kutulu

If you are only going to tip when the service meets your standards, that's fine I guess. Just make sure that your standards are reasonable and try to see if there may be a reason you might not be getting the service you expect. If your server has a shitload of tables you should be a little understanding about the situation.

ultra_agent9

Just as maleficent said: "Tips were for service. Not for doing my job."

I also have spent some years in the hospitality industry, it was hard work and tipping was not the norm (Sydney). But I only tip if the service was exceptional, if they went out of their way to give you that something extra, above and beyond the call of duty, then tip til your hearts content.

I don't agree with businesses in America getting away with paying slave wages and making the customer foot the bill. An employees boss should be responsible for their source of income, not every customer walking through the door. I don't want to stress about the meal- I just want to enjoy it.

Also, service charge on bill = asinine.

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Derwood

The worst is the wait staff at the really high end restaurants in Chicago. Many celebrities and pro athletes dine there, and many of them don't tip at all (**cough***Jordan**cough***Pippen**cough)

I guess the nice rich people make up for it, but that's still pretty despicable

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maleficent

I was reading the room service menu last night...

If I wanted a burger for dinner, the burger would cost me 14.00. In addition to that is a 2.00 delivery charge, in addition to that is an 18 percent gratuity added in automatically. That gratuity DOES NOT go to the waiter, it goes to the hotel. So now if I want ot tip the waiter, and I generally would, I'd add on 3 bucks to give something to the waiter.

Now my burger that I ordered has not cost me 21.52, for a burger that I can walk across the street and get one at another restaurant for 1/2 the price. Tipping has gotten to be excessive.

I'm sick of the hands out where ever I go, I leave the hotel, and the doorman hails a cab for me, it's expected practice to give him a buck or two for something I can do myself, if he puts my suitcase into the cab for me, again something Ic an do myself, a tip is expected. I get in the cab, and he takes me where I want to go, I pay my fare, and a tip is expected. When I go into Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, the tip jar is out, where does this practice end? Lately I'm expecting to see the tip jar on the counter of the grocery store or clothing stores, because those poor people are barely paid enough to live, so the rest of us shouldmake up for it.

It's not up to me to subsidize people's salaries.

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kutulu

That's pretty fucked up right there. How the fuck is it gratuity if the waiter isn't getting the money? A more correct label would be "bend-over profit"

Derwood

Ever been on a cruise? The cabin steward leaves a package of envelopes in your cabin on the last night of the cruise with all the expected tip $ amounts for himself, the maitre 'd, wait staff, cleaning staff, etc. It's supposedly optional, but see if your luggage makes it to the airport if you stiff them.

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maleficent

I used to be a regular on the Amtrak Metroliner from New York to DC - if I got an upgrade to first class, and the cabin attendent was especially helpful, especially getting my bag off the train or keeping annoying people away from me, I might tip a few bucks, purely optional. That was OK.

When they rolled out the Acelas, the fancier trains, the train attendents use to walk thru the car with the tip jar asking for gratuities. I went down to the cafe car, and with their delightful wireless access, wrote a scathing email to Amtrak about how inappropriate it was - I wouldn't tip a flight attendent. Why would I tip a cabin attendent?

the next time I was on the train, that practice had stopped, not sure if my email had anythign to do with it, but no more begging for tips on the train.

You earn it, you will get it, but don't ever ask me for it.

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ultra_agent9

I agree. A tip is not a tip if one has to ask for it. That would be a hand out. That's what some homeless do: ask for spare change. Maybe they should start asking for tips...

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Stompy

A lot of the responses that are FOR tipping seem to be focused more on WHY the worker in question needs tips and how tips are divided between the other works. I know all that. I'm simply saying it's fucked up. I really do feel bad for them, however, they aren't FORCED to work that position.

Knowing what's on the menu, etc.. that stuff, in this situation, is trivial. There's only one thing I order. Like I stated, we all order pretty much the same thing. If my order comes out all f'd up, I'd blame the kitchen before the server unless the server really jacked up the order somehow.

That really is unfortunate, but if they dislike it they COULD go work somewhere else. I'm not sure how that ties into why I have to tip them. Janitors at porn shops need to mop up jizz. That's a pretty shitty job. Does anyone tip him?

I know the consequences of not tipping, which is why I always tip IF I'm in that type of situation. I just won't agree with it... especially if we eat out for lunch. The person who takes our order seriously has to do NOTHING and gets an automatic $5 for that. There's just... something wrong with that.

You're right. No one is forcing me to eat there, but at the same time, no one is forcing that person to work there. No one is forcing the restaruant to shaft employees and make their wages tip based.. which is the entire point of why I made this thread.

It's definitely something people take for granted that SHOULD be questioned. There are many things in society that should be questioned (for example.. why violence is okay, but sex isn't even though sex is a part of life). If anything, at least give us the option (as customers) to place our own orders and get our own drinks. I'd be up for that!

From your posts, I take it you have a job where you get tips. I don't mean to offend you by my point of view and I'm certainly not blaming those who have jobs that need tips, I'm simply blaming the establishments and society overall for such a screwy system.

I don't agree on shafting people out of tips.. I just flat out avoid all those situations that would require one.

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vlendehon

well, I see some pretty one sided views here. just for shits and grins, how many people have made $400 in a weekend off of tips?

I have
trust me, a severs job is much more than taking an order, delivering the food, and dropping off the bill. It's putting up with holier than thou schmucks who whine and complain about things a server has no control of, then having the audacity to take it out on the server (i.e. climate control, wait time, lighting...). I can't count how many times someone has run my ass off, gave me great compliments, then left the an awful excuse for a tip.

YOU MUST UNDERSTAND...as much as we like to think we're special, you're not the only table a server is responsible for when you go out to eat. take a look around and you'll find that there are actually other people in there with you, and they dont' each have their own personal server.

go ahead and try to tell me that a servers job is not hard and somtimes metally excruciating with the right depraved patron.

Yeah, I know. I knew what I was getting into when I applied, but I also knew I'd be able to make good money quick, THROUGH TIPS

and if you can't understand why people should get tipped, then stay at home and cook your own filet mingon. I get paid to wrap silverware, and refill drinks...if you want your food warm, I'd tip if I were you.

vlendehon

and another thing, if your'e too lazy to get off your butt and go out and get YOUR OWN FOOD, then at least tip the guy who's bringing the hot food to you. sheesh

j8ear

Northern Jersey huh?

I wonder if we tended bar in the same place. Lugging kegs up the rickety staircase makes me think of 'the box' in the upstairs dining room of a little 'tavern' know for steaks in Morris Plains.

Curious.

Man would ~that~ be a small world

-bear

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maleficent

College was Medford Mass -- But I have been to that bar of which you speak -- were you the cute bartender I tipped 10 bucks to for shakin' his cute keister? He had a mighty fine arse. (I was very bold when I was young)

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j8ear

It's been over five years since my tenure there...but it is entirely possible.

I was often tipped handsomely for my cute keister..shaken or not..as well as my many other qualities ;-)

-bear

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kutulu

You're talking about the compliment tip. Lot's of people think that good service should be rewarded with kind words rather than money...

Paq

ahh, the "Verbal tip" sooo much fun, lemme tell ya.

Also, back on the "a server just takes my order, brings me food and drinks and i'm expected to pay for that"...just take a look around. Who do you think keeps the tables clean, set, the chairs wiped down, the sugar/salt filled, the silverware polished and cleaned, the floors cleaned, the glasses are clean/not spotty, etc. Then, take a walk back to the kitchen and see who makes sure everything looks right when it goes out, who makes sure there is always enough tea, bread, lemons, side stuff setup, etc. then go around and see how many tables a server gets. Generally, it's between 3 and 6 unless you're in an applebees where it goes up to 12-15 if it's a lunch shift. If you ever wondered why applebees has some shitty service, there is your answer

it's almost funny though, as I and most people don't really know what your'e getting into when you start serving. It's a lot of memory, time management, and just general interpersonal skills. People pick up on the slightest thing and if you're not at your best, not in the best mood, etc, people immediately know and your tip goes down. Seriously, people only think that servers work only when someone is there. it's rare for someone who has never served to know just how much work goes into the job, even if no one is there...
I really feel bad for my friends in manhattan who are serving at some of the middle/upper establishments. their shifts start about 2-3 hours before the restaurant opens so they can clean up, check specials, learn everthing, make sure everything is spotless, then work a shift, then everyone closes, so that's basically 4 hrs of 2.13/hr work..and they still come out of the night averaging a bit over $24 an hour..

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Derwood

Wow, you're the kind of waiter I hate! You think the customers are all schmucks. You hate being the customer service face of the restaurant. Well guess what: as the waiter, part of your job is the customer service. If people are bitching about the lighting or climate or whatever, who fucking cares? Just say "I'll see what I can do". Of course people don't think it's the waiter's fault that the room is cold, but who else do they have to complain to? You are their as a SERVER....and that doesn't mean just serving food. It's serving the customer's needs.

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kutulu

His point is that customers complain a lot about things that are out of the server's control. Customers shouldn't expect the server to change the thermostat because it's cold/hot. For every person who is cold, one is hot. Servers have no control over the lighting at a table. They also don't have a lot of control over the wait times either. At most places as soon as the food is ready it is sent by a foodrunner if the server is doing something else. They don't let orders just sit until the server takes it.

If there is a complaint, you should ask for the manager. They are the ones who are paid to take care of that stuff and they are usually the only ones allowed to do anything about the silly requests customers make.

Renny

You can't really be serious about this. Do you really want to take the time to learn the procedures and details for ordering everything in the restaurant, and do you expect the restaurant to take the time to teach hundreds of customers? No, that's what servers are for. Restaurant teaches servers, servers get the job done.

I have been a server for about a year and a half, and let me tell you, tips are a great motivator for me to give good service. When it's busy, I make more money because I am working harder. If I got paid a straight wage, I most likely wouldn't bust my ass to serve customers in a timely fashion. I'd be more like a fast food workers, just punching in to pass the time so I can leave.

And good service is what patrons expect when going into a restaurant. If you want shitty service and shitty food just eat at a fast food restaurant where you don't have to tip.