Happened again..server added an extra tip..

[DOOM1001]

I have heard that many waiters at make a pretty good wage with tips. A lot more than minimum wage. I wonder what they would get per hour if they did not get tips. Would we get as good of service? How much would menu cost go up to pay that wage?

The restaurants would have a serious problem trying to find servers for $8-$10 an hour,which is the most any restaurant would ever pay a server as their costs would skyrocket and prices would probably increase 25% or more.The quality of servers would go in the tank,good service would be a thing of the past as most good server jobs require a server to work hard enough that $8-$10 an hour would not be worth it.In California servers earn that $8 an hour plus regular tips like every other state,California is however a very expensive place so a server in Florida only getting $4.23 an hour might only get like $80-$100 in their paycheck for two weeks and look at it like a little bonus while in California it probably makes a bigger difference like allowing it to go towards rent.

 

[ZoeBell]

This past Friday, this topic was talked about on a NJ radio station. It was prompted by proposed legislation to give minimum wage to servers. Most people seemed to be in favor of it but added that your food bill would increase. Most people who called in also gave a smaller tip when the server asked " Would you like change?" instead of " I will be back with your change."

If they say I'll be back with your change gives the customer the opportunity to say no it's all set. When they ask me if I want change it makes me think they just want to be done with our table.

 

[ssawka]

If servers did get the minimum wage which is Just over $7, would you tip as much as you currently are tipping?

How much do you think a Disney waiter makes on average per hour?

I have heard that some make over $60,000 per year. I doubt that is the average though as some may not be full time or do not work in the same restaurants.

I for one would tip what I tip now even if I knew the servers were being paid minimum wage. The servers do quite a bit of work "behind the scene" for the measly pay they get from the restaurant. When I worked as a waiter in college, we did everything in the kitchen that wasn't cooking or washing dishes. We filled the condiments, folds the napkins, cleaned the dining room floors, straightens the tables, made the coffee, stocked the rolls, checked the bathrooms, etc. We were basically the go-fors in the restaurant.

Besides, it is not like I think about how much the server is making when I leave a tip. I don't say "they have a lot of tables tonight, so their probably making good money, so I can leave less."

Forgot to add: Depending on where you are, $60,000 is not exactly a "high income".

 

[Sagginit]

I do not know when it become okay for servers to ask this. If the patron does not say "keep the change" then YES they want the change.

my other favorite is i know servers/taxi drivers lots of small bills. i hate it when they give me my change in a denomination assuming what i am tipping and then give me attitude when i ask for change. oh i am sorry, you thought i was tipping 35% and did i just burst your bubble? i typically tip 20% but have gotten stuck tipping lower when i can't get their attention again to get change. in that case i always regret not just paying with my card.

 

[Tigger1]

Yeah alot are part-time, its a very physical job I mean most days I come home I am just beat..My body aches I really dont know how much longer I can do it, I am getting old

I remember those days. It can be high stress also when busy which Disney restaurants always are from what I have seen. A four or five hour day could be a physical and mental workout for sure. I do not think I could do it now.

 

[Tigger1]

I for one would tip what I tip now even if I knew the servers were being paid minimum wage. The servers do quite a bit of work "behind the scene" for the measly pay they get from the restaurant. When I worked as a waiter in college, we did everything in the kitchen that wasn't cooking or washing dishes. We filled the condiments, folds the napkins, cleaned the dining room floors, straightens the tables, made the coffee, stocked the rolls, checked the bathrooms, etc. We were basically the go-fors in the restaurant.

Besides, it is not like I think about how much the server is making when I leave a tip. I don't say "they have a lot of tables tonight, so their probably making good money, so I can leave less."

Forgot to add: Depending on where you are, $60,000 is not exactly a "high income".

Servers do a lot of behind the scenes work. We used to have to help catoring set up for the next day. This could be at midnight or later after we had our area clean.

Your also correct about $60,000 not being a lot in some areas. Cost of living in my area is comparable to Orlando. Here teachers start out at $30,000. That never approaches $50,000. Not saying that servers do not work just as hard. Maybe teachers should work for tips also, lol. Maybe politicians should also. Actually they may be getting tips that are just not reported, lol.

 

[reginaastralis]

I was a server for most of my life, I started at 15 and quit last year at the ripe old age of 28. I will say, from experience that these sorts of "accidents" happen. I won't say they are all on purpose, I know I made a mistake in adding a tip about twice, but each time it was caught by a manager at the end of the night. I can see having slight dyslexia, or adding the total in as the tip ... especially if I was rushed, but again I was very aware that that sort of tip could cost me my job.

I also know that a lot of people really aren't aware that servers don't make minimum wage. Would the average joe really believe anyone would take a job for $2.13/hour (the server wage I received when I first started)? When my friend told her family she really did, in fact, made 2.13/hour her family laughed at her and told her she was "stupid for working for free". I can also say my boyfriend makes $4/hour (whatever server pay in Florida is now) and his paychecks are technically less than mine thanks to taxes.

I also have friends who serve (or have served) at Disney, and yes it can be great money. You also have to take into consideration the amount of tourist who might not realize they are expected to tip, which might explain why tipping is added on to some bills. Also, Disney does hold credit card tips (or did the last time I asked) until the paycheck, so I try to always tip cash. My boyfriend works at a restaurant that also puts all his credit card tips on his paychecks, and it's been the biggest challenge from going to having $100 cash in our pocket at the end of the night, to actually having to truly budget. Of course, that's the definition of a first world problem, isn't it?

 

[tvguy]

The restaurants would have a serious problem trying to find servers for $8-$10 an hour,which is the most any restaurant would ever pay a server as their costs would skyrocket and prices would probably increase 25% or more.The quality of servers would go in the tank,good service would be a thing of the past as most good server jobs require a server to work hard enough that $8-$10 an hour would not be worth it.In California servers earn that $8 an hour plus regular tips like every other state,California is however a very expensive place so a server in Florida only getting $4.23 an hour might only get like $80-$100 in their paycheck for two weeks and look at it like a little bonus while in California it probably makes a bigger difference like allowing it to go towards rent.

In San Francisco, the city enacted a living wage law. Minimum wage for any job within the city limits is $10.55. However, SF is a very expensive city to live in, which is so many service sector workers live in outlying communities instead. Having said that, a good server in a good restaurant can make a decent living. A former co-worker used to wait tables at a sports bar 3 nights a week as a second job and bragged she made more doing that than her "Professional" job. But she was a flirty redhead, with a very outdoing personality. New waitresses used to complain to the manager that she was giving away food, which she was. Manager pointed out that her tables bar tabs were almost double everone elses.......and he had no issue giving away $1 worth of snacks in exchange for an additional $30 a table bar tab.

 

[dpswift]

I guess I am just too laid back. I am not at all insulted when a server asks if I am all set with the bill. By the time I am paying I am ready to leave, if I want change I would assume they would be quicker than if they knew I was just leaving.

As far as small bills as change go. I think that is a good thing. It actually makes it easier for custumers to leave a fair tip. If my change should be $12 and my tip should be $7, I can just pull $5 out of the envelope and be done with it.


I am glad to read this because DD starts a waitress job today and I will let her know that some people are offended by being asked if they are all set with their bill.

 

[mom2my3kids]

my other favorite is i know servers/taxi drivers lots of small bills. i hate it when they give me my change in a denomination assuming what i am tipping and then give me attitude when i ask for change. oh i am sorry, you thought i was tipping 35% and did i just burst your bubble? i typically tip 20% but have gotten stuck tipping lower when i can't get their attention again to get change. in that case i always regret not just paying with my card.

I always try to give back change, if their change is 16.32 I try to give two fives and six ones and the coin change..I do this well yes thinking they just may leave me a better tip then a dollar if I give me a ten and a five and a one..I have had lots of people in the past get mad that I didnt give them (change when I brought back) but its only because I didnt have the variety of change to give to them..So here you go again with you cant win for losing, your always gonna make someone mad or someone assume something..

 

[Arielle22]

I usually pay by credit card but if I pay cash and I want some specific bills in the change, I just ask for it when I am handing it over. I would say "can I get 2 5's in the change?"

Solves that problem for me.

 

[ssawka]

Servers do a lot of behind the scenes work. We used to have to help catoring set up for the next day. This could be at midnight or later after we had our area clean.

Your also correct about $60,000 not being a lot in some areas. Cost of living in my area is comparable to Orlando. Here teachers start out at $30,000. That never approaches $50,000. Not saying that servers do not work just as hard. Maybe teachers should work for tips also, lol. Maybe politicians should also. Actually they may be getting tips that are just not reported, lol.

I completely agree with you on the teachers' salaries. Our societal value of teachers is deplorable. Instead of politicians constantly looking at ways to hold teachers accountable, how about if we try paying them a decent wage so that we can attract better teachers. There is something wrong when athletes and CEOs are paid so much more than teachers. Without teachers, no other "professional" careers would be possible.

As for the $60K issue, again it depends on where you are. In the Northern Virginia area, the average salary is $54K. So, given that, if a server can bring in $60K, they are only doing slightly better than average.

 

[imsayin]

This is why I always pay any bill that includes a tip in cash.

This way I don't have to worry about checking my credit card bill, and I know my server is going to get his tip today, not a week, 2 weeks or a month down the road, when they get their next paycheck.

I don't care if the server gets his tip today. Most people don't get paid daily in cash, so I'm not concerned if the server has to wait until payday like the rest of us.

 

[eyor44]

I am glad to read this because DD starts a waitress job today and I will let her know that some people are offended by being asked if they are all set with their bill.

I too like to get my change in small bills, although I try hard to make sure I have money for tips when I go out.

One thing that happened to me and I understand is common practice in some places, is to only give the bills portion of the change, not the coins. I had a waitress not bring me the coins and I thought is was simply a mistake on her part. When I said something her reply was "Oh I didn't bring it, I knew it was part of my tip." Really? She wasn't that good to begin with and was a bit miffed when we said "Yes, we do need change" to the original question. That ended up being her only tip and we let the manager know why.

Please let your DD know that if she smiles, is friendly, courteous, prompt and brings people their correct change, she should do very well.

 

[bumbershoot]

I do not know when it become okay for servers to ask this. If the patron does not say "keep the change" then YES they want the change.

They have probably had customers who thought it was obvious that they would keep the change, and who gave them trouble for asking IF they wanted the change. Every customer can be so different, and if you get X number of customers who are one way, it changes the way you do things.

I preferred to say "I'll go get your change!" and sometimes they would stop me and tell me to keep it. And other times they did not.

 

[mom2my3kids]

They have probably had customers who thought it was obvious that they would keep the change, and who gave them trouble for asking IF they wanted the change. Every customer can be so different, and if you get X number of customers who are one way, it changes the way you do things.

I preferred to say "I'll go get your change!" and sometimes they would stop me and tell me to keep it. And other times they did not.

That is why I say you cant win for losing..I have had someone get mad at me for bringing to many refills...........I just do my best with a smile, been doing it to long I am not perfect I get behind and flustered just like the new girls..But it gets fewer and far between the longer I do it..

 

[CdnCarrie]

The restaurants would have a serious problem trying to find servers for $8-$10 an hour,which is the most any restaurant would ever pay a server as their costs would skyrocket and prices would probably increase 25% or more.The quality of servers would go in the tank,good service would be a thing of the past as most good server jobs require a server to work hard enough that $8-$10 an hour would not be worth it
.

I doubt that very much. Servers get paid $10.50 here which is minimum wage. People just tip less than they do in the U.S.

 

[ssawka]

That is why I say you cant win for losing..I have had someone get mad at me for bringing to many refills...........I just do my best with a smile, been doing it to long I am not perfect I get behind and flustered just like the new girls..But it gets fewer and far between the longer I do it..

That's funny! One of the litmus tests I use for determining the quality of a server is whether or not I have to ask for a refill on my drink. I tend to drink a lot, especially when I eat spicy food, which is usually always. I should not have to ask a server for a refill, especially if the glass is a decent size.

 

[pixiewings71]

I doubt that very much. Servers get paid $10.50 here which is minimum wage. People just tip less than they do in the U.S.

Servers in CA make minimum wage, we still tip 10-20%, we do not tip less just because our servers make minimum wage.

 

[tvguy]

Servers in CA make minimum wage, we still tip 10-20%, we do not tip less just because our servers make minimum wage.

This Californian tends to tip about 20% for good service in a less expensive restaurant, and closer to 15% in an expensive restaurant. The server in the less expensive restaurant works just as hard, so I tip more since the total bill is less.