Can you come up with a new tipping system?

[Stacerz4life]

That's what I'm saying, in my example, one server worked hard and got the same reward as the one that slacked off. And that's really not the first server's fault.

I'm not talking about just Disney, either. But I can't come up with anything else that works. I guess it's like taxes and Social Security--it's broke, but no one can agree on how to fix it.

if most servers got paid more than $2.13 an hour that would probably help it...there is a lot that servers do in the kitchen and running around a busy restaurant. it is a stressful job, and a lot of time is is the customers who expect a great bubbly attitude but dont show respect or kindness to the server.

I used to wait tables and was always kind to people. some customers were not friendly and that brings my mood down when visiting their table. If you have a server who totaly neglects you then i would say it should effect the tip.

anyway...some days servers have bad customers who come in before you sit at their table and their mood is shot. they rang up $300 in food sales and made $10-in 2 hours. the kitchen might have made a mistake, then because the server was worried about the food they forgot to get a refill then the customer told the server how the service was horrible and then with a restaurant full of people the manager was almost impossible to find the guests leaves upset and its now all the fault of the server who tried to help. you come in and not this server feels like its "just one of those days". you can pick up on their not so great mood and now it happens all over again.

i see no reason to stiff a server and only a few to leave a lousy tip. i have had AWFUL service, but I guess I have an understanding of how the day could be going for the server. Now if a server is in plain sight and neglecting you while goofing off ask then go ahead a leave a lousy tip-if i ever have to get up to find someone then they can assume they will get no more then 10% from me.

 

[MadToad]

Many years ago, back in my college days (ok, maybe not THAT many years ago), I worked as a waiter in a mid-level chain type restaurant. I lasted 4 hours. To this day I still remember the look on the man's face who snapped his fingers at me and called me boy when I poured a coke in his lap.

My heart goes out to servers. They deal with the public for a living, and a lot of the public isn't very nice to deal with. I tip high. If the service is poor, I round down. If it's good, I round up.

Simpler restaurants see a far greater turn-over than a finer establishment. More volume equals more money. If I go to Applebees, I expect to be out the door within an hour. If I go to one of Emeril's restaurants, I expect to be there for at least a couple hours.

In the end, no one gets rich waiting tables.

 

[Barbers2005]

I told him that say the law changed and they started paying servers $8 dollars an hour. The menu prices would have to jump to accomodate the raise increase. Therefore only the wealthy would be able to eat out. Countless restaurants would have to close, the unemployment rate would skyrocket and the economy would go to crap. Just because you can't leave a couple bucks on the table.

I don't see why paying servers a decent wage would cause so much economic turmoil. People would be paying more on their meals but they wouldn't have to leave a tip, so it would wash. I would actually prefer a no tips system- tipping is such a pain.

 

[gina2000]

Tipping doesn't bother me. I try to tip well and I tip for hard work. Less expensive restaurants have much higher turnover rates in an evening and the waitstaff can pick up more money by waiting on more tables in one evening. Expensive restaurants usually allow 2 -2 1/2 hours per table. Perhaps they'll seat 2 sets of patrons at one table per evening. That's alot less turnover.

Also, and this is in no way disparaging anyone but it's been my experience that the most experienced waitstaff work at the most expensive restaurants. I see a ton of serving mistakes that are made by inexperience or lack of knowledge at some less expensive restaurants. That just doesn't happen at upscale places. You pay for good service just as you pay for any other commodity. A restaurant isn't truly upscale unless the food AND service are superb. And you're paying for it....as it should be.

 

[Disney8704]

Really to hate to burst your bubble but the unemployment rate is already through the roof and the economy has already gone to h***.

I've been a server for 6 years and sometimes it's just very frustrating. I actually had a table leave me a note on a napkin saying "the service was excellent but we're short on cash so we couldn't leave you a tip. Sorry". Why don't you just slap me in the face. If you don't have the money to tip then please don't come out.
We're actually encouraged to sell alcohol. When I greet a table I have to tell them the drink special and beer special and try to sell it. I hate doing that but the manager will come down hard if you don't. We have a ranking system that actually effects our schedule and you're alcohol percentage actually figures into it. Fair, not at all. All I ask is that you be patient with me while I suggest the drinks. I think that people know if they're going to drink before they come in. I know that if my husband and I go out to eat I already know before we leave the house if I'm going to have a drink.
I actually was listnening to talk radio one day and a guy was on saying that he leaves a card on the table when he leaves saying that he won't pay our salary and talk to our manager if we have a problem. Our manager? What's he going do about it. I acutally called in (which I never do). I told him that say the law changed and they started paying servers $8 dollars an hour. The menu prices would have to jump to accomodate the raise increase. Therefore only the wealthy would be able to eat out. Countless restaurants would have to close, the unemployment rate would skyrocket and the economy would go to crap. Just because you can't leave a couple bucks on the table.
Anyway, sorry I just had to vent a little.

 

[WillCAD]

You know, I don't think the problem here is tipping or service - I think the real problem is selfishness.

Selfish patrons undertip, or tip reasonably but give their servers no consideration (messy tables, confused orders, rudeness, or even abuse). Likewise, there are selfish servers who get up in arms when they perform pooly but don't get the same tips as a server who performs well.

It's selfishness - lots of people WANT more from the other side without being willing to GIVE any more.

Yes - disney should raise prices 18%, pool the 18% and split it amount the servers, and institute a no-tipping policy. That would eliminate the whole problem. Disney was moving in that direction with old Dining Plan - I'm so disspointed with them taking tips out of the plan for this reason.

Tipping is moronic. Why should an employer underpay workers and then have the cutomers pay workers on a voluntary basis. It makes no sense to me.

For what it's worth, having worked tipped jobs in my life, I tend to be generous with tips because I know the workers appreacite the money. But they sysem is still moronic.

And I don't by the whole tips=service justification, especially at a place like Disney. Disney is able to train tens of thousands of CM's to provide great servcie in non-tipped positions. They could do it at the restaurantes as well.

Forget that pooling nonsense, just pay the servers a normal living wage like cashiers and sales associates (those who don't work on comission) and be done with it. But I think you've got the right idea.

They could try, I suppose. But human nature being what it is, I still think a # of server CM's would lose the incentive to do anything beyond acceptable. Not poor enough to promt complaints, but not good enough so you'll remember a server and ask for him/her next time you go to a restaurant.

The tipping system has been around for a long time and hasn't changed. I imagine the restaurant industry folks (owners, managers, servers, bartenders) could tell us why--.
As an aside, just pooling the 18% among the servers probably wouldn't do it. They only make $2.85 or so an hour as it is..their salaries would have to rise considerably.
And if menu prices went up 18%, that filet at Citricos would come in at around $46.00--or more. No tip of course, but just the "price shock" would probably deter a # of folks.

Your math is a little fuzzy; if a server is currenty making $2.85 an hour plus an average of 18% of their sales now, how is that so much different from making $2.85 an hour plus exactly 18% of their sales in a pooled situation? The only major diference would be that the exceptional servers who make more than %18 average would make less, and the crappy servers who make less than 18% average would come up a bit.

I don't see why paying servers a decent wage would cause so much economic turmoil. People would be paying more on their meals but they wouldn't have to leave a tip, so it would wash. I would actually prefer a no tips system- tipping is such a pain.

Ditto.

 

[Disney8704]

Oh forgot to mention this in my last post, but you wanna know 1 really easy way to have a new respect for servers. No its not get a server job. But go out and buy Diner Dash game. Its on the DS, PC and PSP. You can even find a download version online for your PC. I got through my 1st restaurant and was exhausted just playing the dang on game. 4 restaurants and 40 levels later and Im still stuck 1 level I have been playing for a month now. But I do have a whole new look on things for servers just because of that game. And I think if others played it as well even just 1 restaurant, you would probably start to feel for the real servers in the real restaurants. I actually told my DH, I feel bad for actual servers. If its anything like the game which its supposed to be, theres no way I would even last 5 mins as a waitress.

 

[crisi]

Absolutely untrue. Withholding is not done on imaginary income. In cases where the restaurant doesn't collect all tips and manage accounting for them, there are situations in which a percentage is assumed -- and that percentage is 8%, not 15%. In the incredibly rare example of a shortfall, the restaurant -- not the server -- is responsible for making up the difference. In any case, at most restaurants servers never come close to that mattering. On a particularly bad night, a server who handles 25 tables with ten stiffing her completely (no tip) and 15 tipping "only" 15%, still has nothing to worry about in terms of tax withholding. She's still making more than the "assumed" 8% aggregate. But again, this is an incredibly rare situation and the restaurant is the responsible party to make up the difference for withholding purposes if she did drop below 8% aggregate tip income.

Thank you.

Personally I find tipping to be unfair for the waiter and the patron. The only person its good for is the restaurant owner - who has very low labor costs. I'd only wait tables as a last resort as a profession - you are so dependant on the actions of others (will it be a busy night?, will I get tipped well?, will the chef get the food out quickly?) for your income. And as a patron, I hate the implication that I have to "tip well" because "I only made $100 all night because I got stiffed a few times."