Tipping in restaurants

[mjkacmom]

Wow, my head is spinning reading this thread! Or maybe the little voices in Springs1 head are entering mine... Someone needs to go back on their medication...

 

[kaytieeldr]

WHY do you say that? Customers make service good or bad by the WAY they tip. If everyone had an automatic service charge of 20%(let's say it was a rule that

Again, let's say the moon is made of green cheese. Doesn't make it so.

Avoiding the question once again. You still didn't admit to me that you would EXPECT MORE PAY FOR MORE WORK in that Jane Doe scenario.

I don't know or care "how much" work was done. I care about the overall QUALITY OF SERVICE provided - and that's how I determine my tip.

But we don't pay a couple of bucks or even a penny to the fast food cashiers that do the same or less amount of work, WHY would it be FAIR to everyone that does the same type of job(same or less work)

You keep focusing on this - but instead of wanting to change the system so the fast food work CAN be tipped, you want to change it so NOBODY gets tipped.

Aside from that, since you cannot follow and watch every single step the restaurant server takes to accept, submit, check, pack, hand over, and cash out your order, you haven't got the slightest idea "how much" work was done.

Again, DON'T TIP. We don't care. But stop trying to justify your refusal based on data you cannot possibly know.

When you order it over the phone and it's ready when you go inside, which all they have to do is ring up my credit card and I sign.

You keep comparing your fast food experience - where you must be in/at the establishment at all times, from placing your order to paying for it to receiving it - with table service restaurant take-out. The only LEGITIMATE means of comparison has to be based on the order's - not your - process from start to finish.

You can't compare apples to monkeys and expect it to be valid.

I am there to pick up the order that is already ready. I am not there waiting to receive my food, so I am not enduring the wait for my food at the restaurant to receive a service for it.

Which has ZERO to do with how much work it takes for the restaurant to process your order. Simply because you can't SEE your order being processed doesn't mean it's not more work than even an especially fussy and demanding fast food order.

 

[ols386]

Aren't you guys getting tired of hashing, rehashing, and rehashing this topic?

 

[sbell111]

What if someone other than your server, ran the food?

Forgive my tardiness in responding to your question. I've been mostly off-board.

The answer to your question is that your server is still responsible even if they did not bring your food to you. Since you are tipping for 'service', all service that is received factors in to that tip.

Similarly, if your terrific meal is promptly brought out to you by someone other than your server and your glasses are quickly filled (with the correct beverage) by someone other than your server and empty plates are promptly cleared away, your server will still deserve a very nice tip even though all he/she actually did for you was take your order and bring you your bill.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

when speaking of tipping bartenders, I was talking about in a nightclub,or bar, where they are serving you drinks. It was in reference to another post )this whole thread is not about you.

cinderella, I hate using caps myself. our computer is really old, and my "bolding", as well as my :smilies" are not working. hubby is checkng into a new computer.

lisa/ if you were referring to me, I don't "command" 20%. I do advocate it. even for the many years I did not waitress. It's what I leave (unless things are really bad), and I advocate 20% on these forums. many will not, but many will leave 10%. (like mydad ,who is very generous, and just doesn't know better. I go back and leave extra afetr he pays!) I have great customers, who I love, who leave 15%, and get just as great service from me as thoe who leave me 25%

Nope--wasn't referring to you at all.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Which has ZERO to do with how much work it takes for the restaurant to process your order. Simply because you can't SEE your order being processed doesn't mean it's not more work than even an especially fussy and demanding fast food order.

It's like talking to a door--a door that has flunked all classes in Logic, Psychology, and Mathematics in college.

If you can't see it...it doesn't exist.

The to go order is magically teleported into a bag at a restaurant....

While those in fast food labor and toil through blood sweat and tears to bag your order and get it to you in under a minute.

 

[CathrynRose]

It's like talking to a door--a door that has flunked all classes in Logic, Psychology, and Mathematics in college.

If you can't see it...it doesn't exist.

The to go order is magically teleported into a bag at a restaurant....

While those in fast food labor and toil through blood sweat and tears to bag your order and get it to you in under a minute.

 

[JessicaR]

Aren't you guys getting tired of hashing, rehashing, and rehashing this topic?

I had a hard time getting to the end of this thread. It goes round and round. I'll try harder next time.

 

[rgf207]

kaytieeldr. I'm not sure if you've been around a while but Springs1 has been here before. She is a troll who starts debates on tipping. Google Springs1 and you'll see what I'm talking about. Arguing with her is useless and honestly she is just posting to stir the pot. If I were you I would stop arguing as you are fueling the fire.

I'm not flaming you at all, I'm just pointing out what has happened in the past here.

 

[rileyroosmom]

I haven't read through the whole thread but I wanted to say that my 16 year old son has his first job as a server at Steak n Shake (A family friendly hamburger place). He makes $2.10 an hour. He really depends on his tips to make any money. If customers cut back on their tips he isn't making money. I understand that many people have faced cutbacks, but I don't know too many jobs that only pay $2.10/hour. Cutting back on the server isn't really fair. If you can't afford the tip, then don't eat out.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

kaytieeldr. I'm not sure if you've been around a while but Springs1 has been here before. She is a troll who starts debates on tipping. Google Springs1 and you'll see what I'm talking about. Arguing with her is useless and honestly she is just posting to stir the pot. If I were you I would stop arguing as you are fueling the fire.

I'm not flaming you at all, I'm just pointing out what has happened in the past here.

Wow... that's interesting. Perhaps we're talking about a professional ******.

I say, if someone has no life enough that they have to go around and do what Springs1 is doing, by all means... waste your life away. That's what the ignore button is for on here anyway .

 

[sbell111]

I haven't read through the whole thread but I wanted to say that my 16 year old son has his first job as a server at Steak n Shake (A family friendly hamburger place). He makes $2.10 an hour. He really depends on his tips to make any money. If customers cut back on their tips he isn't making money. I understand that many people have faced cutbacks, but I don't know too many jobs that only pay $2.10/hour. Cutting back on the server isn't really fair. If you can't afford the tip, then don't eat out.

I can't speak for everyone, but I think that our personal economic situation has forced us to think more about the service when considering how much to tip than we used to. While this has no doubt had the effect of 'cutting back' on tips, somewhat, I don't believe that we have been unfair to anyone.

 

[StrawberryTink]

Maybe ive no right to say anything on this matter, because i am English and we do pay our staff here a minimum wage, therefore giving a server a tip here is a definate above and beyond extra. To me it is quite strange tipping a server for poor or bad service, in the UK i wouldnt tip a rude server, i wouldnt tip if the service has been terrible. If the server is average id tip 5%. However in the UK sales tax (vat) is already added on, so we're tipping on top of this tax aswell. If the server is great id tip 10%, if the whole experience is amazing id tip 15%.
I appreciate in the US servers rely on their tips as wages, but i dont think its fair to say people shouldnt be eating out if they cant afford a 20% tip. At the end of the day if the servers arent making enough money, perhaps they should think of another career or job.
Ive worked in restaurants for many years now (as a manager and server when short staffed) and we have been hit hard by recession, so totally understand that people cant afford to spend on such luxuries as eating out. But when they do if all they can afford is a small tip, isnt that better than no tip? From a business point of view we'd rather have people eating out and leaving small tips, then not at all because otherwise it leads to redundancies.
But then again over here we pay our staff at least minimum wage, a lot of companies pay above this. I guess its alittle controversal to say that perhaps the US should do this aswell.

Just my opinion as i dont believe people should be made to feel quilty for not tipping a huge (or a standard/basic) amount when eating out, im sure theres lots of people who save their hard earned cash for the luxury of eating out; having bums on seats encourages others into these restaurants!!

 

[MsPeggySue911]

In most restaurants I tip at least 20% but usually more.

However I could see tipping a lot less at some Disney restaurants. If I were to take my family to Cape May Cafe seafood buffet it is almost $40 per person, times 5 of us. That's over a $200 tab. Which in most cases would require a $40 tip. There's NO WAY I am leaving some kid $40 for refilling 2 or 3 glasses of coke.

That's one reason I probably won't be going to the expensive places to eat when we go to Disney. I have never had service that was so good it warranted a $40 tip, ever. But then again I have never been to a buffet that I felt was worth $40 per person either.

 

[Ceila]

Strawberry, how many pages back did you have to read to bump a thread that was a year and a half old?

 

[StrawberryTink]

Strawberry, how many pages back did you have to read to bump a thread that was a year and a half old?

It got someones attention, so how many does it matter??!!! mwah!!

 

[Ceila]

It got someones attention, so how many does it matter??!!! mwah!!

Um, hello springs1?

 

[maxiesmom]

I appreciate in the US servers rely on their tips as wages, but i dont think its fair to say people shouldnt be eating out if they cant afford a 20% tip. At the end of the day if the servers arent making enough money, perhaps they should think of another career or job.
Ive worked in restaurants for many years now (as a manager and server when short staffed) and we have been hit hard by recession, so totally understand that people cant afford to spend on such luxuries as eating out. But when they do if all they can afford is a small tip, isnt that better than no tip? From a business point of view we'd rather have people eating out and leaving small tips, then not at all because otherwise it leads to redundancies.
But then again over here we pay our staff at least minimum wage, a lot of companies pay above this. I guess its alittle controversal to say that perhaps the US should do this aswell.

Just my opinion as i dont believe people should be made to feel quilty for not tipping a huge (or a standard/basic) amount when eating out, im sure theres lots of people who save their hard earned cash for the luxury of eating out; having bums on seats encourages others into these restaurants!!

Going by your logic that getting at least some money is better than no money, how do you think the restaurant would feel if all you could afford to pay for was half your meal, and that was all the money you had? Do you think the owner would go OK, well half is better than nothing, so we will take it? Nope. You know the cost ahead of time, and that is what you are expected to pay. You can't just say Gee I don't have that much money on me, but at least I can give them some and they should be greatful.

As tipping 15%-20% is the norm here in the US that cost should be figured into how much you will spend on your night out. If you can't afford it, then you should eat somewhere you can afford the total cost. To just short the server because you can't afford to tip what is expected is cheap and rude.

 

[FayeW]

Carry out people get the containers for the food. the condiments makr sure the order is correct make sure you have silverware and napkins, I usually tip 7-10 percent of the total bill.

And that is exactly what they are paid to do! I do not tip take out cashiers for doing the job they are paid to do!

 

[StrawberryTink]

Going by your logic that getting at least some money is better than no money, how do you think the restaurant would feel if all you could afford to pay for was half your meal, and that was all the money you had? Do you think the owner would go OK, well half is better than nothing, so we will take it? Nope. You know the cost ahead of time, and that is what you are expected to pay. You can't just say Gee I don't have that much money on me, but at least I can give them some and they should be greatful.

As tipping 15%-20% is the norm here in the US that cost should be figured into how much you will spend on your night out. If you can't afford it, then you should eat somewhere you can afford the total cost. To just short the server because you can't afford to tip what is expected is cheap and rude.

Gee, you're extremely defensive.

You're acting as if i dont tip. Which in fact i do, i tip well. I tip my servers (if) who give amazing service and i tip the chefs. And i tip a min of 10% (bare in mind that our tax is added on to the price already, therefore im paying on top of tax and not just basic), but most of the time i tip about 20%. Which is more than the US...

And my opinion in my last post, is based on the culture we have in England. And im sorry but if you think its better for people to lose their jobs, because people cant afford to eat there, then you are wrong and that logic is wrong!!

And im sorry but the comment of "i can only afford to pay for half of my food" is just over the top. You know for a fact what i said didnt refer to extremes like that, it refered only to keeping bums on seats and staff in jobs! Having a job is a good thing right?

If the US believe people who dont tip the "norm" are rude and cheap, then they should change their policies, for instance, add the tip automatically, or simply say at the door, "if you dont have the cash for a tip, then you cant eat here".

Try not to stress and have a Magical Day maxiesmom!