For Those of You Who NEVER Tip in a Restaurant

[disneysteve]

I will say that I do think that tipping at Starbucks IS appropriate IF you go every day (or almost) and deal with the same people everyday. If they get your order fast and right every time, why not throw a bit of change in the tip cup?

Does anyone know how folks are paid at counter service restaurants like Starbucks? Do they actually get paid normally or do they get paid like waiters with sub-minimum wages?

 

[Becky2005]

I'll admit I was a non-tipper for some things but never a sit-down restaraunt. One of my first jobs was a waitress. LOL!

However, we never tipped at buffets because frankly I had no idea that you were even supposed to. Although, growing up, we never had this "it's not quite a sit-down and it's not quite a buffet" type of places. It was either all sit-down or at the buffets you did everything yourself (got drinks, got food, etc.., the people who cleared the table were busboys and definitely didn't offer to refill your drinks, etc..) I actually found out by a card on the table suggesting it at the hybrid places.

I also had NO IDEA you were supposed to tip housekeepers at a hotel. My parents never did it (of course, we didn't travel much and we never spent more than 1 night in a hotel room). I was in total shock when I went on vacation with my boyfriend & his family and they left a tip at the end of the trip. Luckily, when DH & I went on vacation he knew bellman needed tips because I had never even stayed in a hotel that HAD bellman. We always just took in our luggage. I honestly thought the guy was just being nice when he offered to take our luggage up with the rolling cart - I didn't realize that was his job until after DH tipped him at the end. ROFL!!!

Although my dad was a barber, so I knew they needed tips - otherwise I probably wouldn't have had a clue about hairstylists either. LOL!!!

I'm sure I have stiffed people in the past & probably will stiff them in the future too having no clue that I should be tipping!

 

[chobie]

Does anyone know how folks are paid at counter service restaurants like Starbucks? Do they actually get paid normally or do they get paid like waiters with sub-minimum wages?

I believe they get about $7.00 an hour, plus a share of the tips plus benefits. Chain restaurants also offer benefits. Most of the places I worked at were privately owned and although they did have a health plan that we could buy into, no one was ever given enough hours to qualify as "full-time" to be able to buy into it. The philosophy explained to me by a manger who had worked at many different restaurants was that the owners like to keep the waitstaff "hungry" so they would be more apt work whatever hours they were assigned. Most places I worked at also rotated the schedule so you never knew from week to week what your schedule was. Made it very hard to try to go to school so you could one day get out of waiting tables.

 

[ckay87]

I've stiffed people accidently and actually almost lost sleep over it.

Had an airport driver once, but only had $20 bills on me - that was IT. What do you do then? I wasn't going to give him 20 bucks. I wasn't going to ask for change. I felt awful.

 

[disneysteve]

I've stiffed people accidently and actually almost lost sleep over it.

I've done this as well. Of course, I've also vastly overtipped sometimes and not realized it until later. Once at a buffet, I gave a 20% tip without thinking even though the server really didn't do anything except bring me a Coke.

 

[gopherit]

BTW, when I have my twins with me, the tip usually goes to 30%....cuz they can make a pretty big mess!

LOL, I admit it, some of my largest tips have been not because I thought the server was so out-of-the-ordinary great, but because I figured our family was out-of-the-ordinary difficult! With 3 kids and a picky DH (he makes Meg Ryan from "When Harry Met Sally" look complacent by comparison), I just figure our server will earn that tip and then some! After all, I deal with these folks at home, I KNOW what they are like, haha!

 

[Chattyaholic]

Tipping is not a requirement. And just serving us is YOUR job. It's not my job to make up for whatever money you don't make.

You have a job to do so do it without complaining.

I usually, however, do thank my waitress. IF (and only IF) the waitress goes beyond the call of simple duty to get something special or specific done for me, then she will get a tip. As will admirable attention to our needs (like our glasses never ending up empty because she is paying such close attention).

A tip is.. by Emily Post herself... not a requirement and only for Extraordinary service.

All I can say is UNBELIEVABLE...it's people like you that I have a "3 strike" rule for. If I wait on someone three times and they never tip, that's the end of good service. If you don't want to pay for good service you're not going to get it, period. I will smile and be polite to you, and I will bring your food as soon as the cook has it ready (and I will NOT spit in it as I've heard some servers do to non-tippers) and I will come back ONCE to refill your drink and ask if everything is all right. Then I will put the bill on your table and be done with you. I refuse to waste my time on people that I KNOW will not tip for good service. I will spend my time on tipping customers.

I have a thought, what if YOUR boss cut YOUR wages to $2.35 per hour and expected you to pay your bills on that wage. And he said to you, "do your job and don't complain." I bet you'd quit that job in a heartbeat. As I said before, if all servers quit their jobs because of people like YOU that don't tip, YOU would have no other restaurant to go to besides fast food. How would you like that?

Thank God most people don't think as you do about the tipping procedure!!!

And gee, I have to wonder if Emily Post was ever a waitress. I highly doubt that she was!!

 

[Chattyaholic]

I haven't been on the boards for a couple of days, so was really surprised at the number of replies to my thread, they were all interesting to read. It's nice to see so many of you do tip, and even tip extra for non-tipping friends or relatives you go out with. I can certainly understand tipping less, or not at all, for poor service when you can see the waitress is just blabbing to her friends behind the counter or something, and not paying attention to her job. I have actually had to walk away from other waitresses who wanted to "stand around and talk", nope, can't do it, I have customers to take care of. Then there are times when we are so busy, running around like crazy trying to take care of everyone and everything and thankfully most people can see we are doing our best and will still tip us. And those who don't should do our job for a couple of weeks and see how their attitude changes.

Someone said a waitress went to another table where the people had left, and got their Coke to take to them, oh my gosh!! That's almost unbelieveable!! I mean, I'm sure it happened, but WOW!! If they do that out in plain sight, what are they doing back in the kitchen!! I would never go there again, and I would definitely report it to the health dept. Wow!!

Thanks again for everyone's comments.

 

[ckay87]

Emily Post is hardly the authority on tipping:
(from http://www.orbitz.com/App/ViewTravelWatchArticle?headline=Tips+on+tipping)

"Even Emily Post, the late doyenne of fine manners, didn't think much of tipping. In the 1922 edition of her book "Etiquette," she writes: "Tipping is undoubtedly a bad system, but it happens to be in force, and that being the case, travelers have to pay their share of it -- if they like the way made smooth and comfortable."

That was then. Today, Peggy Post -- Emily's great-granddaughter-in-law and keeper of the Emily Post Institute flame -- has reissued "Emily Post's Etiquette" in a 16th edition that covers, in part, this "bad system." And newfangled authorities such as "The Original Tipping Page" (www.tipping.org) offer guidelines as well."


I mean, how many 1922 guidelines are we living by today??? Ridiculous.

 

[disneysteve]

If you don't want to pay for good service you're not going to get it, period... I will spend my time on tipping customers.

As I've said, I'm a good tipper and will continue to be a good tipper. But I must say that I have a problem with this statement. You should do a good job, provide good service, be polite and helpful, etc. because that's your job, not because you are trying to get the best possible tip. Of course, if a particular customer has been rude or obnoxious to you, that's a different story. But assuming a customer is perfectly fine but just doesn't tip well, I don't think you should treat him or her differently.

I don't work in a tip-based occupation, but I am paid hourly. I could say, "I'm just going to do the basic job since I'm going to make the same money either way. Why make the extra effort if there's nothing in it for me?" Of course, I don't do that. I do the best I can do because I care about my job and the people I deal with and its the right thing to do.

Another thing to consider... What happens when that bad tipper goes out and tells all his friends, family and coworkers what lousy service he got at your restaurant? And they pass that on to their friends and so on. I would think it is in your best interest as far as job security to keep the customers happy. Do I think its right not to tip - absolutely not. But I think even a non-tipper deserves good service.

 

[totalia]

As I've said, I'm a good tipper and will continue to be a good tipper. But I must say that I have a problem with this statement. You should do a good job, provide good service, be polite and helpful, etc. because that's your job, not because you are trying to get the best possible tip. Of course, if a particular customer has been rude or obnoxious to you, that's a different story. But assuming a customer is perfectly fine but just doesn't tip well, I don't think you should treat him or her differently.

I don't work in a tip-based occupation, but I am paid hourly. I could say, "I'm just going to do the basic job since I'm going to make the same money either way. Why make the extra effort if there's nothing in it for me?" Of course, I don't do that. I do the best I can do because I care about my job and the people I deal with and its the right thing to do.

Another thing to consider... What happens when that bad tipper goes out and tells all his friends, family and coworkers what lousy service he got at your restaurant? And they pass that on to their friends and so on. I would think it is in your best interest as far as job security to keep the customers happy. Do I think its right not to tip - absolutely not. But I think even a non-tipper deserves good service.

Exactly. Thank you for putting it so well.

 

[totalia]

I'm not going to kiss your butt just so you'll do your job well. Horrible of me perhaps. But its YOUR job and part of the honor or your job is doing it well regardless of whether you get a good tip.

As I said, I will tip if you deserve it. But I won't kiss your butt just so you'll do the job you were hired for.

If you can't handle the job then get another one.

Chattyholic

I'm glad your not my waitress. Your someone I would never ever give a good tip. You don't deserve one with your attitude.

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Chattyholic

I'm glad your not my waitress. Your someone I would never ever give a good tip. You don't deserve one with your attitude.

 

[totalia]

Roll your eyes all you want but its still the truth.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Roll your eyes all you want but its still the truth.

No, not really. Just because Emily post says it, does not make it so...

The common thought on waiting tables, at least in this country, is that people who are allowed to accept tips (not all professions may accept tips), get paid less than minimum wage because it is assumed by their employer, and most of the general public that they will get at least a minor tip for their job. If the do a crappy job, it's a pretty low tip. If they do a good job, it's usually a good tip.

 

[disneysteve]

The common thought on waiting tables is that people who are allowed to accept tips get paid less than minimum wage because it is assumed by their employer, and most of the general public that they will get at least a minor tip for their job. If the do a crappy job, it's a pretty low tip. If they do a good job, it's usually a good tip.

I agree that this is the custom, and personally I follow it, as I've said. I just don't happen to think that the fact that a particular customer has not tipped well (or at all) in the past is an excuse for poor service in the future.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

I agree that this is the custom, and personally I follow it, as I've said. I just don't happen to think that the fact that a particular customer has not tipped well (or at all) in the past is an excuse for poor service in the future.

I completely agree.

 

[chobie]

I agree that this is the custom, and personally I follow it, as I've said. I just don't happen to think that the fact that a particular customer has not tipped well (or at all) in the past is an excuse for poor service in the future.

Why on earth would a server take time away from tipping tables to give it to a non-tipping table? For the good of humanity?

 

[disneysteve]

Why on earth would a server take time away from tipping tables to give it to a non-tipping table? For the good of humanity?

Because a server's job is to serve all the customers, not to just serve the ones who they think will leave a good tip. I don't see anything wrong with paying a little extra attention to the regular customer who is a great tipper. But I don't think you should just plop down a plate and then ignore the customer who doesn't tip well.

 

[Amberle3]

Why on earth would a server take time away from tipping tables to give it to a non-tipping table? For the good of humanity?

So does that mean that servers should give more attention to the tables that order more expensive stuff, based on the fact that (in theory) they'll get more of a tip?

If I'm not all that hungry and I just order soup and a sandwich, and the table next to me orders filet mignon, does that mean that they deserve more service because my total is lower and therefore my tip is likely lower?

What about people dining solo, or couples as compared to parties of 5 or 6 - bigger parties mean higher bills which means more of a tip. Does that mean they've "earned" more service?

I'm a tipper. I have on occasion left no tip when I've had atrocious service (and I mean truly terrible). I've left up to 50% as a tip for truly outstanding service. But regardless of how much I'm tipping, I still expect a basic level of service. That's what these folks were hired to do.

What about people who have never been in an establishment before? I'm sure they're sized up when they walk in to guestimate how much of a tip they'll leave - do the nicer-dressed people deserve better service?