No tip for a gay waiter. He got this note instead.

[gsdx]

I meant more in line of retail.

Except in places like Walmart. Good luck finding someone you could tip for their service.

 

[star-warrior]

If waiters/waitresses people did a poorer job because they're not getting "rewards", then they're just bad at their job. There are plenty of people that give good service at other "service" jobs that don't get tips. To me, seeing the payment you should be receiving from your employer as a "reward", is a problem.

And your employer is most definitely taking advantage of you by leaving it up to the customer to pay you. You are doing a job and someone can decide not to pay because they're just cheap, how is that a fair system? Plus the fact that it isn't there to benefit you, it's there to benefit the company by making things cheaper for them.

If nafhoosier had a bad run with nothing but cheapskate diners, and no tips to take home at the end of the day, you'd be left with a miserable amount as take home pay. For workers unlucky enough tobe in a minimum wage state where it's something just over $2.20 per hour, rather than the £7.60 for non-tip salaries, you'd be loosing out by over two thirds. Why should the employer get away with paying you a nominal wage if they can?

I don't understand the willingness of some folks submitting to be treated so demeaningly and in such a discriminatory way.

 

[xbuzzerx]

These people apparently missed when Jesus said "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's" when asked if it was morally acceptable to not pay taxes if it was going to something the Jews didn't support (the Roman Empire.)

 

[Kulindahr]

FYI I am a server and I am very happy with the tip system. I make good tips and lots of money because I give my customers good service.

Of course there are plenty of cheap asses who don't tip despite good service, but I usually get bad tips for a reason if they do happen.

The tip system as it is now encourages me to continue giving good service (hence the 'reward') and I get immediate cash once my shift is over. There are different benefits to every job, that is the benefit of being a waiter. I am not 'slave' labor and my employers are not taking advantage of me. If they paid me minimum wage customers would also suffer because items on the menu would be higher and the service would be poorer (nobody would tip if waiters made minimum wage, like in Europe).

So suck it up and tip a server if they give you service. Otherwise, if you don't like the system just stay home and write your congressman (and good luck with that).

As they say in the service industry: "If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to go out to eat".

It's that simple.

Rubbish. I used to go to a restaurant in St. Louis that paid everyone minimum or better, and people still tipped, and service was still excellent, and prices were still competitive. In fact, the service was better than at most other places -- probably because everyone was paid better.

 

[Kulindahr]

There is more to it than that dude,why should i feel obliged to tip if the service was crap or indifferent?
Otherwise i see your point.

Exactly.

Why not? Its a great idea. Then the tip could be left for exceptional service, as it should be. The cost of the meal for and standard service should be what is charged with the EMPLOYER paying the EMPLOYEE's wage. If the service is above and beyond what is expected then the patron should be able to leave a tip based on that extra service, and it should go directly (tax free) to the server who provided the extra service.

As for those fools who know nothing about what they profess to believe...... To bad restaurants in the area couldn't get together and ban them from patronage as was suggested earlier in the thread.

If the employer doesn't want to actually pay the waiter for his work but leaves it up to the customers, then the employer should also be willing to take all prices off the menu and let the customers decide what to pay.

 

[Kulindahr]

Most restaurants go under in the first year...an epic number of them fail. The margins are tight and if the restaurant was forced to compensate the waitpersons for their tips even more would go over the cliff.

Waiting tables is a hard job and the tip system is great because it serves as an incentive for an otherwise low paying job to give customers good service which reflects on the restaurant as well. You take a lot of crap from people and if there was no incentive...service would suffer... and it spirals and affects everything.

There are people who don't tip but fortunately there are people who overtip (I am one of them) to help balance it out.

But that doesn't change the fact that the employer should still actually pay. Many, many people I know refuse to go out to any restaurants exactly because they employer doesn't have to actually pay the employees and the customers are expected to.

So tips aren't given for good service, they're given grudgingly out of a guilt trip.

 

[pat grimshaw]

I hate the idea of hiring human beings to wait on me.

I'd rather go to a cafeteria or a dispensing machine.

 

[Kulindahr]

Except in places like Walmart. Good luck finding someone you could tip for their service.

I've tipped sales people in a number of stores -- and yes, even once at Walmart -- for exceptional service. There's nothing preventing anyone from doing so.

But I give tips for good service -- I don't give it because the employer is too cheap to man up and actually pay his employees. And I totally refuse to leave a tip in places where they go in a jar and everyone shares them -- that just makes both of us slaves, myself and the employee, and allows those unwilling to work hard to suck off the rest.

 

[Kulindahr]

If nafhoosier had a bad run with nothing but cheapskate diners, and no tips to take home at the end of the day, you'd be left with a miserable amount as take home pay. For workers unlucky enough tobe in a minimum wage state where it's something just over $2.20 per hour, rather than the £7.60 for non-tip salaries, you'd be loosing out by over two thirds. Why should the employer get away with paying you a nominal wage if they can?

I don't understand the willingness of some folks submitting to be treated so demeaningly and in such a discriminatory way.

Yes -- and why should the customer expect to have to pay you extra whether you do a good job or not?

It's always where the service is poor that employees really resent there not being tips -- they expect customers should pay them regardless.

If a restaurant opened that posted a sign that said "Don't tip unless the service was exceptional -- we pay a full wage", I'd bet they'd get lots of customers, and good waiters would clamor to work there.

 

[gsdx]

I've tipped sales people in a number of stores -- and yes, even once at Walmart -- for exceptional service. There's nothing preventing anyone from doing so.

What I meant was, the last time I was at Walmart, I couldn't even find any employees wandering around the store asking, "Can I help you?" There wasn't even a greeter at the door to greet me with as smile and to give me a cart.

 

[Kulindahr]

What I meant was, the last time I was at Walmart, I couldn't even find any employees wandering around the store asking, "Can I help you?" There wasn't even a greeter at the door to greet me with as smile and to give me a cart.

I know. The only time I've gotten someone asking if they could help me at a Walmart was during the first three months after opening, or -- where I tipped a guy -- right across the street from a Fred Meyer, a Canned Goods, and a BiMart. Though the guy I tipped didn't come up and ask to help; the deal was that when I asked him to help, he didn't cut loose until I was totally satisfied and we'd run through three different departments trying to find what I wanted.

I don't shop at Walmart any more, though, unless the mom sends me, and even then sometimes I pay extra for what she wants. at a different store, and just don't mention the source.


Interestingly, I wanted to tip a guy at the local Fred Meyer a while back, and its against their policy!
So I bought him a Coke.

 

[nafhoosier]

I meant more in line of retail. That is as much as a service job as waiters/waitresses.

Many of them get paid commission, as do real estate agents. It's their form of the tipping system.

Why don't we just pay everyone hourly minimum wage instead. Then every single job that's not a doctor, lawyer, or banker will be like working at McDonald's.

Apparently that's what you want.

 

[xbuzzerx]

And cheaper for the customers.

I'm happy with the tip system and it keeps me going. I always move on from bad tips because there are always great ones to make up for it.

I make more money actually from the tip system than if my employer paid me minimum wage. Nobody would tip if the system were changed and there would be no reason to be a server. I could just work at Subway or McDonalds.

And the argument of why don't you tip other jobs like lawyers, teachers, whatever? They are paid higher salaries.

If you know lawyers or accountants, ask them what kinds of gifts they get from their clients.

They're worth a lot more than tips, on top of the fact that they are charging a lot more than an hourly wage serviceperson in the first place.

 

[sixthson]

I hate the idea of hiring human beings to wait on me.

I'd rather go to a cafeteria or a dispensing machine.

If you are just "grabbing a bite to eat" that might be okay, but when you are socializing with friends or family or having
a romantic dinner, a sandwich from the vending machine just doesn't do it for most of us. And what if you go out with someone for a glass of wine or a beer, are their vending machines for that? Come on, Pat, break loose with some of that cash. You can afford it.

 

[Willie Boy]

If the employer doesn't want to actually pay the waiter for his work but leaves it up to the customers, then the employer should also be willing to take all prices off the menu and let the customers decide what to pay.

That wouldn't work. There are many customers who would order lobster and only offer a dollar or two in payment. The price for the meal should be set, so the customer knows how much it will cost. This should include the cost of paying employee wages. The tip should be based on the quality of service and should be a bonus. Otherwise there is no purpose for it except to subsidize employee wages out of the pockets of the customers.

 

[Kabluey]

Minimum wage here is around $13-14 an hour here. Bit more in Australia $15?.

If you have a good time and good service you can tip. No obligation, but it's polite when you get good service in a sit down restaurant.
Any tips you get are tax free so people who put in some extra effort can earn more in tips than their already fairly high minimum wage.

Higher minimum wages don't mean you don't get tips elsewhere, and it's rare to find countries that tax tips.

 

[thewiz]

A straight couple recently ranted on Yelp about a restaurant near the gayborhood in DC. They said the service and food were excellent but the drawback was all the gay men coming in to eat. The restaurant answered back that they were not welcome and they should take their business elsewhere. It has been packed since ... with both straight and gay!

This "Christian" couple may want to check their bibles: judge not, lest you are judged! I hope they got food poisoning!

 

[chrisrobin]

FYI I am a server and I am very happy with the tip system. I make good tips and lots of money because I give my customers good service.

Of course there are plenty of cheap asses who don't tip despite good service, but I usually get bad tips for a reason if they do happen.

The tip system as it is now encourages me to continue giving good service (hence the 'reward') and I get immediate cash once my shift is over. There are different benefits to every job, that is the benefit of being a waiter. I am not 'slave' labor and my employers are not taking advantage of me. If they paid me minimum wage customers would also suffer because items on the menu would be higher and the service would be poorer (nobody would tip if waiters made minimum wage, like in Europe).

So suck it up and tip a server if they give you service. Otherwise, if you don't like the system just stay home and write your congressman (and good luck with that).



As they say in the service industry: "If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to go out to eat".

It's that simple.

From the other side of the fence... When I stopped by a "family" restaurant on my way to a night class, I determined that I didn't have enough time for a full meal. I ordered a cup of soup and half a sandwich instead. My waitress was annoyed that I didn't order more and made no effort to conceal her annoyance. I tipped her a penny which was more than she deserved. Needless to say, I never returned to that restaurant.

 

[Willie Boy]

it's rare to find countries that tax tips.

Here in the US many employers count tips directly as part of wages and require that all tips be counted. In this case the tip is usually taxed. Its ridiculous but it happens.

A straight couple recently ranted on Yelp about a restaurant near the gayborhood in DC. They said the service and food were excellent but the drawback was all the gay men coming in to eat. The restaurant answered back that they were not welcome and they should take their business elsewhere. It has been packed since ... with both straight and gay!

This "Christian" couple may want to check their bibles: judge not, lest you are judged! I hope they got food poisoning!

I wouldn't go that far, but I hope they did learn a lesson about their beliefs.

 

[Kulindahr]

That wouldn't work. There are many customers who would order lobster and only offer a dollar or two in payment. The price for the meal should be set, so the customer knows how much it will cost. This should include the cost of paying employee wages. The tip should be based on the quality of service and should be a bonus. Otherwise there is no purpose for it except to subsidize employee wages out of the pockets of the customers.

Bingo.