone ordering a steak HAS to tip more than someone ordering a burger at the same restaurant. The waiter(ress) exerted the same effort to bring one plate, one beverage, and one bill. Why is that server entitled to a bigger tip than another? The cost of the bill really shouldn't be relevant in the tipping procedure, IMHO.
Apparently the reason we tip as a percentage of our bill is servers are taxed per sales, not per tables or whatever. Several commenters have said they're taxed at a rate of 15% of sales, so if you tip less than 15%, their actual tips aren't even covering the taxes they have to pay.
'm not sure if many people know this but when you wait tables the IRS automatically assumes that people tip at 15%. So your total sales (or total tables) are then multiplied by 15% and that is what your server is taxed on. Even if you stiff the server, leave 7% or leave 2% they still have to pay taxes on 15% of that bill. I've been tipped very well by people I thought were going to be stingy and I've been tipped horribly by people in Prada suits. Generally speaking the people who appear to look like they have the most are the worst tippers. Give me a table of middle classers anyday. And one other thing just because your waiter/tress is serving you food it does not make them beneath you. Love those people who go out to eat and think your their private butler.
Serving is hard work and takes skill; I appreciate servers who are good at what they do. I tried it while in college and discovered I wasn't very good at it, so went and got my doctorate to do work that I am good at.
The solution is simple: pay servers a living wage with benefits. The money that you spend on tips would just be built in to the cost of the meal. At the end, if you think the service was good, then you leave a bit extra.
When in America, I just accept the system is what it is and that a tip is part of the cost. The artifice that it's optional is what's frustrating. I tip 15% for okay or bad service and 20% for good service. Simple as this.
As an American living in Europe, I like the simplicity of not calculating a tip. I also enjoy not being rushed out of restaurants so they can turn over the table quickly to make more money.
I pay more when I dine out than I do in the States, but I enjoy it so much more. If I want a fast meal that's inexpensive, I go to McDonald's.
What is so hard about it? Not shitting yourself and remembering to tie your shoes?
I've dined out all over the world and, even in countries with a VAT, and have always tipped what the server earnerd by his or her efforts! Why? It's the custom and because my wife was a "waitress" and I have heard it all first hand. She acts as judge and jury on the effort and has often adjusted my 20% accordingly (up or down). All this being said, we prefer cooking and eating at home now, not willing to take the risk of a trip to the doctor because we follow on thhe heels of someone who didn't make the server's day a fulfilling and meaningful experience, rich with all the pageantry of a life well spent in the pursuit of it's own "reason to be"...life has it ups and downs...just like your tips. The sooner you come to grips with it, the smoother it becomes...most of the time.
Servers do not get tipped just for showing up to work, good service gets a good tip from me.
If I have to wait 5 or 10 minutes after being seated for my drink when it is 100 degrees outside that's not good service. If the steak is hot but the fries are cold, that's not good service. Make me think you have better things to do than take care of my payment correctly, that's not good service.
You have gotten a 50% raise from me if you do a good job simply because your employer has raised his prices that much.
I have often wondered if there is some point that the servers give up the expectation of a tip and are just hoping to not get a complaint when things go completely wrong for a table.
Tipping is a part of dining out and other activities, take care of your customers and they'll take care of you.
My mother was a waitress and I have nothing but respect for them. They stand on their feed all day, have to deal with customers with bad attitudes, crying babies, you name it, they've dealt with it. I give nothing lower than a 15% tip, even if the server isn't in the best of moods that day. I usually give more and the people I am with look at me oddly for doing so. If I can afford to go out to eat, then I can afford to tip nicely. These people don't even make a good hourly pay! So, Kudos to them for doing this job! For all the waiters/waitress out there, I thank you for doing your job.
Excellent service = 20% – 25% tip (more if you make an impression)
Good service = 15% – 20% tip
Average service = 10% tip
Typical service usually = NOTHING!
A tip, as far as I am concerend, is salary from me as a customer. If you don't offer me satisfactory service then you won't get a tip. If the place is busy, I'm very lenient and patient. But when there are five waiters and three customers I had better not get the wrong order or have to wait more than ten minutes to get my glass refilled; ESPECIALLY if you are standing around chatting. You don't like it then get into a new line of work. I avoided waiting like the plague for that very reason.
i think we should all stay home. however, when the restaurants start going out of business, all of you arrogant servers should not be allowed to file for unemployment. in any other profession, if you lose your job because you suck as an employee, you aren't eligible. most customers stop going to restaurants not because of bad food, but because of lousy service. wake up folks – it's your JOB. if you can't handle it, find somethings else to occupy your time and stop making the customers lives miserable. i tip anywhere from one cent to 150% of the bill, depending entirely on the service i receive. i have never left a restaurant without tipping. my one cent tip is intended to let a lousy server know that one cent was the value of the service they provided. if you can't handle CUSTOMER service, get out of the restaurant.
I'm a server. Customers: Sorry that it sucks, but tipping is the status quo, and the people who work in the restaurant industry rely on tips to make ends meet. Don't take it out on the server; we are just the people who bring the food. If you are rude, I will be rude back. If, at the end of your dining experience, you got everything you ordered, and correctly, please show it by tipping. Servers: Complaining about how much you hate customers on the internet will not get you better tips. It embarrasses me that so many servers complain about how much they make so publicly. In no other profession (that I know of) do people complain so vocally about income. Have a little self respect. Like it or not, this is just the way things are.
Mike
... Remember, I don't need you. If you try to charge more, I and your customers will simply end your business. That's how it goes. And you can let the recession teach you a lesson or two in hpw difficult it is to keep your business afloat, and Guess what??? I don't care. You have to perform, or you close. Period. sucks, doesn't it? Believe me. I don't want you $70 hamburger, nor your $5.00 one either.
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When I was first starting out and bussing in a restaurant I can tell you Mike the whole staff smells your stink a mile away. You are guaranteed nobody wants to deal with the piece of trash you are. Guess what Genius- it's the same way in your professional life also. As a company owner I would tell pieces of trash like to you to go elsewhere and still do. There's no place for your garbage. Obviously you think much more of yourself than anyone else.
So, if you are so high and mighty I'm sure you have no problem not hiding behind your screen name and let us know who you work for. Otherwise you are just an angry little poser.
HUGE LOLs at all you waiters/servers that feel 'entitled' to be tipped.
i don't care that you've decided to take a job that pays lower than minimum wage or don't have the ability to get a better paying job...it was no my decision and will NEVER be my fault!
you get what you earn...it's like that in ALL THE REAL WORLD...and most of you don't earn a tip other than "perhaps you should get a better paying job if you need more money".
the comment above from chef/owner stated "i only make 18 cents on that $25 steak".....yea right....if it was so low, you'd not be in the business because even 1000 sales at 18 cents profit is only $180....
what kind of idiot would take a job paying that? and if one did...since when is it my responsibility to pay you more? i didn't hire you and i didn't tell you to take a no pay job.
no...i suspect, as usual in this country, most waiters/servers are from the 'im entitled' camp...you know...always complaining that somebody owes them something...
nobody has EVER tipped me and i do my job every single day, BETTER than anybody else in the office with results that show 'excellence'.
not because i know i'll get a tip to increase my pocket size...BUT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WORKING IS ABOUT....DOING THE BEST JOB POSSIBLE....BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE DONE!
you pathetic people with your self rightous, entitlement attitudes will stay at the bottom of the tipping barrel because your attitudes reflect in your work.........
and from what i've seen lately..........YOUR WORK IS FOR S@%T!
I think the true idiot is you maddawg. Cannot even leave your real name? Daddy issues? Don't hate us. Hate your parents. They sure missed the boat when raising you. As as server at Disney I made $500 a day. Go ahead and toot your little horn...LOL.
TIP = To Insure Promptness
"Back in the good 'ol days" it was often paid up-front, before the meal. Times have changed, and now the tip comes after the meal once you've had to time to judge the quality of the SERVICE you received, or didn't.
Which is the point. Waiters/waitresses provide a service that you pay for with your tip. Oh, you can get your own food you say, then go to McDonalds, stay home and cook, etc. The point of going to a sit down restaurant is so you are served and you enter with the knowledge that you will pay for that service, which is not completely wrapped into the cost of the food you just paid for. Somebody had to buy those ingredients and then cook them to the restaurant's standards, that is what the cost of your meal is for, and a small portion to pay the waiters/waitresses which get paid below minimum wage in almost every state.
Your TIP is to compensate the wait staff for the time and service they give you in the restaurant you CHOSE to go to because you wanted to be waited on. If you can't handle that fact or grasp that concept, seek help.
Obviously service can be awful, that's why it is at your discretion how much you tip (in most cases), but to stiff every waitress or TIP poorly because you're upset at something else or you disagree with the tipping system, is just nonsense and demonstrates your clear lack of understanding of the system and total lack of sympathy for these servers that have to put up with things that the majority of their customers clearly don't comprehend or care to understand, based on these comments.
Wow – reading all these comments helps one to understand why servers can say they are not fond of people. I have been working in the food industry just shy of 6 years, I did it as a part time job during college and now as a second job b/c it is pretty cool to buy a home right after turning 26 as a single female.
Bottom line: servers are there to make money – I have worked with great servers and ones I would rather not have wait on me – but I would still tip them. At the end of the day you sat on your bum while someone brought you what you ordered, you didn't have to get up for more soda and when you were done you didn't have to clean up – that service has a value.
If you are a better sever you are probably at a better restaurant – I work at a restaurant with a high standard of service and luckily my parents raised me right so I am friendly and polite. I am also intelligent and have a completely unrelated full time job. My over-qualification for a relatively easy job that I can do very efficiently in no way saves me from being an occasional whipping boy, therapist, couple's counselor, "lost soul" who you must save with your religious pamphlet, etc and regardless of the excellent service I see the goose eggs in the tip line. The "no tip" or "keep the actual change tip" happens once or twice a night, and usually comes along with the big "Thank you so much, you were great" – it's a frustrating occupation but as long as they keep cooking french fries, I will head back. I agree if you are a no tipper you should stick to picking up your own food.
Imagine having to be in the room with half the people on this forum, much less wait on them – and you can understand why you'd want to drop kick a puppy after spending an hour of your life losing money. Did you leave with something in your belly? Leave something on the table. Easy enough.
Waitstaff are some of the cheapest people. If they screw up and the kitchen must fix it as quickly as they can and the server is lucky enough to get a tip they usually leave nothing for the people cooking their food. Granted servers shouldn't share their tips unless someone can pull through for them, but usually they're too greedy to or they justify it by saying the cooks mess up too which can happen but a lot less than the servers overall. A server on their first day can make more than most of the kitchen crew. Also, when servers complain/lie about food being late or messed up by the cooks when usually they forgot to order the item or order it correctly they aren't usually smart enough to figure out that A) the guest don't care they just want their food no matter who messed up and B) might know the other workers who are being bad mouthed. Servers can be great, I could go on about that too, but I'm tired of their attitudes. I tip well all the time. I wil get a manager about poor service.
I see an awful lot of people arguing about what the "correct" signals are that one is finished. Seems to me the lack of agreement is a strong argument in favor of servers asking if you are finished.
Ok wow this is great but I think there are a few things that need to be cleared up.
Yes it is your right to tip or not tip but look at it this way, if you choose not to tip or tip little you lose the right to complain about service! Without tipping we would have no professional servers or good servers for that matter as they would leave the industry for better paying jobs. I have lived over seas and worked in this industry over there, yes there is no tipping and for the reason the service is not always on par.
To all you owners out there claiming if you paid min. wage burgers would be $75! Here in Canada we pay our servers $6.00 and still don't have to charge $75 for a burger
Dear Guests,
As a manager, I can understand your concerns and do empathize with you when the service you receive is less than stellar. We are human and we do make mistakes however, we do try our best to get it right the first time. I will do whatever I can to make it right but I need your help with that.
Berating a team member and being rude to me will not make me want to go that extra mile for you. Yes, I will do what I need to do to turn your experience around but remember that being civil will go a long way.
Do not eat half your meal and then decide that you do not like it just so I will comp it. Take a couple bites and then if you don't like it, let me know. I can fix it for you.
To the guy who yells at a 16 year old host to the point where she starts to cry, does that make you feel like a big man? It's not right. How would you like it if some guy yelled at your daughter, sister, mother for something that is out of her control?
Come in regularly on a Monday or Tuesday night and you are more likely to be remembered as a regular. Good things happen to Guests who treat the team well. I don't mind comp'ing dessert or an appetizer if you return the favor by taking care of our team members.
If service is truly terrible, let me know!!! I can fix it. If I don't know about it, I can't do anything about it. Leaving no tip on the table will not fix the problem.
Also, if everywhere you go the service is very bad (regardless of type of restaurant), look at the common demoninator: YOU.
In return for your patronage, I will do whatever I can to make your experience a good one but remember that manners are always welcome on both sides of the coin.
Thanks,
The manager
Dear Servers,
Tipping is optional. Yeah, I think it is unfair (I served too!) but that's what you sign up for when you do that job. For every bad tipper, there is someone who is really good. Treat the Guests as you would want to be treated or at least how you would want your best friend treated.
Thanks,
Your manager
Hi Everyone,
I didn't even read all the comments, but I can't help putting in my two cents.
Our culture has changed dramatically since the 40's and 50's, and the way we view tips has changed as well.
I have a vintage etiquette book for teenagers from that time period that some of you might need to read.
Originally, tips were something that was expected and you were expected to tip a STANDARD 15% to people in service industries. Bellhops, valets, waitstaff, anyone who performed a service was given a 15% tip for that service.
This was something that was ingrained in our culture as part of our social script.
Now, most people I talk to seem to think tipping is strictly optional when it is anything but optional!
Good manners dictate that someone who performs their job well get tipped 15-20% because they performed a SERVICE for you.
Don't get me wrong, I grew up thinking the way most of the anti-tippers did. Throw a couple of dollars down if they did a good job and you feel good because you threw them a bone. After reading the aforementioned book and thinking about it, I realized that it's a matter of being gracious and realizing that people who perform these services for you are productive members of society.
I started working at an Italian place and, my word, the stories I could tell you!
There were wonderful people and there were hateful people.
Couples who fought with each other over dinner while I quietly ignored their "animated discussion."
Parents who let their child smear an entire slice of chocolate cake over the whole table and laughed because their little monster was "Just so cute!"
A mother who got mad at me when I stopped her one year old from touching a burning hot plate (I know it was burning hot and the blister to prove it!).
People that received excellent service and left such a small tip that the server ended up PAYING several dollars to serve them.
However, the gracious people who may not have left a "good" tip, but were kind, polite, and left you with a smile were always worth waiting on.
But, the highlight of my waiting career had nothing to do with me or one of my tables, I wasn't even at there.
I came back from a few days off to find out that a very nice, polite and quiet young man who had just signed up to serve our country for sixteen years had a table from Hell. The husband was so condescending to this well-mannered young man that he squatted quietly by their table and told the man he had had enough. "I am a member of the United States Military, and if you want, we can take this outside and I'll kick your ass. Otherwise, sit down and shut up!"
EPIC.
Normally, had anyone one else with any other table done this and they would have been fired on the spot, but our managers had already heard enough interaction the table speaking to him and seen them behaving in such a insane way that he kept his job and worked without any other incidents (he actually got a lot of glowing reviews!).
If the people like that "Mike" character got a taste of his own medicine, the world might be a better place.
People need to understand that people in the food industry should be treated with respect, just like every other human being. They should be compensated for their time and the effort it takes to provide you with an enjoyable evening.
And servers, if you don't have the personality, find something that is better suited. Skills can be improved, but some people are just not cut out for the service industry. Sad, but true.
P.S. To the guy who doesn't understand tipping for take out...I used to think that way to, but trust me...It really is a lot more complicated than you could dream!
I didn't get it until I did it. You can have a LOT of orders that have to be timed just right or your food will be cold when you get there. Some of these things are kind of like a well-coordinated dance. One wrong step and the timing for the whole night is thrown off! Sometimes, they have extra tables and/or a bar to attend to, etc. It's possibly even harder and no one tips you because "you are just throwing some food in a bag!" :-)
Ok as usual the 2 sides of an issue are completely unforgiving of the other. I agree that tips should be commensurate with service, just as my salary is with education/experience. Servers are not naive to this and understand that is generally how the tip is going to be worked out. The good service we expect = the 20 percent you expect. This opposed some thoughts like Mikes from way up top that we as guests are subsidizing waitstaff salaries. Thats silly, as they make 2.13 hourly. By contrast those servers that feel by existing you are entitled to 20 percent no matter what are also wrong. You have to perform your job as reasonably expected. Im not saying bend over backwards and stand on your head but noticing my drink is low and taking the initiative goes a loong way to getting 25 percent. Bad tippers are a fact of life they are going to come into your restaurant spend fifty bucks on dinner and leave a 4 dollar tip. They are probably going to have loud annoying misbehaving children and themselves are going to be needy and demanding. There is nothing that can be done about this other than a gritty smile and moving on in life. No need for bitterness (though i know it exists, as I delivered pizzas in college and still remember the address of the person who gave a maximum tip of forty cents) and to the owners. I buy all my meat from restaurants. my half pound burgers are 49 cents, which means they cost you like 20. a 75 dollar burger is the most ridiculous concept ive ever heard of, and thats seriously just greed right there. If you figure an average 4-5 table territory per waitperson in your employ a much less drastic increase would be needed to have the staff make minimum. I guess the moral of the story is that waitpeople should provide good service and recieve reasonable tips. Customers should not be jackasses and treat their waiter like a personal gopher. Owners dont need to be so stingey with profits. Problem solved(ish)
I thought this was supposed to be about restaurants!
Well let us point out that tips were never taxed until Reagan and the Republican congress in the early eighties started taxing server's tips and excluded hedge fund managers.
Obama is being blamed for the ecological devastation in the gulf but Halliburton will be indicted (Dick Chaney)
Palin learn how open your mind. Seems like you should have spent more time teaching family values and letting honest working folks make a living! Congratulations on the new grandchild, have a cup of tea on me.
also to to DCNaTiVe1976 – I re-read my post, and frankly I am trying to figure out where or what you find racist in what I said. I said that I am glad that a black man was elected president because it is a sign to me that the poison of bigotry is fading into the past. Do you not agree with that? Also, the fact that the my post was a response to someone who said that Obama changed the world, seemed a little inflated. That's not racist, has nothing to do with the man's color, it is just my opinion and observation of his accomplishments to date.
u is a rasicts because you said something bad about Obama and u as a white man has NO RIGHT to badmouth that man.
his name should enver be on ur lips because ur poision and can never understand what we went through. so stop pretending to be on his side when all u ever did is keep him down. alright?
1) I did not bad mouth him. I said that I didn't think he changed the world. I still stand by my opinion.
2) I said that I am happy that a black man was elected in this country because I I am against racism and bigotry in all forms and Obamas victory is a vicotory for all Americans by the very nature that he is black. It was great day when he was elected. Do you hear me saying that?
3) You attacked me for being white. Yes it is true that I have never been black and can not fully understand the plight of the black in America. Yet, I still can acknowledge that Blacks have been put down, and treated horribly in America and be sad that this took place. And I truly would like race relations to improve.
4) Racism comes from Ignorance. It would seem that you immediately hate me because I'm white and you perceive that I slighted Obama. Bad news is, you are more of a racist than I am or ever will be. You would think that with all your complaints about white racism that you would learn a lesson, and try not to HATE. But you have hate in your heart.
5) I am not the reason for BLACK OPPRESSION. I am your friend, and a friend to all who recognize intolerance and attempt to cleanse it from society.
6) It would be nice if you didn't pre-judge me based upon my the color of my skin. You don't know my heart, you don't know what I teach my children, and you don't the example I set in my community. If you did, you would hug me.
7) Prejudice is very ugly. Try not to hate so much. The world will be better for it.
8) Lastly, I voted for Obama as did my wife and two children. I personally like him very much and think that he is sincere, smart and has a lot of class. I think Michelle is superb too. But you should know that for me, his color has nothing to do with it. I voted for "a man" not "a black man". And although he may have changed your world, he has not yet changed "the world"
9) Jesus Christ may be the one man who has had the most dramatic influence and change in the world, but even his change has only effected about 1/3 the world's population.
I've been a server most of my adult life. I think I am very good and I am told so by many of my guests. But sometimes things happen beyond our control and most people just say the service is bad. If you keep smiling and try to explain "most" people understand and most people are nice. Mike I just wonder if you have ever had good service? Many of my guests become friends. I don't always get good tips but I do try to give people the best experience if I can. It costs a lot of money to dine out. But in return I appreciate common courtesy. One last note for Lauren who said folks should go to Denny's, do you think they deserve less of a tip than you? I don't think so! By the way I don't work for Denny's. I fear in the mix of all the nice polite guests and servers there are a lot of arrogant and self centered people on both sides of the fence. :( instead let's :).
to DCNaTiVe1976 – I must have missed the changing of the world part. When did that happen? Frankly I am trying to think of a single individual in all of history who has changed the world and I am hard pressed to think of anyone who has changed the world. If you think that President Obama has changed the world then you must please enlighten me, because I am not sure what you are talking about exactly.
Jake,
I am not sure what gives the idea I am a liar. Please explain... if you can.
Its just that your post sounded so. . . democratic, is all. You know?
I've always been a good customer. I always eat the food whether good or lackluster. I never ask for anything extra. I am always nice to the server.
I think you servers should give ME a discounted meal. Come on, slip me the half off coupon. Buy my dessert with your tip money.
Sounds like you're more a tool to me.
They could take a shit on your pizza and you'd still smile and say thanks.
I am currently a bartender at a restaurant/bar. I agree and disagree with both the whiny customers and servers. Servers are obviously working for tips as they get $2 an hour. This is common knowledge and everyone who thinks about going out to eat should definitely think about that before they choose a sit-down place or serve-yourself place. A lot of servers work to support a family, get through college (ie: me), are passionate about serving others, etc. I also agree that if a server is doing a crappy job, they should get a crappy tip, it's just common sense. Server's are at work, so they should work for their tips. I understand servers get discouraged after offering quality service for less than 10% tip, that really sucks. All in all, servers depend on gratuity and everyone knows that. To ignore this is in my opinion, is selfish. You wouldn't want your salary paycheck to be cut by 10% because you were an hour late on a report that was due, or 20 minutes late for a meeting, would you? We are all human, and make mistakes. After becoming a bartender, my tips towards other servers have increased dramatically because I know the hoops servers have to jump through just to provide customers with a good meal.
Bottom line, treat your servers well, as they, for the most part, are trying to make you happy.
palin you are nuts and need to lay off of Obama.
He changed the world and touched the heart and mind of every american.
I agree that palin2012 is nuts. I am also very glad ( I am a 50 year old white male ) that a black man was elected president of the USA as it gives me hope that people are becoming color blind and that the poison of bigotry is fading into the past. However, although he inspired many with his words, he has not in fact "changed the world" through his actions. I hope he does make significant change for good, for all of us, but in all fairness the jury is still out on whether he will accomplish what he said he would do.
i am a black male from dc and I justw anted to say that your commit about obama not changing the world was deeply offensive and very very racists and that you soud be ashamed of youself!
OK – Then how has he changed the world through his actions? We are on day what of an environmental disaster, think they could have gotten on it sooner? More troops are being sent overseas. We are now subjected to a soda and tanning bed tax. This health care thing is sideways. From the big to the small I don't see much change.
yo bill let me tell u streight up yo u is one racists mofo, alrite?
lemme tell u why rite here
u sittin there in ur big azz house that a black man probably built for u against his will and sittin on ur damn computer usin elects that our ppl generated with our sweat and blood yo. yet u be sittin there all high n mighty jive talkin the greatest man ever walkin the face of this earth of all time.
of all time
see u have no rite to talk bad about him because u is ingrateful, ignant, and white alrite?
u wanna know how he changed the world???? WELL MOFO LET ME TELL U
HE GAVE EVERY BLACK MAN HOPE OUT HERE
HOPE THAT WE CAN 2 BECAME PREZ OF THE MOTHERFIN US OF A
YOU CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND THAT BECUZ U B FULL OF DA HATERATDE
make sense now yo?
he was sent personaly from god in responses to the DR martin luthern king statement of i have a dream
obama was that dream and when he came he made every black mans dream come tru yo
dats how he changed the world you, rasists
hope dat lode of trurth knocked you back off ur high horse and stop that jive talking about respectin and lovin the black man because we all see rite thriough it.
why doesnt congress do something to help with this tipping problem??? Are democrats so afade of hearing the voice of the people here on this site that they close their ears? its obvious that people want REAL change not the fake Obama kind. I think we should write to congress but that is just my personal opion.
At last someone speaking some sense, albeit your spelling is *sic* off. But I know what you're saying. The democrats are poising this nation and their socialist leader is leading the way. And yes, I do believe you see it in the way people tip.
Ecoonomic fear.
Steve,
You are right on. I generously over tip, being a former server. Twice in my life I stiffed a server. Both times I explained it to a supervisor. These folks are poison screwing co-workers and the house.
For me as a server, the old adage of “taking care of the customer and the tips will take care of themselves” always seemed to even more than work out.
As for the few ignorant and cheap curmudgeons I had as customers, their condition is sufficient punishment! I still hope they enjoyed their meal are not harmed in the future by other’s inconsideration.
Within reason, a complaint is pretty helpful and turning down a free dessert or drink makes it more creditable.
If it is in fact a good restaurant, come back in two weeks and ask for the same manager when you make a reservation or show up on the same weeknight.
You’ll get the best available server and a great meal. Tip accordingly and you’ve found a go to place when the menu strikes your fancy.
30 years ago I upset several co-workers by having a full section on slow nights. Paid my way through grad school and helped me get a great job!
My wife and I are still close to several customers from that era.
I never leave a tip on take-out pick-up. Most people I know do the same.
You already said that, Bill the demodork.
reapeating youreself again? Typical of democrats.
What a pointless story. While cnn talks about tips there are hundreds of thousands of terrorists ebntering our contry every night plotting to destory us.
OVER 9000?!
Hundreds of thousands a night? Don't take this wrong... but.... Are you nuts?
Oh sorry bill I guess he/she forgot your a democrat who wants to hug ilegal aliens and pretend there are no terrorists.
let me guess you probably think 9/11 was a inside job and that the bp oil spill was just an 'accidant'.
Dear pft....if the story is so pointless, why are you commenting on it? Go comment on the stories full of pointfullness!
To remind you of what really matters.
god bless america and god bless jesus
good night and good day
HAHAHA! Our evil plot to get you to waste your time reading non-stories is a success! Our plans to distract you have come to fruition! You'll never get that time back!
And all because you are too foolish to discern what stories it will please you to read...
MUAHAHAHA!
im not a democrat or republican...but im in the military..and i gotta say that obama is wrothless. honestly...his drawback plan from iraq is to go to afghanistan?!? retarded. anyway back to the issue at hand. my wife constantly complains i dont tip enough, but i also feel that a 15-20% tip is way too much for service that does not merit that amount of money. also, if i order $100 worth of food, and the server brings it well and is kind and doesnt buig me too much etc etc, they will get their 20%...but if i order a measly beer at bar for 3 bux dont expect a lot. i might tip 50 cents if that at all...how hard is it to draw off a tap?
Personally, I am a waiter and do think that there are good servers and bad servers as well as good and bad customers. As a server I do my absolute best to accommodate my guests and do it with a a smile. I also do have a college degree as well as 11 of 15 of my coworkers. I get rude guests very often who think "they know it all" and I keep my mouth shut and still try to smile. I usually get 20% on my checks. But it is very annoying when guests order bottles of wine say for example $100 and completely not tip on the wine. I tip out the busser, bar, and sometimes chef and manager. If you don't tip on the wine I lose money. So if you can't tip on the alcohol then don't order it. Also, #1 pet peeve are "campers". You finish eating and your bill is $50. I'm hoping you leave $10 but also, I want you to get up leave. I can make more money from the next guest sitting at my table when you get up. If you stay at my table for 4 hours especially into closing time than please take care of me because you are stopping my income. I could have potentially made 4 $20 dollar tips if i had made 20% on 4 one hundred dollar checks where the guests were in and out in less than an hour.
Riddle me this.
You go to a pizza joint to pick up your pie. It comes out to 10.00. You pay with credit card, and the cashier hands you the receipt to sign. On this receipt is a space for the tip, the total amount, and the line you sign on.
What do you do? Leave a 2 dollar tip?
I've never tipped in this situation. I always tip a delivery guy, but never if I'm picking up.
Enlighten me, wise food service gurus.
For that situation, I wouldn't tip either. I am a server, and I have also worked as a delivery guy at a pizza place. When I order take out food that requires a good amount of boxing/bagging, etc.., then I will tip 10% (provided everything is correct and the person was nice)..but pizza is just put into one box..so I would say that you are correct in not tipping in that situation.
I never leave a tip on take-out pick-up. Most people I know do the same.
probly just becuz the person makin it is black i bet you rasists.
Yeah I think a carry-out situation is generally treated the same as a fast food interaction e.g. no tip necessary since all they're doing is handing you your food really. The tip space is on the receipt by default.
I waited tables for years, and have many strong opinions about this subject, but I'll keep it brief. First, I agree with those of you who have pointed out that most people would not be able to afford to eat at restaurants were it not for tipping. Keeping costs low for restaurants keeps costs low for customers. If you disagree with the system, which is reasonable, then don't participate in the system. That is, don't ask for people to wait on you. Lastly, what really motivated me to write a response, was Mike. I can't really argue with him, because you can't have a rational conversation with a psycho. What makes someone so hateful?
This is obviously a hot subject, judging by all the irate comments.
All I can say is where does this tipping business stop? When I was a child I remember my parents saying that they were expected to tip 10%. Then it became standard 15%. Now according to some posters I am a cheapskate if I don't tip 20% or more. How in the hell I am I supposed to know how much is expected, it isn't like it is posted on the menu or the wall? And if I don't tip well some server may pee in my soup.......what a thing say!! What kind of nasty person would even consider doing that to his worst enemy?
And how do I know which state pays minimum and which state pays a lousy $2.15 and hour? The whole system is fu(ked up if you ask me, otherwise why do so many servers feel cheated and so many customers feel like they are getting ripped off? I have to admit it is so much more relaxing to eat out in Holland or Germany where you pay the listed price just like you do anywhere else and the tip is a genuine thankyou for good service. And come to think of it, I really do enjoy eating at home mostly.....my cooking is better anyway. Still one is forced to eat out sometimes, but the idea of server's bodily fluids floating around in my food may encourage me to just stop for a Wendyburger.
Alright you caught me. I am generous to a fault. Sure people can take advantage of me. But that's their deal isn't it. They say the measure of a man is how they treat someone who can do nothing for them. I am a hugely successful 100% self-made business owner, a devoted son to my 96 year old father, a loving husband, and a father of two exceptional, successful, empathetic, moral children who are employed in finance and law. I try to teach by example. I'd like to consider myself a leader of good, and I strive to be someone who brings small acts of kindness to others with a happy personality and a kind and generous heart. I am however intolerant of bigotry, greed and selfishness. And it makes me angry when I see it. The comments here tonight seem to me that waiters and waitresses are somehow trying to screw people, when in fact they are just trying to do a job. It's a somewhat menial job, but I have seen some of the highest levels of human spirit in it's performance. Sure there are greedy nasty pricks everywhere. I just try not to be one of them. I stand up for people who work hard and often times don't get respect... and that's why am generous to people who serve me always. And you think I'm an ass because I'm overly generous and I made a simple math mistake. Fair enough Dude.
You people are idiots. This has everything to do with who is in office! Its because of him people have to servive off of tips like ants eatting off the crumbs of the effluent. He destroied our dollar. He devestaed our economy. Who else is to blame? It falls on who WE elected. I say the word elected loosely because WE didn't truely elect him. He lied and cheated his way there like the democrat frat brat he is.
How dare you say that things would be the same if Palin was in office. Look at HIS legacy: The worst oil disaster in US HISTORY, devaulation of the united states dollar, war, famine, and polictal discard.
Yet you democrats defend him TOOTH AND NAIL. Because you hate to admit your wrong.
History truely does repent itself.
Nobody said anything about anybody but you. We are talking about tipping here. When did your spaceship land? Maybe it's time to turn off FOXnews and get out and enjoy the beautiful summer weather. Xanax might be an option as well.
Really? reading that message was almost painful, and i think this whole comments thread just got a little dumber because someone let you on a computer.
Your political views are trash, and obviously a regurgitation of some retarded Glen Beck rant. Possibly some other Fox outlet feeding you your beliefs so you don't have to waste any time trying to actually understand what's happening in the world around you. This has to be the truth, because if you did try and understand the real causes of Americas problems you might notice that every single issue you are trying to put on Obama is something that was already there when he showed up. He has simply been put in the crap pot and has to deal with the debacle that started building up a long time ago. Do a little research and at least then your flawed political views will be your own. I would start with Ronald Regan, Margaret Thatcher, and the deregulation of the financial industry. Then you can upgrade to the fact that there was never a proper set of regulations for offshore drilling, which allowed BP to make crap rigs for as cheap as possible, which led to the disaster in the gulf. The war you talk about was started by little Bush, who didn't deserve to live, let alone be president. And i'm not sure where you got the famine thing from, cause most american's are fat as hell.
Even if you had been right, this has nothing to do with the topic of this thread. My opinion on this story, if you can't shell out a little extra cash to help out a server who just served you then keep your a%# at home. None of this self-centered justification for not tipping them crap. There are plenty of people who will tip, so you wont be missed at all. I don't even work in the food industry. It's called proper restaurant etiquette. People like the "Mike" that has been trolling these posts are a prime example of the kind of people we don't need in this country. Load him into a cannon and fire his corpse into his family, we have better things to be doing with the oxygen they are consuming.
Amen! By the way, do you think that FOXnews is just evil incarnate?
Man my fellow Servers 2.13 an hour :(, thank god I live in California, I'm a server making 8 dollars an hour, I have learned that you cannot judge a book by its cover, I ALWAYS give good service and take care of my tables, HOWEVER, if you stiff me the first time your off my "Good" list and therefore I will not check on your table or take care of it much, I won't ignore it but I simply cannot afford to take care of your table when I have other tables that know how to tip and want the extra mile service and I am more than happy too. I don't expect 20% plus all the time, but If i work my butt off for you then please tip. I went to a bar today and had a beer and some chicken enchiladas, bill was 25.00, bartender was great, kept checking on me, threw in a shot for free, and we conversed for a while, 15.00 tip thank you sir I appreciate your time and your courtesy. I'm only 21, most people treat me like shit cause I look young and don't think I know how to tip, haha the few servers who have treated me well know how well I tip and next time I come in they take care of me, just how I take care of my regulars.
I'm generally a big tipper, any where between 20-25% depending on mood and sevice. If I'm unpleased, I'll tip 15%. It's a hard job. Best way to get a large tip from me...keep refilling my soda without me asking. Lets me know you're paying attention...and I won't be thirsty.
You're welcome in my restaurant anytime...;-)
And I like your philosophy Glenn, the only thing is, so many customers get ticked when I just take there cup and refill it for them haha. I know how my regulars are so I know they always want more but others its hard to judge :(
Palin2012.. this has nothing to do with politics. REALLY???? Come on.
*sigh* Educate yourself. And I mean that not in the "democrats are better, republicans suck" sort of way. Because I don't believe anyone should be so ignorant as to respond that way. But this is about something that has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with politics and who is in office. It would be the same if Palin was ruling the country. Please remove your comments from this forum and go comment on something relevant to your argument.
Show me the money. I deserve it. If the man ain't gonna pay me, you better. Fork it over to the tune of 18%, or I'll do something bad to your food.
He's talking to you Bill.
Alright you caught me. I am generous to a fault. Sure people can take advantage of me. But that's their deal isn't it. They say the measure of a man is how they treat someone who can do nothing for them. I am a hugely successful 100% self-made business owner, a devoted son to my 96 year old father, a loving husband, and a father of two exceptional, successful, empathetic, moral children who are employed in finance and law. I try to teach by example. I'd like to consider myself a leader of good, and I strive to be someone who brings small acts of kindness to others with a happy personality and a kind and generous heart. I am however intolerant of bigotry, greed and selfishness. And it makes me angry when I see it. The comments here tonight seem to me that waiters and waitresses are somehow trying to screw people, when in fact they are just trying to do a job. It's a somewhat menial job, but I have seen some of the highest levels of human spirit in it's performance. Sure there are greedy nasty pricks everywhere. I just try not to be one of them. I stand up for people who work hard and often times don't get respect... and that's why am generous to people who serve me always. And you think I'm an ass because I'm overly generous and I made a simple math mistake. Fair enough Dude.
When I order water to drink and no appetizer, I can usually tell that the server thinks that we are the cheap folks who will leave no tip. I broke out a coupon yesterday on top of this. Yes, I'm saving money where I can, as we all should, but most of all, even if the drink is included with the meal, I usually order water because I like it and it's better for you.
My point is that if the server continues to treat me as a valued client and serves me well, I base my tip on not my final bill with discounts, but what it would be if I had ordered drinks as well. It takes as much work to pour water as it does to pour a Coke. If a server treats me like second class, the tip drops to a minimal amount.
The thing is this. If you give good service and treat me like a CUSTOMER and not an irritation to your day and schedule, then you will get a fair tip, if not a very good tip. If the service is poor, then I will not give you my hard earned money and give it to someone who is not willing to work hard for theirs.
The waiter yesterday treated us very well and ended up with a 25% tip. I can tell that it was rare because he made a point of thanking me before we left.
This is what happens when you have a democrat in the office: petty arguments and loss revenew.
Brilliant! On so many levels! Yikes!
ha!.... Best. Comment. Ever. oh man. I'm speechless. ?!
Well said. No really. I sincerely mean that. But someday, somehow, I would like to even just slightly understand, in even the most simple and basic way, WTF are these people thinking and how does the mind develop to the point of the comment above from Palin2012. Come on... Give me something.
The answer is simple; inbreeding.
I think that like with many things financial. People get into purchasing things that they really can't afford. Tipping in the US has existed for as long as I can remember, and I am 50. The deal is, you go out to eat, sit at a table, someone waits on you, and you give them 15% – 20% tip if the service is satisfactory. That's the deal. Maybe people can't afford to you out to eat in the first place. Therefore they certainly don't want to tip because they can't afford to eat out in the first place. But that's not the deal folks. Tipping, if not MANDATORY, is certainly the way things are dome here in the USofA. Maybe since many more bottom dwellers are going out to eat, they are unaware of how things go in the civilized world, but, they need to be aware of the conventions the modern American culture if they want eat in public with utensils.
While you were fighting about tips: Thousands of gallons of oil spilled into your waters, killed thousands of your wildlife, your soldiers were shot at over seas...
ahh, who cares? Lets get back to arrogant customers, crabby servers and nickels and dimes!
Ymiri... your numbers may need adjusting, but your point hits the nail on the head. Our world has much bigger issues to deal with than this.
@ Lyons
Waiters dont get paid minimum wage because they are "probably making a killing on tips" ?
Waiters dont make a killing on any thing. They have good days, but you can never count on generous people.
Wow, this Mike guy is a real asshole. That's really all that needs to be said about it.
Here's a tip: Don't eat yellow snow!
Mike,
I used to pride myself as one of the best servers in the industry. I would make 20% on almost every table I waited on EVERY night. Because I was such a good server, managers would make me pick up the slack of other servers at least once a week. Whether it was a "no call, no show," someone who made it in late or had to leave early, I was blessed with the majority of their section. When this would happen I could not give the superior services I felt my tables deserved. When someone like you would walk in with their "better than thou" blinders on my tips would suffer. You see a server with a big smile that's very polite and energetic come to your table, and when this server is late with one thing or forgets something small it bursts your "you bubble" and you take it out on him.
Now you probably think that I have worked at some pretty bad establishments with some pretty high turnover to have to go through that so often, WRONG! I have worked at "turn and burns" as well as polished the chairs where you preach from your throne. This type of thing happens at ever restaurant that is a "going concern" and is something you need to look out for before pass judgment.
I now charge you with a task before seeking out your next jar of Grey Poupon from the window of your Roles Royce Limousine: Next time your getting bad service, follow the server around with your eyes to see how many tables he has. If it's an amount that you could not see yourself adequately tending give the guy a break. If you see them standing in a corner joking around with another server or on their cell phone you have my permission to leave nothing or call a manager. However, if you talk to a manager without checking and it happens to be a good server your complaining on, the manager will simply pat the server on the a** and you will become passing laughter when they are having a beer later after work. And better yet, the next time you come in and ask for that restaurants best server and that server remembers you, you will be passed on like a bad case of herpes to the dumbest piece of sh*i! with an apron and tie on that server can find.
Well, your friends who brag about all their money and their "few hours of work" are the kind of servers I hate to work with. There is a lot more to waiting tables then taking your order and dropping your food off. There are a hundreds of other tasks I have to do from the time I get there until the time I leave. The diner where I work is small and I usually bus my own tables but still have to tip out cooks, dishwashers and the one busser that may or may not decide to show up. Here's something else to think about; if our cook is having an "off" day and my tables dining experience less than what they hoped on his end, they will still (unintentionally or not) take it out on me (tip wise) but guess what..I still have to tip that cook out even though he cost me my tip. Added to my duties of taking your order and bringing your food I also make 40 pots of coffee, haul ice, sweep floors, bus tables, fill all the condiments, etc on your table, cut bread, lemons, wrap 200 rolls of silverware, make tea, dust, clean bathrooms, stock items, etc. I just cant continue this thread..I have to be at work at 6:00am. I sure hope I have a better pool of people to serve tomorrow then I found here tonight.
Well Cecilia, I sure hope so too.
Cecelia – The best and large tips should go to breakfast waitresses. You work the hardest and usually don't have easy jobs at home either. I applaud you and all those cheerful ladies who have served me in the am. God Bless you!
@ollie Oh man you are hilarious!!! +10 for ollie
I have been a server/bartender for several years now. And I make $2.13/hr. I like to think I give the best service possible and that I am friendly and have the best attitude. Bust sometimes (like everyone), I fall short. Here's how I see it: When you go out to eat, your food is a lot cheaper because your server is being paid less. Even with a 15-20% tip, you end up getting the better deal. If you felt you were given good service by a good server, leave a good tip. Great service = great tip. Bad service = no tip. I tell any customer who asks about tipping that a tip is at the discretion of the customer. I don't feel like I'm entitled to a tip. Yes, I have bills to pay and yes, if you don't tip me, I'm in a bind. But a good percentage of the time, if you got a bad tip or no tip, you probably deserved it. Like someone else previously said, a tip is an appreciation of good service. In any job, if you come in and do a mediocre job, you'll get mediocre pay. I consider a great tip like a raise. You're not going to get it without a little hard work. I know there are people out there who just flat out don't tip for no reason. Maybe they think you make REAL minimum wage or more. Or maybe they're just jerks. But you can't take it out on any other customer. And keep in mind, servers, that bad service will eventually get back to you. You never know who you are waiting on. And you never know when you're boss might just get fed up with you and fire you. And for the person who said to find another job if you don't like making $2.13/hr and people not tipping: not everyone has the privilege and opportunity to have a salaried job or a well-paying hourly job. Everyone does the best with the skills they have. Serving is just as valuable of a job as any other. If you think it is a job you can just piss on, then don't go out to eat any more.
No opinion but only a fact. Not enough customers and a restaurant will close it's doors, leaving "servers" with no job and customers exercising their "little" power of choice. Think about it before talking about doing sick things to peoples food and bragging about it.
I delivered pizzas for five years. This is what I think of tipping in general.
The owner paid me low wages… but I didn’t care about the $2.00 he paid, I was after the tips. I made a lot of money as a delivery guy and was happy with the pay. I learned how to work my tips. There were great tip nights in the winters, there were bad tip days in the summer. Yes, certain people did not tip and I knew who they were (and no, it is not about race; it is about the economic level of the customer) – I just delivered their pie to them and kept motoring. If someone stiffed me, well, that was their right.
Doctors were the absolute worse and I did not want to deliver to them because not only did NONE of them tip, they also wanted me to wait forever for them to come get their food. In the meantime the other deliveries were getting cold or getting backed up. THAT IS NOT THEIR RIGHT.
Now, I generally tip about 20 percent because I know some of the wait people need that money more than I do (I now earn more than 150K a year) but it is my generosity that causes me to do that – I do not think I OWE you any more than 12-15 percent.
If you are a waiter in a buffet style restaurant where you are walking around refilling the tea, sorry, that is not full service and only rates a dollar or two tip – not a percentage of the bill.
BTW, the tip should be 15% of the pre-tax total, not the entire bill.
Tipping is becoming a sickness here in America where everyone thinks they should have their hand out. It is so bad that people working the counter in donut shops have jars on the counter where they expect you to give them 25-50 cents when they hand you an 75 cent donut.
I think 15% is a fair tip for a waiter at a full service restaurant and thinking that the percentage should rise over time is just wrong. Waiting is not supposed to be a career. It is supposed to be something you do for a while until you find a better job. If you don’t like what you are being tipped – get a better job.
"I delivered pizza for 5 years"
FAIL
My cousin delivered pizza for 6 years while obtaining a bachelors then a masters degree in mechanical engineering. Now he is working on research developing more efficient turbine engines for military aircraft. I can tell you are not worth his shoe with your comment alone.
Delivering pizzas for 5 years is fail.... But 6 years delivering them and bragging about taking University of Phoenix classes?
EPPPPIIICCC FAAAAIIILLLLL
To Amazed – well said. Sad bunch. Most of the people who tip poorly only do so because they can screw somebody and cowardly escape before they are publicly ridiculed for being such weasels. Many people just plain suck. Hopefully, those people are not your wife, your boss or your parents. I get the feeling you have nice parents and they taught you well. "Be the change you want to see in the world" – Gandhi
I will get a good tip out of you, go to a restaurant, and tip that server crappy! Throw the extra in savings.
Economics 101.
That should tick off both sides of this ridiculous argument.
Ok, let me get my calculator out. Let's say I take 3 friends out for dinner. Let's say the bill for four dinners and four drinks comes to $100 with tax. Ok.... the server came by, said "hi" then "what can I get for you?" then brought out the food, then asked "how is everything" then took away the plates. Let's see..... sounds like he/she spent a maximum of about ten minutes with us. Ok 15% of $100 is $15.... that works out to $90 per hour for that server. Seriously??? And you have the nerve to gripe about the occasional person who stiffs you? I have lots of friends who are servers, and they brag to me about how they bring home hundreds of dollars a night in tips for a few hours of work. Wow.... think of all those fools who went to law school or medical school to take home $90/hour! They didn't even need to earn a high school diploma to earn $90/hour. Seriously.... all you servers need to stop your whining. In today's economy, you should just be glad you have a job– and stop whining about the occasional rude customer. You're getting paid very well to be nice.
Wow please let us all know where your friends work so we can get a job there. Little hit, sometimes people over brag about what they make, and stiffing is not infrequent and yes if things worked the way your calculation worked out things would be great unfortunately there are other factors involved outside your calculator.
You keep working with that calculator Mr. Math, it's big turn-on with the ladies. By the way, if you think that wait staff make $ 90.00 per hour and doctors and lawyers only make $90.00 per hour you are indeed very confused about things mathematical.
Jacsparo is a liar.
Diners for the most part are great. They pay for everything i do in my life. Sometime they are horrible. Like the vegan, who doesnt mind the duck fat potatoes or the diabetic who cant have the sorbet but can have an extra sweet old fashion. I am a server and the diners who are terrible are the amateurs and the lawyers and the doctors and the teachers and the computer professionals and the blacks and the Asians and the old folks and the Jews and the soccer moms and the argyle dads and the French ( do not even get me started) and the Germans and the Mexicans and kids and prom nighters, and there really isn;t anyone whos not, but we have to make the best of it. Customers are never gonna change and neither are servers. All we can do is enjoy the freedom our job allows us to have and the luxury of making tons of money in the time that we need. If you are a customer that complains about service, go somewhere other than Applebee's, you country turds. If you are a waiter that has a problem with the redneck that didn't tip, really dude, maybe you need to find another type of job, or stop working at effing Applebee's, go find yourself a fine dining gig.
Forgive me for not looking back over the 1800+ comments but did anyone actually say that they expected a tip for bad service??? The point is if your given good service~give a good tip. If your not given the service you deserve then say something about it and move on.
I do not think some of these people want to accept that fact. I think they just like the feeling of having one up on someone, gives them some level of control that they can not gain in their regular lives.
Cecilia, Yes some of these people expect you to pay 20% regardless. I don't. That's what makes this so much fun. I don't tip. Ever. A fool and his money are soon departed...
I think it is ironic how many people here call servers uneducated, I along with many of my friends are teachers and servers. Wow uneducated? Really?
Don't make me pull out the teacher jokes... ;-)
We can't all be trust fund babies.
I eat out with my family at least 100+ times per year. I am shocked by the arrogant and ignorant comments shown by many of the "customer" comments. They really have horse manure for brains and are some nasty people. I show respect for my wait staff always and appreciate their effort to patiently follow my request and the requests of my family. These kind servers run back and forth trying to make customers happy in hopes that they will receive a tip of between 15% and 20%. Many people in the general public unfortunately are just plain idiots. They will tip exactly with a calculator, or they will only tip on the bill before tax is added. because they have the power to decide what to tip, they are able to clearly demonstrate their true, cheap, selfish, egotistical self. Perhaps you should stay home if you are in fact such a miserable human piece a dirt. Otherwise, try to exercise some empathy for someone who is kissing your butt and trying to make you have a nice time. And remember, when you stiff people you not only hurt them financially, you also hurt them emotionally. And that in turn makes them bitter and less nice when they visit my table. Tonight I went out, dinner was 39 and change. I left 61.00 – about a twelve dollar tip. It was a beautiful night to be outside enjoying my life, and I know that the waitress appreciated the extra $4.00 over a "normal" 20% tip. So for $4.00 I made a stranger a little happy. Made me feel good to do it. You should also know that I have never worked for tips, have nothing to do with the restaurant business and never would want to. Mainly because it would change my view of mankind if I had to suffer through encounters with cowardly weasels like I have read about tonight. Shame on you for being so truly mean. Oh and lastly, if you sit down and only have a $ 1.00 cup of coffee, you don't tip 20% moron. Never ever leave less than a 1 – 5 dollar tip. Or are you a total brainless simpleton?
You left an almost 56% tip. try 21 dollars and change, not 12 dollars.
I stand corrected – pulled out the receipt – $49.86 + $ 12.00 tip = $ 61.86 Sorry you missed the rest of my point. Too bad for you.
I never waited tables because I know I'm not very good at personal service (I worked construction while in school), but my wife waited tables to help pay her way through college. She will be the first person to scrutinize the service and tip accordingly (I usually have to convince her to give more). My usual is 15-20% for good service, but expected to tip? Really? Call me old-fashion, but a tip is in appreciation for good service. Not a bonus for showing up for work. If you don't like the OPTION of tipping, find another line of work. I intentionally avoided food service because I knew my attitude would not get me much money–do the same if you have an attitude about your work as well.
Hans Solo
– a personal sexual reference, I'm sure. There's the answer to everything in America - sue them. I bet you have a lawyer that likes to look into body parts. Dumbbell, how are you going to know if anybody messed with your food, and then prove it. What a dope. I probably spit on your burger several times after I dropped in on the floor, and you were wondering why all the wait staff kept staring at you and laughing.
working for the grace of others is futile when you want money
Especially if you live in the South. Those evangelicals are not going to loosen the purse strings until they see the sweat fall off your brow.
dude, if you're not careful you'll be damned to hell...but that's a different topic
Well Aynon, are you thinking for God?
Restaurant X provides me a good experience, I pay my bill. PERIOD. Doesn't the waitstaff work for the restaurant? Tips are a bonus for being a good worker. Don't think I owe you a tip. So called "standard" of 10, 15, 18, 20% tip is nothing but highway robbery conceived by the restaurant industry to get more money out of the stupid customer.
I really almost believe what I just wrote. That's really sad...
This is ridiculous! I have NEVER done anything like that to a customers food. I eat out too!! I have heard stories, of course but to be honest have NEVER seen anyone actually do any of these horrendous things. Im just stunned. Whomever said that is giving servers a bad name and thats a shame.
Wow, what a horrendously depressing message board.
1) Your servers have to pay a certain percentage to busboys and bartenders for the things you order and the dishes you serve. They don't have the choice to avoid this like customers do, so when you stiff your server, you may actually wind up causing them to pay FOR serving you. Reading that should make you feel concerned, not give you a smug sense of accomplishment. If you experience the latter, please see a therapist.
2) Although servers should be paid more in terms of wage, tipping actually has a purpose. Believe it or not, curmudgeons, tipping is actually for YOUR benefit. If you don't think so, try living in France for a while, where 18% gratuity is automatically figured into every bill. Where's my coffee again....?
3) As customers, we should act like human beings. The interchange with your waiter isn't just about your convoluted psychological problems, sense of entitlement, or bitterness. It's about the work day of ANOTHER HUMAN BEING just like you. If you can't understand this, please do not leave the house.
4) Mike is a sociopath and a troll. Please stop feeding the troll. Whatever the hell went wrong in his life is not going to be fixed on a message board about tipping.
Exactly.
Bill
To Amazed – well said. Sad bunch. Most of the people who tip poorly only do so because they can screw somebody and cowardly escape before they are publicly ridiculed for being such weasels. Many people just plain suck. Hopefully, those people are not your wife, your boss or your parents. I get the feeling you have nice parents and they taught you well. "Be the change you want to see in the world" – Gandhi
BECH, well said.
It's really quite simple:
good service = good tip
poor/rude service (that is NOT the kitchen's fault) = little or no tip
nice customer = nice server
asshat customer = asshat server
I am just baffled by the sense of entitlement from some of these comments. And for the record, I waited table for 8 years and I can assure you that the managers/owners didn't care about losing an asshat customer . Good riddance as far as they were concerned.
You forgot shits on your burger. I found a shits on one from Chilies once.
Yikes! My family and I go out about twice a month. There are 5 of us and the bill is usually around the $150-$200 mark (tip: $30-$50) I always tip 20% or more even if the service is just OK.... but after reading about how the wait staff might add a little something to my food, floss my steak with their feet, and heavens knows what else, I think I'll stay at home.
Seems like a lotta posts (1800+ now) for a job that many seem to not have respect for – on both sides of the issue.
When I first came to the US from France, I thought tips were a pain. In France tips are included in the prices on the menu. Having to tip felt like condoning false advertisement. At that time, I never tipped more than 5-10% and only because I had to so I did not make folks with me feel akward . After a few years in the US, I am now very happy with the tipping ritula. When I go back to France and I get lousy service, I cannot do anything about it. In the US if service sucks, I will leave no tip and usually tell the waiter or manager why not. I used to write the reasons why on the check but now I am not shy about telling it to their face. Face it guys, I is a gratuity, it is optional and you are at the mercy of your customer. Up to you to earn your tip, it is not an entitlement! If I get reasonable service, I will tip 10-15%, if exceptional service, 18%. Never 20% or above. Those who tip above 15% are just fools if you ask me. I also hate mandatory tips for large parties, I feel those are technically illegal. In those cases, I usually substract whatever I think is excessive on the check and pay only what I feel is just. I have yet to be pursued by wait staff! Well, I am a pretty big, intimidating guy and folks think twice before messing with me. As to your petty revenges, waiters, not to worry, I rarely if ever eat at the same place twice. Just too many choices out there! You can pee in your soups to your content!!!
Service gratuity on large parties are due to cheap people ordering food and drinks for 20 people and only tipping 100$ rather than $350 which would have been 18%. We tip out to the other staff based on the numbers just like you have to. If you don't like it or think it's illegal then you can throw the dinner party in your own home. No one is forcing you to eat at the restaurant. And regarding your tipping method, leave whatever you feel is adequate but don't stop at 18% and call others who tip higher fools. No one asked you. If someone gave you service worth 25% then leave the 25%. I don't care how big you think you are b/c I am a skinny 5' 9' 22 year old who has called out guests on their bad tips to their face where they got embarrassed by everyone else who is around.
Your attitude sucks. We can argue all day about some servers' sense of entitlement or guests' lack of appreciation for proper tipping etiquette for a service performed. The bottom line is that there must be a compromise between the two, a happy medium, if you will. Bad service should merit a frank discussion with the offending server and his manager. However, bad service may sometimes be a case of a guest being in a crappy mood and therefore angry at everybody. A server could lay out the red carpet for a guest in a pissy mood and still be complained about. I worked as a server when I was a college student several years ago. It was hard work and mostly rewarding. It's difficult to swallow a horrid tip when you work your arse off to be courteous, accurate, and accommodating, which is a server's job. I've read a few comment in this thread from servers who have awful attitudes, and yes, a sense of entitlement that has no place in the service industry. Whatever tip you receive from a guest, it's a server's responsibility to give great service whether they feel like it or not. It's called doing your job and if it's too much to handle, then work in another industry that's less taxing. That simple. When I could no longer handle the work, I got the hell out of the restaurant business. To the diners, learn how to properly tip. There's no such thing as an extravagant or too generous tip when you receive awesome service. If you can afford to dine out, make sure you can afford to leave a good tip. And have reasonable expectations of your server. A server is not going to be able to stand at your elbow in anticipation of your next request. There are other guests needing attention, and a good server will be able to balance if seated properly. Your dining experience will be better if you anticipate your own needs and communicate them to your server from jump.
Having been a server and now, happily, a regular diner and excellent tipper, I am never rude, even if I receive poor service. I patronize a restaurant to receive great food and equally great service. I don't want to be approached by a server having a bad day who doesn't have the grace to put it aside and do his job. Also, if a person doesn't have the proper etiquette for either dining out or serving, take a crash course before engaging in either. Some people simply do not know how to eat out. It's not the server's responsibility to teach, but that's part of the job, getting diners who don't know how to order or tip or even place their napkin in their lap. Servers know full well, or they ought to know, what they're getting into when they put on that apron and have to plaster on a smile. No one is making them wait tables for a living, it's a choice. Sure, somebody has to do it, yet again, it's a choice. I choose not to have a surly waiter ruin my dining experience and expect me to leave a huge tip. Also, guests have to be more understanding. Yes, they are paying for a meal and dining experience, but that doesn't mean that they can take servers for granted and treat them like dirt, especially if the service is great. It's not right. Servers and diners need to both get a grip and realize that one cannot exist without the other. Let's make it work and peacefully coexist.
There is a federal law that requires employers of tipped employees to pay them wages to equal minimum wage if their combined tips and hourly rate do not gross to minimum wage. For example: If tips earned for the week are $132 and regular wages are $85.20 ($2.13 x 40 hrs) for a total of $217.20, the employer must pay the employee an additional $72.80 to bring weekly wages to minimum wage (7.25 x 40 = $290). So technically, tipped employees make $7.25 an hour at minimum. Granted, it's still not a great deal of money for a weeks worth of labor, but at the very least you should be getting that. All tipped employees should be aware of this law. (FYI – I have served as a waitress, hostess and catering waitress)
Have never done the job but I appreciate that its a hard one, serving strangers who can be ungrateful. I don't see the system changing, restaurants rarely make decent profits unless they sell alot of booze so salaries won't change. For good service I'll be glad to tip 20%+ and even 15% for only adequate service. But the flip side is how do we know someone in the back hasn't spat on the food or peed in the tea because they're having a bad day? This is why I prefer kosher places (strict supervision) or fast food where I can see them making the food. As long as spot checks keep reporting the horror stores, I may as well stay home and save money.
A. Tipped employees are a necessary evil but could be the best reason for eating out!
B. Restaurant owners are not generally exploiting their servers. Even a famous restaurant must have a similar cost structure to compete.
C, Restaurants do not close down because the owners are embarrassed about excess profits!
D. I've run restaurants, worked the line in a kitchen, and been a server. (Paid my way through grad-school with tips)
E. The worst customers are demanding, resenting tips, and show up with coupons. They tend to dwell on the cost and not appreciate the value of a dining experience. (Those that do not understand this concept should stick to buffets or drive through fast food) Typically they show up at 7:30 on Saturday night and blame the restaurant & staff for any delay.
F. The worst server is the mirror image of the worst diner; both are pompous losers wanting something for nothing.
G. A familiar acting server is trying to understand the demands of the table; if he or she were psychic they’d be making a killing on the stock market. They’re suggestions and help are directed at enhancing your dining experience. (They like tips!}
H. A SEVER IS NOT AN INDENTURED SERVENT, manners and respect should be mutual.
I. A great meal requires that the diner and servers are partners in the process.
Hey I can appreciate a coupon, right? Well, I always tip as if I didn't have it...I still save money and don't stiff the server because I'm cheap whenever possible.
I also understand that a lot of things are beyond the server...if it's busy, like at 7:30, I realize it will take longer and that's no one's fault. As long as the server is polite about it (checking on drinks or what not every 15 minutes ish), I have no problem waiting.
I used to have a lot of pet peeves...still do, but I don't tip based on it because it's my issue. Yeah, it bothers me when something is forgotten twice, but I also notice my server running around for 10 other people. I'm not that important...(a lot of people seem to forget that!)
I also hate it when I'm out with a guy and he is almost always handed the check, or it's often placed significantly closer to him. I really only get upset with they had the card back to him when I've paid. Seriously, my name is Jennifer...take some time to notice. But in that case, I politely say something. My tip depends on their reaction. (I also account for busyness of the place...)
All of you whining about how servers should either "get another job or an education," are missing one major point. SOMEONE has to do it. You wouldn't like it if you walked into Olive Garden and they told you to seat yourself, pour your own wine, go to the kitchen and cook your own food, take it to the table, refill your own drink, get you more breadsticks, go print your check and pay $50+ for doing all the work, now would you? No. You go out to eat because you DON'T want to do all of those things at home. If you want the luxury of having someone wait on you, then you have to pay for it. Sorry...them's the breaks. I was a server while I was in college...and while I encountered some wonderful customers, I had my share of douchebags that shouldn't be allowed in public.
One night I was triple-sat...for you holier-than-thou folks, that means that I was sat three times in a row, back-to-back, while other servers were skipped, on a 1-hour wait. Two 4-tops and a 6-top. I never let a glass get empty. Apps came out on time, meals were out 10 minutes later, children's plates came out first. The two 4-tops were easy...but the 6-top was a nightmare. Every time I walked by, they wanted something else...more ranch, extra napkins, more splenda, another coloring sheet for the 3-year-old at the table. All the while, he's running up and down the aisles, getting under foot, smearing queso all over the booth, crumbling tortilla chips in the tea pitchers, and coloring all over the table. And not one time did I NOT smile and say sweetly, "My pleasure...may I bring you anything else?"
The last straw came when I had just cashed out my second 4-top and had been sat with another. I was bringing the 6-top's tablet their check....close to $200 in alcohol and food. As soon as I sat it down, the 3-year-old stood up and grabbed a glass of coke, and POURED it on the center of the table.
I got a $3 tip for the whole table...a $200 check. A lady at the table complained to my manager that I made them wait 45 minutes for their food, 20 minutes for their alcoholic beverages, and that I yelled at their little boy. Never happened. The check was opened at 7:40 p.m. and closed at 8:22. Thankfully, my manager knew she was full of it....especially when she asked him to comp their meal.
$3 that I had to split with the bar and the bussers for cleaning up the little...*gulp*...angel's mess of chip crumbs, spilled coke, and queso paint. $3 for the worst table in my server memory.
You're not all peaches. You're not all our favorite tables. But some of us HAVE to do it. The next time you go out to eat, think about what it would be like if YOU had to do it. If you're not willing to pay for the services you receive, then you don't need to receive them.
As for bad service...because it does happen. I've had bad service. If it's soooo bad that you are willing to leave a crappy tip, or no tip at all (trust me...most servers would rather have no tip than a crappy one), then at least explain to the manager why. Bad behavior is not fixed if there is nothing said about it. Take a few minutes the next day to call and speak with the manager and let him or her know that there is a bad server. Don't just begrudge them a tip and then risk getting them the next time you're in. Be pro-active.
Why are the majority of you lumping us (servers) all together? Ok, there are bad servers out there but that is not the norm. Most servers do their best. We dont want to loathe our jobs and walk around all entitled..lol.. Most of us want to earn our way and have some fun doing it. I love waiting tables despite the occassional "s.o.b. customer". It works both ways. But please dont lump us all together in some organized "gang" that are just out to give you crappy service and expect 20% for it. Ease up!
because all of YOU PEOPLE are exactly the same.
If you can't speak-a the english to take my order go back-a to YOUR COUNTRY.
Ugly Truth: More often than not people who are bad tippers or have the "you have to earn it" attitude are low class trash. I mean, there has to be a reason they are being so stingy with their money. Right? I'm sure it's just because they don't have enough cash.
That all said, I'm sure one of those trashy low-tip persons will get on here in a second and say "but it's the principle of the thing," however, if they really had any principles they'd be generous. Hence, without either cash or principles, they're trash.
Oh, and on a somewhat unrelated note here, I judge all of you on this board who use "loosing" when you should be spelling it "losing." If you were to "loose" something, it would mean that you were freeing it. Get your spelling right all you bad tipping trash folk, or maybe just become more "loose" with the tips and you'll be judged a little less.
Well the people I have seen stiff tables surely were nowhere near classy, so I think you may be onto something.
I have a few questions asked in all seriousness, hoping for a few serious replies from some people in the business:
1. For all my life, I've known that the "standard" tip rate to be 15%, with higher % for better service, and at better establishments. Some people say that 20+% is the new standard. Is 20% truly -the- standard? Is it a standard across all levels of casual dining to fine dining? Is it possibly a regional thing? I don't mean to sound anti-tipping here, but I don't understand this change of a long-time custom. From a strictly economic standpoint, the average level of service one would get today is not 33% better than it was 10, 15, 20 years ago. Inflation has caused the menu prices to go up, so too the absolute dollar amount of the tip automatically rose proportionately with the same 15% rate. Has something else changed that warrants an increase from the customary 15%? Maybe I'm just oblivious here.
2. What's the deal with some establishments automatically including a tip in the bill (and I'm not talking about a for a large party)? The Applebee's at Times Square in NYC did this. I witnessed a couple get into an argument with the manager over the check because of the built-in, non-negotiable tip (20% IIRC). I suppose this could be beneficial for servers in locations where there are a large number of tourists from countries where tipping is not expected. But for other people, it just seems like an insult - either the management thinks I'm going to stiff you, or that I can't do math. Is there a reason for this? Who sets this policy?
3. Why do some places include the handy tip guideline at the bottom of the bill, and the suggested tip number is obviously computed over the total, INCLUDING the tax?
4. I like to thank attentive service with a nicer tip. Bringing a drink refill or something else I need before I have to ask is greatly appreciated. However, sometimes you get unlucky and have a bad experience. Punishing for bad service can indirectly punish unrelated people (the busboys, etc.) - so how should a bothered customer resolve this? Should I speak with the manager immediately? Wait until the end to talk to the manager? Talk to the server privately?
Thanks for real replies.
1. I live in SC and work at Ruby Tuesday, my manager tells everyone the average tip should be 18%. People tip everywhere from 10%-25% regularly, it really comes down to living within your means (for anyone who will argue that means you don't have to leave a tip...that is NOT what I mean at all, it just means you don't have to be an extravagant tipper to be appreciated by your server).
2. Ruby Tuesday, at least where I work, doesn't allow us to add tip and I am stiffed (zero tip) at least once a week, sometimes once a night on a bad week, and its not my service, it is just that some people don't tip so I assume some places have that there as insurance for those who just don't tip because it happens everywhere.
4. No matter how nicely you tell a server you would like a little bit better service, it always has the potential to lead to worse service, I would suggest waiting til the end of the meal to talk to the manager if you really think the service was that bad, unless he is walking through the restaurant, then just stop him and express your concern. In a situation where you are getting bad service and you can tell it is the servers fault (a little bit of leniency when it is really busy or you can tell we have a table that is being difficult because they can is greatly appreciated), then it is acceptable to lessen the tip a little bit (if you have that option, if not, talking to a manager would probably be your best bet).
I will tip very well for good service and I work in a state that requires servers to be paid standard minimum wage. However, I hate hipster attitude and don't judge me by my gender.... a lot of servers assume two women will tip worse than a male/female couple. Get over your preconceptions... I tip better than a lot of guys I work with....
Had a bartender sell me a $7 beer at 1:59 AM and left a $2 tip. She then took it away 90% full at 2:01 AM because the bar closed at @ 2 AM. Brought 12 people to the same bar the next night and did not tip one single dollar to that loser bartender over 4 hours. Am I wrong for doing that ?
WHY ALL THE OBAMA AND DEMOCRAT BASHING? WHAT DOES THAT TO DO WITH THE ISSUE AT HAND?
considering obama is the reason the resturant industry is failing and losing revenue at 74% a year now? everything
Not to mention he started the recession we're in.
The recession started in Nov. of 2007 and that was just one reason why McCain was soundly defeated. Nice try, but no cigar.
Nice strawman there. Too bad it does nothing except show that demolitards must resort to making up false dates and misinformatuion.
i shit myself and cant think right.
plz give me 20% tip.
I understand how hard it is for customer service. I worked in fast food for 6 years and that is what helped get me through college because I kept telling myself I didn't want to continue to work in customer service. I am now a high school teacher and people ask how I can put up with those kids, well i tell you what I would take teaching anyday over customer service even though i have been threatened as a teacher a few times, one saying he wanted to shoot me.
As a bus girl before I became a waitress the worst thing by far was the family that left and when I went to clean the table they had left a soiled diaper in the shadowy part of the booth seat, partially open and I found it with my hand.
Great tip, a hot steamy turd; what jerks. Please throw them away yourselves people. You can't tip me enough to handle your human waste!
Jessica – Please know that there are many kind, nice, generous, thoughtful people out there that would hang that customer upside down till they were dead. On behalf of the entire human race, we apologize for that table of people.
I quit tipping when I realized that waiters/waitresses have been adding ingredients that make my butt really big.
Your caboose is just fine. Choo Choo!!!
i can train my dog to bring me a beer...should i tip him 20%
You don't feed your dog?
i guess you're right, i'll leave some scraps for my waiter next time
if you can train your dog to bring it to you with a smile, ask if you would like an iced glass to pour it in, and then clean up your mess when your done...then yes.
Having worked in every part of a restaurant, I can't believe how many people think it's okay to not tip. And these stuffed shirts (mentioning no names....Mike) are usually the ones demanding immediate, spot on services- because apparently there aren't other people in the restaurant who require service. When I eat out, I am generally on a first name basis with the wait staff and I tip at minimum 30%- even if service has been less than adequate. Many places either pool their tips or have to payout tips to others- why should they suffer on account of one person? If I'm ever in the same restaurant as Mike, then I'll be sure to be extra friendly and tip more- because clearly some people just don't get it!
To Owner/Chef
I don't understand your reasoning in this, or this whole minimum wage for tipped employee law. I come from Canada where the minimum wage for tipped employees is, well... minimum wage. Here in BC it's 8$/hr. Most servers make this, some restaurants pay more. People still tip. 15-20% is the norm. I don't know a single place that charges $30 for a burger. Your $25 steak that you serve is still $25 here. And if your profit is 18 cents on a $25 steak meal your doing something wrong, your food costs are too high, or your markup is too low, or you are lying to strengthen your argument. There isn't that much different between Canada and the U.S. in fact the costs to operate are probably higher here, but the restaurant industry thrives, and people still tip. From me as a customer however do not believe that a tip is mandatory. If I get good service I tip, and I tip well.
Do you know the difference between and Canadian and a canoe? A Canoe tips! Try hard to be human you Mr. Cheapo.
Instead of bailing out BP the government should be bailing out applebees.
I know BP left a 20b tip for all those fishermen and shrimpers and such. Thank you Obama and thank you Joe Barton for your apology to BP. We will remember it in Nov.
Why has Obama remained so quiet during all of this? I'll tell you why: He doesn't care. Typical democrat.
bush choked on a pretzel because he did not tip.
This is simply sickening. Retired, you ideas are selfish, I might even go as far as cruel. We work within the system, we all do, and for you to deny a server who has performed adequately his or her due because you feel as if you can't be bothered is wrong, plain and simple. Reevaluate yourself, and understand that servers rely on your courtesy, even though it can hardly be considered courtesy as they have earned it.
Mike, I do not what traumatic event occurred in your past that caused your extreme dislike of servers, but what ever it is, please let it go. There is nothing wrong with expecting good service, just as there is nothing wrong with expecting a roofer to do an excellent job re-roofing your home, but this crass superior attitude you carry is undeserved, and has probably gone a long way to ensure that your service is epically horrible. Just because someone chooses to server does not mean they are trash, it does not mean they had some major failing in life, it does not make them losers. We all take different paths on the road to wear we are going, and to condemn someone for choosing to serve is small minded. It is a job that teaches character, self control, and empathy. Get off your high horse, and remember that the man or women taking your order and administering care for you throughout the course of your meal is a person, same as you, with concerns equal or greater to yours. No one deserves your arrogance.
Black people are not all bad tippers. Not all European people are bad tippers. Not all red necks are bad tippers. Not all old people are bad tippers. Stop spreading your bigoted ideas. I am black, and I tip well, as does every member of my immediate family (I can't vouch for the extended family as they live across the country). I am from Oklahoma and serve those that would proudly consider themselves rednecks, and the tip the same as everyone. Same for European people and old people. Shall we stop being so closed minded.
After being a server and a patron I think it sucks that severs have to rely on tips to survive. I do not mind paying more for a good meal and if I know that everyone working there is paid a fair wage.. but seeing as this is the system that we have then you should respect it and tip properly. Tip what you would want to be tipped if you were working their job. As well treat your server with the respect you would want to be treated. If you act like a jackass don't expect much better.
I know people won't read this since there have been so many comments prior but:
1) I tip well because I go back the same places often and servers remember. As a result, I usually get excellent service.
2) It takes a lot for me to not tip 20%. Once I waited 10 minutes for a check while the waitress was flirting with some guy. Then she spilled ash in my drink without comment. But I still left 10%.
3) People are complaining about tipping. Yes, it's not required but social etiquette says you should. If you don't tip, you just look cheap.
4) As I said before I tip 20%, but I also know that sometimes I sit around drinking a soda, hanging out over an appetizer which is cheap. So in those cases, I try to tip $5 an hour minimum to make up for the money they could earn.
Sure it's not required but it's polite. I seems like we've really forgotten that...and it makes me really angry to read some of these comments. I'd rather have our current tip system so I can say "Hey, thanks. I really appreciate how you went above and beyond" or "it sort of sucked, but I realize everyone has bad days, so try harder next time". But I never skip the tip...
I worked a job once where I got minimum wage (yay!) and tips. I never expected it since I was paid decent, but you can bet those who tipped regularly got little extras for free. It pays off.
All you freaking whiny waiters / waitresses threatening to screw up our food or drinks if you don't get a tip....how would you like to be in jail. Its a criminal act to tamper with food and / or beverages. You are opening yourself and your employer up for a huge lawsuit. In fact I wish you would put something in my food or drink....my lawyer will be so far up your butt he will be able to see your tonsils from the inside. Quit whining and moaning....or get a different job or an education
With that attitude I doubt you could even afford the lawyer. Don't be an asshole and you will not ever have to worry about pissing people off. That goes with all things in life.
Hans Solo
– a personal sexual reference, I'm sure. There's the answer to everything in America – sue them. I bet you have a lawyer that likes to look into body parts. Dumbbell, how are you going to know if anybody messed with your food, and then prove it. What a dope. I probably spit on your burger several times after I dropped in on the floor, and you were wondering why all the wait staff kept staring at you and laughing.
I am a big fan of take out. This way I am not "bothering" any servers and I get my food which I can eat where ever and how ever I wish. I also like european style places where the tip is included in the bill. Little Italy in NYC is a good example. No worries about tip. If you really insist on eating in a restaurant AND if you don't want to tip "effectively", then this article no doubt applies to you.
I understand tipping in restaurants and agree with it. What I don't agree with is tipping my hairstylist (although I still do it). I'm already paying $65 for a simple hair cut. Do I really need to leave her another $13? That just does not make sense to me at all.
Yeah, the stuff I get done to my hair can easily be $300, so adding another $60 for the tip makes me cringe a little, but I do it anyway b/c I'd feel like a jerk if I didn't tip her properly. She has overhead (paying for her spot in the salon, supplies, etc.) so I just consider the tip a mandatory part of the price when I'm thinking about making an appointment.
Besides, a hairstylist can choose to give you the best, best quality work, or they can choose to half-ass it. A good tip probably encourages that little something extra.
I worked wait staff for 3 years in college, and I will NEVER go back, ever. I had ghetto trash literally scream at me that their burger wasn't 'rare enough.' I had moms with kids who laughed when the kids tripped me while carrying FOUR meals. I had drinkers get raging angry with me when i couldn't identify the random alcoholic drink tthey wanted... i was 19 years old! The managements only care was that you kept the tables moving, and didn't care if you went home in pieces. I can't tell you how many times I worked a large group with grace, only to find out they'd left you NOTHING. No complaints, praise galore, but when it comes to tipping "don't you dare tell them there is a group minimum, or they'll spend less on the meal!"
Never again, not in this ungrateful culture of entitled a**holes.
I just don't understand why I have to pay an expensive bribe just to get someone to do their job well. no one bribes me to do my job - and if they did, it would be considered illegal.
Jake, you're free not to eat out. If you consider the COMMON tradition of tipping to be a "bribe," then don't expect someone who earns $2-3 an hour to wait on you.
Its unfortunate that people feel like they are "bribing" their wait staff for good service. I think that a good portion of servers, myself included, give 20% service no matter what. It is just extremely discouraging when people don't tip even a fraction of the quality of service they received.
Sounds like you are both from the entitlement generation. gimme gimme gimme gimme. now now now now. just make someone else pay. I just don't understand why this is COMMON tradition. you don't have to pay a bribe in a very nice restaurant in Asia, and you get really great service.
And no one seems to want to tackle that it would be illegal if one of my customers bribed me to do my job and we would both go to jail.
Tradition is not a bribe, thats why. Your comparison is absurd.
Entitlement generation? You mean the one who feels entitled to stiff a hard working person on a nice service on some vague "you're bribing me"complaint against the traditioon itself? Or are you just a cheapskate looking to justify keeping that $5 in your wallet? I think we know which you are.
I am entitled to money that I work for. When I wait on a table, I am doing work, and it is a personal goal of mine to ALWAYS give quality service, therefore I am entitled to make money off said table.
Congress should pass a law that adds a 20% on people's bill when they eat out AUTOMATICALY.
That way everyone is happy and we could finance securing our borders.
I tend to tip well for fair, heavily for great. If I under tip or on extremely rare occasions leave NO tip then I am giving you a hint.: Go find another line of work. As a customer I could not care less how the server and staff handle the tips from there. If any of that you consider unfair, take it up with your employer.
Random notes from my serving/restaurant experience:
I learned that we men are shallow, shallow, and pathetic fools. I am a guy. I realized primal men are when I worked as a waiter. Without fail, the "Chestiest" girls would get great tips, cute girls would get really good tips, and I (THE GUY) would get your average run of the mill tips. This is due to men trying to look like the "alpha male" by tipping big to impress a cute female server.
Also, girls REALIZED this and would flirt with guys to "inflate" their tip percentage. I realized that guys are all STUPID and "suckers" for a cute girl. A poor homely-looking fellow gets this beaming and smiling waitress to speak with him, and he feels like he needs to impress with a bigger than normal tip. Sadistically, I knew some women servers who would laugh as they threw a male guest's phone number (which was written on a napkin) in the trashcan as they pocketed a 20-25% tip! These pathetic men are stupid enough to believe tipping a girl a lot would get a date with them. WRONG!!!! Men don't stop and think, "hmmmmmm.... she has something to sell, the more I buy the bigger tip she gets. Her playful flirtatiousness must be a ploy to exploit my tip money!!!!" Nope-Doesn't even cross guys minds.
Also, I noticed as a male server, if a cute girl server stops and chats at a table, her chances of getting a bigger tip goes UP. If I (an average looking guy) stop and chat at a table, my chances of a big tip go DOWN. I am just annoying them with chatter.
In short I learned-In business and sales, cute women always win! (Because men need to impress cute girls with their buying power)
Don't hate the player(ette), hate the game.
Joe, could you please dig my number from the trash and give it back to that babe. I am sure that was just an oversight on her part.
How much longer can this discussion go on? Everyone has repeated/ reiterated something else that was said previously. Point is, servers will always feel overworked and underappreciated. There will always be rude guests. There will always be people that don't tip. There will always be that one lazy a$$hole on a shift that makes an entire staff and restuarant look bad in a single guest experience. And there will always be that one undereducated a$$shole who comes into a restuarant and abuses a good server because their life dreams died a long time ago. Both sides should use caution. Servers, if you treat everyone like they have the potential to be that one undereducated a$$hole, then you're not gonna make money. Guests, if you treat all servers like they're lazy a$$holes who wouldn't know their head from their butt then- I hope you came to the restuarant just to abuse your server, because you won't be enjoying your meal or atmosphere. Whether you work at OR visit restuarants a$$holes and tips are expected. Come prepared.
I teach...where's my 20% tip?
It is in the love, affection, appreciation and respect shown to you every day by all the rational parents and their amazing children. You Dr. D are richer than most.
I teach as well and if you are in the profession for the money, you are in the wrong line of work.
Would I leave a tip when everyone knows they spit in your food and take shits on your burger?
You still eat out despite you 'know' they're going to shit and spit in your burger???? You deserve a darwin award!!
I have been in the service industry for over 18 years. I have performed all positions in front of house in restaurants, and for the last 13 years have been a bartender. This is not my profession, it's a side job. I do have a professional career with a Master's degree. After reading the comments posted here my stomach turns, so let me be blunt. If you don't believe in tipping for any reason...stay the f**k home!!!!!! Servers in all aspects of the industry work their asses off. Those of you that complain should try walking in their shoes for just one shift and you'll shut your mouths. Surely, there are some that are not the greatest, but that goes in all professions. But to not tip because we make “a ton of tips", I can't type all of the expletives you are in this forum. Maybe that's why Donald Trump is waiting tables. I don't care how old you are, your race, religion, your socio-economic background, etc...If you don't or can't tip, buy a six pack of Natural Light and a crate of Snack Ramen and stay the f**k in your house. And lastly, to those of you that have to use your handy tip card, yes you can throw it in the trash moron...how hard is it to figure out percents! Cheap Bastards
Since when does anyone HAVE to tip. If you don't like getting STIFFED as you say, go stiff yourself you ungrateful piece of work.
There is NO law we have to tip anything. The facility owners should charge enough to pay you and make profit, forget all this tipping BS. It is a bunch of S to HAVE to tip anyone. I will tip when and where I so please, so go get an aviated intercourse off of a motivating pastry. All you people that think you should get tipped for everything are crazy, greedy, idiots.
I work in personel job placement. I think these people have forgotten that they are working for min wage because they gave the min in school and life and they are there to SERVE the customer without wich there would be no job. What ever happened to the customer is always right. That seems to be a thing of the past with this new generation of it's not my fault and you should give what i want you owe me. This generation of complaining about having to do a GOOD job to keep a job and get paid. They believe we should expect bad service, attitude, and a piss pore product and then give them money for it. Maybe if enough people don't tip these complaining under achievers they might shape up.
Your stereotyping of the wait staff is ridiculous and appallling. That attitude of 'I'm better than them because they're servers" is what drives the divide between you, them, and what SHOULD be a pleasant experience for you BOTH.
Btw, when I was carrying four hot meals and had a womans kid PURPOSEFULLY trip me, was that my generation "complaining," or was that someone from YOUR generation LAUGHING at the mess her kid had made of the "lazy server?"
The proposition that the cost of eating out would "double" if tips were eliminated and servers made minimum wage can be shown to be a complete lie by, let's see.... Math?
If a server made $0 an hour + tips and got a raise to $7.50 an hour with no tips, how much would it cost me for a two hour meal? Oh, $14. Now if the server serves only 4 people at the same time, my two hour meal will increase by $3.50.
Let's say the four of us have to support a server, a bus person AND a bartender! Shocking! Our meal will increase by $11 Oh, the horrors!
So the idea that the owners "just can't afford to pay minimum wage" is just BS. Math proves you a liar.
Mike,
I used to pride myself as one of the best servers in the industry. I would make 20% on almost every table I waited on EVERY night. Because I was such a good server, managers would make me pick up the slack of other servers at least once a week. Whether it was a "no call, no show," someone who made it in late or had to leave early, I was blessed with the majority of their section. When this would happen I could not give the superior services I felt my tables deserved. When someone like you would walk in with their "better than thou" blinders on my tips would suffer. You see a server with a big smile that's very polite and energetic come to your table, and when this server is late with one thing or forgets something small it bursts your "you bubble" and you take it out on him.
Now you probably think that I have worked at some pretty bad establishments with some pretty high turnover to have to go through that so often, WRONG! I have worked at "turn and burns" as well as polished the chairs where you preach from your throne. This type of thing happens at ever restaurant that is a "going concern" and is something you need to look out for before pass judgment.
I now charge you with a task before seeking out your next jar of Grey Poupon from the window of your Roles Royce Limousine: Next time your getting bad service, follow the server around with your eyes to see how many tables he has. If it's an amount that you could not see yourself adequately tending give the guy a break. If you see them standing in a corner joking around with another server or on their cell phone you have my permission to leave nothing or call a manager. However, if you talk to a manager without checking and it happens to be a good server your complaining on, the manager will simply pat the server on the a** and you will become passing laughter when they are having a beer later after work. And better yet, the next time you come in and ask for that restaurants best server and that server remembers you, you will be passed on like a bad case of herpes to the dumbest piece of sh*i! with an apron and tie on that server can find.
when i was in the navy we had a saying choose your rate choose your fate which meant the job you picked is the job you do. the way i fill is as a waiter/waitress you job is to give a good service so if you give a good service i'll give you a tip if you don't you don't get a tip. simple as that. yes i do tip if the service is good 15% based off the receipts 15% is automatically charged on parties of 5 of more. if not i'll drop a dollar or two
Its that simple, that concept is difficult for some to comprehend.
Waitstaff like Brandon are the reason I don't eat out anymore. I was always a good tipper, I just don't think I should be forced to give some snotty kid money just to keep him or her from tampering with my food.
You are not owed tips, you EARN them.
Thank you for staying home. You just saved a table for someone who actually tips.
I'm a server and agree that not every server deserves even a decent tip. I pointed this out earlier, but the thread has gotten so long: please let a manager know when you receive bad service. If you don't explain it to anyone, your waiter will just assume you're a cheapskate and not that they did poorly. The manager may even compensate you, and the good servers might not have to put up with a terrible coworker anymore.
I've worked as a server, bartender, and manager at a decent restaurant. Tipping is something that should NOT be expected. I don't expect to get a tip. I provided the best possible service that I could and made sure that all my employees did as well. That is the way to guarantee a tip. You may be slammed and on your wits end, but the bottom line is customer service and unfortunately too many times (IMO) that gets forgotten. I have sat at a table and before and waited for 30 minuted before someone came to the table. No apologies, no "I'm sorry we're really busy" nothing. And guess what, having been on that side before, the tip was less than I would have tipped if the server took the time to let me know. It's possible and you'd be amazed at what taking 30 seconds to stop by a table can get you.
For those that go in and and automatically expect personal service from your waitstaff...get real. If a place is busy, it's going to take a bit longer. That's just life. Chances are the place is busy because its a good place to go.
How often do servers get stiffed? I would never in a thousand years stiff a server, unless they seriously deserved it. Is this common practice?
Looks like it. I was fortunate, I was a bartender, if I had a zero tipper I just kicked them out. I can do that, there is always some considerate person ready to take their place.
I think it's wrong not to tip simply because bartenders, waiters etc. basically have to pay to work at their place of employment. The way that it works out for them if you don't tip is almost like they're serving you for free.
When I eat out, I typically leave a 15% tip for acceptable service–meaning my order was taken in a reasonable amount of time and the wait person was courteous. I tip 20% for good service, meaning in addition being courteous, my wait person also checked to see if our meal was okay and if we needed drinks. For excellent service, I tip 25 percent. I also make a point to let the manager know when our wait person provides excellent service. I've been thanked by wait staff for taking the time to do so. On the rare occasion I have horrible service–meaning the wait staff essentially ignored us for the entire meal– I do not tip. I'm also not inclined to return to the restaurant when there are so many places I can go and be treated with courtesy.
Steve Buscemi's conversation about not tipping at the start of Reservoir Dogs sums up my view on tipping. I'll tip if the service is really good, but being expected to fork over money just because you can't find a job that pays decent is absurd. Tipping should never be expected. "I wish I had a job society deemed tipworthy."
Wow you really take life advice from Reservoir Dogs?
Agreeing with and taking from are two very different things. You don't really need that pointed out, do you?
I have been a waitress for 4 years and have worked at two restaurants that are basically the same in two different parts of town. At the first restaurant I worked at in a better part of town, most people tipped 15%-20% as long as the service was good so I learned to always give my best service to every table and I wouldn't have to worry that my check usually ended up being $0 because of taxes. However, I when I went to college I got a new job just 20 min away from the first restaurant and I found that there are people who, no matter how good the service is or how much money they can manage to get off their bill, they still won't leave a penny for a tip. Since I have to tip out 3% of my food sales (including entrees that my guests were able to get for free because something was "wrong" with theirs), PLUS a bar tip out based on how many drinks I ordered and what kind they were, I end up paying to serve tables that do nothing but waste my time. Where I am working now doesn't allow servers to add gratuity to checks under any circumstances, so just last night I brought home $53 after a 7 hour shift after tipping out a $35. That is how ridiculous the system is for servers and we can't do anything about it because we are the little people, there is always someone willing to take our place, especially in this economy, and it is ALWAYS about the bottom line. So keep that in mind next time you go out.
@Mike, you can sit on your high horse and tell us how we will serve you to your standards because we are obviously subserviant to you. That's cool spitting in your food sure makes your no tipping more worth it. If you think people do not remember who you are and do not get even "along with the other coworkers", you are sorely mistaken. So keep being an ass, we will make it worth our time.
To all those of you servers complain about your income – realize that the REASON you have your job is the customer. The customer's only obligation is to pay for and enjoy their meal. The meal is marked up to pay for overhead such as staff etc. Maybe we should all stay home and cook for ourselves, that way you won't have a job to go to and won't get paid a damn dime for your lousy attitude. If you don't like it, find another job that pays better. I'm sick of servers complaining about tips. The origin of a tip is a "bonus" to be given for exemplary service only, not to subsidize your crappy salary. Get REAL!
You need to stick with the buffet if all you want to pay for is the food. I want great food and great service – I am willing to tip well for exceptional service. Do me a favor, stick with the buffet so good servers don't take your advice and quit!
I am appaulled by the attitudes on this thread. Mike, yours the most. You seem to have a real axe to grind with people in the service industry. No, you are not forced to tip but if you dont want to tip, then feel free to go to a drive through or restaurant where tipping is not neccessary because they pay their servers min. wage or higher. I have a degree Mike and am a very intelligent woman. I wait tables because my husband is a soldier and I can not keep a salaried job because we are moved so often or my husband is deployed and I need flexability with my schedule because we have two children. I work extremely hard to make sure my customers have an enjoyable breakfast/lunch/dinner and I believe that the hard work I do and the service I provide are worth the tip. If you can not afford to tip than go to Subway and enjoy your sandwich. I do make a very good living waiting tables but I deserve it and prove that by providing top notch service. Jobs are hide to find. To say; "if you dont like the pay~get another job" is ludicrous! Its plain and simple...if you dont want to tip, then dont...but dont go to a sit down restaurant and ask someone to work for you that you have no intention of paying for their services. I do not believe that you should tip no matter what but if youre service is good..then tip your server accordingly.
If they want a "tip" (aka: a handout) then heres a tip: Get a real job. Not some bullshit job intended for high school kids.
Any self respecting person over the age of 20 who is willing to work as a waiter needs to get a life.
TO "Get a real job"
It seems YOU don't have a real job. If you can't afford to tip your waiter 15%, YOU need to go back to school for a higher paying career/job.
thats probably one of the best comments on here yet.
I'm in college double majoring in Civil Engineering and Business Admin. I am part of the Honors College at the university I attend and have a 3.9 GPA. All that to say, I am in no way underqualified for a "real job" as you would say, however there seems to be a shortage of "real jobs" out there for people recently graduated and even less for those of us who are older than 20 but still in school. I am working as a server to pay the small portion of my college tuition that wasn't covered by a scholarship and people that don't tip make that extremely hard!
I used to be a waiter at a nice steak restaurant. Us waiters have a great memory for the faces of people who don't tip! All I can say is, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you!"
Additionally, II was TAXED by the government on 15% of all my sales because the government assumes that people tip their waiters 15%. So everyone who doesn't tip their waiter 15% is stealing from them. This is because that waiter gets taxed on their 15% whether the guest tips it or not!
Ok maybe so.
But everyone else in the country is also taxed on their wages, and you, like everyone else legally has to make at least the minimum wage, thus you are in a position just like the rest of us.
As I stated above, if your tips+wage doesn't equal at least the minimum wage, by law your employer has to make up the difference.
You people will use the slightest thing to not tip. like if the waiter ask to repeat yourself because you are talking too low. I mean I vary my tip but most of you are trying to have these people get a tip as if they just went though the american gladiator course to get your food for you and you say did not make the time NO TIP. tip or get out the seat.
Serving is a job most pople would not want. If it paid decently and di not involve relyingostrangers.... To abolish tipping would require a bran new system. many would not switch. Much like the metric system.
Tips are NOT undeclared income. Here's how it works: the waiter is supposed to declare tips as taxable income. If they IRS thinks a waiter is under-reporting his/her tips, the IRS will calculate how much THEY THINK you are making in tips, based on a percentage of sales of the restuarant and the hours worked. THEN the IRS TAXES THE SERVER ON THAT CALCULATED AMOUNT. So if a waiter is making less than 15% because of jerky customers, he/she can actually be taxed on money he/she has never even earned. AND the IRS does NOT take into account all the hours that servers work when the restaurant is not even open for business (during which the server still gets paid the $2/hour rate even though there's no hope of tips without customers in the store. Most servers must stay very late to close the restaurant. This is a minimum of two hours past the time the last customer leaves. Others must arrive early to open the restaurant. Again, about 2 hours before a customer ever arrives. Yet this time is included in the IRS's calcuation of tip-earning income. So all the snide comments about tips as "unreported" or "untaxed" income are WAY, WAY off base. Been there. Unless we change to the system of say, Spain, where tipping is unheard of because the waitstaff is paid properly by the owner, then we must tip for decent service or we are truly screwing the server.
If we as servers/bartenders didn't have to deal with all these fatass americans getting all of their EXTRA ranch or 79ounces of soda(or anything else we as servers complain about) we wouldn't complain about customers, but when these people only leave us 5% for running our asses off when they are sitting at the table eating pounds and pounds of food and asking us for something from the kitchen after you just sent us there six times when we have 1,970,987 other things to do (your usually not our only table).
Another thing people don't realize all of the side work that goes on behind the scenes to make the place run smoothlye..ice,food running, getting drinks, sides, setting up the food, a problem with the kitchen, getting cups, etc..(you do realize that if something goes wrong it isn't always the servers fault where i work it could be the computer system, one of the many cooks that food dish goes through, the person who sets up the food, or even the person who brings the food to the table.I'm not saying servers are perfect because we are human and do make mistakes ona busy night we might have over 100 orders..one mistake a night i think might be acceptable...it would sure as hell be nice to walk up to a table and say hey can i have a minute i have to go the bathroom. we are humans and most of us complaining on here are upset because we don't get treated like real people.... don't shake your glasses at us don't touch us with your greasy ass fingers when we walk by like were a piece of meat, and don't stiff us. we are all just trying to make a living and working in this industry is sure a hell of a lot of work.
ps when you ask a server for something and say "whenever you have some time" we will gladly do this right away because we know that you have a sense of what it is like to be a server.
I never tip because I fear that the waiter and or waitress may be a terrorist and by tipping I am financing their fight against our freedoms. You can nver be too safe what with 9/11
I spent several years as a server and bartender because it was often one of the only possible jobs in the area. I have to make my house payments and even McDonald's was so overwhelmed with applications it's pure luck to get a call back.
I can put a big smile on my face and joke around with staff and customers even when I am in my cruddiest of moods because as a server you MUST. However, I think if I have to act eternally chipper and always be the most kind and helpful person in the world you as a customer should make a slight effort to do the same.
Your bad day is not my fault, I shouldn't get attitude and have to suffer from the moment I greet you.
You not telling me you wanted a slice of lemon with your water is not my fault and if you don't ask for it DON'T expect me to bring it or complain when I don't!
The cook adding mushrooms when it clearly shows on your bill that I told him to omit them is NOT my fault, I will still apologize profusely but HE made the mistake.
I can't read your mind, I ask questions attempting to make sure you get what you want, EVERYONE has their own preferences. I shouldn't get attitude because I don't know how you take you coffee, that you would rather honey instead of butter, that you won't eat vegetables unless they are steamed, or any other of the countless preferences people have so it's pretty unfair, annoying, infuriating and hurtful when I get dirty looks and a rude dismissal for trying to give you what you want.
And If something is wrong, speak up before you've paid and nearly reach the door. If you tell me something's wrong as soon as you notice I can try to get it done right or get a manager who may give you a discount or free meal. Waiting until you've eaten your food and paid the bill before telling me how horribly I screwed up your stay is just obnoxious.
Believe it or not, when a server is trying to cover 10 tables while doing their sidework and covering for the 2 people who didn't show up mistakes WILL happen and things may get forgotten but I am still trying my best. Treating me like a lazy animal is unfair and makes YOU the jerk.
Yeah if you see me chatting with friends for 20 minutes while you wait I don't deserve a tip. If however, I am talking to other customers I just may be trying to get their order and they are taking forever. I may even be more frustrated than you are at how long it's taking.
"The cook adding mushrooms when it clearly shows on your bill that I told him to omit them is NOT my fault, I will still apologize profusely but HE made the mistake."
NOT ALWAYS!! If you are my server that took my order and brought my food to me, if you can see the mushrooms WITHOUT TOUCHING ANYTHING, IT SURE IS 100%, MILLION PERCENT YOUR FAULT FOR SERVING IT TO ME WRONG WITH AN OBVIOUS MISTAKE LIKE THAT!! You have to compare the written order to the food BEFORE SERVING IT!!
Also, what's on our bill, doesn't meant that is what is on the computer in the kitchen. You can also fix it after the fact for example, let's say you forgot to put no mushrooms on the ticket, you can easily fix it on the computer BEFORE PRINTING OUT THE CHECK, LIKE DUH, PEOPLE WEREN'T BORN UNDER ROCKS!! Servers can try to cover up their mistakes.
"You not telling me you wanted a slice of lemon with your water is not my fault and if you don't ask for it DON'T expect me to bring it or complain when I don't!"
While I agree the CUSTOMER should say they want something, I 100% disagree it's the customer's fault, because a CARING, GOOD server ASKS if you want lemon with water, NOT just bring water you IDIOT!! It's just like tea, you ASK if the customer wants lemon.
You know people may forget or expect, so WHY not just ASK so you don't have to run around like a chicken? Doesn't that make sense?
A good example, asking if customers need any condiments if they order sandwiches when they don't say so. Try to be PROACTIVE instead of just taking down what they say. Think AHEAD of what they might expect or maybe forget.
"things may get forgotten but I am still trying my best. Treating me like a lazy animal is unfair "
Are things being forgotten because they weren't WRITTEN DOWN in the first place? If you are too lazy to even write it down, don't expect respect back. Are you really trying your best? Doesn't sound like it from the mushroom example, because a lot of times, I can see mushrooms on a plate. Trying your best means making sure what you can notice without touching the food is correct BEFORE you decide to bring it to me. Trying your best is offering to bring out lemon instead of being stupid that people are going to actually ask for things. EXPECT people to not ask you and just ask THEM instead. A lot of people are going to expect things without asking, that's how some people are, so you have to adapt by asking THEM.
I was graduated 7 months ago with two degrees. The number of "real" jobs I have applied for must be over a thousand by now. The one I have been able to land is a serving job in a top establishment in a high class part of town. Most of my tips are great. Even so, working on my feet 50 hours a week (with no days off and 14 hour shifts without a break on Sundays included), I will be lucky to make 30k this year. Every paycheck reads $0.00, so every dime I earn comes from tips. Personally, I expect great tips, because I know I am an exceptional server. It doesn't take much common sense to put in a food order. However, it is incredibly hard on the body working so hard without a break and getting off work at 2 AM every morning, and hard on the mind dealing with uneducated, power-tripping managers, rude customers, and loud, obnoxious drunkards. Obviously, not every server deserves 15%, but come on. Give us a break.
@john You lie. and if you aren't your place of business is breaking the law.
You say you doubled majored, but you choose to be a sheep? i don't believe it.
Obviously you don't have any freinds who are servers. John may be a little over the top here but what he is saying is mostly true. Oh, I have never been a server but have a number of friends who are.
I never tip because I fear that the waiter and or waitress may be a terrorist and by tipping I am financing their fight against our freedoms. You can nver be too safe what with 9/11 and all.
You must be the dumbest person on the planet!
I agree with "Ever Think".
Obama has done NOTHING AT ALL to secure our freedom.
What freedoms are insecure for you?
Which freedoms? all of them. I mean srlsy look outside and watch the news.
I start out assuming a 20% tip and deduct for service mistakes or bad attitude. I often round up to the nearest whole dollar after calculating the 20%. I dine out an average of once each week and want to enjoy the experience. I am more than willing to reward excellent service since that what I was hoping for in the first place. Servers work hard and should be able to make as much money as any other successful person – I would love knowing my server made lots of money – that must mean they provide exceptional service – that's the kind of service I am looking for every time out.
if every person had that attitude toward tipping, even if they assumed a 15%, the people who deserved to make money would make it and those who didn't wouldn't, which is the way it should be. I enjoy the experience of serving a table that is enjoying their dining experience...it makes me feel really good about myself and reminds me why we are called "servers" in the first place.
I have the same attitude as you and typically tip between 20-25%. I wish there was a way to indicate the level of tip at the beginning of the meal. I'd be more than happy to let the server know i appreciate their work and will tip well.
And to further my original point, by law if the wait staff does not make the national minimum wage with tips + wage, then the restaurant is required to make up the difference. Here is this quoted from the US Department of Labour website;
"A tipped employee engages in an occupation in which he or she customarily and regularly receives more than $30 per month in tips. An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 per hour in direct wages if that amount combined with the tips received at least equals the federal minimum wage. If the employee’s tips combined with the employer’s direct wages of at least $2.13 per hour do not equal the federal minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference. Many states, however, require higher direct wage amounts for tipped employees"
So wait staff, if you feel hard done by with tips, take this up with your restaurant and not the customers.
I don't want a server who has to live on minimum wage – I want a server who could make serveral times minimum wage doing anything else. I want my dining experience to be first rate not just good enough or worse!
Why not?
Why is wait staff any different to any other labour job?
Lots of people work their asses off daily for minimum wage and service doesn't suffer. Besides, I'm not advocating abolishing tips, I'm saying that if someone who works as wait staff isn't making enough in tips there is something they can do about it.
I'm all for tipping if service is good, but I shouldn't be obligated to do so, so I resent people who say 'Don't come out to eat if you don't tip 15%'. I can do what I want, comments like that make me resent tipping, as not everyone can afford to be generous with their tip. Also it's not my problem that you chose a job that doesn't guarantee you enough money to live off (even though it does, if they had any idea of your own laws they would realise this).
well, I live in Washington State, and it is against the law for a business to consider tips part of a employees wages. I also live in one of the highest sales tax states, I live in the highest gas tax state (75 cents), and they are going to throw on the candy tax before the USA starts theirs.
All this and I work 10-15 hours a week minimum wage, paying my own way through college, out of pocket. I am say i want to hang out with my friends, so i go out to eat. I do not need to tip you. I say all this, and i've only not tipped one person. If you put in the slightest effort, you will probably get a tip, but don't forget the people you serge were or currently are in your shoes.
I myself have never worked in the industry but have a many friends and my current g/f that is a restruant manager. And have heard about guest complients of 'hair in the food" and the hair does not match anybody on the kitchen staff seeing it was blone and everybody in the back had black hair.......just to get free food or discounted check or never say anything then call later for Corprates number to get a free app next time they come in. If the people that do not tip or are trying to work the system stay home so the people that enjoy a night out and having someone serve me food can do it with out hearing your lame comments and ruining the night for other customers that are enjoying the serve and will leave a tip.
Hey, I tip like Alex, too. There have been times when I've gone into a restaurant waiting for others in my party to show up WHO NEVER got there. After about an hour, I asked for the bill for my cup of coffee. ... And tipped many times more than what the coffee cost, for the use of the booth where the waiter/waitress couldn't earn more because I was hogging up the seat.
Teens who are out for late night coffee with friends should be taught this lesson. TIP for the time you spend at the table, remembering that wait-staff are not getting paid for your table if you are chatting there with friends all night.
To all the bullcrap arguments that food costs will be astronomical if wait staff got paid a normal wage;
How is it that the entire of Europe gets by with wait staff being paid at least the minimum wage, and average restaurant prices are still relative to how they are here?
I have eaten out in many different countries in Europe, some of which tipping is frowned upon, and you know what, the prices aren't ridiculously expensive at all relative to the cost of living (in general – unless its a really swanky restaurant of course).
So your argument is null and void, restaurants in this country could easily pay their wait staff a livable wage without a restaurant bill being out of control.
Well that is correct to some point seeing there are no real "chain" resturants in Europe other then American ones and they are probably mom and pop places where they gewt there food locally. which as american should do. Not only for economical reasons but enviromental. also then the prices would be cheaper.
Are you kidding me? Have you even been to Europe? That kind of comment is what makes the rest of the World think of Americans as self-centered *not so bright* people...
Okay, okay, everyone, calm down. It seems to me like no one is happy with the situation as it is. Owners seem to not like having to pay their waitstaff chump change in order to keep business coming (because who would go to a restaurant where a $25 steak is $75?). Waitstaff don't always like having to bend over backwards to kiss butt and make sure they can pay bills, and customers don't really like "subsidizing" their paycheck (although I don't feel that way). But what is the refusal of one person to leave a tip going to accomplish? You're going to make some server who just worked very hard to give you an enjoyable dining experience wonder what they did wrong (if they're not jaded yet) or struggle a bit more to pay bills. You individually are not going to change the system, and you looks like an ass next to the rest of us who accept how it works. If you hate having to tip, try making your statement not on an anonymous comments section but where some change might actually happen.
Just thought I'd also share my crazy trick that always gets me great service: I smile and say "please" and "thank you". Got that one from my parents. And then when it comes time to tip it feels natural to leave 20% or more because the service was great. Although next time I go out I'm tipping 35% because these comments have made me feel really bad for servers.
I think people forget that as a server it doesn't benefit us to make our guests angry, their the ones that pay us. There are a few people in the industry that don't realize this, but overall servers are looking to provide great service because at the end of the day, poor service usually means a poor tip. Odds are were trying our best to make our guests happy.
I love being American, you know why? It is because i don't have to give a fuck about anyone else in the states (at least until WWIII or some other unfortunate event like 9/11 that will bring us together). So to all those waiters and waitresses out there; Fuck you if you get uppity about not getting a good tip for providing half ass service. And if your one of those waitresses/ waiters who are damn good at what they do, then don't worry baby birds, I'll be there to give you the money you deserve.
If you hate the structure of minimum salary for waiting, or requirement of having to tip out a minimum amount even if you may not have received it, get together and strike. Trust me, one week of an entire state that has no labor force for wait staff will open the eyes of the local government.
It's not our fault you CHOOSE to be in this industry. If you suck at your job, I'm not going to reward you for it. If you do mediocre, I don't even think 15% should be required, but 99% of the time I do it anyways, and if the service was outstanding, you'll be rewarded, maybe even in ways other than monetarily.
Bottom line – The reason wages are so low (not here in California, you make minimum $8 no matter what), or you have to pay tax on a minimum amount is because everyone who hates it and bitches about it do it to deaf ears. If it was that bad, there would be a plethora of waiting jobs because nobody would want to serve.
Oh you Leftist. General Strike!
Looks like the democrats are hitting the pockets of hard working americans again. With Ohhhbama in office people can't even afford to leave a decent tip anymore. Score another win for the fat cats while they line their silk pockets with our money. Yes we can, indeed.
Democrats make me sick!
Eight years of bush and republicans made the whole world sick. Touche!
Don't like your customers, eh? Then don't do the job. You have a job because as a customer I chose to patronize your restaurant. Any restrictions or issues you have due to the way your restaurant is structured is not my problem. If I want to move my tab from the bar to the table, then I will. If your restaurant isn't set up to handle tips that way, talk to your boss... if you have too many things to do at one time... talk to your boss. Don't blame your problems on the customers that dared to walk in and give you their business. If you do, then I doubt you will have that problem much longer.
In the words of Ryan Reynolds in "waiting"...Don't F@*& with the people that bring you food. May all of the dismayed servers and line cooks spit into the meals of these self righteous penny pinchers who shouldn't be eating out in the first place. It's a privilege, not a right people...tipping is part of the cost.
I start every tip off at 15% from the get go. It goes UP or DOWN based upon service level.
As a once single mother, I OFTEN skipped out on tips altogether because of the LOUSY service I got when present with my kids compared to a table of guys out for a business lunch. It just INFURIATED me when waters (not waitresses) would make SURE business customers got better and more complete order care than what appeared to be a "single mother" out with kids.
Fortunately, I have only ever been treated that way when I try out NEW restaurants. These who know me as a regular guest know that I tip well, and 95% of the time provide good service accordingly. You know, sometimes you just have to venture out of your comfort zone to realize how sloppy of waiter service you can get.
This is why I LOVED eating out in Japan–tipping is considered an insult there!!!
I think part of the problem in America is that many people honestly DON'T understand restaurant economics. When I was growing up I was taught 10-20% tip based on service. Now it's supposed to be 15 or 18%-30%??? When and why did it change and how the heck am I just supposed to know this?? I don't go to fancy restaurants, so I just can't fathom tipping more than 20% unless it's a big group/party or something like that.
I've had some truly HORRIBLE wait staff here in the States and I HATE feeling obliged to tip them. On the other hand, if a waiter truly does make an effort, I have no problem leaving 15-20%. Unfortunately, that seems the exception these days rather than the rule.
It took all of three posts for this to turn into servers whining about their tips, as justification for poor skills and not knowing proper table service. Maybe if they were to worry a bit more about their behavior, and not be so focused on tips, they'd perform/meet client expectations better and things would right themselves. Don't like the pay- go do something else.
Father Time....you must be an old bugga! This isn't the 1920's!! Come out of your cave bro! And let me tell you, a lot of these waiters/waitresses ARE COLLEGE GRADUATES!! What does that tell you. Maybe a 9 to 5 job ain't cutting paying them bills anymore! On second thought...stay in your cave and barbeque. Pathetic!
AMEN!
ok really people servers get $2.13 an hour and they get to claim about %10 sales and claim taxes on it so when dont tip good service y do u think u deserve good service next time i see you and trust me when people dont tip we tell the other servers and we remember you so we can make sure u get really shitty service next time u come in and ive done to pretty fucked up shit to some rude customers in my day as well as telling a group of 3 people i hoped they died on christmas day before. and 80% of the time the service is bad because u as are too demanding and make yourself not like it cause i can count how many customers didnt like my service just because i was a guy so they made sure they complained about everything and by the way the customer is never right
I am thankful that you have moved on to another occupation.
I worked as a bartender in very busy bars for 17 years. I had a waiter girlfriend actually would say to nasty customers - and I think this sums the tipping problem up - "Be nice to somebody who is going to give you something that you're going to put in your mouth." Can customers be more stupid? She was a riot.
As far as wages, there were many many times, working a day shift, that the government taxed me on tips that I didn't even make because the tax law assumes you'll make the difference from your $2.15. If you haven't ever worked in a restaurant, then you haven't a clue as to the work, the difficulty, the stress, and the pay, that we make. How bout health insurance? Not many of us even have that, because we can't afford it.
90% of the waitrons in this topic really are asking us to support their cause (college, houses, sick families), not tip their good service. Since they don't seem to think their tip should be dependent on their performance, maybe I'll take them up on that offer and just ask what their cause is. If it sucks, no tip. If I like it, 100%. I'm really not liking the entitlement attitude I'm seeing from the food servers here; maybe getting paid for a job well done is a lesson the waiter job is supposed to teach teenagers and college undergrads. Certainly a lesson that this me-generation needs.
Still, I'm sure I'd find much better causes to tip than excellent waitrons.
I tip 15 for average service for two, 25% for an 75th percentile waiter.
From the article it seems to me the wait staff are just asking to be treated like human beings and shown a little courtesy, and remind patrons that they work for tips as that is the system the service industry has set up in this country.
From the comments I read most of the customers are a bunch of cheap jerks who are more than happy to take the service but not pay for it (ala tip). Hi, new to America? This is the system that had been in place for a long time and to complain to the servers or take it out on them is pathetic.
I have never been a server nor worked in the food industry (ok 13 months at a sandwich shop in high school...) but I have always tipped 20% for good service. On occasion if it is bad I leave nothing and write a note on the bill to let them know why (very rare) on the flip side I will tip 30-50% if the service is outstanding. I am middle class and were raised by thrifty parents but it just always seemed right (because it is). I am saddened by the comments by all the cheapskates out there making these comments. You should stay home or eat at McDonalds or some other food trough.
Oddly I learned to tip the staff well from a buddy of mine who was a notorious jerk at stiffing (and stealing) tips at our tables. I always made up the difference for him. Funny enough he is now a great tipper...and has been in the food industry for 15 years and is a head sommelier in SF...
Wow, I can't believe the conflict in these responses. The American system is that the customer pays for service in the tip not in the price. I find I get mostly fast, friendly service and I am happy to tip for it. I usually give 20% and I tip more if the service is outstanding. The very few times I get poor service I'll tip less. I know that serving food is a hard job and servers deserve to be compensated for it.
I tip by time not by cost 15% whatever if i take my wife out to dinner and drop $200 $60 of which if for wine and spend a little over an hour there i should tip them 15% of that i think not that would mean there getting paid $30hr and thats just from me ><
I agree to some extent with the people saying that if you go to a restaurant you have to tip, but if the service is truly awful you don't deserve a tip. If a tip is a serious part of your income that I'm paying and I feel that you did a horrific job you shouldn't get a tip. That being said, most servers are wonderful and should be fairly paid!
Let's call a spade a spade–those of us who tip are not subsidizing the restaurant or the waitstaff, we are subsidizing all of the people on this board who say they don't tip. If we eliminate tipping and restaurants have to pay the entire salary for the waitstaff, the menu prices go up by 15%, so stop complaining about the system and just enjoy your subsidized meals. Every meal starts for me at 15% tip, if the service is lousy, I give 10% if its just awful I don't tip and I don't return to the restaurant. If the service is good (which is in most cases), I tip 20%. If I'm not happy with something, I'll politely let the server know and ask them to fix it–in most cases they fix the problem happily and then I give a 20% tip (I just hope I didn't buy some bodily fluids for my extra 5%).
You're in good shape. No ball sweat for you.
If you don't like to tip then eat at home! Waiters/Waitresses are just trying to make a living! You people are not any better than waiters and waitresses are. Who made you GOD? Have some respect or like I said....STAY HOME!!!!
I find all of this amazing. Especially the Mikes out there. Now I think a lot of the servers are out of line here but I think they are taking this opportunity to finally get to speak there mind. Now I have been in the restaurant industry for well over a decade. I truly love it. In fact, I have recently opened number 7. Also, I feel I should mention I have served for a good period and bartended.. I still occationally do when needed. For those nonrestaurant types out there I also work avidly in the real estate world.
Just for those of you non restaurant people out there.... let take the method of not tipping. Then you're not paying for the service you are paying for the food. I have spent a good amount of time in Europe, not in all cases, but the service is sub par by American standards. And yes, you will pay more for the food. Oh and food in the states on average is a bit higher in actual costs to the restaurant. The US has a lot higher standards for what we can put out on the table. Oh and try telling a French/Italian Chef you want to change the artwork they created for you. Tell them that you need me, I dont need you.
I agree with the system of tipping as a rule. Not only does it help keep the costs low it insures me that I will be providing my customers with A+ service. I know MY servers provide great service because they make the $$ if you will. If they don't make money then inevitably they will leave..yes they too have bills to pay, kids to feed and sick spouses to care for.
Now for the comment of "Restaurants need the customer more that the customer needs the restaurant" well that is not entirely true. First off, if I have a patron "abusing" my staff, I will not only kick you out of my restuarant I will still charge you for your meal. As I do not tolerate my staff mistreating the guests, I will not tolerate the guests mistreating my staff. OH and in all my restaurants and as a good number of others might I add.. there are many systems in place that keep track of 80-90% of guests that enter my restuarant. Are you a non-tipper? Are you a problem guest? Are you a heavy drinker and like to harrass my 18yr old hostess? Well, it maybe Tuesday and I have 20 open tables but I dont need the problems to the moral of my restaurant. You can go to the local pub or Chili's if they want it.. GREAT.
I felt very insulted by the comments at the beginning of this stream. Comments like restaurant staff are criminals or basically restaurant people are the scum of the earth and need to get a real job. I do not hold a MBA but a good amount of my staff do or atleast working to obtain it. Not only that, I would trust any of my dishwashers alone in my home with my kids while I take my better half out for a much deserved evening.
@mike id like to see you even attempt to wait tables. and dont go out to eat if youre not going to tip. tipping is a part of going out to eat. and why do i wait tables? because i am a full time college student and it is one of the only jobs that has flexible hours and pays decent. douche.
This feed is alarming at best. All servers are customers in any number of capacities, and the same is true in reverse. Serving tables is allowing me to pay my way through school while garnering invaluable experience in customer service, business savvy, and product knowledge. If a guest feels personally aggrieved by the level and/or lack of exaction in service, the guest should consider calmly alerting the server as to their distaste or ask to speak with the "front of house manager." More often than not, this will salvage an otherwise unfortunate experience. Diners who are prone to surliness should consider that their actions and body language not only negatively affect the staff but the other clients as well. When in doubt, be polite, direct, remember your server's name, and always say "thank you"–even if you don't mean it.
Wow. You guys hate each other!
@ Busted.. I actually waited tables all through out college to support a dream of making it in my own business... and it worked out rather nicely. If you're smart and driven, there is nothing wrong with waiting tables to get where you want to go.
It's also a great job if you're transitioning and trying to figure out what it is you want to do in life. I make 6 figures now and it all started bc I didn't want to take the route that everyone takes "college-career-capped salary". ..granted I don't think there is anything wrong with that route, but you shouldn't think there is anything wrong with starting on your own and working your way up. It's honorable.. and it builds character... which sounds like something you could use a little bit of.
For the most part these postings are shockingly disgusting. The filthy language and the animosity aimed at servers is an eye opener. I don't blame servers for becoming jaded, but for the most part they have always been efficient, cordial, and ready to make any request on my part, their priority. They are NOT responsible for the mistakes from the kitchen. It makes me wonder how these bloggers treat their own family members and co-workers. Their posts quite possibly indicate a serious personality flaw.
You are all immature children. Reality:
1) Tipping is not optional. If you don't understand that, don't eat out. It is factored into their compensation, although the exact amount should be related to how good the service is (but, unless there was a serious issue, somewhere between 15 and 20%).
2) Waiters don't pay enough taxes. Regardless of the advanced sales-based systems used by *some* restaurants to estimate actual income, no server pays as much in taxes as they should. Period. I don't think waiters realize how much the rest of us actually pay in taxes.
3) The eating public has a right to complain about how servers serve. That is what we pay them for: to be waited on the way we want to be waited on. The eating public has an obligation to be courteous just like any human being, but waiters really can't complain about the eating public's manners as a whole. No one forced you to be a waiter and deal with us. We are paying you to do the job we want you to do. If you don't like it, quit.
There are alot of really negative people posting on here. Most waiters dont horribly mind refilling our glasses and such. And if you dont want to pay for the tip of a waiter then dont eat out. I tip a min of 20% and if i am happy with their service 30% or more. and dont make this about how much money i make because half the time i have to buy second hand stuff to get buy or use a broken bra until pay day. but the saying treat others as u would want to be treated. however if i recieve other than good service i speak to the manager.
Wow... maybe all these bitter waiters and waitresses should go get a college degree and get a better job?
I waited, and yes I hated it for 4 years. got me through college though
Many servers have a college education and weather it was because of this economy or that the degree they have is in the public service realm the we making crap in wages they ended up as a server.
And many waiters are just like you were - trying to get through college and pay for it afterward.
If I were an owner I would be troubled by the comments posted by those that represent the staff. To tell customers to stay home is not, in my opinion, what I would want to hear. Of course I would want my staff to be paid well for thier service bumost of the comments listed from both sides are so far out of bounds that people are not thinking clearly. I know a few folks that have lost their businesses during this recession and I am wondering if this type environment led to it. THINK BEFORE YOU POST PLEASE!
Somewhere along the line people have begun to misunderstand what the blog is all about. It is not just a space for venting the hatred for which they have no other outlet, but I'm afraid that is just what they are doing. It's not about servers or restaurants or any other subject, it's about having a place to spew their poison. A blog is supposed to address the subject matter in the article in an objective and well thought out way that adds to the discourse. What the posts to which I am referring show me is that, not only are they very unhappy people that would not be pleased with any level of service no matter how well they are served, they do not have the education to help them express themselves without resorting to gutter language. Some of the comments are so common and filthy it makes me wonder what kind of parents they had.
Make your own food.
@ Busted Aww .. unfortunately you're only one person.. and you suck.. so I don't really give a shit about what you do with your money. MU WA HAHAH. I have lots of folks that I love waiting on.. and they tip like respectable human beings.. so ya know, I'll "fall back" on their good vibes. I appreciate the "follow your dreams" speech though. :) Cheers!
It amazes me that people such as Warren have never been rushed to the emergency room to have their stomach pumped.
i guess i don't follow. I think your trying to insinuate that I am obese because i go out to eat, which must by why i don't like to tip shitty service?
Actually Warren, I was suggesting that you may have eaten something that was not on the menu. If you know what I mean.
I'm just not seeing it. Your being to clever for me ;)
This has been a pet peeve of mine Forever!! I really do not like the whole idea of tipping. It's not reserved for extra special service anymore but it's a requirement. I firmly believe that it's a way for owners of restaurants, salons, etc. to get out of paying their employees a proper wage. I'd rather abolish tips and have prices raised. If you can't afford to pay your employees than you're doing something wrong And why is it such a big deal when you have 2 or 3 people to give them separate checks? Paying your employees regular wages is fair to the customers and fair to the employees.
I have lived in the US for four years and I really don't like the american tipping system – it looks sketchy (undeclared income, underpaid employees...) and it adds a layer of stress to an unaccustomed patron. I live in Europe where we have restaurants with very different price ranges and yet we don't have to tip a small fortune by the end of each meal and our servers are paid good salaries. Why can't it be like that in the US?
I eat at restaurants 4 or 5 times a week. I make sure I tip even the less efficient waiters well because their job is no fun. They are on their feet all day. They deal with grouchy people in the kitchen and at the tables. I can't imagine why so many of you feel that the servers are not worthy of a tip. If the food is worth the money, certainly the person who brings it to your table is worthy of the courtesy of a tip. Why not spread a little good will? How can it hurt you?
I am a very generous tipper and I always enjoy myself when I go out. If you get poor service simply excercise your right to stay away from there in the future. There is no need to publicly berate someone or call their manager just to scratch some sadistic itch. No one else in the restaurant wants to hear you complain and believe me 99% of us realize that you are the ass. Odds are that most of the people that act that way are complete social misfits in nearly every situation. Most of you poor tippers comp[laining out there are probably the same people that I see eating grapes from the racks in grocery stores. Please do everyone a favor and eat at home if you can not handle a few extra dollars and let everyone enjoy themselves.
Your right it is just a few extra dollars, so why do waiters complain so much about it. You don't need to publicly light into someone if they are giving you shitty service, you just don't tip them. That is why it is a called a tip.
Warren, a few bucks us as an individual is not a big deal, but when you multiply that out by the number of tables they wait then it is a big deal. People that are so against tipping because of bad service are just looking for reasons not to tip. Again, stay home if bad service is such a problem or find somewhere else to eventually complain about.
i love all these waiters just buying time while they work on their 5-year enterprising plan. u will never succeed because i refuse to contribute to your funds. muahahahah
I hope you like the taste of ball sweat.
Make it your damned self then. If you don't tip then im going to rub my balls in your food the next time.
When I was in college, a lot of my friends took waitstaff jobs to help pay for college. I knew I wasn't cut out for that line of work. Sure, there are some good things about it, but it takes a certain kind of person to do the job well, and it's a gift some people have while others just don't.
I actually chose to work a summer at a dairy farm – regularly knee deep in cow poo, starting at 4 a.m. for $6.00 an hour – over a waitress job. I felt waiting tables would actually be far more annoying than cleaning up rivers of cow poo.
Waiting tables isn't calculus (which I am good at) but it does take a certain kind of talent (to do it well).
To begin, for any server out there it is your job to serve the customer and make the customer happy. if you don't want to do that or like to then you shouldn't be a server. Yes you will get stuck with no tip but a lot of times when I don't tip well its because the server sucks. I work in a kitchen, on the line cooking and one of my pet peeves is when a server tells the customer we can easily do something without checking first and then we get screwed. Servers need to be nice to the back of the house otherwise all your tickets will be pushed to the back and you will lose tips. And while we make more than $2.13 an hour, servers make tips that us cooks don't and ultimately, people go to a restaurant to eat. Its the food and sometimes just the bar that brings them in so you need to be nice to the back of the house staff whose working conditions are much worse than your and we don't get the tips you make off of our food. if anyone thinks i am way out of line then maybe they should be a line cook in a busy restaurant for a week. 18 hours a day in a hot kitchen isn't easy.
We always tip well. 15-20 percent for decent service and sometimes 20-25% for great service. I've never been the one to tip poorly even if I get horrible service. Why? Because I will never visit that establishment again. A place with consistently rude service will eventually go out of business. Maybe in time I'll change my view and tip less for less service. Rude service is one turnoff for the entire establishment, regardless if it was a bad day. The same goes for a place with bad food and good service, we'll usually give it another go.
i could really care less about the things that annoy waiters. It is their job to make sure i have a good dining experience, and that i have everything i need to enjoy my meal. When i go to a restaurant to eat i am paying for a service, so why do waiters think they can bitch about me wanting another refill, or when i ask them if they could heat the cold food they just served me. It is your job to accommodate my needs! I am PAYING for it. And don't cry to me that you don't get paid enough, that is not my problem. Just suck it up and give me service with a smile, or just stay home and have a pity party for yourself
You have every right to find another job if you don't like the one you have. I guarantee you there are 10 people behind you who would be willing to have your job if you quit. Quit complaining.
Have you ever complained about your job? Yes? Then shut up. Everyone has the right to vent about what peeves them about their work. It doesn't make the ungrateful. It makes them a human being. Get over yourself.
Yes, I have complained about my job, I work in retail. At the end of the day though, I know that my pay is based on the quality of work I do or do not do.
Reading pompous ignorant people characterizing waiters/waitresses as uneducated is getting OLD. Reading defensive waiters/waitresses (and former waiters/waitresses) respond with a list of the PhDs they currently hold is also getting OLD.
Waitstaff past and present – don't worry, those of us who aren't idiotic assholes do NOT look down on you in any way and very much appreciate your efforts. I wish you wouldn't feel the need to respond to the idiots who just want a reaction out of you – don't give it to them, there's no need.
I tried serving once in college. I had to quit. There are too many CRAZY people. After that experience I became a better tipper. I now work in the medical profession and deal with CRAZY people again. Now I am crazy.
Mike, dude, get your head out of your ass. This self-righteous consumer attitude will you get a little extra in your food, every time. Respect goes two ways. I never tip below 20% and believe me, good attitude gets you better food, more sauce, more fries, more whatever-you-want. I even got my appetizer free just because I POLITELY and not with a stick-up-my-ass attitude, said that I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought.
Dust yourself off, because you'll be spending alot of suppers alone.
I've a great deal of respect for waitstaff. I know that they work hard, and don't get a lot of money. I also know that those who make the most money do so by earning tips.
I usually tip at 15%, but will tip more...far more...if I've gotten exceptional service. One of the keys that I've found to getting that exceptional service is to realize that the waitstaff are people, and deserve a bit of respect. I know that they are there to serve me, but I also know that I need to be as polite as I expect them to be.
Since I often go to the same restaurants, I'll develop a relationship with certain servers, and I will ask for them if they are available, and I'll make sure that I treat them well. From that, I get repeated world class service, even in a chain restaurant.
Take care of your waitstaff, and they'll take care of you.
Now, on the other hand, I've had horrid waitstaff, and almost universally, I won't say anything to them. I will tip them a minimum of 10%, but I'll usually have a word with the manager on the way out. Often times, these servers have had to deal with some moron customer who has made their life miserable, and I've caught some of it. In fact, I had one server who, the next time I went back into the restaurant, saw me, apologized to me, and became one of my best servers!
Treat them with respect, and you'll have a nice dining experience.
@mike: you're the reason i'm a misanthrope. asshole.
OK, for the most part , it looks like no one knows the history behind why we tip in the US. The short story: it was a carry over custom from Europe when elite traveler came home and decided to carry on the custom here.
My thoughts ... employers should be footing the bill as part of the service. Tipping is out dated and way too random for anyone to rely on. That being said. If you are in a job were your paycheck is unpredictable and you don't like it ... find a new job. Here is the new style of tipping I have adopted. I figure that no matter what the bill is ... you are one person waiting on me. Why should you get over $10 an hour from me for waiting on little ol' me? Your servering my food and visiting my table maybe three times which is really only eating of maybe 10 to 15 minutes. On top of that you have more than one table. Why should cafe or franchise staff be getting $30 an hour in tips when the service is comparable to the fee. Now, if I am satisfied with a meal and service I generally tip very well. So for those that scream you shouldn't go out! ... come up with a better come back. Also, with the state of the economy you should be considering yourself to have a job and I am sure their is someone out there that has tipped you soo well it made up for a loss. Imagine if every time you heated your house I wanted a tip from you because you are using a service? It would seem ridiculous. The whole tipping is, again, out dated.
@ UncleBiscuit
That's because they include the tip in your bill. You don't get to choose what to pay.
Someday, I'd like to see an article (not by Eatocracy for obvious reasons) outlining all the stupid people bank tellers have to deal with. "
I have had to put up with crappy service from every sort of profession. Can we dock your pay for your bad attitude?
waiting on table is hard? better get use to it. life is hard
@Keith
i had customer service jobs for 4+ years. served tons of jerks. but i can bitch all i want because i made sure i got a college education so i wouldn't have to do that the rest of my life. problem solved. bitch bitch bitch. i earned it.
@Mike:
I am not a server, and I've never worked for tips or for the food service industry. However, based on your comments here, I just wanted to inform you that you are coming off as a terrible person.
I currently live in Japan and it is acctually offensive to tip. They said what ever you give them is a reflection of what they are truly worth. So I have no tipped in over a year and due not plan on tipping when I get back to America. 15% of a 50$ check cannot and will not be the value I put on a human.
@ North of 49. Good point, I'm from the other coast and here the minimum wage is $10/hr. Food is no more expensive here at restaurants and I've eaten across Canada and in many states. I also have no problem paying 15-30% depending on the service, but to add to this I have no problem paying nothing for crap service. It seems to me that the employers have an issue with paying hardworking servers good money and that's an issue in itself. For those servers that think the world owes you something in addition to doing what you are paid to do then you will always have an issue getting good tips and for those who do the job with a smile and because you like it, you will always get a good tip, even from the grumpy customers.
I'm tired of the terrible people who you dread to see come back. The ones that make the employees groan at the mere sight of him/her walking up the path. I was a cook for the last ten years. I started off as just a dish washer at 15 and worked my way up to kitchen manager. Ive seen it all. We as cooks get tips sent back to us as well as the servers. Most cooks let thier waiter/waitress keep them. At start they get paid the absolute minimum allowed by law, but some places will boost them up over time. What if it worked like that for doctors? If you're known as a lousy tipper, you may not regain full cognitive ability after a simple operation. The same goes for restaurants. Believe me, you get the treatment if your rude, ignorant, or a bad tipper. You think that you can sit there and act like that because your paying? Nuh uh. You have no idea what goes on behind the doors to the kitchen. For an example, this one waitress kept getting grabbed and felt up by the basic stereo-typical loud mouth truck driver. I witnessed the cook floss his toes with the guys steak and send it out. So take some friendly advice, when you go out to eat be kind to the staff and tip generously, because we have to deal with people like you, and you never do know exactly what you're eating.
If that "cook" ever got caught doing that...he would be charged with a felony, face prison time and the owner would face his business license being revoked and a liabilty lawsuit.
Nah, never happen. It's kinda like vegas, what happens in the kitchen stays in the kitchen :)
Tipping is twice blessed
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes. William Shakespeare (sort of)
if the service is good, you get a good tip. If it is not, you get JACK. What part of me being the CUSTOMER and you being the SERVER are you having problems with?
i wish the cook's got the tip and the servers got paid a flat rate. the cooks or chefs are the ones that spend the most time helping me. they're the ones in the hot kitchen and they're the ones making my meal. it's the food that makes or breaks a place for me. i wouldn't even mind going to a fancy restaurant and getting a number to get my food from a counter. especially if it meant i could get up and get a drink refill whenever i wanted. i understand for some people the waitstaff is a big part of the experience, though and i respect the fact that i's a hard job.
What is wrong with everyone's math? ultimately all the money comes from the customer, so why would the meal become too expensive to buy if the owner paid higher salaries in lieu of tips? it should be about the same cost to the customer, but the customer would no longer have the option of low tip or no tip for crappy service!
Here is a tip, go to college and get a real job stupid!
Servers aren't stupid. With the recession, many are college educated these days. Furthermore, many people work in service as a way to pay for college. Your clearly unfounded better-than-thou attitude just shows how very little you know.
If there were no waiters you would actually have to get up and go to the buffet.
Define "Real Job" father time? I graduated from one of the top 5 schools in the country and am waiting tables instead of working a shitty 9-5 and answering to the big guy with a corner office, so I can one day enjoy his view. Entrepreneurs start with nothing and then end up hiring others to work for them.... and having experience in the service industry will better me AND my company because I've dealt with shit ignorance like yours and know how to handle it and treat my employees with respect.
YOU out of everyone should know... it takes "times" to build an empire. ...and until then you need a way to make the money to buy the equipment. I'm 22 and know exactly were I want to be, career wise, in my life in 5 years.
So come on...don't talk down to me. I didn't judge your miscellaneous job until you started talking like an ass hole.
Respect people and they will respect you.
i'll drop my date and tip her with something
Is Mike retarded?
Seems likely.
NoU
The term 'tipping' should be changed to 'cover charge' since customers are getting one stuck up their A.hole just for being at restaurant. It is what it is.
If you dont get paid min. wage, its your own fault. I tip what is deserved, if the waiter talks back, gives you a look, they get nothing, But when earned I never tip under $1 a person for lunch and $2 a person for nights even if we are just having coffee. I have tipped over 25% but if you dont get a tip, I will never probably be back and the mgr knows about your bad service, you probably wont be back either. If you don't like waiting on people than find another job.
If everyone had to work a customer-service job just once in their life (for more than a week), they'd be much less likely to bitch about the wait staff.
your line of work is dime-a-dozen. some of us are meant for far better careers than you common folks. tissue?
wow, you really feel that entitled over everyone else. Take your money and eat it. You probably don't have any friends either eh? What, are you better than them too? Money is great to have, but having it doesn't make you a great person.
By Cretan I meant cretin. Gotta love auto correct spell check!
I know that the wait staff work hard for their money (filling up your drinks, getting your bread & mustard.) I always leave at least $5 or 20% whichever is greater. If I have a problem, I go to the manager. They are in charge of cleanliness, food, service. Not the wait staff.
@Mike You need to get a life other than making endless moronic comments here.
Where i work, we get paid $3.60 per hour, plus tips....I work in a steakhouse, not a franchise....and i simply expect to get tipped on my service....I believe in waiting on people the way that i would want to be waited on, its that simple for me, and it works most of the time ;)
This is the first time I have been driven to respond to one of these things. THANK you, Mr. Green for the voice of reason. Spent most of my life as a well-off woman, circumstances changed, was a server for two years. JEEZ, these places take awhile to write into. There are three sides to every story ~ your side, my side, and the truth lies somewhere in between.. Times are tough for everyone. Fertheluvva****, give each other a break!!
I always tip at least 20%. "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." How many of you bad tippers and rude patrons are God fearing Christians? Just curious.
@Mike – you are a Cretan. No question about that.
Entitlement goes both way. A wait staff thinking tipping is automatic better be ready to give me a blow when my Porterhouse medium-cooked steak is taking longer than 15 minutes. Drop your entitlement attitude or find a new job.
What does a waiter has to do with how long your take to cook ?
Are you a plumber ? Seriously ..chill out .
I am so glad someone said this. It does go both ways. You are not "Entitled" to gratuity/tips. The simplest defintion of a tip: "A tip (also called a gratuity) is a voluntary extra payment made to certain service sector workers in addition to the advertised price of the transaction. By definition a tip is never legally required, and its amount is at the discretion of the patron being served." Voluntary is never entitled...that's like sayin "mandatory overtime."
@ Mike
You are so rude I hope someone spits in your food the next time you go out to eat
@Jason 1980 That was fantastic. We'd work well together.
Here's an idea that may work and that I have been told works well: Put your waiter or waitress' tip onto the table (in all single dollar bills) when you first sit down and tell your server that this is their tip. Take away a dollar or two every time that they screw up or give you an attitude. By doing this, your server will have to literally watch their tip disappear if they screw up or give you an attitude.
I'm going to try that next time
Holy hell are you JOKING? That's the most degrading thing I have ever heard of. Your waiters not a fucking 5 year old child that needs to learn right from wrong. Come on Stevie.. I don't know what you do but I BET you'd want to kick your boss in the face if he was like "alright Steven... now you do GOOD today buddy... here is your daily rate... but if you mess up ...well here is a dollar bill thats going in my pocket! ... Now run along and grab me a stapler!"
I seriously wonder how many of these 'patrons' that complain about bad service and have an unwillingness to tip also stop to let management know of their server's outstanding service, (if provided); or if they're just too in to themselves to even care unless it causes them discomfort or mild unpleasantness.
@Adam
Right on bro!
IMO, get Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. Follow her instructions to a T. Never eat out again. Problem solved.
Listen to Mike. That is all.
I read a few dozen comments at the top o fthe page here and I have to laugh a little at those saying "If we paid our employees a living wage, you couldnt afford our food!" .. really? 'cause up here in Canada, specifically BC, minimum wage is $8/hr .. a little under 4x your $2.13 server wage and we can afford to eat out quite easily.. a good handmade burger, fries and a beer and I'll be out of the pub for $20..
and no.. we, the customers, shouldnt be making up for your inability or unwillingness to pay your employees properly.. if I get very good service I dont have an issue with 15-20% .. but if your simply 'passing time until closing' why should I tip? If you dont like it, get a different career..
I have never been a server, but I empathize with them. They have an incredibly difficult and frustrating job and are compensated very poorly without tips (and sometimes even when you include tips they don't make very much). Why is it so hard for us to stop and put ourselves in their shoes? If you were on your feet all day, catering to other people's whims, and dealing with the general inconsiderate and self-centered behavior restaurant patrons seem to exhibit these days, you'd like to be acknowledged and appreciated for keeping a smile on your face and doing your job well. I saw tip and be generous, it will come back to you ten fold in the long run.
I think everyone should have to wait tables for one night. I was a watiress during college for a summer and was terrible at it. I know how hard it can be.
My one pet peeve though...please don't set a hot plate in front of my toddler (while you are holding it with a towel because it's so hot) and tell her not to touch it. I'm shocked at how many waiters do this. At least bring the plate to me, and give me a chance to put the food on a cool plate then.
1. For starters, all of you that seem to think 20% tip is standard are high. 15% is standard. 20% and up for exceptional service. If the service is poor, I'll personally drop it to 10%. If you can't afford a 15% tip, stay home. And to respond to one backwards waitress, tips are not to ensure good service. Tips are a reward for good service after the fact.
2. Just as there are pain in the ass customers, there are pain in the ass waiters/waitresses. The difference is that your job as a server is to put up with those bad people with a smile on your face no matter what.
3. Paying servers a living wage and eliminating tips (whichever model you would try) would not raise a $30 steak to $75. You know why? All those people that go out a few times per month for a $30 steak would stop, a lot restaurants would fold and all the food service workers would be forced to find something else they can do. The industry would adjust or die. Period. It works in other countries. Charge me 20% more and knock off the tipping. I was fine with it in Europe and I'd be fine with it here.
4. Servers can stop all the whining about the government setting the rules for taxing your tips. Nobody put a gun to your head and told you to do the job. You knew up front what the deal was and decided to sign on, some of you for years. Boo hoo. Learn to type.
5. Some of the servers that posted admitted to purposely soiling people's food (I know for a fact it happens). That makes all of you suspect. You are expendable, to be replaced at the drop of a hat by the next starving college student with an over-inflated sense of entitlement.
My daughter waited tables to help put herself through college. The restaurants all operated on the assumption she was getting 15% in tips and they deducted a portion of her pay to share the "assumed" tips with the kitchen staff and other staff. One night she was the wait staff for a private party in a side room at the restaurant. It was her only table for the night and the tab was over a thousand bucks. They stiffed her and left no tip. The restaurant assumed a $150 tip and deducted accordingly from her pay. The deduction was several times her gross pay for the evening (her pay was $2.30/hr). She said she did a good job with the table and everyone was enjoying the evening, but they stiffed her anyway. Because of people like that, she got very sick of her job.
@Mike
I have to make a reply to Mike. I'm so shocked by this arrogant, pompous blowhard and his awful attitude. Where do you get off thinking you are the god of anybody and can either make or shape their destiny if only they would kiss your big hairy rear end? Please tell me you haven't mated and produced offspring. I'd hate to think that there is a whole other generation being taught that it is OK to treat anybody like you do. While I don't condone tainting peoples food I'm sure that you've eaten some stuff that is not really supposed to be digested.
You talk about how you expect everybody to worship you while you stuff your glutenous face or else they will be horrified by the ramifications. Don't think you can dangle a dollar in front of my face like you string a carrot in front of a donkey to get them to move. I know you are the type who really hates to tip. That is obvious in your earlier comment about looking at your tip cheat sheet to find the least amount to leave. THE MINIMUM?!?!?!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!? So if I treat you like the freaking Queen of England I can only expect the least, or 10% of what you ate. I bet you ordered a water and paid with a coupon to lower the bill. And if you didn't have a coupon I bet you tried to start some trouble like saying the food was cold and or awful to get the manager to comp something. And if that doesn't work you try to mess with the server like running for extra napkins or straws of extra sauce that you won't even use just to say that the person was awful and doesn't deserve a tip. I've seen your type to many times. One thing I've learned is that if someone seems nice just watch how they treat servers. If they are nice to you but mean to a server then they are not a nice person.
So Mike, if you feel you can rule over anybody or anything I suggest you not go out and eat. Instead download Sim City on your computer. That way you and sit and laugh like a mad scientist when you start an earthquake or raise the taxes. You talk about how servers must be uneducated but you can't even find 10% without a cheat sheet. That's simple math, now who's the uneducated one? I learned that in the 2nd grade. You seem to be afraid you'd undertip but really go out of your way to not overtip. How hard is it to just throw down 5 bucks? 10% of $50 is $5, now 15% of $50 is $7.50 and 20% of $50 is $10. So if you're bill is around $25 and you leave $5 that's 20%. 10% of the same amount is $2.50 Would you be satisfied with $2.50 for 30 minutes to an hour of running around for some lowlife jerk like yourself? Most restaurants have a sign that says they have a right to refuse service to anybody. That includes you.
I'm Chinese American and I grew up going to lots of Chinese restaurants where the service is generally straight to the point and can even be perceived as rude to some. But what I love the most about that service is that it is efficient. There is no mucking around with what's going on...I'm there to eat...the server is there to give me things to eat.
So when I read Yelp! about restaurant reviews and how the "service is so bad," I realize that I don't EVER in my entire live remember feeling bad after being served at a restaurant. Call me crazy, but food is about food, not about how someone smiles at me while I'm picking out what I want.
I think since I grew up with straight and to the point, curt service, I never expected anything more. Perhaps this is good. Expectations low..happiness will be high :).
Plus, my family is a generous tipper ...20% is our norm. I don't know why we do it, esp since we don't even pay attention to the service like I mentioned. It's more like we're happy when the food is good and the transaction goes smoothly (which it usually always does).
America, just enjoy your food, quit your bitching, and give the servers their hard earned money!!
I want to clarify that I am a grudging tipper - usually 20-22%, but I will go down to 10% for bad service.
*Sigh* Can't we all just get along?
Alright folks, time to wrap it up...how about we move on? This argument is becoming a bit redundant ey?
Lets break it down:
People that tip (generally): respectful, educated, happy, good people.
People that don't tip (generally): cheap, unhappy, jaded, uninformed (don't get offended...these are not insults, it's just "the way it is")
People who ONLY tip when service is good (generally): of course. That's fare enough... I always tip well but that's my prerogative and I have waited tables for years in the past... so I know what's like. But if someone really honestly thinks that service was terrible (and it REALLY was) ... then I get it if you want to bump down the number a bit. Just don't be a dick about it. ...but that's all personality.. which a completely different pointless lecture.
Anyway, that's all I got. Happy eating folks!
....Oh yeah, and although I'm trying hard not to judge anyone else who's commented ... that Mike guy from the beginning is a total prick.
Anywho, CHEERS! :)
funny all these people argue how intelligent waiter are yet they also complain about people not voluntarily giving them MORE money for mediocre service. Tipping is not required if you think it is get a new job. If you plan on "living" off your tips you are in the wrong business get a new job. Stop complaining about other people not donating to your cause when people these days rarely have the money to go out and eat let alone support your bad attitude and sense of being better then the customer cause you bring them food. Get off your high horse and get a real job.
They work in these places so they don't have to claim it to the IRS or Rev Can. Yet, we claim everything we make at our $10/hr jobs. Wahhhh!!!
Don't want to tip me well? Fine you get boogers, spit, and pubic hairs in your food. I also wipe your bread on my buthole!! LMFAO!!
and then i send my lawyers, and sue you for everything you have even if its 10 dollars, (which ultimately) gets you fired and if you have a second job(which most do) inform them of the kind of person that works at their company (may not get you fired but will have you counting your mistakes )
LMFAO
forget tipping. we frequent asian/mexican/india restaurants and tipping is not required. waiting on table is their job. bringing food is their job. if service is a factor, give me a reduce meal price for keeping table clean and eating fast then its a fair deal. NUFF SAID
The basic question that I usually have is: why do I need the pompous servers anyway? I eat at all ranges of restaurants, from zero to five stars, and only occasionally have a need beyond “take my order, fetch me a drink from the bar, and haul my food from the back when the chef rings the bell.” I do need occasional help with truly funky menu items, but that’s about it. I long for the day when the menus are on hand-held computers where the entire table has an up-to-date menu which has a picture of the dish, lists the ingredients (as much as the chef will reveal), nutrition, recommended wines, etc. etc., where the diners wire their order directly to the back, and receive / pay their check by credit card on their own, just like we do at so many other businesses.
The food can then be delivered to the table by low-wage, minimally-tipped non-skilled workers who will recognize this and be happy for the job.
I eat out a lot-and all i know is just because someone is polite-smiles etc doesn't mean they aren't cussing you out in their head:) And if so-who knows what happened to your food before it gets served to you? Politeness,promptness etc may be expectations of an establishment-but I know i can't fake it on my job for 8 hours and certainly not for 2.13/hour.-Almost like those who work on commission-terrible.
SourDiesel
I don't know what your deal is about black people not tipping. Not the case in Las Vegas. I've got a thought maybe they're Democrats. I'm Rep my husband is Dem – he all of a sudden started leaving only 10% until I kept razing "just like a dem for the people until it has to come out of your own pocket". That aside. Las Vegas is a service town every black person I know understands the importance of tipping not only your server, but also the tmaitre d, the valet, the bartender for EACH round of drinks. So stop hating on black people. Maybe you don't give good service or your restaurant doesn't give good service. I try to always tip, if I'm unhappy I give less. But the unhappiness has to be with the server. Not because I received a well done steak when I requested medium rare. But if I have to wait 30 minutes before my server approaches the table – sorry he, or she will probably receive a smaller tip unless they come with an explanation and a smile.
Rent for the airport space is exhorbitant, and on average (don't bombard me with exceptions, I'm talking about average) service is expected to be faster and thus the staff/customer ratio costs more. Sometimes the airport actually owns the business, the person in charge is just the manager and has nothing to do with setting the prices.
Why is everyone so upset. I have worked in the Casino industry. If you dont like people, this job is not for you. If you cop an attitude with people, you probably will not be tipped good. The industry is what it is on the other hand. People please take care of the servers. It can be back breaking hard work. So be a little leniant. I guess alot of people think they are entitled, when they should in fact earn. I usually tip 20-30%, once in awhile more for great service. But it hits me really wrong to tip someone the is rude and arrogant.
If people stopped and thought about it you would realize that if you tip for service it all equals about the same if you cooked at home. First you have to use gas to get to the store to buy the food then more gas to drive home then carry it in the house cook it which uses gas or electricity then eat clean up the mess which uses water on your water bill end electricity or gas to heat the water. Plus the cost of your time to do all this whether it is minimum wage or below. Add that up plus the cost of electricity to refrigerate the food before and after it is cooked.Plus the cost to have your garbage removed from the side of the street.In the ling run it is about the same money to go out and eat only your not doing the work someone else is doing your work who should get paid for it. If you don't like the waiter service then don't go back there again.However you should at least pay the person who is doing your work for you.
PLEASE READ AND RESPOND:
I don't have the time or the desire to read every response on here (so please forgive me if this has been addressed already), but I have a different situation and would really like to know what the waitpersons think....
My family is very poor actually, and we have been saving and saving to make a trip 200 miles away to see our daughter in college (who I haven't seen in over a year *sigh*). We'll be taking her out to dinner, and have enough $ to eat at a fairly decent place....provided I don't have to tip at 20-25%. I really want to take her to a nice place, but having been a server at one time, I don't want to offend the staff either. I am disabled and use a cane, but I don't require any special seating or service.
What should I do? Please keep in mind our situation as a whole. It is also 2 weeks before her 21st birthday and that is a big reason we'd like to go someplace nice, too.
Thank You. I look forward to your replies.
It's a free country, so eat where you want, tip what you can within your means and remember no one is forcing these people to work there. They are free to get another job if they don't like the pay scale. Congratulations to your family and your daughter by the way!
JoLayne skip desert and drink water. LOL
That's great that you work so hard and are considerate enough to realize that some server might be offended if you didn't leave a big tip but also not knowing about your situation. If you were coming to my restaurant I would be glad to serve your family and not expect a tip at all. I've had tables of families that I could tell didn't have a lot of money but wanted to do something nice for their family. They were really nice and thanked me many times over for the great service. When I brought them the bill they were counting change from a jar to try and leave me a tip. I really couldn't accept it from them and had to refuse. I was just glad they appreciated my service and I was glad they were able to have a nice evening. So hopefully you will find a server who understands your situation. But just in case 15% is considered the norm. Oh, and ordering water doesn't hurt, and maybe a coupon. Good luck.
Sorry, but I don't care how nice a table you were, like i said, smiles and thank yous don't help pay my bills, I am not there to work for free, it's not a soup kitchen.
Wow, it's amazing how customers feel so entitle, privleged and hold this holier-than-thou attitude towards their servers. No, we are not all in this job because we want to, or because we are "uneducated." You have got to be kidding me. I graduated from college last year and have still struggled to find a good job. Is that my fault? I think not, but rather its just the challenge of the times. I work in the restaurant because it's a job, but not my favorite thing to do. I have a wife and child, with one on the way. So when you feel all high and mighty in not leaving a good tip, screw you. I likely just bent over backwards to meet all your demands, special orders, complaints, etc. I don't want to deal with your attitude. I give you respect and politness and you should do the same. I am good at what I do, and when a problem arises, it's not always the servers fault, but you take it out on them and their tips. I put in my pocket what I make in tips, everything else goes to taxes. I would much rather have the restaurant run like a sales/commission job, where I just make a commission from the company on what I sell you. Wouldn't that be nice, then you wouldn't have to tip. Rather, the tip would just be worked in to your bill. In this situation, you wouldn't get great personalized service. I would sit there and up-sell the most expensive items, and then you can deal with it. You get great service because we expect to be tipped. Otherwise, you could deal with min wage workers who don't give a crap about their job or your dining experience, and why should they if there is no reward for a good job done.
Not every server is great, and not every customer is as nice generouse as they think they are. Oh, and don't forget, if I am serving you, proper manners like saying please and thank you goes a long way with me. If you are rude and demanding, don't expect me to go that extra mile for you
And don't justify not leaving a good tip because you don't have the money. That's a slap to the face of the server. Dine within your means, and the includes factoring in your tip. The dining staff is also trying to make a living. I'm not there to work for free. Your smiles and extra thank yous don't help pay my bills.
As a former server (and now nurse), I treat everyone as if they are a guest in my home. I don't care what your request is, if it is within my power I will be sure to fill it, quickly, professionally and couteously. Restaurant owners pay slave wages because they are not compelled to do any differently. Your needs always come before mine. Most nights I don't take a bathroom break or dinner break until after the shift has ended. IF you appreciate my service (as a server NOT an RN), kindly use your best judgement as to how much you leave as a gratuity. IF you cannot afford to reward my service, perhaps a dining establishment with a lower priced fare would enable you to do so for another server but only IF you receive good-excellent service. Don't tolerate mediocrity.
I can't believe how hostile some of the comments are. I don't know how it works in the US, but here in Canada where everyone is paid minimum wage ($8.55 in my province), by law, and I can still get a hamburger for less than $75, a tip is given for great service. Great service = great tip. Crappy service = crappy or no tip. It's not rocket science.
I have no doubt that servers have to put up with unpleasant people on a regular basis, but unfortunately, that's part of being in the service industry. You're the people who have to be nice!!!
Any server who stereotypes or otherwise prejudges a guest before he is even seated, forfeits whatever tip he/she had coming to him/her. The server failed to appreciate that tips are not a right, and in doing so failed in his/her obligation to provide the appropriate service to the customer. As a black man not maned Jenkins, Jackson, or whatever (and, incidentally, tips generously and often), I agree with most of the posters that if one cannot tip, one should not dine out HOWEVER, I also agree with most of the posters in that when I do enjoy a meal at a restaurant, my only obligation is to pay for my meal. Tips are given only in proportion with the service rendered. Thankfully, I've been privileged to enjoy mostly good service and tipped accordingly; for the times I did not, not only did I not leave a gratuity, I also informed management as to why.
I have six year of college, and I always believed that I learned more about the world while bartending than I did in any college class. To this day that is still my favorite job. No security or benefits usually, but just a fantastic experience.
How many of the servers commenting here tip their hairdressers 20% consistently?
I don't follow the logic behind, because I make only $2 /hr I am entitled to 20% tip???? Isn't tip supposed to be based on service? The industry equation seems to be 2-3 /Hr and rest based on tips. If you don't like that equation you should be looking for another job instead of demanding that because I get only $2/Hr I deserve 20% tip.
I usually tip on average from 10-17%. But for poor service I have left a 1c tip and have also paid 30% tip for exceptional service, and in none of these cases my mood before going to dinner played any part in it.
To those who do not understand why it is better for servers to be paid $2.13+tip instead of regular hourly.
At my restaurant, we open are from 11 am to 11 pm. Servers come in at 10:30 and sometimes leave as late as 12:30. Servers here usually do not clock in until they get their first table and clock out as soon as their last table leaves in order to get the maximum number of shifts they can each week (because most restaurants do not allow servers into overtime). With a regular no tip minimum wage, restaurant workers have no incentive to complete their work or offer anything more than average service; they be clocked in from 10:30-11:30 (13 hours) instead of 11:30-3:30 and 4:30-10:30 (10 hours) where costs wise it would be 13 hours * $7.25 = $94.25 instead of 10 hours * $2.13 = $21.3. This is over a 450% increase in pay in the largest part of most restaurant staffs.
Tips are also good because they offer incentives for servers to offer better service, and it also gives customers an option to not tip if the service was terrible. As a customer, I would rather have the good server paid more and the crappy one less than the both of them equally paid.
I really dislike the term "real job". What does that mean? If you are not a Doctor or a Rocket Scientist you don't deserve respect in what you do for a living? I have been a server and bartender for a few years now. It's a good job that has flexible hours so I can be with my kids while my husband finishes his doctorate. I give everyone the best service I can give. On average I wait on 25 people at one time in different stages of their meal. Serving is a very physically demanding job. It is also a very mentally challenging job. Try memorizing that many orders without writing it down.
I just want to know where everyone thinks that minimum wage is great? The last time I checked it is a sub-standard wage. If I wanted to work at Wal-Mart I would.
I am a guy that is always get criticized for leaving a big tip, I am always nice and polite to the servers. Since people are creatures of habit I get good service, “servers remember me”…
“Are you still working on that?”
I go to restaurants with other people, even so I am done with my plate, some-one at my table may not be, so I have to pretend to be eating and not waiting for that person to finish their meal, that’s why I do not drop a napkin on the plate. If I want something, I will signal the server.
As far as being obnoxious or impolite with restaurant employees, I do not think it’s a good idea, you may find saliva in your food. :)
I have never had a problem with Servers/Waiters.
And if they are obnoxious or impolite with me, guess what? Low tip. But I'm the first to leave a big tip and talk to the manager about a great server. But some of these whiners here? Puhleeze. Get another job.
Okay this is sexist but it's true. Going out to eat with a wife/girlfriend is usually annoying. Women always seem to want to order food that is not on the menu or ask it to be cooked a special way, just being really annoying and picky. Then they comlain when the food is not fixed the way they wanted it. Just order the food the way it is on the menu you annoying b*tches! LOL Funny thing is these women never even pay fot the meal yet have the nerve to complain. Women. SHEESH.
I waited tables – 15 years ago. Now I make a great deal more money and enjoy eating out much more.
Please service industry, do exactly as the restaurateur above suggests. Let's pay wait staff a real wage and price the food at a range well above what losers like Mike can afford. Then restaurant won't be full of jerks who ruin everyone else's dining experience by whining about low quality service so they can justify walking out without tipping.
I will happily pay $75 for a hamburger to avoid loud mouth, self-important blow-hards who pick on people who are in no position to defend them selves (bullies we call them.) I am sorry you didn't plan your retirement carefully enough to enjoy restaurants within the socially acceptable conventions of tipping reasonably. I am sorry you want to eat out more often than you can afford. Stop picking on wait staff. It is not just unpleasant for them (obviously many of you don't care about such lesser mortals who actually work for a living anyway.) Your rudeness is also unpleasant for people who can actually afford to eat at that restaurant (which includes the basic expectation of a 15% tip.)
alright!...I have read so many of these and the same thing over and over. Lets put it in perspective. You go to McD's to get a double cheeseburger, you know what to expect – greasy, poor service, cheap meal, quick – thus fast food. Not all fast food chains do this, take Chick Fil A...solid operation. Most fast food workers don't care what you get at all because they have a fixed hourly rate that is driven just by how long they are "clocked in". As a former employee, I can tell you that I was treated horrible by the customers, but I always knew what to expect in a paycheck
I grew up and went to college some years later, and worked at a upscale restaurant for 4 years. I served tables during my school and I had a blast. Servers have complete control over your food, thus I do not recommend to piss them off. If your doubting me right now saying, "how could a server get away with that in a restaurant?" ... well I suggest you go to Blockbuster or signup for Netflix and rent the movie "Waiting"....ITS REAL :).....we hate people that suck down drinks, order crazy crap not on the menu, can not make up their mind on a meal, large parties of women, KIDS (very messy, I shouldnt have to clean your kids crap up), people that dont TIP, and the worst is showing up 5 minutes before we close...REALLY!!!! I want to smack you when you do that because we also have lives and plans. If you do any of the previous mentioned...you have a very good chance of getting a very unique meal (5 second rule on floor, spit, Visine, spilled drink...etc) We are people, we deserve respect, treat others how you want to be treated and we will all get along. P.S. the managers are on OUR SIDE no matter what you think.
Tipping deserves its own paragraph...who made up this thing about tipping 15%....screw that....it should be a fixed amount added into the bill, such as TAXES are on most purchase goods. The IRS gets paid, we have to pay the IRS, so how about just add it into the bill. I can tell you that the better you tip, the better your treated, and we do remember the good tippers and the ones that need to be taken into the alley way. We do not make a killing because we are paid minmum wage based on the state we live in, we then tip out based on our sales to other employees, and we have an assumed amount we have to CLAIM as tips. So we could actually lose money by going into work, and yes I have lost money a couple days in the past. We are not your friends or servants, we are employees trying to earn a living. The reason we are so underpaid is because it SAVES you money on your bill to keep food costs down so much – remember McDonald's, that's a perfect example. What really gets me is you will buy a $40 bottle of wine, but stiff me on a tip...RUDE. I have saved lives before by TAKING KEYS away from people, still think we are scum. We also stereotype and profile people, as soon as you sit down we know exactly what we are going to get. The following people are poor at tipping ( teenagers, senior citizens, groups of women, welfare members, religious groups, and yes...specific races – but not going to mention any, if you have worked in the service industry then you know what I am talking about). However, I have been surprised many times and felt horrible when I got a tip that was unexpected, but this is a consensus. If you leave under a $1 and you are with people, I will make sure they know about it because I would rather you keep your change feeling like a scum bag then for me to think I need your change ***Dont be that guy that says "oh the tip is included already" to the entire table, we tell people about the gratuity already added and it is up to them if they want to tip more. Some servers deserve no tip at all, I completely agree but always leave some. If you stiff your server and then they can not pay the bills and yada yada yada...well then they have to get welfare, which ends up costing you the taxpayer even more money... we know what happens when people try to save money.... BP OIL crises need I say more.
Now on the consumer side, I EXPECT a server to be in a positive upbeat mood. I want honesty when I ask for a suggestion, not just the most expensive thing on the menu. I don't care about always having something to drink, but if my glass is empty for more than 6-10 minutes, get me a refill and say your sorry. Biggest pep peeve is those servers that do not write down what you are ordering....I get very upset if my order comes out wrong when you did not write down anything because you set yourself up to fail. Please do not come to my table to hungover or reeking of alcohol or even drunk. Servers are to take your order, bring it to you, and accommodate you to a reasonable extent – unless your first name starts with Tiger which the accommodations put you a front page cover on every newspaper. Do not argue with the customer and I do not care what happened in the kitchen, just fix it. If I am adding something that I will get a surprise when you give me the bill, well you might not get a big tip, so please be honest and tell people upfront what to expect in prices. If I go out to eat with a group and you forget my meal, then we have a problem – I did not come in because I was hungry, instead I wanted to eat with the group. Otherwise I would have swung through a fast food joint. The TO GO GO...no way do I tip on that, why should I tip on the restaurants food prices when I am not getting any service except you bringing my food 20 feet from the kitchen, sorry about your luck...no tips on that.
Alright, I know I will get some comments on this post, realize I approached everything from both sides...in summary, watch the movie Waiting because it explains how a guest should act and how a server should accommodate the guest, also shows the consequences if not. Not everyone can afford to go out to eat, so always make sure you have money to tip your servers – otherwise you might be calling out from work from food poisoning or something similar (this is not a threat, just a friendly suggestion) If you abuse the system, KARMA WILL get revenge.
Enjoy your food and tip your servers like they are your family...and dont use a calculator, its not a science or math equation. Definition : In the English language, tip may refer to a gratuity (a voluntary additional payment made for services rendered)
T.I.P.S. To Insure Prompt Service. Tips were created so the Service industry would have to deliver better service. Otherwise they would have made everything a flat price in the first place.
Having been on both sides. I can tell the difference between a server having a bad day or one with just a bad attitude.
A bad day has a much better chance at a good tip. A bad attitude earns nothing. Oh and i have no issue tipping 20% as long as I haven't felt forgotten about.
I do believe it was you that decided to get into this profession. If you don't like the way the profession is taxed or you feel you are getting less than what you are deserved, get a different job. I didn't ask you to become a waiter/waitress. If you're good at your job then maybe you'll get tipped. I'm just so sick and tired about hearing how bad you have it. Get a different job.
I try to be as clear as possible, as less annoying as possible, say thank you and please 90% of the time, even if she/he makes a mistake. If i make a mistake and have to change the order, I do it in a timely manner not after the food is already come( unless i look for you and can't find you (which is on YOU the server) )
For that 1% that wants to spit on my food or whatever they threatened ( "Remember we are the last to touch your food") I have a warning, i remember faces and names as well as where the restaurant, you better be sure that i will complain to the manager, if nothing is done, SUE YOU, not the restaurant, but only YOU.
customers rarely come alone, much less i do which = PLENTY OF WITNESSES.
I would be interested in hearing what people think waiters should be paid per hour – not percentage of the bill.
Yes it is a tough job and they desrve more than 2.05 an hour, but I am guessing that 20% would put s fair number of waiters into the 20-30 per hour – which is way too much my opinion.
Yes they are quite overpaid. Most servers, as much as these here have complained about their low tips, would object to a normal wage I bet. Would drop them from $20-30 per hour (or more) to what they're worth, a few bucks more than minimum wage. Let's face it, this isn't rocket science.
I have never worked as a server in a restaurant, but I have worked in retail. And I think the same rule applies: treat people the way you would want to be treated. Even if I find a server to be annoying, if they provide good service, they get a good tip. At the end of the day, these people are waiting on you, bringing you everything you need for your meal, and they deserve to be tipped as long as they do a good job. If you have a complaint, try voicing it nicely. Most of the time, the server will take care of it with no problem. But if you treat people like crap, then you deserve to get lousy service.
And if a server is rude they deserve a lousy tip.
Oh and that list didn't include the "verbal tip" or the "I got a coupon so why should I tip?" people....It's considered society norm to tip for your good service. If you can't handle it, STAY AT HOME!!!
Mary, Be professional as a lawyer, not vindictive or arrogant.
I usually don't comment but I have to say something here about this topic. I've worked in the food industry and in customer service ever since I've been able to work. From fast food to casual dining to fancy Italian restaurants. And on the phone at a major household appliance manufactuer and with an insurance company, working both private and medicaid. I see people all the time with masters and bachelor degrees that have to work customer service. With the economy the way it is they are not able to find work in their field. Now some of these people feel that having to work in customer service is below them. I choose to work in customer service and strive to give people excellent serivce and make sure they have a pleasurable experience. Now one thing I've noticed and have had a lot of people agree with me on is the after church Sunday lunch crowd is the worst to have to deal with. You have to work 3 times as hard and make half as much as you would if you worked any other time of the week. I don't know what it is that makes God fearing church people treat their servers like garbage. Some of the worst experiences I've had have been with large parties of church families, during lunch and dinner. They sit there and talk about how great the sermon was and then treat the servers like farm animals and hardly leave any tip or none at all. The only way you can make any money is if the restaurant has a policy to add a tip to large parties. I'm not trying to bash religion because I have my own beliefs and faith. I just don't understand how some people can feel holier than thou. Some people should really practice what they preach.
I always tell people that being a server is the kind of job I'd like to have if I didn't need the money. I just like meeting new people and enjoy the work. What I don't like is when people get upset with me when I'm just trying to do my job. Some restaurants don't care if you just walk up to a table and say, "hey, what'll ya have tonight?" And some places will make you greet the table with a 5 minute presentation about all the specials and wine menu and everything under the sun. I don't like it anymore than you do but I have to do it because I don't know if you could be a secret shopper. And if I get a substandard review then I could lose my job. Not that I'm being forced to give you good customer service because I want to. I try to adjust my serving skills based on how each table reacts to me. I also want to keep my job and if you get annoyed at people being nice and trying to make your dining experience you should just go live in a cave with Bin Laden. If you don't know what a secret shopper is then go Google it.
I agree with you 100%! And I don't think they would get the sarcasm if you "God Bless"ed them. I hear my preacher every Sunday complain about the prices of his meals from the pulpit! Waiting tables is an extremely challenging job, and I will never understand why we are sometimes treated like lower-class citizens.
A while back I was eating with friends in a restaurant and the waitress had been running pretty hard since it was pretty busy that day. The next table had some people who were rather rude and arrogant. They asked the waitress for some extra napkins, and she said she would get them. The waitress went on and continued her rounds with the rest of us, and you could see she'd get those napkins as soon as she could. The jerk waited for a minute or two, and then got up himself in search of the napkins, all while looking for the waitress hoping to land a death glare. It was not an emergency, he was just a jerk.
It was clear that he expected that he and his extra little demands were automatically more important than the rest of us she was dealing with. She was doing her job, and doing it well, but he though the rest of us were unimportant and she should drop the rest of us to get him his napkins. We tipped her well: she didn't put the jerk above the rest of us.
Being a jerk in a restaurant is not just about the server and the customer: it's about the others the server is dealing with as well. If you're a jerk and demanding to be waited on hand and foot, you're telling me that I, another customer like you, are unimportant and should be ignored to make you feel like a little tyrant. Get over yourself.
I have seen idiots do this job, so dont complain about it. Get another job if you dont want to be at the mercy of peoples tips. I cook instead of going out because i dont need to pay some monkey to bring me my food
I travel often and eat out a lot. If I get a real rude waiter I ask to speak to management and ask for a new waiter. They usually give me a new one and the problem is solved.
I try always to be polite to my servers–I actually had one tease me that I said "please" and "thank you" a lot, but that's just how I was raised. I am curious about one thing, though: I generally try to use my server's name once or twice. They introduce themselves, after all, and I figure that's for a reason. BUT someone once told me they think it's kind of weird that I do that? Do the servers find that strange? Just wondering.
Tip3
–noun
1.
a small present of money given directly to someone for performing a service or menial task; gratuity: He gave the waiter a dollar as a tip
Gratuity
–noun, plural -ties.
1.
a gift of money, over and above payment due for service, as to a waiter or bellhop; tip.
Good Service = Good tip 20%+
Average service = Average tip 15%
Bad Service = no tip
Good Service = goes the extra mile, may make mistakes but is honest about it, good attitude
Average Service = gives your food in a timely manner, may makes mistakes (nobody is perfect) average attitude
Bad Service = bad attitude, take forever to come to your table to take orders, (place is empty, a lot of ppl not an excuse) takes your order wrong or doesn't understand you and doesn't ask to clear it up or double check the order
I pay 99% pay at least 15% on all the tips, but if you give me severely bad service, I apologize to everybody but, I am NOT paying a tip.
For the most part i give the benefit of the doubt, but i have been in rare occasions where i am just completely and utterly disgusted by everything that i just wont pay the tip.
99% haven't had a problem but that 1% sorry but you are a bad waiter and deserve NO TIP.
wow, people- relax. Going out to dinner is a joy and the server makes it a better experience for us all. Treat them right and they will always bring better service to the table. A tip is an obvious, simple way of saying thank you! I asked a server how her day was, she almost fell over with surprise. She told me no one had ever bothered to ask her anything personal. They are people who happen to be in the restaurant business. I find it rare that a server is rude or unwilling to help. It's your attitude that sets the pace for the evening out.
I remember one poor waitress standing with pad in hand, trying to keep her composure after getting grief from a customer, when two big tears rolled down her cheeks. Most of these folks work very hard. They deserve their tips.
I waited tables and bartended through college and law school. To all you people who stiffed me, bitched at me, didn't tip me, and were just generally annoying, guess what? NOW I"M YOUR LAWYER!!!!!
Sounds like you got through school on your tips anyway, and now you're probably a jerk overcharging your customers.
Mary, with this attitude, I would not want you as my lawyer. I would be looking for someone with more professionalism, rather than someone who is vindictive, arrogant or carries a chip on her shoulder.
Question. If I order food to go and come pick it up am I supposed to tip?? Just wondering. Thanks.
Yes, A buck or two. More if you're feeling generous.
I'm a server and all I have to say in this mess is this:
PLEASE, if you get poor service, tell a manager! If you leave no tip or something below 10%, the waiter/waitress will assume you're cheap, not that they did something wrong. If you provide honest and calm feedback, the restaurant has the opportunity to rectify the situation (have a chat with the server, perhaps comp a portion of your meal, free dessert, etc). However, if you decide to leave a 'bad' tip to reflect the quality of service, I can guarantee nothing will be done.
I have never understood why tipping is based on a percentage of the cost of a meal the establishment chooses to charge me. I can go into a sports bar, get excellent service, and leave a tip that is 20% of the tab, say for example a tab of $40 draws a tip for $8. But if I go into an expensive steak or Italian place where my meal tab is $150, and the service isn't so great, even if I leave a 10% tip, it results in the server getting $15 which is more than the great service at the sports bar. I don't think a tip should be based upon the price the establishment chooses to charge me for drinks and food. High prices doesn't mean great service, and in fact, I have gone to many expensive places where the service was mediocre, yet the tip, even at a low percentage was too much to pay. Food servers, think about this: If you collect $20 in tips per hour of work, your compensation is more than $20 per hour. You're usually working more than one table at a time. I think a lot of people would be happy with that hourly wage.
“I'm a server and just when I'm reading all these ignorant, pompous complaints, I was thinking how much I hate people in general. Stay home if you get that offended by your server's behavior.”
If you hate people you're in the wrong business; you shouldn't be in any service industry.
The way I see it, a good time = a good tip = a regular customer = better wages. If the service is bad (never stops by the table for more drinks, cops attitude...etc...) next to no tip is given (sucks to be them.
You may be the last to touch my food, but if something was to happen to me or my family and I traced it back to you. You'll need a batter job to pay my bills....lol
The world goes around in a circle, so does everything in it. If its karma so be it! Bottom line is good service= good tip!!
and for those who stay home and eat: name your restaurant, we'll be sure to never eat there!!
Mathematically speaking, if restaurants raised prices 15-20% and eliminated tipping, we'd break even. All of this ridiculous talk about a $30 hamburger is just that.. ridiculous. An $8.00 hamburger would now be close to $10.00. I'd rather deal with that and have the business owner pay their employee. In the end, the restaurant owner benefits the most from tips. They can get away with paying their employees in peanuts and the only person the employee can blame for their low income is the customers (or themselves). The restaurant owner is in the clear simply because that's the way it is.
So many of the comments (many, not all) are from people I wouldn't want either as a server or a customer. The reality is that servers depend upon tips, and if a customer has issues about tips then they shouldn't go to places where tips are expected. The reality is that the better the service, the better the tips, and if a server thinks they deserve a 15-20% tip for barking at a customer, getting the orders mixed up, never refilling water or checking back if the customer needs anything, then they are going to be disappointed table after table. Sounds to me like many in this forum paint all servers or all customers with the same brush because of unsatisfactory experiences with only a few.
To all the waiters:rent the DVD "Reservoir Dogs". Take Mr. Pinks comments on tipping to heart.
For all of you who complain about us servers and bartenders – the next time you order soup or a mixed drink, ask yourself what I just used to stir it.... I have wiped up your pee, driven your wife home, pretended that I didn't know what you drank when you came in with your wife instead of your girlfriend, laughed at your stupid jokes, smiled at your twisted suggestions, and looked away when you forgot to zip your pants.
I see it this way.
Every restaurant from Le Bernadin to the greasy spoon around the corner, your tips are calculated based on your completion of 3 basic tasks.
1. Make sure my drink is always topped up
2. Bring me the correct meal, as requested, and in a timely manner
3. Do so in a polite manner.
No matter where you work, if my meal costs $5 or $500, that is the job of the server. Fail to complete these 3 basic tasks, and you lose out. If you go above and beyond, it is the prerogative of the diner to decide whether or not to add on to the base. (as a former waiter, my standard is 20%). I don't expect more, and I certainly don't expect less.
Late food is not acceptable, granted there are certain situations where a delay in the kitchen is unavoidable, accidents happen. An explanation as to the situation is or course required, as long as its understood that its not the fault of the server at no penalty. Beyond that, the server is responsible for getting the kitchen staff to get his order done in a timely manner and done right. I don't care who has a tiff with who in the kitchen, you are responsible for the table, therefore you are responsible for what comes to it. I've worked as a server, and as a cook, and I've hounded the kitchen, and been hounded by the servers to get food out correctly and on time.
As far as I'm concerned, tipping is standard and part of the meal experience. If you don't feel you should tip, then go manage the chef yourself, and get your own food from the kitchen. You don't tip at McDonalds because that's basically what you're doing. I DO have a problem with restaurants who automatically add a gratuity to a bill based on party size. That just removes the incentive for waiters to perform up to their tasks. They know they're getting their 15% no matter how well they do their job. I've been in restaurants where i've enjoyed the service for two, but absolutely hated the service when I bring larger parties.
Cheers!! I couldn't agree more
I tip a minimum of 20 percent and more for evening meals. I have rarely had a bad waiter or waitress and even then I still tip the same. no restaraunt keeps bad wait staff. I would never want to be a waiter.
Most people who don't tip are also cowards and just leave without telling the server why they were such a cheapass. If you are displeased with the service give your server some feedback please. With that said, if you were served you should pay for that service. Not happy, don't come back, but be a decent person and pay for the service rendered.
Here in Arizona we brought up the wage for that industry to over $5 an hour. Magically the food did not jump prices at the establishments anywhere. It IS the law of below minimum wage slavery. Real establishments could actually pay a larger base salary. It is not the law that they can ONLY pay $2 an hour. Why not pay your staff $6 an hour before tips. It did NOT hurt any bottom line in Arizona. REVOLT... Do NOT work for someone on the gamble you MAY make a lot of money. Not every server gets to work at the RITZ where $100 tips ARE the norm. A single bill at the Wiffle House may only come to $6. 15% of that will NOT pay the car payment. PAY YOUR HELP. OWNER/CHEF will be out of business tomorrow if he truly is only making pennies on the meal. I do NOT care what he tells the IRS but in reality his business is paying him a salary, car payments, mortgage payments and etc. In reality, (Here in Arizona) NO BUSINESS had to triple prices to pay the help more. PROOF IN THE PUDDING.
I can't belive the attitude of some of the servers on here! How can you complain about getting 5.00 from a 60.00 bill?! It could have been nothing, and it also could have been what was left in whoever was tipping's pocket! I have been out to dinners with several people and been left with the tip, and I certaintly can't afford to tip 20% of a 150.00 bill...
I know a server who makes 35,000 a year from tips alone (incl. overtime) It is because he was the nicest and funniest waiter I have ever met! I always leave him more than I can afford because he loves his job.
I never do math for tips, the ammount comes from my heart. After having read this I will no longer scrape the bottom of my purse for change when I am broke to give the wait staff a little something. If you are ging to complain about my 1.50 tip I will just keep it for myself!
And for those of you who said 'if you can't afford it stay home', wow... just wow... I would think you of all people would know what it's like to want to go out and have fun with your friends, and not have the money for a 50.00 tip.
p.s. I would never tip 5.00 for a basket of chicken fingers, that would be a 50% tip, are you kidding me?!
5.00 on 60.00 are you out of your ever loving mind ..please...please stay out of my restaurant,I provide good service and earn my 18 percent if your frienda are paying the billl and you cant leave the 18 percent stay home or eat at a subshop
i am not a server, but really, kc, if you can't afford to tip, eat someplace where you don't have to tip or stay at home. and i'm sorry, but you "tip from the heart"? you're an embarrassment.
What's with the sense of entitlement around here??? I usually cook at home but when I do go out to eat, I'm there for the food! If my waiter has a bad attitude or I have a bad attitude, oh well. I see them for them for 5, 8 minutes tops during the course of my meal. They' get the standard 15-20% from me.
@ all of you people who love to comment "If you don't tip or like the ammount that you tip, that you can stay home and make your own food or goto mc donalds". Who the hell are you to tell people what to do? If you don't like the money you're making then go get another job. I don't like the fact that some of the servers "expect" a tip or feel they're owed something for doing their jobs. Now don't get me wrong, If I goto a resturant and the service is superb yeah I'll tip great but if I goto a place and the service is average then you'll get an average tip, if its terrible you get No tip...that's just how it is. I as the customer should not have to feel obligated to pay you anything extra for the job you're doing. We choose to goto your rusturant to dine, therefore WE choose weather to tip or not. We dont care if you expect it.
20% + or -. I work back from that but it must have been really bad to get 15%,
I worked my way thru college in the food service industry. To this day I think every high school student should have to wait tables for a semester. It would make us all a society of "nice" customers. There is a lot of truth to the saying "don't f**k with people that serve you your food" (or drinks). Given today's economic times, you too could be waiting tables in the future.
my favorite question is "what's your cheapest beer?" that tells me right away i'm not going to get a tip from this person. or "sorry, i would tip, but i'm broke" if you can't afford a tip, you can't afford to go out, period.
Those here venting for having to tip and wish that they did not have to tip...remember the owner of the restaurant will jack up the price of your dinner and will pay the wait staff a honorable wage! Wait staff getting just $2.13 an hour will see an increase to around $10 or more dollar per hour...chew on this!
I think that it should be mandatory for everyone in the work force to work in a restaurant (both front of house, and back of house) and in retail, then people might have a better respect for those who actually do try to give the guest a great experience. One thing I've learned being a bartender is that you cant please everyone. And for you guest that come in with problems outside the restaurant, leave it outside. I cant bring my problems from home to work, so dont blame me if your having a crappy day! Now, there are alot of people out there that honestly are not cut out to be waiters, bartenders, esc., and then there are alot that might not be the greatest at it, but these people are working for low wages, and depend on tips. If you dont know what tip stands for its; To Insure Proper Service! Do us all a favor next time dont go out to eat if you dont want to tip. If i didnt want to pay for my services through my insurance or other things that are provided to me, then i wouldnt be able to have those amenities. So enjoy your diner, and if they are that bad of a server, then give them alittle constructive criticism, maybe they dont know they are doing something wrong.
There are serve yourself buffets for you folks that don't feel that tipping is mandatory. If you feel entitled enough to eat out and be waited on, please pay the labor charge which is what a tip is.
I haven't waited tables for 25 years, but when I did I was always amazed at a few things customers did;
1. When there is one blow-hard that decides you are going to be his bitch and despite the mortification of his dinner companions, continues to make a fool out of himself.
2. People that order lots of alcohol and are flabbergasted when the bill comes. Dude, you had 4 top-shelf cocktails, you do the math.
3. People that think, that just because you're friendly, you're going to comp something for them. It's a restaurant not a soup kitchen.
I don't serve anymore, but I do tip well if it's justified (25-30%). If there is something wrong with the service or the food, let someone know, but do it nicely. Give the establishment and/or the server a chance to make it up.
I mean c'mon. Eating out is supposed to be fun. If you're in a bad mood, stay home.
Absolutely. If there's something wrong – or even better, very right – about your dining experience let the server and/or front manager know about it. Trust me, the manager always wants to know about the problems and the shining stars of service.
@Mike
Whether or not your server was rude, I am assuming you still got your food? As long as you get your food, they are providing you with their service, and you need to tip them. As for tipping, I tend to triple the tax, which for me means 18%, and then round up. As for my favorite coffee shop, dont always put a tip in the jar, but I am in there often enough that I do atleast once a week.
Good service can make all the difference in coming back to a restaurant. The one waiter that angered me most was because he assumed I was not capable of making my own meal choice, and by that I mean I was in college and he was asking my father about my sides, when I placed the order! He still got tipped, even though I wasnt happy!
I waited tables all throughout high school and college in order to pay for my education and bills. While it was often stressful and mentally/physically demanding, I LOVED it. I'm a people-person and this industry treated me well financially. But I have to say that I only worked at restaurants that brought me lots of money and wouldn't have worked at an establishment otherwise. I feel awful for people who work in places that barely make ends meet.
That said, if a customer came in that was an habitual non-tipper or just plain rude (people like Mike) they'd get the service they customarily paid for. TIPS... to insure proper service. If you don't tip, I don't have to give you little extras. That refill you want right away? You can wait a minute or two. Want to substitute something? Sorry, buddy. Should have tipped me more last time. Extra crispy fries? Sure, for the table next to you who regularly gives me 15-20%... but not you. Just remember that if you're good to your server, they'll be good for you.
This is America. Servers: Lobby and come up with a law that restuarent workers esp servers should be paid something above min wage. It's past time. Otherwise quit and let restaurant owners/managers sweat it out & serve the customers. Yeah, he'll probably hire workers with the green cards. What a world. I always tip 10% or a little more.
Quitting not an option most of the time. Be nice and bump your minimum tip up a bit.
Reading all of these comments from waiters makes me so happy that I'm a good cook that eats very well at home. A great number of hard working people will think twice before going to a restaurant given all of the real story from servers.Congratulate yourselves you have single handedly reduced the customer base at your restaurant.
Wow, sounds like there's a lot of people here I wouldn't want to eat out with. I'm surprised by some of the feelings that a server must go above and beyond basic service just to earn any tip. I've always considered a solid tip as part of the expense of going out – the price on the menu is for the food and the tip is for the service. My averge tip is about 20%, great service gets 30-50%, below average to poor gets 10-15%. Oh, and I don't believe mistakes by the kitchen (steak cooked incorrectly, etc)should reflect on the server's tip. Some of the best tips I have left have come on bad meals where the server has shown sincere concern and communication.
now i am 16 and frequently go out to eat with my friends. i have a part time job at a grocery store and i dont make much. but i do always leave 18-20% just because i know how hard it is to make a living in the service industry. ultimately if you go somewhere and expect to be treated well expect to pay for it
Thank you! When you leave a good tip you showing that you respect and appreciate someone's effort. Spread the good vibe!
Good attitude, Jake. I'd work the saute' station for you anytime.
Mr. Pink.... you're the perfect example of what I meant...... you've eaten more spit in your food than you can imagine....and you deserve it!
Nope, not once. I can absolutely guarantee that. I am never, ever, rude to my server. I always keep all of my complaints to myself. I always smile and say thank you. The server never has any idea until I am long gone.
I have always followed to golden rule when dining out. Never mess with the people that handle your food.
Therein lies the rub: you knowingly victimize servers with your exalted tipping scale.
Next time tell your server upfront that you're going no higher than 15%, then enjoy the level of service that gets you.
think about it this way....for most people, that extra 2 or 3 dollars in tip money wont be missed by you...If your having financial problems, i can assure you it wouldnt be because your a good tipper...ill tell you....take a job waiting tables...i guarantee you will walk out of that job with a whole new perspective on the job and people in general...sometimes we make good money...sometimes we make atrocious money...most of us work hard because if we dont, it doesnt take much to fire a lousy server...just imagine running around for 6 hours taking orders from people...people who often see you as a low individual because of what you do...if u dont want to have to worry ab tipping....id be happy to slap on an 18 percent gratuity for every table i get...id make a killing!!!!
Yes ...okay this is better. I've worked as a server in NYC for 8 years and diners think there S!@# don't stink...but if YOU don't have basic dining etiquette, how is that my fault.
The best I'll ever give anyone is 15% and they have to go above and beyond to get that. Guilt won't work on me either as I have no problem at all leaving nothing. 20%, never gonna happen.
The sense of entitlement by the new generation is absolutely pathetic.
Mr. Pink, your heart is black.
Mr. Pink spends too much time watching movies. with that attitude i'd doubt you ever have anyone to go to eat with. don't just think about the server, how does it look on a date when you don't leave any money? you look cheap, and it sounds like you are. pop in another DVD and frozen pizza, you're going to have a long lonely life.
LOL GET A NEW JOB I NEVER TIP!
I started working in a restaurant about 4 and a half months ago. I'm just a lowly busser... all I do is clean and reset tables. But, working in a restaurant has made me develop a real appreciation for the people that work in those positions. Now, I wasn't cheap before. I generally left 15-20%, sometimes less if I felt someone didn't deserve it, sometimes more if I felt like they really went above and beyond. Since I've started working in a restaurant, I never leave less than 20% unless I wait for 20 minutes for a refill or I feel like the service is absolutely terrible. My friends and I have started frequenting a restaurant on Monday nights, and we had the same server a couple times. I guess you could say we've become regulars, and he's become our regular server. The first time we had the server, he had all of us laughing and enjoying our dinner, and even though the restaurant was rather busy, he seemed like he was paying extra attention to us. Because of this, I left him a pretty nice tip... something like 80% of my bill. Ever since, we've gotten the best service in the house. Our server has become a friend of our group, and we go in every Monday to see him. The last time I went in, my food was comped. I didn't have a bill. He routinely doesn't charge us for our drinks, and he'll toss us the free food that would normally go to the employees because one of the cooks mistakenly made it. I've received numerous coupons for free meals, and he even brought my buddy in a beer that he wanted him to try because we talked to him about home brewing once. I guess what I'm trying to get at is if you take care of your server, they take care of you. Now am I saying you have to do what I've done and give him 80%? No. But certainly, if you think a server has done something right, and you truly enjoyed your dining experience, compensate them properly. We in the restaurant industry don't make anything from our employer. You, the guests, the people we lovingly talk to and take care of regardless of how our day has been, are the people who pay our wages. Don't punish us because of a problem in the kitchen, and don't punish us because you're in a foul mood. We normally work 10+ hour days, and we do it all on our feet, and we work hard so that the customers give us our wage. Please, I'm begging you, if you're cheap, or constantly pissed off, don't take it out on your server.
What I wantto know is where did the tip rate escalation come from. For decades the rate was 15%, then 16, 17, 18, and now 20. Well guess what, the meals have been going up in an inflationary manner just like everthing else. So there is simply no reason for the base rate to be anything but 15%. If you give less service you are getting 10%, if you give more service you are getting 20%. Except for my other personal rule. A waiter in a diner is not working any less than a waiter in a more expensive restaurant. so nobody is getting less than $2.50/person or more than $5.00/person.
I'm cheap and crabby. I wish the business was paid partially with tips just like waiters.waitresses. Often the main problems are out of the waiters/waitresses hands. A short handed staff means slow service, but that should ding the business, not the server.
I don't get paid to eat at your restaurant, and to be honest, there's no viable reason diners couldn't go get their food and bring back dirty plates themselves. I've had some great waiters, but I've had some crappy ones- and it's not my job to subsidize your wages if you do a bad job. If you're unhappy with your minimum wage, go on strike, start a union, etc.
Date a server and you'll never see a restaurant the same again. You'll come to appreciate the server's perspective. Unless the server is a complete jerk, I conduct myself the way I'd want to be treated and I never tip less than 20-25%. What goes around, etc. Easy, huh?
This whole message board is terribly frustrating. It's not as though anyone is going to change their minds. I am a server, so obviously my view is that if I give you adequate to excellent service, I should be compensated as well as anyone else who provides a service. However, I have just come to accept the fact that there are going to be the Mikes of the worlds as well as the Chris', Jenkins', retireds', Sues' and so-on. My point is, that while it really blows, at least once a shift you're going to have some asshole named Mike who wants you to get him a billion refills, bring him his food, clean up after him, judge you and think you are less of a human than he is and all to tip you an unacceptable amount. But then, after Mike, you will have a Chris who respects what you're doing and tips you acceptably providing you treat him with an equal amount of respect. It all evens out in the end.
Still sucks that you have to put up with a Mike to get to a Chris, but I guess that's just the way the world works, right?
oh, and in response to the comment insinuating that African Americans are lousy tippers: Yes, in some cases I have seen that stereotype be true. But, I have also seen it be NOT true. Just like in many cases I have been stiffed by rednecks, the elderly, teenagers and groups of women between the ages of 35 and 50, it's a people thing not a race thing....
Ok Mike, since you seem to have an answer for everything let me ask you this question. I bartend part time – evenings and weekends. I also have a full time day job. I always give every patron excellent service. I smile, I fix their drinks quickly and accurately and I say, "Thank you. Enjoy your drink." Now there have been nurmerous times when I will fix a group of seven a mixed drink, which costs $7 each, and I do it with a smile. After they pay and I set their drinks on the bar they walk away without leaving once stinking penny. And yet, I still continue to smile. So you tell me, since you are all knowing, what should my attitude be then? Do I have a right to become frusturated or should I just shove my thumb up my backside and be THANKFUL for their patronage? You tell me.
@DMLady 1st what is your job? To serve drinks. Not how much it cost them, how many are in the party or the total tab. That's not YOUR job. I've worked in the food business for 10yrs., became a manager and then after collage went on to a different career. I did not ever EXPECT to get a tip based on the total cost of the meal. I earned the tip i got and I've gotten some real good ones and some bad ones. That's how it is. I've worked during bad times before and let me tell you that when times are tough tips are bad. That too is how it is. You work and get paid as a server. You get tipped only from the kindness of the patron who thinks that the service was superb. It's not requested, required or a law. And for those other cooks and servers.... if you do contaminate food for ANY reason...it IS a felony...and it speaks worlds of your true caricature and morals.
zOK, folks, here's the reality. At the restaurant I cook at, if you are mean and hostile to the servers for no good reason, or you treat them like slave help, raise your voice, are a demanding control freak or otherwise over the top rude, your food will arrive with an extra ingredient..... SPIT.... it's in your spinach souffle, or in your soup, or salad dressing, nicely mixed in so you can't detect it...but you will end up EATING it.... and they will be in the distance, watching you eat their spit, and laughing at you. And you better believe it happens in even the nicest places. So chew on that!
This is exactly why the server will think they are going to get a great tip and then I'll just stiff them and never come back. I worked in all aspects of restaurant work and the employees messed with the food of customers they did not like at every single place. Some nice, some average.
No matter where you dine people just remember, they will mess with your food.
To the bartender that says they want $10-20 to move the tab to the restaurant and the one that wants a tip just to look at you:
I bartended for years, grew up in the food service industry and find your attitude completely out of line. Why do you think that way? I am now in sales and if I ever treated a client like that I would be broke. You chose to put yourself in that industry of serving people. Treat your customers with respect and common courtesy and you may be suprised how much more you make in tips. Keep going like you are and you may just run yourself out of a job.
Mike
You are an obnoxious ass . You think you are better than servers. come to my place and treat people ith respect you will have no problem. Treat my employees like they are beneath you and I personally will throw your ass out of my establishment. I don't care if you come back. My employees work hard for their money and i will not tolerate them being treated like they are there for you to abuse as you wish. You wouldn't be the first idiot I ever threw out of my place. And believe me I have no problem dealing with ignorant arrogant people like yourself.I rather enjoy it. You Sir (I use the term loosely) are why servers are like they are. People like you should just take their miserable lives and go bury themselves no one cares what you think anyhow IDIOT!!!
just wanted to add a complaint while the forum's still open: Customers who come in 5 minutes before close and then stay forever, refusing to pay or sign a check so we can at least begin check-out. Servers have better things to do than stay after hours, earn our $2, and listen to your inane conversations and insincere apologies for staying late. You're not sorry, so don't feign sympathy for keeping us there. How about I come into YOUR office 5 minutes before you were planning on leaving and just hang out for an hour?
It shouldn't be up to the diner to worry about the server's bills. A tip is for decent, courteous service, a part of the dining out experience, not separate from it. Exceptional service should bring an exceptional tip. Surly service, less or none. A server can be held responsible for cold food, but not poor or poorly prepared food. We all have bad days but the comments of some of the servers indicates they are in the wrong business. A tip is called a gratuity, not a right, for good reason.
Wow...I have to chime in here. I'm not a server, butwhen my son wanted a car I said "car=job" and since he was in school (high school at the time) I encouraged...well forced him..to apply for a job as a server for two reasons. 1) flexible schedule while he was in college and 2) because he would be exposed to all kinds of people and learn how to deal with them. He has certainly had some "experiences" both with good, nice people and with the not so good. I told him to be prepared for the guy with wife and 3 kids that would rather be home watching the game. Wife needed to not cook that night and hubby will take his frustrations out on server. I told him to be prepared for the patrons that simply didn't like what they ordered and don't tip because of it. I told him to be prepared for the family trying to make the movie and their food didn't come out on their timeframe so no tip (not the server's fault BTW). I've heard all these stories from him over the last 5 years...and then some! Sure, son has customers that don't tip out of "principle" or they don't believe in it, but he also has regulars that love his service that make up for the others. Dispite the non-tippers, he's still always the top server in his restaurant because he IS good. So, no worries Mr./Ms. I don't tip. Some of others are so rignt on here....you will be recognized if you frequent the place often. You will be handed off to a less seasoned server if you don't tip and you may never get the excellent service you desire. Tipping, right or wrong is a part of our society in a sit down and get waited on restaurant. Granted, if a server is not paying attention to my table and flirting with other servers, etc. I won't tip as much, but I always tip something.
Wait staff are terribly underappreciated, and unless you've ever done the job you have NO idea how hard it is. I agree owners should pay the salaries but they don't, okay? That's the deal, and you know that going in. The tip is part of the dinner tab and if you're too cheap to pay it, go to Mickey D's. I am an appreciative diner who runs waiters ragged because I don't hear so well anymore and oftentimes forget something I want after the order has gone in. I drink a lot of coffee. I'm a pain, but because I know that, I tip good waiters 50% who have been kind about my poor hearing in a loud place and poor memory everywhere. They deserve every dime for making my evening out a pleasure. And 50% of almost any tab doesn't go far these days.
@ Mike...Would you still tip well if the services was bad, but the servers attitude was fantastic?!?! Just something to chew on...Hopefully not a $75 hamburger?
"Jason
b) Tipping is not meant to be a income generator for wait staff "
---–
Are you KIDDING ME??? Most servers are busting their humps to make you happy because they're making a third (or less) of minimum wage. Tips fill in the gap, and the server(s) will seriously attempt to make your dining experience a better one. Poor tipping on great service entitles you, in my book, to a comped plate of Louisville Slugger with a side dish of pain.
That I do agree with. Poor tipping or no tipping if your server has been polite and prompt and enjoyed your experience makes you a first class dick!
mike,
you may be the dumbest, most ignorant person on this message board. were you a nazi in your previous life?
All i have to say to all you people that think you can not tip, YOU BE A WAITER FOR A DAY AND LET ME GIVE YOU THE MOST COMPLICATED, STUPIDEST ORDER IN THE WORLD. LET ME ORDER THAT MAHI MAHI IN A CREAM SAUCE WITH RAISINS INSTEAD OF THE MAHI MAHI THAT IS MADE IN A WHITE WINE SAUCE.
LET ME ORDER THAT FILET MIGNON AT SUPER WELL DONE, COMPLAIN THAT ITS BURNT.
F*U*K Y*U AND YOUR WH1T3 TR@S4 FAM1LY
Owner/Chef – I am trying to figure out your math.
1 server @ 2.13 per hour + 25% taxes, SS, unemp=@2.66 per hour. $10.00/hr+ taxes =$12.50/hr your expense
$12.50/hr-$2.66/hr=$9.84 for that server
If you sell only 1 $25 hamburger an hour, your server expense is $9.84 more. Your other expenses have not changed. That $9.84 extra expense for serving one $25 hamburger is leaves server net revenue of $15.16.
None of your other line item expenses have changed. None of your other busboy, hostess, bartender expenses have changed. Your tre expense including payroll taxes for a $10.00 wage costs you $9.84. There are rare tables with 1 person. Your server probably serves 4 tables per hour or more. Selling 2 hamburgers per table x 4 tables=$200.00. My server time is probably 15 minutes or less, which means the cost to you is (1/4 of tables) $2.46. Now tell me why your increase of $9.84/hour makes my hamburger 3x as much @ $75.00. In truth, your server probably sells on average $50 per table x 4 tables, giving you revenue of $200 per hour with net server revenue @ 190.16. If you charge a gratuity of 15% for that hamburger, it will give you additional income of $3.25 per hamburger, not including drink income, desser income, etc. 4 tables an hour serving 1 hamburger=$100; 4 tables an hour serving 2 hamburgers=$200 on and on. You will actually have a higher revenue. So I don't get it when you say my hamburger will cost 300% more when your cost for that hamburger actually increases your revenue. p.s. If you only sell 1 hamburger per hour, get out of the business. Volume of sales is the key. Your salary stays stable but your gross revenue increases. I am not a server and I have never been in the restaurant business. 20% excellent service 15% adequate service. i would gladly pay an extra 15%. It would be cheaper for me. Know why your good servers leave? They can get more % tips at a restaurant with higher sales.
As a former server and current customer, I can tell you this: 90% of the time the problem is bad customers, not bad servers. Obviously there ARE bad waiters and restaurants in general, but there are more problem customers than there are problem waiters. If you disagree it's probably because A) you've never had to wait tables and therefore aren't exposed to the kind of garbage human beings put other human beings through or B) you are a problem person who thinks they are above it all. Most likely both. Give your waiter a break. Go in thinking they are doing a great job and working hard UNTIL they prove otherwise.
Tipping is something we do all over the world. Give me bad service you get a bad tip. Great service holds true as well and will get a great tip.
I don't see the issue with this action. I chose to go out and eat and I want to be treated well and enjoy the meal. To have another person wait on me and then tip for that service is not an issue. You pay for the best things in life food and service are not hand in hand. Even though you complaniers see it that way. The food indusrty is not a cheap one. If you who complain knew anything about how hard it is to make money selling food you would stop b!tchin and pay up. Or stay home and slug down over priced and fatty fast food. They don't care if you tip at wendy's....
I am not denying that there are lousy customers and lousy servers. We have all experienced both. BUT I am seeing a trend here and that is a tip should be given no matter what the level of service is. This is a big problem in our society. Why is mediocre work expected to be met with reward? I know in my job I don't get rewarded when my performance is sub par. My boss or my clients don't come to me and say "well you really dropped the ball on that project, but here is a bonus" (remember please as you read this that I work in the service industry) Servers its time to stop saying that every customer is a tight wad or is lousy. Again I am not saying that cheap and rude patrons are not out there and you don't deal with them, but if you are blaming everyone for your lousy tips at the end of the night its time to look in the mirror and realize YOU are the common denominator in the equation!
I think it should be mandatory that people in high school spend some time in a customer service job. I have been a food server and now work in a call center. I work for a website registrar. We sell domain names, emails and websites. People are so rude on the phone, yell, swear at us and you name it! They get so angry because they are so sure we are the ones at fault for whatever when in essence more often then not it was them not understanding something they should have. They call us for help on something but don't know what is wrong or how to even explain it and so we are supposed to be mind readers now! Some people spend money on a product and they don't even know it or what they bought. Our product can be bought online as well as calling in. Had they called in they would know what they bought and how it works and what it's all about. But no, it's all our fault they don't understand. We take so much abuse from customers and it makes me not like people either as another person stated on this blog. People complain about calling a call center and get India, we don't have that with our company, but you wouldn't believe the hard time we have with someone who calls us with a really strong accent and we can't make out what they are saying and have to keep asking them to repeat. So they get mad and call us stupid and everything else! I always tip when I eat out by the way. I don't eat out if I can't tip.
Tips have always been customarily 10% threw-out the 1900's and then now suddenly change to 20%? Ridiculous. Servers also were and still are given a tip based on the service provided not on what they think they deserved. The rules are not going to change after a hundred years and more just because you want a different result. And yes I do tip 10-20% but avg. about 18%. I am not being a hypocrite. If my server was really bad I will still tip but he will be at a low %!
Nobody gets 20%, period. I don't care what they do.
Wow Mr.Pinky, a bit of a cheap bastard I see.
There's no gun forcing anyone to be a waiter. NONE. So if you don't like the tips, if you don't like the pay and if you apparently HATE the customers, why don't you do everyone a favor and get another job?
Its unbeleivable to hear waiters complain about customers in this comment section. Now I know why I only eat out at very expensive places or I simply eat in. The typical waiter at the stereo typical US restaurant is a total joke.
It wasn't always this way, the US used to have the best service in teh world...but now, its a total joke. So all you waiter and waitresses out there, keep dishing out the poor service and we'll keep on giving you lousy tips.
ENJOY.
You obviously don't understand alot of what is being said here or why people work as food servers. May I suggest you got get a job as one and get back to us on this subject.
I am appalled by the rudeness of the waiter's rebuttals. I try to tip well (18 to 20%) and am always polite to wait-staff. But ultimately, wait staff, you are that...staff. You are paid to serve. And the customer is shelling out his/her hard-earned money TO BE SERVED. So instead of talking about how much you hate the customers...how about thinking how you can make the customer's experience pleasant...guessing it will serve you better.
My Dad was a successful businessman who ate out quite often. Although he was a decent tipper, he was pretty constant in his complaint that "nobody gives ME tips!". Finally after hearing it for the umpteenth time, I said "Dad, if you want to get tips, start waiting on tables!". Never heard another peep out of him about it...
Wow, this is a hot topic…I can clearly understand both sides though I think it is fairly simple. You expect to tip someone that waits on you at a restaurant as it is part of the experience. However, if you have horrible service then you generally tip less to reflect that. I always keep in mind what caused the horrible service because it isn’t always the wait staff, but instead the kitchen being backed up. So unless my server is rude or completely ignores us, I always tip 20%. If they don’t pay attention to our table at all once the food is served it tends to drop a bit from there. It is a fine line being a server – you don’t want to annoy the customer by checking on them too often, but if you don’t check on them often enough then they get irritated with that too. You can’t make everyone happy right? ;-)
I'm passive agressive, always tip 30% for just REASONABLE service. I worked for a year as a waiter, and I know, it sucks hard. BUT this nonsense about "stay home if you don't want to tip" is just stupid – if everyone stayed home, waiters would have no job. And yeah, the public has a job to be respectable to those it depends upon, but seriously, you're A WAITER – not a 5th grade principal! What is this power-play crap about "be nice or else." It is your job to "WAIT" on your patron. Get over it. You don't like the job?? QUIT!! There are plenty of other people who know how to slap on a smile and get through their day without resorting to underhanded antics to justify getting a bad comment from someone. It comes with the territory. I think you narcissists have to remember that it's not just waiters that have to deal with the public. Get over yourselves.
To everyone who stated that servers/bartenders should get a better education or a better paying job...for 14 years I made between $200-$1500 a night. I would guess I averaged $300-$500 a night for 3- 4 nights a week. I made anywhere from 60k-80k a year...working 3 or 4 nights a week, bartending, fully clothed by the way. Having said that I gave my best service to everyone regardless of ability to tip even the homeless guys that would come in for $1 drafts AS LONG AS THEY WERE RESPECTFUL, USED PLEASE AND THANK YOU AND DIDN"T ACT LIKE ENTITLED JERKS...kindness will get you many places my friends, including a stronger drink or maybe even a freebie...but if you don't want one...hey no prob:)
IMPOSSIBLE! waiters only make $3 per hour!
Sorry servers leave your personal problems at home. I do not care about your personal lives at all. You either smile while you wait on me and do everything I ask they way I want it, or you get nothing, and rightfully so. You think you can get me back the next time but anytime I am forced to leave no tip that is always my last visit to that establishment.
I don't care how good you think you are you are not entitled to 1 dime extra for only doing the minimum. The best part for me, you will have no idea you are about to be stiffed until I am long gone.
When you work in the service industry you don't get the luxury of "Having a bad day." I work tech support for a small software company. When someone calls me with a problem I can't tell them that I'm having a bad day and expect them to cater to me. My courtesy as a person providing a service over the phone doesn't decide whether or not or how large of a tip I get. I get no tip ever. My job does depend on my ability to come off as friendly and helpful, however. I've worked in plenty of other service oriented jobs from paperboy to Cold Stone ice cream server. People didn't tip me for throwing their paper in the bushes or for serving them melted ice cream because I took to long. I got paid to do my job, I got tipped for exceeding people's expectations. I treat my servers the same way. The restaurant pays you to meet the minimum expectations. If you want tipped you had better exceed mine.
I've lived in Europe – no tipping and the U.S. – tipping.
I prefer the European system. I'd rather have a polite, professional server who smiles because they enjoy waiting on me than a server who sucks up just for the cash. No tipping also places us on more equal terms where I feel much more comfortable. And service quality? I saw no difference – even in eastern European countries. I've had good and bad experiences everywhere – but mostly good. I guess most people want to enjoy their jobs, and giving good service and getting smiles and compliments in return is just part of that.
And yes, I realize prices would go up. That's fine with me. I'm great at math, but after a relaxing, fun meal, calculating tips spoils the mood. Besides, would they go up more than the 20% I already tip?
a) If wait staff don't like the money they earn then it’s time for a new job. Period. Get a job that earns more.
b) Tipping is not meant to be a income generator for wait staff (see point A). Tipping is to REWARD good service, period, not something you are ENTITLED too. You give me crappy service you will get a crappy tip don't like that, tough. I'm not here to feel guilty for you because you CHOSE to be a waiter/waitress and don't make enough money. You made the choice to be a server, deal with it.
I have a customer that comes and sits in my bar by himself and takes up a table for 6 in front of the big screen to watch baseball while going through 3 pitchers of iced tea or water and then leaves a $2.00 tip, $3.00 if I'm lucky....how long does a baseball game last???? That's the point some of these servers are trying to make. His glass is never less than half full, I'm always friendly even though I could be waiting on six people and actually making money.
I've worked as a server/waiter for all of about 12 years, at a very young age. I always tip, but it may be from .1% to 30%. If the server is atrocious, rude, slow, forgetful and so forth, you can expect my rounding the bill off to the next dollar. If the service is great then it'll go up to as high as 30%. Being that I have been a server/waiter for so long, I know what my limitations are and what I can do. I apply that into my tipping factor. If I know I can do a better job then I tip less. If my server is doing as good of a job as I, then I can tip more. This does not work for those who have never worked in the service industry, you don't know how difficult it really is. If there is a terrible customer, you have to put on your facade and try and make them happy to get a tip, that's what this industry is about. You don't purposely give them bad service because they are being crap to you. You have good customers and bad ones, so you can't just get lazy after a bad one. Sure we get horrible wages, sure waiters can account for their cash income for less, but that all makes up for the fact that there is no "real benefit" in this industry. You have to take the good and the bad.
As for @kgreer and @sourdiesel, waiters are humans too. We all stereotype. I dare you to prove me wrong. In this type of service industry there are different sets of people who do indeed tip better than others. Affluent customers generally tip better, whereas those from the "streets" generally tip less. But then you have those who are exceptions. I disagree with stereotyping ethnically, but more of a lifestyle/culture. Many Europeans, I said many not all or most, (tourists) do not tip very well, because in many areas it is not something you do in many countries in Europe.
A possible explanation for the Europeans is that at home they typically round up to the next franc/mark/etc or two. They don't really adhere to the percentage rule of thumb.
i knew people in highschool who made more at sonic because its min wage plus tips. 50 bucks a day plus 7.50 an hr.
While restarants are 2.15 an hr plus tips.
At our restaurant we offer pepper and parmesan cheese at the table. I received a five percent tip on a $200 bill for supposedly not offering pepper for his salad. (He was to busy talking to respond, when he was asked.) And I sprinkled paresan cheese on his arm when I was grating it for his pasta. He asked for cheese but did nothing to get out of the way so I could honor his request. A big guy at that and the way the tables are set-up I had to reach over his huge frame to grate his cheese. And this was the worst service he has ever had. I guess it would have been the wosrt, because McDonald's does not have much of table side service.
Could you imagine if the entire work force was based on tipping. Just imagine if you went up to your kids teacher and said "Johnny got a "C" so I am not going to pay you as much. Now imagine when your kid got to the next grade your kid's teacher's would talk and give a better education to the person that actually respected what they did. I am not saying you have to tip 30%, but when you spend $50 on a meal $1 is not considered fair either.
Having worked the back of the house, I've learned to recognize and reward good service. Front staff gets paid crap wages, so a server that takes good care of my party or has a good recommendation on what is fresh will always get palmed a little green for their pocket.
It's sad that I have yet to read a post from a happy server. I was a server for about 4 years and I loved it! The customers, the other servers and the rest of the staff! You learn so much about people and how to handle them when your personalities do not match. I would not replace the life lessons I have learned from the restaurants I have worked in, for anything! It has made me a better person and taught me a little about maturity. People they' re are great servers out there that really do enjoy their job, if you have one you will love the time you experienced in that restaurant. It's not all about food and servers. Of course you can go out and make the dish you just bought for much cheaper, but you go to a restaurant for the experience and the service. If you don't receive that I am sorry, but do not write a restaurant off for one bad server. If you enjoy the food go back and give it one more try, then make the decision if it is not worth it. Oh and servers, they are not customers they are guests, treat them as so!
When you dine with a larger party, some restaurants will give you a check with "gratuity included". Why is this a gratuity? I shouldn't be "gracious" paying the waiters separately. This should be part of the price of the meal. Yes, raise the price of food by 20%. Then nobody has to feel like they're giving something to poor beggars. I respect server professionals and I think they should be compensated well, just like hard working people in any other profession. They shouldn't be dependent on customers' moods or willingness to give.
I *always* tip at least 20 percent and frankly have never liked the concept of tipping. In my opiniion, people *should* be paid a decent wage and customers should not be expected to *tip*. However, I realize that it is not that way and so I always tip. Still, it is aggrevating to have crappy service. If a server doesn't like the job, find something else. Or if finding something else is not an option (and I realize that often it is not), then at least do your best and don't take it out on the customer. Servers have no more right to do that than customers have a right to treat at server inconsiderately. Basically, don't impose your personal grievances and annoyances on others, whether you are the customer or the server. I believe this: "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." (quote from HH The Dalai Lama)
Its just human beings not careing about other human beings and only caring about themselves and what is entited to them is "quality service"
Think about it... How many days in a year can you perform at a quality lvl without making a mistake. Most people dont have to worry about that. if a server makes a misake it comes out of their paycheck EVERY SINGLE DAY.
How about the next time im at a department store and you say oh thats not my section.... and Refuse to help me and shrug your shoulders, how about we take 10 bucks off your wage for the day...
You're missing the point....tips are not part of the paycheck, it's a direct payment. Performing badly does not affect the paycheck, it affects the tips. The clerk in the department store who snubs you does not get anything taken off her paycheck any more than the server who ignores you does. The difference is that the server still expects a tip while the clerk doesn't.
When I go out to eat I never tip anything less than 15% and if I have a really good server I will tip between 18% to 20%. Yes some servers to make good money, but when they are busting their butts to serve you they deserve it. If you're such a cheap @ss then stay home!
look it comes down to this .... tipping should start at about18%..... If the wait staff is respectful, it goes to 20... if not it drops to 10... after that I go by if i get my food in a timely manner ( remember that if the resteraunt is busy so are the cooks and your server) , did the server attempt to do a good job.... and did some Awhole at the table next to me screw them over.....servers who are obviously just having a bad day get a credit ... and those who feel it necessary to be rude on previous visits get a demerit. Those of you who feel that it is ignorant to tip...just watch the movie "WAITING" and see what you are getting for your ignorant bliss
you 'hate people in general' and you are a server in a restaurant? Hmmm.. i wonder if that reflects in your tios?
Marc had a good comment- he said that not everyone will precieve your service in the same light and not everyone will tip you in the manner you think your should be tipped.
garyprovencher – also had a good comment. He said that some of the servers he works with make $100k per year.
What I think doesn't really matter because this subject is all about perceptions. My ex was a waitress and she often had people come in with two or more kids, tear the place up and leave without even paying. most customers don't see that so they think that waiting is easy enough to constitute the waitresses' good additude. However, I always head that 15% was the norma for good service but that tipping wasn't necissary. I think some restaurants are different in how they pay and how their target clientel tip. One girl I dated, worked as a fulltime waitress with no college and drove a Lexus. My ex couldn't make ends meet as a waitress in another establishment. Both where good and both worked hard. In the end its how the customer feels. You can't make them tip more. On the flip side- not all servers make a lot. You should want to tip them to help a fellow human being out not because you feel obligated. That is the point of a tip- you do good for me and I want to help you out. I shouldn't care what percentage it is as long as it helps them. If its an expensive restaurant then expect to pay a large tip for good service, otherwise why are you buying a $30 steak you could make at home for $10 and eat while you watch a movie you rented $5?
Oh how I pray that there is a God that judges us on how kind we are to others. So many self-absorbed, haughty and cruel people. May there be repercussions to our actions.
Servers make $2.13 per hour. I work part time as a server to SUBSIDIZE MY OWN income... which means that after I work a 40 hour week, I add on a few nights working until midnight. I don't mind doing it and I'm not complaining because I like the extra money. However, I don't appreciate the comments like "find another job" implying that waiters & waitresses are lazy or underachievers. In addition, I worked in fine dining which means that I not only brought food to your table (which is what most people think serving is about), I also described the menu and explained dishes and cooking techniques the customer is not familiar with in addition to extensive knowledge of a wine menu (btw, Sommeliers in fine dining can make upwards of $100 an hour for their services because it is recognized as a valuable skill, as a server I made $2.13 plus generous tips from my customers who appreciated my services). Once I finished my night, I tipped the bar 10% of all my tips (not just liquor sales) and 15% to the service assistant/bus person. Which means that before taxes, I tipped out 25% of what I made. If you are not happy with my service, don't tip me. I understand that my compensation is a TIP not a COMMISSION, however, if you aren't tipping on principal it's not only insulting to me, but it affects the livelihood of two other people. I wonder if those who are opposed to tipping servers tip their cap drivers, florists, hair dressers, take-out delivery or tip at Christmas?
Question to the experts out there- How about when your eating or drinking at the airport? You know you are getting ripped off BIG time and they have you captured.Your between flights and have to eat.do you still leave that 15-20% on top of the 3x normal prices? The owner pays the same for his inventory but triples the price to you only because he can.
seems to me he could use that extra money to pay his staff. And don't give me any reasoning about prices being higher just because its in the airport-it's no different than the charges at the movies-they do it because they can get away with it-PERIOD.But does that mean i have to add injury to insult??
The inventory may cost the same, but the cost to rent the space to serve it in certainly does not. I know you don't care, but try speaking to the person who has to pay for the space in the airport and compare that to the cost of space in a strip mall or other facility. I think you'll see why the charge so much more for the same food and drink you can get cheaper elsewhere. Same with renting a car – - they tack on extra charges at the airport to recover the extra cost they have to pay just to be there versus the off-airport sites. It may not be fair, but it does cost more.
Another side of the story a lot of people don't know. The owners are obligated to atleast pay minimium wage in a round about way. If the tips plus their wage ($2.13 for example) does not equal the Minimium Hourly ($7.25 for example) wage, the employers has to cover the difference. So of course the owners are going to push you to tip enough otherwise it does cut into the profit because they have to cover (tip) what they did not intend to pay them. And some, definitly not all, are not honest in reporting their tips so they don't pay taxes on it. I get taxed on everything I earn. I believe in tipping but attitude and performance does adjust what I tip. Stirring the pot alittle bit here.
That is not true everywhere, it varies from state to state and in some places from city to city. And some posters here aren't aware that it is different now than it was just a few yrs ago.
Wow, it looks like we're on the verge of a war here! I was a restaurant manager for 13 years and now work in banking and deal with customers every day. I think every person should have to work some sort of face-to-face customer service job at least once in their lives to really appreciate what it is like to assist other humans. For the servers, you will get a better tip if you engage in conversation, are knowledgeable about your job, and are attentive without hovering. For you fellow consumers, you will get the service you want if you treat everybody respectfully and plan ahead before ordering to avoid extra trips to your table (not to mention waiting impatiently while your server is helping another table because you forgot to ask for extra dressing, etc.).
it should be a service charge on the ticket. Its proven we wont balk at that. (cable, phone service, electricty, internet, ) all misc charges and we give them billions without losing a wink.
@ Gary- I noticed you put "work" in quotations. If your are suggesting serving is not hard work, I suggest you try it for a day.
I am a restaurant owner and will serve tables from time to time at my place. I obviously don't need your tip but I do need your business due to the fact that I am the CEO of the restaurant. I will be nice and courteous until someone acts rude or obnoxious. It is our job to provide good customer service but gratuity is part of dining out. If you don't want to tip then get take-out and don't waste our time and space.
So here it is...only 1% of your customers will try to scam free food. The rest are honest, hard working folks who will pay for their food. There really are some ignorant, schizo, bi-polar, angry, greedy and insane people out there and we get our share in the hospitality business. I would say 90% of my customers are nice, polite and honest people but the other 10% are just ugly. They will steal from you, lie about the food and service just to get free food or act rude to my staff for no reason. Then we got the drunken idiots or crackheads...let's just say we've called the police a few times. LOL...it's a crazy industry! Just be nice to your server and tip accordingly...it will be good karma.
I personally don't have a problem with tipping, but I see certain words and phrases being used that seem to contradict each other. Gratuity, for example. The definition of gratuity is "something given without claim or obligation". If a gratuity is given without claim or obligation – - meaning there is no requirement and it is not owed – - how does that reconcile with "If you don't want to tip then get take-out and don't waste our time and space"? And what about the places that actually charge you a "take-out fee" – - a separate percentage charged on all food ordered for take-out when it is picked up in carry-out containers?
Wow. I am becoming more and more ashamed of the american people. Curiously, some 76% of Americans call themselves Christian and it seems 7.6% actually practice it. Until you've walked in someone elses shoes, why not accept the POSSIBILITY of what they are telling you? My own dad sometimes acted like an ass in restaurants and I had to remind him servers are not mind readers, they don't order the supplies and ingredients and they don't know what your healths issues are. Let's practice some civility, respect and courtesy. Otherwise, stay home. No one wants to deal with your entitlement issues.
- NoName
So you took your frustrastions of the chef being slow out on your server.
Sorry Servers...don't buy your arguments for not getting TIPS. Your TIPS is to insure that you are working for our benefit. You are there to make our dining experience wonderful. You are supposed to go beyond to make it great. If you do you will be rewarded. If you are not being rewarded then really think back about your service. Look to the person to the right of you who is bring home 20%-30%, what are they doing different. Before you speak make sure you know what TIPS stands for "To Insure Professional Service"
Sounds to me that you want a slave.
lol i ment 40 % less
As someone who works in the retail industry, I can see where these guys have their complaints. I'm an all around courteous and nice person and do my best to be friendly where ever I go now a days just from my job. This doesn't stop, even if I'm at a restaurant. As a rule of thumb, I tip 15% regardless. While sometimes it can be a little harsh (a $1 drink is a $.15 tip, but I do give more than that on something that small), it's still what I've always been told is the base. There have been very few times I've given less and it's usually been because the service has been that bad – I wait 20 minutes to get a refill on water or the food takes an hour in an empty restaurant – but like I said it's been very far between happenings.
Waiters are people too, and I understand that. Retail may not be food, but I get yelled at the same way over the same stupid BS. They don't deserve it and neither do I.
Observational facts arent politically correct, they seperate the truth from sterotypes with evidence. AND YES coultures change, customs change. But as of 2003 that was Fact of serving in a italian resteraunt in a large southern town, where because i was a white caucasion male i was tipped 40% by african americans and my african american server buddies were tipped more. FACT
We have a favorite restaurant we frequent once a week or so, the owners know us and the serving staff know us. Two tables over from us were a couple of college aged kids fooling around, making a mess, and shouting obscenities in earshot of everyone. We asked them to calm down and they started messing with us, throwing napkins and such, basically acting age-inappropriate. My dinner companion went to talk to the owner about these kids asking them if there was anything they could do. The owner comes out to the dining room and tells them to leave. "You are making a mistake man, don't you know who my dad is?" and junk like this coming out of their mouths. Owner tells them leave now or he calls the cops. We are customers for life after this. Treat people right and they will treat you right. This is something you people should have learned in preschool!
I see vehemence on ALL sides of this debate. I also see an inflated sense of entitlement coupled with an obstinate refusal to respect the dignity of others.
Yeah, he may be a snarky or incompetent server and, yeah, she may be a pompous and overly-demanding patron... but if you can't see the other person as worthy of respect, then get out of the gene pool. This is America and last time I checked, the legislature hadn't voted through a caste system or a sliding respect scale based on income.
Regardless of your views on the tipping system, if both customer and client treated each other as humans (and not as a conduit for food/money), I guarantee that we'd not be having this conversation.
I've never been a waiter, but I've known many. I only withhold a tip if I've been neglected for long expanses of time (15+ minutes) or if I've been directly insulted. When a server is less than chipper, I go out of my way to be nicer and I tip them. I do this because nine times out of ten they're sullen because they've been treated like a robot for five hours and not once has someone looked them in the eye, affirmed their human dignity, and showed an iota of appreciation for a mostly thankless job.
Both sides need to try rising above juvenile entitlement. No cold burger or demanding client is worth treating another person as if they're inferior or subhuman.
Well said!
Re: Universally accepted signals to show you are finished: Where in the world did you learn you profession?
Crossing your knife and fork on the plate signals you are NOT finished eating; placing them side by side with the handles pointing to the right does.
Never put your napkin on the plate when you are finished. Fold it loosely and place it at the side of the plate.
Never push your plate to the side. Bad manners!!! You might as well burp and announce you are done.
Finally: Waiters should NOT remove the plates from a table until ALL diners at the table are finished. This bad habit of yanking the plate away as soon as a diner in a party is finished is the worst faux pas a waiter can make. Keep your hands off the table until everyone is finished.
I never heard the 5 o'clock position. Always thought it was across the top of the plate.
One simple rule, "If you can't be servile, don't serve!"
I never realized the hourly rate at which servers were paid, plus their tax situation.
To "work" under such conditions is the height of either stupidity, or desperation.
If you're voluntarily in such a position, you'd better make the best of it. "Sell" that customer on your service, with your charm and wit. Then pray the client responds and gives you anything, as a tip!
Within the comments of a restaurant owner who responded, he claims an $.18 profit, on a steak and fries. That means as a client, I don't mean much to him! So, my complaining about any bad service I've received from one of his servers is going to fall on deaf and busy ears!
That leaves my only recourse as not giving a tip and never returning!
Upon doing that, there is no love lost between your employer and myself, but you're out of a tip!
So play each customer as a unique opportunity and try, try your best to please!
Good luck with your off Broadway acting job!
You're a friggin' idiot!
Does everyone go to work everyday and say "I love my job!" Hell no! I have been in this industry for 11 plus years. I can honestly tell you, I'm there to make money, not friends. This industry will make you hate people, period. But guess what, when you sit down to eat I will smile and kiss your ass like the rest of the people working. Serving can be fun, it's flexible with your schedule if you have children or are going to school. We mostly just hate the people like you on here complaining. It's a very hard job and gets little respect. I guarantee your not on your "A" game everyday at work. Does that mean you should get a different job? And like I said before, leave your kids at home ;)
My wife and I go out to dinner, maybe two or three times a week, and, we go to a variety of eateries. We have found that 99 % of our wait people are usually very friendly. Unlike most people, we talk to them and joke and get them to smile when they look "dog tired ". We NEVER blame them for the mistakes that happen with the food, unless we know for a fact they did it. All it takes is to be smiley and even silly at times to perk them up and feel good at that moment. We always leave a generous tip so as to make them know that we were indeed satisfied with the service they provided. I think that its been quite some time since we have not left a tip for someone who could not leave their "stuff" at home and decided to take it to work and be an ass. When that does happen,very, very ,very seldom. we leave him/her a penny, thats telling them we did not like their service and even less their attitude. So, for all you people who don't think that waiters or waitresses don't deserve something for their labors, look at it this way....IT COULD BE YOU DOING THAT JOB!!!!!
@Marc's post was on point.
I to give 15% as the standard tip. 20-25% if the server was very good to exceptional. No less than 10% if there was some major problem. Normally, I normally will talk to the manager rather than take it out on the server. I am always polite to servers as I know they are just trying to do their job.
I have not served before but I did work in fast food for several years in high school.
Tipping is an option. Sure, everyone should give 15-20% but it's not required. I feel like the server should be welcoming, polite. They should be aware that some people are going to drink a lot and want refills, or other people will want a bunch of napkins, or others may want some extra dressing. WE ARE ALL HUMAN and we like different things.
When you become a server, you know what you're getting into. Again, I completely respect servers and I like going out to eat. But as many others have said before, business owners and their staff NEED customers.
Treat me well at least, and I'll hook you up.
sorry for the typos
I have nothing but respect for any server who works in a restaurant. I always try to be friendly, and not to make any outrageous request. I was a waiter for many years in metro Detroit, and to tell you the truth....... I couldn't do the job today. I worked years of double shifts, coming home and watching my legs twitch for 2 hours while I layed in bed after I worked for 10 hours. I had many famous customers throughout my time as a waiter, and these celebrities ( everyone from Andy Warhol, to Issac the bartender from "The Love Boat") were the most gracious, understanding guests I served in my 10 year career. On the other hand.......... the new money, demanding, local people, i.e. , t.v. news people, lawyers, and inherited money types were by far the worst to wait on. You know who you are people of Birmingham, MI.
I will always try to tip the best I can............. I know these people deserve it. I used to wonder when I was a young man, if I'd ever work my way out of serving tables day and night, and be able to go to dinner whenever, or wherever I wanted. I can today, and I appreciate every time I sit down and can be served a wonderful meal.
I don't know why I keep reading these comments. Invariably, some bigot is going to make a blanket statement about people of color - whatever the color du jour. I am saddened that people like "sourdiesel" are so miserable that they would blame a specific behavior on an ethnicity rather than on a personality. Since you choose to quote "facts," does that mean that one should expect to be murdered whenever in the presence of a Caucasian person? I mean, after all, most serial killers are Caucasion, right? Sounds silly when you put it that way, huh?
Only if you're Caucasian. Most serial killers kill within their own demographic. But then, that's a generalization based on observed behavior. Kinda like some of the other comments here, like blacks and Mexicans are lousy tippers. Oh wait – - was that based on the behavior observed by the commenter? Then it may be a valid generalization.
;-)
I've never worked in the service industry for even a day in my life and the reason is simple: I would probably kill someone. My daughter worked in restaurant while in high school, and I happened to be eating there one day when some a-hole started giving her grief about the time it took for his order to be cooked (big hint: servers don't actually cook the food). My daughter was apologetic and pleasant, but he was determined to be a jerk. I listened for a little bit, and then I approached the man, informed him that he was swearing at my daughter, and told him I would pay for his G-D coke if he wanted to just leave. The man apologized and ate his meal. My daughter was mortified. Ever since, I have tipped 25% without fail, knowing that I could never do that job!
MY PET PEEVE IS A SERVER THAT STOPS TO PICK UP THE BILL AND CASH.....THEN SAYS " DO YOU NEED CHANGE?"
IT ONLY INDICATES TO ME THAT THE SERVER IS TOO LAZY TO BRING THE CHANGE BACK TO THE TABLE.
IT IS BETTER TO SAY " I WILL BE RIGHT BACK WITH YOUR CHANGE" AND WAIT FOR THE CUSTOMER TO INDICATE THAT THE CHANGE IS FOR THE SERVER TO KEEP, NOT REQUIRING A TRIP BACK TO THE TABLE.
That question shouldn't be asked in a fine dining restaurant. The server should always say "May I take care of that for you." However, as a server who has worked in fine dining and casual/bar atmosphere restaurants, I can assure you in a bar that I am not asking if I can bring you some change because I'm LAZY. It's because there is probably a line at the computer I will need to close out your check, or at the bar where I will need the bartender to make change and if I have 3 or 4 other tables waiting on something from me (because generally in a casual restaurant/bar you have a big section which may cover 6 or 7 tables plus folks standing in the bar and flagging you down for things). If you don't need change, it's not EFFICIENT for me to spend 5 minutes waiting for a bartender/manager to have a minute to make change for me. It helps me prioritize what I need to get to first so that I can get to all my customers as quickly as possible.
THE BEST TIP IS TO GIVE UR SERVER A BLOWJOB.......OR IF ITS A FEMALE SERVER.....A NICE FINGER IN HER PUSSY.....LOL -THATS THE BEST TIP EVER : )
Laura, if I had you as a server and your ability to speak the Queen's English was as bad as you wrote it in your comment you wouldn't get a tip either. In actuality, I assume from your lack of writing ability you probably work as a stripper and get substantial tips for doing nothing but wiggling your naked butt in from of customers.
My tips to you:
1. Get an education.
2. Get a better paying job where you don't get away with being a moron.
To all the people complaining about having to tip: that's the way it works in America. If you don't like it, then stay home. I keep reading all of your comments threatening to take away your business. Well shut up and follow through on your threat already. Everyone else who understands how going out to eat works would appreciate it if you just stay home. You probably ruin meals more than any wait staff ever has.
Being a customer does not give you an excuse to be a jerk. Did parents stop teaching basic civility?
Crossing your cutlery over your plate is a sign you're still working on your food! The proper signal for indicating you're done eating is to place your knife & fork side by side on the middle of your plate, tipped about 30 degrees counter-clockwise from straight up and down. Sheesh!
I served as a server for 2.5 yrs before choosing my career path in college, and that was enough time to know that i didnt want to be in ANY part the restaurant industry and the lifestyle that it provides.
A sense of entitlement runs rampid though customers. and it peeks in lower class and higher class people, especially in lower income african american females and older wealthy white females.
Tipping is not the main issue, customers are all different and with that in mind, i found it daunting to try and disect all the differernt pet peeve combinations about people and their personal preferences, spoiled eating habits, and trying not to offend them accidently because of cultural differences from SOUTHERN US CUSTOMS.
- Some people make their tea so sweet they dont want quality refill service, while others get mad if their drink goes below 25% full and they have to tell you they want a refill.
- Serving the men first or the women first. (depending on the ethnicty there is endless possibities)
- Want their food out right away or let me finish thie appetizer first then my food needs to come out.
- If their food is taking forever to come out its your fault (Not the slow rookie chef's)
- How many times do customers LIE because THEY FORGOT to tell you somthing. Then act like its your fault and tip u lowsy.
- Your Boss / Manager wants you to check 5 times during the meal to see if they need anything else. When i find that most people just want to be left to enjoy their food and they will let you know when they are ready for anything else.
- Dont like to called SIR or MAM – ITS THE SOUTH, SIR / MAM
basically most guests assume that you know what they want, because they think everyone is like them and so you should have run into this situation before.
I have treated 2 tables exactly same way and had showers of praise from the first with a 30% tip and no tip from the second and a complaint to my manager.
After the day in day out of never being able to settle into some sort of POSITIVE rhythm of waiting tables and getting abused verbally by restaurent managers who are wired becuase they work 80 + hrs a week to make your exsperience a pleasent one.
- i had enough, i tip great, i allways order meals as is, and no matter how bad the service is i treat the situation like you should which is your only seeing 1 peice of the picture and one day your going to reap what you sow.
I tip 20% or greater. I've only stiffed twice in 25 years of dining due to severely bad service from servers whom were quarreling with me and other patrons. Those people were canned. At the bar, I tip much higher. Its just the way I am. I don't drop the tip rate if the food takes a while in a busy place. Its not their fault.
I tip on how a waiter presents his/her self. If he/she is sloppy, or how often the waiter stops by my table (based on the amount of people in the restaurant). If you suck, il give you 5%, if your good, 25-50%. And guys, if your waiter is good looking, dont give her a 20$ for a 5$ meal, it doesnt get you anywhere, your just wasting your money.
question: when I tip my waiter generously for good service, does he get the entire tip, or are all tips pooled and split between the entire staff at the end of the night?
depends on the establishment but usually the server keeps what you give them (less the 3-5% of sales that goes to bartenders and bus staff)
Fiquring out the tip doesn't take a math degreee. At least in California the sales tax varies from 7 3/4 to 8 3/4%. So if you just look at the bill, and double the tax on the bottom, you just about hit the tipping range. It is really not that hard. And don't forget, when you order all the drinks from your server, they have to tip out the bartender, and usually the busboy at the end of every shift. That's just my look at it. After all, I was a server over 15 years. And it does all depend on where you work. Some states are "Right to Work" states and get paid whatever the owner wants to pay. California is not, so all servers are paid a least the minimum wage.....
@wolflady1229 my cute little tip card that I carry around is too make sure that I tip well. If you want me to throw it in the trash, I gladly will. When I pull my "cute little tip card" out it's generally so I can establish the minimum amount for my tip. I'm glad that you are better at math than I am. My fear is that I am going to miscalculate in my head and under tip someone. So, before you ask me to throw away my tip card, perhaps you should think of the ramifications.
June 21, 2010 at 2:32 pm |
The main difference between customer complaints and server complaints... is the customer is paying for the service... and while the server is being paid for the service.
And as a server, if you hate people, what the h_ll are you doing in the people service business?
I Served and bartended in my younger days and simply put, if you cant afford to leave 20% then you simply cant afford to go out to eat. stay the heck home. I personally leave between 20-50% pending quality of service.
AJ, not true. I can afford to eat out, but not pay for your health and electricity bills too.
Wow.. I knew this was a pretty contentious issue but I had NO clue some folks could be so ignorant and mean. One both sides of this equation there's a lot of nonsense.
I worked in the service industry for around 10 years. In Country Clubs, Chain Restaurants and Steak Houses. I'm now a salesman working on 100% commission.
I got paid a decent salary at the Country Club where the "patrons" are members and range from self entitled, whiny weasels to amazingly fun and generous folks. It can become a HUGE issues at the Club if a member or guest (much worse) has a poor experience. I.e. Poor service not really an option. Tipping was not expected, but the staff always appreciated them for extra service.
At the Chain Restaurant and Steak House I made about $2.50 – $3.50/hr and usually expected, on average in a night, around 15% tips from my tables. I loved working there, had a great time, always tried to provide good service and got excellent feedback for the most part. Even with good service, I sometimes got tipped 10% or below. Disappointing? Sure. But the way I figure it, I also had regulars and generally fun tables that tipped between 20% and 30%. Regulars sometimes tipped even more than that.
That brief history on the table, I usually tip 20% to 25% when I go out. For exceptional service, I always up that on the bill. I don't usually mind when a server/bartender/host has a bad night and the service is off. I do not, however, have much patients for actual bad service, rude behavior, etc. And occasionally that affects the tip to the downside. Point is that my experience tells me the tips can balance out sometimes when you do your job well. While you have one or two tables that cheap out on the tip, you can always have several more that make up for that.
That's just my two cents. As a note, working on 100% commission sucks. It's fun, but it sucks.
Wow, I think all the servers are gonna rally against this Mike fellow. I've worked in the food industry for years and through out college. I absolutely LOVED being a server, and amazing guest made my job that much greater. People like Mike, he goes to places LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO BITCH ABOUT. Don't think for a second that when you call for a manager for a complaint so you might get a free meal or discount, that he hasn't already been warned of your table and your rudeness to his family (because we are like family in the restaurant business), and don't think for a second that he isn't rolling his eyes about you a-holes when he has to walk to your table and grovel .
and as servers it is our job to make sure you have a great experience, but it's not our fault if the kitchen screwed up something, got your filet temp wrong, lost your food ticket, took too long preparing your meal.
accidents happen on both ends, if you aren't willing do deal with them in a positive way then pop the microwavable dinner in and shut the hell up.
Man all you guys are bent outa shape about this. Here's what I don't understand. Let's do a little math.
Fact: I go out with my family of four, we eat, have a drink or two, the restaurant is busy, I have good service, good
food, no issue with the wait staff, service is a tad slow probably due to the number of people in the joint.
The bill comes its $93.50 and with tax its $100.04, I pay $120, that ~17% tip. Its also $20. If that waitress only
does 9 other dinners as described above on this night she has collected $200 in tips. I don't know where you live but
jeez from what I see that doesn't seem really hard at all. So five days times $200 is $1000 a week times 52 is
$52,000. Me thinks the wait staff that is complaining here are working in sub-par establishments or in depressed areas.
If a waiter is working an 8 hour shift, and is responsible for 4-6 tables, on a busy night that is usually a weekend, they can make close to 1k alone. In some places they have to tip their “buss boy” though.
Tell me the name of a restaurant where I can make 1k in a shift and I am coming over. No way in hell, in the many restaurants I have worked in, will a server get near that. In an ideal world, if we got 4-6 tables (my company only allows 3 per server no matter what), and we supposedly get $20 a table, that would be great. But it doesn't happen that way. For every table that leaves a $20, regardless of the total, there were three other tables that left $3. So how does that add up to 1k a night? Like I said, tell me where you work and I'll send in an application tonight!
If you don't want to tip your waiter 20%, then you should stick to fast food or cheap restaurants. Our restaurant industry does not want or need cheap people around. CHEAP people waste our time with attitude, modified orders, and ignorant questions, while we could be giving better service to those who expect it. If you don't like the service at a restaurant don't go again or be vocal about your issue with the service. If you have a good server, he/she will address the problem and make it better. If you appear cheap, which is pretty easy to tell because of the way you treat others, there may be a good chance you will not have the best service and you should stick to low-end restaurants.
There's really no battle here, waiters love their jobs and waiting on people that appreciate dining out. It's the waste of the time, complicated, cheap people that really just want to fight about anything that makes being a server kinda suck. I'm sure those people are everywhere... but what it comes down to is, Do you want to be a diner, or a douchebag? Douchebags can stick to fast food, diners are welcome anywhere.
Wow, talk about entitlement. You want everyone to tip you 20% just for showing up and bringing us our food regardless of quality of service. And if we don't tip 20%, we're cheap even if you have gave us crap service? Do you want to be a server who actually does a job befitting of your nice establishment (in which case, I will tip you 20%) or do you want to be a douchebag? And I doubt there are many (if any) restaurant owners who would want you mouthing off on their behalf about how they don't want our business if we don't tip 20%. Try actually owning a business before making such dumbass statements.
Next time you complain about how long it's taking for your steak/burger, before you say anything to your server, ask yourself why you also ordered your steak/burger well done. Then remember that cooked food takes patience.
Jeez , I did'nt know there were so many unhappy wait staff at restaurants. Tipping is for good service and not required by law – My advice to you folks is to get another job if you don't like what you do and don't make enough money. Life is too short for this crap folks ....
...and this is why I prefer to eat at home. :)
@shar. Have you ever heard of the word inflation??? How much was gas 20 yrs ago? If minimum wage keeps rising every year do you think it's just because? The more time that passes the more expensive things get. So if the gas, groceries, and public transportation is getting more and more expensive for you, then don't you think it is for everyone else too? So wouldn't it make sense that if the standard was 10% 20 yrs ago that 20 yrs later it might have changed?
You do know that a percentage of something has nothing to do with inflation right? 10% of x is always 10% of x regardless of what x equals.
Let's say that 20 years ago I paid $5 for breakfast. If you got 10% then you get $0.50.
Skip forward to 2010. My breakfast is $12. If you are tipped 10% then you get $1.20.
See how that works? You tip went up with the inflation because the same percentage of a larger number is still more money.
Anyhow, I agree that 10% is way too little, but after reading your post I couldn't ignore just how wrong that statement was. Average service should get 15-18%, good service should get 19-20% and great, memorable service should get 20%+. Genuinely terrible service WITH a bad attitude? There's your 10%. If that.
@IRS- Every credit card transaction that the server makes the sale is automatically taxed. So if you didn't leave a tip, we still payed tax on your meal!!! And if you think everyone pays with cash you're dead wrong. It's about 1 in 10. If you have never worked in this thankless industry, you have no right complaining. Every pay check I have ever received from a restaurant has been $0.00 because of taxes. Not to mention the amount I have to pay at the end of the year!!! $6,000 in 2009!! Servers and bartenders live on tips. If you don't like tipping, don't go out to eat. And I'm sure the majority of complainers are the diners that go to your regular shitty places i.e. Applebee's, O'charley's, ect ect. You can't go to one of these spots and expect fine dining service and great food you idiot! The main reason you go there is to complain to th emanager for a free meal anyway. I know, I worked at one of these hell holes for six years. You should probably be more concerned with the guy on probation cooking your food. If you want great service, you're gonna pay for it. And P.S. You can leave your kids at home.:)
Somehow everyone seems to have a problem with math. Why would food be so much more expensive if tips were included in the cost of the meal??? It would only be 20% more expensive. I would have no problem with that. Why is restaurant industry different from any other industry? Do you tip a cashier at a grocery store? Clerk at a department store? Why not simply charge what the service is worth instead of playing games?
Fact: If you want to go out and get waited on, expect to tip.
Fact: If you want to go out and not get waited on = Go to fast food restaurant, or TO GO
Fact: If you want to go out and want to get waited on and don't want to tip = Go out to the supermarket, buy the same food, tell your kids to make the food for you and eat that.
If you go out to eat, you tip because you received a service from someone taking your order, making sure your order gets put in, getting your food out to you and cleaning up after your mess.
"I DON'T NEED TO TIP BECAUSE ITS NOT REQUIRED!" You tell that to anyone that is doing a service for you in their face and see how happy they get. That's essentially saying "I'm just going to pay the company but you get nothing so IN YO FACE!!"
ANOTHER FACT: Blacks/Mexicans are generally THE worst tippers in the world. Honestly, they don't get enough of our tax money to tip but they have enough to purchase stereo equipment to put in their cars?
Its all very simple – When I sit down to eat, I will tip a good waiter or waitress about 25% of my ticket. But for that I expect my drink to be refilled, I expect plates to be taken away, I expect not to be ignored. I understand sometimes that a restaurant may be short staffed sometimes and the waitstaff are very busy. But that 25% will shrink if I have to ask for something more than once, or I have to ask someone else to find my waitress. You might think that's unreasonable, but I work hard for my money and when it comes to spending it, I want what I pay for. Provide good service, get good tip. Provide poor service, your tip gets smaller and smaller.
I'm currently a waitress, and there are a few points I would like to make. Firstly, I agree that servers are by no means entitled to receive a tip. However, there should be a mutual respect–I will serve you to the best of my ability and you will tip me in return. Not everyone can be a server
But there needs to be a better appreciation for good service. I spent an extensive amount of time in Europe (no tipping) and Australia (make wages but still expect tips), and it was a real wake-up call to the benefits of tipping. Most servers didn't know anything about their food, couldn't care less about proper timing of a meal, acted rude or indifferent, and (if they were anti-American) chose not to serve us at all. We would politely ask to place an order and it never came to the table. Servers ignored us and pretended not to understand...and what do they care? They're not looking for our money. The premise of tipping is a good one–you bet I'm going to kiss your ass if there's money on the line, so tip me what I deserve. I put a lot of time and thought into learning the menu, understanding allergies, appreciating fine wines, pacing a meal, and dealing with people in general. Who is going to do that for minimum wage?
I would completely disagree with you. Service etiquette in Europe is much better than it is here. Servers there actually get educated as to food timing and especially handling dinnerware. They usually don't grab a glass by sticking their finges into it etc etc. Whenever I'm in Europe, I almost feel guilty not tipping them... but they don't expect it. They do their job well because they were hired to do it well.
Obviously Europe is a pretty general area. I stand by my comment. Australia was even worse.
I think part of the "tipping is a pain" mentality is age. I've been a server for years and generally younger people are great tippers and easy to wait on. Also, I live in Seattle which is a pretty progressive, educated city and usually people tip well. This is certainly a stereotype but I think older people and middle Americans are a little more stingy with their tips and more likely to complain.
These are observations and factsi observed as a former waiter:
I served as a server for 2.5 yrs before choosing my career path in college, and that was enough time to know that i didnt want to be in ANY part the restaurant industry and the lifestyle that it provides.
A sense of entitlement runs rampid though customers. and it peeks in lower class and higher class people, especially in lower income african american females and older wealthy white females.
Tipping is not the main issue, customers are all different and with that in mind, i found it daunting to try and disect all the differernt pet peeve combinations about people and their personal preferences, spoiled eating habits, and trying not to offend them accidently because of cultural differences from SOUTHERN US CUSTOMS.
- Some people make their tea so sweet they dont want quality refill service, while others get mad if their drink goes below 25% full and they have to tell you they want a refill.
- Serving the men first or the women first. (depending on the ethnicty there is endless possibities)
- Want their food out right away or let me finish thie appetizer first then my food needs to come out.
- If their food is taking forever to come out its your fault (Not the slow rookie chef's)
- How many times do customers LIE because THEY FORGOT to tell you somthing. Then act like its your fault and tip u lowsy.
- Your Boss / Manager wants you to check 5 times during the meal to see if they need anything else. When i find that most people just want to be left to enjoy their food and they will let you know when they are ready for anything else.
- Dont like to called SIR or MAM – ITS THE SOUTH, SIR / MAM
basically most guests assume that you know what they want, because they think everyone is like them and so you should have run into this situation before.
I have treated 2 tables exactly same way and had showers of praise from the first with a 30% tip and no tip from the second and a complaint to my manager.
After the day in day out of never being able to settle into some sort of POSITIVE rhythm of waiting tables and getting abused verbally by restaurent managers who are wired becuase they work 80 + hrs a week to make your exsperience a pleasent one.
- i had enough, i tip great, i allways order meals as is, and no matter how bad the service is i treat the situation like you should which is your only seeing 1 peice of the picture and one day your going to reap what you sow.
As a person who eats at restraunts 3 or 4 times a week I have faced this issue many times. First, I always tip my servers but how much depends on the service. I always start at 18% of the pre-tax total of my meal and work up to 20% or more or down to nothing from there. Rude, unattentive servers do not deserve a tip as the idea of doing a job poorly and expecting someone to pay extra for it is absurd.
I like to think of it as a lose/lose or win/win scenario. What you get is what you give. Poor service gets nothing. Mediocre service gets equal tratment and servers who provide good or excellent service should expect to be rewarded.
Just to clarify – in Washington state servers make minimum wage, which is over $8/hr – plus tips. We have some of the worst service in the country here and I think it is because servers don't have to be as great to get paid a decent wage. And before anyone goes off on me – I bartended for five years.
So if you keep people broke enough they'll kiss up? Nice.
It's customer service. It goes with the job to 'kiss up' or – as I would put it – be polite and do a good job. It's part of the job description, and I'm merely stating that in Washington state they are actually paid fairly as opposed to the states that only pay $2ish/hr. I just find it odd that, in all the places I've been in the U.S., the states that pay an actual living wage to servers (once you add in tips) have some of the worst service. I sleep just fine at night knowing I treat the people that help me in restaurants and bars well – so long as I am treated well in return. It really doesn't have to be more complicated than that.
Couple Things,
I will give a tip if you do some basic things...1. Once I sit down ask if I'd like something to drink, 2. Ask if everything is ok once during the meal, 3. have a decent attitude ( you don't have to be smiling the entire time just don't make it seem like you are doing me a favor). It doesn't seem that difficult to me but you wouldn't believe how many times I can't even get this basic service. I will never not tip but I have a right to tip less if you refuse to make any effort whatsoever. Lastly, I will tip on the PRE-TAX amount only!!!!
If you can't afford to tip then don't eat out!. Plain and simple. When you go to work do you expect for your employer to pay you?? Of course you do. Whether you're having a bad day or not. Whether you're productive or not. Whether you gave great customer service or not. At the end of the day you did your job and by the end of the week you expect to get paid. The only way to go home and turn the lights on at night is to pay the bill. It doesn't matter if the Light Company gave you bad customer service or not the bill still has to be paid. At a restaurant the tip is another part of the bill. For all those commenter’s who say if they don't get great service they don't tip. Most of you probably work in the customer service field yourselves and have probably gave out bad customer service on more than one occasion. Did you still look at your account on Friday to make sure your Direct Deposit Posted? YES!!! Some servers have bad days just like any other profession. Some servers are in the wrong line of business and would do better in another profession. Everybody can't wait tables just like everybody can't be a Police Officer or a Nurse etc... Same thing. But at the end of the day, if you're too cheap to pay for a service provided eat a Lean Cuisine or learn how to cook. That way you don't have to tip anyone but yourself.
Nikki, your sentence " When you go to work do you expect for your employer to pay you??" says it all – - THE EMPLOYER SHOULD BE PAYING THE EMPLOYEE – - the server, in this case. Why should they depend on tips for their pay?
@Nikki
This is the attitude that's killing it for servers everywhere. Read my reply above yours – I'm a damned good tipper. However, I am NOT your employer, therefore you should not be EXPECTING me to pay your way. I do it because I am, by nature, a generous person and I know your job sucks. People like you, however, are pushing me to stop tipping entirely. You're digging your own grave.
This is stupid. I live in Canada where minimum wage applies to servers, and is $8 an hour. Prices are a little higher than in the States, but not much. Tipping is 15%, but not if the service stinks. the tip should be icing for the waiter, not their basic income.
Man, I'm a darned good customer in restaurants. I don't care if you stand up or squat beside my table to take my order. I don't try to pester a busy bartender. I never ask to transfer my bar tab to my table. I know how to signal that I'm finished with my plate. I tip damned well... a bare minimum of $1 per drink at a bar, and a bare minimum of 18% at a restaurant. I understand that you have a tough job (one that I don't really desire to do) and that you consider tips to be part of your income. I get all of that.
However, when I have to wait at a busy bar for 30 minutes or more for a bartender to decide that he/she can take my order now, you can damn sure expect that you aren't going to get tipped. Not going to happen. Your service sucked, so your tip sucks. Deal with it. You want better tips? Get better at your job.
I don't really care if you find us customers to be annoying. If that's really the way you feel – you're in the wrong job. Go find another one. I didn't ask for you to be my server. I didn't even suggest that waiting tables should be your job. You chose it. If you don't like it, move on.
If you hate people in general then you're in the wrong job and I can almost assure you that your tips are going to suck. Believe me, your disdain for me as a person shows and it most certainly WILL affect your tip.
I don't really care about who was assigned to what table or who is or isn't taking groups. If my party needs to move some tables together so we can all sit together then we're going to do it. Do you think everything goes as planned in my job every day? Hell no it doesn't. However, I accept that as part of life and move on. Tough crap.
If you don't like the fact that you have to rely on my own generous nature to put a roof over your head and food in your belly, then you're in the wrong profession. I am not required to tip. I do it out of generosity and graciousness. But remember: TIPPING IS NOT REQUIRED. Repeat that mantra to yourself 2000 times every night before bed. If it troubles you that your profession is set up in this manner then go find another job. And if you aren't claiming 100% of your tips on your taxes then you need to just put a sock in it. Yesterday.
None of the retorts from servers have done ANYTHING to make me actually want to continue being the good customer that I have been. Every one of you, to a person, has been rude, inconsiderate, ungracious, and just plain old surly. Remember the next time that you get a small tip or no tip at all that it may well have been caused by your rudeness in your posts and responses to this very thread.
Hear hear.
I waited tables all though college. It was a great job, I made far more than minimum wage. But I busted a__ doing it so I caould do it well. I found some of the long-term waiters – we called them “lifers” – to be the most entitled, sullen people I ever knew. They did not see that in themselves. They were quick to cause hostess to direct good customers to them and pawn off others, many were burned out from doing same thing for so long and they constantly complained about everything. I saw some angle for double-tipping on large tables, some would even confront patrons when they did not feel tip appropriately. At end of night they’d float their non-English speaking bus-boy a whole 10-spot after they made 20x that, while in the same breath complaining about the cheapness of many of their tables. I see many of those entitled lifers have made it to this blog and have not changed.
It serves well for both side to remember that:
A) The customer is expecting to be served and in return should pay for that service;
B) While the customer is having fun, the waiter is working. Waiting is not a hobby, and the waiter often has mouths to feed back home.
Be generous in the service you give; be gracious in the service you receive; if you have problems, why not help each other?
And finally, it's more likely that the diner paying for a fine dinner one year may be serving that dinner the next. Be humble.
There is one and only one reason why service quality in the US restaurants is 10X that of say European restaurants- in the US waiters get paid more if they are good and in Europe they get paid even if the service is horrendous. Lets keep it that way- tip the waiters well if they are good, and do not hesitate to leave little or no tip if the service sucks. This is not rude- this is what happens in any job in the US- work hard and well, and you are rewarded, suck at your job and you are shown the door.
You give me good service you get a 15% tip. You don't...the tip starts going down. You give great service...the tip goes up. Wish we could pay servers decent wages, but seen the results in Holland. They pay the servers well, the servers get paid whether you get good service or not. Therefore they do not expect a tip...therefore they don't have to try to please you. Those servers who expect a good tip whether they give good service or not...good luck. Refill my coffee....bring my food to the table HOT....and you will get a good tip. Ignore me...well....I'll ignore you come tip time.
Gosh, with all this deep resentment/anger/hate oozing out from both sides, kind of scares me to think about eating out. And I didn't realize so many waitstaff persons hated their customers so much.
I'll tell you what the root problem is here. Waiters dont provide you anything that is valuable but they want to make a living wage out of it. I'd much rather refill my own glass when its empty! At some restaurants you can and its so convenient. Other than that what have they done? Took my order to the kitchen and then carried it back to me? and you want to make a living from that? Thats why i never have much sympathy for waiters' complaints. Your existence is an inconvenience to me and you want me to PAY you for it!! Am i the only one that feels this way...I feel like i'm taking crazy pills.
I typically tip 20%. Having said that, WHY is it that deli charge receipts have a place for a TIP? And a tip jar sitting there. Really? If you're waiting on me in a restaurant setting I'll gladly tip, but don't make me feel guilty about not tipping at a deli counter.
This tipping business reeks so much of entitlement that it somewhat negates the entire dining experience....
Oh yeah...I understand that people like to use servers as their personal punching bags b/c they are finally outside their own miserable existance but understand this... You can tell A LOT about a person by how they treat their servers....it is a FAIL SAFE way to see how someone really is.
In America, tipping for even adequate service is expected. When your father is in the hospital or some other such misfortune has befallen you, does your boss decide not to pay you for that day even though you did your job (albeit without your usual $#!%-eating grin.) No. If a server is truly unqualified to perform their duties, by all means, stiff them. Maybe they'll quit and open a position for someone better. If you repeatedly get poor service at the same restaurant from different servers, you ought to rethink which local businesses you patronize. It is probably owned by a jerk who can't get a good waitstaff to tolerate their nonsense. Oh yeah, Europeans: Read the damn brochure before you come over for business or a visit. Just because servers in your country get paid a living wage doesn't mean we do. Bring cash or stay in London, tossers!
When I was a server 20 years ago 10% was standard and 15% was for excellent service. I don't know when servers started thinking that 15% was standard and 20-30% was for outstanding service.
I've read all of these crazy comments, and my head is kind of spinning. The only thing I'd like to add to forum is a commentary on waiting on tables with little kids. My husband and I looooove cooking and LOOOOOVE going out to eat. We did all of the time before we had kids. And, since both of us have worked in the service industry in varying capacities, we know how and when and what to tip. Now that we have kids, we still go out to eat, but our needs have changed. We need a server who will help us get food to the brood first. When a server walks up to our table -sees our 1 and 4 year olds – and says, "I'd be happy to place the kids' orders first if you need more time to make a selection," that server has automatically made 20%. If the server then actually manages to produce the food in good time, the tip keeps rising. One night, after a particularly busy and tiring day, we stopped into the local Red Lobster for dinner. We got this young waiter who was astoundingly good with our 4 year old son's dinner request – treated him like an actual human being by allowing him to order his food on his own – and followed through by getting the food out in record time. The kids were eating and happy so that we could also be eating and happy. I loved him immediately. We tipped him 30% and bragged to his manager about his wonderful service. Smiles all around. Tables with kids are a flat out pain in the rear, but we want our kids to learn the pleasures of eating out and enjoying foods from around the world. Hopefully, more servers will read this and be encouraged to help out Mom and Dad with the kids. Build future customers. We love good restaurants with good service. We are willing to pay for that service. Make us happy and we will make you happy!
Let's have the gangbangers serve as servers and busboys and have them serve the "NAACP, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and PC Police liberal left-wing media tables" and see them scream about minority rights getting trampled. They deserve each other!
If you do not tip you are pure trash. Nothing more, nothing less. I am not a server but a proud over tipper. Remember that an extra buck or two means nothiong to you, but it can really add up for them. AND if you give me the garabge about a buck or two BEING a lot to you...then you need to not be going out to eat and better learn what the words Top and Ramen mean...
I do my best to treat the servers with respect, because I know what it's like to have people treat you like crap. Afterall I spent several years in the retail industry, and I know it's rough. I also spent two weeks in the food industry and I swore I'd never do it again. I worked for a fast food chain, and some of the customers I had were downright rude. I can honestly see both sides of the arguement. There are some waiters that are extremely rude, but think that they should be given a generous tip. And I've seen customers that just should've been tossed out on their rears because they expected to be waited on hand and foot like royalty, even in light of their rudeness. Sad to say is it's all around, and people can't really do much anymore, without some sort of lawsuit popping up, especially in this ridiculous society. All I can say is this: To both sides you all should act better than what you have been. Instead of finding fault with each other, maybe you should take a step back and see what kind of faults you have that makes the other person resent you so. Maybe then there'll be better service and/or better tips, and even better patrons.
Dear Mike,
I must first beg you to watch the movie Waiting... Then I ask that you take your under tipping, self inefficient person to any restaurant, and attempt to be an outright ass to your server, who will then take your order to the cooks, only to have yourself eat whatever you ordered, plus saliva, ball sweat, or basically anything of use to treat people like you a lesson. Have a pleasant next meal!
Not sure how it works everywhere els but the employer is supposed to make the difference up to servers or anyone who get paid under minimum wage over the corse of the year. You might get paid less some days, and more others. But at the end of the day, it is your JOB to be kind, and represent your employer. If you are not having a good day, put on a smile and work for your tip.
The entire concept of a restaurant is bogus. Home cooking is superior, anyway. And if the main meal prepared needs a night off, the partner should step in and make the meal. If a restaurant owner can't make a living except by paying slave wages to his employees & expects his customers to subsidise his costs, he should go get a real job. The wait staff are consistently exploited...Lincoln freed the slaves! Go ahead, charge $75 for your steak dinner...see how long you are in business. Wait staff are generally better educated and more talented than their employers anyway & can certainly find other, less onerous forms of employment.
PEOPLE......Why are we bickering about this crap? This "he said"/"she said" crap is all because ONE turd wanted to stir the pot. Congrats to the author of the original blog. Congrats on bringing the status quo to light. I hope it worked out for you. Why don't you bring up another non-winnable topic for people to bicker over. I don't think abortion has been settled. Or maybe even the Holocaust should be thrown into the mix. Are you writing a thesis on how to rile people up? Is everyone just supposed to argue about everything in your little world? WTF
Amen! I think the Tupac scandal could use some resolving too1
Amen! I think the Tupac scandal could use some resolving too!
Tipping started by paying the Host in advance to ensure a better table and a good server. Then the restaurant owners realized that they could get by with paying servers due to the fact that diners were willing to tip at the end. As the illusion of middle class grew more people could afford going out for meals. industry and lawmakers got together and agreed to pay the servants third world wages while the rest of the workers continue to get raises servers pay will always remain the same. As a server for 20 years I got tired of working for guilt money and being taken advantage of by my employers. I say stop tipping, make the employers pay a living wage. Stop subsidizing corn and GMO "food" and watch the price of your steak dinner go up to $120. Most servers, good servers work harder and are asked to deal with more than any other profession.
I have to repeat Marc's well worded post...
"For most of my life, I have always heard that 15% was for great service. Sometimes I will go higher, but I find it amusing that people who are servers speak as if they are the authority, and a tip of 20% (or more) is required regardless of the level of service. If you are offended by a 15% tip, you should realize that not everyone shares your sense of your own worth. It is not necessarily that the service is not appreciated, it is more likely that we simply assign it different values.
I'd like to make more at my job and, quite frankly, my job requires more skill than is required to wait tables. Sorry if that sounds condescending, but let's face it, most people have the skill set required to wait tables. It doesn't require years of specialized study. However, my employer and the industry set the pay scale for me. When an industry can hire all the people it needs at a particular rate, then that is the going rate. The market sets the rate.
In food service, each individual customer is their own market. They will pay what they think they should pay to receive good service. If you want to earn more, provide better service. Some will stiff you anyway, but others will give you more than 15%. In my opinion, 15% is fair for great service, so I suspect your tips will average out to that. In some restaurants, 15% of the average bill works out to a high level of earning for a job requiring a skill set that is in such large supply."
I'm typically a great tipper. If you get my food right or even most of the way right, you will get 20% and if it's Sunday or I see the restaurant covered up with folks I know are crappy tippers, you will probably get 25 or more. But what I don't get now is the prevalence of "tip jars" everywhere. If I go to a restuarant which is essentially a slightly upscale version of a McDonalds where they take your order, give you a pager and have you come back and pick up your own food and bus your own table, I still see tip jars right up front. And if I pay on a credit card, they leave the tip line open with a meanful look at me when they pass it over. These may even be places with drive-up windows or not, but I don't feel a tip is justified but then again I mentally weigh my distaste with this practice against the fact that I don't want them to spit in my food either. What is going on with this trend? Is this just a way for counter service restaurants to pretend they are affordable so they pay nothing and expect you to tip their counter staff so they don't have to raise prices or is this just employees trying to figure out how to get more than appropriate? It's becoming ridiculous where I live to the point I'm expecting the guy checking out people at the convenience store to start putting out a tip jar any day now.
Um... about the tip jar at the convenience store checkout? We've actually got one of those already.... in Ohio, no less.
What a stupid article. Not the subject but the article itself. What is this one of thoes I phone, pad reports that are not realy done by journalists but stupid people? The author gives three really lousy points and that is it. As a customer I expect propt service like, when my drink is getting close to being empty I get a new one. Not wait through my entire dinner and am ready to pay before you bring it. Or to wait at a table with empty plates for more than a few minutes for the bill. Yes I said a feww minutes not 10-15. Or to be sat at a table and wait more than a few minutes before giving a drink order.
Where else do you you get service/sales, industrialized production, and in a substantial amount of cases university quality management that echoes threw the 3 groups sometimes the best and many times the worst of passive intellectual aggression. I haven't even started with the customers yet. The customers have to accept that this is a competitive world if they want to get to there next stop faster than they have to recognize the constant struggle. Its in pretty basic form(the struggle) but its all right there none the less. I've worked for grass roots dictators, and I've worked for people who are honorable about civil rights, it's a mix. But rarely have i seen a customer, in a homogeneous high activity environment ("the rush") have the E.Q., observation, and deduction skills to fairly asses where the problem lie in why there experience wasn't to there ideological or necessary desires.
But I bet if those complaining/ass customers wanna get back on the clock on time they'll just have to make that hard decision. because believe me some one older with more experience already probably cultured a good business relationship with some one there. maybe a manager seats them first because there a regular or maybe a server gives them priority because they tip well, brig cash, and or are just easy to deal with in general. bring cash, tip, REMEMBER WHAT YOU ORDERED, comment card are like money in our little world bosses remember the good ones too, but I've never payed rent with a comment card. @least 10% if you get you're food. @least 15% if the experience was benign to you're pre-restaurant state of mind and train of thought.
AND $&%^% treat us like "PEOPLE" we just might be working on our master degree and end up you're boss
Fork & knife resting @ 5:00 side by side, blade in, tines up or down is the universal sign of being finished with that course or meal; "Crossing" your utensils in the center of the plate means that you are "Resting" ...not finished. The article seems to imply otherwise.
Anon, I thought the position was across the top of the plate, not 5 o'clock.
I have a system that seems to work quite nicely. I'm an excellent server. I can tolerate the worst of customers with a smile and a positive attitude. It's my job. I'm professionally trained, college educated and have worked in some great restaurants throughout the country. When I get a "bad" (less than 12% in my eyes) tip, and I'm aware that my service was top-notch as always, this is what I do...... Write down the persons name (from the credit card, the reservation, comment card, or ID), take this information home, go to http://www.craigslist.com, select the "rant and raves" section which is from your general area in the country, and post your expirience with this guest, his name, his tip and his physical description for everyone in the community to read. This way, plenty of people who visit the site will get an earful about this patron's cheap tipping habits and hopefully will be encouraged by others to follow the basic rules which society has accepted as basic tipping practices. I never embarrass customers in front of others, but love to air thier cheapness and tightness in my local city internet community. I work for tips, and I work hard. I do it by choice, and I expect your respect. If not, you will find yourself on one of the MANY "cheap tipper" websites made available to society. Happy dining... I hope to see you soon....
@ people like Mike: I, too, worked in a restaurant for 7 years and now have a "real job." Let me just say, you have obviously NEVER worked in the service industry but what goes around comes around. I personally found it's miserable people like you who go into a restaurant looking for problems and something to be wrong with either the food or the servers attitude, justifying you being a cheap POS. As many others have commented, I would pray to not have the same server you stiffed twice because believe me, they remember. The world would, without a doubt in my mind, be a better place if everyone had to work in the service industry for at least a few months. If you don't want to tip, go to a McDonalds – that's your right. If you don't want to tip and patronize the same restaurant, or worse, the same server, be prepared for bad service – that's their right. There are plenty more people who come in and eat who DO tip well which keeps restaurants in business – or else no one would be a server. Do yourself and the world a favor and stay at home to eat.
This all really boils down to the following:
Intellectually Americans have decided that there is no class separation and that anyone who works for a living is on a level playing field with everyone else. This is in direct contrast with how the economy and all socioeconomic principles work. We are all not the same, we are all not entitled to making fist fulls of money. It is inexcusable to treat a waiter or waitress as sub-human or as a slave. It is not however, to be expected that if your a server you are in any way shape or form entitled to be treated as an equal. Customers should be polite, courteous, and pleasant in general, remember people your in public, ACT LIKE IT! Waitstaff, you also should be polite, courteous, and pleasant in general, remember, these folks pay for your livelihood.
I am not a cheap tipper, you will start at 15% and move up from there, you should expect that if you are on top of your game that you will get 20-25% from me regardless of the final bill. That doesn't mean you can't move down the scale however, the rate of decent is very steep with each problem resulting in another 5% down.
To expand a little on what I opened with, "We are not all equals", we're not. We should all treat each other with the same civility and kindness we in-turn would want to be treated with and if your really nice and do a really good job, you deserve to get a little bump in the tip but, to start out expecting that I "owe" you a dime over the cost of the tab is absurd. Life is about choice, mine and yours, I chose to eat at your establishment, you chose to work there. To put on me some trip about "...it's how we pay our bills...", that's on you. Make different choices. I never once thought to myself when I was in the service industry, "...man, these pricks are wrecking my life..." I understood what I was doing and why, I also was not above "flavoring" some folks food for them but, I never felt like they owed me a tip just for doing my job. They owed me a tip if I did above and beyond my job. If you don't want to be treated like a second class citizen, don't put yourself in a situation to be one.
To be sure, what I've said above is an A##hole thing to say but, its the truth that no one wants to talk about. The notion that if owners had to pay min-wage food costs would soar is the wool you choose to pull over your eyes. Cost is a derivative of the market conditions. You can only raise the price to a point at which your customer base is willing to pay, anymore and your out of business. Any owner that tells you they only make $0.25 on a steak dinner, is full of it. Wait unions, restaurant associations, and local governments are the reason you don't make minimum wage, it's to their benefit that you don't.
dont be a waiter if you dont like making $3 an hour...we all know there are a**holes out there, so if your in a business that deals with people, you have to be able handle a few jerks every now and then....orrr, get a new job
Never been a waiter, but I have had to deal with the public( worked at gas stations and movie theatres during highschool/college) and that can be very frustrating. I do not agree with feeling forced to tip. I typically double the tax to come up with my tip amount ( very easy and over 15%) Why should we tip according to the price of meal? Are you telling me a waiter at a high class restaurant works harder for a few tables an hour vs a waitress at denny's during breakfast rush? As I said I have never waited tables so let me know if my math is wrong here. I have a family of five(children ages 3,6,10) when I take the whole family out to dinner it averages $65, Just me and the wife about $35. Lets meet in the middle and say the average meal is $50. With your 20% rule you should get a $10 tip. Not sure how many tables you wait an hour but I'm guessing 3-5, so lets say 4. Thats $40 an hour on top of your $3.15 an hour and pretty sure nobody claims all their tips so some of that $40 an hour is tax free. Not bad if you ask me.
I think everyone should wait tables at least one day or even one hour to know how to behave and act at a restaurant and how to tip. I was a server a long time ago and I am the model patron because of this experience, the kind of patron every server wants all customers to be like. If people don't want or know or are too cheap to tip really should just stay home.
Far too many commments to read so perhaps this has been mentioned already. If I order one plate that cost $200 and another table orders a plate that costs $20, are the servers of the world entitled to more money due to the fact that what I am ordering is is more expensive? It's still one plate, you're not physically doing anything more for the extra money. I will tip you on your service and service only, not on how much i decide to to spend at your establishment. If you or your boss would like me to spend MY hard earned money elsewhere, that just fine by me. For all the "eat at home or McDonald's" comments, I could....and you would eventually be out of a job. If you don't like it, find another occupation.
Champ,
One thing to consider is that you're pretty unlikely to be in an establishment that has that much price disparity on one menu. If you're in a place where each plate costs $200, then it's a given that your server is pretty much indentured to you and perhaps one other table for the duration of your visit – so yes, in that case, when you've had a handholder for a few hours, tip according to price.
At the $20/plate establishment, your server will most likely have a larger section, and you won't be coddled. You'll have attention paid to you, but it'll be $20/plate attention... not $200/plate.
As a student who had class all day, the only other option for an income in my area in the evenings was to wait tables. I have to say, hungry people are generally cranky. It's human nature. So from the get-go, a server is usually already behind and has to do something amazing to try for the tip that will pay the electric bill. Part of the reason you get good service is because your server is working hard for the tip. Tips ARE the income and it's good incentive to try to be the best server there ever was. If servers were paid a flat hourly rate, there wouldn't be incentive to work in a restaurant and deal with constantly disgruntled customers. You would probably see service decline because no matter what you think about your food or your service, the waiter will still get their pay. So be kind to your server who really is working very hard to please you, and tip them accordingly. There is nothing more frustrating than wasting a smile and a lot of energy trying to please someone who doesn't believe in rewarding someone for their hard work. And think about that next time you want a raise at your job...you want to be rewarded for your hard work too, right?
My pet peeve is food delivered that is not as described on the menu I ordered from or lacks the changes I agreed upon with the waiter, esp hot food served cold. There are numerous reasons the food could be wrong, but I expect the waitperson to verify the dish before its delivered to my table. If they do that quality check, I tip them at least 15%. The extra 5-10% is all attitude. Deliver the food wrong and you get a $1.00. Just enough so you know I didn't forget.
Just to remind everyone, serves usually get about 2-3 dollars an hour. if the resturant paid more per hour you would have to pay more for your food. So if you don't tip you are STEALING!
That's only true in some states. I know where I live they get at least minimum wage.
we pay $15-$25 for bread chicken pasta..and $23 for a small fillet of grilled salmon..so NO..tthere is no hell way ur owner can jack up those prices...DEMAND from ur owner...if dont eat out not only ur owner but u will be on food stamps..
I've served before and frequent restaurants a lot. I have to agree with Mike at the beginning of this neverending forum. The staff needs to make the first move in providing customer service to earn their tip. If you do what you're supposed to and do a good job at it, your tips and repeat customers will come. There will be more happy and well-tipping returning customers than ones that aren't. Trust me on that.
Honestly, I prefer to do away with the tipping system. Many countries do it, and they do not have exorbitant dining prices that some owners are claiming they must resort to if the tipping system was eliminated. That's owners being cheap and wanting to hire below minimum wage.
All these people claiming they will shut your restaurant down by staying at home are fools. For every crap customer like you there are 10 with a positive attitude who come in for the food and will tip as long as the service is good. Please stand on your chair and shout how bad service is so as you leave the rest of us will clap and hope you get run over by the car of the previous rude customer who stormed out.
Before anyone foams at the mouth about how I'm a bad server. I have never a server, I almost always tip if it's deserved and I'm not going to treat a server like a slave no matter what.
If I won the Lottery I'd buy a restaurant just so I can throw out rude customers for fun, video tape it, and air it on youtube.
I'm tired of the American attitude of applauding mediocrity. Let's bring back the days when tipping meant a service that goes beyond normally required.
yes we know you whine about not being paid much; yes we know you work all day; yes we know you work hard and have to put up with idiots blah blah blah. So does every body else. Don't expect a too much of a tip if all you do is a crappy job. Serving people is part of your job description. Unless you go above and beyond, what makes you think the customers will happily tip you?
A tip shouldn't be mandatory. That defeats the whole purpose of a tip.
By the end of the day, if you aren't getting much tip, don't blame the customers. Maybe blame yourself because you were a lousy server.
This is why I work part time in the 'safe-zone' as a dishwasher. I like to stay out of the tip-zone havoc. Im looking for more hours. I honestly dont know what to say about all the contravesal comments, but you guys complaining about lousy tips, well let me tell you, anything right now is better than being out of work. I was making $400 a week before this body blow, and knock out recession started. Now its not even half that. Im happy and blessed what I have now. You should be too. I think you ought to treat these customers like royality, because they are keeping the gears turning, PERIOD! You give me a shovel, and Ill dig the largest hole ever at the smallest expense. :-)
To: owner/chef
Right on brother! You hit the nail on the head!
I worked as waiter myself so I can identify the hassles that can go on everyday just to get the customers taken care of.
To: SourDiesel
Right on to you too brother! You hit the nail on the head!
The worst tippers ( a rather generous term since they don't tip ) ARE BLACKS. That isn't to say there aren't blacks that don't tip (there are those who do and a lot work in food services) and that non blacks do tip ( a lot of the worst offenders fall in this category).
You don't see or hear the NAACP, Al Sharpton, the "Reverend" Jesse Jackson, or the PC Police liberal left-wing media saying anything about it. No. Yet they complain when taxi drivers (who don't get tipped by these so-called African "Americans") ignore blacks (who don't tip ).
@Mike -
Congratulations. You win, buddy. You won a war of words on the Internet. This accomplishment must make you feel even more high and mighty now. Just a heads-up, though: it's not just servers and bartenders who notice your condescending attitude. Other customers do as well. I have no problem with asking to either (a) be moved to another section, or (b) have my check brought early. I'm not going to penalize a server for your boorish behavior. I will, however, point out as I'm leaving that you're a sanctimonious prick and I might even spit in your food (and then tip your server because I know that you're sure as heck not going to).
I waited tables and bartended my way through college. You know what i learned? Attitude gets you pretty darn far. That's why, sir, I don't believe I'm far off track by thinking that you spend a lot of time in your mom's basement, playing with her cats, and wondering how your sad, bitter life got so screwed up.
Servers and bartenders: as long as you provide good service, you get a good tip from me. And if I don't have the money to leave a good tip, then I don't go out. Period. End of story.
I can count on one hand how many times I've been upset with service I've received or haven't liked the waiter/waitress. I've never worked as one, so I couldn't tell you what they go through, but if your the least bit observant you can tell they are being pulled in every direction possible. There's a couple simple words that I"m sure they don't hear nearly as much as they should which are please and thank you. I get so irritated sitting next to tables that snap their fingers or yell across a crowded room, no manners at all. So what if you have to wait an extra minute or 2 for your drink or meal while your server got a child a balloon or some extra crayons. If you don't like to wait, do go out to eat.
Thank you all who serve my family when I'm too tired to do it!
I read "servers only make $3 per hour" and "servers make pretty good money" and "our full time servers make $100k per yer" . If there wasn't money in it, people wouldn't do it. At the end of the day it all averages out, and good tippers balance out crappy ones. Please, though, don't complain about the money; if you didn't make enough you wouldn't still be doing it. EVERYONE wants to make more, but only some people take the steps to do so.
Someone commented about the Australia system. I had HORRIBLE service in Australia (Brisbane) at EVERY restaurant I went to, regardless of menu price, and I habitually tip 20% or more in the States. I felt zero incentive to tip those people because the attitude was very much "a fvck it, I'm getting the same money if I give him a hand job or spit in his drink". Why would we want that service over here?
I was at a restaurant the other day, which we go to all the time. My daughter loves hot chocolate, and they always bring her a refill. this particular time, we asked for a refill, the waitress said I have to charge you. I said they have never done that before. She said very snippy like, I'll get you one more and left. Guess what tip she got based on that crap attitude. Zip, Zilch, nothing.
you are the reason wait staff hates demanding customers. The extra refill is probably given to you because you are........... a bitch. The server you had charged you for the refill because EVERYONE else is charged. If you have a problem paying for the hot chocolate for your brat.......... go somewhere else.
I'm okay with servers getting their say. I'm not always in a good mood or pleasant to deal with. I can admit it. BUT.... let me kindly remind waitstaff that when my husband and I are having a rare lunch out to let us enjoy it! Case example: we went to a chain Italian restaurant for lunch recently with our newborn twins. First, the waitstaff argued with me about how I should place the infant carrier in the chair next to me (they thought they knew what would be easier for me to manage). Second, our waitress – while pleasant enough proceeded to not only dote on the twins, but stand next to our table the entire meal. She even asked if we have a chance to get out often, and we did tell her no, that it was a rare treat for us. She brought her managers and fellow waitstaff to our table one at a time to show them the twins. If she didn't have a reason to be at the table, she would repeatedly come back over with a comment or anecdote about her children. She then capped off the meal with a dissertation of her feelings on child abuse and how she "could never eat a bite of food knowing that children are intentionally starved in this world." In fact, the only time we didnt have her attention was when we actually needed something. The BEST part.... when we were walking out, one of the other servers remarked to us "Have a nice day, sorry you couldn't eat your meal in peace."
Two items:
Firstly, people need to abandon the "TIPS = To Insure Prompt/Proper/Percussive/(whatever) Service"–because it's not true. Seriously. Don't believe me? Good. Look it up for yourself and maybe learn something in the process.
Secondly, open another browser window/tab and Google this: The Customer Is Not Always Right. Potentially another eye-opening experience. While I've never worked in the restaurant industry, my wife has, and I've witnessed firsthand her experiences. I work in healthcare, and while I am well-paid for my years of education and experience, I am frequently paid not nearly enough to deal with the nonsense people bring in with them. I can bear witness to the fact that these self-same people are much the same out in the world. Sad, really.
Each and every day that passes–and having burned 20 minutes reading the comments on this page–makes me lose even more faith in this species.
I am really disturbed by those who claim to put "things" in peoples food for whatever reason. That is absolutely disgusting. How do you live with yourself? I hope the same happens to those who do that, only 10 fold. Shame on you and grow up.
HAVE TIPPED UNDEDR 20%*** sorry
To all you other servers out there...have you ever asked a table, "can I bring you something to drink?"...only to have them respond, "no...Ill just have water..." LOL... what are you gonna do?... snort it?
Servers – Please stop threatening to taint people's food. I waited tables for over 7 years and have never done something like that, nor have I seen any of my co-workers stoop to that level. Yes, customers can be a pain sometimes – but it doesn't justify that. That comment merely confirms their already twisted view of what serving is, and to my knowledge, that practice is NOT the norm.
I have read through all of this and decided I need to weigh in. I HAVE worked in customer service most of my teenage and adult life. I have worked in the food service industry and in a grocery store (where believe me you get the full wrath of a customer and no tip). First off for people who believe you have the right to complain about any and everything....you do. But do not be a jerk about it. Please and thank you go along way. Severs are not your own hired help. They are people who have a job to do and are entitled to be treated with respect. Now servers the client does have a right to set an expectation and you do not have the right to ignore requests and not come back for periods of 15 min when something has been asked for especially the bill. I had a teacher who told us at the beginning of the school year that we all have an A+ and its up to the student to maintain it. I follow the same thinking when I dine out. I sit down and that server has at least a 20% tip already. I dont think its unreasonable to think someone cant do the basics to maintain it (dont forget this is coming from someone who made pizza and got nothing from the servers and still bags groceries aside from my full time job to pay the bills) if at the end of my meal I have been treated with the same level of respect I have given and have not been ignored or treated rudely or been given a wrong order or cold food then that 20% or more stands. Under not circumstances should I be expected to tip 20% for lousy service. Show me any job where sub par work is met with a bonus.
Funny how arrogant people are who dont or never have waited tables. Forget expectations.... I can bring you your food and throw it down on your table and walk away, only to return with the check... that is worth $2.05 an hour.... if you want me to check back on you and prebus your table, refil drinks and make sure you are happy, then you better use some courtesy when you leave... 15-20%. You get what you pay for, and where Im from people remember faces.
Look, I don't agree with not tipping, but what you just said is dumb and your boss would agree and you wouldn't have a job very long. waiters are not the only people expected to give good customer service ie....... convenience store clerks, butchers, produce employees, so on and so on.
I've never worked as a server (or anything even related to the food industry) but I know many people that have. I hear the complaints, and they're all on here. But I just don't understand where these people come from. I mean, it's America... we tip. You don't want to tip? Cook for your damn self. We go to a restaurant to get served and not cook. You KNOW before you go there to tip your server. I can't remember the last time I haven't tipped under 20%. Just me, I'm not expecting everyone else to do it. But really, a group of 3 comes to $50... it's $3.33 A PERSON! Even Scrooge can find it in himself to pay that. What's the problem here? Stingy people making excuses.
In Canada, the lowest provincial minimum wage is $8.00/hour which includes the service industry. We also are expected to leave a 15% tip but last time I checked a steak dinner in a decent place didn't cost me $75... Just saying $2.00/hour is a little ridiculous...
I understand that people work for tips etc etc. Great. But for all the people that say a 25 dollar steak will cost 75 dollars – what I dont think they understand is that if the restaurant accounted for 20 percent of the list price as wages or tips, the prices dont go up like crazy – a 25 dollar steak will cost 30 bucks. Accordingly, at bars, it is easier to open a bottle of beer, than to mix a martini – so why should the tip be the same on each – no really. And as asked in the movie pulp fiction – the servers at mcdonalds, certainly do the same amount of work as opening a beer bottle – why not tip them.
I can't believe all these rude servers. 15% is for standard service– which is what I normally receive, therefore it is what I normally give. 20% is for excellent service. The Lisa who seems to think that 20% is standard is very wrong. Also, I worked at a waitress in NYC while I was in college. You don't even want me to tell you what the servers do to your food if they don't like you. I don't eat out because of the horrible behind the scenes food stuff.
I have a test for you to try sometime. I have done this before for a psychology paper when in college. The next 3-4 times that you dine out, when you get your bill, simply ask your server what they think they should get as a tip. When they give you that amount ask them why they picked that amount. Give them the pros and cons of your experience and then again ask them what they deserve. The answers will be quite different. Most servers think that no matter the service they provide they still deserve the average 15%. Some servers no matter what think they deserve 20-30%. Those servers that you help to understand why you're going to tip them less are going to becoming better at their jobs in the future.
Who has time for all that? Plus, is it really our job to educate restaurant servers? Sounds a bit arrogant.
Give me a break. I'm in law enforcement – do you think I ever get a tip for putting my life on the line every day? You think I should tip you for coming to my table and asking what food I want, and then bringing it to me 15 minutes later (if I'm lucky)? Give me a break.
You should if you want table service – yes. The minimum wage for most servers in this country is about $2 an hour because it's expected they'd get tips to make up the rest.
Do you make $2.13/hour, cop?
Haha...what a typical cop you are. Thanks for furthering the negative stereotype.
Nobody expects a tip on a donut.
All I can say is Mike you sound like a complete and utter Bollix , if you had a clue you would not be making the comments you make . I travel to Europe where they include the wage in the cost of the meal , so an ass like you would have to pay full price with no choice in the matter.
I remember the days when I delivered pizza. Although we got paid full minimum wage, for some reason the majority of other delivery drivers expected to be tipped. I can partially understand that – - after all, you are providing a service. After a while, I began to expect it as well, since the service I'm providing permitted the customer the convenience of not leaving their house. Believe me, we remember good/bad/no tippers and your delivery time was adjusted accordingly, especially when the penalties for late deliveries were eliminated. Did some drivers mess with your food? Possibly. The easiest way to prevent that? Get off your butt, go to the store, place your order, watch it being made, and take it home yourself. Oh, and just so you know, most of the places that charge a delivery fee – - that DOESN'T go to the driver, the store keeps it!
Several of my family members and friends have been or currently are waitresses/servers; therefore I know how important tips are to them. And it can be difficult to work with the public sometimes. I work with the public in a non-food service industry and am amazed at how rude people can be. How about if we all treat each other as human beings (or better yet, treat others the way you want to be treated)? What really disturbs me are the threats to spit in or mess with the food or drinks I order. Truly disgusting. Let's just play nice people.
I'm a Bartender to supplement my income on the weekends. When my bar is 3 deep and a guest isn't tipping you can bet I'm skipping them to take care of another guest that is tipping. Oh also, when I do finally serve you your getting a short pour. It's the reality of what really happens.
Ryan...let me guess...you're a dick and expect that everytime someone orders a drink you deserve a couple of bucks thrown at you for doing a minimal amount of work that took you all of 5 seconds to complete? Am I close?
Barternders and waitstaff have to make their money when the rush comes. It's absoulute mayhem because they're trying to make almost all their money in a 2 hour period when their shift is 6 to 8 hours long and last shift WILL stay late every single night to clean up, close, and set up for the next nday. Add two hours after the doors lock, THATS when the lights turn off. Waiting tables is controlled chaos. Supply and demand determines your level of attention and service.
I do not believe what Im reading. Why cant you be thankful you have a JOB? No wonder I see alot of posistions open for bartenders. Bottom line is they are the customer. You spoild school boys never have enough education to admit when you are wrong. Let me tell you somthing, if I come into your bar and deal your 'school boy snobby too good to work for a low wage attitude, *WILL BLOW A HUGE BLUE COLLAR CLOUD OF SMOKE IN YOUR FACE!!* POOR PRIDE!!! I hope you get sent out into the streets. Selfish people like you just MAKE-ME-SICK!!!!
Servers should give good service – customers should tip the customary amount when they get that service. Why is this so hard? It's true that servers make only around $2 an hour in pay, and rely on tips for the rest – but they shouldn't feel they are owed a tip if they provide crappy service. If someone is just too cheap to tip – they should eat at a quick-service operation or stay home.
Waiters & guests are like politicians: Most are good but too many are rotten. Many times waiters get blamed for the cooks negligence. But the worst is a manager who sends too few waiters for too many guests, and of course the guests blame the waiter.
For most of my life, I have always heard that 15% was for great service. Sometimes I will go higher, but I find it amusing that people who are servers speak as if they are the authority, and a tip of 20% (or more) is required regardless of the level of service. If you are offended by a 15% tip, you should realize that not everyone shares your sense of your own worth. It is not necessarily that the service is not appreciated, it is more likely that we simply assign it different values.
I'd like to make more at my job and, quite frankly, my job requires more skill than is required to wait tables. Sorry if that sounds condescending, but let's face it, most people have the skill set required to wait tables. It doesn't require years of specialized study. However, my employer and the industry set the pay scale for me. When an industry can hire all the people it needs at a particular rate, then that is the going rate. The market sets the rate.
In food service, each individual customer is their own market. They will pay what they think they should pay to receive good service. If you want to earn more, provide better service. Some will stiff you anyway, but others will give you more than 15%. In my opinion, 15% is fair for great service, so I suspect your tips will average out to that. In some restaurants, 15% of the average bill works out to a high level of earning for a job requiring a skill set that is in such large supply.
Well said and without Snark..... good for you.
Complaining about tipping is self-defeating. Otheres have pointed out the acronym "to insure promptness," and I think it is worth realizing that it acts as a check against bad service. Of course good tipping does not eliminate bad service, just like good service does not eliminate bad tips. But common sense dictates there is a correlation– the better the service, the better the tips,and vice versa. I was a former server and I took pride in my admittedly menial work; but I find it interesting how useful the multi-tasking skills so well-honed in waiting have served me very well as a physician. I take equal pride in how I perform my duties today, despite the obvious differences in job duties. I will say this– waiting was the most stressful time in my life by far, by far outweighing the stress from the complexities of medical school and residency; at least in the latter I had control of my destiny. It's a hard way to live when your livelihood is based entirely on the whims of someone else, whether those be good reasons such as rude or inadequate service, or more nebulous and frustrating ones such as customer's financial situation or personal stance against tipping. I ask that everyone who hasn't waited tables to keep an open mind, to understand that just because it requires little job skills does not mean the server has no potential skills to offer, and that given a choice, most waiters would move on to greener pastures were they available. To my knowledge, the current standard is 18% for adequate service– adequate being reasonably prompt greeting, professional demeanor, reasonable attentiveness adjusted for the restaurant conditions, and addressing and acknowledgement of problems and/or delays. Incorrectly cooked food is not your server's fault. Tipping is more difficult for take-out orders, but just like waiting there is an art to it. It's not just turning in orders and handing out food. There is an element of experience to judge the busyness of the kitchen to estimate the time the customer should arrive (along with the 10 other orders to go). Trust me, as a customer, ideally you want to wait at least a couple of minutes once arriving; this means your order was just finished and is as fresh as possible. I still tip 15%, and would increase that according to the size of the order.
When waiting tables, you should not be compensated for everything you have to offer society, but, for what is required by the job. I worked night stock to put myself through college. I earned a degree because I felt I had more to offer than stocking shelves. Nonetheless, when working as a stock boy, I earned what a stock boy earned, and did not expect to be compensated for abilities I had, which I did not use at work.
@ Marc:
I agree with you entirely. We cannot pay for what someone may do in the future; my only intent was to complete the picture of the person working as the server, or any other low wage profession.
My wife and I stopped for a drink the other night. I had a beer and she had 2 glasses of wine, with the wine being highly recommended by the bartender. My glass of beer was $5.50 (domestic even) while my wife's 2 glasses of wine were $24.00. I have no doubt the bartender recommended the wine because it was expensive. So I have an over $30 bar tab and am expected to leave another $6 for the freaking bartender to pour our drinks???? Needless to say I felt very ripped off and will never go back.Get freaking real
I usually tip 20%. I never go under 15% even of the service is lously. I have never been a server but I used to be a hostess...so I sort of understand what servers go through(even though I hated working with them sooo much). I never leave less than $5 even if its a cheap meal. The only time I get peaved at a server is when the restaurant is really slow and I get bad service when I can see them goofing off with their coworkers...but mostly I feel bad for servers they have a really hard job!
My main annoyance working as a server: customers who move tables without asking. You think it's totally alright to move two tables together because they are adjacent or near by, but you have no idea how the servers' table assignments are determined or if a certain server is not supposed to be taking large groups. By taking it upon yourself to just combine the tables you run the risk of really pissing off your server staff before they've even come to your table.
I waited tables through college to pay for rent, tuition, books, etc. It was the only option that had flexible hours that I could work around my class schedule and paid enough generally that I could survive on tips (w/a couple of roommates in a cheap college town). I then went back to waiting tables as a part-time job to supplement what my salary at my professional, white-collar job did not (whatever my dental insurance didn't cover; unexpected expensive vet bills; an occassional 3-day weekend vacation). Nothing really changed in the 10 years between service jobs – most people were nice or nice enough, some just didn't know better and more than a few were just out to make someone else's life as miserable as theirs (Mike, I'm thinking you're that type). If you've never waited tables, you don't know what all is involved. It's hard work and the amount of BS you have to put up w/from people is astounding. Most servers grin and bear it because we're usually too busy to get sucked into the drama and don't want our other tables to suffer because of one jackass. No doubt there are too many waiters and bartenders with a ridiculous entitled attitude but they're not the norm. If you have a problem w/someone like that, ask for the manager and fix the situation. If you're the problem and treating your server like a servant, don't expect them to kiss your ass. Tipping is the norm in this country. If you can't afford to tip, don't go out to eat. If you're too cheap to tip, don't go out to eat. If you can't behave in public, don't go out to eat. If the server does an exceptional job, tip 20-25%. If they do a good job (prompt, pleasant, helpful, etc), tip 15%. If there's a problem w/the food (that's the kitchen's fault) and the server doesn't make the situation right, talk to a manager and tip less if you really feel the server did you some sort of disservice, but don't just stiff someone that makes $2.13 an hour because YOU think they should find a better job or they deserve to make no money because they wait tables. That ignorant, arrogant attitude is about as acceptable to servers as the entitled server attitude is to you.
Wow, such bitterness on both sides. Crazy, flinging insults at each other. I've worked fast-food, I've been a server, and now I enjoy my job behind a desk, and the privilege of eating out occasionally. All of you that patronize restaurants, is it really going to kill you to go with a base 15% tip and then add more for a good server? And do you really expect your server (who, on a slow dinner rush might have 6 tables) to be your personal slave? We tip extra because our kids make a mess no matter how hard we try to contain it. We're polite, easy to get along with, and the only things I'm going to "down grade" are things that pertain to the job of server; things like refills; getting the order correct. If you're choosing to eat out, and your server is choosing to earn a living that way, will it really kill us all to let the little nit-noid pet peeves wash over us, and try to have a pleasant evening together?
I used to serve and as a server felt that I earned the tips i got. Because of that, i went out of my way to be overly friendly, nice, helpful, and courteous. Some people were just lousy tippers, but for the most part, I got 20% or more as a tip, which I felt I had earned. I never felt like I was owed a tip or that I should get a certain amount for a tip just because I was there. As a customer now, I generally start off at 10% as a tip... if the service was awful, I lower that. If the service was great, I raise it. If the service was really great, I not only raise it, but I ask for the maanger to tell them my service was great too.
I generally follow that same rule for any other service as well, start at 10%, raise it if it is great service, lower it for bad service.
I don't eat out much anymore. I prefer to stay home and cook. When I lived in Vegas- I got great service and often times had waitresses me and my coworkers would go back and see weekly. We would always tip around 20-30% and where happy to. Iowa is different. A vast majority of waiters have additudes and try to be tough guys, which is why I preferred waitresses. But so many are judgemental because I ask for water or only order $9 in food. I'm an athletic man and I want to keep my body fit- so I don't drink soda and I don't stuff myself. If the waiter/waitress is courteous then they may even get a $10 tip for my 30 minute meal of $9. If they do the bare minimum and don't seem interested I do understand that they are not their to be my friend- they still get $3-4. If they are rude-I will try to assure them I am a good custoemr with sparse friendly conversation, If that fails they get nothing and I pay in cash so they can't forge a tip. These people are people too, just because I walk in with a tie doesn't mean I'm better. But servers should understand that most people view eating out as a special occasion. Customers want to have fun- so be nice so you don't spoil our mood. Btw- the holdiays are especially tough so give a nice tip if you can. I make it a practice to tip $50 for outstanding service just before the holidays. Not everytime- but then again, I rarely eat out anymore because of the rudeness I do encounter.
If you can't afford to tip, then you don't belong eating at a restaurant.
First, to all the restaurant owners saying that they cant pay more than $2.09 an hour. I do cry foul! In California the minimum is $8 an hour plus tips for servers and these are full service corporate chains.Guess what, the burgers starch and vegies cost around $22 a plate.It sounds to me that whom ever is paying only $2 an hour is cheap. The cost of living is even higher in San Fransisco where now to make up for this the minimum is $9.75 an hour. I will admit the food is a bit pricier but still not $75 plate for the burg, starch and vegies. Being an executive chef for the last ten yrs. and working in the FOH also as a manager. I am aware of the costs of the food and the need for friendly service but people tip and servers be nice no matter what . It is a job it is not ment always be fun, and servers move to Cali where they arent cheap and pay better hourly wages. Beware cause the guests are the rudest and modifying champions and they really dont care about you.You deside the lesser of the two evils. Finally tip damnit, stop being cheap.
Please stop responding to Mike... don't feed the trolls. ;)
For everyone of you jackazz's that don't tip then shame on you. Its apprarent that you have never had to work as a server before or you would think differently. I guess if you say that waiters should be paid by their employeers I guess you could say that about all jobs that take tips. There are alot of jobs that have tips included. So if you take into condiseration what all the dumbasses on here say then half the jobs in the work wouldn't exist. Tips have been around for years and years and if you have a problem with tipping then keep your cheap ass at home and eat McDonalds.
I was just informed CA pays minimum wage. I feel better now, knowing that my 10% to 15% tip is indeed QUITE generous. For you servers out there saying "well your food would cost a lot more if we got paid min. wage..." well here in CA the food is not that expensive, so quit that argument.
It sounds like most of these server's shouldn't be doing what there doing? Most of them seem very angry-at what? Figure it out. You work with the public. Just because, you serve food doesn't mean you deserve a tip. Why should I tip someone that gives lousy service or doesn't remember my order, or doesn't bother to check up on my table!! Seriously, find a different job that you would prefer to do.
For those of you serving: There really is no excuse for rudeness. Being friendly IS part of the job.
For those of you talking about not tipping: you need to actually think about the math here. The expenses and taxes that are taken out of a Servers pay are based upon their sales, not upon their tips. The IRS FORCES them to claim a percentage of their sales. Its not a % of their tips, but their sales. If you have a dinner that sets you back $200, the server is going to be taxed as if they made 22$ off of you, whether you give that to them or not.
The type of restaurant does indeed make a difference as well. A server in a better establishment that waits on an average of 8 tables a night, cannot deal with being stiffed as well as a someone working in a diner turning over 50 tables a night.
Im not saying that you should give 20% for poor service. Im saying that you should leave SOMETHING to at least cover the servers expense for waiting on you. If you are willing to stiff the server, having a conversation with manager is a good idea.
Heres a fun blame list:
All the food is cold: Thats your waiter/food runners fault
Some of the food is cold: That means some of the food was ready before others, this is the kitchens fault
Your table is terrible: There is usually a rotation, or sections. The seats are assigned based on not overloading any one server. If you are sat somewhere you dont like, ask the hostess to move you right away.
Your cocktail is weak, its stronger when you sit at the bar: Bartenders get in trouble for pouring to heavily. They are more likely to take that risk for someone that will tip them directly. Customers at the bar can also think they can visibly see what is poured. (there is an air hole on liquour pourers. If you cover the hole nothing comes out. when you add a mixer at the same time you can make a real light pour without the customer knowing, even if they are looking right at the drink while you pour)
Food is mixed up: thats your server
They forgot my special request: its your servers job to communicate that to the kitchen, and verify that the kitchen honored it.
Meat is not cooked to my favorite doneness: This could be either the kitchen, your server, or you! Google it and find out if your the one mis-ordering.
People have come to think that they deserve more than they do, both customers and waitstaff. Tipping is not required, however that doesn't give the customer an excuse to look for reasons not to tip or to be uncivil. I've never worked in a restaurant, but I've worked in customer service and some days I went home thinking how much I truly hated people. Seriously, a waiter is not the same thing as a servant. Loose the attitude. Maybe your bad service is a result of your own doing. It sounds like @ Mike has had a lot of bad service. I personally try to always smile, say thank you, and tip well. It is very rare that I have bad service and when I do I look around to see the cause. It's usually do to being short staffed or something noticable. If I can tell the server is trying, but something else is going on I still tip well. I've never had someone be an outright bad server. I make mistakes and I know others do to so I try to be forgiving. If there is a problem address it nicely and you'd be suprised at the results. And because I'm such a nice customer I think I get better service because of it. However, if I did get truly bad service I would tip a lesser amount, but I'd still leave something. Another thing to think about is that the server you are being rude to, may be connected to you somehow through a friend. Would you treat your friend's younger brother or sister like that? What if you (customer) are a business owner... you may have just lost a potential customer because of your attitude? A customer deserves a good experience and should get it, however some customers go beyond and think they should be treated like royalty.
I was a bus boy and a bar tender for a number of years. As far as servers go, TIPS are 80 – 90% of what they take home people, Please don't forget that. By treating your server nicely they will respond in kind. If you have the mentality that you are the only customer in the place, try trading places with your server. I GUARANTEE you'll see things differently at the end on one shift. If your bar tender treats you well, treat him/her well. It's the bar tenders choice to serve you, they are not always required to serve you. If the bar is extremely busy, TIP WELL, poor tippers at a busy bar are the FIRST people to be ignored by a bar tender. When a bar is full, a bartender has the best opportunity to work hard and make some good money. This makes up for the nights when the bar is dead, so please understand, we like to eat well too. The bottom line is that you should follow the golden rule; If you do you won't be disappointed.
I was a server in high school, college, and a little bit after college. About 90% of the time, I got a good tip from my customers. Here's why – the tips are a server's compensation. Like anyone else, however, you have to EARN that compensation. You're not entitled to tips just because you're in the service industry. If you worked in an office and constantly copped an attitude with your boss and were inattentive to your assignments, you'd get fired. Consider your customers your "bosses" and treat them accordingly. They'll have a pleasant experience and you'll get fair compensation for a job well done.
If you have been working in this field your entire life then you are a loser. Get a real job and stop blaming others for your misfortunes. being a server is not a profession its a way to get by while in scholl. GROW UP YOU BUNCH OF WINEY FAT KUNTS. SERVING FOOD IS NO WAY TO TRY AND MAKE A LIVING..... HAHAHA IF YOU ARE STUPID ENOUGH TO TRY AND WORK IT TILL IT DOES!!!!!
sounds like a lot of lousy wait staff complaining that they have to deal with people.. if you don't like people, work in the kitchen! It is your job to wait on people.. nice people, mean people... your food prices are the same regardless of the person you are waiting on, the service should be the same too. If I have questions, I intend on asking them.. if I annoy the wait staff because i am asking questions, well, tough. i am paying your wadges, and should not be afraid to clarify anything that is on the menu... And as for the bartender nbot wanting to transfer a check.. um.. just say, no, sorry, you need to close out here. Done. Fin. I was a server for years... as a server, if you want to get paid, you better make each table feel special.. answer thier questions, take thier orders with a smile, suggest parings, and really, in short, do the job we are paying you 15-25% over the check total is, without attitude, and we will be happy.
I am capable of calculating a tip...although I disagree with the leave your tipping chart at home comment, some people grew up relying on a calculator and fortunately my teachers insisted we keep are basic math skills too. I generally calculate closer to 20% or more than 15%
Never been a fulltime server, hopefully I will never need to be...but I sure can relate to the grouchy customer complaint. I have friends that I dread going to a restaurant with because although they may normally be nice people, they morph into the Grinch when we sit down. Nothing is right, service is too slow one time too fast the next, food is too cold one time, ridiculously hot the next. "How dare he/she not ask if I would like dessert before bringing the check?" when in reality the server is probably as anxious to end this meal with you as I am. If the server sits or squats next to me or the table, I assume it is to make the atmosphere more intimate for one reason or another.
My one true pet peeve from a server...asking if I need change . Tell me you will be right back with my change. I'll tell you if it is not necessary. I know you are tired of running back and forth.
The notion that customers are supposed the pay more than the price posted on the menu plus tax is the reason I frequent fast food drive-thru lanes. I don't like the tipping practices in this country. Therefore I don't bother going to restaurants where I am supposed to subsidize the waiter/waitress' salary. I think tipping is a silly prictice. If your boss wants you to earn minimum wage, then he/she should pay you minimum wage, not below minimum wage and then expect the customer to make up the difference.
There are idiots on both sides of the table, and most of these posts are a joke. I was in the service industry for years as was my wife. I've held every position from bus boy to manager. We are no longer in the industry but still have many friends who are, and for the record, we both enjoyed our time doing it. Here are just a couple points for both sides:
Waiters –
20% is not mandatory. Your tip will be based on your performance. Stop complaining. Seriously.
If you are not making 15%, maybe waiting is not for you. Not everybody is cut out for it.
Some customers, as in all walks of life, are a$$es. Deal with it. Smile and move on. Bitch about it in the back of the house.
They call it the Service Industry for a reason. Give good service, get good pay. Check your orders when you put them in and again before you deliver them. It is your job to make sure the customer has a good experience.
Keep yourselves well groomed. Nobody wants to be servers from a slob.
Learn to read your tables. If you can't, this industry is not for you.
Customers –
Eating out is a luxury. Tipping, based on service, is expected. This should be part of your budgeting before you choose a restaurant. If you do not want to tip, may I suggest KFC, take out, tv dinners....
Tip based on the service level. If your server sucks, so should the tip. Great service, 20+ IS appreciated. We will brag to other servers on how awesome you are.
You are not superior. Your server may have more education than you. Then again, you just may be in a$$ all the time.
Good waiters make good money. But shouldn't hard work be rewarded? Good engineers make good money. Bad engineers work for BP(couldn't help it).
Hope that helps! Now everyone stop your complaining.
I was a waitress for 2 weeks when I was 16 and that was enough for me. I know how tough the job can be. So Iround up twice when I go out. First I round the check amount up to the next $5 mark then I figure the 20% off of that number. Then after adding the 20% to the check I round up again – whether it is to the next dollar or next $5 is entirely dependent on the service received. I would do just about anything rather than wait tables again – anything!!!!
I think the funny part is that everybody's hating on the waitstaff for not "taking it"; saying "we all have issues at our job, but you don't hear US being openly annnoyed blah, blah, blah...." LOL Well, why don't we go to your homes and listen to your families and see if you DO openly complain everyday about your job, how YOU don't get paid enough for what you do, how life isn't fair. BULLSH*T!!!!!! I bet all you haters complain every moment your bosses aren't around about how much you hate your job, your spouse, your kids, your car, your pets, your lawn, you name, you'll hate it!! Nothing is going to make you happy. Please stay home!!!
I've never been a waitress or worked in any part of the food service industry but one thing I consider the golden rule – Don't mess with the person making your food. This is just plain commonsense in my book. I have no doubt these position are hard work not only are you on your feet the entire shift but you're basically the go between for the customer and the cook/chef and prep workers so you get heat from both ends when something goes wrong. I'm not a jesus freak and not a religious person at all but I do think that just one person out of an entire day showing kindness to a stranger can change so much of the world. A simple gesture of humanity can go a long ways and you may change someones entire day.
I have to wonder – I see here a fair number of people claiming that restaurant food will be extremely expensive if servers were paid minimum wage. In at least one state – they do get minimum wage: Oregon. By state law in Oregon, restaurant owners cannot count tips toward the wages of servers – they have to pay state minimum wage (which is currently $8.40 compared to federal minimum wage of $7.25).
I don't see that restaurant prices in Oregon are substantially higher than anywhere else. I guess Oregon restaurant owners simply operate on slimmer margins. Put another way, restaurant owners in other states who pay only a few bucks per hour to their wait staff must have pretty big profits.
From the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries FAQ (http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI/TA/T_FAQ_Min-wage_2010.shtml):
Q. May I count an employee's tips against the minimum wage?
A. No. Oregon law does not allow for tip credits. ORS 653.035(3).
i was always told 15% was customary and that's what i tip unless the service is really good then i'll go to 20%. even if the service wasn't great but was ok 15% should always be tipped. but some people do not deserve a tip and since i've grown up accustomed to tipping i shouldn't have to feel bad about not tipping for horrible service. it is a gratuity and something that should be earned. but, servers should not have to bend over backwards to get a tip because a customer is a cheapskate. i know customers can be difficult and it takes a lot of restraint to be courteous sometimes. i know i'm going both ways on this but different situations call for different measures.
You make a good point about bad service vs cheapskate – very important difference!
Wow – I can't believe how many people are ignorant of tipping and how the law reads.
YES – all tips are reported as income because all tipped employees are required to document to their employer the tips received vs the meals they served. There are 'minimum expected tips' that are automatically taxed as income. So in answer to most peoples wrong assumptions, yes your tip money is counted as income by your server so get over it.
NO – employers are not required by law to pay more than the minimum wage less a 'tip credit' which varies depending on the minimum wage in each state. You tell me what employer is going to pay more than necessary? In the restaurant business it's nearly impossible to determine how many people will be served on a given night, it's fair for the employee to receive the bulk of their income based on the amount of food served. That way the $30 steak remains the same price and YOU, the customer, gets to decide how much more you would pay for that. Or maybe you would like the employer to charge everyone $40 for that steak even if you get crummy service – which you most assuredly will if tips are not the major portion of the employees pay.
Do some math and investigation before spouting off how wrong the system is.
Please allow me to help all of you learn to enjoy your experience in any restaurant.
The first and most important rule is to interact with your server. Our job is to provide you with the best experience possible. To do that you need to be more forthright with some information. If your celebrating something let us know. If it is a business meeting let us know. If it is a casual hang out let us know. If it is a date, guys tell your server they can be a useful tool in your date. Each one of those situations need to be handled differently. If you leave it up to us to figure out what is going on, or what your needs are, you can not complain if the server does not handle the dinner properly. Know with tipping on bills. If you don't believe in tipping that is fine, just don't go to the same restaurant frequently. You will be black listed and your service will always be nothing more than fine. Do not expect us to bend over backwards for you at all. One thing you might not know is regardless of what you tip, I am still tipping out the hostess, the busers, and the house. Everynight I tip out 6% of my gross sales to other people. $60/$1000 in sales. If you do not tip me your dinner cost me money. Hate the game not the player.
I hope that helps
I completely agree with Theresa. Waiters work for tips so make sure to leave them something. If they did a sub par job then don't tip the full 20%. On another note, waiters and waitresses please do not ask "are you still working on that," instead ask if I am finished. My food is not something I am "working on."
I haven't read all of the posts here, but:
I am currently a server at a chain restaurant, and have been for nearly three years. Many of you servers that are posting really are clueless: Mike is absolutely correct on every point. If you are rude to a table, do you honestly expect to be tipped well?
Yes, bad tips happen, and yes, that's upsetting. But you absolutely CANNOT let your anger and frustration show at any of your other guests. They came to enjoy a pleasant dinner, not to endure a server being short with them. If you give them anything but pleasant service, you get what you deserve, which is nothing.
On the other hand, guests need to consider what serving entails. On a busy night, you are usually one of five, maybe six tables. We do have other guests to consider, as well. God forbid you have to wait an extra thirty seconds for extra ranch dressing so I can take food to one of my other tables. At my store, we are required to tip out 2% of our sales for the night. This is for the bartenders that make drinks for us, and the hosts and hostesses that seat and bus our tables. It is not too much money, averaging anywhere from ten to twenty dollars at the end of the night, but if you don't leave any tip at all, you literally cost me money. I had to pay money out of my pocket to serve you. And if you treat me rudely in any way, you're absolutely crazy to think you'll get good service from anyone else in the store. If you think I'm doing a terrible job, that's fine, get a manager, ask for another server, leave, whatever you feel is necessary, but I will not tolerate rudeness from a guest, either. I simply walk away from the table, and you will be ignored by me for the rest of your visit.
I have enjoyed my time as a server. The money is absolutely great for the amount of work we do, and the hours we work. More often than not, people are pleasant and enjoyable. However, I am also extremely glad that that pat of my life is ending, as I have also met more than my fair share of jerks.
Servers, I know how it is out there, but people like Mike are not the problem. He has simply stated he expects good, pleasant services, and will not tolerate rudeness. If you give that, he will reward you with a good tip. That's pretty much the definition of your job. It's the people that don't tip, just because they don't want to, or can't afford to that are the problem. If you can't afford to leave a 15% tip, you can't afford to go out, period. Go to McDonald's instead. And also, Oprah and Rachel Ray telling people that it's okay to tip 10% or less. That's the problem.
I was a server for years while in college, and it was the most difficult job I've ever had in terms of the rudeness I had to deal with from the public. It often seemed as though people thought that paying $35 for a dinner meant that they were entitiled to act like arrogant, filthy kings and queens flinging their food to the floor, spilling drinks, and letting their small children run amuck for "someone else to clean up". Every business owner appreciates a customer, and wait staff get excited when they get a new table, and I am not implying that everyone should "stay home" rather than eat out. Rather, the same rules that "should" apply everywhere else "should" apply in restaurants. I would venture to say that the same people who cut others off in traffic, flip people off on the road, swear and yell at their children in public, go outside dressed and groomed like slobs, and are general a**holes are the same ones who make waitstaff miserable. As for those who don't tip based on some "moral theory", get over yourself. If you have that much leisure time to formulate a long-winded reason for why you refuse to tip someone who serves you, odds are you A. Have a lot of money and are selfish, or B. Know deep down that you are wrong, and that's why you have come up with such an elaborate excuse. Tips are To Insure Prompt Service: people who tipped are remembered, and treated thusly. My regulars who took care of me never had to wait for food, often got free items with their meals, and recieved my prompt attention. To those who don't like this because they think EVERYONE deserves the same attention, perhaps you shound consider the nature of the industry. It isnt going to change because you don't want to leave a $5 for a server. From now on, tip to thank the server for good service or insure future good service, or just expect your reputation to preceed you when you go back and TRUST ME, it does. We used to draw straws where I worked to see who had to wait on the notorious "bad tippers", not to mention rude slobs that came in all the time. WHen I think about what that job was like, I can only hope to never, ever have to wait tables again....especially after reading the comments some people left on here! It's truly shameful to degrade someone's profession when the nature of the industry has been established for centuries. Tipping isn't the law, but your position on it says volumes about what kind of person you are....and that's the fact.
You waiters have such an ego........screw you. Why should I pay outrageous prices for food / alcohol and then turn around and slip another $20-30 in your pocket? When I go to a fast food restaurant I usually get good service and my food the way I order it. However, the cashier does not stand there with their freaking hand out asking for a TIP. Why don't you all get a pair of dark glasses and panhandle on the street instead of begging from ripped off customers.
This is the best part – YOU DONT HAVE TO. Stay at home. Do everyone (including yourself) a favor and dont eat out since you apparantly can't afford it.
“I'm a server and just when I'm reading all these ignorant, pompous complaints, I was thinking how much I hate people in general. Stay home if you get that offended by your server's behavior.”
When I read this, as a customer, I have to ask, "If you people so much, why don't YOU get out the restaurant business"? Their attitude doesn't make me anymore inclined to "play nice" with them.
“It works both ways, there are things our guests do that drive us up the wall but we understand that its part of the nature of our jobs and we move forward and so should you.”
This, on the other hand, would make me stop and think about some of my annoying habits. I would be delighted to work with them to be a better customer.
Reading these comments reminds me how stupid people are
@Mike – Your sense of entitlement seems to have blinded you to reality. A restaraunt experience isn't a fairy tale, it's a meal. Servers by long tradition are tipped (the current rate is 20%) for good service and more generously for EXCEPTIONAL service. Their job is to see to your comfort and that you get your meal on time, but I suspect you're impossible to please and look for any excuse NOT to tip out of cheapness, not disappointment in service. You must be a real joy to hang out with.
Mike
Waiters get mad play. It sounds like a waiter played a little too much with one of your girlfriends and you just have a personal vendetta. Get over it man it wasnt anything personal im sure.
Seems to me that the real problem here is from the employees view. Server is the title. That means to me to be of service. Without the customer there is no reason for service. I have found the employee sets the tone of the meal, experience, and tip. I have servers that I feel bad not to tip 25 percent. I want to tip. The opposite types I want to explain they need to get a differant profession. Be the best on your shift or get out of the view of customers.
Look, I don't make the rules. It's not my fault you CHOSE to work in a profession that makes 2 bucks an hour plut tip. You want a nice tip? WORK LIKE YOU NEED THE MONEY. I LOVE to tip big to people who work hard and deserve it, but I give NOTHING to those who have the attitude that they can do a mediocre job and STILL expect 20% because "that's the rule". You want to make more money? Be a better waiter or GO TO COLLEGE.
Yeah, cause no servers ever work that job to help pay for college....nope never
-Signed
Someone who is likely smarter than you, has a higher degree than you, and was a server through college
I think it is pretty clear this is George Bush's fault!
So what if a customer is in a bad mood and may give attitude and a bad tip?! The same works both ways! Servers are humans, too. And they can pull some nasty antics on the customers. " Tit for Tat." Instead of getting angry, try putting the shoe on the other foot. Yeesh, I am no tree hugger, but I have been on both sides and a SMILE and some (even if forced) pleasantness goes a LONG WAY. Grow up, people!!
Here's the deal. Here in the U.S. our seated restaurant industry is a tip based economy for it's servers. You all know this and if you dine out, you know that an adequate tip is a part of dining out. Period. If your server provides poor and inadequate service, by all means, show it with your gratuity or lack thereof. On the other hand, telling your server how great everything was and showing obvious appreciation for your experience and then leaving jack only shows you to be a parsimonious prick. I don't pay my bills with verbal tips. In fact, the IRS requires servers to claim at least 15% of their sales so you leaving less than that when it is not warranted means I am paying taxes on money I did not receive. If you don't want to feel like you are subsidizing a server's "wages", either do not dine out or jump to the front of the line in changing the system. You know what is expected when you dine out, claiming otherwise is a cop-out.
A couple other points; The server does not cook your meal and is not the one who overcooked your steak. Your server did not bring in the child annoying you on the other side of the room and isn't responsible for shutting it up. Your server didn't prep whatever is used for the day or make that decision and therefore doesn't deserve your wrath when we run out of prime rib or baked potatoes for the evening. If you have a coupon, that's great. I did not discount my service because of your coupon, you're being cheap when you discount the tip and base it on the bill AFTER the coupon.
it's a huge mistake to expect the public to come prepared with knowledge beforehand.
Without people in seats, restaurants and their staff do not have income. If you are a server, and do not think you need to submit to the customer, consdider the fact that your performance either ads to your income, or detreacts. You may not like it, but you chose this job. You are in a customer service industry., You are the front line for the business owner, the face of the restaurant. There is no food tasty enough to put up with lousy service., lousy attitudes.You have to take the good wtih the bad when it comes to tips. Some people just don't have it to give what you think they should, or desire to give. That is their free will. Fact is, the restaurant owner would rather have someone pay for a meal and leave no tip, than not pay for a meal at all. THAT is the reality of what you do. I'm sorry if that is blunt, and angers you, but it is the truth. Your beef should not be with patrons, but with the system itself. Do something productive- change the systems. Stop whining to the patrons. Talk to your boss. The profit margins on food aand drinks are outrageous. Perhaps servers deserve a larger cut of that. But if restauranteurs rasie the prices too much, there'll be no customers. Don't threaten your customers- that dosen't work. Accept that you are an expendable postiion in the restaurant, and you are paid based on your importance, and your abilities.
I think the tipping system is archaic and useless. In other countries they pay their wait staff better and it is customary not to tip. Also correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it customary to tip 15%. Now the wait staff expects 20%? When I eat out, if the service is average, I pay 15%. Less if it's below average and more if it's above average. I have read many posts about the food being more expensive if the staff was paid more. So? Big deal. Charge accordingly and pay the workers what they deserve. If I'm expected to pay 20% more for a tip, why the hell can't the bill be that much more? If management expects that they will have to charge more than 20% in order to pay the servers more then it is a problem with management and that management needs to be fired. I don't eat out much because I like to cook and rarely do I see anything in a restaurant that I can't make better myself. But I'm sure there is a higher percentage of the population that resents the "subsidy" than don't. So If you say to me not to eat out because I don't like to tip, well throw me in the brier patch then. For whatever it's worth, I think that most of the servers in this country are hard workers but the tradition of underpaying them is a management issue that we the public have put up with for far too long. As far as reporting your tip income? If 100% of servers reported 100% of tip income, life would be fair. I HAVE to report 100% of MY income. So those of you who are whining about not getting paid enough yet aren't reporting 100% of your income have NO RIGHT TO BITCH!!!! And as for the threats of retaliation? If I don't get good service in a restaurant and tip accordingly, you can bet your hiney, I won't be back to that restaurant anyway.
I worked in all facets of restaurants, server, cook, manager. I can honestly say to those of you who feel that tipping isn't "required" please eat at home. Yes there is no law saying you have to tip, but realize that if we eliminated tipping the cost of your meal will skyrocket, the labor cost built in to having to pay waiters even minimum wage (which wouldn't work because no one is going to put up with your crap for $7.00/hour) that cost will be passed on to you the customer. Profit margins in restaurants are alredy fairly slim so to add on additional labor costs will only mean more money coming out of your pocket.
If you want to make the waitstaff compensation mandatory, then eliminate tipping, build it into your cost/price structure and raise your prices 50-100%. Then people who can't afford to go out to eat will stay home, the restaurant business will reduce by 85%, and only the quality eateries and qualified waitstaff will be left standing. Better for everyone! No more complaining about tips – No more tipping! People who are dedicated to doing a good job and offering value for money (regardless of how many dollars) will stay in business, and the cattle troughs will fold. Families will eat at home together again, and parents will find out about what their kids are doing all day – improved parenting! A side benefit if ever there was one. What a fine idea from an advocate of the food service industry, you must think you're one of the ones that will survive.
Gee I can't imagine why they aren't getting tipped.
I like tipping. I like to reward good service. I hate 'service charges'. However, if my tip is mediocre, it's because I thought the service was mediocre. If my tip sucked, it's because I thought the service sucked. I don't tip to prove I'm a tipper to get extraordinary service. I reward great ordinary service.
As a customer, when you visit a restaurant with waitstaff, you should sit down expecting to tip at least 15% for standard service. Tips are optional, but that doesn't mean that they aren't expected (and depended upon). If service is so bad that you believe you should leave less than 15%, then you should have the cajones to ask for the manager and explain how the service, food, etc. didn't meet your expectations.
As a quick tip calc, I typically move the decimal point on the bill and mutiply by 2 (or 3 in good cases)...20% to 30%.
I was never a waiter, but if you can't empathize with people being human beings and working for a living (and making honest mistakes on accident)...As others have already stated, what goes around comes around.
For those waitstaff that kept responding to the rude comments on this board with rude replies (such as messing with the food)...Just remember, what goes around comes around – Two wrongs don't make a right. When you spend time in the back whining or making fun of the prick that just stiffed you, you're wasting time that could be spent on the good tippers.
When I dont leave a tip (or leave a poor one) I always leave a note explaining why I tipped poorly. Its not that I dont have the "cajones" to talk to the manager, its that I am realistic and understand that nothing is likely to be done about it, why exactly should I waste more of my time? Most restaurants are managed by kids (by that I mean, people in their early 20's). If you honestly think me pulling the manager aside to say "this waiter was really slow, and on top of that, not at all pleasant, and on top of that, seemed like he'd rather be anywhere but here"...is going to do anything, other than point out the obvious (and I think comments on these boards by servers proves that I am right)...you're mistaken. Im pretty sure that a crappy tip and a note explaining, is sufficient...and frankly, more people should do exactly this. It will seperate the people who just dont tip because they are cheapskates, from the people who are just tired of paying money to people who cant be bothered to actually DO their job.
To Jessica:
Leaving a nastygram and no tip is EXACTLY WRONG. I'm not so naive to think that anything will happen from leaving a nastygram and no tip. It changes nothing at the restaurant – It only serves to make you feel better for not tipping. If I were a bad waiter who didn't care about my work, I would probably be relieved to find a nastygram about my service – 'Hey, at least they didn't tell my boss'.
If a manager can't empathize (or at least pretend to care) with my situation when I've had bad service, I simply won't return to the restaurant (only happened twice in my life).
Not to stereotype "managers in their 20's" as you have, but if you only eat at restaurants with "managers in their 20's", you're missing out. And for my cliche to you Jessica – Skip the chain restaurant one day and visit a restaurant that uses at least some professionals (Head chef, Managers, etc.). It's worth the extra money on special occasions.
On the flip side, leaving a nice note and a good tip is fine, and probably appreciated.
If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to eat out.
Simple as that.
I honestly did not know about servers working for less than minimum wage but have tried my best to be a good tipper. (My favorite place to go to breakfast the waitress smacks me in the back of the head sometimes but it's in good fun) My breakfast usually comes to less than $15 and I always tip $5 even when the bill comes to about $7-$8 because we have a good relationship. I will definately keep the 15% minimum in mind when I go to other places as well...
Im thinking the whole system needs to change. Heck, they dont even deliver the food or clean up the plates. All they do is take your order, bring your drinks, show up after the food has been delivered and say "everything taste ok" right after you've taken your very first bite (so at this point, kind of hard to tell you how well the entire plate is...) and show up with the bill (maybe a few drink refills). Im just thinking why did we go from tipping 15% std, to 20+ and their duties are less? I know people who have waitressed, if you care about your job and working hard...you'll make good money, and its not a job meant to be long term...im not still working as a grocery store bagger for $4.25/hr ya know. (1998 wages, not that long ago)
I'm thinking you should learn how the system actually works before complaining about it. Those people that bring you to your table...those people who bring you water at first...and those bussers that clean up your plates after you are done? Guess how they get paid? The waitress owes them a percentage of her tips at the end of the night.
Do you want to have to tip each person? So far it seems like the system is trying to make it easier on you by only making you tip once. That tip gets distributed to all those involved in your service though.
Keep in mind that, in those team environments, bar, bus, and food runners get tipped out of the waitstaff pool. So, it does cost them to have that work done for them.
You just proved my point that the system needs to change. Do you think the average person coming in to eat has any clue about the innerworkings of restaurants...or rather...cares? So, perhaps then bussers and water deliverers need to explain to their waiters/waitresses not to be such worthless workers...and they'd always get a fantastic tip from me. I always tip 20% or more for great service, I tip 15-20% for average service, and I tip nothing or close to it for horrendous service...and I always leave a note when I tip poorly explaining why. Im guessing those waiters dont go back and share my other handy "tips"? I've worked in the service industry, maybe not as a waitress, but i definitely understand how frustrating people can be, but I guess being professional, even when you're just a waitress, is too much to ask? All the jobs ive ever worked have been customer service based...trust me, im well aware of how hard it is. Im just not that pathetic that I would cry a river...or refuse to get a better job if the job was too frustrating to manage.
I tip based on the service I get. If they are outstanding I overtip them, if they are normal I give them a normal tip, if they completey suck I still tip but not much. I think that they at least deserve something for their troubles. Never leave nothing. Even with some of the worst service I've ever had I've never left nothing, that's just rude.
This is a no-brainer and a self-fulfilling prophecy. Stay out of the customer service business if you don't genuinely want to give good service all the time. If you give good service, good tips will come more often than not. If you're a mercenary, it will show in your demeanor and your tips will suffer, making you more bitter and causing your tips to suffer further. A customer doesn't care how many other things you have to do, and they shouldn't have to. If that's a problem for you on a regular basis, hire more servers. The result will be happier customers and larger tips for the better service delivered.
Personally, I hate it when people over-tip for mediocre service. You get what you earn when I sit down. Do a good job, and get a good tip. If the check is small, the percentage might be a little higher, but don't cry when I don't tip you a full 20% on the $120 bottle of wine we had with dinner. Did you really do that much more work to deliver it to the table than you did for the $20 bottle?
Let me start here by saying I tip 20% normally, with more for great service and as little as 12% for truly bad service, as in not trying. What bugs me about this thread are all the morons claiming that if tips were not part of the deal, the price of my meal would double or triple! I am very good at math, so I can grasp some pretty complex stuff. THAT ISN'T WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
Try this: if the meal is priced lower because the staff is paid badly, and everyone is expected to tip 20-30%, then what would we expect the increase in cost of food to be if the servers were paid properly? Anyone? 20-30% more, you HALF-WITS! Of course, that doesn't take into account all the folks that don't pay taxes on the bulk of their tips and would have to if it was part of their salary.
I'd prefer it be included in the cost of food, then I wouldn't have to subsidize all those cheap jerks that tip little or nothing!
School is out!
Laura says, "I get paid $2.00 an hour!"
Where do you work for $2.00 an hour? Mexico????
I'm curious where all the comments are coming from that the standard rate for tipping is 20%. I always thought it was 10% and 15% for above-average service. When the service is bad enough that I don't think 10% is appropriate, I just skip the tip altogether.
20% is the range of the "mandatory" tip added in for large groups, which I often disagree with. If I come in with a group of 8 instead of 2 groups of 4, how does that change how many people are there? The number of meals doesn't change. Why should the tip change? In fact, I often feel the tip should be even less, because it usually seems like the waiter is less devoted to the large table than to all his other smaller tables.
The size of the tip should be related to the quality of the service, and somewhat to the people being served. When my kids are rowdy (rarely. they are usually fairly well behaved) or make a mess (much less common than they did a few years ago), the tip gets bigger. When I have to take my glass and wander around the restaurant looking for the water pitcher because my glass is dry and I've eaten all the ice already, the tip gets smaller.
@Ben – I have also wondered where the 20% came from and I also used to think the minimum was 10%. I usually tip 20% or more. On small meals at the counter I often leave $20 for a $10 sandwich and I have tipped $50 on a $100 meal with my wife, so I consider myself a good tipper. But where did 20% come from?
If there is something I would like, even if a waiter has to fake it, it would be if they said "thank you" when I leave $50 on a $100 check or $20 on a $10 check. I do not eat out that often because I enjoy cooking, but when I do I cannot recall the last time someone said thank you for a tip that by any account, is a good one.
One server recommends the following to signal one is done witht heir meal: "push [your plate] to the side, place your napkin over it, or cross your fork and knife over the center of the plate. You'd be surprised how many people don’t know to do this.” Actually, this is a list of things you should not do to signal you're done. The first two should never be done (putting your napkin on your used plate or pushing it off to the side. The third is completely the opposite. To signal you're done place the knif and fork paralled, at an angle on the right side of the plate. I'M SURPRISED THE HIGH-HANDED SERVER DOESN'T KNOW THIS
Honestly a server would have to be a real a55 for me to get upset or anything. The job doesn't pay much and it is thankless I'm sure. I always tip and generally have a good experience because I'm not judging every little thing. I mean, upset about a server sitting or crouching? How up tight can a person be? Snobs. Now that being said, when my child was 2 if we went somewhere and the service was bad( I mean attitude bad) we'd have "operation mashed potatoes" and let the kid have at it. Of course that was in extreme situations.
Respect starts with you and if you don't respect yourself, it will be impossible for you to respect anyone else or for them to respect you.
It's really that simple, irregardless your background or education.
That's all tipping is...respect. It's not mandatory, it's not required, it's just the right thing to do!
For those non-tippers, just what lobby do you think pushed for the expception to the minimum wage? Complain to the management, don't stiff your server, it's not his/her fault. Servers are just trying to get paid for doing a difficult job. (and no, I have never been a server). Tipping for good service is part of the price of dinning out. If you can't afford to tip when and where it is appropriate, stay home and get yoiur $30 steak for $15.
RESTUARANTS SHOULD PAY ITS EMPLOYEES (servers) SO IF I DONT LEAVE A TIP THEY WILL KNOW i WILL NOT BE BACK FOR THEIR OVER PRICED FOOD
Everyone should have to wait tables at least once in their life. It's only then that you can possibly understand what it is like to be in the foodservice industry. It's not up to the waitstaff how much they are paid, and if they don't get the tips, they get fired because the restaurant has to subsidise the difference.
If you don't like the service based industry that the United States has, go to another country where there is no service. You get up to order, you get up to pick up your own food, you get up to fill your own drinks, etc. You'll get tired of that quickly, I assure you.
Even a bad waiter gets 10% from me. Good waiters will always get more. Since they have to share those tips with the runners, busboys, hosts and cooks, keep in mind that a lot of their tips go to others *before* ther're taxed.
@owner/chef
I tip, I think servers should be payed more and not have to rely on tips. I do take offense at the notion that if servers were paid $10.00 hr your bill would double. If a server only handled 1 table an hour, I have no idea what you are really
expected to do but I think you would have more then 8 customers in an 8 hr shift. So you have 1 customer/hour,
you get paid $2hr now, you are upped to $10hr, add in employer taxes, say $2hr, so the net cost to the employer
is $10hr. You wait on 1 table, 1hr, your $25 steak now costs $75, an increase of $50hr, someone needs to learn
basic addition. I don't know but I honestly think most servers handle at least 10 customers in an 8hr shift, 10×8 =
$80 more a shift, divide that by 10 tables and you raise each tables cost by $8, divide that by 4 people on avg
check that is $2 a meal. I would happily pay $5 more a meal to have tips be optional. The whole system is so
screwed up it needs to be abandoned. What happens if the food is lousy?, your only option is to screw the
server when they had nothing to do with it. It is just plain broken.
What an uproar! In most every serving job I've had, I've made nice tips, and even though the paychecks were small because of the reduced wage, I still got by well and made good money overall. Some country clubs where I live will pay a flat $10/hour for serving, but I've never taken that route because I'd make at least $20/hour as a dinner server. The work is hard, the people can be rude at times, but I loved being a server, and I'm sure that customers could pick up on this.
BEWARE: Gotta watch some servers/establishments, though. I worked many private parties in restaurants where an open bar was offered, and nearly every time a whole lot of drinks that were never served or ordered were padded to the check (by the servers), which would up the tip for those working the party.
wow – what don't you all understand? My husband was a server for years while in grad school. The government determined the food service wages, not the restaurant owner. Tips must be over-reported, so the "paycheck" from the restaurant,which starts off at @ $2.30/hr becomes almost nothing, because they assume a certain amount of tips and tax on it. It is true that often it costs the server in taxes for tips they did not actually receive. Yes, bad service should not result in a decent tip, but neither should good service result in a bad tip. My father consistently leaves a bad tip at a restaurant near his house after running the servers to death and can't understand why his service is getting worse. Restaurant wages are what they are – if you know that and choose to go out to eat, and get decent if not excellent service and choose not to tip, then you really do need to stay home.
Also keep in mind Mike, as servers we have the right to refuse service to anyone! And thanks to Mike, I assure if he goes out this evening he will get one of the servers on this blog whom he has already given a attitude for the evening. Going to work to wait on people like you is so rewarding....yah right!
I waited tables for years at a small restaurant, where the majority of our customers were regulars. I understand that there are bad servers out there but that is not an excuse to not tip, or to tip poorly. If you can't afford to tip well then you can't afford to go out to eat. And please remember servers have long memories. If you are a good tipper and pleasant and you return to a restaurant on a regular basis you will be basically guaranteed good service. However, if I have 5 tables, and I know that one table is not going to give me a good tip, no matter how good I am and no matter how pleasant they are, I will ALWAYS put the other tables' needs before theirs'. As many people have said servers do it for the money, and thats true. Tips are meant to insure good service, so if you don't plan to tip, don't plan to get good service.
My family often dine out and we tip generously, usually at least 30% or more depending on how many we are in the group. We only dine in 3 to 5 of our favorite restaurants and so far, the servers somehow know us. We always get good service. I don't want to imply that we get good service because they know we tip well. We are believers that customers must reciprocate the kind of awesome service we get from these hardworking people. Servers and customers are not created equal. Some are well-rounded and polite while some are the opposite. But as a customer, I say it is fair deal to tip for a splendid meal and service. And we do it well. BUT when service and food are bad, my tip or the absence of it will reflect how we felt about the dining experience. We are the kind of customer who get pleased easily, a smile goes a long way for us so for us to get really pissed with a server, he/she would have been really, really lame.
Brass Tacks: On top of being taxed on our regular wage the IRS will audit a server's sales and expect that we made at least an 8% tip for each food/drink ticket. So to those who have never worked in restaurant but seem to have the expertise, while you are still and idiot for not tipping, you could at least drop the tax man 8% of your meal, cause I we do.
Oh and for those who want to eliminate the need to tip, servers are all for it. In Europe it's called VAT (value added tax), and it's 17% (not 15%) of your meal regardless
and service in my experience is worse. Just like those who work for salary are often "lazier" than those who for commission....less incentive.
I am continually appalled at the complete lack of respect and kindness that this world has for its occupants. I keep reading these comments, hoping to find something redeeming, and it seems I am "insane" - doing the same thing over and over, hoping for different results.
Why is it so hard to respect people online? Why must we continue to bash servers who are probably either doing the best they can, or are happy waiting tables? What's it to you that they may or may not have an education (or are working on one)? Does that make them any less deserving of human charity? I'm not talking donations, I'm talking simple kindness - treating people as PEOPLE, not slaves or trash. Your waitress has feelings, and she is just as hurt and frustrated when you don't tip as you are when you are passed over for a promotion.
I served all through college and now work in marketing at a fortune 500 company. One thing that I don't see posted yet is that often customers who have never worked for tips don't understand the tax issue. If you dine out and either stiff the server or leave a silly tip like a $1.00, the server is actually PAYING for part of your meal. The IRS assumes that the customer has tipped an appropriate amount and the server has to claim a percentage of their total sales for tax purposes. If you have issues with people not making livable wages, then do something about it. Write to your representatives, but don't screw the person serving you by making them pay for part of your meal through income tax. Remember they also have to pay a portion to the bus boy, dish washer, cook and hostess in addition to Uncle Sam.
I hate to say it but I agree with the wait staff. They do a valuable service. Yes, some do it better than others, but stop and think of your next dining experience without a server, bus boy, and a host. It is really easy, just ask questions that are pertinent to your order, be pleasant, put a napkin over your plate when you are through eating and be happy. Remember to tip if the service is good. If it is bad, ask yourself this, "Is the server trying to do his job?" Many times it is the demands of other people that is causing a delay at your table. If the server is doing his job, reward him. Ask the manager to address the needs that you have seen for future diners. If the server did not do his job in any way, don't tip. Servers are great people. Many are going through college, some have a business on the side, some have a job on the side, and some or worthless. Before you complain, ask yourself, "Could I do his job? Am I doing my own job well?" Let's not be so critical of the wait staff. I do not wait tables, but I did 20 years ago for 5 years while in college. Just remember, they work hard, deal with MANY people, and put up with a lot from customers and from their employer.
"If you're finished with your meal... cross your fork and knife over the center of the plate. You'd be surprised how many people don’t know to do this." That's because this is incorrect. Crossing your fork and knife (with the fork handle pointing to the right and the knife handle pointing to the left) over the center of the plate should signal that the diner is *not* finished with a course. The appropriate signal for being finished with a course is to place your knife and for *parallel* either horizontally across the plate or diagonally with the handles pointing to the right. If you're going to complain about people not using the correct signal, you might want to make sure you've got your signals right in the first place.
ok listen up to all you waiters and servers that are crying that we dont tip.
personally if you cant handle what your making now as your salary find a better job.
secondly i used to be a waiter its a good job but seriously if you are gonna come sever me with an attitude and expect 20% hahaha ill laugh in your face. its not about the customers giving tips and how much there is to be given its about the wait staff and how they present the way they work if your gonna be lazy and i have to ask 40 times to get me a fork or a napkin then what do you want me to do give u 20% for whiping my hands on my shirt or eating with my hands. when ppl go out they are looking for the dining experience the experience is not suppose to come with an attitude plus 20% tip.
I dont mind tipping ppl cause i know its your way of making a living but dont give customers your attitude. i have had that problem b4 a waiter came and was very rude and when i didnt tip him he came after me asking wheres my tip and i said wheres my service. dont be selfish waiters or servers if thats what u want to be called either shape up or ship out thats my 2 cents and maybe even you tip
I worked for 6 years in restaurants before and during college. Most were 4*, one 5*. One thing I've noticed is that the more the customer pays for the meal, the more of a pain they are – to a point. Once you cross that $500-$1,000 per plate threshold (1980's prices at least), customers are much more relaxed and respectful. Shoes come off, people are laughing and joking with the staff, there's no pretense of 'master/servant' because these types of people are generally secure in their station and don't take their insecurities out on hard-working people.
Some of you on here really need to lighten up and not take yourselves so seriously.
I can sympathize with all the servers both good and bad who have responded on this post, but as a middle class father who would like to take his family out 1-2/ month this puts an enormous strain to even consider not eating out when the expected amount to tip is 25% or higher. So its the system that I have an issue with that constraints both the server and the served. This will just keep more and more households from enjoying the "finer" things in life as it gets more and more expensive. BTW, I just never tip less than 15% even if the wait staff was obnoxious since I would like to have a clear conscience at the end of the day. I just dine out less or do takeouts( tip expectations are more like 10%) like some people have not so kindly suggested.
I agree Rob. If only everyone had the conscience you do. I come from a family with 6 kids (we're all now grown with families of our own). My father never once stiffed a server. Not because we could afford it...we really couldn't. But we never went out to eat unless we could afford the meal...AND the tip. A valuable lesson my father taught me.
if you have that attitude you should not be serving at all. you should be bus boying or staying home.
I have never worked in the food industry but have alot of compassion for those who do. I'm glad someone is willing to put up with the nasty people and the "good" customers. I do not think it is far that servers are not paid a decent minimum wage. With tihs in mind when I do eat out and have great service always tip over the 20% mark. I do, however, cut the amount of that tip if the service is not good. Don't take out your anger about the last deadbeat customer on me and you will be tipped for your service. Tipping is not a requirement it is a "thank you" for a job well done. My daugher works as a far tender and waitress, she give great service and is hansomly tipped. But even with excellent service she has been stiffed on her tips on occasion. Some of this also comes down to the type of person the customer is! Walk a mile in your servers shoes (figuretively) and you will find that most will bust their butts for you - and nver know until you walk out the door, if their service will be rewarded with a tip. Kind of a thankless job when you think about it.
My resturant had it's own "Mike"....after going through all 7 servers and the bartender which is myself, he was finally asked not to return. Some people just can't ever be pleased. Five of the seven servers have been at the resturant for ten years plus and I have been there six, so Mike tell me why a resturant would have servers there for that length of time if they were all giving poor service and were all tipped poorly. Have you ever thought something tragic could have happend in that persons life a few minutes before hand...your no tip just worsened the blow. One of my servers had just taken an order for a table when he was called over to find out his wife had just died in a car accident. These things are rare yes but they do happen so try and remember that. Have you ever thought maybe it is you???
Can't we talk about a real annoyance? As in mandatory valet service???
Really? I'm expected to tip the guy who parked my car 10 feet from I pick it up? I don't like other people driving my car in the first place!!!
@mike –
you keep saying you don't need restaurants – they don't need you either. customers like you are not worth anyone's time. there is an etiquette to being a guest as well as being a server. please keep that in mind.
this pretty much ensures that I will continue to tip only when they deserve it. How dare they do their job without immediate bonuses!!
Wow, love how the comments are longer than the article.
Eating out should be an enjoyable expirence, I love having my meal ruined by the crappy tipper before me who put my server in a bad mood. We live in North America guys, we tip for our meals get used to it. Good service gets better tips, bad service still gets a minimum tip you go into a resturant expecting to pay that!
People, don't forget that many servers come early and set up/break down the room at the end of the meal. some run up and down stairs with heavy trays. it's back-breaking work and they don't do it for fun. Many, like my husband, don't get home until their loved ones are sleeping (dinner servers) and work weekends and holidays. they deserve all the money you give them. They will always expect to get tipped (to answer you, "lol tipping") because that is the reason they go to work, and because everyone knows better and should. Workers at McDonalds are compensated for the hours they work. Try making only 15 dollars in an 8 hour night. Why would you want to short change someone out of money that will feed that server's family? My husband works in one of the finest restaurants in our State, and is highly praised by his management and customers alike. Still, he shares his tips with his back waiter, his busser, his food runner, his bartender, and others. So if you think that you're tip of $20 is going a long way, think again. it's not about taking your order and bringing you your food. Tyler, I doubt you've been a server, because you obviously don't know what's involved. Maybe you feel you're lucky. Your average server has earned a 20% tip by doing their average job and even what you may consider an average job of it. Do you SHINE in your job every moment? think about that. Pay your bill, please. That includes the proper tip.
You know whats funny is that these same waiters, when customers are doing the same exact thing that gets done to them.
hypocrites to be honest. Its part of their job, so stop complaining, and if you wanna complain then get another job!. We all have issues with our job, but you don't hear us getting as openly annoyed by it as waiters.
Here's a question (from a former bus boy): why does the tip scale with the cost of the meal? Why don't servers get tipped based of a flat fee or amount of time the customers are there? How does the fact that they carried a fillet mignon out mean a bigger tip than a glass of water?
I know the score, and I know the tax tricks that go on...and they are necessary for some servers to live on that money. I just never understood the scaling based off of the cost of the items ordered. Trust me, the servers at a nice steak house aren't THAT much better than the ones at Applebee's.
I haven't been a waitress for 40 years, but I still remember what a hard job it is. Unless the service is beyond horrible, I always tip 20 percent. And I try to smile and be friendly, because God knows it isn't the server's fault if I've had a bad day. And you know what? I can't remember a time when I've had bad service. Maybe it's because if you treat a person in a nice way they respond in kind? Just a thought.
Jeeze, Mike. Give it a rest. You're gonna get cancer or something.
_aleph_
Hoo, boy! Who'd a thunk a short article on serving food would bring about so much response – and so much vitriol. Abortion wouldn't lead to such a ruckus, even in the Excited States of America. (I'm a laid back Canadian.) Well, now my contribution. First, when I was but a lad, the standard tip was 10%. Then it went to 15%. 20% & up? Wow! Not a criticism, just an observation. Where I live, a larger value added tax is being added to, among other things, restaurant meals. Guess who's going to lose the most when this happens. Yup. Servers. What surprises me is the lousy minimum wage you get. I believe that here servers get the minimum wage ($8 an hour) plus tips. That's the way I think it should be everywhere. And if my meals are a bit more expensive, so be it. I don't buy into that owners' argument that meal prices will triple if servers are paid the minimum wage. I think owners are exxagerating a little. Another observation (well, an opinion really). Mike, you're an arrogant, unthinking, hemmeroidally enhanced (particularly above the neck) rectum. From reading your comments it appears you expect servers to lick polish your shoes and pat dry your freshly used butthole as part of the honor of serving you. Almost as if they should pay you for the privilege of putting up with your BS. You deserve passive aggressive behavior that is shared as funny stories after servers finish work for the day. I was never a server, but for 30 years my job entailed working with the public (in amounts never seen by servers) and when I had to deal with people like you, they frequently regretted the experience. I'm curious, Mike. If you're as full of yourself as your comments suggest, how do you find room inside your stuffiness for food. Boy, maybe I'm not so laid back after all.
I have never waited tables but I admire those that do. A server can make or break a dining experience. I have dined at expensive restaurants where the gratuity is AUTOMATICALLY included in the bill, regardless of the size of the party and the service has been terrible (when you have to ask for water and the manager in order to see your server, something is wrong). At that establishment I went to the manager and told him NO WAY was I paying a gratuity for this type of service, paid my bill (minus the gratuity of course)l and left. Never went back either.
My favorite servers are those who understand that dining with children is usually NOT a leisurely experience and make sure to get the order up fast and will actually talk to my children to ask if they would like refills.
Server turnoffs? Let's see, the ones who don't show up to at least get a drink order within 10 minutes of my sitting down. The ones who talk to my male dinner companion as if I'm either not there at all or in some way unable to communicate. The female server who totally ignores me in order to fawn all over my male companion (HE doesn't always pay the bill you know).
Server pluses? Easy. The servers who are pleasant, knowledgeable about the items available, unobtrusive when they come back to the table, the ones who don't disappear halfway thru my meal, the ones who will be pleasant to my kids. My philosophy is that if I treat my server like a REAL PERSON, I will be treated the same way. I understand sometimes people have a bad day, but a crabby server ruins my experience and if I treat them badly then the next person they serve will most likely have a bad experience because of me.
The gratuity? I always figure this based on the original cost of the meal – if I have a coupon or the kids eat free, the tip is based on what it would have cost w/o discounts. Just because I have a coupon doesn't mean I stiff the staff. If the service is not exactly up to par, I will tip the minimum but talk to the manager on the way out. At least that way if I return I can be pretty sure I won't get bad service for not tipping.
Hi all...
I started bartending/serving just 3 years ago at the age of 34. I have a BS in Elem Ed and a M.Ed in Ed Leadership. After being in the classroom for years and years, I needed a change. So I started bartending..and now I make more money that I EVER did teaching your children!! But, it also means that I still have to smile and do the best job possible.
Most of the time it means I'm running around getting drinks cause your party can't order at the same time, or cleaning up after your child that leaves a mess ie- pieces of food, crayons, sugar packets everywhere, and sometimes puke. It also means I have to put up with "campers"–people who spend hours, and hours, at tables after they've cashed out. Now these campers may, or may not, tip a little extra since they held the table so long. (Chances are they didn't.) Or, when I've busted my a$$ for a table and get nothing. Where I work, servers are expected to run food, bar drinks, sort/fold silverware, in addtiion to their own sidework. So if you dont see your server, or someone else brings your food/drink/refills, it doesn't always mean they're off hiding or slacking off.
I have no problem admitting that there are times when you won't have the best experience possible in my section. Please keep in mind that there are usually, at least, 5 people that can affect your overall service–seater/greeter, server, bartender, food runner, kitchen, and server assts. All but the kitchen, and sometime seaters, work off of your tip. The server has to tip out based on sales, not amount of tips. And lets not forget the government that assumes you've left at least a 10% tip, whether or not you did.
The next time you go out to eat and your experience isn't "fantastic", or your server's smile isn't as big as you want it to be. Before you take it out on the server's tip, was it because the server under/over cooked your steak, made a bad martini, paid too much attention to the other table cause their food was bad, had to take extra time to clean up after a party that left a horrible mess. We're people too, and instead of piling on, why not make your server smile and add a little extra..That is, if you leave one at all...
Restaurants outside of the US pay servers a living wage, yet somehow the food is still quite reasonably priced. So the argument that a hamburger would cost $75 is ridiculous, but nice try.
Depending on the type of restaurant...
A waiter can average 3+ tables an hour (or 24+ tables for an 8-hr shift).
An average meal (including drinks and dessert) for two at an average restaurant is about $40.
Given a 15% tipping profile, a waiter could make about $18 in tips in an hour. After tipping out 3 ways, the waiter keeps 1/3 of the tips ($6). That plus an average salary of $2/hr results in an average of $8/hour or $16,640 a year full time.
According to CNBC, the average salary of 2010 college graduates is about $48k.
The average salary of a non-degreed person is around $30k.
If you're a server and don't like your salary, do what the rest of us working professionals have to do... make yourself more marketable so that when an opportunity for a better job arises you can pursue it.
Of course both servers and the patrons they serve are going to have legitimate concerns and gripes about service..
What one party enjoys another could completely hate. As a former server I would have to say that what is most bothersome, is the table where you worked your hardest, and did your best to recieve nothing,..If you take pride in your work it feels like an insult.
First- I can promise that Mike has NEVER been a server.
Second- As a server, believe me, I would LOVE for the American system to change so that servers get paid a higher hourly rate so that we don't have to rely on cheap people like Mike (the people who probably get good service but dream up reasons to not tip every time they go out) But if you think for one second that complaining to my boss at work is going to change the American system of tipping...you're an idiot.
Third-For those of you who say, "if you don't like you're job, find a new one." Great, lets EVERY server who doesn't llike serving whiny, cheap, lazy people band together and quit. You'll find yourself waiting 5 hours to eat a meal, you're service will spiral downward (worse than all of you claim it to already be) because hey, you'll have one server who 'loves his job' trying to serve 30 tables at once. Great idea.
Fourth- Every single person likes to be treated differently when it comes to their service at a table. There is no 'one way" to serve everyone to their liking. Furthermore, it is impossible to gage exactly how each individual table likes to be served...therefore, I simply do the best I can and go from there...and yet, for a good portion of the population, it's never good enough.
Fifth- For those who say "I only tip when I get good service" FINE. In you're heart of hearts, if you HONESTLY believe you had lousy service, dont' tip...complain to the manager. However, the key word in that last sentence is "HONESTLY." While you might not be one of these people, understand that the people servers can't stand are the people who don't honestly answer that question (and believe me when I say there are more of them than you think). When it comes time to tip, someone who didn't have a single complaint during the whole meal will dream up all sorts of reasons not to tip (ie: they probably are making a fortune off other tips anyway, I don't like the American tipping system, it's not my responsibility to tip...blah blah blah). The point is for a lot of you no matter how good my service is, no matter how hard I try...it will NEVER be good enough for you. These people have been...and will continue to lie to themselves about the service they recieved just to avoid the tip. Granted-again, this does NOT apply to those who HONESTLY get bad service.
Honestly- Serving is unlike any other customer service job (I've worked several). When it comes to food, people want very specific treatment so it's much harder to pinpoint "good service" when that is defined so differently by picky people.
As sad as it is, this article will do nothing for the people who don't tip. They will fight to the death, lie to themselves, to others...to whomever they need to lie to to ensure that they have conjured up some reason not to tip.
Those who do tip, will continue to tip and they will continue to be appreciated by those who serve them.
To those who tip- A sincere thank you from an individual who is simply trying to get through Graduate school.
To those who don't tip- Well, there's nothing I can say that will change your mind. But you'll never understand what we're talking about because almost all of you have never served a table in your life and you probably never will.
Last...I can understand people wanting good service and I fully expect that they should. But keep this in perspective. You are fortunate enough to live in a country so that you CAN go out from time to time...someone else cooks your food, someone else brings it to you and someone else cleans up after you. There are some people in the world that will never experiecnce so much as that kind of service because they'll never be able to afford the meal, much less the tip. So when your server "bends down to take your order", says "you guys" instead of "everyone" Asks "are you done with that" before your finished...just remember...odds are...most of us are trying very hard and as "annoying" as that kind of service is...you're certainly blessed that you don't have to cook the meal, serve yourself or clean up the mess after you leave.
i second that..
Excellent. I love that you see both sides and write something that is valuable to us all, spelled correctly, and informative. Good luck with Grad school.
@Mike
I'm not going to get involved in all this mess. But I would like to point out that Australia is the perfect example for tipping and pay. Its not custom to tip for anything in australia, it's unheard of out there. BUT there is server minimum wage and everyone else minimum wage. When we were there (a few years ago) Servers were paid $19 per hour and other industries only had to pay $9 per hour minimum for their employees. So it goes to show you gotta pay people quite a bit to put up with the crap that comes with serving. As for our steak dinner, $40 a plate (average meal nothing fancy) whereas back home we'd probably only have paid $30 for the same dish. So wether you pay the resaurant more money for your dinner, or the server it all works out to being the same cost. I'd personally want it into the servers pocket, feels good to make someones night with a nice tip. and I'm not saying there are no rude ones, cuz there are. But there not all rude either.
Cheers!
To address the question of who needs who. I believe it is a mutual relationship, yes the customer does need to come into the establishment in order for anyone in the restaurant industry to get paid. First off people come together in restaurants to dine with one another it is a social gathering. That being said, the second highest employers behind the federal government is the food service industry. Food service is a driving force in the economy and without it there would be a drop in college attendance and a much higher rate of unemployment. Tips do reflect the performance of the server. And i believe customers are lucky that they have a choice in the matter to keep the servers in check. Since the only other alternative would be to add the 15-18% to the cost of menu items in order to cover cost. The system works and servers and customers alike must be more sensitive to each other's basic needs.
If waiting tables were truly as awful as those on here make it seem to be, NO ONE would do the job except the desperate and degenerate. The number of people here who have degrees yet still choose to wait tables as a career prove that the job is obviously not that bad. Why do they do it? For the money, of course. Those tips turn a crappy, low wage job into a very lucrative career - even with the sub-mininum wage actually provided by the employer. So, I have little sympathy for their complaints. Yes, working with the public sucks. I once worked a second job at a grocery store, so I know all about the abuse that is heaped on you when you "serve" the public. But, I never once threatened to pee on their groceries or stick pubic hairs in with their produce if they were rude to me on a previous visit to the store. The sheer number of "waiters" on here who threaten that they will mess with your food if they don't like you is enough to convince me to stay home. For the record, even though I HATE the tipping system and think you shouldn't have to tip anyone for just doing their job - my problem is with the owners and their wage system and I ALWAYS tip at least 20% (even for poor service, as long as they aren't very rude) because I didn't want to punish the servers. I can clearly see that not all of the servers are innocent victims ... and since my business clearly isn't wanted or appreciated, I can stay home and cook for my family. It certainly isn't enjoyable knowing that I could be waited on by someone who finds it amusing to put bodily fluids in my food if I make them angry. If I am a lousy customer (which I try very hard not to be), I would deserve rude service - but no one, for any reason, deserves to have their food ruined by a server. I'm grossed out by the thought of what must go on in so many kitchens. I don't think I ever want to eat in a restaurant again.
Whether you like it or not tipping is the reality in the states. Quit being cheap and rude and accept that. Every customer and server is a human being who deserves respect and basic kindness.
When did the tip minimum jump to 20%? Wasnt it always 15%? Of the amount before taxes, right?
Have any of you seen the movie "Waiting"? If you haven't you need to. Its not far from the truth, trust me. The funny thing is the people that are rude and don't tip never know its coming. Servers know who you are, and the rude people above, like Mike, I am sure have eaten their share of snot, pubes, dandruff, and other very nasty things. You never mess with the people that handle your food. Servers are very busy people and for the most part will respect you before you have earned it because they want your business. That doesn't give anyone the right to belittle them or not tip them. Very rarely does a server deserve to not be tipped.
Let me get this straight - a server, even if they do a poor job or are rude, never deserve to be stiffed a tip. Yet a customer who doesn't tip or is rude deserves to have their food ruined (and possibly be given a life threatening illness)? You are a sick person. Anyone who does what you do deserves to go to JAIL. You are a low-life thug trying to frighten customers into tipping - or should I call it "protection" money? I hope all restaurants go out of business and you have to get a real job. You know - one where you get paid exactly what you are worth. Though we might have to ship you out to a third world country in order to get a fitting wage ...
Scarlett...right on.
Easy answer to your question Scarlett – is your employer allowed to simply not pay you because they think you didn't have the best day?
If you want money off your check, get a manager to take things off for the poor service, or leave a little less. In all honesty, people who stiff deserve to have their food rolled around on the ground.
I'm a server and have been doing it for years. Not enough space here to make a dent in getting rid of all the anger on this page. Dining out is supposed to be fun the customer and the server both have to work at it ... and yes everyone has a bad day.
Mike,
Man, you're a piece of work. Your attitude is flat out wrong too by the way...just so you know.
I have to deal with pain in the ass clients at my office job and i never get a tip! so piss off
BIG difference Anthony, at your job I'm betting you get salary or a hourly rate that is ABOVE minimum wage. Servers do not. They rely on the tips to get paid. So...YES...if I were making a salary or getting paid more than 2.30 an hour I'll deal with as many jerks as you want and I won't expect a tip. Your comment clearly says you've never been a server so piss off...eat at home.
to edit my post...for my saying access denied that line should read "I will allow no one access to MY happiness." The way it reads now sounds as if I will allow no one happiness...lol..thanks
Tips are not automatic. I leave a good tip of at least 20% probably 99% of the time. However, in those rare instances where the service was horrible, I will either leave no tip or will write "service sucked" on the receipt when paying with a credit card and tell the manager about it. I go out in a good mood to enjoy the evening and a good meal. Almost everytime I eat out, the server gets a good tip. If they don't do a good job, I will not hesitate to leave no tip.
I sometimes even tip when service is bad and the waiter/waitress is horrible, simply because there are times I have a bad day, and the slightest hint of kindness and generosity are enough to turn things around. Sometimes all somebody needs is a chance, an opportunity to start over. Maybe the kindness of an undeserved tip will pay forward and end up in your own coffer sometime.
I respect servers and I tip every time I go out to eat. 15% for not so great service but not awful but I usually tip 20% standard and more if it was outstanding. The most important things I need to constitute a 20% tip is for the server to be nice, attentive, refill my glass, get my order correct (and if by chance it’s not, don’t be rude about it…just fix it, everyone makes mistakes). If you are busy…I get it…just apologize for the delay, no big deal but that goes along way with a customer. However, from reading these posts from SOME servers, certainly not all, is appalling. Tips are earned...and most people in this business get that but for those of you who don’t and EXPECT to get tipped at least 20% regardless of the level of service and if not the next time I dine in your establishment you will retaliate because you “never forget a face” are pure ignorant. People like you should not be serving the public but should be taking out the trash with your bad attitude with it. Knowing that there are such dirty people in the business is frightening. If you get a bad tip it’s for bad service. Learn from it and move on.
Someone seems to have completely forgotten the concept of customer and service provider. I go to a restaurant for a good meal and competent service - that's what I'm paying for!! I'm am so not going into a restaurant to cater to the servers 1) bad attitude, 2) ego, 3) poor working conditions, etc. so get over it y'all. So get over all the BS, put on a smile and do your job and the rewards (tips) will be forthcoming.
I am a server, I am not a baby sitter. Please keep your kids at your table and keep them under control. Bring your own entertainment. The salt and pepper shakers, sugar packets, crackers, and other condiments are not toys.
BRAVO!!
Look here's the deal...I served/bartended my way through college for 6 years (ba and mba)and I can count on two hands the number of times I truly felt stiffed on a tip or disrespected by a diner. I provided top rate service to my clients and in return they always took care of me. Of those rare occasions I felt stiffed it was usually a misunderstanding. For example, one person picks up the whole tab thinking that the others will tip, and the others assume that the person picking up the tab is tipping. It sucks when a 10top leaves no tip but all you can do is clear the table and get em sat again and move on.
I have a saying that I used during my serving days, more so with my bartending, and even use it today in my career and that is "Access Denied" I will allow no one access to happiness. If a customer is having a bad day and vents on me, if I goofed and made a mistake, if they didn't tip what I hoped for...oh well access denied and on to the next table with a smile on my face.
This funded college and kept me from being a starving student. I think servers need to remember what you get shorted on table can easily be made up on the next. As for the diners take it easy on servers. If they are trying have patience. If they are neglecting you intentially by all means let them have it. Also, try not to project your anger, depression or other negative feelings which you brought into the establishment, onto your server and then try to say it is their fault you feel this way.
All in all, a little patience and understanding on both sides of the table goes a long way.
It seems like everyone wants a tip now! Coffee shops, deli counters, laundry service, etc.
I want one too! I am a teacher.... I want a tip to stay after school and help your kid (I dont get paid for that!)!
The fact that it is somehow legal in the USA under the totally poorly named "Fair Labor Standards Act" to pay a waiter less then minimum wage ($2.13 an hour) if they MAY make $30 in tips a MONTH is crazy. While the act also says that the employers must make sure the employee gets paid equivalent to minimum wade when they count up the value of tips. I am sure that never happens and no employee who makes $2.13 has ever been paid extra because they had poor tips.
The real issue is not the fact people don't tip, the real issue is you have a country that considers waiters to be 2nd class individuals who are not allowed the same legal benefits of minimum wage that ever other American is allowed.
I guess with the poor employment system this is just another example of taking advantage of poor people who can't find a job in a bad economy. I think establishments that pay waiters less then minimum wage should have to say that on the menu because I would then know not to eat in that place again. I want the people who work for me as a waiter to be paid a fair wage and yes I know the food will cost a little more. But that is fine I will just eat out a few less times a year. It is far more important that people get fair pay for a fair days work then the fact I can get a burger for a buck.
Not paying your employees according to the law is seriously illegal. An employer can get into big trouble of the federal kind. If you aren't getting paid enough, turn in your employer – all it takes is a call to the labor board.
You know, throughout most of the world there is no such thing as tipping your waiter. This nonsense about food prices doubling shows why some of you are waiters – no math skills. Clearly food prices would have to rise by exactly what is collected in tips for wait staff to realize the same income without tips...but then your income would be entirely above the table and fully taxed.
But not long ago, a good tip was 10%, then it was 15%, and now they're pushing 18+%. Where should it end? Before you knee-jerk that increases are needed to keep up with cost of living, realize the obvious fact that tips, as a percentage of the meal cost, are fully cost-of-living adjusted. The increase is pure greed. Naturally, employers will, down the line, make a case for responding with even lower wages. Did it ever occur to you to ask why employers universally support initiatives for higher tipping? Do you really think it's because your boss is your pal? Everyone wants the wait staff to be fairly paid for their labor, and that should come from the employer, who should be responsible, like any other employer, to manage his/her employees such that they are incentivized to provide good service.
Tipping is a disgusting practice which effectively turns people who would otherwise be engaged in a standard exchange of labor for wages into whores, and it shows in the way many waitresses dress that they are fully aware of the underlying mechanics (duh). Waiting pays very well for anyone with decent cleavage. The rest of you should find a different job or realize that pay by your employer might be more objective (of course, your employer recognizes the value of cleavage too, but labor laws won't let him/her be too biased).
As a former server, and a current masters degree holder – I can see you never went very far in math either. The raise in acceptable tip percentages is increasing because the amount the food costs have risen does not equate to the percent that basic items have risen. When you look at the ratio of the average income from now and from 50 years ago, and then compare the prices as a tip percentage of the food – you will see why there is an increase.
Careful when talking down about servers – you never know when some (or most) are much smarter than you.
if you non tipping people feel like you don't have to tip stay home or go to mc donalds. We get paid nothing and work like slaves. We also have to tip out 3% to busboy and bartender so your 15% tip is crap. You want tipping to be paid by the house or give servers salary well that means your food cost will go up, so your still paying for it. Bottom line is this jerks have never waited on tables before so they dont know how hard it is for us in the industry.
Why don't you just quit then, if your job depends on the generosity of others?
My family and I eat out alot. And I do mean alot. We expect and usually get great service. We try and give a good experience with our server each and every time. When the server is kind enough to introduce themselves to us, I introduce us back to them. Anytime one of our drinks is re-filled I thank them by name. When our food is brought out, I thank them by name. Anytime they do something for us, I thank them by name.
If we have had a great experience and the food was great. I tip 20% or better. If something was wrong, an order or the service was in general a bad one, I start deducting percentage points. At some point, usually around 11% then I decide that it isn't a tip worthy experience. At those times there comes a moment to the server, I believe, when they realize that the balance has tipped away from them and they just stop trying. If it is bad enough, and usually by that time it is, we ask to see the Manager. It has to get really bad by that point though.
About 85% of the time, the tip is 20% or better. About 14% of the time, the tip is between 15% and 20%. I remaining 1% is the no-tip zone.
I would like right now to say thank you for all you hard working servers and wait staff who work on your feet hauling in hot steaming food safely through crowds of people in order to serve us, the public. You truly are awesome people to willingly put yourself in a position to serve others. I know I couldn't do it. I am just not that nice a person.
May you all be blessed and have a most prosperous life.
I don't see what all the fuss is about. I always tip if the service is good. I NEVER tip if the service is bad and will never visit that restaurant again. I have given a $10 tip for an $8 lunch because I enjoyed the service. I have also given a %0 tip for a $100 dinner because the service was so bad. And I always voice my displeasure or my happy experience with the management.
All the comments from the servers seem to be bitching about their pay... and that they won't treat you well next time if you don't tip well. What a joke. Tipping is OPTIONAL. The better you work and the better your attitude is, the more likely you will be compensated well. I am a good tipper, 20% min and 40% if the service is exceptional.. but after reading the arrogant and entitled responses from waiters here, I will have to reconsider
What you forget Anthony – is that deciding whether to spit in your food or throw it on the ground before putting it on your plate is also OPTIONAL.
Every time I read one of these waiter rants I get annoyed. They are invariably filled with wait staff telling ME how to make the dining experience more enjoyable for them. I just don't care. I'm out to have a good time. I tip generously at 20%, forgive little mistakes and am always polite. So don't whine about putting my bar tab on my dinner check because I don't care if YOU haven't worked out a system to get your share of the gratuity. I don't care if I'm boorish because I don't put my fork and knife across my unfinished food. Bring the food, bring the drinks and we'll both be friendly. Oh, and if you don't like food service, quit and find something else. I did and I've never been happier since I stopped delivering pizzas.
It seems that many people on here are confusing "bad tippers" with "people who refuse to tip for bad service". My husband and I tend to be generous because we DO understand the pay system for servers. We also have a good understanding that when things go wrong, the blame may lie in staff other than the wait staff. But tips are given based on the level of service received – they are NOT mandatory – and I will give a lesser tip or no tip at all if we have lousy service. I will treat you like a king or queen if you provide the best service that you can.
Also, as someone who has worked in customer service all her life, I know that we sometimes have to put on a happy face even when dealing with a difficult customer (and sometimes we get several a day, every day). However, it is my job to be pleasant and do everything possible to ensure that the customer comes back because, whether I like the person or not, I rely on my customers in order to earn a paycheck. No money coming into the business = no money with which to pay me. Simple as that.
Look, if I wanted to stay and cook/eat at home, I would. I would be saving a lot of money, but I'd be doing dishes. When I go out to eat, it's supposed to be special and carefree, so when I get there I want to have a server who treats me with respect and makes sure my food arrives in a timely manner. I'd like my server to get my order correct, but if they mess up and remain gracious and amend their mistake, they're only human and that's fine. I want a server who overall doesn't leave me in a worse mood than when I came in. I want all of this, because I'm paying money for the EXPERIENCE. That's why it's a service industry, because a server provides a service. The tipping system shouldn't make servers angry, it should motivate them to provide superior service in a competitive market! I know everyone is entitled to a bad day, but when I was throwing gymnastics birthday parties to kids as young as two, I knew to leave that at the door and push through. It's not easy, but it certainly puts everyone around you at ease, which makes them more likely to give you a tip. Those people who you're putting at ease are in turn more likely to give you a break if you make a mistake, as long as you're not too proud to admit it, and fix it. The old cliche "the customer is always right" is still around because it brings in money. And as servers, one would imagine that asking people to stay home to eat is the opposite of what would pay your bills. I don't mean to be inflammatory, just wanted to spell out what I think.
Very well said!
I usually tip very well and have worked in the service industry myself but for people to EXPECT a tip is lol. im already getting charged an arm and a leg for the food being served and after the servers poor attitude and getting my order wrong you really cant possibly expect a good tip can you? I mean does the worker at mcdonals EXPECT a tip?
what a bunch of losers! i waited for many years, and i decided to stop doing it because i didn't like catering to people's whims all the time. i couldn't stand the heat, so i got out of the kitchen. that bartender who said 'don't cop an attitude'...who's copping the attitude? you deserve to get stiffed as far as i can tell. all these complaining losers should just find another job.
Tipping is not required. PERIOD. IF you are part of the wait staff and you don't like your crapy $2.00 an hour job then stop doing it and find another line of work. Go to college, get an education, and then get a real job ...leave the waiting tables jobs to the high school students. You all sound like every other waiter/waitress I have ever known – they try to tell me the job is hard (it's real tough to write down what I say and then bring it to me when it is ready. For those of you with 'talent' that try and memorize my order and then get it wrong, don't complain when I only tip you 10% – you DON'T deserve that much for screwing up ...I just happen to be generous.)
Of course people don't know what to do when they're done with their meal, you've just explained to them the opposite of what you should do to signal to the waiter that you have finished:
"If you're finished with your meal, either of three universally accepted signals will be read by your server: push [your plate] to the side, place your napkin over it, or cross your fork and knife over the center of the plate. You'd be surprised how many people don’t know to do this.”
Actually, you rest your fork and knife parallel to each other at approximately 4 o'clock on the plate, pointing towards 10 o'clock. The fork should be closer to you and the knife blade should be pointing towards the fork. Crossing you utensils in the center is universally understood as "I'm still working on my meal."
I've worked as a server/bartender for a very long time, and I've known just as many idiot servers as idiot customers. Remember, most people know what your time and work is worth, if you're not happy with a tip it usually reflects accurately on the service despite your ego so suck it up and take the money. We always wish for better tips, but some tip great whereas others just so-so, it'll all even out in the end.
what a heated debate! I feel like I understand both sides of the story...I was in the restaurant biz a few years ago and even though I'm not in that line anymore I do work in place that has its own restaurant. Many of the servers here are my friends and I've heard their woes day in and day out. If you're getting a job as a server I think you're already aware of the wage and tip situation, so if you don't like it quit! I personally tip every waiter 15% no matter where I go unless you give me really crappy service and thats not every day. I have average standards...keep my drink filled (i only have two usually) and if I ask for no tomatoes on my salad just make sure there aren't any. Crappy service doesn't mean I don't tip at all, but I'm not gonna give you the best. If I'm sitting there (true story) with an empty drink and you are staring at me while doing roll ups and cant walk the 30 second seconds over then eff you. Also, just because one person doesn't tip you, or tip you well, doesn't mean the next person will do the same thing. Hell they may even tip you twice as much. And don't some places add a 15% gratuity automatically regardless of your party size? In the end I think everyone should tip, poor service or not, just tip accordingly. And if you dont have the spare change to tip,order to go, or even better cook your own dinner!!!!!!!! 'nuff said.
This is like the chicken or the egg question. The anti-tippers talk about poor service and the waiters talk about the difficulty of providing good service when you deal constantly with an indifferent or even hostile public. Who fired the first shot I wonder? I've no doubt some of the servers are lazy and don't deserve their tips. But in all the time I worked in a restaurant, I can think of only one or two co-workers that were abysmal servers (rude, incompetent etc), and as a frequent diner myself, I can count on one hand the number of times I've received awful service. Yet to hear these people moan about how poor service shouldn't be tipped, you'd think they'd never had a decent waiter in their lives. And to be honest, the other article kind of confirmed that with the list of petty issues people have with servers (lot of damned if you do/don't standards... eg. one customer whines they can never find their waiter, the next whines the waiter is around too much). Servers can't please everybody because everybody, even within one table sometimes, has conflicting desires from a server. The ONLY appropriate reason to punsih your server is incompetence or rudeness, not because they said "guys" instead of "folks" or "y'all" or whatever other script you think you NEED to enjoy your meal.
I call BS on all these servers. My real question (and 3 of our 4 kids work as servers – by choice) is how much of that tip are you claiming on your taxes? My kids will not stop serving because they can not get an entry level job (after taxes) to pay them anywhere near what they are making – because of the taxes. They pay only on that 2.15 an hour and "forget" when it comes to the tips. Some nights they make way more than I do, yet I have to pay taxes. So get off your high horse, we all know why you are servers. And from your comments, it is not because you like people.
@Jerry,
You FAIL, and if you know this and let your kids get away with it without reporting that to the IRS than that is on you for being so angry and jealous that your kids make more than you. Not everyone is out to cheat the system so please don't judge ALL by ones that do.
@ WoW – what server do you know will claim what they get in tips? Get real. We have to pay more in taxes to make up for it.
Did you know that you tip nearly every place you shop at? Grocery stores, outlet malls, sporting goods stores, and gas stations all increase their prices when demand goes up so they can make an extra buck. That's just as good as making a tip for their service. Restaurants are among the only businesses where owners actively try to lower prices, offer specials and bend over backwards to make things cheaper for YOU. You don't complain when the watch you thought about buying last week has been marked up 15% this week for no reason, so why do you feel it's so wrong to give that same 15% to people who work hard and are trying to make your experience pleasant?
You really believe restaurant owners are offering specials to make things cheaper for the customer? They know how markets work and that discounts actually increase sales. They are trying to maximize profits just like everyone else.
Actually I work in a struggling restaurant and that is exactly what they do. They offer specials to try to get people into the place with the hope that some will spend a little more on appetizers, desserts and drinks. Most, however, do not. We actually do try to make things cheaper so that the next time you come in, you MIGHT try something a little more expensive. Yes, there is an alternative motive as well, but the restaurant knows that the majority of people are just going to come in and get exactly the special. And a water to boot.
The fact of the matter is that servers deserve a tip ONLY if they provide good service. You are not OWED a tip. Bitch all you like, but if you are a bad server, you won't get jack from me. If you are, I'll tip appropriately. 15 for good sevice, 20% for exceptional service.
I know you guys only make $2.13 an hour, but don't try to guilt customers with that. You CHOSE to work for $2.13 an hour + tips. Not my fault or problem.
I don't expect a server to bend over backwards, but I do expect decent service.
Quit your bitching and do your job. I deal with many clients that drive me up a wall, but the customer is always right (well, within reason). I just nod and smile and keep my composure. It's work, deal with it. We all deal with not so nice people. It's life. If you can't handle it, get in to another line of work.
Hey I thought of a good thing about serving Mike. He doesn't take up much room because he eats alone, he goes home
alone and he lives alone.
People we are getting too far off course here: good service ,bad customers, bad customers, good service.
The bottom line the word tip means a gratuity (a voluntary additional payment made for services rendered)
the tip should not be an" expected addition " if "good service" is rendered then a "good tip" is in order 10-15% , if great service is rendered then a great tip is in order 20-25% , however as you can see in these posts far too many waitstaff are expecting a great tip , while presenting poor service. By Poor service I mean Unattentive service , a customer should not have to sit waiting or flag wait staff down for silverware , drinks or food that was ordered but not delivered to the table. If I have to sit at a table with food and no drink , the tip declines consiterably. These are events that I feel safe in saying would annoy anyone in the food service industry if they were out paying for a meal. Thats the real survey question " What do wait staff tip other servers when thay are eating out"
Chew on that for a while :)
I understand and can appreciate the fact that wait staff depend on tips for their livelihood. That said, money should be earned and not just expected. The money that I leave as tip wasn't just given to me – I had to go to a job and work to earn that money as well. Very few of us can just sit around, pick our noses, and have money handed to us. As such, servers shouldn't just go through the motions and expect us to immediately tip 20%. If I went to my job and half-assed it, I would be out of a job. All I ask is that a server is courteous and attentive, and then I will tip appropriately. But if you "hate people in general" and reflect, then don't be all pissy when you get less than desirable tip. And one more thing, please do not accost patrons outside the restaurant door because you were "only" left a 15% tip.
Wow, lots of serious comments!
I worked as a busser, server and bartender for years out of high school. In general the job blows, you have to work shitty hours while everyone else is parting (right in front of you at that!) and you never know how much or little you'll make in any given night.
Before I worked in the service industry I usually tipped poorly, just a buck or two or whatever I had. I figured it was such little money and sort of an "extra", the way it's truly supposed to be (and is in many European countries). But here in the US it doesn't work that way, and I found out quickly when I started. The pay checks are a joke, all that really matters are tips, that's the bulk of your pay. So after i started in the service industry I was sure to tip like crazy! Poor service? Ok then, only 10%.... decent service.... 20%... excellent service, 30% or even higher! I once gave this awesome server more than 50% in tip.
But this brings me to my real point. Because in the US tips are everything you would think servers would put more emphases on EARNING them. The attitude I get out of most servers (and myself included back in the day) is that the tip is expected and expected to be sizable regardless of the quality of service. It's a shame that unlike other parts of the world servers here in the US NEED tips to make ends meet, but shouldn't they be striving even harder to earn them then? What's surprising to me is that when visiting other countries there servers are often more pleasant to the customers, offer more to them and are much more appreciative. I remember giving one Danish fellow a 20% tip since he had comped a round of drinks for my friends and also took the time to talk with us and recant some awesome Danish history. The man was floored, I could see it in his face he was genuinely happy and proud, not just that he got some money but that I felt he earned it. Too often here in the states I just get the feeling that servers are going through the motions, starting with an assumption about a tip so if you meet that assumption they are indifferent, if you give less they are pissed and more possibly happy.
I know I'm rambling a bit but... my point is a nod to both sides. This is the US, and we should all know now that in the US servers need tips to survive. If you can't afford to tip then you probably can't really afford to eat out, budget it, not to do so is disrespectful and hurtful to people. But on the other hand, servers, even though you need the tips to live don't become entitled. It's a messed up system for sure, but remember tips still reflect your performance. Even if I now give a shitty server 10% because I know how it is realize the service was shitty, that's why you only got 10%. For all servers and patrons, TIPS SHOULD ALWAYS REFLECT SERVICE. It promotes servers to do better and shows them when they are doing it right and when they are doing it wrong.
Why does the industry not include gratuity in the prices and be done with it? Why leave it as a choice? Expecting 20% as the standard tip irrespective of level of service does not sound good. Just change the system – the industry can definitely do it. And that way, there will be no pressure on the serving staff to perform well. The consumers don't have much of a choice any way, so why bother?
:-)
I tend to agree. . .what's the difference between marking up the menu 15-20% or having the customer tipping that same amount?
With how overpriced most restaurants are, I do get tired of their relying on their customers to pay their staff's salaries. Pay better starting salaries, you might get happier staff and more repeat business. Why do the customers have to pay for cheap employers. I love that in Europe tipping is not expected, so anything you put down is a bonus but not needed so your waiter can make their bills.
And to those making minimum wage and above, stop expecting tipping to apply to you too! A tip is for those that go above and beyond.
And the biggest d-bag of te day award goes to..........Mike!! Yay!! What a total @ss_ole... Bet the ladies love him...
After being on both sides of this fence I can tell you I truly feel EVERYONE should be REQUIRED to wait tables, not just work in the food industry but actually WAIT tables. During my 4 years of it I enjoyed it and I enjoyed the people good and bad, it was all a learning experience. I did it because I wanted too; and it was suggested by my Mother in order to get an idea what it was like to truly WORK for the buck. I have seen how nice people can be and I have seen some of the worst in people. It is true, we ALL have bad days, and I don't care what anyone says, the wait person usually (not always) gets the brunt of a bad day.
I can also admit I have been a bad customer. Anytime I realize I had been the problem or damn I under tipped I always make sure I go back and request the wait person I had previously and let them know I messed up and will fix it this visit. Heck I have even walked in the next day and went up to that person and “fixed” the problem without being there to eat.
I wish I could say some of the responses coming from both sides here are a shock, but they are not. I have seen it heard it and been a part of it all before. I would like to remind some of you to remember one thing “You get what you pay for” however it might not be during that visit. Things come back to bite you and it might not be pretty.
I can only hope everyone here is going by their worst experiences and unleashing that energy. I don't want to think the world is getting this ugly, yet.
GEEZ. I can't believe how angry this is. This has always seemed so simple to me... servers are paid virtually nothing. That's the way it is here. So, as a customer we are expected to supplement their pay according to the service we receive. I start at 15%. If you meet my expectations, that's what you get. If you do something extra or are just really on top of things, you get 20 or 25. If I make you work harder, (spill something, send something back that is not your fault, order something to go at the end...) you get 20 or 25. If the Mike is at the next table and I hear him harassing you, you get a little extra from me and probably a kind word, too. But, if you make me wait, if you are rude, if you are incompetent, you get less, usually 10%. If you are REALLY bad, maybe nothing. But you have to be really bad. Not just incompetent, if you are really trying, you get something for the effort. But if you are rude, surly, or obnoxious, you get nothing. This has happened to me exactly twice in my entire life. So I don't understand why this is such a contentious subject.
And, for the record, if you put your tip on your CC, in most cases the restaurant reports that income to the IRS.
Very well put! Could NOT agree with you more!
Some of you people really make me laugh, and not in a good way. And I'm talking about both sides of the coin.
To the waitstaff-haters:
Tipping is expected, period end of story. Required? No, but it is expected when good food and service are provided. Factor in tips when you decide whether you want to dine in a restaurant. If you can't afford it or are too cheap, find a less expensive restaurant or get it to go or cook at home.
Servers in most states do in fact only earn $2 an hour (which all but disappears after taxes, which are calculated to include money expected to be earned in tips). Don't forget that they often also must share their tips with buspersons, bartenders, food runners, hostesses, etc. The tip is not just for the server; in some cases, it's distributed to nearly half the staff.
If a restaurant had to pay even minimum wage to all its employees so that you didn't have to tip, your food would cost twice as much and service would suffer. Why should a server go out of his or her way to 'wow' you with great service if they could make the same money with less effort?
Treat your server with respect and dignity, and you will receive it in return. Of course there are some bad apples, as there are in every industry. If your experience is that bad, then by all means tip less or not at all, BUT NOT WITHOUT SPEAKING TO A MANAGER ABOUT WHY. How can you expect a problem to be corrected if they don't know there's a problem in the first place?
And to those who think all waiters and waitresses are just dumb lazy people, grow up. Seriously. There are thousands of possible reasons why someone can choose this profession, from needing part time income while in school, to being between better jobs. Waiting tables is far from a lazy job: lots of running back and forth, mental organization, serious multitasking, carrying several heavy plates at a time and keeping food from sliding off them, remembering what menu items contain what allergens, down to cleaning and restocking everything at the end of the shift. It's NOT for everyone.
To the severs:
While tipping is expected, it's not required. A customer has no legal obligation to leave you anything. Get over it. Complaining about your customers or your job only makes you look like a whiny biotch and gets nothing accomplished. Just do your job to the best of your abilities.
If you suck at waiting tables, your tips will suck. Simple concept, really. If you notice that you consistently get crappy tips, take the time to really examine how well you perform your job. Watch how other (hopefully better) servers wait tables. Take notes. Ask them how they handle certain difficult situations. Treat your customers with respect, and be honest. Don't make excuses for anything. If their entree is taking a little longer than expected, apologize and let them know it will be out momentarily. And always always ALWAYS have a genuine smile on your face and a pleasant demeanor. It goes a lot further than you think.
BTW, waitressing for 18 years. Still doing it part time (on top of a full-time office job) because it is good money, and I happen to like my customers. : )
@SourDiesel if this is hjow servers feel and they give crappy service then you all should never expect tip my last name is Jackson and I tip 20% but if you arent expecting it then i'll stop
I work hard as hell for that $325 – you don't even know!!
Where I work, I generally get 10%-15% from most customers – 20% or more from my regulars (which I have developed quite a following with my courteous service) Then when its all said and done, I am required to SHARE 3% of my sales with the hosts and bus boys, which can be upwards of $30 some nights. I make about $325 weekly working full time and I claim just about all of my tips for the IRS.
The US government should increase servers wages bottom line. I will be damned if a waiter makes me feel bad when I leave what I think is an appropriate tip. I have heard horror stories of what servers say to their customers like "oh you better keep that change you obviously need it!" Or chasing people out into the parking lot and making a scene. It is my right to give what I feel is adequate. There is no law saying I must leave 20%. So if you are slow, or bring out my main meal while I am still eating my salad-NO TIP FOR YOU! If you don't like it then TOUGH, get ot of the restaurant business. There are some great waiters out there who get great tips and it's usually the waiters on boards like this that are the crappy ones and wonder why they don't get good tips.
If you can't afford to tip, then you shouldn't be eating out.
Jerks... Not tipping is the extreme lowliest of uncouth social behaviors.
What is it with some people who step out for a bite to eat and suddenly think they are the sultan of a large oil-rich country in the middle east, (*clap-clap, "bringeth me the hot towels!") yet at the same time refuse to kick their server down a few bucks?
Reading all these posts is what is problematic in America.. We as a society are losing a people skills, I have read many arguments on both sides
1. Its the Employers job to pay the staff, before you state that, your N.Y strip steak, filett mignon just shot up 10.00 because of that idea.
2. How many times has a waiter or waitress taken there bad day out on there customers, I know my wife and I have seen it.
3. who would reaally like the ownner of the business to include the tips in the meal, all of these reasons ignore the primary reason for tipping, work hard, serve your custmers, and lastly quit being materialistic customers, you tip a 1.00 to go jump in you Porsche or Denali , I say both sides of the table are wrong, leave to the establishment then prices go up, service will decline.
WHO cares how much someone claims on there taxes, I'd say 70 to 80% of Americans cheat on them anyhow.
Heres an idea and it seems so true nowadays, if your gonna rob someone rob them with a breifcase, you'll do less time..
tight and whiney America our own arrogance and boo-hoo parties is what has put us in the sad state of affairs today, you want to make it america, rool your sleeves up and get dirty, elbows and a**holes how many have heard that, man find real issues you wanna cry, go seee a therapist... Wahhhhhhhhhh!
I have been a server on weekends for the past five years at a Truck Stop, I can honestly say that I have enjoyed waiting on customers, to me it was a way to makes ends meet while raising my daughter. Yes I depended on the tips to pay for bills. I am going to miss the older couples that were so devoted to each other after 66 years of mariage and there was more than one I waited. The truck drivers that would stop by and share their stories of the road, Yes the tips were dissapointing at times but at the end of the month it all averaged out. Yes, I will be the first to admit that I would make mistakes but it was not intentional but I always appreciated each and every tip. Yes there was times I would get aggrevated, but I am human as well. and by the way I do work full time in accounting and hold a 4yr degree.
What it comes down to is this. Servers, customers DON'T think you deserve 20% of the tab just for showing up and carrying plates to their table. Diners, if your server has made an effort to make your dining experience more pleasant, compensate them, THAT is a service. MAKE an effort, RECOGNIZE the effort – it's as simple as that.
Some context to my comments: I have been serving in restaurants for a little over 15 years. I worked my way up from chain family-style joints up to high-end fine dining. In the restaurant I currently work in, the per person check average is about $45 and I average about 19% in tips. I am also a professional with an advanced degree and a decent salary during the day. I continue to work in restaurants to pay for said degree in addition to paying for the day-to-day expenses of my family of four.
So, here's what I think. Tips are a reflection of work product within the context of the American dining experience. Servers are paid a poor hourly rate for two reasons. One, restaurants, particularly in the current economy, simply cannot pay people more and keep food prices reasonable. This has been explained in comments above. It is not a hypothetical; it is reality. Two, it has simply become the norm. All of those commentors above who say that the system is flawed, restaurants should pay better wages, etc., are out of luck. It is an entrenched system and is not going to change. So, for servers to make a sustainable livelihood, tips are necessary.
How much should people tip? The norm has become about 18-20%. Let's do some math. If I wait on 20 people in an evening and they each spend $50, then my sales are about $1000. If you tip me %18, then my tips are about $180. In turn, I tip out my bartender 10%($18) and my busser 20%($36). I have $136 left. If I work 5 shifts per week, then I make $680 a week; about $550 after taxes (yes, I pay taxes on all of my income). My small business employer certainly cannot afford health insurance, so after taxes and insurance, I am taking home less than $2000 a month. Remember, this is at a high-end restautant; most servers are not seeing a $50 per person check average. Now I am incredibly grateful for my other job, as $24000 per year is just over the Federal Poverty level for my family of four. So, 18% does not seem too unreasonable from the server's position in the context of the American dining experience and economy.
But I also said that tipping is (should be) a reflection of work product. Unfortuately, many servers have lost both passion and professionalism. But I think most of us, particularly the lifers, keep doing this because we actually care about your experience. We love to facilitate. We want to make your date/business dinner/family gathering a great time. Sometimes this means saying very little, sometimes it means our best attempt at a stand-up routine. It depends on the table. We really do want you to enjoy yourselves. And if things go wrong (food, timing, noise, whatever) we want a chance to make it up to you. If you are not open it allowing us to try to fix what went wrong, then there is not much else we can do. There is a lot that goes into a good dining expereince, so there is a lot that can go wrong. If you are a little patient, you will find servers can fix a lot of problems. That said, servers, earn your tips. Be focused on the guests needs and try to anticipate their wants. Get passionate about food and drink and learn more about it; just because this may be a transitional job for many of you does not mean you should not be trying your best. You can learn a lot about life and work while working in restaurants. I have my off days too. Some evenings I am preoccupied with sick kids at home or tomorrow's deadline at the office. But I still try my best within that frame of mind.
So, to both servers and diners: this is supposed to be a good time! Stop going into the restaurant expecting that it won't be!
Diners: remember, we servers are real people with real life going on. We try our best not to bring our problems to work just like you do, but sometimes we fail. Have some grace. When you tip, let your tip be an acknowledgment of the service you received, but do not forget the context of the system. And when you are looking at your entertainment budget, maybe pad it a bit to remember the tip.
Servers: Look to really SERVE people. If you are really focused on ensuring a great dining experience, then the tips will follow. No, not on every table, accept that some folks are just lousy tippers. But others are great tippers and if your focus is on service, it will all even out.
And, by the way, if some of you have read this and think a server with a graduate degree is unusual, think again. Many of us are well-educated; most of us are thinking, intelligent, well-rounded people. Please don't be condescending to your servers; I once waited on a very nice man who interviewed at my office the next month. I hired him.
All I have to say is this...why does the proper tip amount keep going up? As the price of the meal goes up the tip will go up with it. A few years ago the proper tip was 10%, then 15,%, then 20%...next thing you know a person will have to pay double for a meal. I have no issue tipping but this rate raise is ridiculous. Why would I want to pay a server more than I make?
Andy- no one expects you to pay a server more than you make. Thats why people like you should stay home instead of eating out. You make it quite clear you can't afford to pay for the food and the service that goes along with it. So do everyone a favor and simply buy the food yourself and cook it (no tip necessary!)
If everyones computer had a push here to kill Mike key would anyone not have pushed it?
I wouldn't.
I think the slave-wage system for servers should be done away with and they should be paid a fair wage by their employers. Go ahead and increase menu prices by the average percentage of reported tips in the establishment and pay your servers accordingly, at the very least minimum wage.
Don't do away with tipping, but allow it to truly be a reward for a job well done rather than a more or less mandatory add-on percentage to a meal. Shift the burden for a server being able to make a livable wage to the employer, not the customer, but still keep tips in place as an incentive for exceptional service.
WOW....I thought I had seen it all. I made my way through college by being a waitress. There were MANY days that I absolutely hated my job because of people that complained they were "too poor to tip" or that they had "horrible service." It was downright rude. We got paid $3/hr, had to tip out to the buss boy and our bartender, not to mention claim at least 10% of our tips. There were lunch shifts that we would all walk out with $10, which meant I was working for about $1/hr. You complain about subsidizing, but it would cost you $25 for a sandwich if the restaurants had to pay us $8/hr. I'm from Michigan, I know we've had it rough, but if you don't like the cost, STAY HOME!!!!
READ THIS IF YOU WANT SOME INFO: http://www.tip20.com/top-10-things-i-wish-people-knew-about-waiters/398
First of all I am now accustomed to the American way of dining and tipping to me is compulsory not just customary.
I, however, would like to remind the servers that restaurant business is a hospitality business, i.e. you gotta be hospitable. The complaints I am reading from you sound like we owe the money to you, as oppose to we are rewarding you for your service.
Those who complain about their salary being $2/hr, shouldn’t you primary complaint be towards your rich owner?? Atleast have the minimum pay…I know easier said than done but then again don’t make the customers the primary target of your complains. Your arrogant suggestion about us staying home and eat is one of the reason why restaurant business suffers the most during economical downturn.
Having said this, I do suggest tipping the waiter is the right thing to do. If we expect them to be civil then we should reciprocate.
Seriuosly, if you want good tips then give good service. I do tip for good service. What I don't like are the generalizations that because I am black I won't tip well. In fact you waiters perpetuate the frickin cycle. For instance, if I can visibly tell that you go to other tables multiple times to refill drinks check on stuff and I get 1 visit...damn right you get a small tip. In general I tip very well upwards of 30% for goo dservice because I know you basically live off tips but I would like decent service or you don't deserve anything. Yes I also complain to the Manager and make it a point to explain why you got a crappy tip....
For those of you that do give good service thank you and I will continue to tip you well. For the others fix the attitude or find another job, you make it hard for the good waiters with your crappy attitudes.
Whoever said that was ignorant.
I was a waitress and never noticed one kind of person tipping more or less than another. You shouldn't have defend yourself against knuckle draggers like that.
My husband and I always tip really well. At the very least twenty percent for acceptable service. The thing that bugs me is that no wait staff seem to remember this. We are regulars are two restaurants and always tip the bartenders and wait staff great, but no one remembers us. Every time we go it's like the first time they have ever seen us. Maybe we SHOULD be rude and obnoxious, complain and leave bad tips. Being nice doesn't help.
If you don't like tipping then stay home and learn to cook! It's really that simple.
A tip literally means...
T – To
I – Insure
P – Promp
S – Service
If this does not happen, my tip does not happen.
I have a lot of friends in the resturant industry and I know how hard they work. Not only that, they are touching and preparing your food. Hello!? Treat them you would want to be treated. I tip at LEAST 20%. If it was an awful meal , I tip 15% and then let the manager know that my expierence was subpar and they normally compensate with an appetizer or dessert for next time. Everyone is allowed a bad day. If you hate it that bad, don't eat out. I am sure the service in your home is always fabulous.
All I can say is "WOW". Knucklehead customers and knucklehead servers. The good ones get what they deserve- that goes for both customers and servers. When I was in high school I worked as a busboy at a very nice Italian restaurant that prided itself on SERVICE. They taught me a few very simple things. Don't interrupt customers when they are talking, don't reach across a customer's face, keep water (beverages) full, change ashtrays (ha ha- not anymore), be UNOBTRUSIVE but responsive. Pay attention. Anticipate the customer's needs. Remember, at lunch, many customers are conducting business- don't bother them unless they appear to need something.
Do these things and most of the time you'll get 20%+. I tip minimum 20% unless the server violates several of the above. Also, customers- you shouldn't take bad food out on the server- its usually not their fault, unless its cold (supposed to be hot). If you feel the food is bad, talk to the manager.
Its those who have never served people that are the worst. I was a server in college. I made great money (minimum wage +tips) but I dont think people realize how hard servers work and how much is tipped out. Most places require 15% of your nightly tabs to be claimed as wages plus you generally have to tip out a bartender or bus boy. That $5 tip is really $3 to the server.
That being said, in the 3 years I waited tables, I never once didnt receive a tip. Some were smaller that I would have like and some were much larger. Now, when I get terrible service I still tip a little but I would never stiff someone unless they were obviously rude (like those teens who are chatting for 10 minutes when you can see your food getting cold under the heat lamps) but I also reward those who provide top notch service. Its obvious who is working hard and who couldnt care less.
Hey Rob, you're spot on man. I used to be a server, and a good one I must say. You touched on something a lot of people haven't on this message board, namely the fact that we have to pay taxes on "assumed wages." We are also required to "tip out" on assumed wages. At the restaurant I used to work at, a large corporate chain restaurant, I was required to claim at least 15% of my sales as tips. If I didn't, I ran the risk of being fired because management reviewed your sales and "claimed tips" on a weekly basis. In addition, I was also required to tip out 2% to the bussers, 2% to the food runners, and 1% to the bar. Those percentages were of my sales, regardless of what the actual tip was! That means that if those non-tippers were to come and eat in my section, they actually would COST me money in taxes that I never saw! 15% of my sales are taxed, and I give away 5% of the money that I'm paying taxes on, which means that if I don't constantly receive 20%, I am being taxed on more than I even earned!!! I'm not going to debate the laws on taxing tips, but all you non-tippers should keep that in mind. Crappy service is one thing, and if your server really sucks, well, that is his/her responsibility for even the minimum wage he/she is receiving...but you people out there that say, "great job" to the server's face, and leave a 10% tip??? What's the matter with you?
So I decide to take my hard earned money to a restaurant and pay more for something I already have at home. I do this for the change in ambiance, for the (supposed) convenience of having someone else cook, serve and do the dishes. And then I get attitude from someone whose job qualifications include opposable thumbs, the ability to read, write and transfer plates and glasses from one place in a restaurant to the table? Wow. You guys in the 'service' industry need a reality check. I did it for years in college. If you don't like people or serving customers, get your lazy self back into school, get a decent degree and do something else with your lives. We, the paying public, ensure that you have a relatively simple job that typically pays quite well considering your hours and qualifications. So thank me when I leave, treat me with the respect I deserve for keeping you employed and I'll return the favor. Know your place in the world and stay humble.
Respect is a two way street. My daughter is in the service industry and had a customer dump a beer over her head because she did not believe it was the "brand" she ordered. The customer had to be escorted out. What waiter deserves that kind of rudeness?
You know, listening to all of the agruements have made me see the error of my ways. From now on I won't have to use my "cute little tip" counter and simply take 10% of my overall bill and multiply that by two, depedning on the service I was given.
I love life
all you tip haters are missing the entire point. Tipping is to insure prompt service. so fine if you dont want to tip then expect terrible service otherwise TIP! any you may say well i dont leave a tip until the end of the meal well guess what youre right but god forbid i see you next time you come in if that tip is not at least 18%
Mike
Waiters and servers. Never forget that when I come to dine at your establishment, I expect and deserve to have an enjoyable experience. If I detect a server copping an attitude, I'll immediately ask for another server and will NOT tolerate any rudeness. I simply REFUSE to patronize any establishment where I will be rudely treated. Eating out is expensive. I do not NEED to do it. I can assure you rude server that you will pay dearly for your transgressions. Why shouldn't you. Lose the attitude, or quite. Simply put.
June 21, 2010 at 1:50 pm |
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LOL, you sound like a prick... so its easy to realize why you could possibly get bad service constantly. You sound arrogant, stuffy, and please... as if you have any power to have any server "pay dearly for their transgressions" AHAHAHAHAHAHA. drop the attitude, or stop going out to eat. You're right, you don't NEED to do it... so stop if you're going to act so rudely while obviously expecting bad service. If its too expensive, maybe you should stay home and open up a can of beans.
In your case, you may want to personally re-evaluate yourself before putting the blame on others being rude to you. Its easy to tell this even from just an online message board. You are the customer that the manager stands in the back and makes fun of, even though he's giving you a gift card for the future and taking off part of your meal because of all your ridiculous complaining.
You'd think based on the comments from the servers/owners that restaurants go out of business because of non-tippers. I think the reason is more because of non-restaurant-goers. No patrons, no restaurant.
I'm actually nauseated by comments from both sides of the argument and that's one reason why I don't like going to restaurants much, all of the crappy people out there...
“I'm a server and just when I'm reading all these ignorant, pompous complaints, I was thinking how much I hate people in general..."
If you "hate people," you probably shouldn't be in a profession that requires constant contact with them.
I am always a generous tipper, with one exception. Sometimes I can see that the waiter has written my table off as unlikely to tip well (often when I am out with my well-behaved kids) and devotes attention to another of the tables at the expense of ours. If this results in a bad experience, it results in a low tip. I realize this reinforces the waiter's initial impression!
Lesson–if you assume a diner will be a lousy tipper you'll probably be right.
Many of you seem very clueless about "blame". Unlike the server, the cooks get paid no matter what. So when they burn your steak – do you think that is bad service from the server? You have to understand that there are things which are out of your servers control! They usually can't help it if your food is taking a long time. Some tables like to be checked in on a lot, others don't want to be bothered much at all! They are not psychics!
The bottom line is this – there are 3 people that you should really never ever mess with
1) Those that clean where you live
2) Those that clean where you work
3) Those that see your food before you do
If you don't tip – do yourself a favor and never go back to that restaurant. Trust me, servers remember what you look like.
I always tip. If I have a problem with the service I will complain to the manager and request money off the bill. I still will tip though. Also, if the service was excellent, 25-30% is coming that servers way. Anyone who ever tips under 15% should save their pennies and simply eat at home next time....they obviously need all the money they can get.
Wow good to know most people can't be civil...server or customer.
Funny thing is in California it is illegal to pay less than minimum wage, period. So all servers here make at least the state minimum wage of $8.00 and I don't see any of the restaurants charging $70 for a steak? Interesting that some of the supposed business owner/commentors said that things would double/triple etc. in price...guess not huh?
Anyway, I have been a server and I knew not to expect a tip since honestly most people are just cheap. Heck I have been accused of being cheap when tipping, but I expect good service from whomever is serving me. If I get treated like crap from the moment I walk into an establishment and my server ignores our table because we don't look 'cool' enough or something else equally ridiculous then they aren't likely to get a tip. If part of doing your job is being pleasant and as helpful as possible then that's what you do. I am NEVER rude to a server even if they are rude to me and ignore my table (unfilled water glasses anyone?) or treat us poorly for goodness knows what reason. If I treated customers aka the public since I'm a public servant the way I've been treated at some restaurants lately I would be fired!
We should all be glad we're employed right now, and no one deserves to be treated poorly...remember that next time you have a bad day...that goes for customers and servers!
I agree...its funny how servers expect a higher level of service that most others and tip accordingly (I do this myself). I also agree it is crazy for the owners to say they have to double meal prices to make up for the wages. If a server goes through 3 tables an hour and the owner were to pay $10/hour to the server, doesnt this mean an average of an extra $3.33 per table?
I served in California and at 18 years old I was making minimum wage ($4.25 at the time) plus and additional $15-20+/hour in tips (a small but busy Italian place). Now, with the wage at $8/hour that would have been $23-28/hr to be a waiter. Thats GREAT money for an uneducated 18 year old. My brother was working his tail off in construction at the same time to make $12/hour. I find it a bit crazy that some of the servers here are complaining about tips less that 20-20%. Sounds a bit greedy to me.
Felt like I was watching Jerry Springer reading all of this.
I myself generally tip 20-25% for "normal" service. If you are outstanding you get more. But on the other hand if you do have a big attitude problem or are very rude you'll get less or nothing. I'm not going to waste a good tip on you when someone else that is very nice and is doing a great job deserves it more. Sometimes when I get a bad server (doesn't happen to often, but when it does) I just want to look around for the nice servers and switch tables so they can get the good tip.
I believe tipping is important but yes just like everything else in life you do have to earn it, which most servers I've encountered do. It's the select few that don't get anything.
Honestly, maybe it is about time that gratuities are included in the price of your meal – that way if you stiff the server, you can be charged with theft. It's either that or people who don't tip be required to perform at least 20 hours waiting tables and doing all the sidework involved just so you know what you're paying for, then of course, hopefully you too will be poorly tipped by a like-minded person. At the end of the night, when you're counting your money to turn in and then the manager takes most of it away for tip-out, maybe, just maybe you'll wake up.
I have great regulars and honestly, I rarely get tipped poorly. But it does happen. Sometimes people blame the waitstaff for things out of their control; are just plain cheap; expect a level of perfection not achievable by any human being; etc. These people, I hope, end up in purgatory waiting tables for guests just like themselves, with all the trimmings, like a crashing kitchen, the rest of the servers in the weeds, none of the sidework being done, no rolled silverware, no bussers and guests who modify every single thing about an entree.
If all servers were REALLY good this might make sense but since it is about 50/50 this idea is crazy. You tip because of a service, specifically when one is done well. You tip more for a better job and less for one done poorly. If I get my drinks after my meal, no refills, and they forget to bring me something I ask for = BAD TIP. If they are attentive and dont leave me waiting there = BIG TIP. Why should my bill be larger just to pay the server a higher wage?
Europe taught me that a meal is much more pleasant when there is no tip to debate.
It's unlikely that Americans are going to suck it up and roll server wages into the revenue model, so I'm just going to keep tipping 20% and move on.
So many comments. Sorry I can't respond to a specific one. First off, who the hell makes $2.13 an hour? If you do, come to Minnesota. State Law- $5.25 an hour is the minimum for a small employer, even if the person gets tips. Second, I used to work as a Pizza delivery driver and just would think of how EASY it is to be a waiter or server. They don't have to drive, don't have to beat traffic in 30 minutes or less, use their own gasoline and then get a $1 tip. Nope, they get $5 for doing next to no work. I usually tip pretty well, $5 for a pizza almost everytime. But, if I am at Friday's and the service is just okay, why would I tip 20% as some people have said. That seems absurd. If I spend 20 bucks I will tip something like 5 bucks though, which is 25%. If I spend $30, I will usually tip even more. But, the comments I have seen from wait staff on here makes me really want to change my mind, to be honest. I will speak with my local restaurants and see how they feel. Is my 25% not enough for you? Seems like greed to me. If you don't like it you can always get a new job or go to school and improve your lot in life. Others have.
Really? Driving is "difficult" while actually waiting on people is "easy"? How do you think servers get to work? You don't have to deal with people. You only have to ring a door bell and hand them a pizza and collect money. You call that "difficult"?
Obviously you've never had to really work for something because let me tell you school isn't free and jobs are not just jumping out at people who don't have an education. Most of the people serving in restaurants are looking to get out of the industry because of people like you and all the tight wads posting about not wanting to tip. Most of those people serving you your food with a smile on their face, when they'd rather punch you in yours, are working their way through school and don't need the stress of people not tipping and barely making enough to tip the bussers, runners, kitchen staff in some cases, etc. on top of bills, school, and probably families. AND in California, we are taxed on 15% of our sales, because that's how much they decide we're making, so if you don't pay us, we end up paying for you out of our pocket!
I have not read all the posts, but there is a trend apparent in some of them. It has to do with the economics around tips being a vital part of the salary, and also as a way to keep the costs of the meal low enough to make people want to dine there. The claim is that if restaurants paid a higher wage that the costs would double or go high enough to make it unattractive to customers to go there. Although there is some merit to the argument, I would like to keep it based in reality. I am an American, but now live and work in Europe. Two things are different here. One, wait staff are paid a fair salary, and two, the tip and the value added tax are included in the bill. BTW, the VAT is 19% where I live. Yes, meals are certainly more expensive here and also the service is absolutely atrocious. But, I would say that the cost of a meal is about 25-35% higher than a comparable place in the US. Now, if you subtract the VAT, leaves about 6-15% for the tip. In a way, the higher salary is not reflected in the cost, or looked at another way, you can claim the higher salary shows up in the higher prices but then there is no accounting for the tip. I think the answer is in a balance between slightly higher salaries, and slightly lower levels of tipping, or include an average tip in the bill. Sure, nasty customers can still complain about nasty service (and maybe they lose the job over time), but the quality servers will always get a fair wage. On a side note, I always find it hard to tip for drinks in US places when they mark up the alcohol 400%. Seriously, check a wine list and then check the street price. 300-400% is the norm. Heathens!
Now there is a winning attitude: “I'm a server and just when I'm reading all these ignorant, pompous complaints, I was thinking how much I hate people in general. Stay home if you get that offended by your server's behavior.”
So all the customers stay home and so that the waiters can show up for work and be themselves? Seems to me that if the customers stay home, the restaurant goes out of business. Perhaps this people hating waiter should stay home rather than showing up for work and diminishing the dining experiences of paying patrons.
Who really argues on CNN boards? I mean really? Tip your waiter unless they're an asshole. Enough said.
Correct me if I am wrong, but you just posted on here too. :P
"Tip your waiter unless they're an asshole. Enough said" I actually lauged out loud when I read that. Well said.
Ummmm.... apparently you do?
I have a severe allergy to black pepper. Most wait staff take my allergy seriously especially in well-populated areas. For a long time I didn't emphasize that my allergy could cause an ambulance to be necessary, but after a few incidents with non-attentive wait staff, I started to mention it. Wait staff who are attentive receive at least a 20% tip, a smile and a thanks. Thank you to those who are attentive, and for those who are not? Well, please try to work on it. (I like breathing.)
I am a server, and I don't hate customers at all. Sure, some are annoying or cheap, but I've found the vast majority of people will respect hard work and attentive service. Also, in my experience, servers who can't provide those things don't last very long. I rarely, rarely have what I'd call bad service when I go out to eat. I love my job and I love most of the people that come in. Life's too short to be pissed off at an entire group of people.
I think this is the one non-polarizing post on this thread and it is appreciated. I felt the same way and thing that 95% of the other people who have worked as a server feel the same way but it only seems that those who feel strongly one way or the other seem to post here.
I think the majority of people within this forum are a joke. The requirements to eat out should be as follows: An understanding of the class system within the US. An understanding of the monetary policies of the US. A sense that when you walk in my restaurant you are committing to a luxury I.E Me serving you your food and my kitchen making it!
Now as I have previously stated. . . You look down upon me but as you are wasting your time laying a judgment upon my service. . . I am remembering your face, understanding as the percentages go you will step foot in court one day and if you live in my area. . . I may be your attorney, at that point i will rob you blind with fee's and other calculated ideas in which to cast my revenge out for your indignation's against those you feel are "beneath you" But I just laugh at you. You are but a mere child in the eyes of the established staff. You are the person who says he can cook an item better . . you are the person who says he can serve better. . . But the problem is you are the person who parked in my parking lot walked in my establishment and requested to eat my food. There are billions of people in this world and you forget One day that person could be in control of your future. So when you fail to tip think of all the degrees your server will acquire!
for the dining etiquitte...when i'm done eating, i always stack the plates up for the servers. it lets them know that i'm done, AND saves them time and a few trip back to the table. i'm a former waitress, and when i go out to eat, i ALWAYS try to make it easier for the one sering me.
I put myself through college waiting tables (10 years) and enjoyed most of it. Now when I go into any restaurant or bar I never leave less than 20% and usually leave closer to 50%. I do it because I know a little extra will really have a positive impact on that persons day. You would not believe the feeling of getting a great tip or the frustration of getting a crummy one. If you can not afford to take care of the people taking care of you, STAY HOME. Servers do not need to waste their time on cheap people, and never be rude to these people, you have no right. And if you think going to their manager and complaining is going to really make a difference, think again. Most managers have done the job before and know what a looser you are. They will nod their head, agree with you, then make fun of you as you leave. Good riddance. If the person is a lousy server, the mgr. already knows, and if they are a good one there is no way a mgr. is going to fire or suspend them because you think they deserve it. Reading some of these posts makes me remember the reasons I did not enjoy my time in the service industry. The hatred I have towards cheap people still burns strong.
Ok...I'll buy your 20% tip but I call your bluff on the 50% (bar tab excluded). There is no way you are leaving $15 on a $30 tab, regardless of how good the service is unless you are trying to get into the waitress' pants.
Nope, a 50% tip is standard for some of us. It's called saying thank you.
"you are the one who decided the highest employment position you could achieve was "waitstaff"" This sentence makes me cringe. I used to be a waitress and was lucky to find employment with benefits and insurance 7 years ago. However; there are many people that are trying to pay bills, raise a family and keep their homes because they were not as fortunate and have lost their jobs due to their company closing down or having lay offs. Being behind a desk or owning your own company doesn't make you better than someone who works in a restaurant. We're all equal and all working for the same reason. To provide and to retire.
Couldn't agree more – who ever decided being a waiter was a bad job? I am getting my master's degree and being a waitress not only brings in enough to pay my bills, I also have insurance and can hold down a job working nights when I am in class all day. Granted, my feet hurt at the end of the night, and it is impossible to depend on making a certain amount of money (thanks to those of you who feel that a 5% tip is plenty!) but for the most part I genuinely enjoy getting to talk to people all night and having a job where I don't just sit behind a desk.
Oh, and again to those of you who feel that a tip must be "earned" before you'll give it – it is well known amongst the servers at my restaurant that the tables that run you the most are the worst tippers! You better ask yourself if your demands are reasonable – are you really going to stiff me because I didn't get you a fifth basket of free bread before your entrees came out of the kitchen, or didn't get the exact proportion of iced-tea to lemonade in your arnold palmer??
Mutual respect is the key...you get what you give!
Your pretty much required to leave 15 percent, after that your on my chart if you do good and go above what you can I will always tip more. I am fairly needy when it comes to drinks and stuff so usualy when i am paying the bill i have left up to 15 percent on top of the 15 i am kinda forced to give as long as i get my food and its warm.
I personally can tell what is the waitress fault and what isnt, and if she is trying and things are out of her control i will tip nicely. I will also tip what my bill would of been if my meal is free or half off. Unless it is the waitress fault if she ruins my meal i might just leave 5 percent. I always leave a tip even a crappy tip if its the waitresses fault purposly made my meal suck (rarely rarely happens usually its the cooks fault not theirs).
I dont get why people dont tip, hell i have gven my barber an 8 dollar tip for taking care of me. But i honestly dont care how someone else treats you i dont care how much you make an hour. I have done just as crappy of work for less money. And to the owner who says you only make 18 cents i could careless you give crap benis to your employees if you dont like it get a new business since its apprahant you only care about money lol.
First off I'm ashamed to see the arguements from BOTH sides! Are you all so bitter and bottom of the barrel?
To address the diner side first yes a tip is based on service. However there is a term called "average". An "average" tip for "average" service is 15% (parties of 6 or more 18%). I usually tip at LEAST that much. However have I not tipped for lousy service? Sure, but I mean LOUSY. Not "My food took too long" (that's the chef/expediter's fault, not the server – as long as it gets there hot and fresh and doesn't take two hours I'm happy) or "He interrupted me too much asking 'Do you need anything?'" (Hey, that's his/her job...I'm sure if you couldn't get your organic sweetner or pepper you'd b*tch that they DIDN'T show up and ask). I mean LOUSY service. Has it ever been that bad? Really? Or are you just a cheap and bitter person with no manners?
On the server side, I have to admit...some people need some adjustment. Service with a smile, attention to detail, and a willingness to serve are PARAMOUNT. Hmmm...serve....server...wait...waiter? Where have I heard that before? That also includes when you're in a bad mood or hungover. We've all had bad days and bad customers. EVERYONE who has some sort of end user is in customer service...so you suck up the bad ones, relish the good ones, and do your best EVERY time out!
Now where do I get off on saying all this? Simple...for my service industry people...I'm an ex bartender/DJ for nearly 10 years so I'm with you. Ordering $48 of cocktails and giving me a $50 is not a tip. (Hint for all of you bartenders/servers ...if you have someone who pays by the round or pays the tab in cash...always give them some singles. Break that $5 if necessary...it'll make it easier for them to tip you by dropping a GW or 2 rather than a Lincoln).
For my "intelligent, educated people who are too good to be servers" – I'm a consumer...an EDUCATED consumer. BS Business Administration (Concentration Finance) from Bloomfield College (Bloomfield, NJ – 2004), MBA (Concentration Human Resources Management) from Fairleigh Dickinson University (Teaneck, NJ – 2010), Professional in Human Resources (PHR) designation from the Human Resources Certification Institute (2004), Alpha Chi (National College Honor Society – NJ Beta Chapter 233, 2004), and Delta Mu Delta (International Business Honor Society – Zeta Sigma, 2004). I have 15 years experience in human resources and I am currently a Senior HR Information Systems Analyst for a mid sized financial/investment institution in NYC. So sure, somebody tell me I'm uneducated...I dare you!
I hope some of you (you know who you are) see this and do three things I don't think any of you have ever done...or at least not recently...READ...COMPREHEND...and THINK!!!!
OK, time to get off my soapbox. Thanks for listening.
I tip when service is good, it is not automatic T.I.P.S> means To Insure Proper Service. I base my tip on the service give.
Went to Boston's once, we were 1 of 3 tables occupied in the restaurant. We saw our waitress 4 times in 2 hours. 1) take our order of drinks 2) bring drinks and take order of food, 3) bring food 4) collect the monies.
At no time did she come to refill our water, new orders of drinks, orders for desert, ect..
Then she was mad because we didn't leave a tip.
Like everything else, you need to work for your money, not assume that you will get tipped with CRAP service.
I am a waitress in a fine dining restaurant in Texas. I chose fine dining because the guests generally have the money to leave tips. Unfortunately, most don't and its so frustrating and upsetting. I LOVE serving – i truly get joy from providing people with a meal they won't forget, but its difficult to LIVE when people leave me 10 bucks on a 300 dollar bill. Especially because I have to tip 3 percent to the bartenders for my alcohol sales, I have to tip .5 percent to EACH busser and hostess (who make minimum wage). Ill give the best service I can, every single time with no rudeness and even if I know you're not going to leave a tip. I will give you excellent service – but this is going to turn me away from working as a server in the future as well as other servers who know they deserve more. If you want great service, take care of the people who deserve it so they stick around.
I think if you have a good waiter you should tip them well, I think if you have a crappy waiter you should tip not so well. You aslo have to remember that not everything is the waiters fault. If the cook undercooks your steak or the restaurant changed to a new menu that is not the waiters fault. The problem today is all these customers with crappy attitudes that have miserable lives and want to take it out on others. People need to learn we are all the same. It doesn't matter if you wait tables or perform surgery. We are all human and nt one is better than the other. I am a firm believer that if you are rude the wait staff will mess with your food so I wouldn't be rude.
I'm not a server but I have friends who are. Look, if you don't like to tip stay home. It's an easy calculation to do (no calculator needed). If you know what ten percent is, just double that and that is what you should tip. If you got bad service, than figure ten percent and add 1/2 of that again (15%). If the server was rude tell them. Don't be a wussy! Feedback is good. If you only tip 10% you are far too old to be eating out. Stay at home and drink some Ensure. P.S. Small kids belong at McDonalds. No one like to clean up after your brats and other customers don't like to hear them. They are only cute to you, no one else.
I think the worst tip I ever received was while I was bartending. This lady was having a private party and told us to put everyone's drinks on her tab until the tab got to be $250. They hit $250 pretty quickly, so she extended it to $300. Then again to $400. All night long she told us what a great job we were doing (the waitress and I) and thank you so much for everything and making the night perfect. She got her tab at the end of the night and it was about $390. She handed me 4 $100 bills and I gave her the change. She stood there forawhile, fiddling around in her wallet. Then she threw some wadded up bills in our tip jar and ran out as fast as she could. We looked in the tip jar and guess how much she left us? Drumroll..... SEVEN DOLLARS. SEVEN! Considering she complimented us all night, I'm guessing it wasn't because the service was poor! Thanks lady, not even 2% for a tip. $390 in drinks was a LOT of work, not to mention the fact that the waitress ran her butt off helping her set up crock pots and extension cords and stuff for the party. We went above and betond for this woman and that's what we got. That is the one and only time I've EVER gone off about a customer.
I always tip. Even when the service is bad. I will always tip these waiters and waitresses. It's just the right thing to do.
Yikes! There's a lot of ugliness here. I get good to great service nearly everywhere I go and I'm comfortable with tipping 15-20%. I just factor it in when I plan on eating out. I hope the people who serve me are okay with that. The comments about hating people and body fluids in rude customer's food really disturbs me. I will admit though, that I've had friends who made great money while waiting tables, more money than I was making. When I tried waitressing I found it very difficult to cheerfully serve people all day.
Never in a million years would I put anything in anyone's food. That's so immature, not to mention it's an invitation for a lawsuit if you're caught or if anything happens to that customer. KARMA
You see the problems with humankind working in the restaurant business, all the time! If we could all just treat each other like human beings and see that servers aren't 'beneath' anyone, wouldn't your dining experience (maybe even the WORLD) be a better place? Of course most people with bad attitudes towards others don't realize they even have one......Because of the self-centered nature of most individuals. My advice, look outward from yourself and become less oblivious to the world around you. When you are at a restaurant, pay close attention to what your server is doing for you, and his/her surrounding tables – If you think you can handle precisely delegating food/drink orders for 20 or more guests, go right ahead. If you feel like you couldn't handle it – maybe you'll gain some respect for the underrated profession of serving tables in a fully booked restaurant.
All i can say is those of you that DONT tip deserver all the pubic hair you eat... sad really... pompus A-holes that act like they are owed stellar service.. they are lucky that they dont end up wearing that meal... I hope thier kids never have to server to make it... what jerks there are out there... Hey servers... I ALWAYS do 20%. unless you dont refill my drink... but i still tip decent... its hard work and i thank you for your service.
Oh the ignorance. So many of you are saying "make the employer pay you more" instead of having to tip. Do you think the employer is going to take that money out of their own wages? Of course not! Careful what you wish for...or that $30 steak meal might be $50 the next time you visit...but don't worry, you won't have to tip.
I have eaten outside of the US in countries that do not have a tipping system. Their burgers are just as cheap as they are here. Now the question is.... How can we bring their system that works here in the US? It would be great if we could do that. No more of this tipping nonsense.
Nelson, thats probably because you just ate dog. Or the standard of living is much lower.
I'm sorry, but I don't think Japan's standard of living in Tokyo is low AT ALL! and the sushi which was cheap as hell was not dog either.
You might want to research the standard of living comparisons there and here before making ignorant assumptions.
Since I've lived there for about a year, the assumption comment you made is thrown out the window. My standard of living was just as good as it was here in the US. Lets stay on topic and let me say again.... They don't tip, their service is EXCELLENT, one of the best in the world, and its super expensive. So again, we should somehow implement this in america. It would be a great idea.
oops.. I ment, not super expensive!!
Brian,
I've worked in fine dining for many years (service and mangement)- they owners are making a killing. Owners should give in to the fact that they have to pay people better and take the responsibility off the customer for their staff's compensation. And where are you eating? A steak in Chicago at halfway decent places are already $50...Getting my MBA was harder than working at those places til 1-2am a 4-5 days days a week.
Get over it.
See I guess that just goes to show the difference in intelligence. Getting my MBA was an absolute breeze. Dealing with idiots while serving was a pain in the ass.
I'm 20 not made of money but i know that waiters/waitresses live off of tips so i'm a generous tipper. usually 20-25% on larger bills and if its lest than $30 tha usually you get $10-$15, i think that's fair.
I do understand why people don't like tipping though. You're going and dropping all this money on food and you have to pay someone $20+ just to carry it out to you. They should pay you guys by the hour and it lifts a weight off of everyone's shoulders.
My local pizza shop was recently done over and now they seat you and bring you, your sub and pizza, and expect a tip! this is rediculous to me, IT'S A PIZZA SHOP! it was fine the way before when you ordered and they called you when your food was ready. Granted i'm friends with everyone there and they don't expect tips from me. But they still get paid their normal houlrly wages ($11).
There are two sides to every story. I'm a hostess and manager at a local restaurant and I've seen it all. I have had my share of servers who come in with an attitude but you better believe when they step on the floor they leave all of that behind them, as it will be in any respectable establishment. That being said, there are some tables that cannot be pleased. As a hostess i get a lot of the abuse, people seem to think that they supercede reservations on busy friday nights, just make a reservation! if there's no room there's no room and you have to think about all elements of a restaurant. Seating people one after the other overloads the waitstaff, the dishwashers, the bar and the kitchen.... If you choose to go out to eat, you better expect to tip, end of story. These people give up holidays, weekends, most of them probably haven't eaten in 5 or 6 hours because they are too busy, they are still waiting on you with a smile, that deserves a tip in itself. If the service sucks then don't tip WELL but you have to understand where the blame falls, maybe the hostess sat the server with 6 tables at the same time... impossible to watch when your water glass is empty. Waitressing and the restaurant industry is demeaning work, it can be lucrative but please respect what it takes to wait on people like you who complain no matter what. If your server rolls their eyes when you send something back to the kitchen because it's warm not hot, it's probably because the chef is about to yell at them until they cry. respect goes both ways and a waitress will already be giving you as much as she can muster regardless of how you treat her.... kudos to all of the servers out there, it is a tough job.
This has gotten a bit out of hand I tend to tip 15% most of the time. However, that does not take aware the fact that a tip was designed as an incentive for better service. If the service sucks, the tip should match correspondingly. I hear all the grumbling about ("we don't get paid enough, we're people too with people problems, customers can be difficult"), but in the end, those are excuses for not doing a good job. Imagine if a lawyer or a doctor said, "well sorry guys today's been a tough day so you're just not going to get my best . . . ?"
When you have a job, you are expected to do your best, if you do (for those in the service industry) I imagine you'll get tips. If you don't like you're job, get a new one, but don't bitch and whine and expect others to tip you for poor performance. Simple as that.
I do stay home and cook, my food is 10 times better than even the best of eateries and I am disappointed 9.9 out of 10 times I do go out. The drinks are usually pathetic. When I do go out I pay hard earned money for my dinner and I expect the same service and value as I would get spending my money on anything else. No, I don't round up – but then if I don't get what I paid for from other service provider's I take it back and get my money refunded. Yep, even if the can is opened, if the food in the can is bad it goes back.
So, where do I puke in your place of business and yes, I would expect my money back for bad service or product.
As a server, I am very disappointed with these responses to the diners' complaints. "You better be kind and generous"? Really? I agree that many of the complaints were misguided and merited counter-arguments, but threatening people isn't going to get you anywhere. If customers and servers could just treat each other DECENTLY, many of these problems would disappear.
I would much rather servers be paid like the rest of the american work force. You work hard you get paided 10-15 bucks an hour. You don't work hard and you get fired till you figure out how to work hard. I go out on a date and spent 30 bucks and tip 5$. Now we eat and was finished in 30 mins. And our server had 8 other tables. Most of them had more people at the table then mine of 2. But let's just go ahead and say they all averaged 5 buck tips
that's 40 bucks my server made in an hour. And you can't tell me that most servers are putting 100% of there income for taxes
Ya no waiters works hard enough for 40 bucks an hour.
I never have understood this tipping thing. Do I get a tip or paid extra because I keep an ILS operating so aircraft and it's passengers can land safely in inclimate weather? No. It's my job. I provide a service. So do they. It's their job. Welcome to your job.
Shrike, don't be an idiot. I'm sure you don't make a lousy $2 an hour like most waiters/waistresses do. Waiters/waitresses depend on their tips and you're just looking for any excuse to avoid being a decent tipper. If you don't like tipping, don't eat out unless its a fast food joint.
ya well, i went to college to avoid the $2 / hour problem. get an education or suck it up and dance for the customers as you serve food or you'll get nothing!!!
"it's not tipping I believe in, it's OVER tipping!" – Vincent Antonelli aka Todd Wilkinson from "My Blue Heaven"
I almost always tip 18-20%.. However, I for once in a blue moon, took my boyfriend out to lunch yesterday and just had a TERRIBLE server yesterday that didn't even look me in the eye from the beginning. It was a strange girl hatred thing and she was absolutely rude!!! She demoted her own easy tip. Diners go out to eat to have pleasant servers and good food, and this woman would roll her eyes when I ordered. It's not like I can walk into my work and grouchy and be mean to clients that call. Diners are servers' clients–they HAVE to earn their tip. I tipped her 10%.
you tipped her 10%? I would have tipped nothing
20% – take the bill, move the decimal left one place, multiply by two. Its easy. Just do it. These people make me nervous being so hateful and handling my chow. I liked it alot more when we could own people and sell them if they were bad.
I would love for people who are rude to those with jobs like waiter/waitress to actually work those jobs for a while.
I remember working as a server when the movie "Waiting" came out. I figured this masterpiece on what not to do as a parton in a restaraunt would have settled this battle between dickhead patrons and frustrated wait staff, but I guess not. As for working in this industry I'd think that about 75% of people getting their "higher education" that dickhead Neil is referring to have worked in the service industry because like many people have posted these jobs work well around a day full of classes. As far as any mispellings may go we all as ignorant wait staff/monkeys appologize it's hard to type fast enough to get all the myriad of thoughts and frustrations out without mispelling a word or two. As far as not claiming all our tips of course we all have unclaimed tips, we also have zilch for a paycheck at the end of two weeks after taxes and no insurance benefits, lay off! Actually my wife and I both worked in restaraunts and we always had that one table trying to come in and each for free, the table who brought their little brats in to destroy our section just to leave a pathetic tip and no sorry my kids destroyed your table good luck getting it cleaned for your next customers, the monster ten top that after ordering everything out of order wants to split and shuffle everything around(luckily i've learned from this nightmare and ask a myriad of questions before taking even one order, still this could be avoided if guests just ordered in order or let the server know hey we all want seperate tickets thanks), then there's the big table that goes out and one generous person picks up the tab and instead of everyone else wipping out two bucks leaves it up to the guy/gal footing the bill so now they figure ten ten to fifteen bucks is good on a hundred/two hundred dollar tab little do they realize that you just took up our entire section for two hours ran us around like crazy refilling drinks, carrying huge trays full of food just for ten or twenty bucks when we could have had our four tables fill up twice had a less confusing, nerve racking time and made five to seven off of each table you do the math. not to mention you have food screwed up on one person on this big table and that might blow your entire tip for two hours that shit is stressful. well I'm glad I'm out of the industry and you better believe I thank my server when I go out to dinner, push my plate forward along with gathering silverware and nasty napkins, tip 20-25% if they are good and 10% if they aren't along with a polite note offering some little tricks and advice on what they could have done better, because as a server we sometimes have no clue why you didn't tip well and if you would just leave a little comment in a non threatining tone then we might be a better server for the next person instead of become biter like a lot of these people posting have become. The golden rule works great in the world why not bring it into the restaraunt and leave the bad attitude at the door after all you're not having to cook or clean that night so enjoy!
When eating in a sit-down restaurant that has wait staff tip appropriately. Agree, disagree with the tipping system but the bottom line is…a stranger has just visited your table on average 3x within an hour to make sure you have what you want. Not to mention they are serving you food and beverage with all types of protocol to assure safe food handling. If you are too poor to tip that is a cop out! If you are too poor to tip then you shouldn’t be going out to eat, cooking at home is less money. The argument that employers should pay the staff more, I agree but it means the menu items will be higher. So would you rather have the flexibility of choosing to pay 15%, 20%+ or have it mandated in a higher menu price? I have never worked in the service industry nor will I but I am human enough to know that when someone is tending to my requests in a restaurant then I will treat them with respect and at least tip 15% and if I can’t afford to do so then I stay home.
I agree with the restaurant staff. I also work and customer service in the medical field and have to deal with rude, stupid and mean customers all the time so I feel your pain. My husband also works in the restuarant field and most every customer has had nothing but awesome things to say about him. That being said he sometimes gets the rude idiots that yell at him for no reason and act stupid. He has even had someone yell at him in a different language because he couldn't understand whatever stupid language they were speaking. My tip to customers is be nice, learn English if you live in America and stop being rude over stupid things ie- no we cant give you free food. Get over it. Customers sometimes act like douchebags with their entitled attitudes. I say play nice or your food is going to be spit in...and yes that does happen.
There is a cut and dry solution to this. If I want to go out to eat, I will. There is no law forcing me to tip. If you don't like the fact that some people tip, find a different job where you don't have to be a loser begging for tips. Pretty simple.
Ummmmmm.... These waiters sound like whiners. Find a new job the if you dont like how customers are, a job's a job even if its a crap one at time. Tipping is courtesy not customary.
I used to be a server in a former life- people should tip minimum 15%; but 20%-25% if the service is actually good. $2.13 is not a living wage in this country and the fact that some people want to be served by another and not compensate them makes me sick.
What does bother me though is being expected to tip $1 on a $3 beer, when all the bartender does is crack the top. I would be happy to open the beer myself to not have to pay a 33% surcharge on a beer. I only tip bartenders when they are actually mixing a drink that requires skill....not cracking a bottle cap.
This is why the US sucks.... In France, waiting is a worthy profession that is often passed on for generations at classic French restaurants. Food is important, and thus the people serving it are important. Most people complaining about tipping here don't understand food, service, dining, or knowing how to take care of people. The restaurant is YOUR place to relax, not ours. We are working. Making you coffee at 530am. Or serving your pizza at midnight while everyone is wasted and having a good time. The thing is, we may complain, but we recognize the importance of THE MEAL, THE EXPERIENCE, THE HOSPITALITY. You dont, you don't tip, you'l never get it. You'll never get service at other restaurant like we do, nor the special meals, or the free beers. SO go back to your little office, push paper, cry about your life, and we'll lauph behind closed doors as we drink free beer, eat the best homemade family meals, and treat your steak to a lovely floor seasoning
Wrong. Plain and simple. France and the US are completely different, so it is ignorant to try and compare the two. Food service throughout the world is mostly a respectable profession because, as you said, it's something passed down. Here in America, we hire piece of crap teenagers who don't give a damn as well, people think that Red Robin, Friday's, and California Pizza kitchen are something to be highly praised. Not saying there is anything wrong with it, but they are the low end of the totem pole of dining. Stop expecting so much when you go to these low class eateries and try out some actual fine dining establishments. I promise you'll see the difference in the dining experience.
Never could figure out why wait staff,barbers and hair dressers require tips and no other profession is included.I guess it's the way owners can justify buying their luxury cars and homes Just out of curiosity check out your favorite restaurant for the owners car;that is if he or she isnt on a cruise or vacation in winter in the Bahamas.Do the owners live and have homes in the common areas of the city?Owners can babble on for hours and never never convince me otherwise.
After reading just a few of these comments, from both sides, I felt so bad about the anger and dislike voiced, that I had to stop reading. It is a wonder that any of the customers that commented ever bother to go out at all. Why bother? Are you always so angry? As for the servers, please be nice to me. I am always nice to you. Don't assume I am a creep just because other people are. To everyone: Treat others the way you want to be treated. It's that simple.
One thing you forgot in critizing customers is that it's their money and no one elses.People are going to complain for poor service and food and it's their right.The sign of poor service and food is the sign on the door stateing "OUT OF BUSINESS"because customers money isnt coming in.
It's surprising to see that even wait staff do not understand proper and simple dining etiquett. Hey I'm a Bubba from Texas and even I know that when you finish your meal the signal that you are finished and it is okay to clear your plate is to place the knife and fork on the plate with teh handles facing out, tines/blade at the cetner with the handles at the 5 O'Clock position. Intead of as one waiter suggests, placing your napkin on the plate, cross utensils over teh center of plate and pushign plate to the side. Jeez.
Mike You are so right in the proper procedure when finished with your meal.The sign of a 5 star restaurant is that management has trained their staff in all aspects of customer service.If wait staff does something wrong the are corrected immediately and management does every thing in their power to make sure it doesn't happen again,other wise that staff member is replaced.If every restaurant would just do that customers would have a more enjoyable dining out experience.The waitstaff needs to understand that its the customers money,and that my friend is the bottom line.
I worked as a server in a lunchroom while I was in college. I liked the job. Most customers were nice. Some were not. I once had a German fellow yelling and screaming at me, because I forgot to bring him a teaspoon with his tea. I tip well when I go out to eat, because I know what servers go through from some customers and I am happy to show some love if I have a nice night out. There was only ONE time where I did not tip at all. I saw my table's food sitting at the pass from the kitchen for 10 minutes while the server sorted silverware and ignored our table and our food. When she finally brought the food, it was disgusting, lukewarm and dry. I asked her to replace the order, because this was unacceptable. She was rude and did not want to replace our order. We paid for our drinks and appetizers, left the rest of the food and did not tip. Sorry, but that lady had it coming. :/
Bottom line, restaurants pass some of the cost of hiring employees off on customers through tips. If customers didn't have this option then the costs would be absorbed into the cost of food. That $10 hamburger would start costing $15. This (in theory) is a great way to give the customer the final say in how good your service was. If this worked in every other business think what would happen in your jobs. Would you tip the cashier at WalMart for ringing your items up right, or your kid's teacher when your kid learns to read? Since our government has decided that some jobs aren't subject to the same minimum wage tipping isn't optional. You can say a lot more about service when you leave an appropriate tip. Stiffing your server makes them think "what a cheap (#$@*", giving a 5% tip says much more to your server. Bad service should be brought to the attention of management.
Bottom line – if you can't afford to tip you can't afford to eat out. I'm guessing those that don't tip are the same crappy customers that ruin everyone else's dinner by bringing your kids with you. My second rule about dining out – if you can't afford a babysitter, you can't afford to go out. Sometimes you have to face reality and live within your budget. Order pizza or maybe learn to use a stove.
You are an idiot and 5% is way too much for you.
I'm a server and just when I'm reading all these ignorant, pompous complaints, I was thinking how much I hate people in general. Stay home if you get that offended by your server's behavior.”
Here's a suggestion, get another job, maybe one that works with animals or sheet metal.
Honestly why are any servers arguing with the majority of the customers on this site. I've said it before, the majority of these people go to chain restaurants and cheap joints. Get better at your craft and go work for an expensive restaurant. You won't see them there. People that enjoy dining out, do it often and tip very well. The majority of the customers on this site go out once in a while, they are not the patrons restaurants want or care about. They don't want to spend the money dining out and resent having to spend more money tipping you. Just look at the disdain they have for servers. They have not been taught how to dine and how to be served. You learn that from your parents or having worked in the industry. It's also called class. Which they don't have. So move on to another restaurant where the patrons know not tipping will have the manager come and talk to them and ask you kindly not to come again. Mike is a rarity there. 99% of the time. And yeah yeah I know all of you are going to tell me you go to great restaurants all the time.... right. And this is coming from a non server. Just raised right.
Hey Wolflady1229: Learn to spell. Perhaps that is why you are a server.
You are rude and steriotypical. There are many intelligent,smart servers. Just because you are a server does not mean you are stupid or uneducated. I know some that bring in 800 a night which is prob more than alot of non servers make.
One more reason why we shoul;dn't tipone of the waiters interviewed here. The universal etiquette for signalling that "You're Done" IS NOT to cross your fork and knife over the center of the plate. The universal etiquette for signalling you're done is to lay your fork and knife parrallel to each other in a ten-minutes-to-four position on the plate. CHECK ANY ETIQUETTE GUIDE. So, if you want to get tips, learn your job first, before you demand your just compensation.
It's very simple economics folks. Whether you have to feed your baby birds or not is not our concern. If the $2.09 per hour is not suitable for you, you have two choices: (1) Find another job; (2) Do your job better and I'll tip you well. If I find you do not provide service, I won't give you a tip; if you provide good service, I'll tip way over 20%. There is no "required" tipping, 20% or otherwise.
So, for all those of you who said 20% (or whatever) was the "required" tip, go find another job. If it is "required," ask your employer to add it to the menu price.
I've been a bartender at a college bar, a cocktail waitress at a lounge and a hostess at a 5-star restaurant. The skill set to excel in the service industry isn't difficult – you have care about your job and like people. That being said, people stay in the industry because they make a ton of money for the skill set required. I'd walk out in tips for the previously mentioned jobs at $75/shift, $200/shift and $150/shift (with benefits) respectively. And this was 5 years ago. Cocktail waitresses at the Hard Rock Hotel are depicted on a reality how making anywhere between $1500-$2k shift (it's been documented on TV) on Sundays at ReHab. Puhlease! Your job is NOT mentally challenging, your job is just HARD because you're on your feet all day. I wonder lif andscapers make a shift and they're on their feet all day too??? stop whining! how about the price of entrees and liquor go down (usually triple the retail price) and maybe – just maybe i'll tip you more (i'd rather add $20 to the tip than overpay $20 for a bottle of wine). Restauranteurs make a killing now due to the 30% cost they run their places at, even less for bars and night clubs (avg. cost of beer a domestic beer on tap comes out to be about 11 cents each!) get your prices checked back into amount people feel appropriate to spend and i'll tip more than 20%!! . Find me a decent place in a big city where i can get more than just 1 option of wine by the glass under $10 – hell even $12/glass and we'll talk. waiters – go to your boss for more money , not the customers.
I can not think of any other industry, where so much gets passed onto the customer. I was under the impression that paying wages were the cost of doing business, how restaurant owners have gotten away paying people zero, expecting customers to pick up the slack, and then worst of all having it become a social phenomenon where waiters and customers hate each other, instead of both parties hating owners and working towards a change in the process, I'll never understand.
The thing that makes me laugh in all this is hearing both sides argue like any ONE of them is right, or even MORE right, than the other. The fact of the matter is no one is right and everyone is right. There is, has been, and always will be THAT guy in any occupation that creates the exception to any rule. Point in case for the wait persons' side, that guy/group who comes in either severely peeved or thinking themselves on top of the universe and too good to give the "lowly server" anything better than he/she deserves. On the other hand, the patron/matron who finds themselves at the whims of a server mad-man who doesn't care what you want, is no where to be found when your glass is empty and stays empty for 15 minutes, or pays no attention when your kids are screaming and you've been waiting for the check for what seems like forever, because he/she's too busy wracking up the "incentive" tip with a member of the opposite gender also in their service area (and yes, I've found myself in that situation on SEVERAL occassions at DIFFERENT restaurants).
In the end, you have to ask yourself what would you want done to you if the tables were turned. Servers, be it supremely hard as it may be, treat EVERY guest as your very first of the day and with no reservations. Customer, for the love of God or whomever you ascribe to, remember who ultimately has control over your food prior to your receiving it!!!
It's humans interacting with humans, ladies and gentlemen and for all intents and purposes, in such a case, it's best to simply be humane.
man, this article and these comments just affirm that many servers are bitter, bitter people. unfortunately some customers are assholes, which i don't support. but our experience is limited to the visit and then it's over. if it's still not over for you as a server, do yourself a huge favor, get a little creative, and find something that suits you better. eating out should be about the food.
Wow. It's astonishing just how self-important some folks can be. You are not better than your server because they're a server and you're not - and I don't care where you work, what you wear, or anything else. Your * job * may be better, but you are just a human being like them...and, with the "I'm better than you" attitude, you're a pretty miserable person.
I'm not a waitress nor have I ever been one; I don't think one needs to be or have been to understand why respect for another person is important. For those who don't see it, well, that says a lot about you.
I've had occasion only once to be less than generous with a tip - once. And that was because the server was downright rude; *she* acted like many of the diners who post here. She thought that she was too good for her job, and that everyone there was beneath her; she made faces when she was addressed, etc. Otherwise, I leave a generous tip as a "thank you" for good service; and I certainly don't let petty things like, "Gee, that person had the nerve to speak to me - ME!" bother me. An attentive server shows that they're doing their job - making sure you're happy with your meal.
Honestly, some people need to get over themselves.
I will admit i have stiffed people. . AS I AM A SERVER but this is what it requires A, forgetting me for 20 minutes. B, Cursing while talking to me and C, looking down my wife's shirt all three of these things are unforgivable. Everything else is fine and you will receive 20 percent automatic.
It might be that the waitstaff is looking for the Goodwill price tag on your wife's shirt.
Ive found that bad tippers can usually be classified as people unwilling to accept change in life......hahaha~! Let me guess – you also want your steak WELL done, AND 20 refills of Sweet Tea?!??!
I think the majority of people within this forum are a joke. The requirements to eat out should be as follows: An understanding of the class system within the US. An understanding of the monetary policies of the US. A sense that when you walk in my restaurant you are committing to a luxury I.E Me serving you your food and my kitchen making it!
Now as I have previously stated. . . You look down upon me but as you are wasting your time laying a judgment upon my service. . . I am remembering your face, understanding as the percentages go you will step foot in court one day and if you live in my area. . . I may be your attorney, at that point i will rob you blind with fee's and other calculated ideas in which to cast my revenge out for your indignation's against those you feel are "beneath you" But I just laugh at you. You are but a mere child in the eyes of the established staff. You are the person who says he can cook an item better . . you are the person who says he can serve better. . . But the problem is you are the person who parked in my parking lot walked in my establishment and requested to eat my food. There are billions of people in this world and you forget One day that person could be in control of your future.
Get back on the meds and return or begin therepy ASAP. Believe me it's for your own good.
I think the majority of people within this forum are a joke. The requirements to eat out should be as follows: An understanding of the class system within the US. An understanding of the monetary policies of the US. A sense that when you walk in my restaurant you are committing to a luxury I.E Me serving you your food and my kitchen making it!!
Now as I have previously stated. . . You look down upon me but as you are wasting your time laying a judgment upon my service. . . I am remembering your face, understanding as the percentages go you will step foot in court one day and if you live in my area. . . I may be your attorney, at that point i will rob you blind with fee's and other calculated ideas in which to cast my revenge out for your indignation's against those you feel are "beneath you" But I just laugh at you. You are but a mere child in the eyes of the established staff. You are the person who says he can cook an item better . . you are the person who says he can serve better. . . But the problem is you are the person who parked in my parking lot walked in my establishment and requested to eat my food. There are billions of people in this world and you forget One day that person could be in control of your future.
Wow I'm appalled with the number of responders who are anti-tipping. During college I was a waiter and bartender, now I work at a Privately Owned Bank in Manhattan. Just going to through this out there... all you anti-tippers are the same people that think its perfectly acceptable to declare bankruptcy to get out of debt or take a mortgage you can't afford. How about you take responsibility for your life and the bills you’ve racked up and stop begging for subsidies.
As one person mentioned earlier the price of your food would increase if the employee wages increased. So grab a pen and write this down…. Negligent service is one thing, talk to the manager. Good service deserves 15% as the standard for parties under 6 and 18% for more than 6 people. If the server works fluidly with your desired levels of expectation they deserve 20%.
If you can't be a big boy and understand that tipping is part of your service fee for going out to dinner move to France.
There's good and bad folks on both sides of the issue, so let me introduce the groups to each other "kettle meet pot, pot meet kettle" Tell your greedy employer to give you some of the 30 dollars he just ripped a customer off for. And you stinking tightwad cheat stop scam the service workers with phony excuses for not tipping a reasonable and fair amount they don't make up the prices, they usually are just trying to make it more palatable.
I am a generous tipper, however, remember, it means To Insure Prompt Service. In Europe and Asia, tips are very small or nothing,.
kingrollo your a douche bag. You like old grumpy ass man. How many times do people have to say that most people that work as a aerver are doing so to pay for an education and serving is the best option for them.
A person has to be extremely ignorant, in this day and age, to not comprehend that most servers are not wealthy individuals trying to TAKE from you........ they work so hard, take so much crap (from both the management/kitchen staff and customers) – it is a job that I could never do. The expectations upon them are almost unrealistic and yet they keep smiling when they feel exhausted from the abuse, tired from being overworked... and why can't we want people to succeed and be happy? If a server makes fantastic tips and is happy ........ what's wrong with that? Why is it that a server should be kept poor? I am a customer and on an extremely rare occasion or two have I not left a tip ... and that was because the server was rude, ineffective, did not give eye contact and treat me like I am human etc. I pay a typical 15% tip if the person does their job. If the server goes above and beyond – and that happens ALOT – I leave at least 20-25% tip....if the bill is under $20. because I am dining alone, then I increase the tip so that the server, who could have been serving 4 people instead (and getting a bigger tip), gets a reasonable tip. Do most people understand that the tip you leave a server is not entirely his/hers? That tip is shared between most of the staff now. I think there was a time when servers got to keep their own tips entirely but not anymore..... so whether you leave an appropriate tip, and pathetic token tip, no tip, or a generous tip....... that server who works for under $3.00 for an hour of running around on your behalf, still does not go home rich!
I think because people tend to eat out more – the tend to think that tipping is 'extra' and an extra that they shouldn't need to worry about.........If you knew that your server was slaving away day after day to pay for schooling so they could become a doctor who saves the life of your grandchild..... would you tip better? What if that server was the last person to lovingly nurse your beloved mother who was stuck in the hospital for the last 6 months of her life?
If you struggle to pay for a tip – then consider going out less often but respecting the servers more when you do go out. If you think that tipping is barbaric.... then go to food places like food courts in the malls, fast food take outs, or prepared food in your supermarket. Tipping IS a part of our culture and your server is working hard in the hopes that most people will be at minimum respectful in leaving a good tip... just do the right thing and if you can't manage to be generous and kind, at least be decent!
I agree with everything you said. I can tell you are a person of class.
Frank, they remember you because they always remember lousy tippers and awesome tippers. if you hit around the 20%, you'll retain your anonymity while you restaurant hop. :)
All of you guys need to read Bri's post.....so true! Im right there with ya girl!
I believe in tipping based on the level of service – PERIOD. if you provide good service I tip good, if you provide bad service I tip bad. I agree that if someone provides good service and doesn't get a good tip that is totally wrong – but I have no problem if someone provides terrible service and their tip is terrible. I do know some folks who don't tip at all and I have to agree that's not good at all. I do agree that as a patron of your restaurant I'm not obligated to tip at all – at least I've never seen a sign indicating this when I walked in your establishment. Also, if someone is only getting $2.00/hr I would have to say that is terrible – although it is a choice of the employee to work there I don't believe that's a fair salary if the employee is dependent on making their income based on tips – especially if some people don't tip regardless of the service.
@Braves: I agree with your sentiment, but there is really nothing wrong with a wage system where they get paid $2.00 per hour plus tips. The idea is that the $2.00 per hour is a minnimum to protect againt bad days or bad customers who do not tip, and the wages are really based on tips, so good service deserves good tips. It's a very simple comensation scheme. Even CEOs of companies get a base salary plus a bonus based on the profit the company makes. Although this is also exploited, the idea is the same: you make more money by being better at what you do. This is the American Way! If one doesn't like it, one can move to pre-glasnost Soveit Russia, where you got paid irrespective of performance.
I put myself through college by working as a waitress. In general my customers tipped me 15%, provided I gave them good service. However every now and then I had bad tippers not because I did not serve them well, because they were just cheap. When someone goes to eat at a restaurant there is this unsaid agreement between the server and the customer which is a 15% tip for a well deserved service. And the wage of server and the taxes the server pays to IRS is based on those premises. As a result if a customer does not give the customary tip, it is taking money away from the server. By the way, my employer reported 10% of my gross sell and I paid taxes on that.
The thing that gets me are the black guests.
They never tip.
Even my black coworkers hate serving them. Cheap, cheap, cheap.
What a racist a#@ you are Sarah! I bet most of the people commenting on here are NOT black!!! Do you see how many have said they don't feel the need to tip? Someone had to be a bigot and brng race into it! But I bet you wouldn't mind banging a black man right? Silly woman! This has more to do with the culture of our nation ... Not blacks!
BTW – I am black and I usually tip 20-30% Unless I get servers like you!!! Who most likely ASSume because of my complexion I don't have money, won't tip or don't deserve to sit in your establishment. You have NOT lived up to your name... Unless your family are bigots like you, I am sure they'd not be proud. BTW a little secret... No! Come closer "you are a server... So even amongst a lot of Whites' you'd not get much respect. Look at most of the posts here if you don't believe me. So though it probably made you feel better to disregard a whole race of people... know it doesn't change the fact that people still look down on you." I don't but I really don't like ignorant people like you! Another secret? I am sure I make more money than you!
* bring
KUDOS!!!!!!! to taking a step back comment.. Very True If you don't like something you are in then only YOU can be the one to cahnge it... So Eat in/out Tip don't tip but just stop Complaing already. Money is tight every where, we invade other countires and try to Boss them around when we have so much work in our own backyarrd to fix, I think this is making all of us crazy and lashing out about what tipping, (REALLY PEOPLE) Come on already. Smile and move on.
To the people who don't tip; this is how it is in America. Love it or leave it. What an incredible amount of disrespect you are showing to the people who are providing you a service to eat without working for it yourself. You are NOT entitled to such a service, if you don't want to support your servers as well as the business then don't go out to eat, plain and simple. You are a guest in a restaurant, you don't own stock in it and you certainly don't own it.
I haven't waited a table in my life, and I still tip generously because it shows respect and supports the people serving you. If you don't have the money to tip then don't eat out, it ruins the experience for the rest of us.
I fully expect to tip the waiter/tress when I go out to eat. However, I am not compelled to do so. If the service is awful, I will most likely not even tip 15% (5-10% still likely). If the service is great, I have tipped as much as 50%. I hate it that good servers get stiffed by a-hole customers, but I also hate it when good customers get stiffed by bad servers.
Put another way: If you're a good server, you won't be stiffed by me. If you're a bad server, you'll get a valuable life lesson....waiting tables isn't for everyone. That way, you good servers will be left with the good tips and the bad servers will be run out of the industry and your restaurant will be in better business shape for not having the terrible waiter around very long.
Some people may not like it, but that's the way capitalism works. If you reward people for doing a bad job, it just ensures that those people keep doing a bad job. You reap what you sow.
Oh man! A valuable life lesson! I can use that just like cash right? Pay my landlord with it?
YEAHHHH!!!!
You pompous buffoon.
The owner/chef who says he only makes 18 cents on a $25.00 meal is so full of it that people become so resentful dining out and having to hear that garbage that it turns our stomach.At 18 cents a meal the owner/chef would have to serve thousands of meals a night to even survive.What a joke.
Most restaurants/bars break even or lose money on food. Alcohol sales pay the bills.
I have always had a great deal of respect for restaurant servers. But one thing I will not accept is a poor attitude. As a server, you may make any type of error; incorrect food preparation, forget requested items, etc., but if you have a good attitude, these things do not matter and I will tip you generously.
Seriously, if I want to tip, I will tip,also stop whinning on here about tipping, if you don't like how people tip you,get another job.
Minimum 20-30% ??? Jeez louise !!! You'd think I'm making MY money sitting on my a$$ the entire day, and therefore, you are "entitled" to take it from me, because, oh dear, you're working 12 hrs a day !!! Well guess what, so am I. And no, I don't get paid any extra whether I make 2 presentations a day or 20, or even if I deliver a stellar performance. No sir, no extra money for me. Does the cook, who is the one actually making the food and keeping you in business, get any tips ?/ Nope !! So, remind me again, what did you do to feel the entitlement to my hard-earned money, when the entire evening you were scowling and hissing at me ?
Sure Sue! However, I am sure you also have benefits which include: 401k, insurance, paid time off, medical leave (if necessary) and you get paid the same (PERHAPS EVEN A BONUS) whether you do 2 presentations or 20. BTW have you ever actuatlly done 20 presentations in a day or week even? But I'm sure are plenty of servers who have waited on about that many in a day or week. 20% of your bill in most cases doesn't even equal $10 in most cases. So Americans will spend $10 for parking, or a movie, or in some cities (depending on taxes) for McDonald's but won't pay if someone has served us, put up with our @$#% and but will have a $200 drink tab? We are so backwards and yet we claim to be a fair nation!
You obviously haven't been in the military. 20 presentations - the military calls them briefings - every 48 or so hours is fairly normal for everyone who isn't in a firefight situation. The heaviest day I can recall I had to sit in on 15 briefings, prepare another 7 and deliver 5. That "day" was 30 hours long, by the way. Some folks really do work hard for their money.
Did you know that the IRS allows you to write-off your tips? Maybe if everyone knew this and started keeping records of tipping per the IRS guidelines, people wouldn't be so rude about tipping.
And, the tipped person has to claim taxes – not just on the tips they receive. They are taxed on the amount of the food they serve - that information is reported to the IRS at the end of each year just like all other employer required reporting.
The customer gets the write-off, the tipped employee gets taxed. Fair enough? I think so.
For those here who seem not to know, some chain restaurants (as well as others) add an AUTOMATIC declaration of tip money to your tax earnings when you cash out at the end of the night, so if customers don't tip–the server actually LOSES MONEY.
I switched to bartending back when I was working in restaurants for 10 years because, generally speaking, people are much more polite and respectful to bartenders, perhaps they see them as an authority figure.
"Servers" on the other hand, especially women, were regularly treated very poorly, almost always by white collar people. It was rare, despite the stereotype, that I ever saw a construction worker, painter, etc, treat a server badly–it was almost always someone like a lawyer or business executive who screamed at the waitress, wanting everyone to know that their steak was undercooked and that this worthless person who brought it out had ruined their day.
Many of the women I worked with over the years were single mothers and would work lunch shift every day instead of getting a "better job" so that they could be home to meet their kid when they got home from school–sounds like a great mother to me and I learned a lot from watching them.
One another note, concessions workers. I work the cash area at at food concession booth at the Brimfield Antiques market. We have an extensive operation and do a great job getting people their food fast and fresh. Yes, its expensive, not too bad, 7.00 for a BIG wrap. People that complain to me about the prices: I dont set them. We also pay over 2 thousand dollars a DAY for rent here, just to feed you. If you can afford to shop at the high end markets, be prepared to pay more for your food. By the way, we do not get tips, or do we expect them, but it is nice when we please people and the respond in kind.
Dude, are you seriously paying $60k per month for a food court concession stall in an antique mall??? Please tell me you meant per month?
Ummm... isn't the crossed position for fork and knife actually the signal that "I'm resting and clearly not finished?" Funny for a pompus responder to get it 100% wrong. No wonder the server gets alot of frustrated reactions, constantly asking if their customer is done. Talk about misunderstanding "basic dining etiquitte." Wow, dumb, arrogant, and condescending.
Actually, crossing the silverware across the plate is the sign that the guest is finished with their meal. At least that is how I have been trained at the numerous fine dining restaurants where I have worked. Resting? You make it sound like your meal is a marathon!
Phil, your misguided pompousness , and irony of your bitter comments are funny.
Crossing utensils (or placing them side-by-side in the center of plate) is a signal that you are through with your meal.
Resting them on the edge of the plate is a sign that you are still eating.
You've been served.
Bottom line.....if your broke, or had a crappy day and you are disgruntled, cook at home. If you've got some cash to blow, come out have a good time! Don't come in a restaurant in a shitty mood and take it out on your server by acting hostile and impatient. Show some respect and dignity because Ive seen a lot of people make jackasses of themselves in public (which can be amusing at times). I'm there to make some $$$ and make you full and happy, while you get to relax, stuff your face and drink. We cook and do your dirty dishes, and not to mention clean up after your kids if you bring in a family. 15% of you ticket is the least you should tip for what we actually provide.
be careful how you treat those on your way up. you never know who you'll need on your way down.
OMG, now I can understand why my husband feels so strongly about tipping so well (he's been a server for a while). What lousy attitudes are out there! how would you feel if these servers were your kids/parents? Treat people with the same respect and dignity you'd like to receive. you can tell a lot about a person by the way they tip. oh, and for those of you who aren't aware, everyone knows what kind of tipper you are the second time you come in. Servers TALK!!!
Just curious. One of the servers mentioned if you don't tip well, I will remember you next time and provide you lousy service. There are so many restaurants in our city, it usually takes me several weeks or months before I go back to same one again. How can you possibly remember someone who didn't tip you well several weeks ago?
You always remember the crappy tippers after a year the skill becomes perfect
Servers,
If you dont like your job then quit.
I refuse to tip anyone for anything. Get a education and make something of your life so there is no need to work for 2.00/hr.
You are the reason people go postal. Now why didn't you join the military give your country something back? No, you were to good!
What a terribly ignorant comment. Don't you understand yet that many of your servers are there trying to work themselves through university? And they will become the doctors, nurses, therapists, scientists, etc. who will be there when we NEED them in the future. If you don't make allowances for servers and we end up with none, what do you think will happen? It happened at Tim Horton's in Canada...... now there are almost entirely staffed by workers who are brought in from the Philippines – they work for less, they are grateful for the work and they are always cheerful and do not require anything of management, as they have little rights under the law. If that happens enough, where will our university/college students go to get work to help put them through school? We demand so much of everyone in our society now and we want it all right now like we are some high and mighty people. Take the kinder road and just be respectful....... in the countries where you are not expected to tip – it is only because the tip is built into the price – you are paying for it – they just don't give you a choice! maybe that is a good point – maybe we should move into that system....
Oh, and don't forget, tips should be based on the PRE TAX bill, not post tax. We don't tip on Uncle Sam's portion. This makes a huge difference when you are talking about small dinners or lunch bills.
I am a professional server who has worked in the industry for 23 years (so far) and now work in one of the top three restaurants in the state of Florida. While there are gripes on both sides of the fence, I must say that I go above and beyond to please my valued guests, and would never be unprofessional, rude or discourteous.
Although I do make less than minimum wage, I do make a fantastic living, pay my bills, have a home and vehicle, pay my insurance, taxes, invest, and take vacations. I live in a party town, but I rarely partake. I also declare ALL of my tips, as it is required by our restaurant's accountant so that there is no danger of us being audited.
I think the message is lost here. There are some people who do not understand what it takes to work in a restaurant. This is not unskilled labor, and there is a lot to keep track of. You must be a quick thinker, fast worker, be clean and sanitary, be able to multi-task, and know the menu, wine list, liquor and beer offerings, and must know the ingredients and presentations from memory. My customers are usually very impressed with my knowledge, as I am constantly learning how to better their experience in my station, which is why I have a great following.
There are people who do not know any of this, and I am here to educate them, as I was. I do not get offended by people who think they know more than me, as I hold two degrees, but my customers do not need to know that. I turn the other cheek, always, and act with humility. I have chosen this profession because I am afforded a great lifestyle with great hours. I am not a morning person and can sleep in, but still have plenty of time to run my daytime errands. I also do not get offended by habitual or purposeful bad tippers, because my next table of regulars is visible right over your shoulder, as you depart the restaurant and I will make it up on them, while you are quickly forgotten. I do not get offended if you treat me as a subservient or beneath you, as I only have to deal with you for a few short hours, and then I will forget about you as I count my tips and then go home get my nightly shower and walk my dog.
I am blessed that I live in an area where the majority of my clientelle are well educated, polite, and generous. I would do anything for them, and I get rewarded handsomely for it. TIPS, after all, means "to insure proper service."
The servers in here would love my friends in Astoria, OR (one of whom is a former server). The last time I was out with them they tipped about 30%. They usually tip 30-50%. They also dropped a $20 in the pocket of the gal that was clearing the tables.
Everyone earns the money that they make, whether they are in an office or waiting on tables. You work hard at serving, I will be sure to make sure you get what you deserve (which is typically more than the standard), the same way that I earn my salary and bonuses at my offiec job. The most simple way to summarize it is that you should treat others how you want to be treated. If you are a rude customer, maybe you deserve bad service. But if you are a rude server, maybe you deserve a bad tip.
And if you "hate" people, maybe you should find another field to work in that doesn't involve customer interaction. It might be difficult to find jobs in these hard times, but if I were in the same boat, I would at leat be actively looking for another job which would better suit my skill set.
So, we've established 3 things:
1. Mike is a troll. I've seen his handywork on other industry sites. We (the other 99% of society) all can agree that he's a douchetard.
2. Mike sucks at math. I mean really sucks at math. And is technologically challenged if he doesn't have a phone with a calculator feature.
3. Mike suffers from accute micropenis syndrome.
I don't understand this mentality. There's no reason we should expect, as a culture, to dine out on a daily basis. Whenever I dine out, I plan to receive - and pay for - a great all-around dining experience. A 20% to 40% tip is figured into my expense because service is essential to creating a special occasion. Problems with food are most often attributable to back-of-the-house staff, so I don't blame it on my server. Only when getting atrocious service will I start reducing my tip.
"for every annoying trait you all have listed for servers, we can think of ten more for why we hate customers.”
News Flash – You're getting PAID to do your JOB. The customers are paying to be there. That's why it's called a job. No wonder we're in the situation we're in economically. It's less political and more the attitudes of the workers. Like you're owed something. Be thankful you have a job.
I normally tip 20% if the service is good to excellent. I tip 15% if it is mediocre (meaning, my meal was delivered but a few things were wrong and my waiter disappeared until it was time for the bill). I have actually left no tip at all when I was at a restaurant and the waitstaff were highschool kids who only wanted to socialize with each other and pretty much ignored me, the customer. Tipping "lazy kids" who need to learn the value of good work is not helpful to them in any way, shape for form. And lastly often, better service is had at the better restaurants. Go to "kid friendly" chains and if you get a great wait person, them tip them well because they are a rare find!
fair enough. i totally respect everything you've said. mediocre service, absolutely deduct! just don't be that guy who gives a verbal tip..."oh thank you so much everything was wonderful, we really appreciate it" then tip 15%. good lord I can't pay my bills with compliments. It is appreciated, of course, but pay me for what I've done for you.
Really servers, this is supposed to be your lively hood and you say stay at home if we do not like it? I will get my order to go then I don't have to tip and you all can go home with nothing. Same food at 20% less sounds good to me. In almost no other profession in the world do you get extra money for simply doing your job. Most people will tip if they leave happy, so get us to leave happy. Otherwise you are not doing your jobs and will not be paid
"EXTRA MONEY"????? How many times do we need to tell people that we make $2-4 an hour. My god, THINK. The tip isn't "extra money," it is OUR WAGE. And from the sounds of you, yes, please order to go. You sound like exactly the kind of person we could do without. If tipping your server who busts his/her ass is too difficult for you, if you really can't afford $8 more on a $40 tab, go to the grocery store and save yourself some money. Also, you do know you should tip on to go, don't you?? Oh, I'm sure you don't. Well now you know You're welcome. I'm amazed...WHY DO PEOPLE INSIST ON MESSING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO TOUCH THEIR FOOD?!??!?! Think about it dumb dumb.
I have to stop reading this I'm getting so angry. EVERYONE should be required to spend at least 3 months working in the service industry, then maybe you would all understand. Don't talk down to us...I'd say a good half of us are smarter and more educated than you are, you pompous asses. I've been a server since I was 16 and it has paid my way through college and grad school. It is both great money and insanely frustrating. I've met the sweetest, kindest people in the world, people who respect and appreciate what I do for them. I've also served the most miserable unpleasant jackass, all with a smile on my face. Sure, if you get bad service, absolutely deduct from the tip. But don't go in expecting something to go wrong or expecting me to kiss your ass. I'm doing my job and I'm good at it. So PAY ME. If you are unwilling or unable to do so, stay home. And please know...WE REMEMBER YOU. Come back in after you are an ass and/or tip really poorly...I assure you, we remember. = )
I agree with most of what you say but your last sentence seems to indicate that you do things to people's food – I'm kind of shocked that someone who claims they have a college education would even consider doing something like that. That's stuff i would think only disturbed people do.
All I can say is WOW! I'm a server myself, and often times I'm embarassed by my own co workers and their comments about guests but at the same time, I experience daily WHY servers feel the way that they do. In my own experience I'd have to say that 90% of my guests are wonderful. but I also think that sometimes it has a lot to do with my attitude about things. I treat EVERY table the SAME. Regardless of your skin color or how you dress. I don't go to work stressing that I need to make "x" amt of dollars per shift, because sometimes the business just isn't there. I'd rather be happy doing my job than stressing about that 100$ I need to pay a utility bill. Above all I love my job and I love my guests, they are the ones paying my bills, keeping food on the table, and helping to clothe my children. With that being said, I will offer a few of my pet peeves...Parents, please watch your kids, we carry big trays of HOT food; god forbid one of your precious children are running around the dining room and get tangled in a servers feet, it could be devastating, for everyone involved. The dining room does not come equipped with playground rides, please keep them seated, it is not in our job description to be babysitters and servers. Your kiddies are your responsibility. And please teach them to be respectful, to everyone. I'm sure that you wouldn't want disrespectful teenagers coming into your place of work, just to treat you like a second rate citizen because of the line of work that you do. And please please please try to let us know when you think you may need extra napkins, sauce, dressings, etc...all at once so we're not having to make a special trip the kitchen every time we come back to the table. Personally, if I have a table that runs me to the point that I can't give the same level of service to my other guests, I won't come back for awhile. I'm sorry if that sounds rude, but isn't it rude of a customer to take a great dining experience away from his or her neighbor?
As far as the comments above that state that we have jobs and an income because of them...remember, if it weren't for the entire staff of that particular restaurant, you wouldn't be there. You would be down the street eating a "100% beef patty" from McDonalds, and guess what? You don't have to tip them and they provide a playground for your kids.
So all in all....EAT, DRINK and BE MERRY...but please leave your attitudes at the door, where some of us leave our own.
Something to think about, people: A server makes a minimum hourly wage to keep the costs of the food you are eating lower. If the restaurant decides to pay to server $15.00 hr for example, your food cost go up dramatically. Most chains and major restaurants even provide insurance benes to their wait staff and bartenders. You can bet your food tab will increase majorly if we go to a non-tip service industry. As a customer, you will probably not like that route.
Also consider this: Even restaurants (including the individual server) can refuse service to anyone. It's a standard, usually even printed somewhere in small print in your menus. It makes sense. However, how many service staff people have actually been harassed, yelled at or have not received a tip from you but have still walked up to your table the next time with a smile on their faces, greeted you and served you. Most servers, probably 99% of them enjoy people and enjoy their jobs as a server. Most don't do it because they love the money. They do it because they have flexible hours and they need that since they're probably persuing another career on the side, going to school so they can better themselves financially in the future or they may be parents who need the 2nd job as a waiter to just make ends meet.
Yes, times are financially difficult. But as a former waiter and management in restaurants, I loved my job and I loved serving people. Customers should really appreciate that service staff (bus-staff included here), serve their food, get their drinks, listen to complaints – try to make it right (in fact most food issues are due to kitchen mistakes not related to the server at all – so be polite about your issue), clean your table so you can keep enjoying your friends and then clean the restaurant before they go home and set up for the next day. All for you.
These are 2 of the reasons why the service industry in this country is becoming horrible:
“You don't like your server, eh? Let me tell you this: for every annoying trait you all have listed for servers, we can think of ten more for why we hate customers.”
“I'm a server and just when I'm reading all these ignorant, pompous complaints, I was thinking how much I hate people in general. Stay home if you get that offended by your server's behavior.”
Typical response from the entitlement generation. No thinking involved in these responses. How much money would you make if customers stayed home? And if you hate your customers, why should I visit your establishment.
What has happened to the youth of this country? I am only 31 years old, but there is a total disconnect between friends my age and kids just a couple years our of college. Kids just out of college feel they should be make 80k+ a year with zero experience. They also feel they should get something for nothing (I guess this is what happens when you get a trophy for graduating the 3rd grade, what a joke).
I have had a job since I was 15 years old, and yes a few of those years were in the food service industry. I tell you I see more behavior which would have gotten me fired from my job every day. Everything from waiters putting their finger up to you, 'hold on' a min, to arguing with a customer about their order. What the hell ever happened to the customer is always right.
We need to go back to 15% PRE TAX, tip for good – great service and 18-20% for great – excellent service. I have left some 10% tips for horrible service and had the waitress chase me out of the restaurant and explain to her why she didn't get here 'deserved' 20%. The gall of these kids is shocking. This has happened to me twice in the past year, each time I have called the manager who offered me gift certificates but I told him I would never go to his establishment until he can properly train his staff.
The one correlation I can make is, I get much better service from older (35+) waiters than I do from younger staff.
Oh, thank you for considering me entitled. I joined the Army at 17 got hurt got retired. . Now I serve tables because I can't do anything else until I get my degree due to my injuries now tell me I have PTSD and I don't marginalize you why do it to me?
Waiters/servers are human.Plz tip, if you cant tip 15% try tipping at least 10%.
I usually tip 20% even at buffets. If I encountered people like the bartender above or the server in the article above I would only leave 10% and would probably never go there again. If I were the owner of the place were the bartender worked or were the server who hates people work, I would fire them immediatley.
First:
The the servers, Thank You for doing the job you do. I know there are some that, for whatever reason, don't provide "acceptable" service. To them I leave a little. Please TRY not to let your personal life affect your professionalism while at work. I realize it is not always possible which is why I say "try". Some customers are going to be idjit's no matter what. Please realize that everyone you come in contact with is not always going to be that way. I HAVE put a tip on someone else's table for you because they didn't leave one themselves. It may not have been what you wanted but it was what I had and I thought was better than nothing.
To those who do a "GREAT" job, you know who you are, I leave a "generous" tip. My definition of "generous" is 10% of the total bill and then another 20% (at least) on top of that. I know you work hard for your money and I try not to be too demanding. I know I have left $40 dollar tips for a $20 dollar meal because "you" went above and beyond to accomadate my family and I. I know I will do so again have no fear. I also make it a point to comment to the manager on duty for your service while attending my table and I will continue to do so.
The people being served. If you had a bad day, stay home! Nobody, server or other patron, wants to witness your immaturity and lack of common decency. Unless you have been a server in a restaurant you don't kow the work load so don't think that these folks don't work for their money! If you can afford to partake of their service to you then you can afford to PAY them for their work as well. You don't expect someone to come to your house and fix something for you and not pay them do you?
When you are brought what YOU ordered don't complain that they didn't get it right. They are not mind readers! Speak clearly and ASK for what you want and allow them the courtesy of trying to get it right. They don't run the kitchen so if it comes out wrong, politely asking for it to be corrected goes a LONG way farther than "demanding that the customer is always right!" I have news for you, you aren't always right. Sometimes you are just an idjit and need to shut up and sit down. There are times when you are right though, and at those times you need to show some common courtesy and not act like a child.
You hit the nail on the head with your comment. Thank you for visiting our restaurants and treating us with respect. Nothing makes me feel more appreciated than when a guest takes a few extra minutes to compliment me to my management, or leaves a nice note on the check. If more people had the understanding and respect that you have for us "lil people", I think we would have more servers who gave a damn.
T I P S – To Insure Proper Service – my husband and I are regular 20% tippers – however I will not hesitate to give less if I have not received "Proper Service" and I was in the restaurant business for nearly 10 years.
How would you feel if you annoyed me so I took 1 fry at a time?
Fine, if your Server truly neglected you or simply could not deliver standard service, feel free to leave less. I work in the industry and I will leave less if I feel it is warranted. But, please consider that if you didn't get sat right when you wanted or your food wasn't cooked enough/too much, that should never reflect on my gratuity. Unfortunately though, most people don't take that into consideration when tipping. I hope you will.
If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to go out. Do us all a favor and stay home. You are not worth my time.
I'm convinced that servers make much more than their customers might think. The next time you're at a restaurant keep an eye on your server. Notice how many tables he / she is waiting besides yours. Take out your calculator and determine an average price for the total meal at each table. Then calculate an average 15% tip for each table. I have found that servers are most likely making about $40-$50 in tips per hour. Not bad. Yes, they work hard, but so do I, yet I only make $20 hr.
Lets sit down and logically think about this. . . For every hundred in sales I pay 5 dollars. . AVG PPA sits at 20-23 at the establishment I work at. . . Now lets say I have a 300 dollar bill and the table stiffs be because of pure rudeness I am out 15 dollars. . . not to mention they of course will take my time away from others who are more deserving. . . Your ideas are false you need to work for BP and I pray you are not a CPA because God help the IRS
So James, your argument is invalid. That $40-$50 per hour only lasts for 4-5 hours of a 7-10 hour shift. Spread it out over the entire service (set up, waiting for rush, sidework after service, closing, etc), and it's a different picture. Then, factor in days where you show up, but there isn't enough business, so you're sent home, with nothing (even at the best restaurants this happens weekly).
Jesus H. Christ! Where the fuck do you get your numbers you moron. I make, if I am lucky, 12% of my sales and I have to report every damn dime. Clearly you are an alumni of "Camp Tardikaka". Waste of space!
Yeah CC – "Having to report" and reporting are two different things though, aren't they?
CC, come to Seattle, WA. Pick any decent restaurant downtown. They are all busy. If you don't have a reservation you will be waiting about 30 min – 1 hr. You will pay about $50 for 2 on average. I don't know where you live, but in Seattle you can make good money waiting tables. Take a trip and see for yourself.
#1 Sounds like a fantastic laid back evening out James..
#2 ONLY $20 an hour? You think servers make more than that?? They get NO paycheck and have to tip out bus boys and bartenders... Jesus you're a stiffler.
I am aware of the costs, and I understand the wages paid to the staff in the industry, but I also understand that TIP means To Insure Promptness. Furthermore, who sets the standards to taking the tip from 10% TO 15% and then on to 20%? I have received service that was lousy and we tipped appropriately. Furthermore, my greatest tip given, which I do tip, was 400% because it was good service and the staff was great.
I have been to countries that don't tip because their salaries are sufficent. (Australia & most European countries) I feel like if you don't like your job or benefits as a waiter or waitress, then do what I did. I worked midnight to 6 AM 6 days a week while working on my college degree. I left that job because of the hours and benefits were not what I liked. Now I use my degree to get much better jobs. Why can't you do that instead of complaining about people not tipping enough?
All the more reason to cook / eat / drink at home. Who needs the grief? The bartender in the article says gimme 20 bucks to transfer your tab to your table ... are your f-ing' serious? Pay you $20 for THAT ... not in this lifetime, you lame putz.
I will admit though Bartenders are always whiny don't know why I think its the fumes . . .
To all the whinny waiters, please identify the restaurants where you work so that I make sure I will not come to there. If you think that all your whines are correct, then do not be afraid to identify your establishment. Let see how many customers you're going to have. After reading all these whines, I would rather staying home and have ramen noodle.
Ok. . . We shall! Chilis, Macaroni Grill, Ruth's Chris, On The Border, Red Lobster Joes Crab Shack, Dicks, Fridays, Buff wild wings. . . Shall I continue?
LOL! Yah, in other words Tommy, we don't want you at any restaurant. Learn to cook you fucking tard.
18-20% – good service. 8-10% – bad service. Thatz my motto.
Let me guess, when you have to wait for your reservation it is reflected in the tip. When your food is not cooked properly (i.e., your steak is over cooked), it reflects in the tip you give your Server (who never even touched your fucking food), right? Fuck off.
CC is so proud.
His mommy taught him to use the "F" word.
Hope he/she/it never breeds!
Tips? I used to feel "compelled" to tip graciously. Now, if you want it you better earn it or all you get is a "note" about your service and attitude!
@fathertime Define "Real Job" father time? I graduated from one of the top 5 schools in the country and am waiting tables instead of working a shitty 9-5 and answering to the big guy with a corner office, so I can one day enjoy his view. Entrepreneurs start with nothing and then end up hiring others to work for them.... and having experience in the service industry will better me AND my company because I've dealt with shit ignorance like yours and know how to handle it and treat my employees with respect.
YOU out of everyone should know... it takes "times" to build an empire. ...and until then you need a way to make the money to buy the equipment. I'm 22 and know exactly were I want to be, career wise, in my life in 5 years.
So come on...don't talk down to me. I didn't judge your miscellaneous job until you started talking like an ass hole.
Respect people and they will respect you.
you want me to tip you? do something better than just bringing me my food. you are the one who decided the highest employment position you could achieve was "waitstaff" I won't tip you a nickel (not even to round off my credit card bill) and if you in anyway, shape or form treat me with disrespect then I will ruin your day with just a few words and possibly get you fired. I don't give a damn about you. Here is the only "tip" you will ever get from me "
The question also is. . . What would your boss say if he knew you were wasting company time on a forum at CNN.Com? Who knows you might just end up waitstaff yourself in an economy like this!
Idiots like this are the reason I LOVE my union. Complain til you're blue in the face.
You love them till they say strike! then you make no income boooo
Which do you think offers less job security, the union which may strike (hasn't in my 23 years with them) or no union, where an ass like the one above can possibly get you fired with a few well chosen words? The tipping system is unfair and unjust and the best way to redress the problem is to organize. My union gets me a decent livable wage (with or without tips) and medical/dental plan. Servers unite. You don't have to take it.
"the Truth" really is just this: You're ignorant, and it shows.
Sounds like there a lot of people that don't really want to be waitstaff. "The pay sucks", "I don't have to do whatever I don't want to do.", "You need to pay me to be nice and so I won't spit in your food." Unfortunately for you, it works the other way around. I have never spoken to or witnessed anyone who has neglected to leave a healthy gratuity (def: a gift of money, over and above payment due for service) when the service was in line with expectation. Having a bad night? Waiting on too many tables? Not feeling well? Not our problem – stay home if you can't put forward your best. If you're doing your job well and still not getting compensated, maybe your idea of what it takes to do your job well is far different than your customer's. You're in the venue every night, and it's a job, so nothing is special. You want to do your shift, collect your cash and go home. The customer is out for an evening. It's special to them. When you act like you're just there to do your job and fetch them food, it puts people off. You're not "serving", you're just offering an alternative to them going into the kitchen to get the food themselves, and there's a big difference. Waitstaff that know the difference probably make a nice living, while the others who feel entitled to 20-25% of the bill for carrying some plates of food around should find jobs where they don't have to interact with people.
I think the majority of people within this forum are a joke. The requirements to eat out should be as follows: An understanding of the class system within the US. An understanding of the monetary policies of the US. A sense that when you walk in my restaurant you are committing to a luxury I.E Me serving you your food and my kitchen making it!
Now as I have previously stated. . . You look down upon me but as you are wasting your time laying a judgment upon my service. . . I am remembering your face, understanding as the percentages go you will step foot in court one day and if you live in my area. . . I may be your attorney, at that point i will rob you blind with fee's and other calculated ideas in which to cast my revenge out for your indignation's against those you feel are "beneath you" But I just laugh at you. You are but a mere child in the eyes of the established staff. You are the person who says he can cook an item better . . you are the person who says he can serve better. . . But the problem is you are the person who parked in my parking lot walked in my establishment and requested to eat my food. There are billions of people in this world and you forget One day that person could be in control of your future. Don't forget it!
Couldn't have said it better my fellow Server, thanks.
I see, if I don't come up with the 20% regardless of how well or poorly you do your job, you'll screw me later on in life when you have a "real" job? First, I think that's called extorsion, and second, I doubt you'll ever have any kind of influencial job with that attitude. People who hire others for those jobs are smarter than you think.
My wife and I visit restaurants frequently, and now our son too. We have had experiences that range from divine to bad. Lot's has been said about what goes wrong. I think its time to say a few things that our waiters and waitresses did for us, which were far above and beyond expectations.
We went to a Thai restaurant for our anniversary and we timed it such that it would be after our son fell asleep. He slept through the drive and even in the restaurant up until the request arrived. Well the food was great and must have been the smell that this less than a year old decided it was time to wake up, time to scream. All we could do was to pick him up and hope that we could take turns or worse request that our food be packed as a to go. Just as we were still contemplating like most first time parents, embarrassed by the howling and unable to make the obvious decision, our waiter walked up to our table and said "here let me hold the baby while you eat, I will take care of him". He walked up and down with our son in his arms talking to him the whole time and got him to quite down. He then pulled up a chair at a vacant table close to us and held him in his arms until one of us was done. We can neither thank him enough nor would any tip compensate for what he did for us. Needless to say we were generous. A few months later my wife put together a baby gift hamper and we paid a special visit to the restaurant, the waiter had a baby daughter.
Our son is still a messy eater. He leaves a lot to be desired in terms of eating etiquette. He is two now. At an Indian restaurant the waiter puts in a rush order for bread as soon as we walk in through the door. By the time we are seated and he is in his high chair and deciding what should be his next action the warm bread arrives and he gets busy. We place our request for food with a choice schedule for delivering the dishes to our table, so that our son will find at-least one and no more than one dish of his choice at the table at any given time. This calls for a lot of understanding and coordination especially during busy hours. In return we do our bit to pick up after our son even if it means having to get down and clean the carpet.
An all American restaurant that we visit is a breakfast only place with limited hours of operation. It’s so busy that not matter which day of the week or which time of the day you visit you can expect to be in queue. The waitresses and cooks there remember our request to the extent that they ask us only to confirm that we want the same again. One of the times we visited we had a new waitress and we forgot an item on our request, the cook asked her to check back with us if what she had was in-fact correct as he knew otherwise.
A fast food joint that I visit, puts my request in as soon as I open the door. Once I complete my payment I have to just pick a table and my food gets delivered, while the normal process for them is to call names and have the customer come pick it up. The waiting queue ahead of my arrival is almost inconsequential to me. Sometimes, I am almost embarrassed by their courtesy. Lunch on the house is common to me at their facility.
It was Valentine’s and I was planning to propose to my now wife, I had reservations at a Mediterranean restaurant. I visited with the manager earlier that day who introduced me to the person that would be our waiter that evening. I requested that he present my girl-friend with a bouquet of flowers that I had put together and left behind with him, as we entered the restaurant, and then, after appetizers and before the entrée play a specific track of a CD from my personal collection. The CD is in a foreign language. Thanks to him it was a perfect evening with better than perfect results for ever after. Recently when we visited their restaurant our son decided that he was done with dinner even before we ever got started. Our waitress offered to take him to the fountain in the restaurant and keep him occupied while we had our dinner. The dinner was a celebration of Valentines again, this time after 10 years.
All of you who got this far may think that my wife and me some divine customers, easy to please, who hand out tips at the drop of a hat. On the contrary we are extremely painful. We are vegetarians and we request almost every recipe at every restaurant be altered to suit our needs. I request food with no cheese, no tofu, no mushrooms, no broccoli, and no onions, some of you may be wondering what’s left. How many of you have heard a request at an Italian restaurant that specifies ‘please, add a pinch of salt while cooking?’ That’s my request. We know the people who wait at our tables by their first name, we go to the restaurants for their food, their ambience, etc., but I am not sure if we would go there just as frequently or as enthusiastically if these magnificent people were not around. We have come to believe that we enjoy their company above all.
Thank you. I have gone WAY above and beyond for my guests at times and most of the time, they are considerate, as you are.
Rather than be so thankful that your servers babysit your two year old...maybe spring for a babysitter.
Tipping does not bother me at all. My husband and I eat out more then we should, to be honest, and frequent the same place. If we find a server that is friendly, talks to us like we are people (an not wasting their time to rush out the door) and when we have questions – and gives us HONEST answers not the "try it, you might like it" answer – we will request your service again when we come back. Not caring if we have to wait 20 minutes for YOUR table to be ready. 18% is our guide, but if you were awesome, your tip shows that. We've also tipped a penny before. Something to let the server know you SUCKED and we were supposed to leave "somerhing" behind. I think we've only done that twice.
I have been in this industry for over 7 years. I started out just trying to feed my children since the job market in my industry took a nose dive and I didn't know what else to do. Besides having to be hit on by many of my male patrons, I have the opposite: the ugly bitch who doesn't like a pretty server at her table getting her man all hot and bothered...and yes, sweetheart he will be thinking of me while in the shower later. Anyway, tipping is a REQUIREMENT if you want to eat out and have someone serve you your meal, jackass. I don't work for minimum wage because I like it, I work for minimum wage+tips so that I can pay bills. Yes, I am in school and will graduate in December and hopefully I will never have to wait on another person in my life again, but until then, tip your server. They work very hard and they are treated as the equivalent of a f'ing 16 year old McDonald's employee. What I do requires A LOT of food and wine knowledge, not to mention just a good personality and willingness to try to work with hungry jerks. AND... Fuck off to anyone who disagrees, clearly you have never had to serve to pay your bills.
I am so glad you have never served me! You wouldn't get any tip with that attitude, your boss and corporate would get complaint letters, and your name and business would be posted all over the Internet stating what a B*TCH you are.
Don't give me your crap. I don't want to hear it. I've had worse jobs than you in the business (See above post by Me), I got out, and happy for it. But just because I've worked in the field doesn't mean I am *required* to tip as you say. I am not REQUIRED to do anything I don't want to. Neither are you... if you don't like it, TOUGH.
Wow! Haven't any of you heard of karma? What about pay-it-forward? I'm sixty years old and get great pleasure out of giving big tips to the wonderful young people who serve me food when I eat out. Any guess what? The service is always great! And my entire dining experience is always superb.
You are a smart person Steve! Thanks for treating us Servers as human beings and thank you so much for appreciating our good service. We love people like you, you make our entire day!
Thank You Steve!! Again kudos to you! It is always a pleasure to wait on people with your attitude, and not even so much the $$ Treating your server with respect is the greatest thing you can do to ensure fantastic service every time.
I think the majority of people within this forum are a joke. The requirements to eat out should be as follows: An understanding of the class system within the US. An understanding of the monetary policies of the US. A sense that when you walk in my restaurant you are committing to a luxury I.E Me serving you your food and my kitchen making it!
Now as I have previously stated. . . You look down upon me but as you are wasting your time laying a judgment upon my service. . . I am remembering your face, understanding as the percentages go you will step foot in court one day and if you live in my area. . . I may be your attorney, at that point i will rob you blind with fee's and other calculated ideas in which to cast my revenge out for your indignation's against those you feel are "beneath you" But I just laugh at you. You are but a mere child in the eyes of the established staff. You are the person who says he can cook an item better . . you are the person who says he can serve better. . . But the problem is you are the person who parked in my parking lot walked in my establishment and requested to eat my food. There are billions of people in this world and you forget One day that person could be in control of your future.
I think the majority of people within this forum are a joke. The requirements to eat out should be as follows: An understanding of the class system within the US. An understanding of the monetary policies of the US. A sense that when you walk in my restaurant you are committing to a luxury I.E Me serving you your food and my kitchen making it!
Now as I have previously stated. . . You look down upon me but as you are wasting your time laying a judgment upon my service. . . I am remembering your face, understanding as the percentages go you will step foot in court one day and if you live in my area. . . I may be your attorney, at that point i will rob you blind with fee's and other calculated ideas in which to cast my revenge out for your indignation's against those you feel are "beneath you" But I just laugh at you. You are but a mere child in the eyes of the established staff. You are the person who says he can cook an item better . . you are the person who says he can serve better. . . But the problem is you are the person who parked in my parking lot walked in my establishment and requested to eat my food. There are billions of people in this world and you forget One day that person could be in control of your future.
I believe in tip karma. I always tip at least 15%, just to build up good karma in case I need it for any reason. :) Even when the service is outright horrible and no one else tips, I tip my share just to cover my butt for the next time I might be there.
First of all, I am sick of the entitlement attitude servers have about receiving tips. I understand "this is the only job" you feel you can get with your school schedule, kids' schedules, etc. but why put the burden on the customers and not on your employer? Secondly, we CAN afford to eat at your restaurant, but consumers are struggling too, so if its a choice to tip 10% or 20%, you bet we're tipping 10%. So why bother going out? Because we can, and we can afford it, just can't afford your school books or health bill too. Thirdly, I hate the obligation feeling of having to tip. Unless you go out of your way for me, then I'd like to happily tip. But once again, you're just doing your job. And lastly, if you hate getting pad $2.19 an hour, THEN QUIT.
Thank you, i totaly agree with you. If i don't want to tip, i wont tip. If your making $2 an hour then maybe you should think about changing careers... I don't care if you have a kid at home, a car payment or have two weeks to meet your rent money, if i dont feel like tiping i wont FUCKING tip.
So, for your sake, you better give all you've got when your serving my food, otherwise you can go live under that bridge and go on food stamps and hand over your kids to CPS
your pretty little behinds wouldn't be going out to eat if we all thought that way about the $2.00 an hour.
If a certain person is "sick of entitlement" by stating the way one would want things is showing entitlement....Once again think before you speak...what you say could end up showing a lot about yourself....
How people act is their Karma and how you respond is your karma...
I was a server for many years. I agree it is completely thankless work. I never complained becuase I CHOSE to do it. We all have a choice. It's not like waiting tables is the last job on earth. For you servers that complain so much, get a different job! That's what I did! Or be grateful that you HAVE a job and treat it as such.
Note to servers......to avoid having to ask if someone is finished with their meal, advise them upon completion of their order that crossing their utensils on their plates will signal to you that they are done thus having to avoid interrupting their conversation. You can do your part to educate the public. I've NEVER had a server do it. Who wants to be the first?
First off I'm ashamed to see the arguements from BOTH sides! Are you all so bitter and bottom of the barrel?
To address the diner side first yes a tip is based on service. However there is a term called "average". An "average" tip for "average" service is 15% (parties of 6 or more 18%). I usually tip at LEAST that much. However have I not tipped for lousy service? Sure, but I mean LOUSY. Not "My food took too long" (that's the chef/expediter's fault, not the server – as long as it gets there hot and fresh and doesn't take two hours I'm happy) or "He interrupted me too much asking 'Do you need anything?'" (Hey, that's his/her job...I'm sure if you couldn't get your organic sweetner or pepper you'd b*tch that they DIDN'T show up and ask). I mean LOUSY service. Has it ever been that bad? Really? Or are you just a cheap and bitter person with no manners?
On the server side, I have to admit...some people need some adjustment. Service with a smile, attention to detail, and a willingness to serve are PARAMOUNT. Hmmm...serve....server...wait...waiter? Where have I heard that before? That also includes when you're in a bad mood or hungover. We've all had bad days and bad customers. EVERYONE who has some sort of end user is in customer service...so you suck up the bad ones, relish the good ones, and do your best EVERY time out!
Now where do I get off on saying all this? Simple...for my service industry people...I'm an ex bartender/DJ for nearly 10 years so I'm with you. Ordering $48 of cocktails and giving me a $50 is not a tip. (Hint for all of you bartenders/servers ...if you have someone who pays by the round or pays the tab in cash...always give them some singles. Break that $5 if necessary...it'll make it easier for them to tip you by dropping a GW or 2 rather than a Lincoln).
For my "intelligent, educated people who are too good to be servers" – I'm a consumer...an EDUCATED consumer. BS Business Administration (Concentration Finance) from Bloomfield College (Bloomfield, NJ – 2004), MBA (Concentration Human Resources Management) from Fairleigh Dickinson University (Teaneck, NJ – 2010), Professional in Human Resources (PHR) designation from the Human Resources Certification Institute (2004), Alpha Chi (National College Honor Society – NJ Beta Chapter 233, 2004), and Delta Mu Delta (International Business Honor Society – Zeta Sigma, 2004). I have 15 years experience in human resources and I am currently a Senior HR Information Systems Analyst for a mid sized financial/investment institution in NYC. So sure, somebody tell me I'm uneducated...I dare you!
I hope some of you (you know who you are) see this and do three things I don't think any of you have ever done...or at least not recently...READ...COMPREHEND...and THINK!!!!
OK, time to get off my soapbox. Thanks for listening.
I say get rid of the tips. I can tell you that even the Midwest now rivals Tokyo for the cost of a modest lunch or dinner due to the tipping custom. Why should the wait staff have to bear the risk of a cheap or rude customer not tipping? Why should the wait staff have to bear the risk of poor quality food or poor quality water boys or receptionists. The whole thing is a sham by the restaurant owners.
9 times out of 10 your waiter or waitress isn't giving you poor service the management doesn't do their job so the kitchen backs up. . . or doesn't make the food at all
To the bartender who said this: "If I transfer your tab to your table, the waiter's check gets padded with my sales and I get nothing. Next time, try saying it with a ten or twenty spot and I'll be glad to transfer your tab!"
LIAR! All restaurants .... ALL restaurants require that the wait staff(at the end of their shift) to tip the bartender for their services. So the bartender DOES get tipped. HOWEVER, restaurants do NOT require the bartender to tip the waiter for delivering food to the bar or for removing the dirty dishes....The bartender and the wait staff are required to tip a percentage of their tips to the bus-staff.
The bartender who said the referenced remark above is a jerk.
Ive been a server for 5 years while I'm in school working on my degrees for teaching high school. I am ALWAYS pleasant towards my tables and give excellent service. I tolerate a lot of crap from people and I still go far above and beyond the call of duty. i make $3.15/hr of which almost all goes to taxes. I'll show you the STACKS of paychecks I have for .00 That said, 99.9% of customers are pleasant and tip acceptable amounts. To the people who refuse to tip no matter the situation for whatever asinine reason, I promise you have eaten/drank a variety of bodily fluids and other disgusting items and will continue to do so.
Reading through these post I recieve a sense of entitlement from both sides. Why is that? Why should it matter if "I am getting paid to serve you" or "I am the one who is paying you." this entitlement cause friction which does not have to be there. Severs work so they can pay for what is needed, and diners go to eat and have a good time. That should be it. I also feel this whole, "servers must be looked down on, because anyone who works for minimum wage is stupid." Remeber ignorance is stupidity, so before you open your mouth maybe one should think; how stupid is this going to make me sound? How "uneducated" do I seem now? I am not a server, nor will I ever be one. I could not handle the things they do, so therefore I respect them. Just like any job or industry, I give praise to the people who can handle and do the things I could not or would not want to do. Another thought to chew on...What if one day you walk into your place of business and your new boss is that uneducated, snotty, rude waiter? (or some other industry that was below you)? What if you lost your job and find yourself staring at the same person mentioned above for help? Karma can come back and make you look right into all those judgements you casted on people for being "below" you. This goes for all aspects of life. If you are unhappy with life, everything is going to be miserable for you. Same goes with being happy. On either side of the argurement, if you are unhappy change the situation for yourself, do not just sit there and complain.
I completely agree!
First off, thanks to the people who responded to my question. I'll continue to stack my plates, because it seems to be helpful to the servers. (I don't go to nice enough restaurants where it might be considered rude.)
That being said, I agree with the person who said that everyone should be required to have a service industry job at some point in their life. I was never in the restaurant business (obviously), but I did work customer service at a mall during college. There are too many people out there who treat you like crap because "well, your job is to do whatever I say." No, my job is to be as helpful as I possibly can and to try to give you a good experience. Not to stand there and let you yell at me when you happen to be having a bad day because of something that's not my fault. You'd be surprised at how rude I can become when 12 people in a row are excessively rude to me.
@SourDiesel..
Since no one else cared enough to call you on your obvious racial bias, let me. As a NAACP person who worked as a server in high school and college, I want you to know that I ALWAYS tip 15-20%. Even if the service is God awful, I will still leave a decent 10% tip. My other NAACP friends will also leave a sizable tip. I will have you know that when I lived in DC and went to college, the NAACP tables typically did the best by me because they knew I was in school. The only exceptions were people who barely had money to pay the bill, and they often as not, apologized. I would have to say, the majority of my $0.02 tips came from the NASCAR set. So... both sides can sin with this. Maybe your biggest problem is the way you treat your Black patrons. You have to give respect to get it.
Kim I understand where you are coming from I'm African American and I always tip well or over tip and so does my family and friends. However, I am also a waitress and while I have received my highest tips from African Americans I have received most of my horrible tips (less than 10 percent for good service not to mention walk outs from the kids from them). Please note I make a point to treat all people no matter what they look like with the same respect. But there it is. sorry but there is a point in which after 5 years of working it becomes more of statistical accuracy than simple profiling. We need to educate everyone on what proper etiquette is.
You shouldn't be reacting to the rants of that pathetic human being. You should just feel sorry or him.
@Kim I was a host at a TGIF in NYC- never waited tables, but I've heard the waitresses talk, and it was standard operating procedure for black, white and latino servers alike to not bust their buns for a black party because they belief was that they would not get compensated. I tried to argue that their actions might be why they weren't getting compensated, but I was told I would know if I was a server. Whether it is a chicken-or-egg thing, or just an urban myth is not clear, but one thing is for sure, the belief is out there and it is not just the white folks saying it. I wouldn't label SourDeisel for bringing it up, but I do for him (her?) buying into it.
Having been on both sides of the business:
To the waitress who feels she's being sexually harassed at work: customer service is not up your alley. If you're being flirted with and don't cold shoulder it, you're probably going to get a decent tip. If the customer crosses the line, bring it up with your manager. I've bounced more than a few customers who simply didn't understand where 'friendly' stopped and 'unacceptable' began. On the other side of it, there are plenty of wait staff who do end up going out with a customer on their night off. They already know how that person treats the wait staff, that's one of the ten big questions off the list, right?
To customers: if your expectations for service are disproportionate with how well you treat your servers, you are never going to be satisfied. Treat them better, tip them better, feel better about your dining experience. The stories about being left over how you treat wait staff aren't urban myths. It happens every night in some nicer restaurants. Serving is back-breaking labor. I say this having served active duty and played college sports: serving is right up there in terms of physical demands.
On the whole, though, it's probably time for reform in the industry. I wouldn't mind paying $30 for what was a $20 entree to ensure that wait staff is paid more reasonably. Then again, I tip very well.
I don't know why people are getting so pissy of this stuff. Tipping is simple, if you have acceptable service tip if you don't have acceptable service, don't tip that well (you never want them to think you forgot). I usually leave 15% rounded up to make my bill come out to a whole dollar amount, extra if the service was really good, less if the service sucked.
If you can't afford to tip someone goto a fastfood joint or place your order to go, cause you are causing everyone else to have to deal with a ticked off waiter by you being cheap.
You know what... If you all complain about the lousy pay servers get, find a better job. I'm sick of hearing you all complain about getting no money, and having to live off tips. Tough – you made your choice, now live with it. Go back to school, or stay in school, and get a good job.
I don't want to hear about it. I put in my time. I was a cook and bussed tables at a national chain that is open 24/7... Not a glamorous job, but I did it. You servers think you've got it bad – try busing, and washing. I was supposed to get a cut of the tips every night I wasn't behind the line in the kitchens.... but I never did. I worked my butt off at that job, just so I could continue going to school. Now I'm an Engineer at a Fortune 500 company.
If you don't like the way I tip, tough. It's your attitude that determines the way I tip.
Agreed!
You're sick of hearing the complaints? All you had to do is quit reading some time ago...
_aleph_
I have worked both sides of this. If you have never had to wait tables and serve customer, you should really give it a try.
Wait staff earn less per hour than you and i do for our jobs, so tips are important. i have a friend that is working her way through collage (mommy and daddy are not paying for any of it) i have seen her have a table of 10 with kids who run around and make a mess, spend $100 on the meal and leave no tip. now there are a lot of resturants that automatically add on 15% tip at time of check out.
so we as customers need to realize that it might not be bad service (unless the resturant is slow and you are not being waited on at all, that is bad service) but your own perception of life in general. a waitress/waiter is not your maid or indentured servant...so be respectful to them and you will find that they will return the favor. Leave a tip, because if you are making less than minimum wage and you bust your buns and don't get a tip well you should expect bad service because the good ones will find something eles and leave you with the dregs to serve you
ugh, after reading some of this I may never go to a restruant again just thinking about someone doing something nasty to your food makes me ill. I always tip. it may not be the amount you'd like to get because eating out for us is a treat and we don't do it often, we're polite and we are friendly but we've had some really crappy service, but never more than once because we never go back to a resturant where we have bad service. I agree that it should be according to service and NOT according to the bill. doesn't take a bit more effort to deliver a burger to the table than it does a steak.
I think the majority of people within this forum are a joke. The requirements to eat out should be as follows: An understanding of the class system within the US. An understanding of the monetary policies of the US. A sense that when you walk in my restaurant you are committing to a luxury I.E Me serving you your food and my kitchen making it!
Now as I have previously stated. . . You look down upon me but as you are wasting your time laying a judgment upon my service. . . I am remembering your face, understanding as the percentages go you will step foot in court one day and if you live in my area. . . I may be your attorney, at that point i will rob you blind with fee's and other calculated ideas in which to cast my revenge out for your indignation's against those you feel are "beneath you" But I just laugh at you. You are but a mere child in the eyes of the established staff. You are the person who says he can cook an item better . . you are the person who says he can serve better. . . But the problem is you are the person who parked in my parking lot walked in my establishment and requested to eat my food. There are billions of people in this world and you forget One day that person could be in control of your future.
So you're a petty vindictive ahole. Go drive into a light pole.
I don't tamper with your food that's wrong. . . I've served my country I have done what is requested of me. Now as a human being I just request you do the right thing and if don't. . . I don't forget its that simple!
That's right, these people chose to eat in your restaurant, when there were myriad other restaurants they could have chosen. Without patrons you have no business, so just as it is their moral obligation to treat you with respect, it is your professional obligation to appreciate the business they give you and the livelihood they afford you, and treat them accordingly. If you treat people poorly they can always choose another restaurant, you can't create customers out of nothing, you have to earn them. Its my choice where I go to spend my money, if I choose to spend it at your establishment then make me feel good about my choice, not regret it. Then everyone will be happy, you're business will do well, and I'll enjoy myself.
Please explain why such an angry bitter person such as yourself would choose to work in the service industry at all. By the way, if, as my attorney you rob me blind, be aware that I may not be as stupid as you think and file charges with the bar association against you. I suppose once you've been disbarred you could go back to waiting tables.
Basically, the servers' complaints are petty and shallow. If you don't check on my meal after bringing it to my table, or it takes you 20 minutes after I'm done eating to get me my check, or you bring out my entree before my appetizer, you're getting stiffed. I'm paying for the food and tipping you for the service. That's your problem, not mine.
I really hate the attitude of "You should tip no matter what." A tip is an incentive to show appreciation for you performing BETTER than expected. Not simply doing your job but doing it with a smile, being courteous and helpful. Don't get me wrong .... no one should abuse anyone waiting on them. But servers shouldn't abuse their customers either. Nor should you EXPECT or DEMAND a tip. When you VOLUNTEERED for that job your agreement for pay is with the EMPLOYER ... not the customer. So if you are not making enough money (which I don't believe you do) then you should find another line of work. No one is forcing you to VOLUNTEER to be a server. Furthermore ... I'd really like to know just how much of your cash tips you're reporting with your income?? I'm sure most of you feel that you shouldn't have too because of the small hourly pay ... but again I say ... YOU VOLUNTEERED FOR THE JOB WITH THAT PAY. THAT was your decision ... not mine. So I will tip you based on your performance. Just another example .... My employer and I negotiated a annual salary for me. I don't receive overtime. So no matter how many hours I work I get the same pay. Yet once a year my employer is gracious enough to give me a bonus. That bonus is what I consider my tip. That tip is based on the little extra I do for the company. I'm not entitled to it ... they don't have to give it ... but I do appreciated. So quit whining and graciously accept that little extra OR FIND ANOTHER LINE OF WORK.
Most waiters make $3 / hour. Does that seem sufficient to you to live on? Our tips are our salary. If the waiter sucks...he/she deserves a bad tip. I have to claim all my credit card tips and %18 of cash sales automatically, so yes sometimes I pay taxes on income I never receive.
You know, I know waiters only make $2 per hour, but like several others have said, a tip should be an incentive for good service. Don't be nasty to me and expect me to pay beyond the advertised price on a menu. Yes, they start paying you minimum wage, my food prices go up, but likely not as much as you think. Then I get the benefit of paying an advertised price and not feeling like I need to tip to subsidize your income.
Okay, I know I will get it for that one, but let me do some math for you. Let's say you service 3 tables an hour. From what I have seen at the local dining est. Let's say you get $4 per table. You just bumped your income up from $2.15 per hour to $14.15 per hour. Now that is $4K more per year (annualized) than my first job out of college working under much more stressful conditions and an average waiter might endure. Bump that up to an avg of $5 per table, your rate jumped to $17.
Now, after looking at it that way, please don't pass of that below min. wage B.S. off on us anymore. You are making much more than you let on with tips. And bartenders in busy bars have even less room to talk. You know what, I don't feel like tipping you a buck for every brew i buy. For a domestic brew here in tx, that would be a 33% add on to my cost. If i did that everytime, I couldn't afford to come in and patronize your establishment. Imagine if everyone did that... then you wouldn't have a job where you could potentially make $10 $20 per hour extra, a good portion of which has the potential to be tax free if you don't report the income.
When you look at the numbers, you don't have a leg to stand on when complaining about wages.
We are all humans! Some of us are nice, polite and have manners, others are not. Regardless if serving or dining people will not always get along. Except this and treat others with respect and move on. I was a server for a few years and treated everyone with respect...even the rude people! Of course, I didn't always get a tip however that is just how some people are. Yes, I depended on these tips, I HAVE BILLS TO PAY! However, regardless of my service, I didn't always get it. I was very irritated but there was nothing I could do about out. When I go out to eat now I tip regardless. If I get bad service I give 10%, if I get excellent service I will give up to 50%. Maybe the customer or server has had a bad day...no it doesn't give them the right to be rude however it's our nature. If I can't tip, I don't go out to eat because I know servers depend on this. Tips are their "paychecks" and when I was a server, I learned that the customer is always right, even when they are wrong! Servers you chose that job and you know some tip well and some don't, some people are nice and some are rude. Customers you chose to go out to eat, be nice and know that more than likely your server is probably making $2.13/per hr and depending on your tip, has bills to pay just like you, maybe a single parent trying to feed kids. Who knows...treat each other with respect...bottom line!
I say we go to the Australian system. There is no tipping, if you do tip, you still get the same service as the guy next to you. Its great. I hate tipping. I get my windshield repaired, they want a tip, take the dog to the groomer they want a tip, walk up to the counter get my own food they want a tip. Now you go to the mall and I have seen tip request there, after I buy my clothes. My motto just say NO! Everybody wants a tip for doing their damn job. As far as waiters, I'll tip standard 10-15% thats it. Don't like it, then I'll leave nothing. If you hate the working conditions go back to school, or do something else. Maybe join the service. TIPPING IS OUT OF HAND.
Hope you never come into my bar. Your drinks will be pretty weak.
Your bar won't be around long enough for anyone to care.
I am really surprised by how many people are so brutal about servers and customer service people on here...a server is not automatically stupid and cannot get another job. For example, I worked at a restaurant for 9 years to help with expenses in high school, college, and after (ages 16-25). Even after I graduated (with honors, LolsVille) and began my full-time career, I continued to serve part-time because it helped me to meet goal of paying off debts and allowed me to have a lot of interaction with people. I had many more positive experiences than negative, and I generally choose to remember those. The only negative experience that still comes to mind after a few years away from serving is one customer telling me I was too perky and happy to serve him. Judging from the responses above, I think that guy was one-of-a-kind and most people would rather have someone like that than a surly, rude server – thank goodness!
In regards to some of the more negative comments posted:
* I claimed all of my tips;
* I feel like working in a restaurant taught me how to treat people in customer service positions, which seems to be a quality some people from both sides are lacking;
* instead of calling servers "uneducated people who cannot find a good job," be glad that they are productive members of society instead of people who don't work at all and get government assistance to spend on luxuries some of us working people can't even justify spending our hard-earned money on;
* if you are a server and so negative that you use the phrase “I hate people in general,” you need to find another job. It's not simply a job to get because you need one – you need people skills if you will ever be successful. And if you're working, you may as well be courteous and work hard so that you can be successful, and maybe you’ll even have a good time. Otherwise, it is a waste of your time, your company’s time, and your patrons’ time.
I waited tables at a nice steak house when my first daughter was born after working my "real job". For the most part I never had issues with customers. As long as I provided good service or they could tell I was doing my best even though I was "in the weeds" and kept a smile on my face, the tips were never an issue and the money was great. Some of the full time guys were taking home close to $100k/yr. Any time you deal with people, you will run accross the miserable jerk that takes it out on you and tries to make you feel inferior. Don't ever let them make you believe it. Just look forward to the next table and move on. I'll never forget the night I had a bad run of luck and got 2 or 3 of the miserable customers. We were slow and I almost let another waiter take my last table so I could get out of there. That last 3-top was the table that broke the "high sales per person record" for the restaurant and all I had to do was have a good time with them and help them make some great choices....and finish off their $400 bottle of wine! Their tab was $920 and the tip was $300 for about 45 minutes of my time. No, my $2.15/hour didn't cover my taxes. But the $300 sure covered "low margin" tables that preceeded them. Enjoy your work and be thankful. Focus on the good people (most of the are) and you'll make more money and probably wont even remember the sad folks that stiff you. Actually, if you have a respectful attitude you will probably always get a fair amount. It's the Land of the Free, not the Land of the Fair!!! If you are a customer that has a less than perfect experience and think that stiffing the wait staff will make you feel better, try leaving 10-15% next time you feel that way and my guess is that the rest of your day will be better than if you left nothing.
If you are able to weigh in on either side of this arguement, you have plenty of positive things to focus on.
This confirms that I don't want to eat at average restaurants in the U.S. If I had this attitude towards my customers, they'd fire me in a minute. If I felt the way these servers seem to do about their customers, I'd quit my job. Check them for narcissistic personality disorder. It's rampant in the U.S. and you can tell it when you see it in the wait staff. They will kill your business if you don't watch them carefully and fire them.
I vote a mandatory year in food service for every man and woman.
I also waited tabled in college because it was the only occupation that fit my class schedule. I couldn't work a 9-5, or even a 7-3, or a 3-11. Albeit, I could have taken a factory job on third shift, but then when would I sleep?
Waiting tables is ridiculously hard work. If you like being yelled at all the time, being told you canNOT sit down during your shift, having one 15 minute break in what was supposed to be an 8 hour shift that turned into a 15 hour one, and having to split the money you earned with the rest of the staff (cooks, bus boys, bartenders), when you make a lower hourly wage than them, but all means, be a server. I enjoyed it and did make good money because I know how to deal with people, but not everyone is waiting tables because it's their passion. Sometimes it's the only thing left.
And to the person who probably cries if they get a chipped nail, how would waiting tables allow me to party when I don't get off work until TWO AM, and sweaty, greasy, and smell like your left overs?
You hate people in general, you should't be working in the hospitality industry i'm sure the owner would have something
to say about your attiutude, i'm paying for my food and service ,you come with attiutude with me and you will hear about
and/or feel it
I used to work in a restaurant and always tip at least 20% but lately just eating out less. It always seems like I am an inconveiance to the wait staff because I often eat alone. When I get poor service now I just heat to the food store and boycott the diner for a couple weeks – It doesn't solve the problem but it doesn't reward them either.
I always try to be generous with tipping even if the service isn't as great as it could be, but tip the bartender a "ten or twenty note" after having a beer while waiting? Not gonna happen. The bartender forgot to mention that he gets a piece of the server's tips as well. (At least in most places.) I'll tip, but you ignore me because you've got more things to do, I'll see if the manager can help me. And when I tip, good service, good meal, 25%. Bartender with attitude....zip!
Wow! everyone seems to think that they're right! Not everyone can be right... and personally, I don't think it's a matter of being right or wrong here. It's truly a matter of perspective,and opinion.
Try being a nurse! Being an expectant servant for little money,little respect,and little gratitude! A thankless job that requires an education!
You guys have a great day! Be a little open minded please... on both sides.
Peace.
As a server, I like my job. I've had many jobs, sitting behind a desk sucks. Many jobs you are limited as to who you work with or talk to, it's not a boring job. Servers that work full time make more money than most teachers, and lots of other college required jobs. People that don't tip just make excuses to not tip, it has nothing to do with their service, they are just cheap miserable LOSERS. At their job, their probably the one everyone hates and laughs at.
To all the "servers" SHUT UP! If you have a problem then quit and work somewhere else you knew what you were getting in to. I worked as a "server" for a short time and then I quit. Trust me there are people who LOVE being servers and then people who should quit.
As a single guy in my early 30s, I have been to more than my fair share of bars, diners and restaurants over the years. I can count on one hand the number of times I've had a rude or incompetent server. Sure, there have been times when my drink didn't get refilled as quickly as I would've liked or when my order was forgotten or incorrect (mistakes do happen from time to time) but those are the exception and not the norm. When the server does make a mistake, if you are polite, they will oftentimes try to make up for it as best as they can. I have NEVER gotten so upset or fed up with an establishment that I would never go there again.
Every once in a while you do run into a server who has a chip on his shoulder or just flat out doesn't care. However, for those of you who regularly have issues with wait staffs at various restaurants, I suggest you find the one thing that all of your experiences have had in common–YOU.
You have got to be kidding me. I paid my way through undergrad and grad school waiting on tables and understand both sides of the coin. It's a 'serving' job, you serve others. You know what you signed up for, so quit your bitching and deal with it. In 'real' jobs there's issues also, but they're different – same thing, stop bitching and deal with it or move on. If you work for an establishment that understands the need for quality restaurant experience – that requires certain etiquette and manners of their sever – you may not make as much, but it's a more drama free work environment with customers. If you choose for a hole in the wall where money is your number one priority, don't expect the cream of the crop to come in and tip you 20% for cracking open a beer. Don't squat at a table – it's awkward and looks like you're doing business #2..if you can't hear..lean in closer and repeat the order. If you're bartending and you're 4 deep with people that want cocktails and you're serving food and I'm hungry – yes, I'm going to orders. You signed up for this..a bar with bar food. Get over it or move on. Stop bitching and do something about it. Nobody owes you anything.
serving is a "real" job, idiot.
Don't blame the server or even the restaurant. The IRS determines what a server should earn in tips and taxes them based upon the value of the checks of the tables they wait on. It is a horrible system, because it doesn't take into account people who don't tip or tip poorly.
While there is no excuse for poor service in a good restaurant, i.e. being treated rudely, serving plates that have obviously been sitting out too long or look unappetizing, not making oneself available in case something is needed or desired, there is also no excuse for bad tipping. It is part of the bill of fare. I dine out a lot, my rule is simple. Good to great service, 20-25%; Mediocre or inattentive service, 15-18%, really bad service, I ask to speak with a manager.
Oh, it is also wildy inappropriate to leave one's napkin on the plate.
you're an idiot.
I bartend part-time on weekends. Good extra money. We had this girl that came in a lot and would buy for her friends and run up 70-100 dollar tabs every weekend. When she used her CC and signed the check should would write "cash" on the tip line to make us think she tipped with cash. What cash? My fellow bartenders and cocktail waitresses never got a cash tip from her and the closest tip jar to her didn't have anymore money in it. I finally busted her and said "next time you tip cash can you hand it to one of us so we know how to split it up." She always tipped on her CC from that moment on......
Here is my experience in the service industry:
I am 25 years old with 2 undergraduate degrees from a prestigious private university. I speak 3 languages and play the cello. For the past 7 years, I have been a server. Recently, I made the transition into an office job, thinking that I would be challenged more mentally than what I was serving food. I couldn't have been more wrong. The people that I have come in contact with in my business and across the country are idiots, barely have high school diplomas and are pieces of trash. The coworkers that I had in my serving days were all colllege students or grad school students or like me, in that gray, unsure period. I was/am an exceptional server. The problem is, I was becoming annoyed with how many people tip poorly. I was finished relying on peoples graciousness to pay my bills. What I have noticed in the restaurant business is that no one grows up and wants to be a server/bartender/hostess. It's quick money and a flexible schedule. Bottom line, if more people knew how to tip better, there would be happier servers everywhere. And never EVER talk down to someone serving your food, odds are, they are smarter than you.
I am going to Hooters, cause i'm not tipping all you ugly servers!!
I waited tables for 10 years while I trudged my way through school, and I loved it! Some people are rude and some people are awesome, just exactly like my current corporate job. Whether I was working at Denny's or in ultra fine dining, I always made 18-25% per shift because I loved taking care of people the way I wanted to be taken care of. Servers: take pride in your jobs and be thankful for customers. There's not a lot of jobs out there where you can work your way up to making $60k ++ per year with no college degree!
When one is finished with the course, the utensils are both to be placed parallel on the right side, handles at 5:00, business-ends pointed to 10:00. One sets their utensils crossed while still eating, but paused for conversation. I'm surprised a server doesn't know this. Further, it is incredibly ill-mannered to push one's plate to the side when finished. Please don't expect polite diners to do so.
really....please get over yourself. i'd rather you push your plate to the side or place your napkin on top then stalk you and check back every other minute to see if you've eaten one of the 7 remaining beans on your plate. there's a fine line between being annoying and not paying enough attention so be a peach and help your server out. as wildly inappropriate and demeaning as you may find it, the little signal that one has completing their meal is much appreciated.
Having the utensils in the proper place *is* a little signal for my server.
Yeah...have the management pay their servers more, then your steak will be $80, and your servers will have no motivation to give great service. Great idea...you guys have all the answers.
The steak may cost more, but this will be transparent. You will know exactly how much it costs to go and eat at each restaurant. Customer preferences and the market will do the rest. That is why a tipless system is superior. For the waiters, it is also transparent and consistent. Waiters will not have a system in which, at the whim of a customer, they may not be tipped. They will be attracted to restaurants that pay better for their skills.
What exactly "motivates" you to do your job?
Hmm, that's odd, in England they don't require tips and the prices are right on par with what we have over here and the service is consistently good. I guess you're full of sh**.
I have bartended once a week for the past 10 years for extra income. My approach to tipping is simple. I could care less what service I provide or what tip you offer. If you are a tipper, you will tip regardless of my service. If you are a cheap SOB, you will continue to be regardless of my service. Do what you will because it all evens out in the end as far as I am concerned. With that said, please know I remember the REALLY cheap people and your service will be awful in any way I can think of. If you can afford that top shelf drink, you can afford to leave a dollar for me. If not, please stay home. You are embarrassing yourself and I will eventually get you in my own clever way. When you are buying drinks for the pretty girl you just met, I will find a way to cleverly mention how cheap you are when you least expect it. I may make it seem like a joke, but she will get the message.
I'll tip you more the day you pay your taxes adequately!!!!
And whoever said 20%+ is appropriate, if you want more money, GO BACK TO SCHOOL.
do you realize a) servers go in a high tax bracket? b) 90% of corp rest. have a built in tip reporting system where it is impossbile to report less than 16% of your sales even if you made less than that? c) we also have to get approved for car loans and home loans ect so we need to report what we make? in the era of computer tracked sales one in 150 server will be audited by the irs (a much higher % than anyother industry) ummm... your ignorance is showing a lil there... might want to wipe your mouth off...
The server giving information on how to show you're finished eating is incorrect–your knife and fork should both go in the "10:20" position, and the napkin should go on the side of the plate. Don't complain about the ignorance of customers and then give wrong instructions yourself!
Btw, I was a server in college and it's true, most people DON'T do this, so I still had to ask them if they were finished.
a lil more food for thought. i for a long time waited a business man (in a large very sucessful company) that was in charge of hiring. mr. kim had been a loyal and regular customer of mine for 5 years- i know his wife, all his children, and his grandbabies. i always know everyones name, their fav drink, and what each one likes and dislikes. mr. kim came to me one day and told me he was hiring for the most important spot he had ever filled and he needed my help.... he said he would bring in all the interviews for lunch and he wanted me to screw it up (ei. spill a drink on one, drop ones food, ect.) but to be my normal charing helpful self. i told him my manager needed to know he requested this, and he talked to her (as he was a very loyal customer she agreed). so the day came... i dropped the drink on ones head, i dropped ones food on the floor i bumped one with a tray, dropped a basket of bread in ones lap) i was very kind and told them how truly sorry i was stating i was tired bc of my brand new baby keeping me up with an ear infection (a story mr. kim and i had come up with) only one person was kind and accepting of my apology. she was the least educated and on paper the least qualified.... she was hired. mr. kim explained to me that he wanted to make sure that the person he hired was well mannered and well moraled. he said he could teach the job to a monkey but for his company to get the most success he needed a "good person" in this spot.
i also have a drop dead beautiful, amazingly kind girlfriend (a model actually) that judges her dates not only on how they treat her but how they treat the server on their date. remember your manners, you never know who is watching.
My husband, son (13) and I go out to eat fairly frequenly – at least once a week. We tend to go to the same handful of restaurants each time. We always try to say "please" and "thank you" to our waiter or waitress and look them in the eye when we speak with them and we try to smile. We also usually know exactly what we want, and what comes with it, so when we order the waiter/waitress isn't having to ask us what salad dressing we want or how we want our steak. We realize these people are usually pretty busy and we aren't the only ones in the place. Also, once we're finished we stack our dishes, put them to the side, whatever. We figure it helps when bussing the table. Once in a while we do get a dud but on the most part we enjoy our dining experience. We also try to tip well, or at least we think we do, usually just over 20%. We figure that if we are nice and respectful to the waiter/waitress then they'll be more attentive to our empty glasses and get our food to us more quickly. It's amazing what a little courtesy will get you. As for all the pet peeves about crouching down or calling me "hon" – who cares? If I didn't want a waiter who did this then I'd dress up and go to some fancy pants restaurant. Lighten up folks, and be nice to your servers.
I'm a firm believer in tipping, but ONLY if the server does a good job. And by good job, I mean don't leave me waiting for a glass of water when first seated for 10+ minutes, don't leave me waiting for 10+ minutes to take my food order, check to see if I need a refill every so often or when you can obviously see that my drink is empty, be pleasant. I don't get where this 'standard tip' amount is coming from either. Did someone just pull that out of a hat?
As for those of you complaining about the base wage you make as a server...all I can say is you chose to work there. If you expect that you can be terrible at your job and people should just give you a tip because you make $3/hour, that's your fault, not mine. And all the comments about 'if you don't agree with tipping, stay home and eat'; that gets the business and all it's workers no where. Seriously...if it bothers you that much, look for different employment.
Do not approach me with the instruction "smile". I smile when I am happy and I am not your monkey.
Correct, you're my servant.
hahaha
You must be a miserable person..
My wife and one stepdaughter are servers, two of my other daughters work as servers while getting through University. Fortunately, all of them are individuals with great personalities and take pride in treating people well. As a result, they do well when it comes to tips. I am spending time in Peru, been here for a year now, and there is one restaurant that I go to often. There are two servers there that I will allow to serve me. Why? Because they are exceptionally nice ladies and are very professional and cordial. Their competition, the other wait staff, were cold and unfriendly. The result, the other wait staff don't get the good tips that I always leave. They also don;t get the birthday cards and Christmas cards with cash. I am a very easy going and friendly guy, always respectful and considerate. This certainly is not a behavior that I wish to share with those who are the opposite.
The tipping concept has two motives. One, it lowers the employers costs (which i do not really agree with) and, second, it places responsibility for good service in the hands of the wait staff because it will affect their income if they provide fail to provide it. It is human nature (except for the truly heartless) to want to reward someone for excellent service. It is equally in human nature to resist rewarding those who take it for granted and feel no need to be cordial.
I will say that in a busy restaurant, where the wait staff is being run off it's feet, customers need to be more understanding and not expect special treatment. Trying to please 5 or 6 tables of ingrates can certainly be no easy task.
Whether we agree with the concept of wait staff depending on tips to make a decent income, it is what it is. if the service is good, tip well. If it isn't, well, you know what to do. But at least be reasonable in your expectations.
Well Said George.
The only point is if I go to a restaurant and I notice that the servers are being stretched very thinly I do feel for the waiter and still apply a good tip (assuming they are still courteous/trying to do well) but I wouldn't be coming back in the future for the same type of service.
to all the waiters who complain... It is your choice to wait on people. Just because a steak costs more than chicken, does not mean that you have to run further or work harder. If you do a good job I pay for for your effort, but if (and most of you do) can not even get a simple order right I refuse to pay a 15% tip. If you want a regular salary, I suggest you get a regular job.
I am a waitress and your 100% right. I have college degrees and I choose this job b/c I make money and live well. I work my ass off everyday, and I am lucky I only have a customer who thinks what you do is ok about once a month. I enjoy my customers and my job, I am so thankful that the majority of people are nice and thankful..
This is all silly. Diners complaining about bad service. Servers complaining about rude diners. 10 o'clock, 4 o'clock, crossed, not crossed. Who cares? I've gotten through my whole life without any special signals conveyed by my flatware and I've rarely had a problem with my server. It's all about friendliness for the sake of friendliness.
There seems to be far too many people who feel entitled to friendly service because they're paying for it. And likewise, far too many servers who feel disdain for the very people they're serving. Whatever happened to common courtesy and respect for each other?
My advice to the diners? Stay home. If you can't get someone to treat you properly unless they expect a tip from you, take a look in the mirror. You probably have the wrong attitude about life.
My advice to the servers? If you walk up to every new table dreading the annoying diners you're about to face, find a new job. You obviously don't belong in customer service.
Of course, I just wasted my time writing this. The very people I'm preaching to have no idea they're the problem.
Being a waiter is a choice plain and simple, there are A LOT of service-centered jobs that do not get tips. I never feel obligated to tip, I am all ready paying for what I am consuming, if hey do an excellent job then I will tip. I once got followed out by a waiter to the parking lot because I didn't leave enough tip, so I went back into the restaurant and removed all the tip that I had left off the bill. He was pissed, but I walked away with a huge smile on my face. I would do it all over again too!
Ok as said above a number of times. I have been on both sides of this argument as well. And the main problem most people are noting, is they are only thinking of the worst times they have had. I would think everyone here can remember a good server or customer experience they have had. But sadly someone having a bad day can ruin it for both sides. And remember the server normally still have to keep working the rest of the night. They normally don't get a nice "cool off" time.
As for the servers making the threat "I'll mess with your food if you treat me badly", you guys are the reason most of the people are so pissed off. I understand how mad you get. I have personally put a number of dents into the door of the walk-in cooler. (and even took a chip out of the brick wall) But I was not rude or spiteful to customer. I just realized that some people are just rude no matter what. If you walked into this guy on the street they would be just as much as an arse as before.
Note, I don't go to high scale restaurant because I can't afford them. But I will always leave at least a $5 tip no matter what the service was. And anyway just remember that tip is not "free money" for them. It is concerted part of the taxable income.
To the guy that said he stuck his finger in his butt. He's lying,I have been in this business for 20 years and I have never seen ANYONE or heard of ANYONE spitting in food etc.By the way dude,did you know that is a felony? I should turn you in!!!
I have many friends who have worked as servers so I have heard their customer Horror Stories. I try to be laid back and just have a good time when I go out to eat or for drinks. I tip 15 % for ok/basic service and 20 -25% for excellent serrvice. And I would say 95 % of the time I find the service of the places I go to to be excellent. That being said.... not only will I pay the increasingly high prices for a meal and drinks... I am expected to make up the deficiencies in the server's wages because their employer only pays them $3 an hour. So when I ask for a glass of water or extra napkins.... all I ask is that they don't roll their eyes at me and then take 20 minutes getting said items if they remember to bring them at all. Remember the cost on the menu covers the food and drink thats I want. The tip is for the level of service provided. Earn the tips.
Couldn't agree more!
Having been a waiter & bartender and trained before being allowed to serve the public I have a few points to make. What about service? What happened to asking your customers "if everything is to their satisfaction"? Why do service people now ask if "We" are ready to order or "We" would like desert? Who invited you? And OK trick question. What side of a person do you serve from? I think the real problem here from a customer stand point is the servers lack of training. Do they make eye contact as they rush to the next table? So they know they are needed? If they take the order then never acknowledge the table in a calm stance they put them on edge fighting for attention. And never say" No Problem". If I had a problem I would never be back.
Serve from the left, clear from the right. So long as it is possible to do so. Now days the reverse is also acceptable. However, I try to be "old school".
I firmly believe that one needs to adjust service expectations depending on the type of restaurant. You should not expect the same level of service in a sports bar as you would in a high-end restaurant. Not saying the service shouldn't still be "good" but the expectation of what "good" is should be adjusted to fit the situation.
I am not a waiter and never have been. Although of course there are times when a server isnt the bets, but from my perspective the majority of the customers are major pain in the butts or cop a 'tude. I have always found that being polite to the server is the best way to get a great service. if the kitchen is delayed it is not the servers fault. My mother in law, a normally very nice woman is one of those customers. Just a big pain and almost rude. You should expect quality food, friendly service, and timely service from your restaurant and waiter/tress but that doesnt mean you can be mean and demeaning which I see more of.
I think that if you're getting poor service at a restaurant, you should tip MORE than you would ordinarily. The server is clearly having a bad day for whatever reason and needs some kind of cheering up and will probably be nicer to the next person he/she waits on. Plus, showing a little forgiveness will make you a better person in the long run. Really you aren't going to miss the extra $2-3 that it takes to move from average tipper to good tipper.
That's the most asstarded thing I've ever heard.
Read your own replies and you'll have new "most."
Come on – that's incredibly silly.
Hey New Idea, go ahead, but to reward bad service with a bigger TIP is just asinine.
I am only 23 but I enjoy leaving a large tip when I get good service. I have never had really bad service but if I ever had an issue I would get out of my seat and discuss it with a manager. Not leaving a tip doesn't solve anything.
And for the record I have never worked at a resteraunt that does anything to the food, thats disgusting! I dont care how horrible people are, you should be fired! Since when does going down to their level make you a better person! Sounds like your just as ignorant as the small percent of people I hate waiting on...
Bravo. Messing with food or drinks is off limits everywhere I have ever worked. My chef takes great pride in his work as do I. I may secretly hate you until 30 seconds after you walk out the door, at which point I will promptly forget you but I don't care how much of a jerk you are I am not messing with your foodstuff. That is way below me.
Tipping has gotten way out of hand. It use to be for exemplarary service, and now we're just subsidizing the owners. It's stupid. And this still doesn't explain why the back of the house rarely gets tipped in the US. It's the cooks who make 25k a year that cooked your 50 dollar steak. The waiter only had to take the order and bring it to you.
they also have to put up with customers that take thirty minutes to pick out the entree, don't know what they want to eat, complain about the seating, forgot that "thats not how they eat it", don't know how to control their kids who "accidently" keep spilling their drinks...the list goes on. and on top of that, they have irritable people who don't understand that they do more than bring the food for five or six tables...people just need to put things in perspective. Why don't you rant and rave about folks in an office building who are sitting behind a desk while you are paitiently waiting to be seen? because they are doing the paper side of work. What about bank tellers who often have no one in their lines? Working on the computer. So why is it so inconceivable to believe that maybe that your waiter/waitress is something called "busy"?
I you don't want to deal with customers who take longer than you think is necessary or somehow know less than you think they should then don't work in the service industry. If you take a job, then do it professionally and courteously and complain to someone who cares about it after the fact. As far as kids go, I suggest you have some before you chastise parents for their behavior, you were once an insufferable brat just like most kids are at some point in their life, and your parents undoubtedly had to apologize for your behavior. Get over yourself, if you do your job well most people won't complain. If you treat the people you described with contempt then you deserve whatever tip you get, or don't get.
just do away with tipping altogether and employees should be salaried...period. If the sales do not make up the difference then increase the prices....done and done. Courteous service should be expected and likewise rewarded.
@chef boy rd Don't get caught, it could be VERRY painful!
I always tip 20%. I also tipe 20% of the original tab if I have a coupon. That is my choice.
I would like to thank all the servers for the hard work and service they provide. I was a server for several years at a county club. the tip was added to the bill. I eat out often and and always leave a tip for good service. I have left a restaurant before leaving no tip, but it was bad service not bad food. I base my tip on service and how good it was. I won't base my tip on the quality of the food, I will let the manager know if the food was bad. Thats the cooks problem, not the wait staff. I am a good tipper and its my way of saying you did a super job. I do hate though when a restaurant requires a tip for larger parties. I feel if the service was great then the tip percentage is to small. I always ask the wait staff to remove the required tip and I will leave a nice Thank you on the table for them, not the restaurant. I have also been known to leave the cook a tip for super food. Again thank you for the hard work and great service you all provide to the customer. P.S. I think great service should be shown by a $10 or MORE tip. Also I like to let the manager know the food and service was great and thank them for that.
This is a funny debate. I do not make much money. It is expensive to do out. When we do go out we choose a place where we have had a good experience in the past, or trusted friends had a good experience. Most of the time we receive pretty good service, for which we give a pretty good tip 15-20%. When we have very good service, we give a very good tip, perhaps 25%. On the unusual occasion we have bad service, we give a poor tip, and never go back to that establishment. I assume that if the staff is grumpy it is because they are mistreated by the management and that business deserves to close. I feel like the responses to both of these posts were made by extremists, or by people who live in a city know for an overall rude society.
to all of you that look down on servers, know that we work very hard, are very educated most of the time and do it to put outselves through school. If you get a bad attitude from us at one point you probably deserved it. there were times when I was a server and bartender that I would be in a bad mood, but the customers would never know. Even if they duid sopmething to piss me off they would never know it. It took a lot for me to be nasty to a customer, and if I was I had good reason. And don't say that being a server isn't a "real" job. They get paid don't they. I know servers who make more money a year than people make working in finance. They are not lazy and they work incredibly hard. One last thing, if you aren't going to tip when you go out to eat or drink don't go out at all. That is the number one cause of attitude from a server. While it is not mandatory, it is always appreciated and your server will work extremely hard to earn it if you show them the respect that they deserve, just as they try to show you.
Explain to me why a server will have a bad attitude before he knows how I will tip him. I have never been rude to a server, I understand they have a hard job and many people to serve. There are only a few things that really bother me at a restaurant:
1. When the server ignores you for long stretches of time while clearly being more solicitous to another customer-maybe you know him or know he's a good tipper, but that's no excuse to treat others poorly. All it takes is a few seconds to stop by the table and say, "I haven't forgotten about you, I just have a lot of tables right now, I'll be back soon." When a server takes the time to do that, the tip goes way up. If they don't I will not tip as well.
2. When I get attitude because I'm not ordering alcohol. When I go out with my family I don't drink because I'm driving, and nothing is more precious than my children's lives. If I ask for more water, or I’m with my wife and decide I only want one glass of wine and ask for water, and you roll your eyes or take 20 minutes to come back with the glass or pitcher then I will not tip as well. I didn’t go out with the goal of maximizing your tip, I went out to have an enjoyable meal-if you act like that you detract from my enjoyment.
3. When the server comes and removes one person's plate while others at the table are still eating. I don't care how many people are waiting or how you want to save yourself a little work, that is rude and an unacceptable way to imply to the other diners that they are eating too slowly and eating into your tips from the next table. If a server does this I may not tip at all, or leave one dollar just so they know I did not forget but am unhappy with their service.
I can forgive almost anything else, short of abject rudeness, because most things that servers do that bother diners are unintentional or just not their fault.
Randy
"3. When the server comes and removes one person's plate while others at the table are still eating. I don't care how many people are waiting or how you want to save yourself a little work, that is rude and an unacceptable way to imply to the other diners that they are eating too slowly and eating into your tips from the next table."
I don't get why you and some others let this bother you? Honestly, in my opinion, I PREFER the EXTRA ROOM I have to put plates, condiments, drinks, napkins, etc. by getting rid of the dirty plates. I prefer not to see a dirty plate if someone is finished. I don't see ANYTHING RUDE about it, NOT ONE THING!!
It isn't rude to me, because I know I eat slower than my husband, SO WHAT? WHY get bent of out shape over this? I prefer if they take his plate so we can get the dirty dish or dirty dishes out of our way.
The only way it would imply that is if the server would ask about dessert to the customer that is finished first. It doesn't imply anything. My server isn't rushing me to finish, just making it easier so we all have MORE ROOM on the table for the stuff we ARE using instead of the stuff we AREN'T using anymore.
WHY don't you think about the BENEFITS of it that you have more room for your stuff while you eat if you are a slower eater and the person that is a fast eater, gets to not have a dirty plate in his or her face?
IT ISN'T RUDE AT ALL IN MY EYES, NOR IN MY HUSBAND'S EYES. He is glad to get rid of that dirty plate and I am glad he does so it's not in our way on our table, especially, ESPECIALLY if we are at a small table or in a large party where the table isn't extremely roomy.
I don't see how this can bother anyone?
They aren't implying that you are slow. They are just taking the dishes OUT OF YOUR WAY and so OTHER CUSTOMERS can have plates to EAT ON AS WELL. They only have a CERTAIN amount of plates. It's not like a restaurant has a never ending set of plates. They can use those to get washed for the next customers. How would you like it if your server said "We don't have any clean plates, so you will have to wait to get your steak, which by then, it might be cold?" You aren't thinking about OTHER CUSTOMERS, ARE YOU?
It isn't implying to rush you. I think it's rude when servers have asked about dessert to one person, while the others are still eating, now THAT is RUSHING things. I feel the server should just ask if the customer needs anything at the moment, NOT suggesting specifically desert.
It's not saving a little work; it's the same amount of plates, so HOW can it be LESS WORK?
The reason why I feel it's rushing me about asking for dessert during someone eating their entrée still is because a lot of people SHARE desserts, so it is incredibly rude to rush the ones that are still eating when they aren't ready for dessert yet. Also, people want to eat courses at the same time, NOT one person still eating their entrée, the other eating a dessert.
You really letting little things bother you. This shouldn't even matter and you aren't thinking about OTHER CUSTOMERS. I have been at restaurants where they were out of the certain glasses for margaritas before. The restaurant only has a certain amount of plates or glasses to serve in, then they run out of CLEAN ones. If they get the dirty ones out the way 5-10-15 minutes sooner, which can be cleaned during that time while the rest of the party finishes eating, so they can have clean plates/glasses for other customers. Think about others and how YOU'D feel not being able to have a clean plate, because in your mind, "EVERYONE HAS TO FINISH before picking up the dirty plates." This is retarded to get bent of shape over, it REALLY IS!!
The morning I found out that my 13 yo. nephew had been shot and killed I tried to call in for my shift that night. I was told that it was busy, we were short staffed and if I didn't show up my future shifts would be cut. I went to work. I really don't remember that shift but even though I did try my damnedest to be professional and leave my personal shit at home (yada, yada, yada) I would bet you I probably really sucked as a server. I bet a fair share of customers left that night thinking that I was not a good server, which under normal circumstances is simply not true. I keep this experience in mind when judging other servers when I go out. Yeah, sure. There personal life is not my problem but I'd rather be a decent human being by treating my fellow human beings with compassion. You just never know why someone might be having an off night.
I consider myself lucky. It has been forever since I tipped under 20% (my typical minimum). Then again, I am a pretty easy customer. I like food. I know how long it takes for me to get my food. I go during non-busy hours. Take my order, get it right, and refill my drink in a reasonable time and I'm totally happy.
I was always one of those people that didn't consider tipping optional I always thought it was mandatory. However, my friend had a bad experience at a restaurant, his server got the order wrong and forgot what he requested. My friend didn't tip and reminded me that, that was his way of telling the server and the restaurant to do a better job next time, otherwise how would they know?? from now on i tip when the people deserve it... which is 99% of the time but sometimes, you just gota prove a point.
Wow – I rarely have bad service. Sometimes the service may not be outstanding but never horrible. Never so bad that I leave no tip and often so good that I leave an extra nice tip. Reading all of these comments makes me even more sympathetic to waiters and waitresses.
Hey Pat, that's just brilliant..."remember...they're the last people to touch your food." In other words, that's an outright threat to sabotage our food, which just exemplifies the crappy attitude that gets you stiffed in the first place.
For those among you whose fragile egos spur you to degrade and dehumanize food service workers from behind the barrier of your anonymity, shame on you. No amount of money tendered entitles any one person to subjugate and disrespect another. These remarks which presuppose how "easy" it is for all Americans to either obtain a college degree or to "change" their working conditions are pathetically hateful at their best, and they betray low self-esteem. Ask yourselves what utility is served in spewing such judgments, and the answer you'll derive might reveal that your personal dissatisfactions have weakened your resolve to be decent people. Screw what Jesus would do; what would you do to die knowing your kindnesses unto others have outweighed your knee-jerk pettiness?
All this vitriol over a dinner out? Spare me, you obstinate, wearisome people. The poor of the world should be so fortunate as to count among their major grievances the travesty of being slightly perturbed while shoveling their jowls in overpriced, low-quality casual dining restaurants. We're witnessing the entropy of mankind in action.
I've dated 4 waitresses before and have heard several complaints when they would get home about how crappy tips they made. I have never served before in my life and I give credit to all the servers out there that put up with ignorant penny pinching people. I don't make a lot of money myself........... BUT when I go out to eat I make sure I have enough money to pay for the food and atleast 20% tip. My 2 cents for all the diners out there, if you don't have enough money to pay for your meal and tip, then STAY HOME! and eat peanut butter and jelly. This is how all servers make a living, I feel the pain for all the servers. I feel there should be something passed that says you must leave atleast 15% no matter what size of the party thats dining. That's my thought on this whole thing. I could go on and on but i'll stop.
I tip 20-30%, but include a tip on my bill and that is all you get.
and thats 100% acceptable. If we choose to add grat on your bill, then that is the risk we take. Sometimes we have to do that to save ourselves from paying tips outs and taxes on a huge check..and to guarantee we make some money.
Autograts (that's what we call the automatic gratuity) were put into place because too many times large parties will run the server to death, rack up a huge tab and "forget" to tip. Servers have to tip out to support staff based on sales, anywhere between 1-8% of their sales, depending on the restaurant. This means that if a party rings up a $500 tab and does not tip the server that server has to pay anywhere from $5 to $40 out of pocket. If all customers could be trusted to tip appropriately the autograt would not be needed. If you receive service that you do not feel warrants a tip you may dispute the autograt and it will be removed from your bill.
@Mindy – You stated all of the things a customer must do but as you know, it goes both ways..there are things expected of the waiter as well. As I do not disagree with all your numbered customer expectations, I feel it is also imperative to highlight the customers' expectations of the waiter. You treat the waiters in the 3 restaurant's you go to with respect because they respect you. Why not the other ones, could it be that you did not like the way they served you or other patrons as you witnessed? Waiters also have responsibilities here and I think most of it lies with them as they are in the 'Service' business.
Below is an excerpt from the dictionary on the definition of a tip:
Tip:
–noun
1.
a small present of money given directly to someone for performing a service or menial task; gratuity.
Please note the word 'service'. Service is subjective. So as waiter, you need to profile your audience and try to understand what service means to each and everyone of them. So, don't think that by throwing a plate of food on my table and filling my cup with water with half of it spilling all over my table, that you have provided me service....hell McDonalds would not even do this. I go to a restaurant for the ambiance and experience of being served with courtesy...that is what service means to me. I assess this need before administering my tip. I have tipped 100% before and I have also left a restaurant without a tip.
Bottom line: A waiter shares equal responsibility in ensuring that both parties (Patrons and Waiters) have memorable experiences.
The sad irony is...the customers are tipping the wrong people. It's the cooks and the chefs that should be receiving the bulk of the tip, not the waiters...as it is properly done in Europe. The guys in the back room make PEANUTS compared to the guys up front. Whose doing the hard work? What requires more skill? Easily the back kitchen. Remember people, you can TIP the back! I'd like to do that regularly because frankly...waiters have become spoiled. Asking 20% for tips? Puhlease. I'd rather give the waiters 5% and the back 15%...you know...the guys who actually COOK the food?
excellent post Pete!
TIPS = To Insure Performance. If you can't control your tables and make a constant 20%+ then you need to rethink your abilities and look for a new job. I have taken jobs with no hourly wage, just tips, and if I can't walk out after a shift and after paying 20% of my tips to my bartender and bus boy and still have a $100 plus for moi then I need to look for a better restaurant and sharpen my people skills. People really don't go our too "eat" they can do that at home, they go out to be "entertained" and unless you have a little showmanship, "Sale the Sizzle not the Steak, you are just a hash slinger.
no one makes them work there, if they dont like the pay, GTFO
It seems like the accepted percentage for tipping is getting higher and higher. And also it have been to numerous restaurants were they have a sign saying how much to tip. 20% is a bit high and usually is more of a gratuity added for larger parties. I stay at 15% for tips. But to be honest, eating out has become so expensive anymore that I choose to just not eat out. I recently did not tip my hair stylist. I asked her to quote me a price on color since I wanted to stay within a specific amount of money "so i could tip her!". She was 50$ off her own quote by the time the hair was done. Guess what? She did not get a tip.
I know this is about dining out, but someone in the comments made a reference to other service people and simply being polite. Here is a queston for all of you diners and waiters and being polite to someone that is serving you. When is the last time you thanked, or even said hello to your trash man? Now I don't stand outside and wait for someone to come get my trash, but if by chance I am out when they come by I will always say hi or at least wave to them. I am an "educated person" sitting in an office in a professional career, but I can tell you that any sign of appreciation, no matter where you work or what you do, can be very appreciated by the person receiving it, be it through tipping or just waving hi and acknowleding the existence and effort of your trash man. Just be nice that pretty much all there is to it.
Alexandria also mentioned something everyone so easily forgets: the bill reflects the cost of the food, kitchen labor, rent, and other costs associated with doing business. The tip is the cost of service. If you don't tip, you are essentially stealing service. The base wage of the average server is the cost of having a warm body on the floor, and performing other various duties. Again, if everyone is comfortable with stealthily incorporating the cost of service into the overall bill in exchange for not tipping, it's worth proposing to some owners.
So many of you are getting your panties in a bunch over the "hating people" comment. I doubt this server truly hates all people, but when working with the public constantly there are times when you do "hate" people's attitudes.
Last year in between "real" jobs (unless you're saving lives, no job is that important), I filled in at a local restaurant for a few times a week after an food service absence of over 10 years. For the most part, I had a great time! I'll tell you anything you want to know about the menu, and keep your food coming in a timely manner (all with a smile). 75% of the time, people were wonderful. 20% of the time, a big, "eh," and 5% were miserable. Thankfully I still retained a sense of humor even when a guy loudly admonished me that his granddaughter's day was *ruined* when the kitchen ran out of baby corn for her dish. Ok, pardon me while move on to less miserable customers... :)
wrong... the $2.15 paid as a wage by the establishment is the cost of service. A tip is for going above and beyond the standard norm. It is to encourage the waiter to meet my needs. Sadly they rarely do.
TheAngryCapitalist: you are entitled to your opinion, even though it's wrong.
I guess you forget the Federal Minimum Wage is over seven dollars an hour. . Also for every 8 hour shift you are required breaks there are no breaks. . . now I am retired at 22 years of age and Serve tables so I can have fun. . . Do you look down on me because I was medically retired from the Army?
Haha, Jim– I'd have to agree. I have never worked with another server who had an anti-customer attitude. Even when I have rude customers (which is oh-so often), I still try and crack a joke and make them smile. Who cares? It's at my expense anyhow– and I am clearly assumed to be the lesser-of between myself and the customers. Even when I do get a bit annoyed (e.g. last Saturday night I had a busy section and had one woman at one table who was incredibly rude and taking up too much of my time at her table), I still am relatively nice. Maybe it's different for me though– my boss (the co-owner) doesn't want us being overly friendly. Customers forget that when you go to a new restaurant you are going to get different service. Don't cry because I don't tell you my name and have a minute conversation about everything you ordered.
It's interesting to see both sides of the debate. Of course I have to agree that if someone isn't willing to tip (for accpetable service of course) than they shouldn't eat out. Let's face it, the server is providing a service for you. Would you not pay someone that cut your lawn or painted your home?
I would pay them what it costs to cut my grass but I'm not tipping them because they were doing their job.
Most servers are students or single mothers and the reason they do it is because the money is decent and the hours are flexible.I have several servers at my restaurant with a masters degree.Without tipping you would get some booger infested 18 year old pot head as your server,because thats the only person who would do it for minimum wage.We work long hours on our feet and are regularly abused by customers.Would you do it for minimum wage??
I always tip, but I tip based on the service received. I do not believe that it should automaticly be 15% right off the bat. If the wait staff aren't doing their job I will not give the 15%. But that is very rare. For the most part waiters and waitresses work very hard and deserve a good tip.
What I don't get is why we should tip postal worker and trash persons. They get paid plenty ! And in bigger cities they get paid alot !
You don't have to... That's not a standard by any means
Why are you tipping for postal and trash service? They saw you coming a mile away....
It is obvious from reading these comments that there are a lot of people who really should stay at home rather than dine out. I think these are the people I see in restaurants acting like they own the place from the moment they walk in the door. I am surprised they dont demand a foot rub while they eat. You should also understand that a lot of restaurants pool their tips so when you stiff the waiter, you are also stiffing the busboys, cooks, etc. that did nothing wrong to you. Your wait staff generally works their butts off and I rarely have bad experiences out dining so I dont know where all of you are eating. I will tip 20-30% when the service is great, but still generally give 15% if its lackluster. And, for people who said they are too poor and dont tip at all, what the hell are you doing eating out? I cannot afford a Porsche, so I dont drive one. I cannot afford a Rolex, so I dont wear one, but I can afford to eat out and do so, with proper tipping. If I could not afford to eat out, I would stay home and save my money for something better. America needs to stop the "entitlement" attitude we have gotten and come back down to Earth, and that does go both ways.
I always tip 20% unless the server is rude or severly messes up my order. If they are nice and appologetic about it, it will not affect their tip. But if they give me attitude, I will tip pathetically. For the most part, if you are nice and keep my tea glass flowing, I am happy and will tip 20%. Just be polite and as attentive as possible. That's all I ask.
this is 2010 for f*ck sakes.its about time to update this arcane system of tipping and 2.00 an hour.
CEOs can make 100s of dollars for doing nothing and making a company fail,and people working thousands of times harder have no chance of making even .001% of that?
and we wonder why people steal
It does not matter what year it is doofus... socialism never works. Drop the bong and hit the books, there is still time to educate yourself.
Its cute how you think that its completely black and white. Keep things how they are now or its socialist. Especially when there are capitalist societies where the highest paid person in the company can't make more than a certain percentage above the lowest paid person in the company (such as in Japan). Its a simple matter in a country like that, that if you want to make $1 million a year, then your lowest paid person is going to be paid at least $100,000
The idea of the tip being for service well-rendered is completely ridiculous. At this point you really have to tip at least 15% or your waiter is going to freak or at least give you a face when they see your tip, so you really have little choice especially when you somewhat regularly visit a particular restauarant. IMO tipping should be phased out. Service should be good regardless and waiters should simply be paid a flat p/h for their work. If the service and food are good, and offered at a price where diners perceive value, then it will be popular.
For context, in Japan and Korea you get good to great service nearly always. No tipping allowed. In the Philippines, as I recall you are charged 10% as a service fee and can leave a bit on top, but won't catch an attitude if it's just a bit. In other words, whether you are a diner or waiter, you get screwed by this system.
P.S. Who says the proper tip is 20%??? Total BS.
The only way tipping would be phased out would be if the minimum restaurant wage was MANDATED as raised from $2.14 an hour to something more approaching minimum wage.
There IS a downside to this – if the salaries are raised, the restaurant has to raise meal prices to meet increased expenses, so the customer ultimately ends up footing the bill both ways. So the question becomes one of feasibility: is it more feasible to keep the tipping system, which allows the customer to choose how much the server receives, or is it more feasible to increase the server's set salary which increases meal prices which makes the customer pay the difference regardless of whether they think it's deserved?
Personally, I think that countries who have a higher minimum service wage AND who allow tipping have a good system. There, the server is taken care of on the salary end, and the customer STILL has the option of rewarding great service.
I have been serving tables for 10yrs now. There are the good and the bad. If you are ignorant to me I'll spit in your drink. I have also put boogers in poeples food and I have also stuck my finger up my buthole and stuck it in the food. YES THIS IS THE TRUTH.. Think twice about disrepecting the poeple who make your food. Jerks
and you should be fired...
You should tip and treat us with respect. Fired? haha i would never get caught. F*ck with me I'll f*ck with your food!
Looks like YOU are the JERK! You are one sick human being. Just because a customer ticks you off, doesn't give you the right to do something so terrible. That makes YOU NO BETTER THAN THEM!!
I would take a sh*t in on your dinner plate if you ever came into my restaurant. Ain't nothing like some lemon chicken with a little bit of piss juice!
And arrested
I bet after reading my comment you'll think twice about your attitude toward your server.
Screw you. If you were a man, and not a boy, you would confront your customer face to face in the parking lot insted of fingering yourself in some perverted attempt to get back at them. Child
If I were to hit a "man" like you, i would probably kill you or just break your face. I'm an amature boxer my "man" you wouldn't want me face to face in a parking lot. It would be the last time your ass went out to eat
You are the reason customers don't tip well. If you took a bit of pride in your work, no one would ever question leaving you an appropriate tip. Stop being disgusting and grow up.
Chef Boy R D, I wish I had your address so I could send you a Get Well card because you are one sick individual.
someone being rude to you is the same level as doing things to their food that might make them ill? wonderful logic there. *sarcasm*
“‘Can we transfer our bar tab to our table?’ Um ... bartenders work for tips too, people! If I transfer your tab to your table, the waiter's check gets padded with my sales and I get nothing. Next time, try saying it with a ten or twenty spot and I'll be glad to transfer your tab!"
Are you kidding me? You want $10 or $20 to click a few buttons? Bartenders make great money, $1 tips for things like pouring a beer or opening a beer bottle. When you get stiffed for a single drink tab that the person doesn't think to throw a tip down in cash at the bar, suck it up, you'll get over it.
Exactly. Also, everywhere that I've worked as a bartender or a server, the bartenders got tipped out at the end of the night by the servers, as well as making a better hourly wage and better tips overall. Finally, the restaurant is there to provide the customer a comfortable and pleasant dining experience. The correct answer is, "I'd be happy to transfer your tab. Enjoy your meal!"
And oh yes, I have tended bar in a restaurant. A hotel, even, where a lot of my drinks went to room service and I never saw a penny on them.
But that was my job.
When I was going to college I worked a summer as a waitress in a busy patio restaurant. The thing I hated the most was when people would sit in my section and camp out. They usually ordered water, sometimes a drink. Sometimes they would meet up with friends and put other tables from my section together and maybe one person would order off the menu.
Meanwhile, these people were the pickiest people on the planet, hardly ever tipped and always asked for complimentary items. It was my job to provide with a smile because you never know but I think it's kinda sad when you worked your ass running up and down for one table when it causes you to lack on another paying table, so you end up not getting a decent tip for either table.
People generally live in their own bubbles but it's refreshing to see someone step out and acknowledge the hard work you are doing in order to satisfy picky guests who don't tip.
Wait, you equate putting up with a surly customer to putting up with a surly waiter. I don't think you get it. We pay, and you get paid, so we can eat at the establishment at which you’re working and for the service you provide (sure it would be great if everyone were polite all the time, but no one's perfect, we all have bad days, if you’re getting verbally abused then go to your manager and complain). So, if you don't like dealing with people get another job, but don't act like you're doing me a favor by bringing me another glass of water (instead of that glass of wine that gets you a bigger tip).
If your boss is in a bad mood one day and you reply in kind you’ll get fired or reprimanded. You might not like it and you might go home and complain to anyone who’ll listen, but you learn to suck it up and deal with it. Why should a waiter feel as though they don’t have to work that way.
I promise, if you're polite and professional (you don’t have to be my friend) and the food is delivered promptly and courteously then the tip will be there. That’s all people want, to have a nice meal without feeling as though they’re somehow imposing on the person who’s being paid to serve.
Seems to me you are the only person who understands this. Well done!
just curious about this; Why is 15% a standard tip? I go to Chili's and run a tab of $25 and leave $4 tip. I go to Ruth's Chris and run a tab of $200 and am expected to leave a $30 tip? Did the waiter do something THAT SPECTACULAR that the tip needs to be almost 8x bigger? I think the person at Chili's actually makes more trips to serve me than the Ruth's Chris server. I am sure someone will say, "Just tip the Chili's waiter $30" but more to the point is this "standard" percentage. A friend of mine was followed out of a Manhattan restaurant by the waiter who complained that my friend 'only' left 15% on a very large check.
So why the artificial standard, and when does it stop scaling? If I order the caviar, just because it costs $200 my waiter instantly plans to pocket an extra $30? Hardly seems realistic.
Neither does my TV costing $250 to fix for 15 minutes of work, but that's the cost, that's the rules, that's the game.
You're allowed to tip however you want. The standard is 15%, so by tipping less than that, you're saying they did something wrong and vice versa. OF course, as some of the people have stated, they're getting taxed as if they were tipped (I think I read) 16%, so if you only tip 10% at Ruth Chris, you're screwing the waiter, assuming it was a deserved 10% (then, they screwed themselves)
Just out of curiosity, what would your response be to a place that automatically added a certain percentage (say 20%) on a tab over a certain amount? For example, say that a restaurant has a policy that an automatic 20% tip is added to any order over $100, or that any party of 5 or more has an automatic 15% tip added to their bill?
while the the servers at these restaurants usually sometimes make more than some of the lower tier restaurants, they have to pay for their uniforms, and also for cleaning to keep them impeccable. they also do not have as many tables to take care of. This is passed on to the customer as a much higher implied service and value for the money they are paying. This also equates to the servers having a much smaller possible number of tipping customers.
Besides, if you are ordering caviar for $200 or spending an exorbitant amount of money to occasionally eat out at a fancy restaurant, then you should easily have enough to spare for the tip for the server who in all probability makes 10cents to every dollar that you do.
Well you have to understand that a party that pays 25 dollars will take less time than one that pays 200. If you were to go to Chili's and pay 200 dollars they would expect the same 30 dollars because you most likely took up more time eating. For every hour that a bigger party or expensive party takes the server could make 15 dollars on 3 smaller tables (25 dollar checks).
I look at it this way, if you tip bad and are not pleasant, your not getting much of my attention. Ill take care of you just enough to not get a complaint. And I use a killer smile so you know what I am doing, what do I have to lose? Your complaint is not going to get me fired, managers are on our side too, they over see what every ones check is and how bad you tip every time.
I highly recommend finding a resteraunt and going until everyone knows your name and always tip a tiny bit extra every time. Talk about a self esteem boost! Now thats when you get great dining EVERY TIME, not just the one time we didn't know you tipped bad. You can be as picky as you want, and we don't care, you can complain if something is wrong and we run to make it better. I have worked at a fine dining resteraunt for over five years, and have made this a career. There are soo many steps of service in fine dining, and if you are a good loyal guest you get a whole lot more. I don't ever give anybody bad service based on a tip, but I do give somebody amazing service based on a tip and I remember there name.
So if your not getting great service ever and you leave a bad tip, don't expect anything more than I have to to keep my job, and don't expect me to care about all your little needs and issues. We are all talking about you in the back(managers included.)
I'm going to give you all a quick lesson on the restaurant business. I am a Manager at one of the largest casual restaurant chains in America. Did you know that servers have to pay taxes on their sales? So if you go into a restaurant and order 100 dollars worth of food the server has to claim at least 10 percent of that.If you tip nothing they literally have to PAY for you to eat!Tipping exists because the casual restaurant industry would cease to exist without it.continued.........
Waiters and waitresses....stop your "female dog"-ing. Have you looked at the menu prices lately? So on top of getting ripped a new one by the restaurant owners, you expect us to pony up another 20% in your pocket. Restaurants are making a nice profit yet want the customer to pay for their wait staff too. If you don't like making $2 an hour then I suggest you find another line of work or go to school. STFU!
If servers were required to be paid minimum wage, do you think that the meal prices would magically stay the same? You can bet that the restaurant owners would increase the price by at least 20% to make up for the sudden raise in wages. Also, most servers ARE going to school. How do you think they pay for tuition and books, genius?
It's a little hard to understand why you would got to a restauant if you feel like you're getting "ripped off". I take you've been around a while so you know how things work. You recieve good service you leave a tip, thats just the way it is. You complaining about it isnt going to change anything. There are other options for you if you dont like the restaurant business. Please dont act so high and mighty though, dont tell people go to school....because someone is working as a server or bartender doesnt mean they arent educated. You yourself need to grow up.
As far as tipping goes, if you cant afford to tip 20% you should be eating out. I'll tip well beyond that if the service merits it and nobody will ever get under 10% regardless of the situation.
how about next time instead of spending lets say $50 on food and nothing on at tip you spend $40 on food and some of the money you saved to properly tip and be a decent human being. Remember, the servers do not set the restaurant prices and they do not see any of the profits.
If you can't afford to tip you can't afford to go out, just like if you can't afford a cab you can't afford to go out and drink. Tipsahoy rests atop the mountain of douchebaggery, if you can't afford restaurant prices maybe you need a different line of work or need a degree that will allow you to earn enough money to afford establishments where you currently are the chief miser.
I used to work for a drive thru where we sold products also found at the gas station (cigs, pop, etc etc). A lot of our customers were servers and bartenders picking up a pack or 2 of cigarettes before their shift. It was amazing to see these people who work for tips sit there and count out their change for the cigs, knowing full well that I also work for tips. Maybe it is an unwritten rule that people who work for tips do not tip each other? I made it a point to visit their places of work and count out my change for them, just like they did.
As a former cook married to a former waitress, when I am out with friends or whatever and they are giving the server a hard time or tip horrible. I get on them relentlessly. We were once out on a double date with some new friends in a new town and the husband of the other couple acted so rude the whole time. needless to say it was the last time we went out as a group.
If you're too cheap to tip properly then stay home and cook, because you're the same person that complains that your steak came out medium instead of medium well.
Basically watch the opening scene of Reservoir Dogs and take a hard look at yourself, because you got issues.
In any profession an employee must maintain a positive attitude towards the customer whomever they may be. For wait staff customers tip based on how they feel they've been treated; in any of the jobs I've worked at my disposition determines whether or not I get a complaint sent to my boss. If I do not please the people I work for I get fired. End of story. So maybe irritable servers should consider the fact that they may get less money when they screw up while others may be searching for a new place to work.
I have worked as a server for many years and have had my ups and downs. I have had plenty of great customers, as well as rude ones. I would like to preface this that most customers are great. From a server's perspective however, the overwhelming majority of the comments in this article are truly legitimate as are some from the other side. That said, the way the laws are set up in the states, we do not have a salary. We have wages and they are often very low – much lower than minimum wage and they are partially there at all in order to offset that occasional day when the restaurant is very slow. Remember, we have to pay our bills just as much as you do. We do not have benefits and would have to pay out of our pretty low pay for them, and I personally have suffered an injury due to the heavy trays I had to carry and may now need to have surgery on my arm in the future. In many other countries – especially in europe, the servers get salaries and benifits. The money to pay them comes from the total bill so your tip is automatically added, whether it is written in or not. This is not so here and any customer to a U.S. restaurant should be very thankful. You are given the option to pay less and the servers truly feel compelled to work harder to earn their tips. Furthermore, just because you are being served and are a customer and truly deserve great service does not mean you have the right to talk down to and be rude to your server. We are servers, not servants or slaves. Id rather not give the time of day to an excessively rude customer. Ask any server you may know and they will tell you plenty of horror stories. If you were being talked down to, openly insulted, or humiliated by anyone, you would feel compelled to say something about it. Servers are often in a position (especially at corporately run restaurants) where if they were to say anything in defense of themselves to a customer, and word of it got to higher management (most of whom have never worked in a restaurant and would in all actuality probably do the same as the server if they were in their shoes) the server would be fired on the spot. This contributes to a society where people are encouraged to be rude and condescending in order to get what they want, knowing that they will not be confronted about it, regardless of the affects on others. I'd rather have a conscience and call people out on their behavior so that hopefully will be more socially responsible in the way that they treat others, rather than keep it in and know that somebody else out there is being demeaned, insulted and/or put down because I did nothing. This is completely despicable behavior. Also, excessively demanding customers are pretty well known not to tip well or be very thankful for the service. This is very similar to the behavior displayed by overly demanding, bratty, unthankful kids. Also, I personally know many educated professionals such as teachers who work as servers part-time because their salaries from their primary job are not always sufficient as I do college students who are in school part or full time and are trying to pay for their education. Furthermore, regardless of all this, and in response to some of the comments posted here, I would like to say that a person's job description or education level should have no affect on how well you treat them. In addition, regardless of what some servers may imply, we do not all go crazy and spit in your food and purposefully go out of our way to ruin your dining experience. Most server are great individuals and are fully aware that your dining experience will influence their tips and also whether or not you will return in the future. Also, be aware that in most restaurants, the servers have to share a portion of their tips with the hosts/hostesses, buspersons, assistants, bartender, etc. Usually this is a percentage of your total dinner check. So no matter how much you tip, they still have to give out the same flat amount. I have han an unfortunate experience with a customer who would come in just about every week, spend an exorbitant amount of money on food and drinks, and would then only tip about half the time. When he would tip he would only leave about ten percent. He was very friendly with me but never did tip well, if he even did. He once left me a $7 tip on a $180 check. After 2 hours of work and after I tipped the other staff $8 I was a dollar in the hole. Also, It would be pretty fair to say that anyone going out to a restaurant nowadays is fully aware of most of what I just pointed out. Still there is a large amount of people who pretend to be clueless or oblivious out of convenience and because they are so attached to their money. You have no excuse.
Going to a restaurant is an experience. If you don't like tipping, then go through the drive thru. I am not a server, but I understand the basic principles and unwritten rules about wait staff/customer interaction. Waiters are there to keep you happy, fill your drinks, make sure the chef gets your order exactly how you want it, and make your overall experience more enjoyable. If you cannot afford the food and the service, then go to a place that that has cheaper food or no service. I truly enjoy the experience of dining and the interaction with the wait staff. And here is a tip; if you want better service then go to a nicer restaurant. Applebees is only gonna give you Applebees service. If you go to the Capital Grill, your gonna pay more but the experience will be amazing. Everyone just sounds like Archie Bunker. Stop expecting more for less. You embarrass the rest of us that get it.
I don't like it when they automatically add a gratuity to the bill. They still expect a tip at the table and if the service sucks you pay anyway. Once I was in the position of terrible service and didn't leave a tip at the table and refused to pay the added gratuity on the bill. I never went back to the place so I didn't have to worry about payback in my food. That takes balls in my book to add a tip charge to the bill.
I reward great and even good service 20% minimum and have left 50% more than once for what I thought was impeccable service. BUT – rarely do I get service that I feel deserves as much as 15%. Still in search of a place that gives me justification for leaving a 30% tip on a regular basis, and if I find it I will become a regular and will tip most generously every time. I am a friendly, non-needy and empathetic customer, but most dining experiences end up with me feeling like I have "GIVE ME REALLY CRAPPY SERVICE" written across my forehead.
It helps to have been on both sides of this argument in the past to see that both sides have some validity as well as some serious drama going on. Bottom line is that you'll always have plenty of people who think food service is beneath them, and those people will look down their nose and think these people are poor and poorly educated. And while the food service industry has people in it that might not be as educated as the next, most of these people are upwardly mobile, getting an education and working a job that doesn't require a lot of brain cells because they need those for school. But it does require organization and a calm demeanor. So the next time you're out and about, try to remember that first semi-bad job you had, where if it weren't for the nice people you would have quit on a daily basis. And if you were lucky enough to have a tipping job in the past, remember that and tip these people what they deserve. Most places with tip-working employees pay them very poorly because they think the tips will make up for it (not likely). And waiters, be grateful that there are a lot more nice people out there than rude. Life's too short to remember the rude ones, because I'll guarantee they don't remember you.
I worked in the restaurant business for 10 years as everything from a prep cook to a General Manager and I can say this for sure, most of the folks in the business are either complete idiots or stoned/drunk out of their mind 90% of the time. All of this crap about well educated wait staffs is complete nonsense. Almost all of the people I encountered, ranging from fast food to fine dining, are simply filling their time between parties by earning a couple of nickels by waiting tables. They are all the same, bitching because they felt they were not tipped enough, crying because they have side work to do, complaining because they got double sat. They complain about their wages, then go and drop their entire night’s earning on a sack of weed to smoke with the kitchen staff. Almost all are on a slow road to no where without an exit ramp in sight. I liked the restaurant business because it was fast paced, but loathed the morons who I worked with. Everyone thinks they are under paid; the only problem is that servers want the customer to fork over extra dough because they smiled when they delivered their drinks. Tips are for going above and beyond the call, not for simply doing your job. If you spend more than 6 months at a restaurant waiting tables and not going into management, you’re a dunce, lazy, a drug addict, or most likely all of the above.
Is your opinion the reason you are no longer a GM? I know that a person like you wouldn't last long. . . I feel sorry for you, I make more than you serving tables that is most likely why you are so angry. . .
If you don't like that you get paid under $3 an hour, find a new job. If you're a bad server then you get what you're worth. Take the time to get to know your customer buy asking them how they're doing instead of just stepping up to the table and asking them their drink order then walking away. Come back to the table more then once to refill drinks or ask how things are going. Most of the servers on here think that their job is to take orders and deliver food and they couldn't be more incorrect. I guess that the customer isn't always right.
Here's the problem Adam: in today's economy, sometimes waiting jobs are the only ones available, especially for those trying to complete their higher education at the same time. Many college and graduate students can't find "regular" jobs because the employers require a degree or some experience in the field, and therefore HAVE to take positions in restaurants where they know they're making far less than minimum wage plus any tips. I understand that there are other jobs out there that DON'T require the experience or degrees, but they're hard to get in an economy that's not hiring as prolifically as it was a few years ago.
Don't get me wrong – sometimes restaurants will be more likely to hire servers who've HAD experience waiting on tables before or who've been working in the industry for a period of time, but generally it's one of the "entry level" positions that most college and grad students go through while they're earning their degrees. Personally, I think everyone should experience being a server at least once in their lives, even for a brief period of time, because that would give people more insight into BOTH sides of the issue.
Proper etiquette is to NOT move your plate aside and NOT cover your food with a napkin and NOT cross your utensils. Proper etiquette is to place your knife and fork side by side across your plate and your hands on your lap. The SEVER should recognize this PROPER ETIQUETTE as the signal to remove the plate at each course. No one should do any of the three suggestions above in this article. Moving your plate to the side is often not feasible at many tables and will be in someone else’s way. Putting your napkin over your food is wrong because it should not leave your lap until all food items are cleared and the meal has ended. Crossing the utensils makes them unstable and the person bussing the table often gets screwed by this move. There should be measurable decorum on both sides, server and customer. Etiquette and manners must be applied by both and the dining experience will flow nicely. On tipping, it is not on just service, it is on the entire experience. So if you are not tipped appropriately please feel free to ask politely what was wrong with the dining experience indicated in your tip. That means if you get less than 15% and don’t expect anyone to tip on the total after tax. Do the math before you raise an issue. The food or drinks may have been awful or the table horribly placed or any number of reasons.
Mo, hear, hear. I was wondering if anyone else picked up on that server's faux pas about how to tell if someone has finished. Hey, I didn't go to charm school but I have learned. You are exactly right. Knife and fork parallel to each other at roughly 11 o'clock. 5 o'clock position. Simple
I always find it funny when people think that they deserve to be treated like royalty but customers. If you want extra special service you have to earn it, just walking in the door doesn't make you special. If you treat the server with respect, they will treat you the same way.
I usually eat in the same restaurants and always leave a good tip. When I go back I am treated like a king because they know I tip good. I know the waiters'waitresses work hard for little pay and I do what I can to help them out.
That is why I'm not a Waiter.. I instead chose to go to school and get a $100K Job Instead..Losers.
Once you have kids and they take a job serving, make sure you call them "loser" too.
I would bet the farm that this guy is lying. People who make that much money rarely need to advertise the fact.
I'm pretty sure they don't pay you $100 k a year to work at Wal-Mart.
@FOODFETCHERS wow. at least I manage to NOT use the f-word more than 3 times in every sentence. I'm more intelligent than that. :)
After reading all the self important "server" commentary I have resolved to reduce my tips over all. And really, if your job is that bad, perhaps another is in order? Free tip there... ;-) Meh. I'm feeling generous, here's another tip "Don't play in traffic".
So some restaurant patrons look down on their servers as dumb, uneducated and lazy. Some servers are racist, whiny, jerks who expect big money for doing very little to earn it. It goes both ways, only one of those two is at work. I bartend and serve. I also teach and hold two college degrees. I see the bad servers and the whiners at work make half what I make because I learned how to work hard and suck it up years ago. These jobs CAN be very taxing and difficult, but patrons deserve respect no matter what. If people stop coming in to my place, I have no chance for business - no chance for tips. Thats just it. Rude people, bad tippers - I know youre out there, and I dont care. I will take care of you like I take care of the rest of my customers. May kharma take care of the rest.
Wow, seems like we have two types of people here, those who have worked for tips and those who have not. Unless you have done this type of work I'm not sure you have any right to judge any service unless you had you meal thrown in your lap with out provocation. Work with your server not against them. It's a lot easier to provide lousy service to a jerk and concentrate on the nice people at all the other tables. It's just not worth the 4.00 bucks you think is a good tip to put up with your attitude. Fake being nice if you have too. Do you really think being a jerk will "light a fire" under your poor server who just does not know how to treat people. 99% of them know how to treat people, they just have to put their efforts where the money is when it's busy. Lastly, the IRS taxes servers on a percentage of their sales. To not leave a tip of at least 10% is basicly reaching into the servers wallet and taking money.
Unbelievable. Servers think they're "entitled". Umm, hello. Who made 'em take the jobs? That's right; they made the decisions to become servers (for whatever reason). If you don't like your job, quit and do something else. Entitlements are handed out by the government, not diners. I'm so happy to live in Europe now and not have to deal with these self important servers. Oh yeah, to all those who don't like diners that linger. Too bad. We've bought the table for the length of time we, the diners, want to be there.
Servers work their butts off and people treat them like dirt because they can. Someone has a bad day at work and then they take it out on their server because they are inconsiderate jerks. Treating your server well and tipping appropriately is a sign of class. Don't do it to impress anyone, do it because you have class and you are not a turd with feet. Also, say "Thanks" every once in a while. It doesn't cost a dime.
I was a cook for many years, and what I witnessed what this: There are far too many customers who treat restaurant employees like crap. The worst customers are the pompous, I-must-be-better-educated-than-you, you-must-be-lazy sort of thinkers. There's no way to please these sort of people. I've often seen servers work their butts off and be left with no tip whatsoever. If you eat out at an establishment it is expected that you will tip. It doesn't matter if you don't AGREE with the system – that's just the way it is. If you don't like it, eat at a buffet or fast food joint. Don't take it out on the hard-working people serving you. And yes, EVERYONE in a resturant works themselves to the BONE for paltry pay. It is extremely physically and mentally demanding work.
Bad System:
Excellent points. This is why I think the tipping system is preferable in establishments in which the clientele know they will be receiving an amazing experience and/or already have a "relationship" with the serves (not unlike commission-based sales). In your standard chain restaurant or family eatery, including a livable base wage and health insurance makes more sense.
I have never been a server but I completely agree with them. Servers are not robots here to fulfill a patron's every need. They are people! Please treat them with respect. Everyone has tough aspects to their jobs but to stand on your feet all day, remember 5 different things for 10 tables, running back and forth and dealing with rude people and screaming kids....I don't know about anyone else but I think Severs have the hardest job in the world!
Yes its their job but if YOU don't like dealing with A-holes all day at the office neither do the servers.
You want great service here's how you do it:
1) Remember your server's name
2) Say thank you, (name) when they refill your drink and bring you your food. It's called manners.
3) If its super busy and there is low staff tell the server, " we know you're busy, its okay" when they apologize about the wait. Showing them you recognize they are only human helps out.
4) DO NOT chew out the servers just because the kitchen screws up your order. Also realize the Food runner doesn't know anything about your order either.
5) If the order is messed up, state so nicely not throw a 5 yr tantrum- you only look stupid
6) Smile and be friendly
7) Tip 20% or more
I have 3 main places I go out to eat at- I know half of all the servers & all managers. I have at least 3 servers at each who I ask for regularly. I treat them with respect, proper manners and ask them how they have been- They smile when they see me and you can bet I get the best service in town.
Its simple- treat others the way you wish to be treated, most of us learn that in 1st grade.
@Mindy – You stated all of the things a customer must do but as you know, it goes both ways..there are things expected of the waiter as well. As I do not disagree with all your numbered customer expectations, I feel it is also imperative to highlight the customers' expectations of the waiter. You treat the waiters in the 3 restaurant's you go to with respect because they respect you. Why not the other ones, could it be that you did not like the way they served you or other patrons as you witnessed? Waiters also have responsibilities here and I think most of it lies with them as they are in the 'Service' business.
Below is an excerpt from the dictionary on the definition of a tip:
Tip:
–noun
1.
a small present of money given directly to someone for performing a service or menial task; gratuity.
Please note the word 'service'. Service is subjective. So as waiter, you need to profile your audience and try to understand what service means to each and everyone of them. So, don't think that by throwing a plate of food on my table and filling my cup with water with half of it spilling all over my table, that you have provided me service....hell McDonalds would not even do this. I go to a restaurant for the ambiance and experience of being served with courtesy...that is what service means to me. I assess this need before administering my tip. I have tipped 100% before and I have left a restaurant without a tip.
Bottom line: A waiter shares equal responsibility in ensuring that both parties (Patrons and Waiters) have memorable experiences.
Mindy, I have been a waitress and bartendar. I am not tipping some one 20 % if they don't deserve it. I agree with Gorex that it goes both ways. Despite being nice and having manners to the waiter or waitress they also need to have manners and realize it isn't my fault they are busy because their co-work called in sick, so don't take your bad mood out on the customer.
My mom was a waitress all her life, as kids she taught us respect for the service industry people but If that person is a bad server they don't deserve 20 % just because they are a server. They might want to find a job better suited to them.
Mindy,
I would bet you truly do get the best service in town. The funny thing is that all of the things you have just listed that ensure you get a great level of service are all basic manners. Saying please and thank you, not throwing tantrums, being polite; these are all things most people should learn as small children. Its sad that people feel the need to complain and whine when all they need to do to get good service is be polite.
Mrs. Mud
"Springs, Go away you haggish troll and take your caps lock button with you!"
You are just **MAADD** that I PROVED YOU THE HELL WRONG BITCH!! You can't ARGUE WITH ****FACTS***, CAN YOU?
Mindy
"Also realize the Food runner doesn't know anything about your order either."
This is a 100% LIE!! They have a TICKET that the COOKS and EXPOS go by to fix the food in the first place, so unless the ticket is wrong, they have every opportunity to compare the TICKET to the food. They know about my order, because they have a SET OF EYES THAT CAN **READ***(assuming the ticket is correctly put in by my server of course), IMAGINE THAT?
Usually at most chain restaurants for example, they have OTHER SERVERS running each other's food, which means they won't get tipped out by the sales at the end of the night to even earn anything from bringing another server's food to a table that isn't theirs.
Springs, Go away you haggish troll and take your caps lock button with you!
I've been on both sides, and my sympathies are almost always with the waiter. They put up with a lot, have to stay on their feet for hours without breaks, and are often paid less than minimum wage (because they make it up in tips). Any time I see a server who still manages to be gracious and attentive in spite of all this, I am very warm and effusive in my thanks! I also try to be a good patron whenever possible; a little common courtesy goes a long way in ensuring decent service.
If you don't like your low wages and having to depend on others for a big tip, go an an eduaction and get a better job. That being said, I always tip at least 20% unless the service is REALLY bad!
Joe – How's this for an education?? undergraduate degree from Boston College, currently getting my MA/PhD from Columbia University..... yes, there are some people in the industry who are lifers, but don't make the irresponsible snap judgment to assume that everyone who is a waiter is uneducated. Some, like myself, are trying to put themselves through college/grad school. Some are mothers or fathers who haven't worked in years (therefore making it impossible to get back into the workforce) and are trying to provide some supplemental income in this rough economy. Some are in the industry because the economy SUCKS and it is one of the few jobs they can actually get. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE think a little bit more before making generic comments like that in the future!
A servers income is as varied at the restaurants they work at. My attractive female roommate works at a nice golf-club restaurant and pulls in 60K/yr. Another friend of mine works at a breakfast place and barely makes 20K/yr.
These can usually be directly correlated to the type of restaurant you work at, your service, and of course how good you look.
If you don't make much money, try applying at some nicer restaurants, and focus on keeping a positive, upbeat attitude. At least those things are in your control.
Silly waiters – they think that they can predict who will tip them badly and they are usually correct but not for the reason predicted.
T.I.P is an acronym for To Insure Promptness and traditionally was given at the beginning of a meal so that service would be first rate. I gaurantee you that if you tipped a waiter up front, they would be so baffled that they would feel compelled to give you their best. But I am a waiter, and I will have to agree, people that do not tip should stay home. If you tip me a dollar on a $90 bill I am most likely going to rub my nuts all over your food the next time you come in.
I rather tip my garbage collector, the mcdonalds kid, my car wash guy and give a few bucs to the bum that entertains me with his humor. But i will not tip a piece of shyt waiter which covers 97 percent off all waiters i have encountered!! HA Food Fetcher! my dog does a better job when i play fetch with him!
thats because your probably a poor degenrate and going out for a nice meal for you is to olive garden. do us all a favor, and keep spending your money at the bbq shaq you're never welcome in my restaurant. and paying the bum to give you a reach-around does not contsitute a tip
Matt, I've been tempted to hand my server an estimated 30% or 40% of what I know I will spend at the time I'm seated, just to see if I could ensure ("buy") a level of service that I would reward generously but rarely get, for reasons I do not quite understand. But I always thought that could be viewed as insulting to a server ("You want to TIP me in advance to get 'special' treatment?") so I've never done it. I must say, though, that If you or any other waiter gave me service that generated a $1 TIP from me for a $90 tab, I would have done it to make a point that your service was not just substandard, but TERRIBLE!!! And I would never EVER return to give you a chance to rub your privates on anything within a block's vicinity of me, you freakish moron.
Now that rubbing of balls I have never seen in a movie or never heard of but that made me laugh like crazy and I will make sure I will tip just so no ball rubbing is done on my food.
False. T.I.P. does not stand for To Insure ... Anything. Look up "tip" on snopes if you want confirmation. As well, that use of "Insure" doesn't fit there. That would have been "Ensure" which would have been "TEP".
Wow. Extortion by waiter. Classy. All of these comments by the waiters/waitresses just make me realize that customers really should stay home. We don't need your crappy, over-priced, unhealthy food anyway. Without customers, your sub-minimum wage (which, actually, would be more than you deserve) might be enough to humble you. If not, you can always pursue a job in the adult film industry. I'm sure there must be a demand somewhere for an unattractive man to rub his balls all over a plate of food. There are always some weird freaks out there who like everything ... Good luck with your new career!
I'm amazed by the level of selfishness going on in the consumer camp. I worked tables in school. It certainly wasn't because I wanted to. It was because it was the only job that was available at the time and the only one that worked with my class schedule. It was hard, messy, hot work. I came home sore, exhausted, sweaty and unable to get the smell of the food I served out of my clothes. I dealt with rude people and quite a few pinching, sexist jerks that thought waitressing was the perfect job for women. Most of them didn't even tip 10% because they didn't care. Guess what? I still made sure that EVERYONE had full glasses, the correct orders and tried to anticipate their requests.
Now that I'm on the other side of the table, I make sure to tip accordingly (or even better if the service is excellent) and not be a difficult customer. I even tip the people prepping my to-go orders and the poor kid at Sonic, because guess what? They get the same measly pay as regular waitstaff. People don't seem to realize that they are supposed to be tipped too. All I ask in return is the service I provided when I did the job. Keep my water glass full, give me an extra napkin and make sure the cook doesn't botch the order. To business owners: Take care of your staff. If you treat them like family, then they're likely to do a better job for you in return. To the customers: Until the government steps up and either raises wages to something decent or forces businesses to build the tip into the meal, be a decent human being and actually pay for the service or stay home.
I was taught by my Dad to be sure to take care of everyone involved with serving you, from the bar tender, to the waitress to the coat check girl, to the guy who parked your car, and last but not least, the cook. Even if I dine at a less trendy place, I do tip the bartender before having the bar tab moved to my table. When dining at a nice supper club, or any fine eatery I make it an absolute point to tip the wiater, the bar tender, and the cook. You would be surprised as to how far those gestures will get you.
Larry,
It sounds like you are one of the few people who have commented on this thread who was raised well. I love how people act all high and mighty as if they don't understand tipping is part of eating out. It's common courtesy. I was raised the same way; my father taught me as a person who eats out often that this is how these people feed their kids and pay their bills. Not to mention that half the servers out there are kids trying to pay for an education so that they can then go on and educate YOUR children, nurse YOUR illnesses, and so on. For all the people who think they don't have to tip: You're right you don't HAVE too, but why wouldn't you? If you truly can't afford to perhaps you should be paying bills or saving your money, and if you can afford to and choose not too than there is something really wrong with you, your sense of entitlement, and your moral compass.
When I was a younger man and taking a girl to a formal ball, I took etiquette training. I was taught that to indicate that you were finished with the meal, you place the fork upside down and then the knife on top of it. No orientation to a clock is necessary.
Both sides make strong point but you're both wrong. The employer should pay the waiters the proper salary. A steak doesn't cost $30 to make from start to finish. A corona doesn't cost $7 in any state. If the employer can't share the wealth, I don't see why the patrons should be expected to do so.
If you want a cheap Corona, buy it at the grocery store and drink it at home. When you go out and buy a meal, you're not just paying for the wages of the waiter and cook, but you're also paying for the building, climate control, electricity, gas, water, the salaries of all management, their business and liquor licenses, and everything else it takes to run a business and still turn a profit. People complaining for lower cost of these commodities are surely part of the reason servers are getting the short end of things when it comes to cutting costs and they're expected to be tipped.
Complainers, both sides.
The OWNERS should share the wealth!
One complaint that didn't make the list and was at the top of my list as a server: tell me your needs all at once. Don't ask for a Coke and when I come back ask for more ketchup. It's a lot more efficient for servers and your needs are met.
The Key word i see with all of our waiter comments is FAST MONEY. I Went to school had student loans and never even tought about being a waiter! why because there is no such thing as quick cash unless you are a drug dealer. Being a waiter is not the only job out there for students or any other excuse why you say you became a waiter. Example I worked for a moving company, retail stores, etc... that i must tip you attitude is ludacris. I am that guy that says too bad for you, Easy Money HA!! you know who i do like to tip very well my shoe shiner why? because he is an imigrant and can not do anything better and he shines my shoes like he is doing his job. Instead of the countless waiters who commented that are in school and are sooo educated the you should know better. Most of you are just going with the motion while at work and expect something. Too bad not from me, work right have the right attitude and then i might tip you if not I smile at you with no shame and might leave a few coins from my change!.
The arrogance of some of the server's comments is absolutely astounding. When was the concept of "service" forgotten. Tips are *not* anyone's "salary." They are given for service above and beyond the call of normal duty. When a server is rude or impertinent or impatient... *regardless* of how poorly behaved an obnoxious customer may be... then that server did not earn a tip for extraordinary service which should overlook the bratty customer. I am normally a generous tipper... at *least* 20% sometimes more. But I go to places where I know from experience that kind of tip will be well earned. And because they know I'm a good tipper, I get treated well. It goes two ways. But I would have no problem at all leaving a small tip for lousy, slow, arrogant service... as a sign of my displeasure. The customer is not "obligated" to tip... it is rather an additional "thank you" for outstanding service.
The concept of "service" as you put it disappeared when people started acting pretentious and entitled to treat their service staff like dirt. This extends past just waiting to all lines of service. People simply aren't as polite to those who they're communicating with and are now reaping the rewards of such behavior.
I worked the industry (in the kitchen) for over 20 years... here's the reality of it all. At what point in time did it become practically mandatory to give tips just for someone doing their job? This goes for other professions that get tips. I am not blaming servers or anyone working in a tipping job environment, but tips represent going above and beyond the standard job description. I get tired of the server complaints of people, granted, there are many a** holes as customers, about tips. Complain to your bosses because ultimately, they and the companies are taking advantage of you and the customer by letting customers subsidize your crappy wages. Here in Canada, servers make at least $8/hour (soon to be $10 minimum wage), and servers still complain about poor or lack of tips...and as for the average 3% tip outs, geez people, you complain about 3% to the kitchens and others? People go to restaurants for food, it's only fair to share part of the tip with the kitchen because it's them who help you get tips from good food experience. You make $100 in tiips and you complain about $3 tip out? And yes, most of your tips don't get reported to taxes. I know up here cooks will average $1500 a month where servers can triple that with tips. I'm tired of everything thinking tipping is a requirement...if your tips are crappy, then do the BTE's (beyond the expectations) and you will see your money increase. Servers at the place I worked at (earls) can make up to $5000 in a month, cooks $1500. For servers, this is great for the boss because they don't have to pay larger wages. So...why should servers "expect" a tip for doing their job? If you go beyond your job effort and expectations, then absolutely, the customer should give a nice tip, but remember it's also the kitchen that helps you out too.
I have SO much to say about this topic, and I love the debate here. Here is one of my many thoughts on this. Servers who have said "I hate people'. You, my friend, are in the wrong line of work! Also, if your threat is "If you tip badly don't expect good service the next time you come in." That is SO laughable! If I tip badly..its because I got bad service...in which case I'm not coming back! And if I"m dumb enough to tip badly and then come back...I kind of expect bad service, don't I? This is why I don't eat out often, and when I do I rotate between at least 20 restaurants. I tip as I see fit, and constantly get great service. Turnover is high at restaurants because servers realize "hey, maybe this is a crappy job". And the invisible hand of economics moves.
Why do the restaurants only pay servers/waiters $2-3/hr when their prices are exorbitant. They sell entres for $20-$50 which would only cost me 5-8 to make yet they pass on the waiters salary to the customers. Its time the servers/waiters take it up with the restaurant business not get mad at customers for not tipping well.
I used to tip really well because I worked at olive garden myself.... but I also realized that if my service is not good I am not going to just make someone else's day. College students I understand need the money but if you chose to work as a waiter for 36 years I am sorry but you should have thought about your career choice and not get mad at your customers.
P.S.: You won't get paid anything if the customers choose not to eat out anymore. would you now?
Bobby, I think you are taking the original blog post too rash. The post was supposed to be the defense from servers about typical patron complaints. This is not a blog post to put patrons down, but rather to understand the logic of the server. Servers aren't "complaining" about patrons, they are more or less complaining of how much they are misunderstood by customers. To say that servers should be lucky that people dine out (as to say that this leads to the server's salary) is a bit risqué. Couldn't the opposite be applied? That is, customers should be lucky that servers exist otherwise they would be eating cafeteria style in their most fanciest restaurants?
When you go out to eat, part of that "inflated" cost is also paying for: the building, the electricity, climate control, wages for managers, owners, etc, as well as in especially nice restaurants you're paying to have a professionally trained chef cooking in the back, and sometimes multiple chefs many of whom make upwards of $50,000 a year (and that's in a smaller city)
Conversely you obviously choose to go to these places instead of Taco Bell, so perhaps some courtesy rather than entitlement would serve you well when you do rather than throwing in the face of people that if you didn't go out that there'd be no restaurant. There are surely plenty of others eating at these places. One person isn't going to break them if you choose not to come.
a bunch of those waiters complain, whine, and talk trash at every service! worst of all, some of them tab on 15% tip onto the bill without the customers knowing. i love to dine out; however, i'm also accustomed to the outrageously rude attitude of the waiters. from the moment you walk into the restaurant, you're judged based on your physical appearanes. as an executive, i could afford to pay meals as i work long hours and have no time to prepare my own meals. being in nyc, i am surrounded by hundreds of places to dine at. but the first impression i've always got was a nasty stare. i admit i don't like to wear suits nor do i have a sense of fashion. however, how many people who dress well are financially stable. in new york city, you see many individuals walking around in high end clothing yet many of them are in debt.
for the past few months, i've tested out several places. surprisingly, majority of starbucks' employees were the only people who overlooked my physical appearances. they were surprised by my end-of-the-year tip. the worst places were mama-papa restaurants. they were rude, nasty, and sometimes outright cruel. i've also been to vegetarian/vegan restaurants in the village. i would have thought the service would be better as they were liberals and hippies. i was wrong. the waiters were just rude.
I could't even read through all the ludicrous comments. I am a server. I get paid $2/ hr, pay 3% of all my nightly sales (not tips– sales!), and my boss claims 12% of my tips. When you DINE OUT for dinner, you are PAYING for SERVICE. Period. The food is a separate cost. I can't believe that I, amongst the other servers, have to explain this on a CNN blog? Give me a bloody break. Wait until your children are in college struggling to get by and you see them being tipped poorly. Or wait until you are divorced and need a supplemental income to your 9-5 job. You don't understand because you can't relate. Stay lovely in your upper-middle class bubble.
Alexandria,
I can understand your frustration. It seems that a recurring thread in this discussion is, from the side of the waitstaff: I only get paid [x amount of money without the tipping -- which is not enough money to really live on], and, from the customers: You should not have to rely on my giving you what is often perceived as an obligatory additional wage and rather that you should rely on your employer for your living wage.
To you, I ask: What is the difference - with respect to tipping - between waiting tables and retaining a lawyer to work on an important case for you? Lawyers don't expect tips. Financial sales people don't expect tips (or require them to earn a living wage). What's the difference? Lawyering is a service and so is finance...
It seems that the issue is far deeper and deserves more insightful conversation than most of the aimless arguing back and forth that is taking place on this comments blog.
I hope we as a country can resolve it for the benefit of everyone involved.
Anthony, I think you are arguing something that goes outside the scope of this blog post. Tipping servers is not going to be a dismantled trend any time soon. Every single country I have traveled to has a system where servers are tipped. Arguing that a lawyer doesn't receive a tip is not equivocal to this debate. What is paid to a lawyer and his or her firm, he or she sees a handsome percentage of. This is not merely the same as how the restaurant system works. Thanks for trying though.
Alexandra,
You nailed it! The fact that people simply get paid more in certain professions is a reflection, to some degree, on the society's perception of the importance of the job they are doing.
The simple truth is that most of us no longer live in a world where waiting on tables is seen as a very valuable service. Also, because of the incredibly low barrier for entry (requiring no real skills of significance), you have herds of people (legal and not so) willing and able to perform the associated duties.
I would never judge the person performing the job simply because he or she is performing the job, BUT I would certainly tell him/her to work towards a more financially rewarding career - if money was important. Waiting tables has almost no value.
Thanks for reading.
I used to be a waiter in college. Actually started as a bus boy and THEN a waiter... I always tip at least 15% (if the service is good). Sh*t just last week I dropped a $100 note on a $40 bill cause the server was really nice and attentive. I feel your pain food industry servants, keep up the good fight, and if that doesn't work, spit in the food! haha just kidding, don't.
For all those saying "Why should I have to tip the same for a $30 meal as a $10 meal?"
There is a very good reason for that. Servers get taxed on the tips they presumably make through their sales. If I get tipped $1 on a $10 bill, it's still a crappy tip, but atleast it's covering the taxes i'd have to pay after waiting on you. If I get tipped $1 on a $30 bill, it is not covering those taxes, and i've in essence just PAID a few bucks to wait on you.
... Assuming, of course, that the waiter/waitress in question has reported that extra income (from the tip) and assuming as well that the rest is reporting the waitstaff as well... That's a whole other story/topic to discuss at some point.
Maybe 20 years ago you would have an argument here but now days almost every restaurant uses a computer based ordering system which at the end of the night prints out the servers total sales and what the credit card tips add up to. We are required to claim the full amount of credit card tips. I tip out 3% of my total sales to support staff. Therefore, on nights when all my tips are on credit cards I must claim FOR TAX PURPOSES more in tips than I actually take home. In fact, every night last week all of my customers paid with credit cards so for 3 nights in a row I had to claim more than I actually took home. This happens A LOT. We pay taxes on our tips. Besides, any server who is interested in applying for a car loan or mortgage will be claiming all their tips anyway so that they have the paper trail proof of income. The times of taking home loads of tax free cash are pretty much over, making your argument trite and outdated.
I love how we've heard at least 3 different ways to signal what to do when you are finished with your meal and every person who wrote one claims it's the best. This is why waiters run into problems when clearing a plate, no one really knows the way. That's why we ask before we clear. I would never rush anyone, but I would like to clear their plate as soon as possible, so they didn't have to look at it any longer. It's really hard to tell whether someone is finished eating or not, and we sure don't want to interrupt your conversation. I loved waiting tables and I loved serving people. The only problem is that different people expect different things when dining out. It's very hard to be the "perfect server" for everyone because everyone is different.
Joshua: There aren't various versions, and there's no confusion. Thankfully, a large majority of people here seem to know the correct etiquette. Too bad, THEY ARE NOT THE WAITERS responding on this forum! You'll notice MOST people said the same thing, in slightly different ways... when you're done, place the fork and knife on the plate, handles near 4'o'clock or 5'o'clock, maybe even 3 o'clock, tips near 10'o'clock or 11'o'clock. That distinction is minor. Fold your napkin neatky, and place next to your plate... While everybody should know proper etiquette, don't you think waiters (who are earning money for their service and should be trained) should know this even before the common customer? Instead of fighting over who is right, just do a Googl;e search and you'll know the etiquette.
The answer is yes and no. No, I would not expect the server at Ruby Tuesday to know and Yes, I would expect the server at Ruth's Chris to know.
i am a bad tipper,,, i always (and i mean always) tip too much. i tip 20% for good service, 30% for great service... and 15% for fair to lowsey service. i keep bad servers in business. plus i tip on the total bill (including tax) so my %'s are slightly higher.
Interesting way of putting it Jaime, you're probably right. I do the same.
I probably do it because my daughter serves and know what she goes through.
Thank God for people like you! Trust me, you are soooooo appreciated you will never know how much. You make up for the asshat that came before you, with his paltry tip and nasty attitude. Maybe you have kept a few bad servers in business but you also keep many great servers from quitting.
BothSidesOfTheCoin:
I think you have no serving experience, because if you did you would know that fast food workers make a higher wage than the base wage of a server. Also, tipping movers and delivery people (whether for food or furniture) is quite common, so that part of your argument is highly flawed.
Maybe if we all learn to respect one another these issues wouldn't exist. Ever think that the person serving YOU is someone's mother, sister, brother, grandpa, or father? What if it was yours? Ever think some people work as a server because they like it or maybe because they like the extra income? Just becuase a person works as a server doesn't mean they are any less educated. How about you, as the customer, not come in with the attitude that you are better than your server. I'm sure your server would treat you alot better if you didn't talk down to him\her. Here's something that I know may stump your little pea brains... Remember you are going to eat in a place other than your own home and you are not the center of universe, if you want to be treated like you are GO HOME. Would you put up with it if the shoe was on the other foot? Does anyone remember the Golden Rule anymore?
The golden rule is sitting under a hundred years of dirt, but we should start digging for it.
Too many confuse the word "server" with "servant" . Thankfully I am in a union and don't take crap from anyone. I give as good as I get.
Thanks Liz! That was a really good posting and very informational. I certainly wasn't all that aware of what all is involved in the compensation process with waitstaff.
you are welcome :) most ppl don't understand the system nor do they understand what a demanding job it really is.
I've worked on both sides of the fence and I have to say I'm appalled at the comments back and forth. Yes we have good and bad on both sides of the fence but we can also create or correct those. I am a firm believer in going with 20% and then adjusting based on your service to me. I have seen servers turn a bad customer into a good and then turn a godo into a bad. I've been eating dinner and had such poor service I've refused to leave a tip and told management why. I've also given out 35% at one time. I'm not expecting anyone to agree with me, in fact I expect to get lots of haters, but I do expect that everyone should realize were all human and there is a level of tollerance that should not be crossed. That being said your there to serve me so shut up and do your job right. Respect is a two way street and both parties should realize that if you don't abuse me I wont' abuse you.
I waited tables for 3 years while working a fulltime job as an accountant and caring for my 96 year old grandmother. I had bills to pay. This was in the 90's and we were paid $5/hour plus a portion of our tips – we had to tip out the cook and one year we split/shared tips between the servers. I never, and perhaps this is because we were paid $5/hour, felt that I was due a tip. If you wanted to give me one, that is your business, not mine. I never felt slighted, nor did I feel it was required. That said, waiting tables is very taxing and as a result of my experience I tip according to the service provided. If you did your job, the tip will show it. If you didn't, it will be reflected this way as well. Also, when I eat with others that are paying the tab and their tip, in my opinion, isn't enough I add to it. I am not wealthy, we are at 1/3 the income we were at 2.5 years ago however, it is my honor to be able to eat out on occassion and should the service/food warrant it, I will tip appropriately.
And the idea of compensating someone for pouring coffee into a cup just didn't make sense either.
You can do it yourself at home for free, but you chose to go out to have it done, and since we don't allow slavery, you better be paying them to do it.
I have learned much from the time spent reading all of the various opinions and rants. Please allow for my contribution. i am one who almost always tips. My introduction to tipping came at the lap of my late Father who taught me that a tip was "To Insure Promptness". For quite some time that has been my mantra. If the service was prompt and everything I determined was under my server's dominion was to my satisfaction as well as prompt, then indeed I tipped generously. Whenever I experienced less than that, I tipped accordingly. On occasion, to make a point of what I considered poor service and attitude on the part of the wait staff, I left a whopping 1 cent to make sure they knew I was offended. One certainly could not tell from my interaction with them that I was dissatified because that same Father also taught me to rise above that kind of pettiness. This conversation has shed new light on the subject and I am anxious to have an outside meal again to observe from my now elightened perspective. Sadly,however, in many ways we have become a culture of entitlement that is fueling both sides of this current conversation. At the end of the day, I will continue to follow the example of my Father. There is no law againt not tipping, especially for non-prompt service. No one has the right to tell me where I should or should not eat as long as I pay the bill be the recipient McDonalds or Morton's. I certainly hope that the negativity amongst the wait staff expressed in this forum does not reflect the overall opinions of the majority of this country's wait staff. If that is so, then we have truly been duped and perhaps the Academy should add another category to its award show.
So much bitterness. So much hatred. This might explain why it is that so many restaurants and other eateries have a generally bad vibe that you just can't put your finger on.
It all just makes you want to go out to eat, doesn't it? No.
Funny how everyone that's probably been a pompous ignoramus tries to defend themselves with these types of comments: "If you don't work hard, no tip." "If you're not nice, no tip!" Of course, everyone that works in a restaurant is a dullard, whom took the SAT and got below 1000! Duh! That makes sense. No way these people could be educated, no way! It's not like they have to use brain power during all of that pandering to the sensibilities of armchair connoisseurs. Try running around with bus tub all day, pouring water, breading tables. Just try. You'd take rank with us poor fools if you'd just do it for an hour. By the end of the day I don't even care about tips. Just remember, if you piss someone off that handles your food, beware! By the way, in my next life, I'll pop out of college and land a job at an awesome law firm. Thanks for the advice.
Geez, Louise! What a bunch of attitudes on both sides! I eat out everyday. I eat lots of places, but generally at sit-down places that have wait-staff. If the waiter does his job well, I tip 20%. If he's slacking and I sit with an empty water glass for 10 minutes or ask for butter with the bread cause I don't like to soak up olive oil with it, and the butter never shows up, then I tip 15%. If I can never find him/her and have the empty water glass and the order is wrong and there's cheese on my wife's salad when we asked that there not be, then he/she gets 10%, but if the service is exceptional and I want for nothing and my glass is refilled with a clean glass before the first one is empty and I get the feeling that the waiter/waitress is genuinely concerned with how nice a time I have, I'll tip as high as 35%, depending on how nice a place it is and whether or not I can afford to be that generous on that basis. Why so much emotion on this topic, folks? If you want great service, go to places like The Great American Restaurant locations in Northern Virginia. I've never had a bad meal or experience and I've been there dozens of times. Or on the other end of the spectrum, Pho Bistro! Another great experience visit after visit! It's places like Bob-Os or Damon's Grill or even Ruby Tuesday where you never really know what you're gonna get, service-wise and it's a mixed bag at that.
I'd love to hear what you all think about the article at the link below in my post. Tipping culture is somewhat complicated. It's certainly not the same in all countries. I think it's important to seperate the culture of tipping from the people who either feel somewhat obligated to do it and those to may necessarily feel obligated to depend upon it. It has much more to do with "the system" than it does the individuals participating in it daily.
http://www.roadjunky.com/article/2254/the-culture-of-tipping-around-the-world
And another, potentially better, article.
http://www.theatlantic.com/food/archive/2009/09/a-solution-to-the-tipping-problem/26921/
As someone that is a professional in the service industry i feel i must speak up here. waiting tables is a hard job, and often not very rewarding. people often look down on you as though you are below them. 75% of customers are kind, polite, and considerate, however the other 25% are people you honestly hope do not reproduce. while waiting tables i have been blessed to celebrate birthday, graduations, new births, 50th wedding anniversaries, and have been in on at least fifty proposals. most servers enjoy their jobs, and take pride in the service they offer. we do not control the pay scale and unless we unionized (which i am against) we will never be paid a proper salary. in my state, severs make $2.14 per an hour and most likey are not offered insurance. we depend on our tips to pay our bills. i have always taken pride in how well i take care of my customers, however, there are times i can not offer my best service bc of things i can not control. ie- a hostest resat all my tables at once, the kitchen messes up an order and i am forced to take care of it, one of those problem customers that demand 500 things that are impossible, or management not staffing properly. i have often been tipped 10% and told my service was amazing, which i accept with a smile on my face. however, if a plumber can in and did a job and you did not pay his bill you would be sued. the other componet is that we pay taxes not only on the tips we make but what the goverment thinks we should make i have to pay taxes on 16% of my sales no matter how lil i am tipped. also in most restaurants servers must tip out 2-3% of there sales, so if you have a $100 bill, and tip me 20% you think i put 20 in my pocket.... that is not the case. first i must tip out to the bartender, hosts, and food runners. there goes $3 ... i am down to $17... then i must pay taxes on that money roughly $3 that leave me with $14. now if you only tiped me 15% i only end up with $9 in my pocket. the system is flawed. however, dont think that your server is being greedy to expect a reasonable tip for service proformed well.
Well said Liz.
It's called a team effort. If your team screws up and your service sucks: YOUR PROBLEM. Get your team right and maybe you'lle get some good tips.
so when your co worker whom you have no control over or your boss whom you have no control over screw up ....you give up your pay check?
I wonder why you acknowledge that you'll never get a decent wage unless you unionize but are against it. Republican? Don't feel you are worthy of a decent wage and benefits? Unionizing is the best , no. the only way to avoid the abuses that most servers are prey to. From abusive bosses to unfair working conditions and hiring practices , nothing protects you better than collective bargaining.
I have been working as a waiter and a bartender for four years. I am a grad student and I need a job that is flexible around school hours. I'll be the first to admit that a tip is NOT required, but most people going out to dinner at a restaurant know that we make SHITTY hourly rates and the way that we really make our living is off of our tips. If you didn't know that before, NOW you do. And yes, it is crappy that this is the system we live with in America. I see plenty of tourists come into my restaurant in NYC and leave a very small tip. Why? Because where they come from servers are actually paid a decent wage. So yes, we should bemoan the American system, and YES it should be changed. But our employers can't do that, only the government can. So since you KNOW the system, please don't screw us over even more. Trust me, we don't LOVE being people's bitches and bending over backwards to accommodate their every whim. We do it in hopes that they recognize we are working hard for them.
Bottom line: when you go out to eat dinner, you are receiving a service; a service done so that you don't have to do ANY work. So if you don't like tipping, use the money you would normally spend @ a restaurant to go grocery shopping, stay home, and cook yourself your own dinner!
Okay, so I was reading through the comments and I really just have a question for the waitstaff out there.
I almost always stack the dishes on the table because I thought that was more helpful to you guys, but one of the comments said that you're not supposed to do that because it's rude. What do you prefer?
Jen if you wish to stack your dishes that does not bother me one bit it actually saves me a few extra seconds and helps me out.
It can be very helpful or, if your server is slacking off on pre-bussing (clearing plates as they are finished) it's a clear sign of lack of hustle, in my opinion. Personally, two or three plates is ok but there's no need to make a tower of dishes, unless you're trying to send a signal to your slacking server.
Jen, you are the best! Some establishments would possibly look on your assistance as a poor reflection on your server, but the fact that you are asking and establishing a valid and reasonable conversation is to be applauded.
If only everyone, servers and served would behave in such a civilized manner, this ranting wouldn't be possible.
Thanks again. You have restored a little bit of my faith.
I think it depends on the type of restaurant you are dining in. In a family restaurant like I work in that's fine and considerate. In an upscale restaurant it might be considered rude.
Stack, don't stack. Whatever. The fact that you are civil enough to care makes me love you.
I've been a waitress for 5 years and I've dealt with many things. My advice for customers is If you expect the waitstaff to be nice to you be nice to them. Just showing a little extra kindness goes a long way. Also the first thing out of your mouth should not be something like "I liked the other restaurant better or how much are the soft drinks". And for servers be grateful for your job, don't show your attitude to the guest and treat every guest with the same respect (even if you already know that they won't tip you.) And let the management deal with the problem guests quickly so you can make your money!
wow yeah let me just live on $2.13 an hour while you don't tip? That tip money PAYS OUR BILLS, PUTS FOOD ON OUR TABLES AND GAS IN OUR CARS
The tip is for the quality of the service alone... not the quality of the food, the atmosphere, or value of the meal.. Thats what the bill is covering. If the food sucked or was late, tell the manager and in a decent place you'll not be paying for the meal or atleast getting a break. Poorly tipping the server is punishing the wrong person.
Stephen:
"You are only entitled to your wage."
So you are completely comfortable with paying more for your meal if the owner decided to pay over standard minimum wage?
The tip system is based on trust from both parties. When one party declares the other party is not "entitled" to at least minimum wage, it further proves why Americans can't have nice things.
Yes. I am 100% comfortable with them passing on the cost to me. I firmly believe that minimum wage should be a real living wage of no less than $12/hr, and like I said, I tip 99% of the time, probably more. However, when that rare occasion of genuinely horrible service comes, you have no right to expect anything beyond the cost of my meal+tax. Also, it doesn't even have to be good service. A friendly person who is making an effort always gets a tip.
Whats so hard about not being a jerk, keeping my glass full, answering questions about the menu, and letting me know if service is going to be slow BEFORE I have been waiting an hour for my appetizer? If you can't do that, why do you deserve more than you are already being paid by your employer? Actually, if you can't do that, you don't deserve your job to begin with.
How is anyone under the impression that you don't have to provide adequate service to be tipped in the service industry? If you don't like the consumer judges your performance, then go find a job in data entry.
I have been on both sides of this argument. As a server and a customer. It bothered me when people didn't leave a tip, because I felt entitled to it – it seemed like something you just did without really thinking about it.
Then, I found out the guys working at a local moving company for minimum wage didn't get tips. Which had me thinking, who deserved a tip more at minimum wage – me carrying a plate of pasta, or the guy carrying a refrigerator?????? And on top of that, min. wage workers at dept. and grocery stores, and fast-food restaurants do not get a tip either. And they work just as hard, if not harder than a waiter.
So, with that clear disparity I decided waitress/waiters don't get a tip. If you choose to work for a certain wage, then that is your decision. Do not expect customers to subsidize your wage. The value of your service is not above any other occupation out there. So, if you are not making enough money, then move on to something else. I did.
We can only praye that in ten years a freaking robot will take an order and deliver the food. Wait staff are the most arrogant SOB's in the world, acting like they are owed a living because they walk food from the counter to the table.
They all want their asses kissed, act like it's MY fault they have a crap job, and don't give a damn as to whether you get what you order or not. Who in their right mind goes to those over priced roach-rat joints in New York to take that kind of abuse? F'em. Maybe one in ten deserve a tip, the others act like it's money you owe them and they finally caught up you.
They don't just walk food to the table. Waiters and waitresses are essentially the liason between the hectic, screaming kitchen, and the customers who only see the "front of house" aspect of a kitchen. They're putting pressure on the kitchen to get orders correct and out on time, while the kitchen is putting pressure on the wait staff to pick up orders on time, and to stop harassing the kitchen. It's a 2-way street, with the front of house in the middle.
The front of house has another important function that the kitchen doesn't – customer relations. The front of house MUST be customer oriented at all times, while the kitchen can often say whatever it wants and it's never relayed or repeated to the front of house customers. The front of house must maintain this composure and customer-first mentality even when there are problems with the kitchen, with supplies, or when there are unruly or disruptive customers that are throwing off the "flow" of service. I'm definitely not saying that the front of house is ALWAYS successful in its relations with the customers, but they do have more going on that just taking orders and delivering the food to the table.
A practical example. A and B are waiters at Restaurant. The restaurant has 2 sections, with A and B each responsible for 1 section. These sections are not clearly defined, and can shift depending on how many people there are in a party, or how many tables must be moved to accommodate customers. The customers can't see the defined sections, and it's known only to the wait staff and other front of house personas. Keeping all of that in mind, A and B must CORRECTLY take orders, and deliver their orders to the different people in their section. A's section, for example, could contain 15 tables, with different numbers of patrons at each table, while B's section only contains 9 tables. A and B must correctly remember which table ordered what meal, and deliver that meal within the requisite amount of time.
It's more like a game of "Memory" than anything; the waiters and waitresses must remember where the order came from, where the table is, what they ordered, and how long ago they ordered it, in order to be successful. Sometimes they aren't, and sometimes they are, but they have to do MORE than just "ferry food" as you put it.
I'd love to know who these servers posting about spitting in food are. I'd make you tip me, to not spit on you in the streets.
A lot of these are valid complaints... but re: the bartender who expects a ten, or even TWENTY dollar tip just to transfer your tab to a table? That is absurd... if you don't do it, we'll get our server to do it. On average I tip 18-20%, but I'm not tipping two people for one bill, and especially if you expect 10 dollars on what is probably going to be a 30-40 dollar tab at that point; that's over 30%!
“‘Can we transfer our bar tab to our table?’ Um ... bartenders work for tips too, people! If I transfer your tab to your table, the waiter's check gets padded with my sales and I get nothing. Next time, try saying it with a ten or twenty spot and I'll be glad to transfer your tab!" – With that attitude I can see why you get less than ideal tips.
“You don't like your server, eh? Let me tell you this: for every annoying trait you all have listed for servers, we can think of ten more for why we hate customers.”
“I'm a server and just when I'm reading all these ignorant, pompous complaints, I was thinking how much I hate people in general. Stay home if you get that offended by your server's behavior.” – Then GET ANOTHER JOB!
Servers, cry me a river.
as to the self-entitled cunt who think she deserves a tip? *snortle*? wtf? you fucking idiot, the only people who think tips are mandatory are dumbfucks like you with the IQ of a walnut. no wonder you are food fetcher. you're too fucking stupid to even grasp the concept of a tip. you stupid cunt, what makes you think you are so special that you are the only person in the service industry that EXPLICITLY deserves a tip? notice how fucking idiots like you can't provide a LOGICAL reason to your asshole view of how everyone OWES you something? your argument is based on SHAMING THE CUSTOMER. fuck you, you piece of shit pathetic cunt. you are a fucking loser who couldn't get a real job. you deserve to be laughed at. now go fetch the fries, you dumb cunt.
again, FUCKING MORON, what is your REASON for this magical tip you somehow think you deserve? of course it's pointless to debate anyone who thinks you don't deserve a tip. you have no reason you fucking idiot. if i were a dumbfuck like you, i also would try to solve the debate by simply waiving off the other opinions and simply being unworthy of consideration. this is typical of fucking idiots who are TOO DUMB to come up with a logical reason for their position. go eat more paste you fucking moron.
and cry me a riverrrr... oh no you couldn't find another job? are you fucking serious? so because you're such an incompetent MORON, the rest of society should be FORCED to subsidize your pathetic existence? do you know what fucking retarded asshat you sound like? no wonder you are a food fetcher.
and yeah, there are plenty of fucking losers like you who couldn't make it in the real world. so you ended up food fetching. but there were also a lot of successful people who started as food fetchers. guess what, I WAS ONE OF THEM. but i didn't bitch like you if i didn't get a tip. i wasn't happy, but i didn't bitch about it because i realized i could quit at any time and the customer was under no obligation to give me anything. i worked my ass off to get my money. you obviously think people OWE you something. no wonder you are a fucking loser crying because nobody gave you a tip. hey stupidfuck did it ever occur to you that there are other people who provide services to others that DON'T GET TIPPED? what makes you think food fetchers are so fucking special that you should get what other service industry people don't get? again, only fucking moron with a single digit IQ can't grasp this concept of hard work.
and you are like most feminist cunts who CLAIM to be INDEPENDENT AND STRONG and yet you EXPECT people GIVE YOU what you don't deserve like they OWE YOU.
you are a selfish self-entitled CUNT. feminism produces so many pathetic fucking losers like you that like to leech off of society. i'm so happy i'm not a pathetic fucking loser like you begging for money. i'm so happy that i have the dignity and work ethic to make my own money and not think that strangers OWE me money.
let me know when you need it upside your head again you stupid cunt LOL you are a shame to REAL women everywhere. it's selfish man-hating cunts like you that give REAL WOMEN a bad name.
sorry stupid cunt but your man-hating isn't really going to solve the issue of your stupidity. isn't it funny how fucking stupid man-hating cunts like you insult men and yet you have the nerve to scold men for putting you stupid cunts in your place? unlike you cowards, men are able to answer your hatred of mankind. that's because we have BRAINS. you stupid cunts have the combined IQ of a grape.
fucking stupid cunts like you are too fucking dumb to even grasp the concept of a "tip".. a tip is a MONETARY expectation from a customer, you fucking idiot. how can you be so stupid as to not grasp that? oh yeah, forgot, you're a women. no wonder LOL:)
totally uncalled for....
Did you not get enough attention from your Mommy when you were small?
I sincerely hope you're no older than 13.
Geez, tell us how you really feel. A little extreme considering the subject matter don't you think?
*cheers* Thank you, enough said. GO GET ME MY DRINK WAITER.
Please take your tip money and get some grammer lessons.
Stop feeding the trolls, please. People like this are best left ignored. They usually go somewhere else for attention when you do this.
grammar, not grammer.
Wow.....why don't you tell us what you really think? You need to lighten-up before you have a stroke!
You should keep whatever money you make and enroll in some anger management classes. Didn't your mother hug you enough? I say this because you only seem to be attacking women servers. Any woman that meets you needs to run as fast as she can in the opposite direction.
I'd love you to come into MY resteraunt. Teabag City for you ass.
Sounds like somebody needs a douche.
as bad as he put it... he does have a point though. Serving people is your JOB. End of story. You don't like it? Get another job. If you don't go above and beyond and actually serve the patrons, why should they be forced to tip you? A tip used to mean exceptional service. If it's just average service, then why should you get a tip if any at all?
And you, sir, are a disgusting piece of humanity!
Wow, I like this topic. Seems we need all needed to get a little of our chests! I really think the clear winners in this debate are the service professionals. These people are working hard every day and it's their job to take be courteous and respectful. The patrons have no obligation to the staff, so they can go as far as wanting to be treated like royalty if they want to.
Be clear, the customer is NOT always right. This is a mantra service related businesses use to aid them when there are complaints and such. Even if the customer is wrong, they have to treat it as if the customer were right in order to save the customer so they'll come back with their money again and again. "It kind of goes back to a comment earlier where service professionals were called "monkeys on leashes". Think about it again, and you'll see who is really holding the leash.
I tip well and really appreciate servers. Thank you!
One small bit of advice though...
Please stop saying, "do you need change?" That's rude and presumptuous.
Say "I'll be right back with your change." instead – allow ME to tell you to keep the change or not.
Good call on the "change request"
That's good advice Chris. A good way of putting it :)
Lou
they choose to wait tables because of that attitude that would be tolerated NO where else or because they're to lazy to work 40 hour weeks and interrupt their time to "party"
Excuse me Lou I am one of the hardest working people you will ever meet I work close to 50 hours a week at a resturant and I don't party so don't sterotype all servers like that. i can tell you have NEVER done this kind of work. I have worked in gas stations, fast food resturants clothing stores, family play centers and walmart so don't you dare tell me that i don't want to work!! all of my jobs i have held down for atleast a year and half i have been at the resturant i am at now for 3 years. So when you step in my shoes and go through all i have gone through and work at a resturant waiting on people like you who thinks we don't want to do any work at a real job. WAKE UP!! waiting tables is harder than alot of jobs out there.
I love to tip. I love the look on servers faces when I tip 50% 70% on a small ticket. in cash handed to them.
The income is undeclared. Just the cash part. All credit card tips go directly on to your W-2 so it shows you made minimum wage with your $2/hr plus tips. Please tip your servers they work really hard and do you realize what we can do to you?
Sometimes cash is counted on W-2s as well. The place I worked required us to hand in everything we'd made that night, figured out how much of it went to the actual bill and how much were tips, and recorded the cash tips as part of our income. It isn't a common occurrence, but sometimes it happens.
Let me first say that I believe in tipping and I think I tip fairly generously...20% or more. What I really don't like about the waiter comments above is that we, as customers, should be thankful to get service in a crowded bar/restaurant. If the place is busy, then the manager can and must hire more staff to deal with that. If the place is busy and I get crappy service, that's THEIR job to fix – it is NOT the customers job.
I wasn't a server, but I was a delivery driver for a while. Drivers saw both sides of the coin – the people who ordered the food, and the people who served the food. On the one hand, some customers seemed to drastically misunderstand the concept of "the delivery charge is NOT part of my pay!", and stiffed the drivers. On the other hand, when an order went wrong, was incorrect, or wasn't ready on time, then the restaurant acted like it was MY fault, or the fault of the other drivers, even when we were running on schedule.
There was one night I'll never forget as far as the customers are concerned. It was raining, and I was running EARLY for once on my deliveries. I parked in the restaurant's dirt parking lot, went in, got the food, and got ready to leave. When I put my truck in reverse, I slid down the hill in the parking lot and got stuck at the bottom of a small ravine. I spent the next 25 minutes digging my truck out of the mud using 2-by-4's, ivy, and anything else I could find in my truck. All the while, I'm frantically radioing my boss to tell her what was happening and that I couldn't get out of the mud. All other drivers were busy, so nobody could come relieve me of my delivery and get it to the customer, and the customer was kept apprised of the situation by my boss (or so I thought). I finally got the truck out of the mud, broke every single speeding law there was getting to the customer, and when I finally got there (the food was still hot thanks to the warming bag), they stiffed me completely. I'm covered head to toe in mud, my truck is covered in mud, and details were given to them of why I couldn't get there, and I'm stiffed.
Contrast that to another customer – one of our best customers, penthouse, the works. Great guy. I'm running VERY behind one night, trying not to get towed from in front of a restaurant, and accidentally get 1/2 of the wrong order when I picked up the food from the designated place. I freaked out and started apologizing like crazy when I realized what happened, and the guy was extremely cool about it! We worked it out so that my delivery company comped him half the meal, and when I handed him back the tip he'd given me, he refused to take it! I was absolutely floored by the generosity and the kindness of this guy, when he had all the reason in the world to be angry and upset with me for getting the order wrong, and I fully recognized that it was my fault things went bad.
The bottom line is this: there are going to be days when the wait staff is "off" because of one thing or another, and that will affect the service. There are also days when the customer's mood changes how they see the service, and can either positively or negatively affect it. Here are a few tips that I've gleaned from working both sides of the issue:
1. If the waiter/waitress seems distracted or is having a hard time, don't automatically jump to a conclusion as to what could be causing the diminished service. There could be a completely legitimate reason they're "off" their game that night, such as a bad breakup that's distracting them, or something going wrong behind the scenes that has everyone somewhat off kilter. It's understandable that customers expect a good experience when they enter a restaurant, but remember that we're ALL human, and humans make mistakes and have rough times. Maybe ask the server if they're OK, or take a step back and objectively view the situation before making that ultimate tip decision. This isn't to say "tip them generously" even if they're having a bad night – far from it. But try to take into account the other circumstances, and don't stiff the waiter completely if they've had a hard time.
2. Remember that delivery drivers, even if they work for the same restaurant that you're ordering from, are making the same amount of money an hour as the wait staff, and survive on tips as well. Some companies pay gas and mileage, while others say "you're on your own" and leave the driver to pay gas out of their tip earnings. The delivery charge on every delivery order is NOT something that goes to the driver – it goes to the restaurant as a "convenience charge", just like you'd see on tickets that are ordered online instead of at the box office. While tipping is never mandatory, please keep in mind that the delivery drivers work just as hard as the wait and restaurant staff to get your order to you, complete, and in an orderly fashion, and they're working for the same tips that the restaurant would receive.
3. If it's the kitchen's fault that something went wrong with the meal, please don't penalize the wait staff. If the kitchen got the order wrong, under- or over-cooked an item, or basically couldn't follow through, but the wait staff was as prompt and helpful as they could be under the circumstances, make sure you still tip the waiter/waitress. Each restaurant operates differently, but in most cases the kitchen staff are paid an hourly rate and don't rely on the tips, while the wait staff rely on the generosity of customers for their salary. If the wait staff has performed admirably in light of the circumstances, please don't stiff them because of something the kitchen has done – that just sets up for animosity on both sides of the coin.
4. Waiters AND Customers have long memories. When I worked my delivery job, we had a "black list" of customers who didn't tip, tipped badly, or were rude or obnoxious to the driver when they showed up, even if there was NOTHING wrong with the order or the delivery. When the drivers received an order from one of the customers on the list, it was almost an automatic game of "not it!" Nobody wanted to take those customers, and whoever ended up doing so usually didn't do it gracefully. While I'm certainly not condoning the actions we may have taken when one of the customers ordered, it made for a bad experience for EVERYONE involved. For both waiters AND customers, if you've had a bad experience with someone before, try to come into a second experience with that person with a whole new mindset and fresh set of eyes – like a blank slate, a second chance for BOTH parties to have a better experience than the last. By allowing past prejudices against certain staff or customers to taint later experiences, everyone suffers, and everyone goes away with a feeling that the experience wasn't one worth repeating. This may mean that a restaurant loses customers, or that the wait staff end up with lingering animosity, which affects OTHER customer service. Let every experience be a blank slate, and things may turn out better for everyone.
Having been on both sides of the coin, I admit that I always tip generously regardless of how the service was, but I do that more out of a sense of knowing what both sides are experiencing. I just hope that my experiences can help shed a little light on food service, and help EVERYONE to have a better experience :)
The Key word i see with all of our waiter comments is FAST MONEY. I Went to school had student loans and never even tought about being a waiter! why because there is no such thing as quick cash unless you are a drug dealer. Being a waiter is not the only job out there for students or any other excuse why you say you became a waiter. Example I worked for a moving company, retail stores, etc... that i must tip you attitude is ludacris. I am that guy that says too bad for you, Easy Money HA!! you know who i do like to tip very well my shoe shiner why? because he is an imigrant and can not do anything better and he shines my shoes like he is doing his job. Instead of the countless waiters who commented that are in school and are sooo educated the you should know better. Most of you are just going with the motion while at work and expect something. Too bad not from me, work right have the right attitude and then i might tip you if not I smile at you with no shame and might leave a few coins from my change!.
are you canadian? (and by canadian i mean black.)
I do not mind leaving a tip but I do not think that it should be 15% to 20% of the check. First, the prices in restaurants are inflated for both the food and the wine list. Secondly, what is the skill set? You write down what I tell you, you walk to the kitchen and tell someone to make it, you bring it to me when its done. You really think that is a function to be hadsomely rewarded for? Finally, Americans are stupid and insecure. They are afraid that someone is going to run after them and tell them that they did not leave a large enough tip so it has become common to always give 15% on the total amount, which actually includes the sales tax charge.
"Secondly, what is the skill set? You write down what I tell you, you walk to the kitchen and tell someone to make it, you bring it to me when its done."
It's just not that simple, there's more going on that you don't see: dealing with other tables, helping run food and other "sidework" that needs to be maintained during a shift. Serving just is NOT "Hey cooks, here's the order. Hey customer, here's your food. Done."
Brian:
"We are paying you for a service. It is your JOB to be nice and on your best behavior. If so you are rewarded with good tips, if not, you aren't."
I see, so the workforce is now "rewarded" for doing a job? Perhaps we should also apply this method to other industries.
Personally, I think certain businesses should just pay their servers a living wage and adjust the cost in the menu. Family-oriented tourist restaurants and other places catering to one-time clientele would do both the staff and customers a favor by implementing this system. This way, the server doesn't have to stress out about making over minimum wage, and will perform his/her job just as anyone else with a job (crazy theory, I know). Customers can be taken care of and not worry about tip calculation.
Also keep in mind that other countries typically include the service in the bill, so when they don't tip it's not out of spite, but habit (anyone traveling to another country should brush up on local tipping, but it doesn't always happen).
The tip system is much better suited to repeat clientele and high-end establishments.
It's about respect. Servers are people, don't make assumptions. I am an MBA student with three years of prof. experience working in finance, where I made a good salary. I decided to go back to school, and I wait tables to pay my rent. Don't assume that I party, do drugs, or can't hold down a more traditional job.
LolsVille–> You're a moron. I wait tables because I am a student. Hopefully in a few years I'll be your manager and lay you off, you ignorant fool.
This is all a waiter must do: #1 Serve Drinks #2 Be the link between Customer and Chef #3 Do #1 and #2 in a timely manner. OMG MY JOB IS SO HARD. Bunch of un-educated brats who don't know what hard work really is: using your brian to solve problems in a world uncertainty.. A waiter is leg-work and nothing else. And this, is not HARD WORK. SO GET BACK IN THE KITCHEN AND GET ME MY DRINK.
Wrong, wrong, wrong and wrong. They also have other tables to take care of, they generally run other tables' food and have a myriad of tasks in the back of the house to upkeep. It's not just "Here's your drink, here's your food, we're done!" Clearly, you've never done this work before or even know anyone who has. It's just not that simple so please don't make it out to be.
I am the customer, I DON'T CARE. This simple fact is in every industry of business. I don't care if you need to cut lettuce because you came in late and hung-over . . . AGAIN. Multi-tasking is the name of the game but you aren't even multitasking complex things. Being a waiter is so incredibly simple that waiters slump on their duties because it's not engaging. Thus, 80% of all waiters are worthless from the get go because they aren't worried about their easy job.
Wow Barnes, you really are a stupid piece of work. It's not a matter of what the job entails, how hard it is mentally, or whether or not the server is highly educated, it's a matter of treating a human being like a human being. Servers are human beings, just like you are....or at least pretend to be. You are no better than anybody and you don't deserve respect unless you earn it. Now, onto talking about your opinions of servers. I ran a restaurant for many years and I know the old statement of "The customer is always right..." Well, that's not right. My saying was, "The customer is Not always right, but the customer has the right to be wrong." My customers loved that saying because it is true. I loved being a server because I loved working with people, making people happy, and knowing that I was doing something good for someone on what could possibly be a bad day. I never treated any customer less because of the way they dressed, their age, lack of sophistication, or even inability to speak English. If you got your food in a timely manner and enjoyed yourself, and you are leaving my restaurant happy, I did my job right. Now, onto the tips...Tipping is simply a part of American culture today, so get over it and realize that. But also, part of American culture is the knowledge that if you receive bad service, you leave a bad tip, or no tip at all. GOOD servers understand that, unfortunately there are bad servers out there. I am an educated person, as were many of the people I worked with, so don't even start with the whole idea that uneducated people only work in food service. THat is true ignorance and makes me wonder what kind of education you have. Frankly, I don't care, because again, as stated above, you are a human being just like I am. And all I am asking is that you treat me that way. You do that, and I will treat you like a human being. Barnes, realize this....you are no better than anyone. The second you realize that, the second you become a good person, one that other people(food servers or not) will want to actually be around.
Oh, Lord, Miss Manners better not be reading this! First of all, NEVER push your plate to one side to signal you are finished eating. That's bad manners. You're not at the trestle-table of a workhouse (I presume) so don't treat your place-setting as if you were. Second, NEVER place your napkin over your dinner plate to signal you are finished eating. That's just gross. Besides, do you expect the server to bring you a fresh nappy for dessert? Come on, use some common sense. Third, don't cross your knife and fork in the cetner of the plate to signal you're done. The CORRECT way to signal you are finished is to place your knife and fork next to each other (parallel) in the center of the plate with the handles at six o'clock. Put your hands in your lap or rest your wrists on the table – DON'T hunch over the plate with your elbows on the table, unless you want the server to have to work for the plate.
I am of the firm belief that EVERYONE should have to do a service job at least once in their working lifetime, just so you can gain the experience. Serving is hard work, mentally and physically. I am ghastly at it, which is why I am not a server.
If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to go out. That being said, it never costs anything to be nice & polite wherever you go. Really.
whoa whoa whoa... cross fork and knife over your plate?! What kind of sick American etiquette is THAT?! I always placed my fork and knife parallel to each other on the plate: *that* is how you tell the waiters you're through. And what's sad is that you can do this, and the waiters still ask if you're done. Why? Now I know. Evidently you're supposed to make some strange treasure-map designs with your flatware. Nice.
Right on, Kerry. My post (below) crossed with yours and we are in full agreement.
I think the crux of the matter of this is that on one side, people are GETTING PAID to do what might be back breaking, unpleasant, ungratifying work; on the other side, people are PAYING to get some modicum of service. So I find it hard to treat complaints from both sides equally. I see some waiters have complained that they didn't choose their jobs, it was their last resort. How should that affect diners' view of them? Granted, some diners are just natural jerks, but others worked hard, studied hard, or some combination of the two, didn't party or "hang out" much, and just got jobs they liked that paid well. Unless you are a complete moron, or perhaps disadvantaged in some way, if you study/work/apply yourself you should be able to get a job that suits you. If you rather chug beers and party hearty, then don't blame diners when you are stuck in a dead-end job.
That said, I always treat waiters as nicely as possible, not for some altruistic reasons, but because I know what goes on in the kitchen to troublesome diners' meals...
There is no reason not to be nice – on both sides of the table. As a customer, your job is to be the human your mother taught you to be. Just because the job name says "server" it doesn't translate to "servant." People who are jerks to the server risk not only bad service but some of the nasties that go on in the kitchen. Keep it in mind folks, you are not in control of your food until it reaches your table. The adage that "you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" is absolutely true.
The only problem I have with "Are you still working on that?" is that to the person eating it sounds like "Are you all done stuffing your fat face yet, or do I have to come back yet again?". A nice alternative would be "Would you like me to take your plate?" or go around the back way and simply ask if I need a box.
As for kneeling to get my order right? No way. It's awkward and only drunk losers at Hooters actually enjoy it (and I'm not saying that everyone who goes to Hooters is a drunk loser). If you can't hear me, ask me to speak up. If you want to be sure of my order, repeat it back to me. See how easy it is to be unobtrusive?
Also, I tip 15 to 20% 99% of the time , but I do so because 99% of the time my service ranges from good enough to excellent. However, that doesn't mean you're are entitled to a tip. You are only entitled to your wage. A tip is earned by not being a jerk, keeping my glass full, answering questions about the menu if there are any, and letting me know if service is going to be slow BEFORE I have been waiting an hour for my appetizer. There is nothing wrong with saying "Service might be somewhat slow because we are a little shorthanded in the kitchen, tonight." It relaxes expectations and lets me know that you aren't just being a terrible server. If the service is bad, the only tip you deserve "do better or find a new line of work".
Well, whoever the server is that answered these questions.... NO WONDER YOU DON't KNOW WHEN PEOPLE ARE DONE EATING!!!! The proper way to leave your silverware is with the fork and knife next to each other at an angle with the handles facing 4 or 5 and the tips facing 10 or 11. The fork is normally above the knife, with the tines facing down, and the knife is normally below the fork with the blade facing in. But, the last part varies depending on which etiquette book you want to follow. The important part is that the fork and knife are placed together on a diagonal. Placed criss- crossed, or along the rim of the plate signals you are still eating. If you knew what you were looking for, then maybe you'd know if someone was done eating.
why are they called "waiter" & "Waitress" anyway??!!? is it because they are always standing around at the waiter's/resses' station looking out at their diners' tables..... *waiting* to be summoned for help/service??
shouldn't they be called instead "hurrier" & "hurrieresses" instead?!? ...since they are always *UBER-busy*, rushing about trying to do all the myriad things they need to get done to ferry their cusotmers through their dining experience?!?
I've always been respectful, polite, and even if nessicary forgiving of my wait staff knowing that they're run ragged and many of the percieved mistakes are often not of their causing, and as a result have always had the same courtesies shown back to me. On that note, I've also always been happy to tip even up over 100% if I'm having a side dish and drink if my server was top of things and pleasant. (to me, a tip has never been dependent on check amount seeing as I could have an inexpensive meal and a fantastic server who doesn't deserve less of a reward because I ordered chicken instead of lobster)
I can't help but think that as someone who has worked in customer service that those who are complaining about bad service recieved from waiters and waitresses are the same people who are abrasive and have attitude towards them from the start making them a challenge to satisfy that's simply not worth the effort. Maybe if you started off the interaction with general politeness and respect, it'd go a long way to getting the treatment you would like in return.
Thank you
I have never served, but I love food and dining out. In fact, I am starting to pursue a culinary career myself.
Ive never really had a problem with most servers, but most of the times when I am with friends they start to complain and hate the server. In fact maybe every time they seem to find something wrong or feel as if they have been personally offended (though being a group of younger adults, we have often faced some servers who are rude to us for that fact).
I will do my best to appreciate the service of servers even more from now on, even trying to convince my friends to be more appreciative as well. Its sad to think that people could be so turned off by rude customers, and in reading a lot of these self-entitled sounding posts, I can understand why. I really liked the post earlier that said that she takes tip into account before she chooses what meal to buy. I will start to do that so I can be more generous with my tip. Never realized how poorly waiters were paid/treated.
So in essence, thank you servers for all you do!
Mwwuuuah! Customers like you make my day.
I've never been a server, but I will vouch that the customers are 100% WRONG in this debate. Servers do exhausting labor for minimal pay, and to boot they have to deal with unprovoked rudeness, holier-than-thou-ness, stupidity and downright meanness from the typical patron. Do everyone a favor and learn the following 3 steps: be polite, be patient and tip well (except for the occasional exception).
There is so much whining on both sides that it's hard to have sympathy for either.
Wait staff, like customers (and like everything else in life), come good and bad. And like the old saying goes, you take the good with the bad.
Had a bad customer that stiffed you on the tip? I bet you've also had a great customer that tipped you more than the standard 20.
Had a bad waiter/waitress who got everything wrong and was rude? I bet you've also had a waiter/waitress who was the picture of professionalism and efficiency and made a decent meal even more enjoyable.
It all balances out.
Sure, CNN asked you to give horror stories. But some of these are just downright ridiculous. "Wah! My waiter only refilled my glass twice!" or "Boo hoo! I only got tipped 18 percent!" Keep it all in perspective, people. This has turned into a huge fight between servers and customers while the corporate restaurants continue to gouge both to retain greater profits laugh all the way to the bank.
Folks just because someone is serving us at dinner table does not make them less of a person. I am very disappointed to read of these posts. You might get much better results if you actually made a little eye conact and treated your server as a hyman being. Tey this; say Thank You once in a while! Weather they are in school and this is a temp gig or not is irrelevent. they are serving your table because they need the job. Too bad no amount of money can by class. Dining out is to be a pleasant experinece, if you are doing it at the cost of short changing the server, stay home! Try the driver thru.
hymans serving food. sounds gross...
if that is all you got from what i wrote .. then you are hyman too, you moron.
As a previous waiter in both a "dirty spoon" and then in a 4/5 star restaruant I try to see both sides. I
SERVERS – you are there to make the customers experience enjoyable. I don't care if you are in a bad mood, don't come into work – I don't care if the cooks/chefs are messing with you or cooking poorly that day, I want my food hot or cold as ordered and done correctly. I don't want to have to try to flag you down to get a refil on water, coffee, or another napkin. Things do not always go as planned/expected – you need to make it right. And if you get a bad tip, was it a cheap customer or was the dining expericence unpleasent and could it have been your fault.
Customers – be polite – if you need additional attention, be patient – try not to overburden your server with multiple runs to the same table, order ALL the drinks at once. If something is not right, call the server over, explain what is wrong in a civil manner, engage the manager if necessary. TIP accordingly.
TIPPING: I tip according to the service and food. If service is bad, I don't tip very much. If the food is bad, I tell the server and manager if necessary. If they make it right, the tip is good, if not, the tip is not going to be good. I could be mistaken but I don't think many servers realize that a poor tip is an indication of poor service (sometimes a cheap customer). I think servers "expect" the 15 to 20 percent automatically. It does not work like that. If something is wrong and I don't say anything to give the server a chance to make it right – they get the full tip. If the server seems like they don't care or it is not made right – expect little.
There use to be an old practice – if you tipped paper money (bills) and coins it ment good service. If you tipped and left any pennies it ment poor service.
Thing is, you actually have to do your job well if you want a good tip, it's not automatic. All I ask is you leave me alone for five minutes after sitting down so I can look at the drink menu. I don't just want a Coors light or a Coke, I'm about to pad the tab with expensive drinks, so give me a sec. After five minutes, fair game. Also, if you punch the order in wrong on the computer screen, that's not a kitchen problem. If I want cheddar on my burger and it shows up american, I'm pretty sure that's you hitting the wrong button. My base tip rate for competent but average service is 20%, if you impress me, I'll gladly tip more, but if you can't do your job with an acceptable level of competency, I won't hesitate to tip less.
Wow @ mrsam. You say you're not trying to be offensive but "BLACK PEOPLE don't tip" and you "hate them". How ignorant are you? I am black and if the service is excellent I tip well aboer 20%! Please don't lump all "BLACK PEOPLE" together because clearly you don't have a clue. Obviously your an ass become of your attitude. I don't see anything other than what you're currently doing and if you keep that up you may not have this job long. If I knew who you were I would tip well above 20% and tell you to puchase some class with the extra you racist jerk!
Keep this in mind, all you non-tipping customers: Word gets around QUICKLY in restaurants, especially if you're a "regular" or at least go somewhere to eat often. When you walk in or get seated, everyone knows you're cheap so they're not going to bust their ass for you anyway. If you don't tip repeatedly and get shitty service, you asked for it.
HItting on the waitress is incredibly rude and demeaning. You know she's got to smile and take it while you dish it out. That makes you a predatory jerk.
WOW! Hate people? Sounds to me that someone is in the wrong line of work. I do understand that to earn a decent living, that you need to earn tips but FYI, I refuse to tip someone who treats me rudely and doesn't provide at least the minimum service required for me to have a pleasant dining experience. We go out to have a good meal and pleasant time with those we are with. Why should that be ruined by rude and inept staff. In your defense, I also don't understand why many people feel they need to be rude and insulting to the wait staff to get what they need.
wow. all these comments, from both sides, are pathetic. what a country of spoiled brats we have. no wonder we're hated throughout the world and are going to he!! in a hand basket.
I love the number of people saying, "if you don't like the job just quit!" As if there is a wealth of positions out there that anyone could naturally drift into. It took me close to two years to find a viable alternative to working in a restaurant.
There is a wealth of jobs out there. Sorry they are not the ones you may like or perfer. I have had to work 2 jobs during lean times. Granted, it was many years ago and I have been blessed with a decent job since.
what happened to being decent and respectful to people in general. sounds like everyone here is out to get the other party from the start. be nice to your server and tip well, not just for your own dinner but for the a-hole who was probably there before you and chewed him or her out for nothing. no it isn't required but it's part of the culture, so get over yourself or eat at home.
everyone should have to spend a year as a server, then let's see how you treat the "help."
I believe in tipping , but why do I have to subsize your income beause I order something expensive? You spend the same energy carrying a $30 steak as a $2.50 order of fries,yet I'm suppose to pay more for the steak. 15% is fine, anything more you'd better do a song and dance.
Do you expect to get paid more on busier days and less on slower days at your job?
Pay is not always determined by amount of work done. It's not a contracting job...and if so, the "quote" is % of total bill...
My daughter is a server in a well established and upscale restaurant/brewer and has been there for years. She has wonderful clientele who appreciate her as she does them. I now tip at a minimum of 20%, say please and thank you a lot and appreciate all servers hard work and efforts. I admit there are a few servers that lack in good customer relations but I believe those are few and far between. Give them their due folks........say thank you and tip big. You'll be remembered and always be well taken care of.
I waited tables for seven years and experienced some of the worst diners, but also gave some pretty bad service somedays. Look, diners, waiters are not perfect. They are overworked and underpaid. Do you realize the restaurant only pays $2.13. The rest depends on you and they usually have 4+ other tables to work at the same time they are taking care of you. I've been out of the service for another 7 years and am also very critical of service, so servers, all it takes is a good attitude and an apology if you mess up. The bad attitudes and magical disappearances count against you.
The comments from you diners makes me feel that not a one of you ever waited tables before. If you had, you wouldn't of made those comments. Also, the majority of servers are IN college TRYING to pay for tuition, so don't tell them to get another job because they can't.
Don't forget servers get paid less than minimum wage per hour! They depend on tips. So for all the idiots out there that don't tip properly (18-20%) I am sure you understand why people have attitudes when people tip (10-14%). I bet if gratuity was already added to the bill you would see less attitude and better service! And to David Rutherford, you're right, you do not have to tip with any legal liability but I wouldn't recommend going back to that restaurant. Servers talk.
Chuck, I doubt that I would see better service if the tip was added. It would just be a common practice – if you are getting tipped regardless of the service – do you really think it service would improve?
“I'm a server and just when I'm reading all these ignorant, pompous complaints, I was thinking how much I hate people in general. Stay home if you get that offended by your server's behavior.”
-We are paying you for a service. It is your JOB to be nice and on your best behavior. If so you are rewarded with good tips, if not, you aren't. Pretty simple and a statement like this confirms I'm right to either give 20-25% (which I do to about 95% of servers because they are generally good people) or leave nothing. If you can't do YOUR JOB, why don't you stay home and let somebody who can work do it instead.
Oh wait, I forgot that most people do suck so I can sort of understand where you are coming from.
As someone who's been on both sides of the street, I have this to say to some of you posters: the fact that their job title is "server" does not mean you get to treat them as slaves, and they should be happy with whatever crumbs you toss their way.
Don't get all bent out of shape when I ask you (or, 'asked' you, b/c I stopped being a waiter the day my security clearance came through after graduation) "are you done with that" because I haven't seen you touch your food in 10 minutes and you haven't done anything to indicate you're done like putting your napkin or silver over the plate or pushing your plate to the side. I'm not asking you this to annoy you, I'm asking you because if you're done I'd very much like to get you on your way (as politely as possible) because my livelihood depends on table turnover.
Don't get all bent out of shape if I ask you 5 or 6 question about what add-ons you might like with your food. I'd rather get it out of the way now than deliver food to you and have you ask, one item and one trip to the kitchen at a time, for the add-ons.
Don't get all bent out of shape if I clear empty dishes a few at a time rather than waiting until everybody is done. My manager may require me to do so and penalize me if I don't.
Don't get all bent out of shape if the bar is packed and it takes more than 4 or 5 minutes to get your cocktail. I can't do a thing about it except apologize for the wait – which I probably did already.
Don't yell at me, insult me, or berate me, if your food is overcooked or undercooked. I didn't cook it. Instead, politely inform me of your predicament when I come to check on you a minute or two after your food arrives, and I will happily take it back to the kitchen and very likely seek a discount for you. Being rude simply inspires me to ask the cooks to wipe their noses or scratch their bodily orifices before handling your food with their bare hands – after they put your food aside until they get back from their smoke break or snagging a quickie with the cute hostess.
Don't let your kids run wild. It is not my job to discipline them – it is YOUR job. If you let your kids act like they're in the McDonald's playland, don't be surprised when I bring the manager over to inform you of your choice between having your kids settle down or leaving the restaurant.
If I provide you miserable service, by all means don't tip me (although leaving a penny is more effective. If you leave nothing I'll just assume you're a cheap b#st#rd). But if you're so broke, or miserably cheap, you can't leave a tip – which, like it or not, is expected to the point that minimum wage laws do not apply to me and my brethren except in California and Nevada, we likely make $2.13 per hour – then go to a restaurant that suits your financial outlook on life. Taco Bell has some decent new items.
Amen to that!
So for 10% of you who think you are hot shit because you can afford an expensive meal but can't tip, here is an observation. i've waited on several popular bands, singers, NFL players, and even some TV stars. they have always been respectful and polite. when you treat your server like trash, you don't look cool or above them, you look like a prick. i actually watched a girl leave a guy because he was being an ass to their waiter. just a thought.
People who don't tip are THEIVES. They go in and take a service that they then do not pay for. That is stealing. People are so crude, anymore, and they take for granted that the servers handle EVERYTHING that goes in their mouths. If you don't want spit, dirty fingers, trash in your food...be very kind to your wait staff. If you ignore this, you will suffer the consequences.
Apparently you simply don't understand the american tipping system. You're probably where you are in life because of your short sighted ability to understand issues.
Mike, you show what a fool you are by assuming to know where I am "at in life", when you know nothing about me. Stick to what you know, silly! And I have never spit in anyone's food (once again you assumed), but I have known many servers who have. Just letting you know what you are getting into. Judging by your comments, you most likely have ate a LOT of spit. It is stealing to go to an establishment where you expect to be waited on and not tip for that service. You can try to explain away your cheapness all you want, but you are still stealing.
Also, I could spit on you in the street if you're rude to me. However I don't go around doing that to people. Just because you're in a position to spit in peoples' food when they can't see, doesn't mean you're entitled to doing so. You're the type of server giving others a bad name. Read all the hate comments, they surely apply to you.
@Mike, you can sit on your high horse and tell us how we will serve you to your standards because we are obviously subserviant to you. That's cool spitting in your food sure makes your no tipping more worth it. If you think people do not remember who you are and do not get even "along with the other coworkers", you are sorely mistaken. So keep being an ass, we will make it worth our time..
as a server who worked my way through my educational period, i must say that it brought be a new perspective on life. people are just mean and rude. i honestly believe that EVERYONE should have to work in the food industry in one fashion on another before they should be able to eat out, so they know what we have to go through and how hard we work. then maybe people wouldnt complain about the things they do.
Never marry anyone who is a jerk to waitstaff. Big giant red flag.
I always try to tip at least 15 – 18%. I realize that most of these servers are working their way through school, etc.
mrsam, not all people of color are like that however, i have to agree most are and so are most white people. It goes both ways.
I'm a college student and have been a server for quite some time paying for my school. In the beginning I was cheerful and a really great waitress, if i do say so myself. However, after a few years of seeing cheap, rude, stupid, and annoying customers I understand how someone can generally hate people. I now hate people. One thing I'd also like to add to annoyances are people that are so nice causing me to be extra nice back, and they leave a tiny tip, but write on the ticket "thanks a bunch". I don't get paid with compliments. Sorry but I got bills to pay.
Keep crying waiters....none of you want this job! Why are you bitching about a job you bitch just as bad about. Like everyone else has said.....get a brain and a better job! NO you don't have to work as waiter through school either. There's plenty of us who worked to put ourselves through school but were smart enough to do something productive!
you should be punched in the face
You are an amazingly hateful individual. Maybe you should stay out of restaurants and bars. And cut your own hair and haul your own garbage to the dump while you're at it. Believe it or not, you are dependent upon the very people you sneer at.
You are definitely very rude and insulting. I'd like you to try serving at a busy restaurant all day and say we aren't productive. What do you do? Sit in a cubical all day? Typing on your little computer, probably facebooking or commenting on the cnn page. I don't know. I'm sure what ever you do is just as productive and just as much work a sever does, or more since you get paid more than a server I'm sure.
Truth hurts doen't it.... Grow a brain and get a better job toots...
I've found my dining experience is always much better if I am polite (or at least nice) to the waiter. It's a very obvious means of quid pro quo but it means that I am rarely in a position where I feel I am being treated poorly at a restaurant.
I am going to your establishment because I want the food (which I perceive to be of a certain quality) and a form of service. I am making a decision to pay for these things and so I think anyone expects certain behavior in return. However, it doesn't mean I feel entitled to treat someone as an inferior or completely brush off a waiter.
People, even a polite smile or hand gesture will do to alleviate miscommunications.
I am absolutely horrified at the comments I am seeing in relation to this article. It's no wonder there is such animosity on both sides – people seem unwilling to look beyond themselves.
This article is so funny because while all waiters (that I personally know) are just as obnoxious to people in other industries (customer service, cashier, bank employee, etc) that they claim restaurant customers are to them. Just remember waiters (especially outside of a few huge cities) that people have many dining options and that times are tight. Just think that whenever you serve someone this might be the only time they get to eat out in a week, or maybe a month, or maybe a year.
As a senior in college, I have worked many jobs to pay my way through school, including waiting tables. Waiters work exceptionally hard, and in many states earn sub-minimum wage. Is the work difficult? Do waiters have complaints about it and their customers? Of course. However, when I worked in any other job the management made a point of making sure that the employees realized we were dependent on customers, and we believed it, we kept the complaints to a minimum and made the best of every situation. No other profession I've been in or observed feels so righteous in their continual complaining about their customers as waiters do. Maybe it's the dependence on tips, maybe it's how hard the work is, but the constant complaints are not very becoming to the profession.
As long as the server is polite, asks to refill my drink once during the meal, and can be found when it comes time to pay the bill, I'll give a 20% tip. I'm not hard to please. The quality of the food, and the speed at which it's served is not usually the servers fault. So if those things lack I'm pretty forgiving.
On the other hand there is no leeway for a rude waiter/waitress. If you don't like your job then quit. Nobody is putting a gun to your head and telling you to work in food service.
1. I don't feel compelled to tip other service people. So, why should I tip a food server?
2. Having been a food server, I was told many times that I would not get paid more than minimum wage BECAUSE I should be getting tips.
3. Tipping is based on the cost of a meal. Does that mean it takes more work to bring me a $50 dinner than a $10 dinner?
4. Why doesn't society expect us tip the table cleaners? They are the ones who made the table ready.
Most of the time servers have to "tip out" and share their tips with the people who clear the tables.
Maybe so, but I - as a diner - am not expected to tip the table cleaner directly like I'm expected to tip the server.
Yes!!! It does take more work and knowledge to serve you a $50 dinner than it does a $10 burger. I really highly doubt that you eat in very many places where you are having $50 dinners anyway. You seem very low class to me.
Note to restaurant managers:
The #1 reason I won't try your restaurant a second time is if the service is lousy. Regardless of who may think they're right, I am the customer and I am paying for the experience. If a member of your staff ruins my experience I won't be coming back. And by the way, if I leave a poor or no tip, you can bet I'm going to write down exactly why on the check. I'm not stiffing the waitstaff, I'm refusing to poay for lousy service.
I'd never be able to be a waiter. I try and respect everyone right off the bat, but people bringing me food get extra attention. Never mess with people who prepare and deliver something you are going to place inside your body. Anyone who has a hard on for talking down to their servers and misusing the small amount of power they think they have has guaranteed eaten a briar-patch full of pubes in their lifetime.
It is real simple a customer has the right to complain – the server/ waiter/ bartender does not if you don't like your job, the people you deal with, or the money you earn the simple solution is to QUIT!!
And, guess what TIPS aren't guaranteed! In the high school I worked in a moderately priced restaurant on the by of the doors exiting the kitchen where three signs:
Sign 1:
TIPS = To Insure Proper Service
Sign 2:
TIPS = To Insure Prompt Service
Sign 3:
Rule # 1 the customer is always right
Rule # 2 if the customer IS wrong see rule #1
That restaurant has been run for over 60 years by same family and is still in business today.
I guess in the effort to use all the letters of TIPS, they didn't care "to insure proper spelling" ....
I assume you were trying to be funny, but believe or not "insure"/"ensure" is one of those words that can be spelled two different ways, like grey or gray. Try looking it up before you mock others.
Just as the rules of etiquette have loosened, so have the rules on proper english. The original and correct distinction between ensure and insure still stands.
That would be TEPS anyway, because the proper use of that word is "Ensure" not "Insure". To Ensure means to guarantee something happens, and To Insure is to warrant against damage or loss.
shhhhh.... that's what I said ;)
For all of you jugheads out there who have the "don't like the job, leave it" attidude, should consider that some people in the serving industry may be supplementing their income, are single parents and/or still in school. My experience has been that 95% of my servers have been pretty darn good or better than good. Give you servers the benefit of the doubt.
Usually, in my experience in the industry, is a server gets upset with someone who has an attitude and then the server "takes it out" on customers who follow. This is a problem for the server, if you can't get over someone who's been rude to you for no reason, you'll lose out on other tables because he/she can't get over it. That being said, if you bust your butt all night while giving solid service with a smile, only to receive poor or terrible tips, it's quite frustrating. 15% of your total bill is a fair tip, however, if you have a coupon or have some portion of your bill reduced (improperly cooked food), don't take it out on your server and leave them the 15% they should get on the original total. Also, keep in mind in many states servers and bartenders only make a portion of minimum wage and rely on your generosity. All in all, both parties (server and customer) should be polite and understanding that sometimes someone can be having a "bad day" but servers should never take that out on their customer with attitude.
this is what I am afraid of..a server who is ready to leash out his/her anger on me b/c of the bad experience from the previous customer....Considering the most common act of leaving body fluid on the food for a customer, I do wonder if you servers can check your emotions and not revenge on an innocent diner. We have always tipped 15-20% or more. But I did not know restaurants pay $2-3/hour to their waitstaffs. I have been to restaurants with waitstaffs who were better dressed than we were...They were their tuxedos while we were in jackets and ties and dresses and high heels.. I was intimidated as I felt I was expected to behave after behaving all day and all week at work. I am a very nice person who always ask my waitstaff how the day went and what would be his/her favorite on the menu for reference. We do not ask how much they get paid....not a good etiquette in any setting...I suggests restaurant owners post their waitstaffs' wage on the front of the restaurants or on their restaurant websites so that the diners would tip to make up their wages..or make an educated decision to eat at home or explore other options of dinning....I usually avoid high end restaurants because of the etiquette issue..While I am capable socially, I do not need the pressure..I also do not know the set up between the bar and the restaurant..I like the convenience of one bill for the whole evening.....If it is too hard on every one at the restaurant, I will just order take out or cook at home or have a party with my friends at home...
I was a waitress and a bartender for 7 LOOOONG years, until I finished my education and was able to move on. Next time you refer to your server as a "monkey on a leash" remember this: the vast majority of waitstaff are either currently in school, graduated and unable to find a job, or waiting tables as a second means of income (many times to pay off their student loans, mind you).
With that said...I'm so sick of hearing servers complain about their customers all the time. YES - the job sucks in many ways. But most jobs aren't that terrific day in and day out, and everyone has to put up with hassles no matter what they do. Those of us who have worked in the service industry know that the benefits (i.e. the $$ you make in a few short hours) outweigh the downfalls. SO BE QUIET AND DO YOUR JOB!
Its never a good idea to piss off your server. Just saying.
The public is stupid reguardless... I work in a Hotel and I am always smiling, and making the best of the day but... ALL OF YOU PEOPLE OUT THERE NEED TO STOP ACTING SO MUCH BETTER THEN SOMEONE ELSE. So what that person is a waitress/waiter or whatever it may be they do. Stop talking to us badly, treating us as if we a lower being then yourself and conduct your self as a good customer.
Now having said that, I understand when I dont get good cusomter service, I will say something but still keep it classy.
All the customers who don't tip, keep your butts at home and as for the people who are going to hotels... please remember that we can't change the fact that your room isnt ready when you check in early. We also cannot read your minds and seriously we are not here to be your personal punching bags. I love having all my guest happy, it isnt my fault I have rules to follow also. :)
I agree with you. There is no respect for one another nowadays. I don't understand why people feel they are better than the waitress at the local restaurant or the cashier at wal-mart. I never was a waitress but I would never talk down to anyone in the service business. Everyone is so worried about themselves nowadays, take a step back and put yourself in someone else's shoes. You think half of those servers are there because they want to be in the service industry for life? Give them a break, and think about where you were working during high school/college. We are all just trying to make a living.
Seems what is lacking is common courtesy on both sides. I have had quite a few servers be rude or careless and I have had a MUCH
larger number be considerate and helpful. Having worked a a waitress myself, I do understand that it is a difficult job and I have a great deal of respect for those that handle it with grace and skill. And NO... it has nothing to do with formal education (I see a lot of people with degrees out there without a job) but it has to do with being a decent human being trying to bring out the best in others. Some customers are jerks, but most just want a good dining experience.
Anyone who is rude to their server needs to watch the movie Waiting. Yes, that stuff really happens. Yes, I have teabagged peoples drinks for bing jerks, and far worse.
Yes, not being rude to your server is a good idea, but it shouldn't be out of fear. the teabaggers are just as hideous
You'll get yours. You sound like a gem of a person, and karma will even things out.
I am an AGENT of KARMA!
LOL – just please tell me you're nowhere near South Jersey
I think the waiters/waitresses all deserve better than what is being said here. 12 hours of listening to someone moaning because its been 3 minutes since their last cup of coffee came around is something that just pi$$es me off when i see it. Plus, some of these waitresses have been really hot. Give 'em all a break and just do what you're supposed to do...cheapa$$ punks
Serving is probably the easiest job in the world. You are simply the link between the customer and the chef. HOW HARD IS THAT. 90% of waiters are uneducated brats who don't know what getting the job done is. If they did, maybe they wouldn't be working at a Taco Mac and complaining because their job is so hard. Oh and by the way: thanks for taking your smoke break while I'm waiting for you to come by my table 20 minutes after the last visit. Bunch of brats.
i bet you a dollar that you have never served a day in your life, jerk.
actually 90% of the people i work with go to college... and the same goes for the last restaurant i worked.. and 7 of the people i work with right now have a BA and can't find a job other than waiting tables. get better statistics, bro. what do you do? is "getting the job done" working in the construction field? because of all the people i know that is where the most uneducated kids seeked employment.
You people are disgusting! That is one of the main reasons I prefer not to dine out with a group of people. Low and behold there is always a cheapskate in the group! I don't care if you have poor service, you should leave some kind of type! I hate people with that "your job is to serve me attitude" or "go find another job attitude". I have had very poor service in my life but it's not something I come across regularly, IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO TIP STAY YOUR @SS HOME or theres always MCDONALDS!
I'm 100% on the side of the servers here. I'm not a waiter (nor have I ever been one) but I know how much people feel entitled. Having to deal with someone who feels they deserve something is unbearable on all accounts.
When I'm being served I try to be as succinct and pleasant as possible because I know the person serving me is likely at their wits end.
To anyone who says "if you don't like to serve, get another job" you should probably reconsider your position. 99% of the people in the world don't like their job. Unfortunately it's not really an option for most to up and quit because they had to deal with a headache of a customer. The problem isn't that they don't like to serve – it's that they don't like to serve uppity guests who feel their entitled to 4 star service when they are paying $10 for a meal.
You don't need your ketchup "right now". You won't die of dehydration anytime soon. It's one thing to get fussy because a server is completely incompetent but it's entirely different to berate them when it's clear they are overworked (which they all are).
Bravo!
Rico,
Would love waiting on you any day.
why does everything have to be so polarizing? we're all just people working and eating. have a little patience with each other.
“I'm a server and just when I'm reading all these ignorant, pompous complaints, I was thinking how much I hate people in general. Stay home if you get that offended by your server's behavior.”
Get a different job that lets you stay in a cave.
im sorry , noy trying to be offensive but the BLACK PEOPLE don't tip , never tip and will never tip you, the only good tip you are going to receive from them after a very nice service is a complaint on you to your boss.
i hate to serve black people , i honestly hate them when they come by , they want to be treated like kings , move the chair for them , maybe wipe their mouth after they finish , at the end, u receive a complaint if you're lucky and if you're not , they will tell ur boss they found a hair that belongs to you in the food or some stupid reason not to pay at all .
i hate them
I once took the "ghetto" table that two other servers refused. They left me a 45% tip. I also used to get the mexican national tourists because the other servers said they were snobbish and left bad tips. I've NEVER walked away from those tables with less then a 15% tip. Don't be stupid.
Sweetgirl, its okay, you're just feeling bad cause you're the one that left the 3% tip didn't you? I waited on this black girl, I got her everything she need, refill her water without being asked. She asked for an extra bowl of rice, brought it and she asked if it was extra charge and I said, "we normally charge but I'm not going to". After her meal was done and she left, all that was left in the check book was her signature and a total charge with no FUCKING TIP!!! What the fuck!!!!
WOWZERS!!!! You are a shoe in for player hater of the year!
I was a food server for over twenty years. The government taxes food servers for a percentage of their food sales. It depends on the kind of restaurant, coffee shop, fine dining. etc for the amount of tax. If you still your server they are still going to have to pay a tax for your bill. There are good and bad in both the waiters and costumers. It is waht each of you make it.
Try living in Utah and waiting on Mormons. They give 10% of their income to the Church. Do you think they are going to give you more than 10%? Hell No!
Actually heard a customer saying "if 10% is good enough for the Lord, it's good enough for them". The Lord doesn't have a mortgage, car payments, grocery bills, diapers, etc to pay for. I do.
I am not a waiter but I do work in customer service and I will tell you that people in general dont appreciate the things that we have to deal with on a day to day basis. We have to deal with rude and ignorant people and still put a smile on our face like nothing happen. People need to appreciate the things that another person is doiong for them, whether it be serving you or anything else. As far as the comment about getting a higher education, most people that are waiters/waiteress are doing so to pay for school idiot.
Here's a thought- How about a tip based on work done and not a percentage of the check? Mediocre service at a fancy place should not earn more than good service at a cheap one. As a frequent diner I highly support the tipping system in the USA which makes it better than the usially crappy service overseas- especially Europe. Award lavishly for great service, throw down pocket change for bad and quality of service will improve!
in the US a persentage of our sales go to paying the hostess, busboy, and bartender.. in a nice place like youmentioned it can be as high as 8% so before you go and throw down that $20 on a tab that was $275, please consider the fact that we now had to pay to wait on you.
It would be nice if quality of service improved from a bad tip, but I doubt that happens. If servers receive a bad tip, more likely than not they'll just brush you off as a douchebag cheapskate and continue doing things exactly the way they always do. Having worked in customer service, I always try to be nice to servers and leave a large tip, since I know it's most of their paycheck, but on the few occasions that I got rotten service (wrong order, long delays with no servers in sight, surly attitude, etc), I have no illusions that the small tip I left them will show them the error of their ways.
Honestly, it all simply comes down to this: waitstaff and customers alike are all human. Most are pleasant, generous, and polite, but there will always be a few bad apples who ruin it for everyone else.
If everyone who had a problem working in customer service got out of the industry, the cost of eating out would skyrocket, since they'd have to increase wages to find people willing to do it.
If everyone who had a problem with the things waiters do stayed home, things would be a lot more pleasant for the rest of us.
I was in the restaurant industry for 9 years, 2 as a manager, and got out because I was sick of junior restaurant critics who came out to find something to complain about rather than have a meal with friends or family. 90% of customers are fine or great, but the 10% that are douche-bags (industry term) ruin everyone's day and actually make the staff very jaded to where they become difficult to work with. One douch-bag can ruin everyone's night, front of the house and back.
$10 or $20 spot to transfer a bar tab???? GET REAL. Yes, the bar tab shouldn't be transfered in the first place, but if the customers request it, then it's unreasonable to expect $10 – $20 to transfer it. More like $5 I would say, but it depends on the amount of alcohol has been consumed.
And why would it be a problem to transfer a tab? I tip on the overall amount and I don't need to worry that bartenders and waiters cannot split their tip. Most likely, I ended up at the bar first because you couldn't offer me a table right away so don't give me hassle. Forcing a customer deal with separate tabs is a way to bump the tips artificially. For example, even if I only had one drink at a bar, which would be $8 or $9, I would still leave at least $3, which is a very sizable 30%. By closing the first tap, you keep it low and the percentage tip higher than what it would normally be. So, please drop the nonsense, the tab should be easily transferable from a bar to a dining area.
to Author:
I dont think you read your "Tiffany Table Manners for Teenagers" correctly. A crossed fork and knife in the middle of the plate means "DO NOT TAKE" ...a fork and knife set aside on the plate paralell to each other means "im finished." I wonder how many of your readers are now misinformed now because of your typo.
*J
I waited tables for over three years, and while most customers were average people, the treatment that I received from many, many patrons was appalling. Guests assume that they can condescend to you, be rude, and generally treat you like a brain-damaged indentured servant, since they know you essentially have no choice but to take their treatment. Also, I think that MANY people are unaware that servers (in most states) only get paid half of minimum wage, so tips are literally their income. You may or may not agree with this system, but if you don't tip, your server may not be able to pay rent. Anything less than 15% indicates that you hated the service; if you like your server, please consider 20%.
That bartender's attitude is why customers complain. I don't care if you lose your tip when i transfer my tab to a table, you're there working for the establishment. You don't run the company. And now you've lost another customer for your company! What an a$$.
you are an idiot, he is trying to tell people that he does not mind transferring their tab, but that he is working for tips as well, if you are going to be an ass then just wait till you get to your table for drinks and stop complaining.
no one is trying to scam the bartender. some restaurants are set up for this – in which case i assume they take care of the bartender. if not, they should say so. it is not the customer's job to mind-read how each individual restaurant manages their system.
Mike. You are a sad person. What makes you think that all servers are uneducated and possess a criminal record? I've read a handful of your ignorant statements and you have plenty of grammatical errors. I know several servers that possess a bachelors degree, including myself. Get over yourself. The bartender does not work for free. Yes, they are working for the establishment. However, the establishment does not pay enough for the bartender to lift their arm and pour a beer for you and then turn around and wash your dirty glass.
if you don't wanna be a waiter...don't.. plus most of the people that are a career food service employees are to stupid to do anything else. i never tip...it's not my fault you choose to work than less than a legal wage.
By your comment, you appear as stupid as the servers you look down on. How could you possibly know how smart someone is by their occupation? There's plenty of idiots in almost every profession on the planet.
Then make your own fucking food, serve your own ass, clean up after yourself, you dumb fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, forgot, you can't because you're a dumbass that depends on other people to make food and serve you!!!!!!!!!
Next time when you don't tip I hope someone leaves something special for you under your pancakes!!!! EAT SHIT!!!!
you must work in a crappy restaurant or hate food. i love to make food at home, and i love to eat good food out, whether haute cuisine or just good food that someone else makes – as their expression and/or livelihood. you work for them and for me. if you bring shit to your job, you're worthless to both of us having an altogether different life experience than your narrow one.
do you return to the same restaurant after you haven't tipped? if so, you should know that you've probably ingested a lot of disgusting things in your lifetime of non-tipping.
It gives me joy to think of the disgusting things that waiters have probably done to your food over the years.
While it is not your fault that I am a "waiter" it is also not my fault that your parent's raised a douchbag, so don't take it out on me.
Troll! I've never waited tables, but you sound like a spoiled thirteen year old. Of course you never leave a tip-Mommy and Daddy do it for you!
like a taxi driver, your job is to wait and assist on people. get off your high horses. your fucking watiers
get off your high horse and learn how to spell, moron.
Stop going to restaurants and you wont see anyone on their horses.
i love eating at restaurants and fine dining. i was a waiter for about 4 years and had a great time. but how dare you try and make out that you call the shots in a restaurant. your job is to give me food and make me happy. i am there to enjoy myself not consider your feelings and make sure im using the right etiquette.
and JDT, i was talking to this whole forum, thus why i used 'horses' (plural)
The service industry in general is in crisis right now. I'm not a waiter but I work in a customer service job, and trust me this is not my career of choice, I found this job 6 months after I was laid off from another company. I answer phones for a lawyers office. People expect things RIGHT NOW! If I can do that I most certainly will satisfy your needs RIGHT NOW, but sometimes I just can't, like if a partner is not in the office that day, there's really nothing I can do besides take a message and email them. I would like to think that waiters always do the absolute best that they can.
I will be the first person to tell you that just because someone is working in the service industry doesn't mean they're good at it or even like it. You don't know why a person is working a job like that so don't judge them. They could be students in college, artists, in fact, I know several elementary school teachers who wait part time just to make ends meet, and these are people with masters degrees in physics and chemistry. I hate this job, but I make the best of it until things turn around. I'm always applying for new positions somewhere else but at least I have a way to put food on the table and keep a roof over my head.
it's not a judgment not to expect people to do a crappy job at the expense of the customer, regardless of their personal problems, especially since we all have them.
Servers do "do the best they can" to make customers happy almost all the time, you are right. The problem for some people is, you could spit polish their shoes while serving them lobster on a gold platter and they would find something to b*tch about. Some people can't or don't want to be happy.
I usually ask a waiter how their day is going almost immediately. Occaionally the waiter will think it's a weird question, or just doesn't want to relate in a personal way to a customer, but most times, it breaks the ice and lets them know that I see them as a person and that I'm open to having a good exchange. I tip generously if the service is really good and will go to an even 15% if the service is questionable. If the service is truly unpleasant, I'll speak w. a manager–but I will go a long way to give them the benefit of the doubt–there's a lot that's not in their control–sometimes I'll ask if they're having a stressful day.
Afterwards, do you give them a kiss? sheez!
"there's a lot that's not in their control–"
what most people forget...
true from a human side. from the business side, the server is the customer service representative – the "face" of the place, just like the retail clerk or phone representative in other businesses. anything that doesn't come together on the business' end has NOTHING to do with the customer.
This is why you're one of the favorite types of customers for servers. No matter what, that simple bit of civility will guarantee that your table will get that little bit of extra attention.
Favorite phrases among servers: "Please", "Thank you" and "When you have a second" These all acknowledge that the customer has an interest in taking some responsibility for their dining experience. If you are willing to be polite to me, I am more than willing to make sure that you have a fantastic experience.
I am going to guess that 9 times out of 10 you receive very good service and enjoy your overall experience. I think some customers forget that you reap what you sow. Treat people fairly and courteously and 99% of the time they will do so in return. Waiting on people like you can often make a server's night.
I can't wait for the day that wait staff are replaced by robots.
Then you won't ever have to talk to a real person and can go home happy and play World of Warcraft. Loohoozaher.
I am a generous tipper but I am not going to tip generously for someone to just schlep the food over from the kitchen to my table. I can do that myself at home. Also, that 10% tip I gave for terrible service is still more than you would have gotten if I didn't come at all unless there was a wait for tables.
P.S. You get overtipped because most people tip on the tax as well instead of just the total.
Most restaurants require that the server tip-out on there total sales (including tax). When you don't tip on the tax, the server still has to tip-out on it. Your 15% tip that doesn't include the tax turns into a 12% tip and then with a tip-out of 3%, the total tip becomes 9%. Everyone should have to work in a restaurant for a week.
my best is when you arrive at a table with a tray and 6 plates, call out the food and nobody at the table remembers what they ordered and spend the next few minutes trying to remember who ordered what !! WOW
It's your JOB to remember. What am I tipping you for? Obviously, I wouldn't tip you.
You'd withhold a tip, just because they forgot who ordered which meal? What a jerk! There are dozens of things they've got to get right. How about reducing their tip by 1%? Maybe instead of $12, give them 11?
Most restaurants have food runners that deliver the food.
You do realize that A LOT of the time it will be one of the other servers in the restaurant that is dropping off the food. It's not always going to be your server because everyone helps everyone to make sure that service is better and faster. Obviously you would be one of the guests we would remember and "accidentally" let your food hit the floor... and stomp on it... spit on... kick around... and put it back on the plate. Enjoy!
Hey, keep in mind that sometimes OTHER servers end up getting stuck running YOUR food. I'm a server, and I frequently have to pick up the slack of some of the less experienced (slower) servers. If they are busy taking an order, I'll run their food to a table so that it gets to the customer as fast as possible. Customers SHOULD appreciate that, and I'm helping THEM. As a result, though, I might not know who ordered what (and I might have MY other tables that I need to get back to), so some cooperation and thanks would be appreciated.
At high-end restaurants they go to the trouble of placing the appropriate entrée in front of the person who ordered it, instead of a cattle call of "Who had the chicken fettucine Alfredo?!"
It's not the end of the world if that's how the dishes come out, but please understand that this is not a customer-oriented practice and it does not encourage a hefty tip.
If your waiter knows what the're doing they'll use a seat designation system and all waiters will take the order starting with a designated seat. That way whoever brings the food will know which customer gets what plate. I waited tables all four years of college and this is one of my pet peeves as well. This is really a management issue though because if everyone isn't on the same page it doesn't work.
i was a server for several years in a few differnt places and they all had table numbers. there is no reason not to know who ordered what. i hate to agree with the non servers, but its YOUR job to know who ordered what.
Robby, if you can't remember who ordered what at the table you are serving go work at McDonald's that way you only have to remember to press the right key when the customer is talking into the clown face. Jesus you expect a tip and you can't even do your job
How about instead of "are you still working on that?" you say "May I take your plate?" Simple.
Thanks for saying that, Court! We 'eat' our food. This is not a construction or demolition project we're 'working' on. But, wait staff – whatever you ask when it looks like we're done, we appreciate your prompt, accurate, and gracious service. The best food can be ruined by poor service, or your good service can overcome a chef's mediocrity and transform the dining experience into a true delight. I'm grateful for all the folk working to make going out a joy.
I agree! I'm a server and I hate it when people say "Are you still working on that?" But it also depends on the atmosphere of the place you are dining in. I also agree with your comment about bad service ruining a great meal. As someone who has picked up waitressing/bartending jobs since college, I can say that it's even less about the service and more about the attitude. Most people are very forgiving if you make a mistake, apologize and do something above and beyond to make it up to them. Those who aren't forgiving, probably wouldn't have been happy or tipped well regardless of the level of service you gave. But you can't control that, all you can control is your attitude and be as pleasant as possible to people regardless of your skill as a server.
I have always said that before a server starts a job he has to take a course in" Ignoring customers 101".
I worked as a hostess for a few years and I can't tell you how rude some people would be to me even though I was polite and had a smile on my face and really tried to accomodate their requests. I really liked that job and I let it show but some customers seemed to go out of their way to be mean to me...I think it's the whole " I am so much better than you" idea which is such a horrible way to go about things I think....
So...basically, nobody knows (or at least agrees) on what the proper etiquette is to indicate "I'm doing eating". Good to know. And there is a difference between service and being abused. Just as "if you don't like your job, get a new one" works, so does "if you don't like the service, there's plenty of other dining options". Relax people and tip well. You get what you pay for... and no, never been part of a waitstaff in my life
I find it interesting that the signals given in this article for being "done" do not follow proper etiquette. One should not cross the knife and fork or push the plate to the side. Likewise it is rude to stack dishes for the waitstaff. The proper indication of being done is to put your knife and fork parallel on the plate. With the bottom of the utensil touching 4 and the top towards 10. The fork is closest to the diner. The knife blade points toward the diner. Maybe some of the confusion over being done (for both server and diner) comes from a lack of etiquette being taught anymore.
Tipping is not legally required. It is your job to earn them.
and what happens when you have earned it and only get told you did a good job, but they leave you jack? i on average made 20-25% in tips a night, i gave the same service to every customer, and still would get stiffed. you please explain that to me.
Kevin, how can you complain about averaging 20-25% when the normal average is 15%. Some people may be cheap and some may be over generous, but that average is what matters and you seem to be doing fine.
Hey Neil. you're a tool. What do you do for a living? well if its anything decent i assume you went to college. So you probably had a shitty job while going to school. Not many students have great jobs. most waiters in populated area's are going to school or waiting on another job to come through. at least that was my experience. i can only hope one day they become your boss and treat you as disrespectfully as many douche bags like you treat servers.
"I'm a server...and I was thinking how much I hate people in general." Here's a tip – don't be a server.
Don't screw with anyone who handles your body, your food, or your family. Easy as that.
Servers always get a smile, a "please" and "thank you," and a nice tip from me. I've gotten only good service in return.
Good idea... I served for 9 months prior to going into the military. I have seen/done some messed up things to people's food because of the way they treated me (90% of the time this was prior to tipping). And another note, if you're a nasty customer, then don't be a regular because you will probably get an extra ingredient or two in your entree.
Glad your in the military now chasing bad guys and killing the enemy rather than the poor unsuspecting people who could get sick and die because you are to emotionally immature or emotionally retarded to deal with people who upset you. You must be proud of yourself and I am sure your parents and colleagues are as well because you spit in peoples food. I am disturbed that your many server buddies on this blog have not condemned you and any other person like you for doing suck a sick thing. Only one thing that scares me more than you in a restaurant is you with a gun, hope none of your military buddies pisses you off.
The huge arrogance displayed by the first comment with regards to his/her insensitivity to people with hearing-loss shows the general attitude of entitlement that the industry seems to display.
All of the complaints from the servers are fine and dandy if they make them feel better, but most of time, I would gladly get up and get my own plate off the hotplate, get my own drink refills, and keep my "20 spot" if it meant that I didn't have to deal with their excuses and attitudes.
That would be called a buffet, feel free.
There's a small restaurant chain called The Training Table where you seat yourself, call your order back to the kitchen, pick it up yourself, and have to do all your drink refills, yet a sit down atmosphere. Trust me, the novelty wears off when you have your conversation interrupted to go pick up food or to go refill drinks. The server is doing you a favor by doing these things even if its not as nicely as you wanted them to.
no server is doing a customer a "favor" while on the clock. it's all business. miserable servers just make it a sorry industry for their better colleagues.
I hate to assume, but I'm assuming you know how long the cook times are for appetizers/entrees, prep time for salads/drinks/dessert. I can also assume that you know where everything in the kitchen/restaurant is. You would also have to know how the computer system works, so that you could tally up the total and make sure the kitchen/bar receives your order. With all of those concessions, I can see how you would be able to "keep [your] 20 spot." Unfortunately, even using the computer takes some learning, maybe you are tipping for more than "get[ting] up and get[ting] [your] own plate off the hotplate, get[ting] [your] own drink refills." Should servers also expect you to put your dishes away and clean up the restaurant when it closes? I imagine that after a dinner and a movie, you and your date would love to come back and wait for the last few people to leave before putting everything away and flipping all the chairs.
First of all, "cross your fork and knife over the center of the plate." is not a "Universal" sign that the person is finished. Correct etiquette is place the fork upsidedown and cross it with the knife where the handles point in the 2 O'clock position. – Check your facts...
I push the empty plate to the edge of the table. That's enough of a signal for anyone.
FINALLY, someone got it right.
Oh my I'm so confused now...lol
Yeah, that bit about "universal symbols" nuts. t's terrible table manners to put your napkin on your plate! If my cutlery is lying across my plate, and I am sitting back sipping wine or water, or just chatting with my companion, I think it's pretty clear. But if the server has any question, how about asking, "May I take your plate"?
So if you don't like to serve, get another job. I'm an excellent tipper, do all the things correctly that you bitc#&* about and i still have still received lousy service. And believe me, I fill out the comment cards.
And believe me, we dont read them.
lol, very true
they're not for you. if you're scamming them from your boss, that's between the two of you. stay miserable, but when my meal is over, it's over.
It doesn't matter if you like what the customers do / say or think – your job is to serve them. That's what separates a great waitperson from the average. You shouldn't have to deal with abusive customers but that is your managements job to handle. If the customers stay home your out of a job
right on.
After reading this ... just a comment about dining etiquette from the one waitstaff person. Proper etiquette is for the plate to be removed by a non verbal que is for the knife and fork to be in the 10 and 4 position, not crossed over one another. Crossed over one another is what is considered the "rest" position, which the person is not done and just "resting".
Actually it's parallel, in a 3 o'clock position. But definitely not crossed in the middle. The waiter who commented was poorly trained.
Yes this is exactly right. There's some idiots here who think crossing your utensils means you're done, it means the EXACT OPPOSITE (Look at the response from James...what an idiot). I think the proper position is tines, blade of knife in @ 10 oclock and the handles at 5 oclock...not to be pedantic ;D
all to say, forget the cues since no one can agree on them.
Diners - you can afford to eat at a restaurant; many people cannot. Quit complaining.
Servers - you have a job; many people do not. Quit complaining.
This is possibly the most sensible comment I've seen here yet. If you don't like either to be served or to serve then I would suggest staying out of restaurants all together.
And, for those who do not tip and say that the employer should cover that... get this, you are going to pay for that without any say in how much when the owner raises prices on the menu. Tipping anyone who deserves it is simply a nice thing to do and if you don't get that then you should attempt being on the service side for just one shift.
hear, hear! i am a solid tipper, my base is 20% and i judge the service after that. now, in a better system, which i think both sides can agree would be better (much of the rest of the world seems happy with a no-tipping system where servers are already paid fully), i wouldn't have to have that approach, and probably shouldn't have to. but i live in the world as it is and love to get my dine on. that said, this server-customer is not a 50-50 proposition. the meanings of the words tell the story. yes, customers should not be assholes, but if you don't want to SERVE people, don't go into this line of work and wait on me resentfully, please.
I think these "servers" are missing the point of their job, which is "service." If they can't perform the essential function of their job, perhaps they shouldn't do it.
...and perhaps people who have forgotten the basic manners their mothers taught them (or not as the case may be) should stay home. Waitstaff and others in the service industry are not there to be your personal kick toy. It does not mean that they live for the abuse you can pile on their heads. How about some common decency?
What the wait staff should not forget. . . is I'M THE ONE PAYING THE BILL!
I'll bitch, whine, complain all I want if it's not done the way I have asked for it. That's what I'm paying for. Check the definition of TIP: "An optional payment given in addition to a required payment, usually to express appreciation for excellent service; also called gratuity."
I've had excellent service for which I've tipped more than the cost of the meal, and I've had horrendous service for which I've tipped pennies.
When I pay my bill, I am paying to have my meal prepared and served this includes beverages and all other amenities which come with my meal. You want a TIP. . . EARN IT!
My job is not to subliment your wage. That's your employers job!
I also have a problem with employers who require to pool your tips and "pay out" to kitchen staff and busboys. My TIP is for my WAIT service. If I want to tip the kitchen staff because the meal was above and beyond, I'll do that. I'm certainly not tipping the busboys for doing their job! Advice for the management: LEAVE MY MONEY ALONE. I paid it where I want it
Marvin – the reason you get bas service is because you go into resturants with that attiude, the server remembers your ignorants a$$ and when you sit in their section again they know its not worth the effort to make you happy since you are not going to tip anyway.
do you see?
"I've had excellent service for which I've tipped more than the cost of the meal, and I've had horrendous service for which I've tipped pennies. " You have it so right. Confuses the heck out of a server when you give over a tip more than the total cost of the meal, but if that serer has gone so far and above so as to deserve that tip, its wonderful to see the look on their face. This is especially true in some of the harder "service" industries (waiting tables is not "hard", pulling electrical wire is) such as massage therapists and nail technicians (imagine how disgusting their job can be for a pedicure – unless they injure me, I ALWAYS tip 50% for a pedicure). Massage therapists have an incredibly hard job and there are any number of ways they can injury themselves doing their job properly. Wait staff have it pretty easy as far as the "hardness" of their job. BTW, you wage is only $2.13/hour if you are making enough in tips in a week to bring your weekly wage to the federal minimum wage. If tips do not bring you to the federal minimum wage, the employer is REQUIRED by law to make up the difference. If that is not happening then you need to find a decent attorney. Service jobs are considered unskilled labor jobs and as such are not supposed to "pay" well – hence the minimum wage. Those in service industry that work their fannies off to make a decent take home usually deserve it, those who don't, usuallty shouldn't have gotten any tip in the first place.
What I learned was the when done a meal, the knife and fork are placed parallel, basically 4 oclock to 11 oclock on your plate, not in a croassed fashion. It was considered rude to push your plate aside or pile your knapkin on top of it.
Agreed. I was also taught that bunching up your napkin on the plate was rude. Not very good advice in this article.
you are incorrect –
napkin should be folded in half, placed over lap for lunch, fully unfolded over lap for supper, then placed, folded, either on the table of on the plate when finished. THIS is the sign that the patron is finished. :-)
Agree with both comments. I was taught that a signal you are done with the food is putting your fork an knife parallel in a 3 o'clock position. And I was also taught that pushing your plates to the side and especially throwing your napkin into a plate is rude. But the difference could be coming from the fact that I was brought up and was taught those etiquette things in Europe.
I have one comment for the waiter/waitress that indicated "I was thinking how much I hate people in general". Get the H-E-Double-L out of the customer service industries! You'd be doing everyone a favor, yourself included.
The only reason that waitstaff hate people, is because no matter what we do as a waitperson someone will complain about something, no matter how good the service.
I agree Jesse! 100%. Eventually in any field people will drive you crazy. Especially if it is a costumer needs satisfaction driven field.
If you don't like the industry you are in, get the hell out! No one is forcing you to be a waiter/waitress. Oh, and tips are not deserved; they are earned. I do not have to tip you just because you are waiting on me. "Annoy a liberal-work hard and be happy."
If you don't like the restaurant you're eating in, get the hell out! Otherwise, eat turd, tip, and then get the hell out you disrepectiveful prick!
If you don't have enough class to tip you don't have enough class to eat in public. Go microwave a tv dinner.
Amen!
I guess you are one of those types that sucks down your soda 10 times throughout your meal and if we didnt fill it up in your so called timely manner you wont tip us. Put it this way treat people as you would like to be treated. You never know who you treating like crap, It could be the kid who will replace your worthless ass someday!
Good response!
it really goes both ways. i love great personal service and will tip in response. but, forgetfullness and having to ask for the same thing over and over again is my pet peeve.
dinging experiences are never going to change. It all depends on what person is going out to eat and what person is set to serve them... bad person gets a bad waiter? nobody cares... good person gets a good waitress? nobody cares... but no matter who you are, there's always going to be someone complaining about their service. The way i see it is that if you want to complain about the service you're getting, then stay home and wait on yourself. As for serving staff... if you want to come to work with a horrible attitude, that's fine. but if you want tips and happy customers, i suggest leaving your baggage in your car before you put on that apron.
Heres a novel idea, get a decent education then maybe you wouldn't have to be a monkey on a leash.
Here's an idea, the next time you order something check and make sure there's no spit in it. How dare you judge a hardworking person who's job is probabley 10x harder then whatever you do. In case you haven't noticed, this country is in a financial crisis. Student loans are drying up and even if you have a degree in something it doesn't garuntee you a job anymore. God have mercy on the people who serve you, be they waiters or otherwise, you selfish prick.
Nice spelling and grammar for a college graduate!
What is it? Ebonics???
I keep hearing about how student loans are drying up and yet I'm not having a problem getting mine at all. I'm also getting a state grant, too.
philly,
I'm thinking state college?
Karma
To even suggest spitting in someone's food suggests you definitely not educated (probably a HS drop out). I hope you spit in someone's food and get caught you sick SOB.
Karma
To even suggest spitting in someone's food suggests you're definitely not educated (probably a HS drop out). I hope you spit in someone's food and get caught you sick SOB.
Here's a novel idea, get a better job so you can hire a slave not a professional!!!
Hey Neil, if you didn't know this, there are MANY people who wait tables while they are in school. This must shock you to read this but it's true.
actually Neil, most of us servers are in school, trying to pay our way through while working as servers. so perhaps not all servers are as uneducated as you may think. give us a break. our parents can't pay for our education.
You know some people have to work there way through that education. Not everyone's parents can afford to put them through school. It has nothing to do with education level. Some people actually enjoy what they do in the restaurant industry and are very intelligent and very well educated. Not to mention there my not be very many options for those educated positions right now.
As someone who waited tables at a moderately upscaled restaurant while attending school - I can tell you one thing I know for a fact: just because people have money, or an education for that matter, does not mean they have class -
Some of the grossest people I have encountered where my patrons who treated my coworkers and myself like we were serfs - This was back in the mid-90's but I am sure there are people like you in restaurants around the country at this very moment acting the same way.
AMEN TO THAT! I was a server in college, and I learned really quickly not to judge people. I could never tell by looking at someone how they would tip.
My husband and I eat out a lot and are very generous tippers (we have both worked in the food service industry). Even if the waitress goofs up our orders, etc. we usually tip. It's a hard job, and everyone makes mistakes.
However, if the waitress is RUDE, they get nothing, along with a note explaining that we left nothing because they were nasty, not because we are cheap. This rarely happens. Generally, we are nice and respectful to them, and they treat us the same way.
Some of the worst are the wealthy.They have a sense of entitlement
I have an education and i still was a server because its fast money to pay for my loans...get a life...just cause someone is a server doesn't mean they dont have an education...
May I give you a hand before you fall off of your high-horse? Obviously you are quite ignorant to the fact that a good number of wait-staff are in the process of working towards what you would call a "decent education". Many students actually work while studying instead of leeching off of their parents or the government. Perhaps next time you are out you should ask your wait-staff what they are studying. My guess is that most of these people are more educated than you.
In most cases these are people who are working for said education and having to put up with your arrogant elitist garbage.
Hey idiot, I have a bachelor's degree and a full-time job. I take up serving as a second job to earn even extra CASH so that I can pay all my bills and still enjoy myself. Don't think that every server is not educated. In most cases were much smarter than the people we serve and we trash talk how stupid you are with our co-workers while we're ringing in your order. 90% of people that come in to eat are very very ignorant and could use a few lessons in dining etiquette.
You have a degree and a full time job yet still have to work a second job to afford things? Poor choice in a major.
Hey Neil, you probably can't wipe your own ass, let alone cook and clean for yourself that's why you depend on us to serve your dumbass! Get educated about courteousy!!!
I waited tables while going to school (a private school which I received a FULL academic scholarship to), working on my bachelor's in mechanical engineering and math... you do what you have to do, and a lot of the times, serving positions have more flexible hours, so that after going to my 18 hours of class a week, I can spend my time working at night so I can pay my rent. Not everyone that works in a restaurant is uneducated.
Well Neil, none of these people are monkeys on leashes. In fact most of the people who look down on service people have an inferiority complex and no power in their own lives. The only power they have over other people is when they go to a restaurant or other service related business. Just let me know when you want some more slack on that leash now Neil.
Ever consider that maybe we're waiting tables to PAY for that education. I'm 21. I go to school full time and work full time. Don't peg me as uneducated.
I have a degree you ass and still its better for me to wait tables than be in sales
Neil,
I work at a well known restaurant and have for several years. I take home 6 to 8 hundred on a weekend alone but I guess thats just chicken feed to the highly educated like you. By the way, I can cook a T-bobe in a microwave that you'd die for after I drop in on the floor or rub it on my rear end, keep that in mind the next time you act like an idiot to your server. Remember we turn in our orders and a grateful kitchen and bar staff appreciates our percentage of tips they recieve and if I tell them you're a jerk they remember that when preparing the meal.
Attention servers: grow the fuck up.
The world is full of assholes. You are not the only workers who have to deal with them. The rest of us, in various service industries, learn how to deal with them effectively and like adults. If we don't, we get fired or our businesses fail.
If you feel it's your right to retaliate against an unpleasant customer by depositing your bodily fluids in his/her meal, let me know. I'll make sure my mechanics "forget" something in your transmission when you bitch about how much it costs to repair a car you don't take care of.
John you did not disappoint, I knew if I read far enough into the responses I would find one poor bastard who would threaten to do harm to another human by doing something to their food. Obviously you are a sick degenerate who should never be allowed to serve food much less work in a food establishment. Do you think your funny? I only find you sad and repulsive as I hope anyone else in your profession would as well. You should see a shrink and find a new line of work, maybe something like cleaning up the shit from E.coli victims. Asshole
You really need to learn to show respect to all people no matter what their "status" in life is. An education does not determine the value of a person. If someone works hard at whatever they do, whether it's serving jerks like you, or cleaning your bathrooms in your office building, they deserve respect. I sought my education in order to meet my own goals, not because I thought it would make me more important than everyone else. The education that you need is in manners and the ability to treat everyone equally. Most people do whatever they have to do to survive, and obviously you have never been in that position to be so arrogant about someone who is.
Just because someone is a server doesn't mean that they aren't educated! I work as a server and I'm going to one of the top universities in the country. Most waiters or servers have worked hard to be were they are, you should respect your sever, we're not there to be your bitch. Next time think before you open your uneducated, derogatory mouth. AND IF YOU'VE NEVER SERVED THEN YOU HAVE NO ROOM TO TALK.....EVER!!!!!
you are my bitch.. now suck it
Neil – I'm not a waiter, and have never been one. I dofeel that many times my waiter expects a tip, rather than works for one. I can be very critical of those waiting on me. I disagree with alomost everything that the wait staff in this article are saying. That being said, I feel that your comment is possibly the most ignorant thing that I have ever read. Stop judging waiters based upon your incorrect stereotypes, and start judging them based upon their service.
Servers are trained regarding the "type" of service they give. If they work for a corporation they have to adhere to certain"formulation" of training guidelines. Each restaurant gives a different set of rules and restrictions upon time limitations and when to ask for plates and drop off the check. I am a veteran of the U.S Army, disabled and I serve tables to individuals who think they can look down on me. I laugh though because I know one day I will fire them. I have a 3.75 GPA and am Pre-Law one day you "little people" will look to my guidance and pray that I do not know your face.
you're what's wrong with people. I dine out all the time entertaining customers or just with my family. what i notice is there are small people who want to feel like bigshots so they act like jerks to people at the point of sale of services. you're the guy on the plane being rude to the flight attendant, the jerk jumping up and down yelling at the front desk clerk in the hotel and yes, being a jerk to the wait staff. perhaps if you had accomplishments in life you wouldn't have to put others down...or if you had a personality people would want to serve you
Neil, I AM working on my education and it just so happens that I can work in food service when I don't have class to get to. The tip that you leave me goes straight to paying for my education.
NEWSFLASH: The restaurant pays me $2.13 per hour. There are children in third world countries who make more than that. Your tip is my income and I work hard for it.
Here are some things I would wish customers would remember when going to a restaurant:
- Just because we aren't dealing with you at the moment, doesn't mean we're twittling our thumbs. We generally have 5-8 tables of people that all need something and WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.
-$1 doesn't buy anyone anything anymore, please leave at least $2.
-For each child under 13 at a table we tend to have to work about 2 times harder, please tip accordingly.
-When I say, "Are you ready to order?" it's not rhetorical, please have your order ready because chances are, I'm in a hurry.
-We don't make the prices, if you'd like to complain, simply ask for my manager.
-If your food takes a long time to come out, it is the kitchen's fault 98% of the time, not ours.
-If your excuse for not tipping well is, "well we just can't afford to be generous," then please remember that if you can't afford to tip appropriately, you can't afford to eat out. It is part of the cost when you decide to eat out, because you are paying for the experience of getting served.
-Because I know what servers go through, I tip pretty well. But when friends and family ask what a good tipping rule is, I tell them $3 per person or 18%, whichever is more.
-If you like our service, don't just tell us, please find our manager and tell them too.
And remember, a smile goes a long way :)
Happy to serve, are you joking? really? when you come to my table I should be ready to order because your in a hurry, holy shit your in the wrong business. When we go out to eat we are with friends and family we have a tendency to chat and enjoy a cocktail or take our time deciding what we want to eat before we order. If we aren't moving fast enough for you please let us know we will definitely go somewhere else. Please earn a little more money and go buy a clue.
Ozzy, that is completely different. If you want to sit around and enjoy a few cocktails, you normally tell the server,c orrect? That's fine. It's the people who say yes they're ready to order and then keep you standing there another 5 minutes while they make up their minds that bother us. I really AM busy and probably have food to run out to a table or drinks to refill or a tab to drop off or a credit card to run while this table is still making up their minds but won't let me leave. But if you tel me it'll be awhile because you're enjoying cocktails, I'm cool with that. I'll stop by to make sure your drinks are full and to see if you're ready to order. Just please don't tell me you're ready when you're not.
I feel I need to address some points you made
-Follow me here. I buy a burger for 5 dollars at a sit down restaurant, im leaving one dollar because its 20%. I realize that one dollar can’t buy anything, but chances are if you are bringing me a 5 dollar meal your not going to be doing much anyways, and additionally, I hope you are serving more than one person a day to make that 2 dollars.
-Ill order when I want to, im the customer, you’re the service provider, ill take my time. I don’t care if your in a hurry, its your job.
- My tip reflects the entire restaurants performance, so if I get a bad meal im tipping low. Don’t work at a bad restaurant.
-Additionally if you expect to have a job after college then maybe you should have a better attitude about customers.
quote – "tipped employees" are a class of employee for which the standard federal minimum wage does not apply. Instead, employers must pay a tipped employee at least $2.13 / hour. HOWEVER, the law also states that if an employee's wage plus that employee's tips do not equal at least the standard minimum wage (currently $7.25 nationally, higher in some states), the employer must make up the difference. – unquote
So I guess all you waiters don't make 2.13 an hour. You are guarenteed to get 7.25. That was a lie.
Wow, what an ignorant comment. I've waited tables for years and around 85% of my coworkers have been students or graduates who were having trouble finding a job.
Nell- I am a waitress in the service industry and am extremely offended by what you have written. The people I have worked with in the service industry are some of the most intelligent, passionate people I have ever met in my life. I have a college degree and have worked for the House of Representatives and CBS but have chosen to continue to waitress because of the incredible people I have met while doing so. Many of the waiters and waitresses who serve you have degrees and are doing this by choice- I work with teachers, doctoral candidates, actors, and college professors who wait tables in addition to their other work. Frankly, "a monkey on a leash" could do the work I was doing in the House of Representatives, but only a very skilled person, with social intelligence and an incredible ability to multi-task can be a server. Please rethink your impression of your waiter or waitress next time you walk into a restaurant.
often your server is using serving as a second income. in the restaurant i work in we have 2 nurses, 3 teachers, one med student, and several former bank employees that have been down sized. way to judge a book by its cover though....
To all the butt clowns who are telling servers to get an education:
1. Many of them are, and they serve tables to pay for it.
2. I am a restaurant owner, and two-thirds of my waitstaff are individuals who have four-year degrees but cannot find work in their field.
3. Besides healthcare and a limited number of other industries, what field of work isn't dependant on the expenditures of other people (customers).
just a heads up, Healthcare industry is very very dependant on customers. without sick people hosital could not afford to be open. this is why they don't focus on cures rather then suppresants.
if you had a "decent education" you'd probably realize the cost of getting an education is extremely high these days and the average person can't fork out the cash up front for one. i worked my butt off to get an execellent education while working as a waitress to support myself during college. waiting tables is the toughest job , both physcially and emotionally, i've ever had and trust me i never was nor will be a monkey on a leash, so please have a little respect and stop being so ignorant.
I waited tables for 7 years through high school, college, and the year after college. I earned a PhD and I now *teach* at an elite university. Don't assume that waiters are uneducated or stupid.
*Most* servers work their tails off, physically, and they have to mentally juggle information about where 35-40 diners are in their meals, what they ordered, when the last time their tables were bussed or watered, whose food is likely to come up and when, etc. Good wait staff earn every penny in tips. Bad wait staff won't last long on the job, especially in this economy.
Hey Neil:
I have a decent education as does my husband who tends bar. I worked for more than 20 yrs for idiots like you who think that we are all dummies and social misfits with no education and you are exactly why we start to hate people.
I have two small children who the restaurant business is putting through school. I will demand that they work in the restaurant business when able to work so that they know how to multi-task and so they will learn some humility and respect for the hard work people do. These are lessons that everyone should learn and I am a firm believer that EVERYONE should hold a customer service position at one point in their lives just so they know how to deal with assh**es like you in a friendly and direct manner.
People like you really bother me! Be careful! You really do reap what you sow. Even with education there are many who may end up having to wait tables. Should a lack of education mean a lack of respect?
I love people like you. Bottom line come to my place, treat me crappy, and enjoy your meal that i have had fun with in the back before you eat it.Bon appetit!
I have a tuition scholarship to a four-year college. I'm pursuing a difficult engineering degree, and I'm working retail and food service jobs during breaks to cover the cost of textbooks and living.
Retail and food service are paying me through college until I have taken enough courses to get an internship (the scholarship is only keeping me from working while I have classes) and will leave me with no debt or minimal debt when I graduate and take on a much better-paying job. How much debt did you have without any apparently-too-far-off-your-high-horse "monkey on a leash" jobs?
Working both retail and food service has been almost as much a part of my education as my college courses, teaching me to be polite and considerate to service employees. They aren't slaves – they're just as human as you are, and most of them are actually pretty intelligent. Obviously you never learned this important lesson.
I have a B.S. in engineering physics and I wait tables...
*jobs
* on appearance.
One simple question:
Who is dependent on who?
We know you dont know the answer...Its you and ur restaurant dependent on us...so suck it up or find another job..
We turn away twice as many people as we take, and we don't put up with bulls***. We've done so for a dozen years. In Manhattan, which in case you've never seen an ocean is the most competitive market in the country. So no it doesn't depend on you.
Fine bitterwaitress... I live on the otherside of the country... see an ocean everyday... and dine out weekly all the time... You have spoken for your industry... and at the finest restaurants.... But ill be more than happy to stay home for the next 2 months and cook for myself... We dont need you... You are a luxury...
And about the bar tenders being unhappy about the tab transfers... AS A CONSUMER: I don't care how the place of your work chooses to pay you. You should sort that out with your bosses. If your restaurant / bar / place of work does something a way you dont like... change it.... If an industry does something you don't like... change it. I am the consumer... I am spending my money... I dont want to deal with this administration. I always leave the restaurant anytime they try to make me close my tab at the bar before sitting down for dinner... It is just rude.
Actually, the only reason your establishment has survived for 12 years is because of "US" customers. So, no, you are dependent on us.
You can only turn people away for so long, even ocean eco systems dry up if they are abused lol. Ultimately a bitter attitude will only drive a good restaurant into the ground, get you ZERO tips, or get you fired if your boss is smart.
bitterwaitress Obviously you are somewhat delusional and have forgotten who the CUSTOMER is. I deal with servers like you occasionally and the only way to get message across for bad, rude, or arrogant service is to adjust the tip. We as customers pay for food and tip for service, I didn't make the rule I just have to live with it. Keep in mind you may THINK you can pick who your customers are BUT the reality is the customers PICK you. I suspect you have a fine establishment and people either come because the service and food are impeccable or it's just the latest place to be seen, regardless the CUSTOMER still chooses not the wait staff. Be happy you have such good fortune and shut your pie hole.
Bitter, yours is a place that I would go to one time and then put on my ignore list. There are too many good places to go to to put up with staff attitude
Wow, so you figure you get to be rude and abusive to people simply because they lack the power to do much about it? You must be a real joy to be around! Here's to reaping what you sow, pal!
Thank you. Customers really drive you that crazy? You hate people that much? Want us to stay home? How do you make a living when we all decide youre right and should stay home?...
Here are a few tips for customers coming from a customer who always tips well. There are a few tricks you can use to get better service from your waiter or waitress. (i) Address the waitstaff by name. If they do not have a nametag or you cannot read it, ask them for it. It shows some respect for them as an individual. Simple thing to do, and ever so easy. (ii) If you have a complaint, tell the waitstaff as soon as you can. They want you to enjoy your time there. When you do make the complain, however, realize that people are human, make mistakes, and it is often not the waiter's fault. You may not get a free meal, but perhaps a free dessert out of it if you are polite and understanding.
Such animosity. If you don't like the service go somewhere else period. Don't expect a waiter to kiss your but (that not their job), I've know many a lawyer, or med student who've put themselves through school waiting tables. Show a little compassion. I thought this article would open peoples eyes up a bit, guess not...there still cheap people out there that prob still wont tip. If you're one of those STAY HOME.
Ha! Good luck getting Americans to not go out for dinner
people like you need to stay home and hire a caterer.
Natalie:
why would they hire a caterer?? they would probably stiff them too!
As a customer who has parents in food service I can say in all honesty it goes both ways. People, in general, are often rude and in this economy looking for reasons to complain so they can get something free. Servers work REALLY hard and almost never get the praise they deserve (I.E. Tips!!!). People often look down on them and peg them as people who do so only because they are dumb, slow, not formally educated or have criminal records! My point? While this is often not true of many servesr, so what if it is! They are still people who have a hard job and we should show some respect. Believe me! You, too, could be a server at some point (as well as that of a close friend or family member).
There also are servers who, due to the hard nature of their job, or the fact they don't like their job are rude, unprofessional or try to size up whom they THINK will leave a good tip based appearance. Remember it IS your job to serve me! That is LITERALLY what you get paid to do. If you feel I'm annoying, or have too many requests or hate that you got stuck waiting on a table of 8, DON'T let it show! Your tip will reflect it! Yes, you have a lot to do. I understand but I COULD have stayed home and didn't and if I did who would pay you? Don't make a good customer pay for what the last person did. Don't huff and puff when I ask for a napkin or a drink refill... Truth? You should be able to see that I don't have a napkin or need a refill or a fork. I shouldn't have to ask!
If all parties just had common courtesy and general respect dining would be the lovely experience it was meant to be! Servers would have more regular customers and customers would get better service.
spot on...R Bolton you are truly understanding of the situation on both sides.
I have to agree. I've been a waitress as well as a customer and there isn't one side that is "more" wrong than the other.
As a waitress, I worked hard to always try to smile and be polite and get the orders correct. Most appreciated it, but there was always the one person who it didn't matter what I did, they weren't happy and I couldn't have made the happy to save my own life. On the other hand – as a customer, I've had wait staff that wandered off some where and never came back and you would have thought their faces might break if they had to smile.
For me as a customer a smile is really important!!
All of this debate would be totally unnecessary if both the customer and the server treated the other as they would want to be treated, a.k.a. "the Golden Rule".
R Bolton – excellent response! I've never waited tables but know many people who have, and I've certainly dined out at my fair share of restaurants. Diners – treat your wait staff as you would like to be treated and tip fairly. Waiters – treat your customers as you would like to be treated if you were the customer. Sounds simple to me.
Wow! This is the only comment that makes any sense.
A spot on eloquent statement. Thank you!
I was in the restaurant business for more than 20 years as a server, bus girl, bartender, manager, chef, and sommelier and have seen so many atrocities of behavior on both sides. A reminder to both wait staff and consumers: TIP means "To Insure Prompt Service". This means anticipating your clients needs to the best of your ability and performing your duties in line with their requests in a prompt, respectable manner after all it is your JOB. Customers you need to be aware that server does not mean SLAVE and respect for the servers time and efforts should be taken and observed. There are situations that are out of the servers hands i.e. food that takes too long, under seasoned or overcooked food, that you should not punish a server for. What the server's responsibility is in those instances is to make the situation known to management so that the problem is taken care of on a higher level–every patron deserves that response.
I have been in the situation where I have taken an order, turned around to prep the silverware on the table, rung it up and returned promptly with their beverages then been attacked as to "why isn't our food here?" My response to that was "if you want it raw, you can have it now". Wait staff, more than a lot of other customer service positions, are very abused, but before a waiter stoops to the same level as a rude customer they should seek out their manager and make them aware of the situation to handle the patrons. Believe me, a good manager will diffuse most explosive situations.
Well said! I was a server for a grand total of 5 days before I finally walked out, and it wasn't because the 2$ and hour pay or bad tipping, but because of the horrible customers! Not that everyone was horrible, lots of my customers were awesome, and it really made my day being their server. However, for every fantastic customer, there was always a mean, grumpy, degrading customer just waiting for a reason to make your life more miserable than theirs. Sorry, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but there was definitely an unsettling number of mean customers out there.
Pretty much, I promise you that 97% of servers really, truly, honestly want you to have a great experience when you dine with them, and the 3% who don't are t jerk faces who deserve 0 tips and bad reviews. We never ever mean to forget your order, and I assure you, we feel really REALLY bad when we do. Please keep in mind that we are all too often subject to such strange practices as crouching down or sitting down with you to take your order. Trust me, it's as awkward for us as it is with you (although if you enjoy it, please feel free to express your enjoyment to your likely embarrassed server).
We ask, though, that customers simply remember that we are human. We make mistakes, have bad days (although we shouldn't be letting our bad days be affecting our customers), have good days, and have feelings. It sucks when our customers are having a bad experience, and I promise you that's (usually :) never ever our intention. We are sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, artists, engineering students, future doctors, starving interns, people of every parts of life just trying to make a living.
So we ask you, please be nice to us because we really, REALLY, look for every reason to be nice to you.
I'm glad someone else can see both sides of this. There are rude and nice people on both sides of this issue. I did find it humorous to see that people who are "educated" and looking down on other people's profession don't know the difference between to and too, or your and you're.
I am, by nature, a "good tipper" and generally see more of the good things a server does than I do the bad. Due to allergies and quirks, we can be very inconvenient customers, and I realize that. The servers that realize that it’s their job to deal with my “unreasonable” requests are rewarded. I once tipped an off-duty hostess who caught an error in the table assigned to us before we were seated. The young lady heard my request from a distance, saw that the on-duty person forgot or got it wrong, and took it on herself to correct the error. I’m sure it was only $5 or $10, but hopefully she felt my appreciation.
Not all “problem” customers are bad people nor are all “bad” servers. Yeah, I’m the one paying for the meal, but that doesn’t give me the right to be a jerk. Getting paid a low wage doesn’t give a server the right to be rude either. No matter what we do or where we work, we’ll run into people who feel superior to us. How we chose to deal with them says a lot about the kind of people we are.
I think I’ll take my fiancé out for steak tonight!
1. good service is expected
2. good food is expected
3. a good tip is also expected
4. both parties (customer and wait staff) leave the attitudes at the door.
5. You get what you give. If you are rude to the wait staff your dinner will probably suck. And vice-versa if you give bad service your tip will suck.
6. I waited tables, raised my kids and put myself thru college. I am a chef and own my place of business. I do not tolerate rude customers or staff. Do not patronize my place if you have an attitude. Check it with you coat at the door. I have no problem asking you to leave. I make a very good living. I have for 20 years in the business. I am always looking for college students or single mothers trying to help themselves because I was once in their shoes. Until you have walk in my shoes "Study to be quiet"! Wait staff is as important as the CEO of large corporations. We count too!!!!!!!
It's nice of these wait people to confirm what we all thought. Now we won't feel so bad when we don't tip for lousy service.
You are spot on. Plus, I get tired of subsidizing people's salary – which should be paid by their employer. Tipping is a pain in the rear.
I get paid $2/hr as a server. if u dont tip me, I go home with no money. so when you chew on that $30 steak and dont tip me, ull be sure 2 get lousy service next time u come in.
You're a jerk. You've probably never tipped more than 15% in your life. Do any of you understand that most of us have to tip out at LEAST 3% of everything we sell. SO... if jerks like you tip poorly if affects us greatly. Please just wake up and realize that if you're peeved about something, look within yourself there's a reason you're not happy.
@Steven: If you don't get paid enough, or don't agree with the american tipping system, complain to your boss. Not the customers.
You're the person ALL servers HATE.
Laura,
How much of those tips are you claiming as income????
The fact of the matter is the GOVERNMENT decided that beings we are tipped employees that we make to much money at NORMAL minimum wage sooo, here comes $2.13 an hour. I have been a server for approx. 36 years, & just when I thought I've seen it all..... well you know te rest of the story. We hae bills to , we are also human, there are lazy worthless servers but there are those in ANY profession. But we you get great service & $100.00 ticket & leave me nothing, or your in a bad mood & come in & takeit out on me well... I am only human also. I have my own personal life & struggles also, like how am I gonna pay my bills when people don't tip? I also love when you pay with a credit card & your bill is $ 6.75 & you tip me a quarter to " Round it off". Do you round off your grocery bill or your gas bill our your bills period?
Oh,& by the way, your cute little tip chart, round it off to the trash can! If you can't figure out how to tip by now, stay home & learn how to cook!
If you are tired of "subsidizing" other people's salary then stay home. Learn to cook for yourself.
@Retired
If you don't like the tipping system, then eat at home, or go to McDonald's. Also, you must realize that if servers made minimum wage your meal would cost substantially more; in other words, you'd still be "subsidizing" your server's salary by paying for the increased labor cost.
I couldn't agree more...I am sick to death of feeling strong armed about tipping. I KNOW the wait staff is not paid even the basic minimum wage in America and most like it that way because they make a KILLING in tips. I don't not tip because I'm poor, I will give less or no tip is service is atrocious and sometimes it has been. When I do tip I tip 15%...this crap of 18 to 30% tipping is for the freaking birds. If it's exceptional service or if I'm part of a party of 6+, fine I'll bump it to 20%...but to have to be told that if I can't fork over a tip I don't belong in one's restaurant, fine with me...how about we all just stay home and cook our own meals...how would that help the restaurant business?
Decent wages SHOULD come out of the employers' pocket first, tipping should be for "you did a good job..." not, "you can't eat here or expect good service if I don't get a tip first..." Ass backwards in my opinion.
I worked as a server/busser throughout high school and most of college. People who think that restaurants cover us as far as $ goes could not be further from the truth. I was paid a whopping $2.09/hr for serving. I enjoyed bussing because then I'd at least get $5.75/hr plus whatever the servers tipped me out on...which if they had a table full of "I'm not subsidizing their incomes," would work out to next to nothing.
Also, that paycheck for the $2.09/hr would sometimes work out to $0.00 because of the amount of taxes taken out.
However, there were numerous instances where I had wonderful guests to wait on. People were pleasant, polite, and in good spirits. Happiness is contagious. Sometimes, I didn't even mind being tipped 10-15% just due to the fact that the table was so pleasant.
I think that the people who treat servers the best are people who have done it previously. We know how hard it is to get by relying on peoples' gratuity so we take care of each other. If service is slow, or if the food isn't up to par, we might not go as far as to complain and leave the server as the target of our wrath.
And to the people who are hell bent on treating your server like trash...remember, they're the last people to touch your food. ;-)
@Jeremy. Sound like he understands the american tipping system better than you. I tip 20%+ 99% of the time, but if i get a rude server, they'll get nothing. And that's my right. The law doesn't require me to tip. Do i agree with it? No. But it's still my right.
I've been a server all of my adult life. It's a great job and helps pay my bills. I am not on any kind of government assisted income. I pay my bills and I haven't foreclosed on my home. I work hard and I expect to be treated fairly. If you are not happy with tipping your server, whom on average makes $3.00 / hour, then go to a restaraunt where tipping isn't expected!!! Otherwise.. please tip appropriatly!! Which, by the way, is 20%. Basic math really. Same goes for service providers in other industries too; i.e. hair stylists, bartenders, etc. 20% 20% 20%!!
Waiters and servers. Never forget that when I come to dine at your establishment, I expect and deserve to have an enjoyable experience. If I detect a server copping an attitude, I'll immediately ask for another server and will NOT tolerate any rudeness. I simply REFUSE to patronize any establishment where I will be rudely treated. Eating out is expensive. I do not NEED to do it. I can assure you rude server that you will pay dearly for your transgressions. Why shouldn't you. Lose the attitude, or quite. Simply put.
@Lisa. It's not required by law to tip. So start complaining less and giving better service if you want my tip. Otherwise, petition to change the law. Also, go get another job.
How dare you say you are subsidizing someone's salary by tipping!! What an ignorant cow you are. Most wait staff and bartenders make less or FAR less than minimum wage that tip for serving you is their compensation. Most restaurant workers have little to no insurance, 401K plans or disability insurance, paying all of these out of pocket. They also are required by federal law to claim a percentage of their sales (what you ordered/purchased and consumed) as taxable income, so when you do not tip them, they still pay the IRS for the "priviledge" of waiting on a cheap, old cow as yourself. Think of it this way: Your fat old behind could be sitting at home in your Baracalounger getting your meals yourself. These are not untrained, uneducated people who couldn't find a "real" job. They are for the most part, highly trained professionals who have found that food service can be exciting and rewarding allowing them to enjoy what they love. Have a little respect the next time you enter a restaurant and perhaps you will enjoy a more enlightened experience.
@Mike
Sounds like you didn't understand my comment. Read more carefully next time.
Waittress/waiter tipping rule, they make $2.13 an hour plus tips. Lets say you as a customer order a jack and coke with your dinner and when you finish your meal a bus person cleans your table. Well the waiter/ waittress has to split their tips 3 ways. So now they made even less for waiting on you hand and foot, listen to you complain, laughing at you not so funny joke, or pretending to care about you. When you go to work someone cleans the restrooms, takes out your trash, replaces the paper for your printer, and watches you car in the parking lot; why do you not split your salary with them?
@ all you idiots that don't tip- if as an owner I had to pay my employees more, you all wouldn't be able to afford to eat at my restaurant. Tipping keeps my costs low which means I don't have to charge you $30 for a hamburger. Here's a quick math lesson for all you non-tippers: I serve a steak at $25 along with a vegetable and a starch, my actual profit on said that meal is 18 CENTS! If I had to pay all my employees more than min. wage for tipped employees that steak would cost you $75 just so I could cover all my costs. If you complain about tipping, hire me and I'll cook for you and you won't have to tip, but until then stay out of restaurants!
@Mike Ah you're a charmer aren't you Mike? If you're that bitter about eating out, if you're that demanding, if you're that hostile towards those working for tips then truly, seriously, stay home. I can pretty much guarantee that if you actually behave the way you sound the vast majority of servers who've crossed your path would prefer it.
Kelly,
I will go out if I wish to, and you will serve as a server is supposed to. I will be polite. you will be polite and ensure that your attitude is positive and correct. otherwise i will dismiss you, both publically and to your manager. Period. That is just the way it will be. If you cannot handle this, then you have no idea about professional customer service.
stay home or go to McDonalds if you don't like to tip...your waisting a $2 an hour worker who does more then wait tables. Former server myself (15 years experience) ya luckey I'm still pleasant
to Owner/chef – spare me, the customer your business woes. Cook excellent food. Ensure your staff is courtious and happy and positive. Remember, I don't need you. If you try to charge more, I and your customers will simply end your business. That's how it goes. And you can let the recession teach you a lesson or two in hpw difficult it is to keep your business afloat, and Guess what??? I don't care. You have to perform, or you close. Period. sucks, doesn't it? Believe me. I don't want you $70 hamburger, nor your $5.00 one either.
You're not subsidizing their salary. You're ensuring that your food is within a price point you can afford. If food service employers had to pay wages three times what they currently do (in order to meet minimum wage) you would see a drastic increase in the cost of a restaurant meal, or a sizable reduction in portion size.
So.. which would you rather do? Tip, pay perhaps two or three times more for a night out, or get little on your plate when you order at a restaurant? Most people would choose to tip. If you decide not to tip, you should probably stick to fast food. I'm not trying to sound insulting, but servers do a job and need to get paid for it.
Well Well Well, one of my most favoritist topics. First and absolutely foremost, those who dont tip are one of two things, theyve never worked in the service industry (good for you) or their last name is Jankins, Jackson, Watkins. Now before you lambast me, I speak only with facts. IN MY, experience, brothas and sistas are offended by tipping. Ive worked with em and Ive served em. The sistas ive worked with blow me away. Youd better damn well leaver them a tip, but dont expect more than $0.85 – $1.00 from them when the tables are turned. They HONESTLY think thats enough. Just one month ago, I watched with my own two eyes, a table of 13 teave a $0.48 tip. Now I dont care if that waitress, (actually two of them) was the worst server in history. Now, does that sound dramatic or contrivd? Yes it does but unfortunately, its absolutely true. My 14 year old daughter was disgusted! And I didnt have to say a word. I dont raise her to dislike anyone, but now she has that image burned in her brain. Why do you think only the newly hired servers get stuck with the NAACP tables? Everyone knows as soon as the group walks in that theyll be running all over for extra ketchup and ranch sauce for less than a dollar tip. And God forbid the steak doesnt come out well done, then the poor server has to hear about it for an hour and her 48 cents becomes 25 cents. So, everyone, tipping is part of the deal. No matter what you think about servers, they work for tips. Yes some of them are horrible pieces of trash, but that dont ever give them the satisfaction. If they really suck, give the hostess the tip, just tip someone
@Mike – You're right she should get another job. Cause as time has proven then worse people tip the worse the service gets. You don't deserve a good server if you think tipping isn't expected. I served for 4 years and the one thing I learned is that EVERYONE should have to work in public service for at least one year. Those that do are ALWAYS the best people to work with. They get how hard it can be.
Dear Retired, a piece of advice never get the same server you stiffed before, trust me you will pay for it in 4-6 hours.
@ MIke- May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your crotch and may your arms be too short to scratch!
I look forward to the day you loose your job and are forced to take a waiting position to feed yourself, i hope your first guest be a carbon copy of yourself!!
If you dont like subsidizing servers salaries please be prepared for a 100% increase in your meals price. You do realize if restaurants were to pay servers a living wage they would have to get the costs from somewhere right? Imagine salaries going from $2.13 to $8.00,$9.00 or $10.00 an hour....thats going to be one expensive salad.
@wolflady1229 my cute little tip card that I carry around is too make sure that I tip well. If you want me to throw it in the trash, I gladly will. When I pull my "cute little tip card" out it's generally so I can establish the minimum amount for my tip. I'm glad that you are better at math than I am. My fear is that I am going to miscalculate in my head and under tip someone. So, before you ask me to throw away my tip card, perhaps you should think of the ramifications.
While I don't agree with how Retired worded it, I do agree with what he is saying. I was a server for 2 years while in college (and look, I even CHOSE to do it) and where I went to school wasn't the richest place and often I would get only a 10% tip that had to be disburst among bartenders, if they got any alcohol, the bussers and hostesses. When I visited Europe and would go out to eat it was the best...you didn't worry about having to judge the person's service to figure out what to leave them for a tip. I think we should have something like that here...base what the server gets paid on how pricey your menu is
Rachel,
You miss the point. You MUST provide excellent service with a good attitude or you will NOT work in the industry. You immediately resort to the 1000 fleas argument which is uncouth, and gross generally. I don't want someone with your unclean attitude handling my food or ruining my day. Great happy service get's a great tip. Rude service get's nothing – exactly what the service was worth. If you choose to have a worthless attitude, you will get nothing and hopefully will be removed from the industry and into sure poverty. The quicker the better. The workforce and society are better off without your service.
I don't quite understand this....if i have to pay my servers minimum wage, then your hamburger is 75 dollars. So you're saying that tipping prevents that 25 dollar hamburger from being 75 dollars? Hmm..why don't the owner just raise the prices of his food by 20% then? Why 200%? Doesn't that essentially even out? Owner/Chef makes no sense.
@Mike This isn't an S&M dungeon Mike. You playing "Master" doesn't fly. You may be surprised to learn there are restaurant owners who can smell a customer like you a mile away and choose to live without your patronage. Incidentally I haven't waited tables in years but am thankful to have learned the unique brand of gratitude and civility the experience taught me. Sadly you apparently do not enjoy the same gift.
I have never been a server, but I'm frankly shocked at some of these comments. I was raised that it's standard practice in America to tip at least 15%, though I tend to do 20% unless the service is bad. If it's very good, I often go to 25. I knew I was a somewhat generous person, but I'm dismayed by the stinginess displayed by so many people. If I didn't have enough money to tip, I would stay home. I'm always looking for ways to save money, who isn't, but screwing over the people who are working hard for you seems like a real jerk move. I apologize to servers everywhere on behalf of those patrons who understand and appreciate what you're doing.
Actually, I'm a wonderul server! I'm told so all of the time via guest comment cards, generous tips and face to face feedback. That isn't the issue. The fact is some people simply do not know how to tip... Mike, I'd imagine you are one of them. AND I do have another job, I work full time in addition to serving on the weekends. But I'm also a single mom who is trying to keep a roof over our heads since my husband passed away. I haven't filed bankruptcy like so many people have done. Sorry for those who have, i understand there are times when you don't have another option. But I was blessed with another option and I'm making the best of it. Like I said, I work hard and I expect to be treated fairly.
Nothing is more ignorant and infuriating than, "It's not my fault you're not paid enough". YOU choose to go to a sit down restaurant, therefore you have NO choice over tipping. If you don't agree with the system, there are numerous options for you such as cooking for yourself or fast food. You have no right to take money out of someone's pocket.
Kelly,
See my comment to Rachel.
Restaurants are a dime a dozen, and 9 out of 10, maybe more close quickly. We, the customers, do not need you. You need us. We patronize your establishments to enjoy ourselves.. Period. If you cannot deliver, get out. but you will not ever, ever ruin my time with your attitude.
Mike, I suspect with your attitude if you have been recognized from previous visits to an establishment, you have on more than one occasion eaten one of several possible body fluids from restaurant staff......just sayin......
@chef/owner
If you are only making 18 CENTS profit on a $25 sale of a meal, then you are doing something very very wrong. That comes to only 0.7% profit margin. Which means you are doing something quite wrong, since the industry average is 5%. Maybe instead of lambasting people for not wanting to tip rude servers you should instead focus on not bankrupting your restaurant.
If you don't want to tip, sir, STAY HOME. We live off tips. I'm finishing up graduate school and will have my masters degree in 2 months and have had to pay my way through college and grad school waiting tables. I know I'm reallly good at my job so I expect a 20% tip every time. If you are too cheap to do that, eat at Denny's or cook at home you cheap ignorant ass. It's the way it works...if you don't like tipping call the friggin restaurant association and tell them they need to pay us more than $4/hour.
@ Mike,
"You MUST provide excellent service with a good attitude or you will NOT work in the industry."
(SUPRISE! I do!!!)
“You immediately resort to the 1000 fleas argument which is uncouth, and gross generally. I don't want someone with your unclean attitude handling my food or ruining my day. “
(unclean? Gross? Have you ever had fast food? SUPRISE AGAIN!)
“Great happy service get's a great tip. Rude service get's nothing – exactly what the service was worth. “
(I get that, I really do, but your ‘Great and happy service’.. ya, you only get that if you’re not an annoying prick.)
“If you choose to have a worthless attitude, you will get nothing and hopefully will be removed from the industry and into sure poverty.”
(HAHA! weren’t you just saying how restaurants are a dime a dozen or something like that? And after your server that you have tonight that you tip like crap.. just hoping on the off chance that its me, I will have their job available to me tomorrow!)
“The quicker the better. The workforce and society are better off without your service.”
(Dear Mike, I really hope you are taken out of society soon and placed back in that small padded room where you belong as to not inflict your crappy attitude on anyone else)
LOL! I KNEW you would get the same ol' uppity type people acting as if servers were some type of slave rolling over and doing tricks for a few lousy dollars.
Most servers are working a second job for extra cash, or working on their Masters Degrees....I don't know whoever got the idea that servers were some type of "career plate carrier" from.....but a lot of you people are sorely in need of an education into the REAL WORLD. Your "server" is probably better educated, and has more "on the ball" than YOU DO.
Just saying! And been there, done that!
If you cannot afford to tip appropriately, then stay the hell home! You WON'T BE MISSED!
Hey wrinkles, move to Europe or keep going to those cheap self serve hog troughs where you don't have to tip ya cheapskate! The status quo is minimum wage plus tips here in the states, not the fault of the waiter who has deal with serving your dumb ass.
I agree, the whole tipping system should be done away with and servers should get paid at least minimum wage. Tipping is a degrading system that only leaves both sides with a bad taste in their mouths. I have been to restaurants tat don't require you to tip and it was just as good of service as some place with tipping policy's.
@Mike
I have been in the restaurant business my entire life see as my parents own and operate one. You must never have worked in a restaurant before or have never had to deal with the rude and insane ways people act when they dine out. Tipping is how the servers survive. They may work 40 hours a week and make $10 after taxes are taken out. Tips are the reason they are there. And I agree with theother owner running a restaurant is not cheap and if you dont want to tip then you are going to pay $75 for a burger. Also you seem like an extremely demanding customer. P.S. YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY CUSTOMER THE SERVER HAS!! Suggestion for you would be to take a serving job then come back and complain about losy service!
Please do every one a favor and don't go out to eat anywhere you have tip\\\to tip. You are "cheap" and have no CLASS!
Rachel,
(and other poor servers),
What, do you think you own the places you work for? Go try to get a loan, or put up your own cash to buy a place. Good luck. Since you own nothing, and merely serve, and no you are not better educated – not even close – and since it is your problem you must raise your child as a single parent (I know, the other guy. gal, absent parent's fault) you feel you are entitled to some type of occupation. Wrong. You are owed nothing. Your problems are your problems. All you folks have are excused for why you are ustified in providing poor service. And some of you have the nerve to suggest poisoning or tainting food (which can be a felony, mind you, not to mention that you probably all have criminal records anyway.) What I suggest is that ALL diners demand what I do, and destroy your industry if you Rachel and others choose to continue to be sub-standard performers and loser. Society doesn't want you. We don't need you. You need us.
That would be great, just one issue, your food would more than double in price, now that is a pain.
(@ sourdiesel). While, I'm not a "Jankins, Jackson or Watkins", I am an African-American (I assume that's what you're getting at without having the courage to say it- either way, it was extremely offensive) and I DO tip and I do so generously, when warranted. I have never stiffed anyone or given a less than 15% tip, even when I was a broke college student! And, I will say ALL of my "NAACP" friends tip well, too. To lump all of us into one category is ridiculous. If you received a poor tip, there's probably a reason that you just aren't ready to take ownership of. When you get a small tip from a non-minority table, do you automatically think "hey, those "white" people, left me no tip!"? Probably not. Why did you bring race into it?
Mike, let me explain this to you this way. I can tell by your attitude exactly what type of customer you are in a restaurant. "Hey buddy I need more napkins, can I get a coke another coke, I want more ranch" A little please and thank you's go a long way. The way you look at your servers is that they are beneath you and uneducated and that is why you feel you are better than them. I personally have been a server for the last 10 years as a second income to help support my family and wife's medical condition. I hold a master's degree in the Engineering Field and gurantee my my education and intelligence level is beyond yours but would never treat you that way out of respect to the customer. So after a day of dealing with a day job, two kids, sick wife, and waiting on lovely customers like yourself at night who thinks I want to listen about how bad your day was because you accidently got a diet coke at lunch instead of regular one, you are mistaken but again out of respect I listen and just deal with you while I have to bite my tongue and wait for my $1 while you enjoyed your $30 meal.
Here is my rule of thumb when it comes to this. It is rare when I don't tip. I always tip the 20% and extra for decent service. I know that serving can be backbreaking hard work and I don't expect my server to put on a song and a dance and keep the coffee cup full for a tip. If a server has an attitude just because they can, sorry no tip. If a bartender passes me up to so they can serve girls with big boobs over me, sorry no tip. If a server is just and antisocial person with a chip on their shoulder they really should find another job. I used to bartend and my sister is a server. There are those who give the serving world a bad name. They act like jerks towards customers then act entitled when it comes to tips. I don't blame servers for someone else's mistake in the restaurant but a server acting like "if I give you the time of day you better be throwing down $20's" is a pompous and horrible attitude.
Dayum Retired, you got pwned like a noob.
@ Mike
I think we've all come to a conclusion with all of this. You can do without the bad customer service and they, simply put, can do without you. In fact, I think we all can, so this is the point where you shut up and end this with what little civility you have left. You've trolled this forum enough. Go away.
admit it. Even if we do an exceptional job at serving you, you still manage to find a way to critique my service in such a way that allows you to tip me below the universally accepted tipping standard. Admit it. And, because of this, we feel so distraut over our great friendly service that was not properly rewarded, that we often do not find it in our best interest to bend over backwards for other people! Bad tippers just perpetuate the cycle... And you could say this about bad servers, but, if you find yourself trying to rebutt this argument with that point, i ask you to please re-read the start of this posted comment...
I can assure you that not only do we NOT need you, we DON"T want you. You have a poor attitude and it's arrogant people like you that have no idea what you're really ingesting when you treat servers so badly.
@Mike...Restaurants are not a dime a dozen- unless of course you are referring to your neighborhood Applebee's, Dennys, Chilis, etc (which I imagine you probably are or you wouldn't make such a comment). If you can't spare the extra $5 tip for your chicken fingers basket, then stay home. I, like everyone else on here, can tell that you probably act like this not only in restaurants but everywhere you go. Lose your sense of entitlement, its very unbecoming.
Then don't go out to eat or go out to Mcdonald's or something. Cheap a**. Maybe you should try waiting tables. I bet you would feel totally different. You probably would not last a day.
Until today, I have always tipped 20%. However, reading here the rude comments and the sense of entitlement of servers and bartenders will make me think twice the next time. Because until today, I thought that by tipping well, I was being nice. Now I know that Ithey just think 'm obeying the orders of whoever is supposed to serve my meal. (If the tip is not included, that means it is up to the patron to decide whether and how much to tip. If you don't like it, just move to a country where the tip is included or regulated by law.)
FYI, Stupid people that have never been a waiter. Waiter wage is $2.13 per hour. So waiting on people like you is a waste of their time. Tipping should be a way of life for people and tips should be a minimum of 15%-20% or higher.
I am so upset that people actually believe we should be paid higher by our employees......uh hello the government has set that wage for us. 20% is a fair and acceptable amount. Why don't you try waiting on needy people who are ungrateful and see how much you like a $5.00 tip on a $60,00 tab. GO TO MCDONALDS PEOPLE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO TIP!!!!
T.I.P.S. = To Insure Proper Service. That's where the term originated, and you always tipped ahead of time, not after. I love that your name is Retired. That summed it up right there for most servers. You didn't plan your life well enough, now you're old and broke & want to take it out on young people.
@Chris, Thank you sir. You would be a welcome customer any day of the week and twice on Sunday. You would get my best, and that's pretty good if I do say so. It would not surprise me that you get better service overall than many of these other "customers" commenting on here.
@those people complaining about the way this system works. Any server worth his/her salt who has done this job for any length of time can tell who most of the bad tippers are in the first 60 seconds. Just FYI.
Tipping is not required, but it will get you a warm welcome back and even better service the next time. If you want to be treated like a king when you visit your favorite restuarant all you have to do is be a pleasant human being and tip well. If you can't tip well, be courteous and don't run our butts all over the restuarant with special requests, because you won't be paying for our service. I never mind not getting tipped out well by someone who didn't ask for more than their drinks to be refilled once and their food to be delivered to their table, but don't waste the time I can be spending on guests that tip well by making me run to get you extra sides of ranch dressing for your 6 oz. salad or 5-10 refills of coca-cola for your kid before your meal even comes out. Whether you run my butt off for a good tip or not, I'm never rude, but have SOME consideration.
now what aint pointed out are all of the waitresses on wheels and all of the waiters on wheels and what i mean is delivery drivers those that serve you no we dont go back and forth too the kitchen but after we come back in the store we usually have too wash our hands in preperation too make the food so that is gets too u in a decent amount of time because without us doijng this you may not get your food in a decent amount of time most of us while we are on the road are getting about 4 dollars a hour that is 3 dollars under minimum wage we dont make commision so there for we depend on tips for gas money and car repairs also SO TIP YOUR DELIVERY DRIVERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
for all you whiney wait staff on here, get a REAL JOB and quit the whine. i quit working McDonalds at 18 because i wanted to make some real cash.
The waiters that upset me are the ones that expect a tip when we order carry out. Gee, thanks for taking my phone order and putting my food in a bag!! Now, is that really deserving of a tip? I thought that was part of your job.
wow. clearly neither of you have had the pleasure of waiting tables. i have to tip out the wait assists 4% of my food sales and the bar 5% of my liquor sales. and we get taxed just like everyone else, even on our tips. so do us all a favor and if you can't fork over a decent tip, stay home.
So without tips, the owner would need to charge me more for the meal. So I should tip more, because it keeps the cost of my meal low ... but not really, because I'm tipping. So really, by tipping, I'm subsidizing the meal of the jerk who doesn't tip?
Honestly, I'd take the higher priced meal without the "requirement" to tip in this case. Lets spread the extra cost around everyone, not just the nice people.
subsidizing my salary? I barely make $2 an hour before taxes. If you would rather my employer pay me the equivalent of what I make now hourly.....be prepared to pay double or triple for your food. Bonus for me because then there will be no incentive for me to give you good service, I still get paid the same whether I ignore the crabby people that should just stay at home and serve themselves anyways.
I agree that tips should be earned, not required. I worked in a restaurant all through highschool and part of college and was paid well for my hourly service. That was my decision to work at a place that pays by the hour and not leave it to me to 'earn' tips. For those that work for tips and complain about the lack of money at the end of the night....find a new job. If you leave it to a stranger to pay you when not required, you are basically gambling for next month's rent by staying in that line of work. It was your decision to work at that bar or restaurant. I did not bring you into a society that does not allow freedom in choosing your career and I was not the person who keeps you from advancement in life. You settled for a paycheck based around tips, not the consumer who pays an inflated price for the food already.
Retired,
Then stay home!! You obviously don't mind the service but you just want to complain about paying for it. I suggest McDonald's or Wendy's for you. People like you use any excuse NOT to tip, because you're a cheapskate!
Plain and Simple. STAY HOME.
If servers had flat wages instead of working for tips, there would be absolutely no incentive for a server to go out of their way to satisfy YOU, the person they really work for, and you'd get crappy service every time. Also, Einstein, if servers wages were higher and there was no tipping system, the added cost of labor would be included in the price of your food/drink.
I swear, America is filled with a bunch of these cheap, lazy, conservative, economically illiterate idiots.
This is why I work part time in the 'safe-zone' as a dishwasher. I like to stay out of the tip-zone havoc and contraversy. Im looking for more hours. I honestly dont know what to say about all the crazy comments, but you guys complaining about lousy tips, well let me tell you, anything right now is better than being out of work. I was making $400 a week before this body blow, and knock out recession started. Now its not even half that. Im happy and blessed what I have now. You should be too. I think you ought to treat these customers like royality, because they are keeping the gears turning, PERIOD! You give me a shovel, and Ill dig the largest hole ever at the smallest expense. :-)
I'm not quite sure what's developed in the service industry here in the US, for whatever reason folks have developed an "entitlement" mentality. If I take my car to a mechanic before having work done I am told a price and at the conclusion I can expect to pay no more than quoted (no tip required or expected), if I am delighted at the outcome I can certainly grease the mechanics hand with a few greenbacks as I say thanks alot. The shop isn't expecting me to su;pliment the income of the mechanics. The same holds true of most jobs. Yet, way too many restaurants charge a price for their food near the maximum most communities can afford and then expect the customer to do what the establishment should have been doing in the first place which is to pay the server and staff. I find it odd that the service industry and the IRS both feel as if they are entitled to large portions of our earnings, God only asks for 10%, neither of them match up with the latter.
@ Mike,
I know what you are saying – you want decent service or you'll go to the other TGI Friday's in town, same food, same shtick. But what if you actually want some good food, something unique that not every restaurant offers? Restaurants that do so are, of course, not a dime a dozen.
I do have one question for you: where did you learn to be such a douchebag? I've always wondered that about people like you and have never really thought to ask about the origin of your/people like you overwhelming douchiness.
Thanks.
If you don't want to tip servers at restaurants where everyone knows that tipping is part of the bill and is standard etiquette, go eat at McDonald's, Furrs Cafeteria, Wendy's, or other restaurants where staff are paid at least minimum wage and don't expect to get tips. If you don't want to subsidize people's salaries, as you put it, then don't ever buy anything, anywhere, because that's exactly what you're doing when you buy a product.
Mike, get a life dude.
Mike,
Wow! I know that mommy and daddy probably told you how awesome you were all growing up, but sorry to anonymously break it to you that you are indeed not awesome. Being alone, angry and miserable must be the way you like to live your life. If you aren't, then poor girl! She must have no self esteem. You sir get the award for biggest waste of oxygen to ever comment on any article I have ever read.
2 to 3 dollars is below minimum wage – which is illegal in the US. Are you all trying to tell us that restaurants are all breaking the law? Why are you standing for it?
oh you don't want to subsidize their salary? i had a hearty laugh at this because this same nonsense is creeping up all over this country with neo-cons who want the world on a platter but think its okay to deny all consideration and decency to those who make it happen for them. I'll echo what has been said by others – stay home and make your own food. you can pay whatever you like for it at the supermarket. But if you want to venture out into the world with other human beings, you might actually need to show some consideration for how the world actually works (as opposed to the fantasy land you've dreamed up in your head.)
This highlights a bigger point, there will always be people who care nothing about the welfare of others. good people need to fluff it off and recognize that it doesn't matter in the long haul.
I also don't agree with subsidizing someone else's income. Isn't that what I am doing when I order a meal? The owner should be paying the server's salary. Not me. I pay the owner for a product. It's a circle. I tip when the service is at least okay. The better the service, the better I tip. Lousy service gets nada. However, I don't think I should feel obligated to tip. No one tips me when I do either of my jobs and I know I put as much work into one of them as any waiter/waitress.
To respond to "owner/chef" – I live in Canada and people here are paid a minimum wage. That means EVERYONE is paid no less than that wage; server or not. Currently that is $8.75 where I live. Isn't it funny how the restaurants here can serve a steak and extras and pay their servers full wages and still make a profit while not having it cost more than $40 a plate. If we can do it, I don't see why the American people can't.
When I am in the US, I do tip more because my American boyfriend explained to me the lousy pay rates for servers there but like others already said – lousy service does not entitle you to money just because I sat down in that seat. If you don't want my business, I can find another restaurant.
Restaurants are such a great business to be in. You pay $20 for a plate that probably cost $1-$3 to make, or $200 for a plate that actually cost $5-$10, AND you pay the employees!
The restaurant business almost sounds like a scam.
Geez, Retired! What a cheapskate!
Hmm... Niceness, rudeness, minimum wage, recession aside... What we should all ask is: "In what small way could I add value to another person's life?" and for we patrons, another question: "In what small, seemingly insignificant way can I increase my wealth to the point that I can tip extravagantly without caring?"
This world is abundant. It has enough for all of us.
Military service and food service experience should be required for every citizen :)
think about it this way....for most people, that extra 2 or 3 dollars in tip money wont be missed by you...If your having financial problems, i can assure you it wouldnt be because your a good tipper...ill tell you....take a job waiting tables...i guarantee you will walk out of that job with a whole new perspective on the job and people in general...sometimes we make good money...sometimes we make atrocious money...most of us work hard because if we dont, it doesnt take much to fire a lousy server...just imagine running around for 6 hours taking orders from people...people who often see you as a low individual because of what you do...if u dont want to have to worry ab tipping....id be happy to slap on an 18 percent gratuity for every table i get...id make a killing!
Both Pete and Retired are socially retarded. A lot of the comments that followed pretty much covered things, but it comes down to this: If you don't plan to allow for a tip, don't go out, you don't deserve the privilege. And to those who think it a bad thing to have a 'tip' or 'service charge' added to a bill for a party of say, 6 or more, stay home too. People get stupid when the bill gets higher and the amount of a gratuity goes up. If you want good service, the restaurant needs good servers. To get and keep good servers, the servers have to know that the restaurant will back them. I own a restaurant and bar and I back my severs as I had backup when I was a waiter. I pay more than minimum wage and if I have customers that become known for not tipping, I challenge them on it and if they don't change, I tell them to stay home. I had a customer once who left me about $2.50 on a bill that was about $397.50. It was a liberating moment when I caught the guy out on the street with his guests waiting for a cab and I said; "Sir, you forgot your change." He said it was for me. And I replied; "If you can only tip me $2.50, then you need it more than I do," and I tossed the change onto the sidewalk at his feet. He deserved it. He complained of course. I stayed and he never came back. It was a valuable lesson. Stand your ground, back your staff and you will have better, happier staff and that in turn creates a great atmosphere in your restaurant and people will keep coming back. And the ones who don't tip are often the whiners and complainers and frankly, they're not good for business other than entertainment as you help them to the door. The cost of writing off a dinner or two in exchange for the opportunity to 'enlighten' a few losers is well worth it as those around always get a good chuckle out of it.
If the service is good, tip the 15%. If the service is not so good, the server probably knows it and at least communicate it to the server and tip less. But if you're not prepared to tip, please, stay home, because I won't serve you either.
Are you really comparing eating out to getting your car repaired? You know why you aren't expected to tip the mechanic? Because the quote they give you includes the labor price and they get paid much more than 2.00 an hour. Your menu items are not priced with the labor of bringing them to your table. If someone just sets a glass of water down at the table you are expected to pay the labor charge for that (tip). Otherwise you are pretty much a thief for walking out without leaving a minimumtip.
Find out where Laura works....AND NEVER EAT THERE!!!
Retired, if you're tired of 'subsidizing my salary' then don't go out to eat. Plain and simple. I'm sure you have a kitchen at your house, learn to cook for yourself. Then you won't have someone serving you all night, running back and forth getting every little thing you need. Don't forget that when you're 'subsidizing my salary' you're paying to be waited on all night and not lift a fat finger.
Wow. After reading all this I've learned one thing: A great deal of you need to go back to English class.
Retired, people on fixed incomes shouldn't be eating out anyway. Clearly you rode a desk all your life and haven't been subject to real labor. Or is that what we Bourgeois are for? Right? It's people with your attitude that give customers a bad name...
I have to agree with a lot of the comments. I go out to eat for fun. It is not my responsibility to pay anybody's salary. I go to an establishment and expect to get good service. I pay what the establishment asks for, for the meal. I work and earn a small salary. I have children to feed and bills to pay. If you aren't making it at your job find another one. Or you can do what I have and so many others have done. Find a second job. You don't pay my salary and I won't pay yours unless I am the owner and you are an employee. Stop complaining and take responsibility for the job YOU have accepted.
T.I.P.S= to insure proper service
I'm tired of the terrible people who you dread to see come back. The ones that make the employees groan at the mere sight of him/her walking up the path. I was a cook for the last ten years. I started off as just a dish washer at 15 and worked my way up to kitchen manager. Ive seen it all. We as cooks get tips sent back to us as well as the servers. Most cooks let there waiter/waitress keep them. At start they get paid the absolute minimum allowed by law, but some places will boost them up over time. What if it worked like that for doctors? If your known as a lousy tipper, you may not regain full cognitive ability after a simple operation. The same goes for restaurants. Believe me, you get the treatment if your rude, ignorant, or a bad tipper. You think that you can sit there and act like that because your paying? Nuh uh. You have no idea what goes on behind the doors to the kitchen. For an example, this one waitress kept getting grabbed and felt up by the basic stereo-typical loud mouth truck driver. I witnessed the cook floss his toes with the guys steak and send it out. So take some friendly advice, when you go out to eat be kind to the staff and tip generously, because we have to deal with people like you, and you never do know exactly what your eating.
Retired,
I agree with you whole heartedly ! It seems nowadays that EVERYONE is expecting a TIP (waiters, bartenders, barbers, hair stylists and the list goes on !). AND what does the amount of the bill have ANYTHING to do with the effort is takes to bring a platter of food to you. It doesn't take anymore effort to bring a Filit Mignon, Alaskan King Crab or Lobster Tail than it does a plate with a burger and french fries on it. EVERYONE has forgotten just what a TIPS is for ( To Insure Prompt Service ! ) and is actually supposed to be paid in advance. That's how 'in the know' folks got good tables at restaurants and good seats at theators. Give me a break, if you don't like the salery you're getting,find another job. Think about how much time a waiter is actually spending on you and you'll probably find out you're tipping them more than what you make ..... and they're complaining. I don't know where they come up with the idea that we should be paying them 15%, 20% of our bill and more. The statement that they'll treat you better the next time you come in if you tip the REAL GOOD is bogus. With the amount of restaurants to go to I doubt anyone is that much of a 'regular' that they'll really be remembered and there's a higher probability that either that waiter has moved on to another job or you'll be assigned a different waitress. Even at a Cracker Barrel you're treated like you're at a fast food joint. Time to Revolt and get back to reality!
I love hearing how my server will make me pay the next time if i don't tip well enough for them...let me tell you, in a country where you can sue for pretty much anything, if i got sick after eating at your establishment, I'd sue the pants off you and when your employer has to close because of your stupidity, you'll think twice about doing that again. If the service is good-great, I'll leave 20% or more, if it's below par, i'll leave you $.01... enough to say i tipped but your service was sh*t
I somwhat agree with Retired; i.e. the management should pay more, on the other hand I don't mind tipping that much, but more to the 'Closing arguments' point above: Why, for the love of God, would you even consider getting a job as a server if you hate people??? That moron should write C+ code for a living.
I worked my butt off to make it through college 8 yrs to get both my law degree and a specialty in law, mommy and daddy didn't pay for my education, i worked crappy jobs in warehouses w/o airconditioning and took second jobs painting houses in the hot sun all summer (105 deg F). So it's funny to hear these folks complain about having to take someones order and bring it to them ... what's criminal is that restaurants are permitted to avoid paying even a minimum wage. We the consumers pay what they ask on the menu, by law they "should' pay their employees a reasonable wage, then as a consumer if we feel the service was great we'll say "wow, let's show our appreciation for a GREAT job" however it shouldn't be expected. A couple years ago a customer in NY insisted on not paying for piss ass poor service. The waiter and restaurant had him arrested for skipping out on the tip (not the bill), the judge agreed that a tip is a "gratuity" to be "given" if the patron deems the service worthy (it's not an entitlement). Earlier one of the bloggers mentioned what the cook did with the steak, this was in fact a "criminal offense" and if it could be proven that cook should be arrested, prosecuted and the establishement sued. If waiters and waitress don't like the system that is in place they should lobby for change, band together and picket these cheap paying tightwads that own the restaurants and insist on decent pay. I for one would stand with them, i wouldn't cross the picket line of these cheap ass owners. The restaurant owners are charging all of us for what the meal is worth (labor included). All of us are sick and tired of everyone sticking additional fees (rental cars, hotels, the airlines with tons of hidden fees). I work for a living just like the next person, when the sticker says X I expect to pay X and that's it. Give me "Great" service and I'll show my appreciation, provide me with run-of-the-mill service and you'll get squat. I'm sick and tired of Americans feeling like we "have" to be polite or politically correct, it's my money, treat me good and I'll spend my money with you again, don't and you can starve!
I worked my way through college as a bartender – I own my own business now( not a resturauntor bar) – if I treated people like crap I expected to get a crap tip – if I treated them right then I figured I deserved a tip. I never expected a tip nor did I treat people differently if they didn't tip – Yes I would get frustrated about not getting a tip, but It's NOT required nor is it expected. I always looked at it as a bonus to get a tip! When I go to dinner now – and it is not very often – I expect good service for the money I pay – if it;s a low end resturaunt then I do not expect high end service, but I do expect to be recognized and served that's why I am going out to dinner to have someone serve me my dinner. If I go to a high end resturaunt then I expect a higher quality of service. I hate when servers think just because you sit at thier table you should automatically give them 20% – no you need to work for it and EARN your tip – just because you bring me my food and a glass of watr doesn't mean you get 20% – if you are curtious and on time even if the food is late and you came over to me and say sorry but this is what is going on I still will tip you if you do it in a professional way – if you give me the rsturaunt gossip and are pissy about it you won't EARN that tip! Grow up people and take a little responsibility for your job – I didn't make you a waiter so don't take it out on me if you are poor at what you do – good service = good tip = crappy service = no tip – I know you have bills to pay but act like you want me to tip you not demand that I do!!!!
then don't go out to eat!
It's amazing the lack of intelligence/common sense on here. The american system in restaurants is servers are paid $2-3 an hour and rely on tips to make a living. The tip isn't a "bonus", that's not how it works. You guys keep complaining that the restaurant should be paying the workers instead of you.
You guys do realize how little profit margin there is in the restaurant business, don't you? VERY LITTLE. If the restaurants paid the wages you'd just be paying much more for your meal upfront instead. You're given the luxury of controlling the system a little and you abuse it. Bunch of selfish people who justify being stingy with the most pathetic of excuses. Oh and I don't work in a restaurant so don't feed me that get another job BS.
If restaurants paid their employees a higher wage it would still come out of patrons pockets via price increases. The national average for a restaurants profit margin is less than 10% (from the national restaurant association). That's $0.10 on every dollar. Not much. When you consider all of the additional expenses within a year that occasionally build up that are not in your forecasted budget, it always ends up less. A lower minimum wage per the tipped employee system keeps costs for front of house employees low (mine fall between 4-5% most months, high 3% if it's a busy night or I manage to send staff home early). If we paid our employees a higher salary we would raise prices. This would most likely force many owner operators to cut staff, or close entirely. So, if you cannot tip, or don't tip well stay home. Don't go out. Next time you think about not tipping or tipping less ask yourself if you would like to have your hourly wage or salary cut when you were working. Most restaurant employees do not currently have benefits, work long and late hours, and work in stressful conditions. It's a tough job to have, but do you really want to see a shift to a self service type of dinning being the norm? Panera bread style set-ups everywhere and the death of fine dinning? I like that kind of experience from time to time myself, but it can't substitute for a nice evening out, great food, some drinks, and good knowledgeable service.
@ Mike,
Then if you want to "dismiss publicly and to a manager" your server don't be surprised if you walk into a restaurant and you are "dismissed" for YOUR attitude. Seems to me you are a stuck-up arrogant PR*&% who thinks he is "privileged" to eat out. Resgtaurants (like ANY BUSINESS) can refuse service to ANYONE who is unruly, or disruptive. Why don't you choke on that the next time you dine out. I bet you couldn't last one single HOUR as a server waiting on a clone of you. People like you should stay home because all you bring into a restaurant is an aura ignorance and arrogance.
Our Canadian neighbors to the north once again got it right (and we should pay attention), provide waiters/waitress and staff reasonable wage, if it causes the price to rise people will pay, they're going to eat. So what if restaurants have a slim margin, "welcome to the American capitalist society" if you can't make it, get a job from someone who is making it. Lot's of these whiners make it sound as if we should be subsidizing the food industry ... where's my subsidy? (actually i don't want one and wouldn't take it if you tried to give it, I still have my pride)
you are absolutely correct, as an employer with over 80 employees I have to pay my employees a livable wage and tipping is not allowed in our industry. Why should bar and restaurant owners get away with out having to pay by the same standards.
Apparently, no one here understands what Retired is saying. The point is that if tips are built into the price (which in turn would go up accordingly) then the hassle and guess work of tipping disappears. If I'm going to pay 15 or 20% more than the bill anyway, it doesn't matter to me what it is technically called. But if I have to try and figure out what a reasonable rate is, and then calculate it, that introduces unnecessary hassle. Also, tipping usually involves real cash, if it is built into the menu price I can put it on a card.
All through college and afterward I waited tables and tended bar. Now, we dine out at least once a week. Dealing with the public is a very difficult job. If your server does it well you should tip them at least 15%, but more commonly 20%. They work for tips, that's how it's done and what you don't get is that while they wait on you, YOU are their employer. If you go out to a sit down dinner you should take into account the tip when budgeting. If you can't afford it "Retired" go to McDonalds. Seeing that you call yourself "Retired" I would think you're a little older and wiser, but you obviously don't know the ways of the world... and this, is what wait staff have to deal with. Morons like you.
I expect to see you out in the lead to change the system that pays waiters and bartenders $2-$3 an hour and rely on tips. You're a cheap jerk who doesn't want to give us our due. Goo to McDonalds next time.
I feel the same way (and I used to be a server!) It's just an excuse for businesses to pay their staff less and advertise lower prices at the same time. But I also agree it's because servers make so much in tips (as being part of the reason this is this way). I also agree with the poster below who argued against the outrageous idea that 20%+ is standard. I always pay 15% (unless it was FABULOUS service)...servers work hard, but people tend to martyr servers...the image of an occupation that works so hard for so little, etc. It's still a minimum wage job...as we surely must know in America, working hard doesn't equal wealth (nor does it necessarily deserve it alone). Skill and intelligence have equal weight, and food service is not a job that warrants a high salary...not to say that they don't work hard or long hours, but so do other jobs, and if they really expect to be paid highly for their work, then they should find a more skilled job. It may sound harsh, but that's just a fact of life...it's unreasonable to claim that all jobs are created equal.
Anyway, this is my rambling way of saying that I've been on both sides, and I generally agree with this poster on tipping. Not to say you shouldn't tip more if you can afford it and the service was good, but by and large 15% is perfectly acceptable, and any server who insists otherwise is being petulant and unreasonable and should seek other employment if they are looking to a waitressing job to equal the salary of a more skilled position.
And as a bartender, I am 47 years old going to graduate school. Bartending has been putting me through college for three years and it is not because of people like you. It is my fellow students, the undergraduates who have waited tables to put THEMSELVES through school who are the most supportive, generous and understanding customers I have. They are the best part of my shift, the ones who show their true selves to be concerned with another's well-being instead a greedy, self-righteous pig. If you want to be inconsiderate, then admit it. Don't hide behind your bulls*&t excuse. Let your freak flag fly and announce to the world that you are a jerk.
@ Everyone trashing Mike – Does no one read the guy's comments? Do your job, get a good tip. Thats all he is saying! Just do your job! Everyone seems to be saying 'No, I will do what I please and you BETTER tip me!'. 80% of restaurants close within the first year. The customer does not need the restaurant, its the other way around even if you argue until you are blue in the face. Unless you want to be out of a job, Im not saying to take anyone being rude to you (I, nor anyone else would accept that for any kind of money), do what you signed up for.
It's just a fact of life tips are needed for adequate server pay. A big part of service to me is NOT interupting our conversation to ask "Is everything alright?" Stand ther quitetly until we finish a sentance an then we'll acknowledge you. Don't make service like a hatchet in the middle of the dining table!
I will refrain from saying all the things going through my head when I read comments like this one. I worked in the restaurant industry for 18 lon years and I am proud of myself for the level of care and service I expected of myself daily, regardless of the jackass I may have been encountering. I realize everyone had bad days and I would always remember that when I had a nasty customer, but I challenge ANYONE who has never had to serve people for a living to give it a try. I have bad days too and I am only trying to get myself to a better place (which I have after many years of school and serving), but when I have to put on my plastic face and act like I care if you are truly happy with your service or your food when you are treating me like I am some kind of inferior being, it makes me hate all humankind. However, despite this treatment I have endured by some patrons, I NEVER, EVER tainted anyone's food or drink......and believe me, there were many who deserved it!
I have often thought all people should have to work as wait staff before they can go on to whatever field they choose. I come from the management side of restaurants and have a simple rule: Standard tip is when I dine out is 15%, the better a server is the more they make – this last week Jenny at Biaggi's was so great she got a 30% tip from my wife and me. I believe the $22.50 she made for the hour she spent with us was worth it to her. The converse also applies, the worse the server, the lower the tip. I want to encourage poor wait staff to look for another profession and encourage the great wait staff to be at the restaurant the next time I am. The accepted norm in the USA is that dinners subsidize wait staff pay with tips. And when you have great service don't just leave a tip; fill out the comment card (I know it can be a pain) and let the manager know also. Good management will make sure that the server knows how they are doing and that can help keep good wait staff at your favorite restaurants.
For the restaurant staff here that are blasting customers remember, if they don't go out to dinner you don't have a job (neither do the dishwashers, cooks, managers and hosts). I am there for my wait staff even going so far as to tip out a server when a customer did not think their service deserved a tip and I knew otherwise. But remember, your attitude shows and customers pick up on how you truly feel about them. Whether they are dining out for dinner or a special occasion; they deserve your best. So park you attitude and personal problems in the parking lot and do your job. Good wait staff do this and there tips reflect it. Get the chip off your shoulder. Every profession has to deal with jerks. If you are this angry now, how angry are you at work? For those of you suggesting that certain people don't go out to dinner, maybe you should look in the mirror and see if you are in the right profession and not just a convenient one.
I will get a good tip out of you, go to a restaurant, and tip that server crappy! Throw the extra in savings.
Economics 101.
That should tick off both sides of this ridiculous argument.
Stay home and eat cat food, or come out, tip like shit and get spit in your food. I bet your a retired car salesman, or some other unimportant job. At least retired means closer to death, generally.
Stay home and eat cat food, or come out, tip like shit and get spit in your food. I bet you're a retired car salesman, or some other unimportant job. At least "retired" means closer to death, generally.
As an employer of wait staff, do you have any idea what your meal would cost if they were paid more? Yes, they rely on their tips, which is a bonus or try to think of it as commission sales. The more they sell, after dinner drink, starter salad, dessert, the more they may receive as a tip, provided they have served you well. No one should be tipped for bad service. Servers also know that many fixed income people cannot "tip". A gracious server will understand that and be just as happy with a smile and a thank you. So enjoy your affordable dining out, and remember that they are just trying to make a living on their feet, working long hours, weekends, nights, holdiays, Father's Day, Mother's Day, New Years and all those other times most of us are relaxing.
@Mike: Just curious, are you as much of a jerk when you go out to eat as you are with your replies here? I've worked as a hostess/waitress for four years and still enjoy my job, unless customers are assholes. I guarantee you won't get any snark or bad service from me unless I can tell you're a pompous douchebag and treat me like a lower form of life. It's people like that that enrage servers, people who think that they're "entitled" to the best service in the world. I also abhor the fact that so many "servers" that are replying to this are saying they would spit (or do other things) to your food. I have been called a 'bitch' to my face for accidentally mis-counting this woman's change after she gave me the incorrect amount to begin with and still said 'have a good day'. If you're not going to a five star restaurant (and even if you are), you should expect that people are people. Your server probably has his/her own issues and is trying his/her best to make sure your dining experience is pleasurable while in the back of his/her head, they're thinking about the fact that their grandfather is dying, or that they're not going to be able to make rent this month because people don't tip well, or many other things. While you sit there and think about your own troubles, remember that your server most likely has just as many as you do, and won't let that show because they're keeping a smile on their face and making sure your food is good.
Just remember that next time you go out to eat. True, it's the service that deserves the tip – but also keep in mind, that if you treat your server like a dog and feel so entitled that you need someone to wipe your ass, don't expect good service. It's a two-way street.
Wait personnel are usually paid very low hourly wages. They count on tips to make a decent average wage. Oftentimes they are required to claim a certain amount with the IRS. So when people don't tip they lose out twice.
Suggestions from my sister who was a waitress for years:
1.) Be glad to have the opportunity to go out for a meal. There are millions of people in this world who haven't had a decent meal for weeks.
2.) If you smile at the waiter/waitress that will set a friendly note. Speak to the waiter as you would want people to speak to your son or daughter who happened to be a waiter and you will get good service.
3.) Most of you who can afford to go out to eat make more per hour than the waiter so have a heart.
4.) If the waiter doesn't ask if your food is good or doesn't offer to refill beverages, take him/her aside and politely tell them what they overlooked. Tell them they should do those things and then give them a 20% tip even though they didn't earn it. That will inspire them to do better and, if you go back they will remember you.
Idiot!
a european chef I once worked with, told me in europe, all the males are required to complete 2 year's mandatory military service for the goverment. He later told me that he thought everyone in America, should complete mandatory service in the hospitality industry for 1 year.
as an aside, most restaurants, hotels, resorts etc, make less then 15 cents for every dollar they bring in.
REALLY..!..?...it amazes me that people seem to think of the restaurant business as some kind of Goldmine-CashCow-Scam...my w2 indicated that I made less than $10,000 last year...I paid taxes on nearly $70,000 per tax laws for "tipped employees"...I work 40-50 hours per week and have had days that I work 14 hours and go home with less than $100...my employer pays the minimum wage for "tipped employees" .... $2.63/hour not because he is a slave driver but because his profit margin is going to be around 4% if he does his job well and manages his business AND gets lucky enough to be busy....if he can do $2 million in sales...(almost $5,500 in sales /day if you are open every single day!...or $45/seat in 120 seat restaurant) AND achieves a 4% profit that will amount to $80,000 for the owner..not a bad salary but truly not filthy rich either...just because a dining room is nicer & more comfortable than yours, with friendly attentive people tending to your dietary requests, providing drinks and food, entertaining & taming your children, and assisting in you in selecting food that you like does not mean it is making an astronomical profit...most restaurateurs struggle each and every day to pay their bills and staff their businesses...they are providing a service that you chose to utilize unlike a car repair ($35/hour)..a lawyer ($100/hour)...oil or gas burner repair ($45/hour) or any of the other services that you might need on a given day...the service industry is UPSIDE DOWN...we want to pay less for those things we CHOOSE do and make no bones about paying more for those things that we have NO CHOICE about....
Hey,"Retired"- Tipping a pain? Go to McDonald's. Maybe it's time to get that overdue Alzheimer's checkup. I retired (military) once also, but I tended bar for years. We know your type: you want to get "extras" (you want me to steal from my employer for you), and then act like a pompous skinflint when the check comes. Tipped service provides an incentive for better service, but it also means we get boneheaded types of your sort. What do we do? We 'endure' you, knowing that the next party probably has more social skills than a snail with hemorrhoids, and pour on the service and charm. We know what side our bread is buttered on. Incompetent and ill-tempered servers have a very short 'shelf life' in this unforgiving industry. Great customer-server relationships are built one cocktail or entree at a time. Good customers are a treasure we never forget, and we servers cherish them because there are too many jerks like you. Do society a favor: stay home and annoy the Missus. She's probably used to it!
Retired – I work in the health care industry (probably making sure your measly MC supplement claims get paid so you can save that extra buck to "subsidize" your server's income)and I supplement my income by working as a server at night. This ensure's I can put food on my children's table. One of the main reason's why a server only gets paid $2.13/hr is because it is understood that a server's tip subsidizes their income. That is where you are correct. What you don't see is that if the restaurants had to pay 20 servers $10/hr then the food cost would go up. You would then be forced to pay your server. It's the same thing I hear everyday about the health care reform and rising premiums due largley to ignorant retirees like yourself that feel it is owed to them just because you put in your years of tenure. Well, guess what? So are we. If you don't want to tip sit at home on your porch and make your own darn lemonade.
If you want to work for $2.13 an hour, get a job because that's what a waiter makes. It has nothing to do with the employer not paying a decent wage, but with your dear elected representatives in Washington (all fools) who decided that tips should be used in computing the minimum wage. So just stay home rather than go out to eat and stiff a waiter on a tip because you don't like the laws your elected representatives passed.
@MIke
I am so floored at how heartless and condescending some of your posts are that part of me has to wonder if you're BSing to have a laugh.
Basically, there are two options for server compensation: Either we stick with the current system where servers make around $2 an hour supplemented by tips according to the level of service. You seem to feel this is an unsatisfactory option, so let's look at Option 2. As Owner/Chef points out (which you mock him or her for) to eliminate tipping and have the restaurant pay the whole of the server's wages, they would have to raise prices to astronomical level. You told Owner/Chef that you would't eat a $50 dollar burger, and neither would I, so I tip–especially since even with a decent tip I wouldn't end up paying as much as the restaurants would have to charge if tipping was eliminated. But since you reject both of these options, it would seem your only choice is to stay home.
Ah, but wait, from the language and tenor of your posts it seems you are leaning toward another option most of us would not consider–restaurants continue to pay their servers $2 an hour and patrons don't tip them (or at least you don't–you'll leave that to the decent people I guess)!! Genius!! And if they don't make a living wage, well, that's not your problem, right? You just get to enjoy your meal without compensating those who told the kitchen what you want, brought you the food and refilled your drinks, that's what you're entitled to, because you're just so great. Serioulsy? Where do you get off?
Yes, when I go out I expect the servers to be polite and get things right, because that is their job and if they do that then I am happy to pay them the money that they need to supplement their paltry salary so that they can pay their rent or for their education. Even if they don't do a super job, I will still leave at least 15% because, hey, people make mistakes and people can have bad days for whatever reason.
Good idea. Stop subsidies on wages. I would suggest not paying commissions on your car, clothing, or housing. And no labor costs for your plumber, mechanic, or carpenter. The costs of the supplies should cover it.Let'em know right up front they're not getting their commissions.
you've had both good service and lousy. aren't you grateful for those who go the extra mile? non-tippers deserve $2.13 and hour worth of service.
People in the service industry work very hard for the money they make. Dining out is a privilege. If you don't want to pay for the service you are receiving (i.e. TIPPING!), then stay the F home. FYI... 20% is the industry standard for tipping for those that think 15% is a gracious tip.
@Mike,
While I don't agree with your perspective, I can understand why you feel angry or frustrated about being expected to tip when the service has not met your (apparently nearly unattainable) standards. One expects quality of service for their money and I'm sorry if you feel like you have not received such service. However, I must protest at your suggestion that all servers are uneducated and work as waiters/waitresses because they can do nothing else. As has been stated by others, a huge amount of servers work as such precisely because they are getting an education. As a student and veteran of the service industry, both as a waitress and as a chef, I can assure you that it is extremely rare to find a restaurant worker who consciously and intentionally chooses to treat a customer poorly. Students especially know that they rely on your happiness as a customer to pay off their tuition and become more educated people. I will not generalize as I do acknowledge that not all servers are students or individuals who have college degrees, but they do make up a large demographic, especially in big cities and college towns.
In addition, whether or not your waiter was rude, you never really know who your tip is going to. Was your food delicious? Believe it or not, in some places even kitchen staff receive a portion of the tips. A better solution would be to speak to a manager about less-than-perfect service, rather than to potentially punish someone who did a good job.
Lastly, I'd like to warn you against ever assuming that you are in any way 'above' waiters, or anyone, for that matter. The fact of the matter is, you never really know what kind of person is taking your order. I am a prime example. I've worked at restaurants to make a profit not out of desperate necessity for an income. Rather, I took these jobs because I had long summers with nothing to do. Farfetched as it may sound, I'm a university student paying of tuition and bills with money from the small fortune I inherited. That's right: I'm a waitress AND an heiress! Contrary to your assumption that all waitresses are uneducated, I attended boarding school in England where I received top marks, and am now in university back in the states (not to mention that I have an IQ of 145). What's more, when in Europe I attend events frequented by celebrities and Prime Ministers, not as a server but as a guest due to my father's prominent status.
The point I want to make is that, no matter your opinion on the quality of a waiter's performance as a waiter, do not judge them as human beings by making cruel and ill-rooted assumptions.
PS: "Etiquette" is spelled as such, and there is never a reason to put an apostrophe in "gets" (apart from a feeble grasp on the English language). To cap it off, English is my third language. I speak four languages. How many do you, Mike? Maybe you're not quite as educated as you think.
“I'm a server and just when I'm reading all these ignorant, pompous complaints, I was thinking how much I hate people in general." Geez, then why does this person choose to be a waiter??
Choose to be a waiter!?!?!? Ah the lament of somebody who never had to do food service work for a living.
I have a tremendous respect for people in Food service because most of them are doing the last job they can find. When the good jobs dry up, waiting tables is often all that's left. Most of these people would love great jobs with good benefits. They are way overworked and drastically and deliberately underpaid. There are generally no benefits in food service, the hours are brutal and horrible and they are stuck with insane "Side work" to make sure that they do not have 30 seconds of unpaid time.
They get the privilige of waiting on wealthier people than themselves who are routinely rude, spoiled and obnoxious and they seldom get real thanks for it.
Tip your server well, be polite instead of constantly griping that your experience hasn't been perfect, and you might find that your service starts to improve. The problem is you, not your server.
they choose to wait tables because of that attitude that would be tolerated NO where else or because they're to lazy to work 40 hour weeks and interrupt their time to "party"
Because they need the money. I was a waiter years ago and I started out with a good attitude. Pompous idiots soon changed that. Before you people whine about waitrons (gender non-specific, ok?) try doing it for a while. You'll go from sunshine and flowers to storm clouds and lightning pretty quickly!
Did it occur to you that perhaps some people need to be off during normal hours to take care of children while their spose is working, or that maybe they are in school during those hours? Sometimes the choices are limited by your needs.
It makes me sick to see someone assume servers as working less than 40 hours per week and choosing to wait tables because they need TIME to party!! That's so completely ignorant of you. Servers often work MORE than 40 hours per week, for longer than 8 hours each day, with managers who won't let them rest, to pay the same bills everyone else pays. I'm NOT a server. I was a cook for a long time, and I saw what my wait staff went through. People should be ASHAMED of how they treat servers! Like worthless slaves. They must be unintelligent and lazy to work as a server, so why should you treat them with any semblance of respect? Disgusting.
I was thinking the same thing.. wrong job to get if you 'hate people.' Maybe get a job working with animals or something.. geez
Actually, I waited tables through college and graduate school because it was all I could find that would fit my class schedule. Apparently you are too biased to realize that for every lazy/rude server out there there are 10 good people who have no other way to make a living. I feel sorry for you–a jaded attitude like yours must make for a lonely life.
@Lou, your an idiot...
go apply for a job as a server, and feel how physical the job can be plus gotta keep a smile on that face. Unless you go to some dives to eat ya not very birght on accusing a server that all they want to do is party...you work a night job your happy hours are not after a each 8 hour work day M-F, get home for the 6:30 news after sipping a few gin & tonics on the way home to wifey and dinner...hours are DIFFERENT and so is the lifestyle...12hour work day 5 days or even no day off...no real life but working your a$$ off...gotta save it, spend it, invest it until a 'real job' comes along...
I worked as a waiter/server for several years after college. I graduated with a bachelors degree cum Laude in biology. I worked full time in a research lab and part-time in a restaurant. Between both jobs, about 55-60 hours/wk. I needed the dough, and it was fast cash. Obviously, I'm not dumb and I'm not lazy. I did meet some people who were either dumb or lazy. An extremely small percentage were both. I met roughly the same number of lazy morons in college. Most of them now have well paid jobs in business sectors. Some are on Wall Street, and are currently stealing your money. The rest are lawyers.
BTW, Lou (and all the other buffoons who make assumptions about their servers), I left the food service industry to go to medical school at a highly regarded university (n the U.S). I did my residency at a top 10 hospital affiliated with a top 5 med school. I routinely worked 80hrs per week. Sometimes 100+ hrs. AND I saved peoples lives. When I couldn't, I comforted them and their families.
I was a waiter, Lou. Now, I'm a doctor. What have you done??
I wait tables part time at a small bar and grill 2 nights per week. I have a full time job, a fixer upper home, live 1500 miles away from my family, and I have a large student loan to pay off. I choose to wait tables for extra money because 1) I'm good at it and 2) most restaurants will work with you on your schedule. Retail stores, telemarketing companies, and other part time places often won't, or they require a minimum number of hours to be worked each week that I cannot meet. I claim all of my tips so I can use it is verifiable income if I ever need credit for something. I average probably 20% in tips, but we're not a high volume restaurant so I don't make much. Some weeknights I'm lucky to leave with $30 in tips for 8 hours of work. When someone doesn't tip me, I really feel it. Luckily, I don't usually give them cause not to tip. But you just get those non-tippers sometimes... or the ones who tip everyone 10% and that's it. I enjoy the majority of my customers, but every so often you just get that one a-hole who is rude to you all night and then doesn't leave you anything. I could work at a high volume place, but the owners of the place I'm at now treat all of us really well, plus they don't make me work Saturday or Sunday, which is REALLY nice with my full time job.
No offense but yes, one does choose to be a waiter. We don't live in a society where your job is somehow pre-determined for you. There are jobs out there but I guess dignity comes first. My sister chooses to be a server even though she graduated from college a few years ago. She like doing it and makes good money. I worked doing intakes in a juvenile detention center on the grave shift when I went to school. A friend of mine installed carpet while going to school. You can always choose to do something else if you don't like what you're doing but then you might not be able to complain about poor tips from poor customers. Why are the only servers who post the one's with attitudes so bad they shouldn't be servers to begin with.
Pip T has got it right, everyone should work in the restaurant business at some point in their lives. I've been a cook for over a decade and I have naturally had my share of arguments with the waitstaff, but at the end of the night none of that mattered. Waiters and waitresses are some of the hardest working people on the planet. Not only do they have to deal with the stress and flow of the business, but they also have to deal with some of the biggest p*icks on the face of the Earth. Cut them some slack, don't be a douche!
What BS–if you don't wish to tip, don"t use the service. I THINK WE SHOULD GO TO THE EUROPE SYSTEM WHERE 15/20% IS ADDED TO ALLr –Most waiters are underpaid, hard working and abused.
Most servers are undereducated people who cannot find a good job. They all complain about the customers But its your F..ing JOB.....without all of your horrible customers you would not have a job that requires little to NO experience....if you dont like working with customers you could go work in a factory or the fields they require no experience/education, and there is no tipping either......
Enjoy all your UNDECLARED INCOME
I am definitely not under educated. I was a server through college (and graduated with a 3.5 GPA) because that's how I paid my bills. I actually liked my job, but it was people like you that came in that think you were better than every server in there that I hated to wait on.
Come to my office and ask anyone here if they feel underworked, overpaid, or overappreciated. Everyone has too much to do these days – it's a fact of being in the modern workforce.
The reason tips are not made part of a server's salary is because it is supposed to be incentive for good service. If that makes you angry, you should go work somewhere else.
@lolsville.... I waited tables for 6 years through college... It was the most money I could make while maintaining a schedule compatible with a college curriculum. Within 5 years of quiting waiting tables I am now the CEO of a defense contracting company. I assure you, most servers are the same as me... trying to make ends meet so they can get a better job.
Sure. . . and we'll have the same food and service they do. . . most of it I wouldn't feed my dog
LolsVille – you seem to be a very arrogant and ignorant person. i was a server for several years. first part of serving was through college, Graduated with a 3.8 GPA and still had another year of waiting after becuase the job market is horrible.
it has nothing to do with not liking customers, it has to do with not liking customers like you. you could get a job at a factory, but there are none, and when there are ther are nearly 3000 applicants and im overqualified. its people like you that make customer service an aggrivating job.
not much of the tips we make get to be undocumented since the states make an assupmtion that you earn a 10% tip on ALL tranactions. if you get jipped on a few bills you can easily go under making that 10% a night and lose money.
Lois, you bloody idiot. I have to claim 12 percent of my tips and have to tip out 3 percent of my sales. I am a graduate student working my thesis. I work with another woman who has 2 lovely children, but needs the extra money to support her family after an awful divorce. I also have another job as a researcher, which is nothing nearly as stressful as being a server. The impact that serving puts on the body is enough to be tipped well. EVERY single night I only get a break to drink some water and use the restroom. And this is solely so customers have their orders in on time and get what they want.
When you talk about servers being uneducated, I feel entirely insulted. My grandmother came to this country and worked in a factory her entire life. My grandfather worked as a janitor. I am sure your family has also had similar jobs. Show some respect. Everyone needs a job to get by– the difference between retail and serving jobs in opposition to other jobs is that workers tend to be verbally abused, underpaid, and exploited. To have some idiot respond to a blog post calling out how customers treat servers just shows how moronic you truly are.
@Jules
Actually Jules, and to anyone who doesn't know, TIPS (aka "To Insure Proper Service") are not only there to provide incentive to good service but to also provide service to the waiter to turnover tables. If a server made an hourly wage not only do labor costs go up or service start to lack, but you also see a decrease in sales as there's no point in trying to turn over as many tables as possible. This FURTHER drives up prices at the restaurant as the owner is not having as high of volume of sales and therefore must raise prices. I think this case is especially true with bartenders. Could you imagine going to a high volume bar where the bartender didn't care how many drinks he or she served cause she was on an hourly rate? I can tell you that overall sales and attendance of that place would drop dramatically.
Finally, to all of you who have and still do wait tables, do not fret about these people's comments as they have obviously never worked in the industry. Have solace in the fact that you A) make fun of them as soon as they leave, B) know that the bad karma will one day catch up to them, and C) should they be awful enough, resort to power of being the one that handles their food...
@Mike... If I were your friend I would never go to a restaurant with you... I can't imagine the things you've eaten that you have no idea about...
Oh dear...
Servers: Firstly, to suggest that workers in the food industry work any harder for their pay than anyone else is simply ignorant. I pumped gas for my first job. It sucked, paid poorly and I never 'expected' to be tipped. When it did happen, I was appreciative and took it as a sign that I was doing something over-and-above what was expected of me.
Realizing that the job sucked... I did something apparently beyond the comprehention of many of the indivs posting here..... I got an education and bettered my employment situation... Crazy thought eh?
Secondly: A tip or 'gratuity' is exactly what it sounds like: Not assumed, not expected, not required and completely at the discretion of the paying-party. It is, in fact, a bonus of sorts; gifted to the server for exceptional service. It is not: 1) guaranteed income or 2) requisite compensation for lackluster service.
Thirdly: If a propper understanding of "the tip" is outside of your grasp.. as is personal betterment. Perhaps prospect employment for an establishment who's pay structure doesnt assume 'gratuity'.... McDonald's maybe? Then you wouldn't have to 'try so hard.'
Chris, for the love of God, please re-frame your argument. I suppose you are one of those functionalists who believe each man and woman should "pull themselves up by the bootstraps." The fact of the matter is people, educated and "non-educated," work in the food industry. "I worked in the food industry, and it sucked. So I said, 'hey, you know what? I am going to go out and get a real job!'" Go sell your story to Nickelodeon.
@ Alexandria
No, I will not reframe my argument *sorry if you're offended*
But I believe that individuals that have the energy to complain about their situation and have the perceptual awareness to identify their situation as 'less than desireable'.. should also be the agents of their own betterment. Hence... responsibilized for improving their situation.
And selling my story to Nickleodeon.... really? :D *Thanks* Its soo refreshing to see someone's rebuttle disintegrate into childish antagonism. *high 5*
You've done an excellent job of demonstrating your inability to debate things rationally... but you sound slightly irate... I'm confused. Isn't ignorance supposed to be blissful?
I said most servers, some of you are edjimacated ......I forgot to mention also a lot have FELONIES (no background checks)..................But dont just assume you are entitled to that tip you have to work for it....give me a smile.....keep that drink filled......remember what i ordered.........then you get you TIP.
If you all think diners couldn't afford the food if the waiters were properly paid, why do you think diners should be able to afford it better by having to properly pay you on the side?
And I am confused, when I grew up, the tipping rate was always recommended to be 10 to 15 percent – when did you all get your income doubled? And why has mine been sitting at the essentially the same rate for the last 15 years? (IT analyst).
Oh LoisVille you ignorant and pathetic fool... you are exactly the type I enjoy playing with to the amusement of others. People like you think you can hide from the industry, but we know you for who you are by the second round or before the appetizers are cleared. When you receive poor service, it is usually because of your attitudes and you get what you deserve. We write off the tips, worry about the 'good' customers and just move you out thanking you for a bit of cash flow but hoping you won't come back. I would make a guess as to your profession, but that would be stooping to the same style of pig ignorant stereotyping as you have used in your worthless comments so far. People like you have given me cause to use, and loudly so other tables can hear, a favourite phrase; "I'm only allowed to tell two people a year to go f__k themselves, and I'm not going to waste one on you." If you do it right, all the other tables give the server extra tips in sympathy for having to deal with losers like you who just don't get it.
Have fun dining out next time, I hope you get food poisoning.
it’s very upsetting to hear people talk about this. As a student I am doing this job for quick cash. All I can hope is that the people who commented on this NEVER occupy a seat in my restaurant. In the state of Texas a server is paid $2.15/ hour, we make our money by y’all tipping us. I understand it is a pain to do so, but if you can’t afford to pay us what you think is fair for sitting at our table for an hour, then don’t go out to eat!
EXACTLY! I waited tables while I was in college. That was how rent and all my bills were paid.
My mother raised 4 kids on a waitresses pay and tips, so lemme tell you I know what all you have to go through and can and do empathize for you. However that being said, if you don't appreciate your tip, or lack thereof, maybe stripping or some of form of whoring yourself out would accomdate you better? As for me, I tip at least 10%, if you a really really bad waiter I tip a penny. If you are so bad that I don't tip at all, I'll let your manager and you know why, and if it gets to that point you can bet that I won't frequent that establishment again, b/c chances are it's not just you it's the establishment in the first place.
I'm not PAYING you to sit at your table! Because your employer is to cheap to pay a decent wage is not my problem. I'm paying to have my meal prepared AND served. You want more make it worth my while. Not just giving me what I've already paid for.
Rachel, that's just too bad. There is NO such thing as quick cash any more. you will be required to worked extremely hard and will NOT be rewarded unless your service is excellent. We are in a recession. Money is tight. You work yourself to the bone like everyone else is expected to and you will get your tip.
@Rachel – it is not "your" table, and when I am sitting at it you should think of it as "my" table. That being said, I consider myself a good tipper unless the srevice is really lacking.
Also, a general comment about the tipping system- I think it is unfair that a server at a greasy spoon who is working just as hard, or harder, than a server at a fancy placy will earn much less just because the food is less expensive. At some places all the server does is take your order. Someone else fills your glass, brings you your food, clears it away...etc.
Marvin, that all good and dandy! but when you leave me a $2 tip on a $70 tab, well we are accually paying to wait on you! 5-8% of our total sales go to tipping the busboy, hostess and bartenders. so thank you! and may your life be filled with people exactly like you. also, it is not a management thing, its a state thing, and there is proces being made to correct the issue :)
Marvin, that all good and dandy! but when you leave me a $2 tip on a $70 tab, well we are accually paying to wait on you! 5-8% of our total sales go to tipping the busboy, hostess and bartenders. so thank you! and may your life be filled with people exactly like you. also, it is not a management thing, its a state thing, and there is proces being made to correct the issue.
Wow Tammy, I would think that you would be a little more understanding having been raised by a mother who was a waitress herself. Telling someone to "whore " themselves out because they just want a little respect for the job they do (and don't we all want respect at the end of the day), is a bit much don't you think?! How would you feel if someone compared her waitressing skills to a stripper or whore......classy!
@Matt "it is not "your" table, and when I am sitting at it you should think of it as "my" table.” I do! no seriously, it is your table until you decide to get up leave. Then it’s mine again until my next guest decides to make it "his." I treat Every person who sits in my section with the courtesy and respect that I would like when I go into a restaurant.
@ Marvin:
You aren't getting the point. If restaurants had to pay "regular" minimum wage to servers, prices would be far higher. A $10 meal would instantly be a $ 15 meal. If ONE restaurant did that, they would be out of business because their prices would be so much higher than anyone else. I work as a manager in a restaurant and I think I tip pretty well. It's not usually 20%, but I will point out that most of my dining out is in Minnesota, where we DO have to pay "normal" minimum wage. In other words, servers here make $7.25 PLUS tips per hour. I think that's only true in a handful of states.
Stop yelling at Marvin. He cant help it. In its in his DNA to disregard others, and take take take... So, just like you would a runt puppy of the litter, or the handicapped kid on the block, you must ignore his drooling and window licking... you just have to know from jump street that serving Marvins table will end up costing you money. Expecially when he covers that well done steak in a whole bottle of ranch.
I work as a medical courier. I carry lab specimens for tetsting that are very delicate and time sensitive. I am poorly paid as well. I get no benefits, no insurance and NO breaks. I get tired of you WHINY LOSERS who feel that a tip is your right. Nobody ever tips me, but I do my job with a smile because I am glad to be working.
The term "tip" is an anagram for "to insure promptness". This means it is your incentive as a server to do well for your customer. It is not the fault of diners in a restaurant that the waitstaff is poorly treated or paid. If you feel you need the tips you shoul deserve them based on your performance. SHUT UP AND DO YOUR JOB!!!
First of all, I am sick of the entitlement attitude servers have about receiving tips. I understand "this is the only job" you feel you can get with your school schedule, kids' schedules, etc. but why put the burden on the customers and not on your employer? Secondly, we CAN afford to eat at your restaurant, but consumers are struggling too, so if its a choice to tip 10% or 20%, you bet we're tipping 10%. So why bother going out? Because we can, and we can afford it, just can't afford your school books or health bill too. Thirdly, I hate the obligation feeling of having to tip. Unless you go out of your way for me, then I'd like to happily tip. But once again, you're just doing your job. And lastly, if you hate getting pad $2.19 an hour, THEN QUIT.
Rachel,
If the laws in your state seem unfair to servers... perhaps your argument would get more sympathy with your senator or locally elected representative.
Secondly... saying that serving in your state only pays $2.15- then saying that u took the job for quick cash... is both a logical inconsistency ... and convincing evidence of why you are a server.
@ Frank, im sorry
@ocbased, are you from the OC? the servers in cali get paid min.
@Chris,"Secondly... saying that serving in your state only pays $2.15- then saying that u took the job for quick cash... is both a logical inconsistency ... and convincing evidence of why you are a server." My job allows me to take home cash every night when I get off work. If I need to pay a bill, save for books, tutition, and food I go to work and PRAY I don’t get people like you paying the bill. I don’t have to wait 2 weeks to get a check. I’m in school right now working on my Doctorates in Veterinary Medicine. That’s why I am a server sir, i chose to pay my own way through school as not to take grants and scholarships away from those who really need them.
@ Rachel,
I appologise... I re-read my comment and it came across unfairly harsh. Kudos for working towards your doctorate. However, I am still adamant that there are alternatives to working in an industry that pays so little and places unfair expectations on patrons. I finished my MA in sept and paid my way with Teaching and Research Assistant gigs...
@ Frank – you DO realize that servers make way less than minimum wage, right? You're complaining that you're "poorly paid as well"...but I expect you're making AT LEAST minimum wage. Sure, you don't recieve tips – but YOU DON'T NEED THEM, because you're not the one making $2 an hour. And another thing – I feel bad for you that you don't get benefits or insurance, but neither do servers. And as for breaks...what are those? I can honestly say that, although a 15-minute break is automatically deducted from my check every shift, I have never once actually taken it because I'm always too busy with my tables. I agree that neither of our jobs are ideal, but at the end of the day you're making more than me, so quit complaining.
People are not obligated to leave a tip, it is earned not deserved so if you give crappy service you are not getting a tip and most likely loosing a patron. Awful attitudes like this can be the downfall of any restaurant no matter how good it is. People can sense a bad attitude a mile away, if you lack passion that will show through in your work. Its never too late in a customer's experience to try and turn it around though, try it and you might be surprised how it not only makes their experience better, but your own better as well. Keep this attitude up though and I wouldn't be surprised if I see your restaurant on Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay screaming in your face LOL
tips are a part of the industry. if you don't tip, it says more about you than your server. I tip minimum 20% because I know that is how they get paid. also, everyone keeps saying that "these people are uneducated, party animials, lazy, etc." this seems to be the same excuse anytime we try to have a meaningful discussion about occupations. what about your job? what makes you so intelligent because you don't have to work as a server.
ok, we understand we do go we get a good tip...maybe from you. what about when i do a hell of a job all day, becuase im at work and i have a strong work ethic and try my best (even on a bad day) to make sure my customers have everything they could want or need then get nothing? all i would get is " you did a great job, best service i have had in a long time, thanks so much" then my tip is 5 bucks on a $100.00 tab. this is called Bullsh*t
@ Kyle,
Why should I pay someone a tip if they didn't do anything to earn it? I very rarely tip less than 15% even for a bad waitress because I realize how crummy of a job it can be. BUT, if the service isn't there, why should I pay for something that I didn't receive? In my mind thats what the gratuity is, correct? Paying for your service. If you didn't get service, then why should you pay for it? Would you pay a mechanic to do work on your car if he did more harm than good to it?
I didn't think so.
I was a waiter years ago.
I would only work in restaurants where the tip was included on the check, as people are either good tippers or bad tippers.
Most people did not know the tip was on the check.
It was hysterical watching them look for reasons to tip badly, as they already planned on doing so before they sat down.
I always thought it was funny that they would order appetizers, 3 cocktails dinner and dessert and then want to leave you a dollar after running your a$$ off.
Bad tippers are just bad tippers, no matter what kind of service they get.
Agreed. Bad tippers are always bad tippers even if they get treated like Kings and Queens.
I hate to hear that... because II happily add on to my tip for extra good service, or when I know I've been especially tough to deal with for whatever reason (lingering over coffee, being extra particular with special orders, bringing my Nana with me... whom I love to death, but is insane and demanding and rude to servers....) on the very rare occasions I tip badly, it is for a reason, and I want the waiter to know that it really is them, and not me. Any tips from all you servers on a better way to get the message accross–or all they all just going to assume it's me, and not their crappy service level? It seems like the whole purpose of the gratuity system disappears if it's not based on level of service...
The difference between the complaints from the 'Diners' and the complaints from the 'Waiters' is that the waiters are getting PAID to perform those duties and do their job; tips are not automatic and should not be taken for granted. Thats the whole point of the tipping system: if you do a decent job, then youll get a decent tip; if you do a horrible job and act miserably, then you get a horrible tip. Pretty simple.
Here, here Frankie! I'm with you.
That is the way it SHOULD work, but I think a lot of these issues arise when that is not the way it DOES work.
If as a waiter you don't like the tips, you should complain to your boss who has *chosen* not to include tips in the price. (The argument that that would raise the price is bogus: it only raises the price in places where the included tips exceed the tips that were give before.)
It is very sad to see people react in such a way to this discussion. Yes a tip is not assumed but that does not mean you should not go into a restaurant with the intent to tip. I have been serving for a long time, have a college degree, don't have any felonies, and honestly enjoy my job most of the time. Yes it does hurt my feelings when people treat me as a lesser individual just b/c I choose to work as a waitress, I don't judge anyone when I walk into a business just b/c they work there, that is ludacris. I am good at my job b/c I have compassion for others, I realize people have bad days. If a waiter has truely done something awful you must tell management otherwise nothing will be done and the cycle continues. Going out to eat should be about the experience not just getting food. You can get food to go if you do not like the experience, there are those of us who do and look forward to a well planned meal, customer service is an art not everyone is an artist, but it does no good to go on the internet and knock millions of people you do not know just b/c of the job they choose. Everyone needs to lighten up a bit, the are worse things in life then catching someone on their bad day – that goes for both sides. Kindness kills.
Thank you Pete. You hit the nail on the head.
It is obvious that you have never had a job in customer service or you would not have said that. I firmly belive all people should have a job in customer service, both in a restaurant as well as in a clothing store. I think people in general would just be nicer if they did.
I couldn't agree with you more! I was never a waiter, but I worked in a customer service call center through college and it made me look at people that provide service completely differently.
EVERYONE should work as a server for a month... if you have never been on that end of the service industry, HOW DARE YOU complain because a waiter did one measly thing that happened to be a pet peeve. Unless your order takes MORE than an hour to get to your table, is undercooked, incorrect, or something that could actually HARM you; or your waiter truly was negligent (spills a drink on you, visits you to take your order and bring your check ONLY,etc...) shut up and enjoy the service. If you need to change 10 things on your SALAD, stay home and make it yourself.
I really don't mind tipping good when the service is good but why is it I should work as a server for a month? To learn what you go through on a day to day basis? Well sorry, I really do not care at all what you go through. I have no time in my day to care what you, or anyone else I come into contact with on a daily basis, go through. If you are not family or friend then you just don't matter to me. Seriously why should I care at all about you??? You are a single parent, it's all you could find?? Not my problem.
It is amazing how many graduate students are waiting tables these days! I don't seem to recall anyone in my graduate program waiting tables... oops maybe they were ashamed and lied. If you couldn't get a decent job while you work on your MS with your BS then maybe you should rethink your career path.
Simple fact... There are many other day laborers out there that can do your job. Do it well or move aside.
A great majority of successful people have started in customer oriented jobs that require dedication not only to the team but to the business as a whole. This is where you perfect your client engagement and communication skills, learn how to deal with pressure and prioritize tasks. Key skills that are required in every job. When you get an assignment to complete in a very short period of time, you'd be surprised that THESE PEOPLE who have worked in the restuarant industry are the last to panic under pressure. Your cheapness is a self reflection on your attitude to life as a whole and your lack of real experience. The restuarant is one of the best places to network with people and develop your professional skills. and most of the people who start as bus boys, dishwashers, waiters, hostesses.. go on to owning their own restuarants, or are students who are moving ahead in their careers. This is the restuarant business and if you are cheap to not tipping.. then buy your food from the supermarket, from the frozen ready made meals and heat it yourself. There is a degree of humbleness in service and they dont serve you with a smile for the tip, its because thats their work ethic. Maybe you should step into a restuarant kitchen one day and see the craziness that goes around and try to wrap your head on how to manage both the customer, the chef and the manager.
Having waited in the past on people, I know that customers can be very rude and tip very poorly. I sympathize with that. I also sympathize with the low pay waiters get. Having said that, I have no reservation whatsoever about giving a waiter 10% if the service is bad. If the service is good, the minimum I give is 20%. For all you waiters, please look up the word "service" in the dictionary. This is what you are supposed to provide. What upsets me is the sense of entitlement I detect in some waiters as well as expectation some of them have. If I go to a restaurant and fork over money for a meal, the service should be commensurate with the quality of the restaurant and food. If people are paying a couple hundred of dollars for food and drink, the service should be excellent - not mediocre, and certainly not with an attitude. If you think that its acceptable to get the order wrong (i.e., cheese when I specifically ordered no cheese - aside, write things down; don't pretend you can remember everything), bring my wine out before the meal when I ask for it with the meal, and take 20 minutes to bring the bread basket, then you're wrong. It will be reflected in the tip. If you say that you're having a bad day or some prior customer was a jerk or that you're understaffed, that's not my problem. Furthermore, its not my responsibility to make up for what others have done, what your boss should be doing, and what you as a waiter need to be doing.
@ w/Kevin:
Don't forget, if you do leave a less than average tip for bad service, please write on the check why you did so and/or tell the waiter–an educating bad tip goes much farther than just a cheap bad tip.
TIPS = To Insure Performance. If you can't control your tables and walk away with at least a 20% TIP because you gave superior service then you need to look for another job. You are not qualified to be anything but a hash slinger. I have taken jobs with no hourly wage serving table because what the hell am I going to do with 2-3 dollars an hour? If I can't walk out after my shift, after tipping 20% of my tips back to my bartenders and busboys, and have a $100 plus take home then I need to look for a better restaurant to work in.
Not at all true.. http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/tip.asp
Yeah, the TIPS acronym doesn't even make sense. If you were "Insuring" prompt service, you would pay prior to commencement of the meal to insure against bad serve. (IE Insurance).
However, the acronym is a misnomer as TIPS, and would need to be TEPS – To ENSURE prompt service. But again, this implies pre-paying.
Geez, people and their lack of understanding about the English language.
TIPS=To Insure Proper Service.
I served for 18 years. I did it because I enjoyed it and the money was good. It is hard work. My tips averaged 30%. I think a positive attitude and joy of the job reflects on your service. Some people were horrible tippers but others made up for it.
I think I am a generous tipper. BUT... I will not leave a good tip if someone does not deserve it. It takes more than just showing up at the table to impress me. So so service will get you a so so tip (10%). Tips are not an entitlement. You earn them from giving good "proper service." I will tip enough to make my husbands eyes bulge out if we get good service.
I love how we've heard at least 3 different ways to signal what to do when you are finished with your meal and every person who wrote one claims it's the best. This is why waiters run into problems when clearing a plate, no one really knows the way. That's why we ask before we clear. I would never rush anyone, but I would like to clear their plate as soon as possible, so they didn't have to look at it any longer. It's really hard to tell whether someone is finished eating or not, and we sure don't want to interrupt your conversation. I loved waiting tables and I loved serving people. The only problem is that different people expect different things when dining out. It's very hard to be the "perfect server" for everyone because everyone is different.
I was taught many years ago, at a very exclusive private club, many proper serving techniques. This was the penultimate fine dining establishment. One of the first things we were taught was that the server could not clear plates from a table unless everyone was finished. It is considered very rude to do so. I continue to work at a fine dining restaurant and I still use my etiquette training! (I'm a pro who has over 40 years of experience).
People like Pete are the reason servers deliver lousy service. Sorry, but your $5 tip isn't worth me busting my @$$ over. I provide excellent service the first time you come into the restaurant. If you don't tip well and you come back, expect to be last on my priority list.
I think EVERYONE should be a server and/or work in retail at some point so they can appreciate what it is like.
my $5 tip is not worth you busting your a$$ for? and how many tables are you working? 8? that $40 an hour. is that worth busting your a$$ for? get a clue. every server here is acting as if they are only getting tips from one person per hour. DO YOU JOB!!. iI tip well, because i am treated well. i could care less about your bills, i have my own.
8 tables per hour? Most places give you 4-5 tables because that's really all most people can handle and still give good service, and depending on where you work, they aren't all full all the time. And then people usually stay at those tables for longer than an hour. On busy Friday nights at the bar and grill I work at, I'll make about $100 in tips for 8 hours of work. That's $12.50/hr to bust my ass doing my job trying to make everyone happy and to risk getting groped or hit on by drunk aholes. Do you have any idea how hard it is to make everyone happy since everyone has different expectations and different peeves? I don't complain about my job though. It's hard work, but it's what I signed up to do so I can pay off my student loans, pay for home repairs, and build up some kind of retirement. My full time day job used to pay for everything, but salaries were cut drstically and the cost of our benefits tripled over the past couple of years. I've been seeking a new job, but so far no dice.
friendly reminder! If you dont tip you will at some point eat spit,mop water or whatever creative suprise comes to mind. You never want to screw someone that handles your food.
We are a nation of spoiled, sue-happy, selfish, rude complainers! We are NEVER satisfied with anything and ALWAYS have someone else to blame! It is NEVER our fault, is it? With all the really serious issues out there, ie, the oil spill in the Gulf, this is the topic you are ripping each other to shreds over?!!!!
So the "wait people" confirmed what all the rest of us are thinking...u are a horrible customer, lousy tipper, probably a whiner who finds fault in everything...please dont bring your kids. and fyi for those who are not in the know...tips do not "subsidize" a salary...if waiters and waitresses had salaries, they wouldn't need a tip. Furthermore, you are paying for the service. Should I dumb it down more? Ok. Picture your job and you getting paid. Then picture the Christmas bonus for a good job that you (well, not really YOU) do. Ok, thats what the tip if for: a service well done. Or you can go to McDonald's.
Really??? I worked for years in the service industry and I actually appreciated EVERY tip I got, it was not "expected". I think the problem is the servers that expect the 20% + tip everytime that are a problem. If I go out to eat and have an enjoyable experience then yes I will tip....but if the experience is mediocre to poor then no I will NOT tip.
And as for your christmas bonus example??? Most people do NOT receive a christmas bonus, no matter what industry.....I am now in retail and get no bonuses, should I expect you to tip me for my service when I look up parts and help you with your parts and/or service??? If you are that unhappy with the pay system at your job, then quit!!
Christmas bonuses are like tips? Please. Not everyone gets a Christmas bonus. I worked as a paralegal for many years...I had to EARN my bonuses; I had to go ABOVE and BEYOND my billable hour requirements and provide excellent service to my firms' clients and meet a list of other demands. Needless to say, not everyone in the firms earned a bonus, nor were the amountss all the same, nor were the bonuses expected. IT DEPENED ON ONES SERVICE & QUALITY.
Originally, I had a lot of fun reading these comments, laughs on both sides. As one who spent teenage and college years working in retail, fastfood and call centers, I do understand the agitation of dealing with difficult customers. I had a few that I dealt with gracefully. As a customer, who has this prior experience, I know that my server works hard and may be having an off day. But on my off days, in retail, fastfood, call centers or as a paralegal, I am expected to do the job for which I was hired. I expect to be paid accordingly, it's fair to only get a bonus if I've worked my tail off. Otherwise, I get my expected pay.
I tip, and I tip well when satisfied, +20%; when I'm not satisfied (which isn't often), I tip less; I don't take advantage... I take into account that this may have been my server's "off" day.
But believe me when I say that if you do not like your job, you should quit. (I just did.) Search for and pray for something better, until then, suck it up. I sucked up 2 years of dealing with P.O.S. attorneys and HR people who want to tell you how to do your job but don't know anything about its requirements. I sucked it up, with a smile and grace, until I could take it no longer....then I handed in my resignation. If you hate your job, or any componet thereof, it is still your job to do to the BEST of your abilities until you separate from said job.
TIP is an acronym meaning "to insure promptness" it was originally meant to reward good service or to encourage it. I think it's unfair that it has become a means to subsidize employers who don't want to pay staff appropriately. Pay your staff a fair wage, ensure competence and have a no tipping policy.
It really doesn't mean that; see for example
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=tip
Acronyms are very rarely the source of words older than the 1950s or so. Also, that supposed origin confuses "ensure" and "insure" which are quite different.
As for my tipping, I keep in mind the total cost of the meal. I often/typically tip at 30%, but that's because I order cheap food. (It's no easier to bring me pasta and water than steak and Dom, and no easier to bus...) If I'm getting something more expensive I'll tip closer to 20%. Of course unusually good or bad service will change the amount I tip.
i dont feel bad at all about small tips, because they have 4-6 tables at a time and the money adds up fast and all servers know it
I completely agree. I usually spend around an hour from the time I sit down, until the time I leave. A server doing 3-4 tables like that can easily make more than $30/hour in tips. Even passing some around to others, that is more than I make. Why should a server make more money than me per hour unless it is outstanding service. Make it so servers get paid at least minimum wage, and remove tipping altogether.
Also, why should a tip be based on how much my meal costs? I expect the good service whether my meal is $10 or $60. Why should I pay more because my meal is $60?
and about half the time waiters are there, they have NO tables. Who do you think does all the set up and clean up?
If you can't afford to tip or are too stingy to do so, don't go out to eat or drink. If you expect good service, be friendly and tip. Wait staff work for tips. Don't complain and be rude. If there is a problem, say it nicely to get your point across instead of like a jerk where your complaint is not going to be addressed the way you would like it.
"If I can't have it all, I want none of it"
Your suggestion is that I should keep all my hard earned money for myself and not patronize the business you work at because you don't think I am generous enough with you. How exactly does that help you keep your job?
I strongly suggest you go read some of Aesop's Fables and get a better grip on reality.
I have to agree with pete. I have been a 20% plus tipper for years, partially becuase I worked in restaurants as a young person, never as a server, always as a dishwasher, or busboy. But after reading these peoples pathetic compalints about what is a very easy job, I am reducing my basic rate to 15%. If 'servers' hate customers they should get new jobs, I have had it with inattentive, rude and incompetant servers. Also,this article needs another view, the view that dishwashers, busboys and cooks have of servers – some are great, but many are bad tempred, pushy AND EXTREMELY tight when in comes to tipping out to the rest of the staff. If I could count all the times that servers lied about thier tips so they could short the busboy, dishwasher and cook........
u make a good point
Here's what I take away from this article:
As a customer, I have no choice but to deal with servers, therefore I have every right to complain about and/or not reward bad service.
As a server, you CHOSE that job, and have absolutely NO RIGHT WHATSOEVER to complain about your customers.
Free market 101 dummies: If you are dumb enough to be posting about how you HATE your customers, we can easily fix your problem by staying home and putting you and your employers out of work.
Of course, if you understood "anything at all 101" you wouldn't be relegated to waiting tables, so this message will go right over your thick heads.
At least 60% of the servers I work with are working their way through college. Your ill informed remarks only make you look like an idiot. As for my part, I work as a server in the summer time to supplement my income as a teacher. One of my coworkers waits tables because it provides her the income she needs to pay the bills but leaves her daytime hours free so that she can finish her masters in Criminal Psychology. She has a bachelors in both Criminal Justice and Psychology. In fact, chances are good that the person waiting on you, especially in a high end restaurant, has just as much education as yourself, if not more. I hate to shatter your illusions since you so clearly need to feel superior to someone.
You sir are a cheap bastard and I can only assume, an idiot.
@Pete. Right on. I hate these articles b/c they bring out all the whiny crybaby servers who expect something for nothing. TIPS = To Insure Proper Service. Guess what. If you haven't done that, you don't get your tips! It's not rocket science. I don't owe you anything; your employer does. You're not on my payroll and you're not a dependent of mine. I was a bartender for years and I never complained about a small tip or not getting a tip. Some people can't afford it. Some people forget. Some people didn't like me. I'm certainly not going to bring myself to the level of chasing people to the parking lot and strong-arming them for money, as some people I know have done. No one is entitled to anything, and that includes servers. Like someone said, it's the government that decided your minimum wage is $2, not the customer. Take out your frustrations on them. In the meantime, stop whining and just work. The less you expect, the more you'll get, and you can take that from experience.
Having worked as a waitress and bartender for many years in many different establsihments, I have seen all sides of this story. Now I work for a non-profit and believe me I want to save some of my $20k gross and not tip after I just spent $30 on a meal. But my $30 doesnt go to my waiter, it goes to the food, the lights, the "environment" and "name" that is associated with that new, hot restaurant that all you snooty pretentious people "must be seen at" but are too cheap to actaully pay for. So if you dont want to pay for your service, go to McDonalds or buy a cookbook. As for all these IRS questions...if a business is operating legally we are W-2/1099-ed for our tips. But in all honesty, half of us dont even have to file taxes because our salary is less than the minimum income to file taxes and the tips that all of you stiffs leave dont make up the difference so we are still below the poverty line and dont have to file taxes.
Who ever told you that people under the poverty line did not have to file their taxes? Go look at the rate schedule. You should be glad you didn't sign your name, or the IRS would come looking at your house. Be careful– your ignorance is showing!
I think the one thing that hasn't been mentioned in these comments, and should be, is that a lot of the time the waiter will be friendly, polite and accommodating and receive only rudeness in return. They will ignore the rudeness and continue to serve the table as well as they can, but they still end up with little or no tip. So what happens when you do your job, and do it well, but you still get nothing for your effort? This happens a lot more frequently than anyone who doesn't work in food service would like to admit, because you don't want to think of yourself as a bad customer. I don't see why it's so hard to understand that waitstaff would get jaded by this experience and bitch about customers like that. Some people come in expecting the waiter to fail, so that in the end it doesn't even matter what the waiter does because the customer has already decided the outcome of the evening.
Anyway, my main point is that both sides should be allowed to complain. You should be allowed to complain if you receive shitty service at a restaurant and the waiter should also be able to complain to each other and elsewhere about rude and obnoxious people at their tables. I don't believe they should show any attitude or complain to the people who are at the table but i think it's silly to go on perpetuating this myth that customers are just nice people looking for good service. Yes, some people are and those are the people who make the service industry enjoyable, but there are a whole lot more people who are rude and ungrateful. It goes both ways and it seems to me like the patrons getting pissy in these comments are doing so because they feel defensive because they know they are the crappy customers a waiter could go above and beyond for and still receive zero.
AMEN!!!! If you are a rude, obnoxious, arrogant a-hole then I do, in fact, HATE waiting on you. You will never know this though because I conduct myself in a professional manner at my tables. However, you can bet your bottom dollar that every single person I work with will know you are an a-hole before you leave. Treating people decently goes a long way. Treat me with courtesy and I will bend over backwards to make sure you have a great dining experience even if your tips are mediocre.
You can tell a lot about a person's character by how they treat servers, clerks, people who work in retail, etc. Those customers who feel the need to lord themselves over their server obviously have serious issues with low sense of self worth. There is no other reason that someone would so badly need to feel superior to someone else. I kind of feel sorry for those people. After all, they are the ones who have to live with themselves and their severe insecurities.
Beck, I believe we are on the same wavelength. I know I'm an old bastard and that I have been working in the biz my whole life. I truly love what I do, even after witnessing the abhorrent behavior of some guests. I have also been privileged to meet and know some astonishingly wonderful people, some of whom have become long-lived friends of mine. I enjoy interacting with my guests, for the most part, as many are polite, friendly folks. I routinely receive 18-25% gratuities. I know I'm that good and the majority of our clients appreciate my performance.
I always remember my mother teaching me "The Golden Rule". (I know this is old-fashioned and shows my age). I carry that invaluable lesson with me at all times. I treat all people with respect in my initial contact and I try to be friendly and engaging. This works fine with most of the general public. But then you encounter that troublesome customer who is oblivious to any sort of common decency or regard for others. In those instances, I tend to draw back, but continue my expert service, albeit with a less than overtly friendly demeanor. But I will absolutely offer you my most professional abilities.
So please treat others as you want to be treated. Exceptional philosophy and brilliant in its' simplicity. WWJD, indeed!
The thing that gets me are the black guests.
They never tip.
Even my black coworkers hate serving them. Cheap, cheap, cheap.
It's ridiculous to lump all black people together. It's racist, even coming from the mouth of a member of the group being disparaged. As a black woman, who tips well (upaward of 20% when satisfied, minimum of 10% when not), and as one who has worked in the service industry before, I find your remark offensive.
Maybe you should look into the type/quality of service your are providing, you may also want to readjust your attitudes. Tips are not required by law. They are a little something extra a customer may leave to show appreciation for excellent service. You may not be providing service worth leaving a token of appreciation.
I don't think it's fair to say "never" or "always" about any person or group. I worked as a server for over 7 years while getting my degrees and found that often some groups are treated so poorly by their servers due to stereotypes that they tip above and beyond when they actually receive good service from someone who isn't acting like they've already been stiffed.
Do some black customers tip poorly? Absolutely! But then so do some white customers, some Asian customers, etc. I can tell you from my own experience that without exception the regular customers that we servers would groan about and try to avoid were white. (Don't even get me started on the after church crowd! lol)
Sarah: Perhaps your assumption that black people won't tip well is coloring your interaction with them. If you go in with that attitude, you're probably not providing service deserving of a good tip. Also – karma is a bitch. Making such a ridiculous statement means you deserve crappy tips, in my opinion.
I don't think that's a fair statement at all. I waited tables for a couple years while in college, and I've found that if you're serving with a smile on your face & a positive attitude, a black person will tip just as fairly as anyone else.
If you've got the idea in your head that they're bad tippers before you've even served them, perhaps you're subconsciously (or consciously) giving them less than wonderful service, which results in a crappy tip. Just a thought.
I firmly believe that how you approach a table that you might not view as profitable will affect your tip. I know servers that despise waiting on blacks, asians, women, etc. I never prejudge my guests on sight. And I usually – more times than not – have a positive experience with all minorities and ethnic groups. And I love telling my coworkers about the good tips I receive from the people they hate to wait on.
I second that. If I'm going to a restaurant and paying good money, and the server doesn't give good service, not only am i unpleased with the service, but you've ruined my dining experience. I believe customers should be respectful and courteous (being a paying customer doesn't give you the right to treat anyone like crap), but on the same token, if you want a good tip, you have to be a good server. Thats why its a tip. Its variable for a reason. In the End, w/o the customer, you have no job. I can stay home and cook for myself just fine.
Sorry, i don't second Sarahs comment.
I think that your remarks are reasonable and I agree with them completely. I have been a server for over 15 years in a variety of restaurants and I do not tip 20% for seriously sh#tty service. However, servers in my state are paid min. wage. BTW, I can count on one hand the number of times I have ever received seriously sh#tty service. It does happen but it is much more common for servers to be treated like crap by customers than the reverse.
Where are all of you getting 20% being the standard for tipping. I do tip 20% most of the time just because it is easier to figure out than 15%, but 15% is the customary tipping percentage.
What all of these servers that are complaining need to do is step back and look at the situation logically, not emotionally. Tipping is a system that was put into place to reward a good server. It is not a part of your salary and should not be expected just because you did your job.
You do get paid to do a job and if you do a good job I don't have a problem tipping you. If you do a lousy job I have no problem cutting you tip or leaving nothing at all (in rare and extremely poor conditions). If you do a super job I have no problem tipping more, however I am not required to leave a tip.
On top of all of this, having an article where the servers are "complaining" about their customers... Well.... We pay your salary. You work for us, in some sense. Without customers, good and bad, you wouldn't have a job at all.
And before you start telling me how I don't understand I've worked both sides of the house as a server, busboy, and cook.
So, you have never complained about your job or your boss? Especially in an anonymous format? You are most certainly in the minority I would say.
Newsflash: 20% has been the standard since at least the mid-90s. And no, I've never been a waitress, so I'm not biased towards inflating tip standards.
Pete still doesn't get it. We understand. After all, The Industry has to be everything, why not understanding of.....Pete?
Yes, it is all about you. of course.
Ok, so it seems that the customer's and server's are all jerks. I go out for a good meal. My husband always tips very good even if the service was terrible.. He hopes it makes them nicer to the next customer. So when you get a good server..Thank Ray...
I know we ask stupid questions, I know we seem to tire you up too long. But.. could you check on us every once in awhile? Especially if we are having mixed drinks and or wine.. we sure would like a refill. Without having to wave at you from across the room with our glasses in the air.. Thanks for letting me spout off my 2cents worth.. Other than that..HAVE A NICE DAY!!!
It used to be called a "gratuity", where a customer expressed their appreciation with some money, I completely understand that wait people rely on tips to support their wages and I always keep that in mind even if they aren't as friendly as I like, it could be their second job and they're just tired. What I don't like, from a business perspective, is the employers are allowed to pay substatially below minimum wage, why? What other business can do that, as a small business owner I can't tell my employees your only going to get a third of minimum wage, so you better act nice and put on a happy face no matter what your situation is, otherwise you go home with zilch (after taxes).
Would you rather pay $30 for a meal with a $6 tip, or $36 for a meal with no tipping expected? The good side of tips is that they encourage the wait staff to be helpful (else they may be stiffed) and that you can change the tip amount based on the service received. The bad side is that polite (good-tipping) people pay more than impolite people.
I'm always surprised to hear people who tip moderately or poorly argue against tipping, as though the cost of meals would not increase if tipping was abandoned. They are the people who would be most hurt by abandoning tipping: they're free-riding on the people who tip well, without whom servers would not be willing to work at current wages.
I was a server for nine years. One of my first managers gave us the following advice..."people go out to eat for one of two reasons – either to be catered to, or to be entertained. You have 15 seconds to figure out which one it is and deliver accordingly. For every complaint a server has, I am certain a diner can match that. Truth is, we will never all get what we think we deserve. And, I would LOVE to have a server understand one of the three signs for "I AM DONE", but they always start asking if I am done, well before I am done.
I have been a server for the better part of 25 years and I get so upset when I see these blogs. The servers who post these pet peeves or are downright rude about the customers do not echo the sentiments of the majority of food servers. The ones who complain are the small percentage who do not appreciate their work. As servers, as with any job, there are always things to complain about. However, I have never encountered a professional who would air their dirty laundry about their job in public. We have a great job and for the most part make a decent amount of money. We get tipped because that is the way the industry has done it for years and make minimum wage. I appreciate my job and am thankful for the guests who come in and frequent my restaurant. If I don't make a good tip on one table, more than likely the next will make up for it. Please do not take these complaints as an industry whole.
Right on Gabriela !!
For every lousy customer experience there is an equally lousy server experience. Some customers are just sour people who refuse to even acknowledge their server as a human being. Conversely, some servers have no business being in the business of serving. So no group is better than the other, people. I, for one, tip well. I start my meal planning to give a 25% tip and it's up to that server to keep it, but the lowest tip I've ever given was 5%. I have never just "stiffed" someone because ultimately they brought my food, and that's the main task.
people go out to eat for an enjoyable experience....so remember waiters you work for TIPS and TIPS are not MANDATORY. so when you bring your bad mood to work it can affect your clients good time/desire to TIP u...and if youre one of those ppl that think you should just get TIPPED no matter what....i dont think you understand what a TIP is....a TIP is meant to be a reflection of your performance....im not saying you should treat ppl like your mom or give them a happy ending but treat them well, pay attention to them and you might start making more then minimum wage
For everyone here complaining about how they don't have to tip, and "if" they do tip, it refelcts on the service, don't be suprised when you do get bad service. Your server doesn't have to be nice or give your good service. Usually a server can tell when you aren't going to tip well. (You usually start with the attitude) I no longer wait tables, but when I did it could be frustrating. And for some people, that is their "real" job. So next time you go out and treat your server like crap, don't be suprised when you food tastes funny, or you find something in it. Just stay home, cook and clean your own dishes. Don't be so lazy. It's a luxury to go out and eat... make sure you can afford it first.
Servers are not required to be nice or give you good service? Then what's the point of me going to eat there and even give you the opportunity to make money? I don't wait tables or get tips but I do work in a service oriented buisness where I am reminded that if it wasn't for the customer we wouldn't be in business. Why don't you try being pissy with customers and providing lousy service and see how long it takes before you not only don't have any tips but also no job. The job doesn't matter. Do your best and the rest will take care of itself. I tip accordingly and I have walked out and went somewhere else when the service was bad. And all these comments about something in the food are just common and nasty.
Thank goodness I got out of serving for good. Waiting on unappreciative idiots made my life miserable. I have the utmost respect to those of you who can do it and not hang yourselves in the coat room after work. God knows I felt like doing that most of the time. Kudos to all of you! I ALWAYS tip 20%+ unless the service is really terrible, and I never, ever stiff, even when I get terrible service. I will still tip at least 10%, because I could never deal with the crap servers go through on $2 per hour! I remember what it was like, and it's a miserable, thankless job. I'd tip more than 20% if I could afford to!
I have never been a server or owned a resteraunt but Mike seems like he is just looking for an excuse not to leave a tip. He comes across as angry and impotent in other areas of his life.
I know people like him and will not go to a restaurant with them because I am embarrassed to be around them in that situation. They think they have it all figured out but are horrible people.
Funny, 'impotent' was one of the words that came to my mind too. 'Power-trippy' was the other one. 'Asshole' seems too obvious.
Either he doesn't have a secretary, or he has one who hates his guts. He wouldn't have a girlfriend, but if he has a wife, she hates him too.
This 20% tipping is nonsense. If you don't like the tipping system, get a different job. We're not going to not eat out just because we don't want to tip you the 20%. Not when we're making up for the lack of taxes you're paying as servers.
And how exactly is it that you know what one server is or isn't paying in taxes? I'm a tax attorney so I am well aware of the types of taxpayers that comprise the tax gap. But guess what? Ever since the IRS began auditing entire restaurants, many now have software programs that will attribute 'tips' to a server based on their sales whether they actually received that amount or not. So you just keep thinking of excuses to not tip. Maybe one day you'll mature enough to simply admit that you're a cheapskate.
As a server, I pay taxes on 100% of my credit card tips. And on the few cash tips I receive, I am required to claim a minimum percentage. I work in a high-end place – lots of businessmen/women – so probably 95% of my gratuities are given to me via credit card. We do not get our tips in cash or daily as most do. Our charge tips are put into our biweekly paychecks, again paying taxes on all of them. I don't know how many employers operate this way but it is fair on both sides.
If you have been working in this field your entire life then you are a loser. Get a real job and stop blaming others for your misfortunes. being a server is not a profession its a way to get by while in scholl. GROW UP YOU BUNCH OF WINEY FAT KUNTS
Classy, Pete. Really.
I wait tables because I love the industry, not because I can't find anything else to do. A good shift with good tables can be very much like hosting a fabulous party where everyone is having a great time. It's shameful that people think they have some sort of divine right to take their misery out on their server, store clerk, or telemarketer simply because they have a job that doesn't require them to take the same sort of abuse that they seem to so enjoy dishing out.
You are not better or brighter than me just because I have a job that I am generally happy to go to. You do not have the right to abuse those in the service industry just because it pleases you to do so.
However, since you undoubtedly will continue to do so, I suggest investing in a thesaurus so that you can at least come across as a pompous ass, rather than a classless oaf.
Eeeww, David!!! @ 4:57pm You have a REAL attitude problem. If a person choses to be a server as their job it can be a profession. You don't have to be a white collar elite to be a professional. In fact, I would much rather be served by someone who enjoys their job, is efficient and sincerely interested in doing what they can to afford a good dining experience, than a server that is just putting in time for tips. I don't eat in what would be termed as fine restaurants, enjoying the fair at Olive Garden, Carrabas, Applebees, and other venues of that type. Serving is more than just taking an order and putting plates on the table. Many times a server is responsible for numerous tables at the same time and needs to be aware of the needs of the guests as their meals progress. A server that is able to do that fully deserves their tip. I would wager you have more bad experiences in restaurants than the average person judging by the last sentence in your comment. An attitude like that shows.
seriously?!? who told you it was ok to use such a word
Pete, I'm with you. I.ve been a waiter at a nice establishment that taught us how to wait properly. I've had my share of customers that stiffed me. Thats part of the business. However, I have noticed a serious erosion in the proper service given for a nice dinning experience. Don't remove any plates from the table until all guests are finished. Keep an eye on my water, wine glass. Don't make me fine you for anything. Don't bring my entre when you just brought my salad 2min ago. If you want a good tip learn to wait properly and be consistant or get out of the bussiness!
Pure and simple: Some people won't tip. Good or bad service.
Those who say, "It's not my fault your job sucks. Get a new job." have half of a point. The job sucked to start. They only exacerbate it. Sadly, there are few jobs to go around right now. People keep going to sit-down restaurants and keep creating a job market for servers.
If the idea of tipping offends, then one might be better served to patronize a restaurant without servers.
Or get used to the idea of $20 hamburgers.
““If you go into a bar that’s four deep and I even look up to take your order, you better be kind and generous."
Oh thank YOU kind sir for taking the time out of your busy busy sidework to bless me by taking my order!
What a jerk. Maybe you are just inept and can't handle the crowds. I suggest you get out of the food sevice business all together and into something where your cr4ppy attitude isn't inflicted upon others- maybe cleaning out port-o-potties.
(PS- I'm a bartender. Jerk!)
Sheesh..!! Not many real "good" servers responded... and a lot of whining, ignorant, selfish, boring, obnoxious,jerks... Oh.. I mean 'customers' commenting on 'bad' servers. Well, for SURE there are way too many bored, poorly trained, servers that don't deserve any tip at all.... but, there are servers that are SO worth the 20% that they get... (and more..!!) Today people very often OVER tip... this should not be "expected" by ANY server.
Now, how about all the numb-skulls who think there should be "No tipping"..?? Well, how about "No bonuses" for the salaried employees..??? "No bonuses and stock options" for the managers..!!! YEH BABY..! ! No need to "show gratitude for good service to the company...!!" Did someone once say... "You get what you pay for"....?????
Well... how about the opposite..! ! ! Try working ONLY for tips..!!! No salary of any kind..!!!!! What 90% of servers don't know is "How to make tips".... how do you "get people to tip you"... I've known many servers over the decades and many made well into the six figures... because they learned how to get people to tip, and remembered their clients. Servers who complain that if they don't get tipped they go home broke better LEARN how to get people to tip them. HELLO...!?!?!?!?!!!!!
Depending on the establishment.. it's not that hard to get the food/drinks out and served... some are easier than others, but, it ain't quantum physics folks.... But, how do you get people to "give you money" for what you're already paid to do..???? Ahhhhhh.... that's the real question.
On the OTHER side... find a server that gives good service, tip appropriately.. (DO NOT THINK YOUR 10% TIP IS SOMETHING *HUGE*...!!!!) Amazingly, there are people who tip $1 on a $20 drink order and think they're the biggest tipper in the joint. If everyone ELSE in the joint is tipping $10 per round, and your tipping $1... should you expect equal "service"..??? Plleeeeeeease...!!!!! Get real... The sooner you understand this... and get the server to know that you understand this... you'll possibly get BETTER service than you tip for...!!!! And... fer crisake.. try not to make the servers life more miserable than it already is..!!!! Servers want their customers to get served, enjoy themselves, and hopefully tip them appropriately.... they don't need your life stories.... your lame jokes... your flirty bull>>>t... or questions about every single item on the menu. You are NOT the highlight of their day/night..!!! You do NOT know what they say after you leave...!!!
Sometimes I hear someone say "I always get bad service there...." about a place I *know* gives good service. Depending on the person, I'll ask "Are you tipping them...??" People will often lie and say "Yeh, big time..!!" when in fact they tip poorly... then I'll say (or not say) "Then you must be a pain in the ass..." It is a FACT, pure and simple.... nice people who tip 'normally' will not get bad service over and over.... pain-in-the-arse customers will often get lousy service all the time.
I've tipped very well in my day.... and I've tipped very low as well... " I *pay* for the meal, and *tip* for the service."
Servers.... LEARN YOUR CUSTOMERS...!!!! Any 'new' customer is worth some 'extra' to see how the tip comes out... THEN.,.. REMEMBER...!!!!! LOOK... LOOK AGAIN... AND REMEMBER WHO TIPS WHAT...!!! AND FER CRISAKE REMEMBER WHAT THEY LIKE/ORDER...!!! I once was on location, and ate/drank at the same bar for a month... every single night. There was one waitress that had my table every night for the first week.... and I ordered the SAME thing EVERY night.... " draft beer... an order of wings... and a salad later..." on the seventh day this girl asked me the same question she had asked me every night of the week.... "What can I get you..???" Of course, THAT night I replied (very, very nicely...)... "Can you get me another table in another section. The A/C is a little cold here." The rest of the month was a pleasure..!!! Great waitress, efficient... and knew my order in two days... told the bartender to keep two beers "on ice" at all times... and while I didn't over-tip for this service, I tipped enough that the service was always top notch. Coming through town a year later, she remembered me and my order.... I'm sure she still does. THAT.... is good service.
Oh.... and on occasion, I've been a server... been stiffed plenty... dealt with raging, flaming kooks who can NOT be happy with ANYTHING.... those people are always around.... but, I always made GREAT MONEY...!!! Fortunately, someone showed me how it's done, and I learned well. Once filling in as a waiter, I got 3 job offers from top rated restaurant/bar owners that happened through my section over two weeks... (and THEY were 'almost' the best tippers...). **Funny story about THAT gig... I would later go often as a customer to that place and for YEARS people would rush over and ask where "my section" was so they could request it...!!! HA..!!! You can imagine how many tabs of mine were picked up in that bar for a long time.... which always amused my friends because I was usually the one picking up others tabs. They would say "What was THAT all about..?!?!?!?!!!!!" when some 'stranger' would pay the tab..!! I'd just say "Long story... I worked here once..." and that would leave everyone speechless....
Just for that comment sir, I hope you enjoy my salty parts on your Vegan Pita Melt the next time you "grace" my restaurant with your presence. Douche.
That's OK Pete, because I can guarantee you that someone has done something really nasty to your food due to your attitude. Everyone should see the movie "waiting" for the scene where they do some disgusting stuff to an ignorant customer's food. I worked in the food industry for a decade and have seen some jerk customer get what they deserve. And yes, you should tip for good service. And don't go out to eat if you can't afford to tip or have a bad attitude, stay home.
I absolutely never tip...know why? Because when I worked at Lowe's Home Improvement, outside as a loader in the summer heat or snow for $6.00/hr. for a year loading referigerators, 24,000 BTU air conditioners and stoves and dishwashers and dryers, guess what? Not ONE tip. Ever. And I'm sure I served some of you that work as waitstaff. In short, I don't care if you get mad. You say, "If you don't have enough to tip, then you don't have enough to eat here," Uhhhhhh, yeah I do. And I will. And you won't stop me. go ahead, spit in my food, I don't know the difference. And if I DO detect a lougie or elsewise in my food, guess what? You get fired, sucker. You're not special. Do your worst, baby. Do your worst. Work that job until you've ascended to something that pays better, as I did. Until then, quit your whining. You get NO sympathy from me. That is all.
Wow. You might just be the biggest doucherocket posting here. I've seen many a poor excuse for poor tipping, but you absolutely take the cake. So let's see if I understand you correctly: Because you had a difficult job, for which you were paid at least minimum wage, and people expected you to do your job and did not tip you...you never tip people who make less than minimum wage even though they also have a difficult job and it is the nature of their work that they receive compensation in tips. Classy, classy, classy.
I have no doubt that your entitled self will continue to go out to eat and expect good service regardless. Of course you will. You have a better job now so you must be entitled to crap on others, right? Thank goodness most of us who have served the public in some capacity have better sense and more compassion than you. I hope the karma bus is true to form in your case. ;-)
Wow Charles whatever you happen to believe in there has been a special place arranged for you after your passing.Creatures like you are what give this country and humanity a bad name.
Charles, can we be reasonable here? I think most of us know which professions are tipped and those that are not. So by your example (the horrible Lowe's experience) we should tip our grocery store clerks, our dry cleaner counter help, our mini-mart workers and our janitors. That does not make a bit of sense to me.
And even more irrational is your refusal to tip zero dollars (or coins, I assume) to a waiter or bartender. I don't understand that specific leap of logic. I'm baffled by your bitterness about not being tipped at Lowe's – I think you earned the minimum wage. I have, in fact, given gratuities to employees of Walmart, Home Depot, Sam's, etc.who have been very helpful in taking items to my car and securing them for me. But that's just me.
How much tip is enough? Let's say two different couples dine at the same restaurant. One bill amounts to $90 while the other is $35. 15% for the first bill would be $13.50 and the other tip would be $5.25. The same server makes 4 passes to each couple to see if they need anything. For the same service, one couple tips $13.50 while the other couple tips $5.25. Does it seem fair the one couple pays more (or less, depending on your point of view) for the same service? Something else to discuss. huh?
Servers are taxed based on their sales, so taxes would be the same if the tip on the larger bill were $13 or $5.
Too many people do not understand that the federal wage for servers is $2.13 and that it is expected that tips will make up the difference, whether they do or not. Sadder still, too many people understand this, but don't care and will justify very little tip by whatever means necessary.
if you are talking about the same establishment then the 90 dollar tab saw their server much more b/c they ordered more, in order to make that much of a difference they had to have ordered more items causing more trips and thus more service and time put towards that table
I have worked in all kinds of jobs. I worked in service for a while and have to say TIPPING is not an option. This is people's livelihood. It's not their boss's fault, it's how this industry works. You get terrible service when people get paid well and don't have to rely on tips because then there is no motivation.
I make it a point to treat my server well no matter how badly they act and in return, they tend to respond well. It's not okay to go out and act like you are better than people just because you are eating out. Also, you have no idea how busy your server may be or if they have a horrible table of people or just had a bad day.
I can see both sides of the arguement but have to say most of the time, the customers are much worse than the servers.
The fact of the matter is this; In American society, it is the custom to tip AT LEAST 15% of the total bill when you go out to eat. If you don't, then you are an a**hole. If you think you don't have to tip, for whatever reason, you're wrong. It's not "giving money away", it is a custom in our culture, and it's good etiquette. Anyone who feels differently is ignorant to the social norms and values of the society that we live in. Period.
Wow! This is a great topic. Lots of passion here. The thing is, a good tip is not an entitlement and the risk of encountering tight fisted customers is a portion of the risk you assume when you choose this profession. Pick up your good tips by providing stellar service to all customers and the conscietious ones will make up for bottom feeders. What is truly irksome here is the whimpersong of the gen-x,y set that says: " I want somethin for nothin groove." This, to me, is more loathsome than a skin flint customer. You can hear the misguided belief clearly; the notion that life is in some fashion indebted to you, as if by consuming oxygen you are somehow exempted from what is, in the larger view, a minor blemish on the surface what is likely to be a very ordinary future. Grow up. No sniveling.
Some of you "customers" are just inconsiderate human beings who should just stay home if they can't participate in society the way its set up. I am not a waiter and never have been because I couldn't do that job. You "customers" have no sense of the world around you and karma is going to bite you in the butt for the way you behave. Have some decency for other people, or stay home in your cocoon of self-pity. Oh poor you, they serve you food and make a living on tips, but you're not going to tip them unless they kiss your butt. How about this, we will make all jobs gratuity based, making below minimum wage, see how you feel when you do a kick ass job and your livelihood depends on it, and they spout if with "I don't feel like it" or "I don't believe in paying people to do their jobs". People like you are the problem with society in general and the reason the nobody respects civility anymore, I pity you, your family, anybody you know and anyone you've ever met because you & people like you are the cause of many of the problems in society.
PLEASE CORRECT THIS FOR THE SAKE OF CORRECT ETIQUETTE:
When you're done with your meal you DO NOT cross your fork and knife on the plate, you place them both side-by-side in the middle of your plate. Also, you DO NOT put your napkin ON your plate, you put it under/to the side of the plate.
That is the actual etiquette and it would go a long way if people would not confuse it so often. When the servers don't know the proper etiquette themselves it's obvious why they don't know when someone is finished.
Actually, the etiquette 'rule' is to put your knife and fork handles pointed at the 4 or 5 o'clock position (the heads at the 10:00 position).
Good grief, thank you for pointing this out. It's truly annoying to have a server lecture customers on dining etiquette when they don't have it straight themselves–this is why most people don't bother trying signals, and you have to verbally confirm anyway so as not to upset the wraith of a client who believes they are in the elite.
Funny, when I was waiting tables and wait-assisting, I took the time to double check my dining etiquette, I was courteous and gave no attitude, and always made sure to check my day's emotional baggage at the door. Two times I recall making mistakes and I took my lumps, but never made excuses. For each of those, I had multiple guests tell my manager that I was the best waiter they'd ever had. Having worked to achieve that, it's been all the more frustrating to watch 20% become a minimal expectation.
That said, I've probably tipped less than 15% only five times and they were truly neglectful or just plain rude. Anyone who thinks its an easy job needs to spend an hour disinfecting the vomit in the booth of a four star restaurant from a 40-year old who can't hold her liquor.
@Christy
A plate is circular, when I said in the middle, I purely meant not placed on the sides with both the handle and blade (for instance) on the edge of the plate. You are correct to say that they should be pointing in a specific direction, but as long as they are both together (and technically knife blade facing in, towards the fork, tines down if you're dining continental style) in the middle of the plate, the direction is not as big a factor.
And on another note (not directed at you Christy) , I would just like to say that giving a good tip will often make a server's night (my fiancee and two of my sisters are/were servers so I always heard their horror stories of $1 tips, etc.), and who wouldn't want to do that if they had the opportunity? So, don't be a d*ck and give a good tip. Servers make a horrible hourly wage and rely on tips for their livelihood.
First i must say i agree, that servers have a hard job but really the system needs to change, you should get paid a salary, and tipping should be done away with. I work retail, an for all the services that i am expected to provided, help me find my entire shopping list, listening to all the complaints, help you out to the car with your stuff, do people in retail get anything no. they do there job and get paid, bankers, doctors, plumbers all provide services and customer service and all get yelled at by people too. people should do there job and get paid, it should not be expected for anyone to tip ever, why is one form of services different then others
As many of these people are, I myself am a server. My argument is this: The bill that comes to your table after youve enjoyed your meal is to pay for the meal. We servers dont see any of that money really. The tip is to pay for our services. Not tipping us is like hiring someone to paint your house and not paying them. Please take that into consideration the next time you go out. We understand that tipping can be annoying, but most of us are just trying to pay our way through school, or support children.
I listed this under REPLY because my dialog box is gone. My one comment to waitstaff (it is ASTOUNDING how few waitstaff get this) DON'T break into a conversation and DON'T stand by the table waiting to be acknowledged in order to ask "Would you like more tea, coffee, water, etc?". JUST REFILL THE @$&$@* GLASS IN SILENCE. I am not here to acquire a new best friend. Just be silent, efficient and unobtrusive, and I will tip in proportion to that.
1. You deciding not to tip will not force a restaurant to subsidize a waitperson's wage. They make less than $3.00 an hour. If you can't afford to tip 15% for lunch or 20% for dinner, you really can't afford to eat out.
2. If restaurants DID pay waitstaff more money (i.e. a livable wage), your checks would go up as well. Either way, you should pay.
I eat out a lot due to business and travel. Always, my tip is up to the server even if the food isn't that great. Good service earns 15% Great service 20%, exceptional service 25 and above. And of course poor or lack of service can go to extreams the other way. I am always kind and willing to overlook mistakes, I make them myself. To the good and above servers Thank You!! to the others When are you going to learn.
Thanks
As a former waitress of 3 years, trust me when I say, if you stiff your waiter or waitress, they will remember you. I can't tell you how many times people would stiff their waiters/waitresses then come BACK to the same establishment months later and they were remembered. You don't even want me to TELL you what they did to those people's food and drinks. Don't f*ck with the people who handle your food, and if you do stiff them, you better wait a LONG time before coming back, because you WILL be remembered.
The restaurant I work at requires servers to do lots of chores in the kitchen,take orders, make salads that are ordered, tray food, serve food, cash out customers including all the seperate checks that all women seem to need. And clear dishes. There are times when service isn't as good as it should be. Sometimes servers don't feel good. Ye s, I wish our money was included in the price of the food or drink. Eveyone likes to paid for their work. If you do not do a good job on a particular day at your job would you like for your boss to deduct from your wages?
If you annoy me in some little way in the job you happen to be doing, am I allowed to take away a percentage of your pay? We're all human. We have good days and bad ones. You as a customer shouldn't be allowed to take money out of our pockets because we don't do things exactly as you want them done. We're workers, not slaves.
Wow, true ignorance abounds here.
Does it occur to no one that there WOULD be no one to serve your stingy self if you didn't tip? The whole reason anyone puts up with the kind of crap Mike and Pete have espoused is because a few people recognize that you pay the bill for the waiter, and the TIP for the service. It's a percentage, you pay me a percentage for my time based off the amount you spend – much the way a realtor get's a percentage of the sale of your house for navigating the complex market for you. If you wanna march your sorry a– into the kitchen where I WORK and expect anything besides a shanking from the bussers and cooks be my guest; call me before you do.
At $2.13 an hour I'm little more than a contract employee, that's enough for me to show up and wear the darn uniform. Everything that comes out of the kitchen not being sullied with any bodily fluid is a result of my relative assurance that enough decent folk will come in and play the game right to make up for self-righteous, entitled pigs like you two.
I'm thinking though that if your attitude is to treat people like sh– wherever you go anyway you probably require the services of a diner to ensure your sorry a– that you get fed, as ignorance of that magnitude seems to preclude knowledge of operating kitchen appliances or having – through your sheer charm – impressed a partner in life to cook for you.
You wanna fuss about excellent service??? YOU must be one of those RUDE customers who will not use their wait-staff's name, refuses to say Please, Thank you, If you have a moment may I have...., and the tone of your voice is as important as the rude sounding words you choose. Often, gentle folks who become wait-staff have another job and a schedule you couldn't come close to. SO, think before you open your mouth and start demanding, or stay your butt at home and learn to cook for yourself.
One of my favorite expressions of rudeness is when you first greet a table with, "Good evening! How are you tonight?" and you get absolutely NO response. And often they will not even look at you, their eyes buried in the menu. Who raised these dolts? And my restaurant is an upscale spot! Oftentimes, these folks have wandered too far out of their comfort zone and have the grace to leave.
I only waited tables for one month, and I'll never work food service again. Doing that for a month taught me to tip a minimum of 15% (I usually do 20) and extra for great service. If you're not going to tip, then don't eat at a restaurant!
just two thoughts that irritate me on this subject-since when did it become the norm for every industry- at normal minimum wages etc to now expect tips- and what about those establishments that you pretty much serve yourself everything from the moment you leave the cashier-and they ask you if you want some cash back when you use your card to leave for a tip? For someone who does nothing else but ask 10 tables if they want a water refill? Everything else you get yourself- the buffet food, you carry your trays to the table etc- why is tipping required here? And I loath those restaurants that add a tip to your bill(18%) or when you have a dining coupon- ala buy one entree get one half price and the check comes with a tip added in on the full price of both meals-when you complain- they say they were just doing it for you- I can add and I can figure out a tip-to me, this is the restaurant bullying the customers for money
Yes!! If the service is not good do not expect a tip! I won't feel guilty at all anymore!!
waiting tables is UNskilled work, you should all be gratefull for small change, diners are paying enough of a markup on their meal and then are expected to supplement some entitled underachievers income, when many other people work for minumum wage or less in this country and have to support familes, quit complaining or people will just go to more congenial places or stop tipping all together, maybe tips should be lowered to 2%, maybe eliminated we pay enough when i go out, maybe waiters and waitresses should have to bid for prospective diners, who will serve us for 5% going onec twice sorry well take our business next door.
Wow Pete, who made you God's gift to restaurants? I really can't believe what I'm reading on this message board! It's pretty simple really – bad service = reduced or no tip. Good service = great or outstanding tip. Chances are the reason you are receiving bad service is because you have a sh#$%%^ attitude. Waiters and waitresses are not beneath you as you'd like to think they are. Yes, there are times when the staff has a bad day however that is few and far in between. There are restaurants I have been going to for many years and have NEVER had a bad meal and the staff is always friendly and on their game. Look in the mirror, that is where the problem lies Pete.
There is so much whining. This article is garbage. I read no legit complaints. The posters who complain about tipping are just as bad. I always tip well at places I go to regularly.You misers might be surprised by the returns that I get. A free drink or dessert, getting seated first when the place is busy. I appreciate good service and the wait staff appeciate getting good tips.
I also always say please and thank you. These people work hard and deserve respect.
If is a one time stop I tip to the level of service, but even if I will never come back I tip well for good service. Pay it forward. A good tip makes the server feel better and he/she will provide the same level of service to the next customer because of it.
Ah, yes NYC the returns of tipping well! Thank you for that. My regulars and savvy tippers understand how our relationship works. I treat you with respect, and I expect the same in kind, and you tip appropriately (15% +) I will go out of my way to provide you, not only the best service, but give you the perks that I'm encouraged to offer. Free desserts, complimentary glasses of wine, private discounts on bottles of wine, strong pours on cocktails, etc. The less than generous guests are missing out on all these FREE or discounted goods.
For those of you who don't want to "subsidize" my income, how about we start a new model like in many stores. We'll just raise all the prices by 20% and I'll get paid on commission.
The employee "subsidization" comes in one way or another, the question is, where it comes from.
Also, servers remember bad tippers, and if you tip poorly and come back to that same place, odds are they'll warn whoever gets you and that person won't bust their back waiting on you. However, the opposite is true. I have gone above and beyond for someone because I was assured they were high maintenance, but they tipped well.
I eat out a lot. often go to the same place 10 – 20 times per year. That's maybe why I Tip well. Every body is glad to see me and Maybe they pretend to like me and my family.That's fine. I try to be courteous and friendly and engage the staff and know their names. Everybody seems happy. It costs me an extra 5% to be a hero and be well received. Seems like a no brainer to me. It's called being a nice guy. The world works better when we all have generous hearts and attitudes.
My husband has worked in the restaurant industry and every place he has worked requires you to report your tips and then those tips were deducted from his base hourly rate. A regular paycheck doesn't exist for most restaurant servers, so these servers really are working for tips. By not tipping, you're basically saying eff you to regular, hardworking folks who are just trying to make ends meet like anyone else in the US.
I can only assume that you have never been a server. I will also assume that you would not be successful as a server. Tell me, does your salary depend on whether or not your boss is in a good mood or not; or whether or not they are just plain cheap! Well, our's does!! You need to keep in mind, some of us are trying to pay our mortgages, car payments, utilities and support our children, just like you are. Remember that the next time you decide not to tip.
having spent years as a server/bartender in restaurants that were all about the "crouching-down" way of personalizing sevice I can tell you, as now a seasoned server at one of the most prestigious bistros in Vancouver backed by an equally experienced and knowledgable restauranteur group I don't bend to the customers level as a rule. Reason is simple...you give up your power when you lower to eye level...you lose command of the power you hold to ensure that your guests are completely within the safe realm of your knowledge and abilities...you become submissive and lose everything...including the one thing that drives you to the peak of excellence in the hospitality eschelons....TIPS!!!
Believe me...
@ D in Cali
For your customers who feel that you automatically deserve good service with no guarantee of compensation...why don't you head on down to the local cafeteria, wendy's or subway.....No one is forcing you to go out to eat where you are waited upon.
Ha ha. Go ahead and stiff me. In my restaurant we can take notes of guests in our computers reservation system. I will be sure to spit in your food the next time you come in. "How does your steak taste tonight sir?" "oh like the inside of my mouth?" Bon appetit!
Lousy service, purposely lousy.... yes, we CAN tell... deserves no tip. Not a small tip... NO tip. However, good service, deserves good tips! Serving tables is hard work, the pay is low, and tips ARE expected to fill in the server's salary, based on how well they do their job. You should consider tips an expected part of the bill for services that YOU get to decide the value of, and not an extra, unfair cost.
I'll tip 20-25% for excellent service, at least 15% for good service... and even for bad service, when I see the server is actually trying to do well (sometimes people screw up, repeatedly... we're all human). Zero tips for deliberately bad service is my way of helping that particular person into a new career.
I HATE when tips are added to the bill. If 10% is added, but 15% was 'earned'... I'll only leave 5% extra. I know many people who will not leave anything extra if a tip is added to the bill, even if it is low. Call it a 'service fee', if extra cost is added for a large party, that's more honest.... tips are for the customer to add.
As for America's tipping policies... I travel, and I prefer our methods. Also, Americans usually have the reputation for being good tippers, and that can translate into some awesome service no matter where you are.
I do not eat out much simply because for me it's special treat to take a break from my cooking. Here are my general rules. A tip for me is optional not required, it's a way for me to say thank you for good or sometimes great service. It has happened VERY rarely that I do not leave a tip but generally this is because the waiter has been rude to me and I always tell them I will not be leaving a tip and let them know why. However, if I get good service I'm happy to tip UP TO 15% but only if it's good, if the service is only so-so then I will tip 10%. I do not like it when restaurants include the tip in the bill and do not tell you – that has happened to me before – and I do not like it when waiters feel they are entitled to a tip. In general however I think waiters are paid very poorly and they should take issue wtih their employers. I would never work at a job where if I didn't get my tips I couldn't make ends meet. At that point it's easier to work in a convenience store for a fair wage. I also think it's unfair for waiters to expect customers to subsidize their income. If you feel your employer isn't paying you enough then you should not be working there.