If you work in food service....(Offensive)

PJilly

The world is a big place...

You're right. :blushing:

sniffles

I don't know if it's a Canadian thing... but where I live 90% of the people I know don't tip. Mind you 90% of the wait staff I know make more than I do so...

$2 an hour???? That's... how is that LEGAL? What a flawed system! Why should the customer be responsible for paying the companies staff!???

leavinglasvegas

The world is a big place...






i live in the same country as hepkitty, which is why i was able to answer those questions I quoted on.

A higher min wage doens't necessarily mean more money, as I showed. Our livings costs are higher too.

Sorry. I still don't know what country you are referring to though.

sassydot

New Zealand. Should be on my profile, but MFP has been doing odd stuff all week.

xecila

Minimum wage is $12.50, or $12.75, an hour I think it just went up... General serving staff would get between min and about $16 an hour I would say.
$12.50 an hour probably sounds like a lot, but once you tax it, a single person living on about $400 in the hand a week, well, that's not much to live on! Especially when you're looking at around $150 a week just for your share of rent in a shared home, and it costs between $80 and $100 to fill an average car with fuel. Power, phone bills, food, clothing, insurances, and so on and so forth, to be somehow paid with the remainder...


20% sounds like a lot to us, because the server's wages are already factored into the bill. If we worked on a tipping system instead, the bill would be lower.

I make marginally more than that (after just getting a raise), and I pay for an apartment/car/electric/food/everything you said, PLUS an out-of-work boyfriend all by myself. And I work in an office. Go figure.

Anywho.. I'm torn on the tipping idea. Maybe because I did the same exact service as a waitress when I worked at a pizza joint (plus busing tables and doing dishes) and didn't get a single tip in the nine months I was working there. Yeah, I made more than $2 (woohoo, I made five and a quarter!) But I don't see why (as Mr. Pink put it) America says "tip these guys over here, but not those ones over there."

I also feel that waiter was a little out of line. I'm sorry, but I think I'd have just chalked it up to a loss and carried on. He was being just as tacky as she was.

Regardless... I tip a base of 15%, more for good service. If the server is downright rude (and I don't mean having a bad day, being frazzled, screwing up an order.. I mean being a pure jerk) then I'll tip less, but never less than 10%. I was raised better than that.

cmw72

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I have to side with youtube chick on this one.

Granted, she could have presented her argument in a more tactful manner, but that's beside the point. If tipping becomes mandatory, then it becomes pointless. If I get exceptional service, I'll tip appropriately. Even if I just get half-way decent service, I'll probably pitch in a few bucks if I have it on me. But I certainly don't feel obligated to do so.

You can say what you want to about that chick, but she paid her bill. To be chased down in the parking lot by the waiter for not tipping is beyond ridiculous. If that happened to me, I would be absolutely furious.

I once had a bartender go off on me, and refuse to serve me further because I didn't tip him.... As if it's that hard to add 1oz of rum to 5oz of coke, for which I'm already being charged $8?!? It's called unskilled labor for a reason. And I say this as somebody who worked in the food service industry for far too long.

Mr. Pink's comments in Reservoir Dogs pretty much sum up my thoughts on the matter.

Mina133842

ok, now I didn't see the youtube video clip, but on tipping in general, and yes, I worked waiting tables, and in a sandwich/pizza joint..etc. I tip pretty well, and I tip a lot of places besides in restaurants. I tip the pizza delivery drivers (especially if it's cold, snowy, or icky weather), I tip the waitress/waiter, bartender, and coffee baristas, housekeeping staff, all of them.. to answer about the $2 wage thing, some states can "assume" how much you earn in tips as part of your wage (you have to claim them as earnings) and pay you the "difference" for your hourly wage. I also live in WA, and the "norm" is to make minimum wage, plus your tips. I personally miss tips, now I'm not waiting tables, and I make a better hourly wage, and don't smell of food all day. HOWEVER, I once was given a business card thing - that said "I do not tip, no matter the service, because I'm trying to change the laws - fair wages should be paid to all." Now, that's a paraphrase of what was on it, but it was a larger order, and I gave great service, but didn't receive a tip because he believed I should receive a fair wage from my employer, which at the time, I worked in a different state, so wages were MUCH lower. I agreed with the concept, but sucks when they apply it to someone making very low wages. when I worked in the sandwich nook (little cafe restaurant in our small town) I did everything there from cook the food, serve the tables, wash the dishes, refill drinks, ring them up, the works. Often I was one of the only ones working (maybe one other employee). We hardly ever got tips. THAT was a place where they can see you making everything and doing it all too (visible kitchen area) and I was surprised that we got so little in tips - even if the menu items were relatively inexpensive (from $2-$10).

sassydot

I make marginally more than that (after just getting a raise), and I pay for an apartment/car/electric/food/everything you said, PLUS an out-of-work boyfriend all by myself. And I work in an office. Go figure.

Yeah, it's funny how $1 isn't worth $1 everywhere.

i remember in economics at school, they taught us about the "big mac index" and PPP

AmandaB4588

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I have to side with youtube chick on this one.

Granted, she could have presented her argument in a more tactful manner, but that's beside the point. If tipping becomes mandatory, then it becomes pointless. If I get exceptional service, I'll tip appropriately. Even if I just get half-way decent service, I'll probably pitch in a few bucks if I have it on me. But I certainly don't feel obligated to do so.

You can say what you want to about that chick, but she paid her bill. To be chased down in the parking lot by the waiter for not tipping is beyond ridiculous. If that happened to me, I would be absolutely furious.

I once had a bartender go off on me, and refuse to serve me further because I didn't tip him.... As if it's that hard to add 1oz of rum to 5oz of coke, for which I'm already being charged $8?!? It's called unskilled labor for a reason. And I say this as somebody who worked in the food service industry for far too long.

Mr. Pink's comments in Reservoir Dogs pretty much sum up my thoughts on the matter.

The reason the bartender is mad is because he just paid to serve you a drink. And what does the price of the drink have to do with him?

Tipping is common courtesy, and there is no debating that. Just as some people do not feel obligated to hold the door open for others, some people do not feel obligated to tip.

xecila

I make marginally more than that (after just getting a raise), and I pay for an apartment/car/electric/food/everything you said, PLUS an out-of-work boyfriend all by myself. And I work in an office. Go figure.

Yeah, it's funny how $1 isn't worth $1 everywhere.

i remember in economics at school, they taught us about the "big mac index" and PPP

Oh, I'm not saying I live well by any means... lol

LycraLegs

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Tipping is common courtesy, and there is no debating that. Just as some people do not feel obligated to hold the door open for others, some people do not feel obligated to tip.
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Decent service is courtesy, and a tip is its reward.

$2 an hour???? That's... how is that LEGAL? What a flawed system! Why should the customer be responsible for paying the companies staff!???

I agree with the above. The contract is between the waitress and the employer, the customers obligation is to the restaurant, paying a price for their management of staff food overheads.
If the waitresses dont like the salary, dont take the job.

Its true that there arent many jobs about at the moment, so how dare they complain! If this is the best paying job for an undergraduate, be grateful or get a degree (I worked hard for mine)!

Tips are not a right set in law, they are a reward for doing your job well. A bonus; Would you office workers expect a 20% bonus every year if you did >>not << hit your targets? I doubt the bosses would be up for that.

Maybe restaurant goers should be responsible for that too...

AmandaB4588

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Tipping is common courtesy, and there is no debating that. Just as some people do not feel obligated to hold the door open for others, some people do not feel obligated to tip.
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Decent service is courtesy, and a tip is its reward.

Are you saying that people should tip based on the service they receive?

sniffles

The reason the bartender is mad is because he just paid to serve you a drink. And what does the price of the drink have to do with him?

Tipping is common courtesy, and there is no debating that. Just as some people do not feel obligated to hold the door open for others, some people do not feel obligated to tip.

Why is the customer required to pay the bartender's wage? Does the customer own the bar???

leavinglasvegas

Look, I think its quite obvious that different countries have different views on this. I'm glad other countries like their systems. Hopefully some day ours can find a way to work it out as well.

That being said, just because in some other country you don't tip, doesn't mean its not expected here. When in Rome...... you know what I mean? If you go to India you wouldn't expect to be served a burger just because you can get one at home, right? If I go to another country and tipping is frowned upon, or as someone said its considered insulting, then I would oblige out of respect for the culture. Each culture has its own norms and values. When you enter another territory, it is only proper to respect that and act accordingly. Criticizing based on your own culture is called ethnocentrism.

I posted the video because I thought the "lady" was out of line. Yes I also think the waiter was out of line, but he didn't post it on youtube cussing and showing his bare rear. I also don't buy that he was as horrible as she claims he was, because, well....listen to her.... I think its fair to say she may possibly have stretched the truth a bit, maybe not. We don't know his side.

If you choose not to tip, thats your perogitive, I guess. But I think everybody should be aware that there are times when your server will wind up paying for your meal or drink at the end of the night when they have to pay out the other workers. Or at the end of the year when they have to claim taxes. If you don't like the system, let the powers that be know about it. But don't stiff the person serving you.

To the person who recieved that card claiming fair pay for everybody. I agree with that too, but not at the workers cost. I'm sorry that happened to you. Thats totally not fair. If someone wants to create a way to change the system, they need to hurt the company, not the employee.

JoyousMaximus

I worked as a waitress in college. It was h3ll and gave me a new appreciation for the profession but I still tip based on service. If a server can keep my water glass full, I will easily tip 25% ( I drink a lot of water). I've never tipped nothing but, when the restaurant is empty and I see the servers talking rather than bringing me my beverage or taking my order, I'm certainly not going to tip as much. I wouldn't slack at work all year and then get pissed that I didn't get a bonus or a raise. In my mind, it's similar.

I don't know why, but I feel the need to point out that, in the States, the minimum wage for serving is regulated by the state also. The majority of states, have a higher than Federal minimum wage, though some of them aren't by much. The highest is in California where it the same as regular minimum wage, $8.00. Most of the servers I knew there made more that I did when I graduated college because the idea of tipping is still a generally accepted practice. Additionally, US Federal regulation requires that the company make up the difference to meet minimum wage if the tips do not bring wages up to that amount. That being said, I think still think that it is better to have the minimum wage be the same regardless of tips. I once heard someone express my sentiment perfectly. Tips should be an expression of gratitude for a job well done rather than depended on for necessities..

AmandaB4588

The reason the bartender is mad is because he just paid to serve you a drink. And what does the price of the drink have to do with him?

Tipping is common courtesy, and there is no debating that. Just as some people do not feel obligated to hold the door open for others, some people do not feel obligated to tip.

Why is the customer required to pay the bartender's wage? Does the customer own the bar???

There is no requirement. As I said before, it is just common courtesy. There is a cultural difference here. You may disagree with it but that doesn't change the fact that it is the social norm in America.

JoyousMaximus

To the person who recieved that card claiming fair pay for everybody. I agree with that too, but not at the workers cost. I'm sorry that happened to you. Thats totally not fair. If someone wants to create a way to change the system, they need to hurt the company, not the employee.

I just wanted to say, I completely agree with this.

SteelersfanChris

I once had a bartender go off on me, and refuse to serve me further because I didn't tip him.... As if it's that hard to add 1oz of rum to 5oz of coke, for which I'm already being charged $8?!? It's called unskilled labor for a reason. And I say this as somebody who worked in the food service industry for far too long.

Mr. Pink's comments in Reservoir Dogs pretty much sum up my thoughts on the matter.

If you had $8 for a drink, you had $1 for a tip. I'm not trying to start an argument, but attitudes like that have no place in society. The bartender doesn't set the prices and if adding an ounce of rum to 5 ounces of Coke isn't hard, stay home and do it yourself. Have some common courtesy for people who are trying to scrape by and take care of their bills just like the rest of us.

sniffles

There is no requirement. As I said before, it is just common courtesy. There is a cultural difference here. You may disagree with it but that doesn't change the fact that it is the social norm in America.

That is one seriously messed up system. It's really blowing my mind. ):

leavinglasvegas

I once had a bartender go off on me, and refuse to serve me further because I didn't tip him.... As if it's that hard to add 1oz of rum to 5oz of coke, for which I'm already being charged $8?!? It's called unskilled labor for a reason. And I say this as somebody who worked in the food service industry for far too long.

Mr. Pink's comments in Reservoir Dogs pretty much sum up my thoughts on the matter.

If you had $8 for a drink, you had $1 for a tip. I'm not trying to start an argument, but attitudes like that have no place in society. The bartender doesn't set the prices and if adding an ounce of rum to 5 ounces of Coke isn't hard, stay home and do it yourself. Have some common courtesy for people who are trying to scrape by and take care of their bills just like the rest of us.

I have to agree with this! There is no need to belittle the people who serve you. And its no easy to be a bartender either. Imagine a job where you are expected to provide superior service for little money. You have to remember whos tab is whos, whos drink is whos, and try to understand the drunk language that is being spewed at you all night. Theres more to it than pouring rum into a coke.

And BTW, the Steelers RULE!

toots99

I once had a bartender go off on me, and refuse to serve me further because I didn't tip him.... As if it's that hard to add 1oz of rum to 5oz of coke, for which I'm already being charged $8?!? It's called unskilled labor for a reason. And I say this as somebody who worked in the food service industry for far too long.

Mr. Pink's comments in Reservoir Dogs pretty much sum up my thoughts on the matter.

If you had $8 for a drink, you had $1 for a tip. I'm not trying to start an argument, but attitudes like that have no place in society. The bartender doesn't set the prices and if adding an ounce of rum to 5 ounces of Coke isn't hard, stay home and do it yourself. Have some common courtesy for people who are trying to scrape by and take care of their bills just like the rest of us.

I agreed with many of the posts here who are on the side of tipping, but yours made me want to applaud.

I just don't see why people can be nice? If leaving a good tip is REALLy going to make or break you, then you should not be going out to dinner.

I'm not saying that I'm a perfect waitress, I make mistakes, I have bad days...everyone does. There are some days I'd say "Everything went so wrong, I wouldn't tip me either!" And I'm fine with that. But after doing it so long, I know how to do my job d*mn well, and I like to make people have a good time when I'm waiting on them...makes it fun for me and you. So it's nice when people acknowledge that. And I'll remember that the next time you come in. But you can guarantee that if you leave me an unjustified crappy tip, I'm going to remember that too. And if I'm not waiting on you, I'll make sure whoever is knows that too.

And uh, doesn't anyone believe in Karma? What you do to others comes back to you in one form or another.

ChubbieTubbie

::::$12.50 an hour probably sounds like a lot, but once you tax it, a single person living on about $400 in the hand a week, well, that's not much to live on! Especially when you're looking at around $150 a week just for your share of rent in a shared home, and it costs between $80 and $100 to fill an average car with fuel. Power, phone bills, food, clothing, insurances, and so on and so forth, to be somehow paid with the remainder... ::::::

Wow....I work in an office and I'm only making 9.50 an hour, and I have a family to raise... I'm totally getting ripped off and need to move wherever you are. I wish I made 12.50 an hour--that would be an awesome job to have!

Thaedra

I base tip 15% plus - and usually plus a lot if the check is light at an inexpensive mom&pop, but I will go short if service sux.

Now I don't mean the cooks were slow or the gal had too many tables - I mean that if my food gets cold on the pickup while I watch (& hear) you piss & moan to the hostess for 10 minutes about what a witch Brenda is,,, you're getting 10%, maybe. It happens rarely, but it has happened. Generally I'm a patient & kind customer, I don't fuss and I almost never send anything back, but I'm not a sucker either, and I'm not paying for good service unless I get it.

One thing I try to do when it's warranted (on top of a solid 20%+ <$5 minimum> tip) I like to tell the server something complimentary. "Hey, you were prompt and got it all right and you were nice, great job, thank you". Do wait staff appreciate this, or do they laugh at me once I'm out the door?

A genuine thank you is always appreciated, and sometimes rarely heard. I would maybe avoid saying things like "Hey, you got it all right... " that can be a little patronizing....

ChubbieTubbie

Okay, this topic has finally sucked me into having to write something.
1-In the States it is customary to tip anywhere between 10-25% depending on service.
2- to those of you from other countries...our dollar is about half of what yours is at the moment (take that into consideration, please). If you're making $12.50 in the UK the equivelent is about $6.25 here and if no tips are received then the waitstaff goes home with only their paycheck. Also, at the end of the night most resaurants require their servers to 'share their tips' so that the hostess/host, busboys, cooks, and cleaning staff are also able to take home some extra cash. So even if you so tip well, there is no guarantee that the sever you had will be taking home the entire amount that you tiped them.
3- to those people that think this is a flawed system...yes it is, but it allows the restaurant to keep the food prices low and allows them to be open for longer hours.
4- Barstaff do a lot more than you think they do, they also take orders (or has not one of you eaten in the bar area?), they have to learn all the drinks (many of which have different names from other parts of the country), they have to in most places still put up with someones cigarette smoke, make sure they remember what everyone is drinking and keep an eye out for those that are a bit too inebriated (they have to alert the management-because it could turn into a law suite should someone be drunk and cause a wreck-it would be the restaurants liabilty coverage that would have to pay for it).

I agree with you 100%!

TheMaidOfAstolat

Okay, this topic has finally sucked me into having to write something.
1-In the States it is customary to tip anywhere between 10-25% depending on service.
2- to those of you from other countries...our dollar is about half of what yours is at the moment (take that into consideration, please). If you're making $12.50 in the UK the equivelent is about $6.25 here and if no tips are received then the waitstaff goes home with only their paycheck. Also, at the end of the night most resaurants require their servers to 'share their tips' so that the hostess/host, busboys, cooks, and cleaning staff are also able to take home some extra cash. So even if you so tip well, there is no guarantee that the sever you had will be taking home the entire amount that you tiped them.
3- to those people that think this is a flawed system...yes it is, but it allows the restaurant to keep the food prices low and allows them to be open for longer hours.
4- Barstaff do a lot more than you think they do, they also take orders (or has not one of you eaten in the bar area?), they have to learn all the drinks (many of which have different names from other parts of the country), they have to in most places still put up with someones cigarette smoke, make sure they remember what everyone is drinking and keep an eye out for those that are a bit too inebriated (they have to alert the management-because it could turn into a law suite should someone be drunk and cause a wreck-it would be the restaurants liabilty coverage that would have to pay for it).

toots99

Okay, this topic has finally sucked me into having to write something.
1-In the States it is customary to tip anywhere between 10-25% depending on service.
2- to those of you from other countries...our dollar is about half of what yours is at the moment (take that into consideration, please). If you're making $12.50 in the UK the equivelent is about $6.25 here and if no tips are received then the waitstaff goes home with only their paycheck. Also, at the end of the night most resaurants require their servers to 'share their tips' so that the hostess/host, busboys, cooks, and cleaning staff are also able to take home some extra cash. So even if you so tip well, there is no guarantee that the sever you had will be taking home the entire amount that you tiped them.
3- to those people that think this is a flawed system...yes it is, but it allows the restaurant to keep the food prices low and allows them to be open for longer hours.
4- Barstaff do a lot more than you think they do, they also take orders (or has not one of you eaten in the bar area?), they have to learn all the drinks (many of which have different names from other parts of the country), they have to in most places still put up with someones cigarette smoke, make sure they remember what everyone is drinking and keep an eye out for those that are a bit too inebriated (they have to alert the management-because it could turn into a law suite should someone be drunk and cause a wreck-it would be the restaurants liabilty coverage that would have to pay for it).

My new favorite person here. :flowerforyou:

TheMaidOfAstolat

::::$12.50 an hour probably sounds like a lot, but once you tax it, a single person living on about $400 in the hand a week, well, that's not much to live on! Especially when you're looking at around $150 a week just for your share of rent in a shared home, and it costs between $80 and $100 to fill an average car with fuel. Power, phone bills, food, clothing, insurances, and so on and so forth, to be somehow paid with the remainder... ::::::

Wow....I work in an office and I'm only making 9.50 an hour, and I have a family to raise... I'm totally getting ripped off and need to move wherever you are. I wish I made 12.50 an hour--that would be an awesome job to have!

The person who stated $12.50 lives in New Zeland (so it's around $6.25 American) Our dollar is about half what it is elsewhere in the world right now...especially in the UK, the rest of Europe and NZ.

havingitall

I tip 15%. 20% is getting pretty high. When we go out for a meal, it is generally a pretty healthy tab and the restaurant is making good money from me. It is amazing to think that they would pay their staff $2.00 an hour because they expect their customers to supplement the payroll ...think about it.... Where else do the customer supplement the payroll? You go to the grocery store, you don't have to tip the check out girl. You buy a pair of shoes, you don't tip the clerk. Perhaps restaurant owners shouldn't be so greedy

sniffles

3- to those people that think this is a flawed system...yes it is, but it allows the restaurant to keep the food prices low and allows them to be open for longer hours.

What about countries where there is NOT this system in place and yet the food prices are still low and the restaurant is still open ridiculous hours? There really is no excuse for such a system. I wonder what it would take to change things? Except AFTER tips these servers are making REALLY good money and most probably don't WANT the system to change.

I kind of want to quit my job(s), move to America and become a server. Haha. I have to work two jobs right now to make ends meet... I'd love if one of those jobs included 20% tips... even if that meant $2 hourly pay. I'd earn those tips man... BOY would I earn them. And those who didn't tip? I'd chase them into parking lots and scream at them for depriving me of my pay cheque.

LittleSpy

Wow, as a non-American, living in a country where tipping is really unusual and our waiters, barstaff, etc etc are all paid a living wage from the company they work for, I have to wonder whether tipping is a flawed system.

Tipping is a VERY flawed system. Tips originated by a person TIPPING BEFORE THE SERVICE WAS GIVEN! Then, the quality of service the person received was based on how well they tipped. Kind of like a bribe. It was a "I'll give you $100 right now to give me the best service of all your customers right now" kind of deal. Don't know when it was flipped so @ss backwards.

As usual, I must mention that most delivery drivers are also paid less than minimum wage. I make $4.85 an hour driving my own car & buying my own gas to bring you your pizza 2 nights a week. We work for tips, too. If no one tipped, no one would be there to bring you your food.

And I absolutely hate how incredibly racist this is going to sound. But I have worked in food service, at least moonlighting, for 10 years in the south. There is plenty of truth to certain races tipping better than others. There's also truth to certain sexes tipping better than others. Of course these are generalizations and cannot be applied to individuals. I have gotten wonderfully generous tips from people of all races, social classes, and nationalities. I have also been stiffed by all races, social classes, nationalities. Pretty much nothing pisses me off more than to give fantastically friendly & fast service to a multi-million dollar house and then be told to "keep the change." Only to count the money and realize the change is less than $1.00. :noway: