Tipping Question

[swede96]

Anybody see that movie "waiting"? It was a real piece of garbage but Id imagine its pretty realistic.

I can honestly say I have never spit in or altered someone's food out of anger. That's just wrong. I've never seen it done in any place I worked. BUT, parts of that movie are pretty damn accurate. I've waited on all those kinds of people. One of my coworkers actually was called a "just a dumb waitress" not too long ago. I would be out of a job if that were me. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people treat me like their personal hired help. Like I'm not even a preson. You know, the people that don't even look at you while they order and ignore you when you ask if everything is okay only to snap their fingers at you the next time you walk by aggervated that a new beer hasn't magically appearded in front of them.

[gordon gekko]

I have never worked in a restaurant, but common sense dictates that if the server did their job, whether what they brought me was crappy or not, that they should be tipped according to their service. Although, there are many people who are sadly lacking in the area of common sense.

It's just a generalization that people who work in restaurants know how it should be but the sad truth most people lack that common sense and are just cheap pieces of shit. The service could be great and they still leave you 10% its usually and I am not saying this as a racist remark but that's why I used to hate to serve on black people. There was like a code written in there DNA that says be a cheap bastard, even though once in a blue moon you get the more sophisticated black person.
Swede did you hear about Lebron James leaving $10 on a $800 check.

[Kellen]

Using that rule as a guide, would people be allowed to buy a car if they've never rebuilt an engine, or purchase gasoline if they've never slapped chain on a drilling rig, or even go to the mall for clothing if they don't know how to sew?

I see both sides of the tipping issue, Swede. I've just accepted it in the restaurant and bar bit of life as the way things are. But stop and think if tipping was the norm for every job. Couldn't business owners lower the price of their goods and services simply by paying below minimum wage and then leaving it up to the customer to decide how much extra to dole out to their salesperson? A lot of us work for a set and established salary, no overtime, and are simply expected to do the very best at our jobs, even spending extra time on the job without extra pay to get it done.

And some of the tipping is getting out of hand, including at restaurants for take-out. The biggest argument I have heard about why you should tip for take-out is it took the wait staff and the cooks the same amount of time and effort to get your order ready as if you ate there. Now we know that's not entirely true since there will be no cleanup, no schlepping of silverware and plates to the table then cleaning up afterwards, no trips to the table to offer drink refills, and also frees up a table for the restaurant and wait staff to make even more money off the sale of their food.

I agree Wilie, I never really understood the take-out tipping. I was in a restaurant one time and overheard a bartender complaining that someon had a 100 dollar take out order and only tipped 5 bucks. But I never saw the bartender do anything other than go get the food and put it in a bag and hand it to the guy. Should we really tip for that?

[Sportsgirl]

Kellen - did I miss somewhere the reason you are typing in pink?

[gordon gekko]

Anybody see that movie "waiting"? It was a real piece of garbage but Id imagine its pretty realistic.

It's pretty close kellen.

[gordon gekko]

Kellen - did I miss somewhere the reason you are typing in pink?

He lost a bet lol.

[Kellen]

I always tip very well when I go out to eat. I have a lot of friend that are waiters and so I always like to take care of the wait staff but this take out tipping thing really bothers me.

Another situation: When you have a waitress for awhile and then she says shes leaving or whatever and so and so will take care of you from here on out. When you leave a tip, who actually gets it? I always wondered if I should give the waitress a tip then or just wait and tip at the end? I always though it was kind of rude but I can understand that they may be ready to get the hell out of there after working 2 shifts or what not.

[Kellen]

Kellen - did I miss somewhere the reason you are typing in pink?

Yea, lost a bet on the game last night with AgainstAllOdds, IVe gotta type like this for a week. The pink part isnt even the worst part, its having to change the color every time I want to post that is annoying.

[Sportsgirl]

Yea, lost a bet on the game last night with AgainstAllOdds, IVe gotta type like this for a week. The pink part isnt even the worst part, its having to change the color every time I want to post that is annoying.

It's kinda jarring to the reader , too. Sorry sweetie - at least you're not kicked out for 6 months!

[RageWizard]

I always tip very well when I go out to eat. I have a lot of friend that are waiters and so I always like to take care of the wait staff but this take out tipping thing really bothers me.

Another situation: When you have a waitress for awhile and then she says shes leaving or whatever and so and so will take care of you from here on out. When you leave a tip, who actually gets it? I always wondered if I should give the waitress a tip then or just wait and tip at the end? I always though it was kind of rude but I can understand that they may be ready to get the hell out of there after working 2 shifts or what not.

I wonder about this as well. Does the second server get all the money? Do they split the money? Does the second server just say the client was an asshole and only left me 38 cents? What happens? Sometimes I feel like I should get my bill and start another one, but they always tell me not to worry about it and that it isn't neccessary, but is it really?

[pico]

Okay...I made that much last Tuesday too. What non-rush hours? I work all the busier nights. Why should the owner have to pay someone $10 an hour for a four hour day shift when they onlt had to serve 3 tables?

managers will always include dinner rush or lunch rush if not both in your shift. you get paid to serve 3 tables, but you're also expected to serve 20 tables later. non rush hours are the hours where upscale resutrant close down to get ready for dinner. $10 an hour is just an atribtrary wage. if you're talking about McDonald-ish resturants, then yes, $10 is plenty in the flyby states.

1. That would be fine by me as far as flights go.

2. You have obviously never worked in a resaraunt. It's hard enough to find good help. Regardless of the tips, we have to condition our employees plenty. I train all the new waitstaff. Some of them are great with the tables and can't sweep a floor to save their life. The costomer isn't "conditioning" the employees for the owner. The tipping system is incentive for the servers to control their own destiny in a sense. Work hard and be cordial to your tables and you'll make more money. We still have to train them in the procedures, upsales, sidework, etc.



Again, fine by me.

you can always find people to work...you just have to jack up the wages. restruant can't afford to pay the higher wages? that means there are too many resturants.

if you think about it...what does tipping do to the workers. it artifically descrease the meal price. lower price equals more resturants holding cusumer spending constant. in reality it create a surplus of restruants in the market. that means higher competition among the resturants and owners are forced to cut cost to stay in business. what does that mean? the workers at the resturants are getting shafted by the american tipping system.

[pico]

Using that rule as a guide, would people be allowed to buy a car if they've never rebuilt an engine, or purchase gasoline if they've never slapped chain on a drilling rig, or even go to the mall for clothing if they don't know how to sew?

I see both sides of the tipping issue, Swede. I've just accepted it in the restaurant and bar bit of life as the way things are. But stop and think if tipping was the norm for every job. Couldn't business owners lower the price of their goods and services simply by paying below minimum wage and then leaving it up to the customer to decide how much extra to dole out to their salesperson? A lot of us work for a set and established salary, no overtime, and are simply expected to do the very best at our jobs, even spending extra time on the job without extra pay to get it done.

And some of the tipping is getting out of hand, including at restaurants for take-out. The biggest argument I have heard about why you should tip for take-out is it took the wait staff and the cooks the same amount of time and effort to get your order ready as if you ate there. Now we know that's not entirely true since there will be no cleanup, no schlepping of silverware and plates to the table then cleaning up afterwards, no trips to the table to offer drink refills, and also frees up a table for the restaurant and wait staff to make even more money off the sale of their food.

bingo, willie

which asshole resurant expect tips for take out??? i never tip when i do take outs at the cheescake factory. if you're doing take outs at high-end restraunts...that is just a waste.

[gordon gekko]

I always tip very well when I go out to eat. I have a lot of friend that are waiters and so I always like to take care of the wait staff but this take out tipping thing really bothers me.

Another situation: When you have a waitress for awhile and then she says shes leaving or whatever and so and so will take care of you from here on out. When you leave a tip, who actually gets it? I always wondered if I should give the waitress a tip then or just wait and tip at the end? I always though it was kind of rude but I can understand that they may be ready to get the hell out of there after working 2 shifts or what not.

Well usually your not allowed to leave until you cashed out all your open checks so the waitress would have to wait until you got up, but if she transfers the table to someone else depends how long you've been sitting there. I mean if you just got your drinks and now you have a new server tip the new one getting your food and taking care of you most of the time. If the first waitress was there on your becking call getting you refills, bringing your food out etc.. and your leaving soon tip her. The servers usually decide between themselves weather they want to split the tip or not.

[gordon gekko]

managers will always include dinner rush or lunch rush if not both in your shift. you get paid to serve 3 tables, but you're also expected to serve 20 tables later. non rush hours are the hours where upscale resutrant close down to get ready for dinner. $10 an hour is just an atribtrary wage. if you're talking about McDonald-ish resturants, then yes, $10 is plenty in the flyby states.




you can always find people to work...you just have to jack up the wages. restruant can't afford to pay the higher wages? that means there are too many resturants.

if you think about it...what does tipping do to the workers. it artifically descrease the meal price. lower price equals more resturants holding cusumer spending constant. in reality it create a surplus of restruants in the market. that means higher competition among the resturants and owners are forced to cut cost to stay in business. what does that mean? the workers at the resturants are getting shafted by the american tipping system.

Me and swede are talking about work ethic, if all servers got paid hourly none of them would be as attentive and nice to you.

[Willie Bee]

Me and swede are talking about work ethic, if all servers got paid hourly none of them would be as attentive and nice to you.

Oh really? So you're saying that all hourly workers are surly and don't have to fear losing their jobs if they treat John Q. Public badly?

[swede96]

Using that rule as a guide, would people be allowed to buy a car if they've never rebuilt an engine, or purchase gasoline if they've never slapped chain on a drilling rig, or even go to the mall for clothing if they don't know how to sew?

Would people not be allowed to go to a hospital if they've never been a doctor? No, that's silly. But I truly believe that all people should be required to work in the people service field somewhere at some point in their life. Why? Because most people lack the ability to see past their own needs and put themselves in someone else's shoes. To you, I am the punk waitress that took a WHOLE 10 minutes to get you your drinks. From my point of view, I am a financial analyst working two jobs for a grand total of 65 hours a week in an attempt to buy a house and build a stable life for myself (perhaps one that affords me luxuries such as eating out three times a week, like yourself). I have been working for 12 hours now and I still have 4 or 5 to go. The bartender is busy and if I rush her, she'll take it out on me the rest of the night. Oh, and I have 5 other tables that also need drinks, napkins, food, hot sauce, sour cream, more drinks, another sour cream, crayons for their heathens, etc. It's common human decency and respect for others that many people lack. I take what I have learned from my work in the food service industry and apply it to all customer service professionals I encounter whether it's the phone company, my aute repair shop, or the kid at the mini mart.

I see both sides of the tipping issue, Swede. I've just accepted it in the restaurant and bar bit of life as the way things are. But stop and think if tipping was the norm for every job. Couldn't business owners lower the price of their goods and services simply by paying below minimum wage and then leaving it up to the customer to decide how much extra to dole out to their salesperson? A lot of us work for a set and established salary, no overtime, and are simply expected to do the very best at our jobs, even spending extra time on the job without extra pay to get it done.

Most salespeople get commissions and bonuses for selling. You act as if I don't work for a set salary for my day job. I know that. I don't expect a tip when I go out of my way to provide more detailed financials to a needy manager. What I expect is a tiny bit of appreciation and maybe a good word when evaluations roll around again.

And some of the tipping is getting out of hand, including at restaurants for take-out. The biggest argument I have heard about why you should tip for take-out is it took the wait staff and the cooks the same amount of time and effort to get your order ready as if you ate there. Now we know that's not entirely true since there will be no cleanup, no schlepping of silverware and plates to the table then cleaning up afterwards, no trips to the table to offer drink refills, and also frees up a table for the restaurant and wait staff to make even more money off the sale of their food.

I don't expect tips on take out, but they are nice to get. No, it doesn't take as much time, but you are taking us away from our tables long enough to take the order, put it into the computer, bag it and cash you out. For big orders (especially when you are asking people in the background what they want or making me go through the whoile menu with you), yeah, a couple bucks would be nice. Not required, but nice.

[swede96]

It's just a generalization that people who work in restaurants know how it should be but the sad truth most people lack that common sense and are just cheap pieces of shit. The service could be great and they still leave you 10% its usually and I am not saying this as a racist remark but that's why I used to hate to serve on black people. There was like a code written in there DNA that says be a cheap bastard, even though once in a blue moon you get the more sophisticated black person.
Swede did you hear about Lebron James leaving $10 on a $800 check.

Yep, what a jackass.

[MonkeyF0cker]

I'm wondering why I'm the only one that would have sent the shitty food back to begin with...

[swede96]

I always tip very well when I go out to eat. I have a lot of friend that are waiters and so I always like to take care of the wait staff but this take out tipping thing really bothers me.

Another situation: When you have a waitress for awhile and then she says shes leaving or whatever and so and so will take care of you from here on out. When you leave a tip, who actually gets it? I always wondered if I should give the waitress a tip then or just wait and tip at the end? I always though it was kind of rude but I can understand that they may be ready to get the hell out of there after working 2 shifts or what not.

The waitstaff usually works that out. The server usually isn't expecting you to hand him/her the tip right there. Sometimes we have to get out on time and can't wait for a table to finish. Usually, we hand it off to the next server and they pretty much get a freebee.

[donjuan]

Plus, food prices would go way up if the owners had to pay the waitstaff $10 an hour.

Wow. I thought I had seen some convoluted logic on here but this takes the cake.

[pico]

Me and swede are talking about work ethic, if all servers got paid hourly none of them would be as attentive and nice to you.

you two think like that because you're conditioned in the american tipping system. they need incentive to be nice because they're getting paid jack shit.

now suppose you pay waitstaff regular salary wages, and the cusomer can tip only if the servce is truley excellent. you're going to have a much less turnover rate and that mean less training cost and higher quality of the employee. the wait staff will be nice because they want their job. see the burden of quality control is now shifted away form the consumers.

i can't beleive you two think american tipping sysem is such a great thing. it is not. you two are getting raped by the lazzie-faire american resturant practice.

[swede96]

Oh really? So you're saying that all hourly workers are surly and don't have to fear losing their jobs if they treat John Q. Public badly?

No Willie, we're not saying you'd be treated badly, but say a table is being really obnoxious...why not spend more time at the table with nice people? I mean, we're getting paid the same no matter what. I really don't think you understand how badly servers and bartenders are disrespected on a daily basis. It's worth a hell of a lot more than $10 an hour, that's for sure.

[Sportsgirl]

I'm wondering why I'm the only one that would have sent the shitty food back to begin with...

This is what I meant in my post about calling out the manager on the crappy food.

[swede96]

I'm wondering why I'm the only one that would have sent the shitty food back to begin with...

That would be the correct answer. Take a few bites, then tell the server it's no good. An expensive place will have a manager on the floor for just that reason. Give the server a chance to make it right before you punish them by not tipping.

[swede96]

Wow. I thought I had seen some convoluted logic on here but this takes the cake.

Really? Do you have even the slightest concept of basic accounting principles? Would you like to make an intelligent response, or just be a dick?

[swede96]

you two think like that because you're conditioned in the american tipping system. they need incentive to be nice because they're getting paid jack shit.

now suppose you pay waitstaff regular salary wages, and the cusomer can tip only if the servce is truley excellent. you're going to have a much less turnover rate and that mean less training cost and higher quality of the employee. the wait staff will be nice because they want their job. see the burden of quality control is now shifted away form the consumers.

i can't beleive you two think american tipping sysem is such a great thing. it is not. you two are getting raped by the lazzie-faire american resturant practice.

So I was right...you've never worked in a reseraunt. Please never eat in my establishment. I desp[ise cheap people. We all know that's why you're bitching. It has nothing to do with shifting quality control. You want to make your server jump through hoops and fetch you your slippers for a few bucks.

I never said it was such a great thing, but that's the way it is. There are pros and cons to it. Deal with it or take your food to go.

[RageWizard]

I would like to take this chance, as The Swede works up to a full rant here, to say I always tip well unless the server is a complete retard. Also when he or she comes around, I try to have the table ready for any possible refills, so he/she doesn't come back with my beer and then the wife says "Oh yeah how about another merlot." I think this would piss me off if I was a waiter so I try not to do it.

[Willie Bee]

Would people not be allowed to go to a hospital if they've never been a doctor? No, that's silly. But I truly believe that all people should be required to work in the people service field somewhere at some point in their life. Why? Because most people lack the ability to see past their own needs and put themselves in someone else's shoes. To you, I am the punk waitress that took a WHOLE 10 minutes to get you your drinks. From my point of view, I am a financial analyst working two jobs for a grand total of 65 hours a week in an attempt to buy a house and build a stable life for myself (perhaps one that affords me luxuries such as eating out three times a week, like yourself). I have been working for 12 hours now and I still have 4 or 5 to go. The bartender is busy and if I rush her, she'll take it out on me the rest of the night. Oh, and I have 5 other tables that also need drinks, napkins, food, hot sauce, sour cream, more drinks, another sour cream, crayons for their heathens, etc. It's common human decency and respect for others that many people lack. I take what I have learned from my work in the food service industry and apply it to all customer service professionals I encounter whether it's the phone company, my aute repair shop, or the kid at the mini mart.

How is it that your customer is supposed to know this is your second job and only doing it to make a few extra bucks in order to buy a home, Swede? How about the customer that walks into your restaurant just looking for a decent meal in between his or her two jobs? Do you sense this somehow and provide a different level of service for them?

A lot of us have several different people tugging on us during the course of our day to do this, do that. A lot of us put in extra hours, often with no guarantee of extra pay via bonus/commission, to get the job done. Not every boss is always there to give us an Atta' Boy when that happens and when they don't, we're still expected to rise and shine and greet the next work day with the same zeal and pride in what we do.

I agree with you that there is a certain level of commen sense, common decency and simple consideration that we should ALL put forth. But that is Utopia, and I don't mean Utopia, Texas. And the waiter or waitress is the only person that most customers have contact with during a meal. Does your boss send the cook out to greet each customer and inquire about the food? I bet not. That's why the customer often takes it out on the server, and it shouldn't be difficult to understand that.

I tip. I tip even when things go poorly (though I may never go back), and tip even better when things go very well. I offer up my comments in both cases.

[donjuan]

Really? Do you have even the slightest concept of basic accounting principles? Would you like to make an intelligent response, or just be a dick?

I'd like to do/be both. You realize that if you say you are making $20 an hour off of tips and that if tips go away and you make $10 an hour, food prices would not go up, but rather down. Just because you don't factor the tip into the cost of a meal doesn't mean that reasonable, sensible people don't.

[swede96]

I wonder about this as well. Does the second server get all the money? Do they split the money? Does the second server just say the client was an asshole and only left me 38 cents? What happens? Sometimes I feel like I should get my bill and start another one, but they always tell me not to worry about it and that it isn't neccessary, but is it really?

It's prefectly acceptable to get the bill and start a new one, Rage, and that would be very nice of you. Usually, what happens is the next server came in and the first server has to get out on time for whatever reason, so the first server asks the second to take over rather than be rude and ask you to pay when you're not even done eating. 9 times out of 10, the second server keeps the money.

[swede96]

I would like to take this chance, as The Swede works up to a full rant here, to say I always tip well unless the server is a complete retard. Also when he or she comes around, I try to have the table ready for any possible refills, so he/she doesn't come back with my beer and then the wife says "Oh yeah how about another merlot." I think this would piss me off if I was a waiter so I try not to do it.

Yes, that does piss us off a little, especially on a busy night. Even if you have a few sips of beer left, if you think you'll need a new one by the ime we get back with the wife's merlot...let us know, you'll get your drink quicker and we'll have more time for the table next to you that needs another round as well.

[swede96]

How is it that your customer is supposed to know this is your second job and only doing it to make a few extra bucks in order to buy a home, Swede? How about the customer that walks into your restaurant just looking for a decent meal in between his or her two jobs? Do you sense this somehow and provide a different level of service for them?

They're not supposed to know, Willie. My point is to look at your server as a person instead of just a dumb waitress. It's a simple case of being considerate of people you come in contact with. I choose to have a second job. I choose to work these hours. But that doesn't mean I don't get tired or have my off days. Just as you may be between two jobs and just trying to get some food to make it through the night, I might be on hour 12 of my day. So let's start this whole meal by treating each other with respect, shall we? I won't spit in your food if you're a little impatient if you don't leave me less than 10% because I didn't get your drink to you in a metter of seconds. Deal?

A lot of us have several different people tugging on us during the course of our day to do this, do that. A lot of us put in extra hours, often with no guarantee of extra pay via bonus/commission, to get the job done. Not every boss is always there to give us an Atta' Boy when that happens and when they don't, we're still expected to rise and shine and greet the next work day with the same zeal and pride in what we do.

I understand that very well, Willie. That's why i want for you to have a nice meal when you sit at one of my tables. I honestly WANT people to walk out smiling...and not just for the tips, because I am a nice person. Again, I work at a job like you have described for 40 hours of my week. Somedays I get out at 4:30 ready to murder someone. But I still have to change, go to the second job and out on a smile. It's not your fault my manager at job 1 was a dick today, just like it's not my fault you boss doesn't appreciate the extra hours you put in, so lets not take it out on each other.

I agree with you that there is a certain level of commen sense, common decency and simple consideration that we should ALL put forth. But that is Utopia, and I don't mean Utopia, Texas. And the waiter or waitress is the only person that most customers have contact with during a meal. Does your boss send the cook out to greet each customer and inquire about the food? I bet not. That's why the customer often takes it out on the server, and it shouldn't be difficult to understand that.

It's not difficult to understand...but it also shouldn't be difficult to understand why that isn't fair. For the record, I do cook a couple nights a week as well. I actually have gone out to tables, apologized for mistakes on my end and let them know that it was not the server's fault. I'm also the manager on duty when my boss ian't in (and even somethimes when he is, but too busy in the kitchen).

I tip. I tip even when things go poorly (though I may never go back), and tip even better when things go very well. I offer up my comments in both cases.

You should always give a place a second chance. Somedays are just off. Sometimes people are hired and it takes a few shifts for the managers to catch on that they aren't doing their job. I mean, you don't have to...but I've heard frm some people that had a bad experience at my place the first time, then gave us a second chance and are now weekly regulars.

[pico]

So I was right...you've never worked in a reseraunt. Please never eat in my establishment. I desp[ise cheap people. We all know that's why you're bitching. It has nothing to do with shifting quality control. You want to make your server jump through hoops and fetch you your slippers for a few bucks.

I never said it was such a great thing, but that's the way it is. There are pros and cons to it. Deal with it or take your food to go.

you were right? i'll take the bet anyday if you want to put up the money. i have no idea where you work, but the chance of me going to your state is already pretty small. if you're going to fetch my drinks for couple of bucks, might as well bring me slippers too.

[swede96]

I'd like to do/be both. You realize that if you say you are making $20 an hour off of tips and that if tips go away and you make $10 an hour, food prices would not go up, but rather down. Just because you don't factor the tip into the cost of a meal doesn't mean that reasonable, sensible people don't.

Okay...you said both and that doesn't seem very intelligent to me.

Tips are generally 15 to 20%

Paying the waitstaff $10 an hour would increas that portion of the labor cost of your meal about 333%

Do you really think that wouldn't average out to more than a 15 to 20% increase in food prices?

[pico]

Okay...you said both and that doesn't seem very intelligent to me.

Tips are generally 15 to 20%

Paying the waitstaff $10 an hour would increas that portion of the labor cost of your meal about 333%

Do you really think that wouldn't average out to more than a 15 to 20% increase in food prices?

that is why you're not running a business