Tipping suggestion on receipt

[happybaker]

A few years ago, Maine passed a referendum to raise servers' salaries from $3.75 to minimum wage, but servers fought to have it overturned because they thought that folks would tip less. At our local pub, the servers had us sign the petition at the time it was going around.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-maine-minimum-wage-20170628-story.html

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Exactly & she’d make well below the minimum wage if everyone was cheap instead of just a few ppl sometimes.

No. She's guaranteed to make minimum wage, even if every customer tips her zero. The employer is just forced to pay it if she doesn't make that much in tips.

 

[LSUmiss]

OK, what's your point? I never said waitressing was easy. The bottom line is if you don't like the pay of a job or what you have to do or the hours or management or coworkers or how you earn your pay to find another job. What would you tell someone who said "my job is hard and I don't get paid enough"? Wouldn't the answer be "look for another job"?

And I would say if you don’t like the accepted social norm of tipping when you eat out maybe you shouldn’t eat out. My dad didn’t like eating out b/c of the tip situation but that meant he ate out less. When he did eat out, he tipped appropriately. Of course, it’s your money you can do what you want, but I also reserve the right to judge you as cheap. If it’s poor service or there is a reason to tip less is different from saying I don’t agree with the tipping culture & you should choose a better job.

 

[LSUmiss]

I think that as laws change, bringing waitstaff wages into line with "livable wages," tipping customs will change. I know I tip based on the amount of work required and the quality of the service. I am not divulging what I tip (no need for cheers/jeers at this point), but I base my tip at a lower percentage at buffets where the server is simply refilling drinks, higher for a server who is bringing multiple courses. Tip goes up or down, depending on the quality of the service.

And if waitstaff are paid more restaurant costs will go up. So everyone whining about tipping will likely pay about the same to eat out or more but will have less of choice & wont be able to adjust it if service is bad. Ppl keep comparing things like other minimum wage jobs, but here most of the service I get from these positions is almost always sub-par. So that will most likely be the standard for wait staff too eventually. Now many ppl try to do a good job hoping to earn a better tip. Even in minimum wage type jobs where tipping is also expected like bell service type things, they tend to hustle more than say the typical McDonald’s worker.

 

[mjkacmom]

OK, what's your point? I never said waitressing was easy. The bottom line is if you don't like the pay of a job or what you have to do or the hours or management or coworkers or how you earn your pay to find another job. What would you tell someone who said "my job is hard and I don't get paid enough"? Wouldn't the answer be "look for another job"?

My point is that if laws changed and servers were required to make minimum wage, and tipping was no longer expected, no one would do that job for minimum wage, not worth it.

 

[sam_gordon]

And I would say if you don’t like the accepted social norm of tipping when you eat out maybe you shouldn’t eat out. My dad didn’t like eating out b/c of the tip situation but that meant he ate out less. When he did eat out, he tipped appropriately. Of course, it’s your money you can do what you want, but I also reserve the right to judge you as cheap. If it’s poor service or there is a reason to tip less is different from saying I don’t agree with the tipping culture & you should choose a better job.

First bolded... yup. Totally my choice. *I* get to choose where/how I spend my money. Sometimes paying a tip is worth the service/food I get. So I factor that into my choice on where I eat.
Second bolded... YOU have no idea whether I'm cheap or not. You have no idea if I tip, how much I tip, or whether my tip changes based on whatever factor. If you want to ASSUME I'm cheap because I disagree with the tipping culture, that's up to you. But you know what they say when you assume something.

And if waitstaff are paid more restaurant costs will go up. So everyone whining about tipping will likely pay about the same to eat out or more but will have less of choice & wont be able to adjust it if service is bad. Ppl keep comparing things like other minimum wage jobs, but here most of the service I get from these positions is almost always sub-par. So that will most likely be the standard for wait staff too eventually. Now many ppl try to do a good job hoping to earn a better tip. Even in minimum wage type jobs where tipping is also expected like bell service type things, they tend to hustle more than say the typical McDonald’s worker.

So that would make restaurants the same as any other business. If you go to a store and don't like the service, you don't get to adjust the price. You then vote with your dollars and don't return. Or you complain to management. Why is that a bad thing? It works in every other business but it won't work in the restaurant industry?

I have no problem with restaurants raising their food rates and eliminating EXPECTED tips. Like you said, I still pay the same. AND, I'm still free (if I so choose) to tip for exceptional service. What's bad about the restaurant industry is servers who do a bad job STILL EXPECT a 20% tip. Look at the story upthread where a server did a terrible job and chased the customer out of the restaurant. Doing away with EXPECTED tips I think would lead toward BETTER service. You want a tip? Go above and beyond.

 

[Skywalker]

Of course, it’s your money you can do what you want, but I also reserve the right to judge you as cheap.

Of course, it's your money you can do what you want, but I also reserve the right to judge you as a sucker.

 

[MillauFr]

I have no problem with restaurants raising their food rates and eliminating EXPECTED tips. Like you said, I still pay the same. AND, I'm still free (if I so choose) to tip for exceptional service. What's bad about the restaurant industry is servers who do a bad job STILL EXPECT a 20% tip. Look at the story upthread where a server did a terrible job and chased the customer out of the restaurant. Doing away with EXPECTED tips I think would lead toward BETTER service. You want a tip? Go above and beyond.

Many of the restaurants in Seattle have eliminated tipping. They just charge a 20% service charge.

 

[LSUmiss]

First bolded... yup. Totally my choice. *I* get to choose where/how I spend my money. Sometimes paying a tip is worth the service/food I get. So I factor that into my choice on where I eat.
Second bolded... YOU have no idea whether I'm cheap or not. You have no idea if I tip, how much I tip, or whether my tip changes based on whatever factor. If you want to ASSUME I'm cheap because I disagree with the tipping culture, that's up to you. But you know what they say when you assume something.


So that would make restaurants the same as any other business. If you go to a store and don't like the service, you don't get to adjust the price. You then vote with your dollars and don't return. Or you complain to management. Why is that a bad thing? It works in every other business but it won't work in the restaurant industry?

I have no problem with restaurants raising their food rates and eliminating EXPECTED tips. Like you said, I still pay the same. AND, I'm still free (if I so choose) to tip for exceptional service. What's bad about the restaurant industry is servers who do a bad job STILL EXPECT a 20% tip. Look at the story upthread where a server did a terrible job and chased the customer out of the restaurant. Doing away with EXPECTED tips I think would lead toward BETTER service. You want a tip? Go above and beyond.

You’re right. I misspoke. I should have said I judge anyone who doesn’t tip on decent or good service as cheap. I didn’t actually mean you.
As far as how businesses work, there are entire industries with low wage workers with notoriously bad service... fast food, Walmart, etc so it’s quite possible that would happen.

 

[LSUmiss]

Of course, it's your money you can do what you want, but I also reserve the right to judge you as a sucker.

Everyone is different, of course, but of the 2, I’d rather be the sucker if I had to choose. But, cheap ppl are one of my pet peeves.

 

[sam_gordon]

You’re right. I misspoke. I should have said I judge anyone who doesn’t tip on decent or good service as cheap. I didn’t actually mean you.

But the only way you would know who doesn't tip on decent or good service is if you're in their party. My guess is servers think they're always doing a good job and they deserve that tip.

As far as how businesses work, there are entire industries with low wage workers with notoriously bad service... fast food, Walmart, etc so it’s quite possible that would happen.

Funny, those businesses are still around and people are still working there. I also don't believe "low wage workers" automatically means "poor service". There are bad workers at all levels of the pay scale. There are also good workers at all levels of the pay scale. So?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Everyone is different, of course, but of the 2, I’d rather be the sucker if I had to choose. But, cheap ppl are one of my pet peeves.

Keep in mind though your definition of a "cheap person" isn't the same as someone else. Sounds like to you anything less than 18% is stiffing the server. Clearly not everyone agrees that's what they consider stiffing a server.

I reserve actual judgement on folks on far more severe transgressions when it comes to tipping than it appears you do FWIW.

 

[LSUmiss]

But the only way you would know who doesn't tip on decent or good service is if you're in their party. My guess is servers think they're always doing a good job and they deserve that tip.

Funny, those businesses are still around and people are still working there. I also don't believe "low wage workers" automatically means "poor service". There are bad workers at all levels of the pay scale. There are also good workers at all levels of the pay scale. So?

When someone admittedly tells me they don’t tip well or at all b/c they don’t believe in tipping, I judge them. Don’t over think it. I’m also one that thinks 18%-20% is acceptable, but below that for decent or good service is just cheap imo.

Also, of course, there are hard-working low wage workers. But, neither places I mentioned are know for their stellar service. They are not known as being the industry standard. No one has ever been in a training to learn the McDonald’s customer service model. And, the fact that the businesses are still around has more to do with the fact that most ppl have just decided it is what it is. I don’t want that for restaurants. As it is, often if you’re in a large party with automatic gratuity, the service may not be that great. That will happen more often. It’s a hard low-paying job & right now the main incentive is the hope of earning a bigger tip.

 

[LSUmiss]

Keep in mind though your definition of a "cheap person" isn't the same as someone else. Sounds like to you anything less than 18% is stiffing the server. Clearly not everyone agrees that's what they consider stiffing a server.

I reserve actual judgement on folks on far more severe transgressions when it comes to tipping than it appears you do FWIW.

Lol! Judging about judging.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Lol! Judging about judging.

If you want to put it that way and ignore the rest of my comment by all means do so

I give people a lot more credit than you do. I also give servers a lot more credit than other people. The world isn't just full of saints and sinners IYKWIM. Maybe broaden your horizons a bit, eh?

 

[LSUmiss]

If you want to put it that way and ignore the rest of my comment by all means do so

I give people a lot more credit than you do. I also give servers a lot more credit than other people. The world isn't just full of saints and sinners IYKWIM. Maybe broaden your horizons a bit, eh?

Oh...I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t give ppl much credit at all. And, then I see things irl or read things on these boards that seem to confirm my opinions.

 

[mjkacmom]

But the only way you would know who doesn't tip on decent or good service is if you're in their party. My guess is servers think they're always doing a good job and they deserve that tip.

Funny, those businesses are still around and people are still working there. I also don't believe "low wage workers" automatically means "poor service". There are bad workers at all levels of the pay scale. There are also good workers at all levels of the pay scale. So?

Why wouldn't a server know if he wasn’t doing a good job? Some days you just phone it in, maybe because you aren’t feeling well, are exhausted, or have other things on your mind. Heck, I’m a SAHM, some days I rock it, other days I might slack. I certainly know the difference.

 

[Hikergirl]

Many of the restaurants in Seattle have eliminated tipping. They just charge a 20% service charge.

Is it optional?

 

[LSUmiss]

Why wouldn't a server know if he wasn’t doing a good job? Some days you just phone it in, maybe because you aren’t feeling well, are exhausted, or have other things on your mind. Heck, I’m a SAHM, some days I rock it, other days I might slack. I certainly know the difference.

That’s just an excuse used to dismiss someone’s experience. A pp said her dd provided good service & was stiffed on a tip & instead of being empathetic that it sucks, ppl argue that maybe the service she provided wasn’t as good as she thought it was.

 

[MillauFr]

Is it optional?

You can adjust if you want