Would you rather Tip or Pay More?

[N.Bailey]

I am confused by this statement. What are you saying? You were talking about bad work ethics and people wouldn't eat out if restaurant charged minimum wage.

I was talking about if prices increased to pay better wages, people would feel they pay more for the check and wouldn't have to tip as much. Thus, reducing wages instead of increasing them. If you did away with all tips and raised menu prices by 15% even, a very small percentage of that money would go to the waiter/waitress, thus encouraging people with less than stellar work ethics to take the jobs as no one I know would have done that job for a fraction of the pay.

For anyone who has never waited a table, let me assure you, the work is not comparable to someone checking you out at the grocery store, convenience store, a local video store, etc. It is a very stressful job with little to no rewards (insurance, retirement, vacation, not to mention, it's mostly all evenings and weekends) aside from the cash you receive.

Do away with tips and there is NO reason for anyone to work in a restaurant when they can go get a job at Walmart and not have to work half as hard.

 

[N.Bailey]

I am pretty sure Pappa Duece was talking about me saying "Tipping is getting out of control" and yes, that and who gets tipped it was I meant.

Let me give you an example; If I make $15 an hour working as a book keeper and my server makes $8 (in WA) and I go out to eat, say I saved to go to a really nice place and spent $60 on my meal. The tip would be $10.80 (18%). So $10.80 plus the $8 (wage) would be $18.80, more than I make an hour. The higher the rate goes the higher the cost.

Yes, I know it can take longer than an hour to eat but they are not waiting on one table at a time. Or if I can't afford the tip I shouldn't eat out or eat somewhere I don't have to tip, but the same could be said for the wait staff if they cant live on their wage dont do it.

This is silly. To say if they can't live on their wage, don't do it? Well, they are living on their wage, but it's silly to even consider taking their wage from them. They're not complaining about what they make, you are.

If you happen to be a waitress serving breakfast (I never did), your bill could come to $5.00 too. An 18% tip would be $0.90. Surely you don't think that's excessive? It's a 2 way street. You win some, you lose some, but in the end, it evens itself out (unless of course you're a horrible server).

I don't know who keeps raising the percentages though. If you ate out and your bill was $60.00, there would be nothing wrong with leaving a $9.00 (15%) tip and to be frankly honest, the people I worked with wouldn't have even complained if you left $5.00 (unless you're talking a dining experience that lasted hours).

 

[N.Bailey]

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Are you talking about the tip cups at Dunkin Dougnuts? Gas Stations??????? As being out of control!

This is my idea of being out of control. It's almost like we're suppose to tip everybody these days. I tip the traditional way (wait staff, deliveries, cabbies, bag handlers, beautician, maids, paperboy and prolly a few others). I'm sorry, I'm not going to put a tip in any jar on the buffet line.

 

[N.Bailey]

I hope you don't think I was "calling you out" or anything. I simply reported my husband's experience. And he was a good and attentive server and it did not deem true for him. Often in those types of establishments..the tipping isn't necessarily good and he got stiffed quite a bit.

Also wasn't trying to bring the Hooters debate over here---just made my post as it applied to tipping and that there was someone who thought you could make decent money. In hubby's case--it just wasn't true as I am sure it is with those who work at Denny's or elsewhere.

You can end up with a sucky server in any type of restaurant regardless of their base wage or the avergae menu price.

First off, no, I never thought you were calling me out. It's just a topic that crossed threads.

I have had friends who worked at Pizza Hut and I know of all places to wait tables, PH is probably the worst one of them all. If you're not 18 though, it might be your only option (you could work at the restaurant I did at age 16, but you couldn't wait tables till 18). If you could get into a Ponderosa (I hate the place myself), you'd probably do okay there too. In either situation, it's still going to be better than a hostess at Hooters. A high school student at Hooters is only going to get at most 20 hours a week. Till taxes are withheld, the check boils down to next to nothing. Unless you're completely terrible at your job, or are in an area where most do stiff (that's not our area), I just can't believe you wouldn't make more waiting tables.

 

[N.Bailey]

IMO NOT GOOD either!!!!!!

Since I am serving MYSELF at a Buffet can I take the tip jar?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Since I am serving MYSELF at a Buffet can I take the tip jar?

As long as you use tongs or other suitable utensil. No hands on the bar.

 

[U2_rocks!]

I don't understand why we are supposed to tip service providers who either charge a fee for their service (such as hairdressers and beauticians, and even taxi drivers, unless they really go above and beyond for you) or are providing a standard service to all guests (such as housekeeping). Bellhops I get, b/c they only serve those who want to use them. Servers in a restaurant can really make your dining experience fabulous or awful, so I can see tipping them as well (but I am in favor of increasing their wages so that tips can come down to a lower level).

But I just don't understand why we tip most other service providers.

 

[AKLRULZ]

I like how it's currently done - you provide great service you'll get a great tip, otherwise not.

 

[snowwite]

I would rather keep current system. When we go to places where the gratuity is factored in there is a noticible drop in service. I think keeping tips tied to performance is the only way to get the service I expect when I dine out or stay away from home.

 

[Charade]

I can assure you, if you paid servers minimum wage, you'd not want to eat out again. You would have everyone with a terrible work ethic in every restaurant in this nation as no one else would do the job for that amount of money.
.

See, this is what kills me. I will never understand the thought that "if they were paid better, they would do a better job". We hear often "I don't get paid enough to deal with this crap".

If the job pays X and entails Y. Why do people do 1/2Y when they are being paid to do Y? If they were paid 2X then they would do the whole Y? I don't get that mentality.

 

[Chattyaholic]

See, this is what kills me. I will never understand the thought that "if they were paid better, they would do a better job". We hear often "I don't get paid enough to deal with this crap".

I'm a waitress (10 years) and the only time I ever say "I'm not paid enough to deal with this crap" is when I am forced to wait on non-tippers. 99% of the customers I deal with tip, and most of those tip well, but we do have a few "regulars" who just never tip, any of us, ever. With those people I feel that if they're not willing to PAY for good service (I gave them good service the first few times I waited on them, until I realized they were non-tippers) then I'm not willing to GIVE IT FOR FREE.

I give them ADEQUATE service. Nothing less, nothing more. And I do it with a smile so they can't say I'm rude.

I will spend my time serving customers who TIP, or will potentially tip.
I do not enjoy waiting on non-tippers for FREE, AND having the "privilege" of paying 8% tax on their meal from my paycheck either!

 

[Charade]

I'm a waitress (10 years) and the only time I ever say "I'm not paid enough to deal with this crap" is when I am forced to wait on non-tippers. 99% of the customers I deal with tip, and most of those tip well, but we do have a few "regulars" who just never tip, any of us, ever. With those people I feel that if they're not willing to PAY for good service (I gave them good service the first few times I waited on them, until I realized they were non-tippers) then I'm not willing to GIVE IT FOR FREE.

I give them ADEQUATE service. Nothing less, nothing more. And I do it with a smile so they can't say I'm rude.

I will spend my time serving customers who TIP, or will potentially tip.
I do not enjoy waiting on non-tippers for FREE, AND having the "privilege" of paying 8% tax on their meal from my paycheck either!

I was speaking more in general terms. Like an office worker or something similar. I know this thread is about tipping but I'm "thread drifting..."!


Does the place you work allow you to give just adequate service to customers who don't tip? I'm paid the same whether I give my customer great service or lousy service. However, I can't decide to give a lousy customer lousy service because they're buttheads. I would like to, but I can't.

If you deliver my meal in a reasonable amount of time and it's hot (lousy food is not your fault), I would consider that adequate service. What's great service?

 

[It's A Happy Day]

1st of all DH and I are good tippers and when we eat out with the kids (4 & 5) we tip even better because I feel that the person has to deal with more - fussiness, food on the floor, etc.

My major problem with tipping is that at alot of places the tips are pooled and split. If "Mary" has been friendly, helpful, and attentive and I give her a 20% or more tip, why should she have to split it with "Joe" who is rude, hasn't stopped at the table once to refill beverages, etc. That just defeated the intent of my 30% tip. It seems that if you don't tip at least the minimum (even for bad service) you are cheap.

I would like to see wages increased to waiters/waitresses so that they make a decent salary but have the option (not be expected to) of giving them a "bonus" for doing a great job.

 

[N.Bailey]

I'm a waitress (10 years) and the only time I ever say "I'm not paid enough to deal with this crap" is when I am forced to wait on non-tippers. 99% of the customers I deal with tip, and most of those tip well, but we do have a few "regulars" who just never tip, any of us, ever. With those people I feel that if they're not willing to PAY for good service (I gave them good service the first few times I waited on them, until I realized they were non-tippers) then I'm not willing to GIVE IT FOR FREE.

I give them ADEQUATE service. Nothing less, nothing more. And I do it with a smile so they can't say I'm rude.

I will spend my time serving customers who TIP, or will potentially tip.
I do not enjoy waiting on non-tippers for FREE, AND having the "privilege" of paying 8% tax on their meal from my paycheck either!

I never once gave less service to someone I knew wouldn't tip. There was this couple that I guess had been coming to this place I worked for years (this was a diner BTW and my first job ever). No one liked to see them come and I was no different. I'd wait on them day in and day out and never get a dime. Their service never once went down in all that time. Till the end (probably around the time I quit the job) they were leaving me a quarter, or maybe even $0.50 (I can't remember). Now, I could have survived quite nicely without that tip, but it really meant a lot to me that they tipped me and no one else.

I also had a senior citizen couple who would come in to the other restaurant I worked at (after giving up the diner job lol). They would leave $1.00, no matter who waited on them. I did the same as above and they then started leaving me $2.00 and everyone else $1.00. All the girls would try and get me to pick the table up when they'd come in, using the, "you'll make more than the rest of us, why don't you take them?" LOL NO! They certainly were never a problem, and as a matter of fact, I grew rather fond of them, but it's still a pain to pick up tables outside your area.

Sure, I would have loved if everyone tipped well, but I did okay and certainly wasn't going to spend much time worrying about who would and who wouldn't leave me the proper percentage. I never liked the percentage thing anyway and it's only a guide. I don't feel I did more to earn a tip because a guest ordered the most expensive or least expensive items on the menu.

 

[N.Bailey]

Snip

My major problem with tipping is that at alot of places the tips are pooled and split. If "Mary" has been friendly, helpful, and attentive and I give her a 20% or more tip, why should she have to split it with "Joe" who is rude, hasn't stopped at the table once to refill beverages, etc. That just defeated the intent of my 30% tip. It seems that if you don't tip at least the minimum (even for bad service) you are cheap.

Snip

I've heard this a lot, but in reality, I don't think many places pool tips.