It never fails to shock me how a tip is demanded in the US. People simply refuse to listen to reason when we (yes, there are others!) tell them that leaving a tip isn’t necessary. Well, I’m hoping for too much here, but if you’re a waiter, here are 5 reasons why I will try my best not to give any money to you and why the reasons for tipping are crappy.
1. You act as if you’re my best friend
Just leave me alone ok? I don’t want to bloody chit chat with you. I want food. FOOD! Get it? It’s a restaurant. I go there to eat. I go because I want either Italian food, Chinese Food or something else which I can’t get in a McDonald’s. So I come to a restaurant to fulfill my cravings for it. I will pay for what I value – food. Not you.
Christ, you offend me – kneeling down next to my table, pretending to like me and chatting as if you’re my best friend when it’s obvious that all you’re after is the tip! I’m not a bloody money bag you know. I will pay the bill which includes the cost of the food, the environment and the salaries of the people involved – nothing more.
The only way to get money out of me that I don’t have to legally pay is by prying it out of my cold dead hands…
Bottom line: I don’t want to know your name, or interact with you for any longer than I have to in order to place my order. As far as I’m concerned, you’re the equivalent of a conveyor belt that brings me my food and a computer into which I input my order. Of course, I won’t be rude. But don’t expect me to interact with you any more than I would with some stranger.
Image Credit: cafemama
2. You don’t get paid enough
And this is my problem how exactly? It’s astonishing that customers are expected to make up for your employer’s cheapness in not paying you a decent wage. Please include the full cost in everyone’s bill thank you very much. I’ll pay it because I have to and the charge is there for me to see.
What’s really funny here is that no one seems to criticize the employers! All criticism is reserved for non tipping customers instead of the owners of the restaurant for not paying a decent wage. Wtf! Could it possibly be because you guys know you can make much more by tips and under report your income to the IRS?
3. You’ll spit in my food if I don’t tip you?
And I’ll shoot your kid if you don’t give me a million dollars. Seriously, am I even hearing this right? You’re actually using the threat of blackmail to make me pay you? Well as long as you’re openly claiming to be a criminal it’s all right I guess.
Fortunately that’s why I prefer buffets. Listen apart from it being illegal, this shows your poor integrity. But if you spit in someone’s food because they didn’t give you money you didn’t earn, then you’re a loser and deserve to be a waiter for the rest of your life.
4. Bringing me my food isn’t worthy of being paid extra
Did you cook it? Did you invent it? No. You picked it up and brought it to me. While it might not be easy, there are plenty of jobs which are much worse – shop floor workers for example. And I’ve been a shop floor manager, so I know. Face it – compared to other jobs, being a waiter is unskilled. You get paid what the market will think your services are worth. You don’t deserve more for your work over and above what your employer should pay you.
5. Money doesn’t grow on trees
I expect you to be grateful and pray for me at night if I tip you 10%. Be happy I gave you anything at all. I worked for the money in my wallet and by giving you some I didn’t have to, I’m doing you a favor. Learn to remember that when people give you something they don’t need to, it’s a favor. You don’t complain that they didn’t give you more!
By the way, the same thing above applies to all professions that demand tips including those on cruise liners.
So now that you understand why I won’t give you money you don’t deserve, stop with the “oh how could you?” attitude. I can. And I will.
Update: Here’s a rebuttal of the many silly justifications for tipping that people have given in the comments section.
I work as a server/bartender
And to you and those that said being a server requires no skill I say this….
I doubt very much you could do my job. you would be eatin alive by the many asshole coustomers that visit restaurants and bars. I invite you to come to my workplace and try serving.
Secondly the tip you pay does not just go to me a portion of it goes to the chefs that made the food and the bussers that cleaned up your mess.
In reply to Matt
i can tell you the same thing. I work in the medical/research field and no, we don’t get paid much. I deal with all the blood, urine and sputum you can imagine. Try doing MY job for a few days.
This my my my isn’t helping. The fact is a job is a job. Regardless of pay, a job isn’t easy. The fact is in capitalism, the establishment and the client form a contract in the form of a bill (receipt). All that I legally have to pay is on that receipt. Anything voluntary is up to me. That can be 0%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 100%. You shouldn’t decide that.
My colleagues and I probably have dealt with your blood or urine somewhere and let me tell you, urine smells, stool smells, sputum is gross, blood is not fun to deal with, but guess what its a job.
In reply to Matt
btw you want to talk about dealign with messes? Try working in Sanitation. Your job IS people’s messes, yet nobody complains.
Do you know WHY sanitation workers make good money, by the way? For YEARS, they demanded better wages, unionized. If they didn’t like what was going on, guess what, your trash won’t be picked up. Why doesn’t wait staff do this? You don’t like the way things are in the restaurant business? An owner would be TRULY hurt if you stopped servicing, right? Follow the Sanitation Industry method and you’ll see some great results.
Who’s shocked that this stupid sand-n!gger doesn’t want to tip?
You don’t like the culture? Then stay out of the United States? Americans are tired of dirty foreign trash taking up space in their country, anyway.
Foreigners make me sick. You talk sh!t about the United States, and then spend all of your time trying to become a citizen here.
In reply to Josh
“Pay me money I didn’t earn! It’s the culture!”
Jeez, I wish I got to make up my own “cultural rules” that have absolutely no legal validity and are completely nonsensical and self serving.
Incidentally, I see you developed a Moses complex seeking to speak for all Americans when in reality you just speak for yourself.
In reply to Josh
hey josh, i was born and raised in the US and as American as can be. Don’t speak for me. you are insulting me and all other Americans. You aren’t talking about my culture. My culture is about hard work and courtesy. So please, keep the Moses complex (hahah good one) aside.
I like seeing all the “if you don’t like your job, quit and get a new one” comments. Because it’s not like we’re in a recession and unemployment isn’t really high or anything.
Not to mention, “make your employers pay you more”? First look at minimum-wage laws: in any economics class you learn that when the government raises minimum-wage, more people are willing to work that job. Places of employment would rather take the people willing to work for less, because they want the job more and will work harder. This is the same for waiting tables- the people willing to work $2-4 + tips will work harder than the people who will suddenly be okay taking the job when the pay is higher. OBVIOUSLY, employers want people with work ethic.
For example, I work in a restaurant WITHOUT a wait staff. People order their food, pick up their own food, fill their own drinks, and leave. I still provide the best service I can by smiling, being nice to my customers, helping with menu, etc… because most people still want good customer service. But I have many co-workers who tell me daily that they don’t understand why I act so “happy/peppy” all the time. They are getting paid at least minimum-wage and don’t feel required to offer more than the bare necessities of what their job tells them to. It’s proven time and time again that if people actually have to work for their pay they work harder. THAT is common sense.
We all know that tipping is not required. If you have such strong feelings against the extra couple bucks, don’t tip. But it’s obvious to anyone who pays attention that your wait staff does more than just bring you drinks and food. If you can’t see it, sorry you’re unobservant. Fact is, part of their job is to do it with a smile and with customer service that will give the restaurant good reviews. For every person who says they “don’t want a best friend” there are DOZENS MORE who are looking for servers who are personable, polite or even- DARE I SAY IT?!- friendly, helpful… and when they don’t get it they complain way louder than people who are annoyed by someone being overly friendly…
In reply to Allison
It’s proven time and time again that if people actually have to work for their pay they work harder.
Isn’t that how ALL jobs are? I work a normal job in the research/medical field. If I don’t do my job correctly, guess what? I get fired.
Why is tipping ONLY reserved for wait staff? It doesn’t make sense. What about other industries? What about retail? What about medicine?
Here in California, all wait staff still make the federal (not the state) minimum wage. Does this mean I still have to tip?
Recession? Go on craigslist or career builder and you’ll see plenty of jobs. I know lots of people who say they are BEGGING for people to come into sanitation and no experience is required. you get about 12-13/hour starting WITHOUT experience.
Again, make your employers pay you more. Let them feel the sting, not you. Remember when the supermarket employees protested? It worked right?
I just want to say that I am a Pizza Driver, and I do think it bullshit that restaurants do not pay a legal minimum wage, and some even attach a 15-20% ‘fee’ to checks as a ‘tip’ to counter the problems of People who have an issue of tipping.
I volunteer the services of my vehicle to bring you your food to your house. If you don’t feel the need to tip me for speedy service to your door, then go grocery shopping and cook it yourself.
I get jacked at the owner all the time for only giving us 2 bucks a delivery {with tips we still average out 10-12 an hour after gas, and on weekends up to 15}, but he did make a good argument. It’s become such a trend that one little guy such as him trying to turn it around would simply bankrupt him because prices would have to go up in order to do it and with higher prices comes fewer customers.
So let me put it into perspective from my POV. You are being given the option of paying whatever YOU think is FAIR for services rendered that were not required. What you paid for the food covers immediate expenses of cook wages, equipment, and the cost of the ingredients and items themselves. From there it’s up to you to be a big boy and determine how much you feel the services rendered are worth. Since eating out in general or even ordering out is not a requirement to live your life your argument has little to no merit. What I am trying to say is the restaurant is letting you decide what to pay…and by not paying anything, you’re just showing that you’re a bare minimum cheap ass. It doesn’t matter what shit you spew from your mouth, because all you’ll ever be seen as by anyone other than your fellow deadbeats, is a cheap ass. Save your money, go grocery shopping. Stay home and cook if you want to save money so bad. Restaurants are expensive enough as it is…and if you get shitty service {for example waitress is on the phone or txting when she should be refilling your drinks or bringing your food to the table since it’s sitting done on the line…yes this happened to me once} then don’t tip and walk away knowing you had the option to tip for the quality of service you received. All I read above other than the point of waiters not being paid a minimum wage is simply justification to be an asshole. Nowhere in this article is it given any good reason not to tip.
In reply to Ryo
I find your plight absolutely laughable. It is impossible to sympathize with you given your crude, obscene judgment in your post: “It doesn’t matter what shit you spew from your mouth, because all you’ll ever be seen as by anyone other than your fellow deadbeats, is a cheap ass.” Let me elaborate on why your situation–why *your* denied, “deserved” tips makes me smile nearly ear-to-ear.
You do *not* volunteer the services of your vehicle to bring food to one’s house. You are *required* to do so, in order to perform the duties of your job. You might consider this a purely semantic difference, but from outside perspectives (read: not yours), you didn’t get the job and then say “hey, know what I’ll do? Let me drive my car and just reimburse me gas”. The job requirement includes you bringing your car, purposefully exploiting the fact that somebody of your intelligence doesn’t amortize the cost of wear and tear of your car on your wages. And they do this knowing full-well that no matter how good a job you do driving from one place to another–an unskilled labor–it probably won’t make that much difference to the tipping habits of your clientele, which is unlikely to be (purely speculation, of course) not people generous to tip an amount that can make your low wage job not a near-financial dead end.
So it baffles me to read you give such astutely sound advice: “stay home and cook if you want to save money so bad. Restaurants are expensive enough as it is.” But yet, you essentially complain that others are cheap-asses to not subsidize your poor decision to go into a job that has no remorse in exploiting your lack of attention to the not-even-vaguely-hidden costs of your job, which you seem to regard happily as your altruism to those who love pizza.
It doesn’t matter what shit you spew from your mouth, because all you’ll ever be seen as by anyone other than your fellow deadbeats, is a dumb ass delivering pizzas.
In reply to will
Will…you pretty much summed up EXACTLY my sentiments. Incredible.
You are NOT volunteering your car in any way whatsoever. It is apart of the job description.
Don’t like driving around wearing and tearing your car? Get another job. Pure and simple, just as simple as staying at home and cooking, am i wrong?
Why in the hell do foriegners that visit or move to the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA feel we as americans owe them something and have to bow down their culture. Well here’s a big FUCK YOU TO YOUR CULTURE, and learn how to get used to our culture while you are here in this country!!!!
In reply to Server in the united states
Ahem ahem. I thought capitalism was the essence of the “US” way of doing things?
Are you sure you’re American?
You are an ignorant asshole. What makes you think your job as a shop floor worker takes more skill than someone waiting on you? They multitask like nobodies business, run around doing 20 different things, lift heavy trays, clean up messes, stay on their feet all day long, etc, etc, ALL while taking deep breaths and trying not to blow up on assholes like you. Do everyone a favor, stay home and cook for yourself. Karmas a bitch. Don’t be surprised when it comes your way.
1. But the waiters get paid less than minimum wage because tips are included as part of their salary…
2. You acknowledge that the tips are part of their salary, say you’ll pay the bill because it covers their salary, but not contribute to the portion of the waiter’s salary from tipping? Hypocrite.
3. When has anyone ever said that to a customer and NOT gotten fired? Also, the tip comes at the end of the meal. So unless they have clairvoyance or a time machine they can’t know you won’t tip until the food is over and done with.
4. I think putting up with the bullshit customers do is reason enough to get paid extra. Sounds like he needs to work as a waiter for a while since he doesn’t understand the job.
5. So you work hard for your money and because of that you won’t pay the people working hard for theirs?
All in all, probably a troll post. No one can be this much of a douche and this retarded in reality.
You have bigger problems here to worry about then tipping or not. I would take a big long hard look at myself in the mirror and wonder what the hell happened to me to make me such a bitter self-serving asshole. Its very obvious that you were never treated right as a child, and must have alot going on to make you feel like you deserve to be on some pedastal high above the rest of us. Honestly, I just feel sorry for you, as it must be hard for you to keep friends since it would be massively embarrassing to dine out with you, and I cant even imagine your attitude in real life. I cant imagine that you have any friends. Your attitude tells me you werent raised right by your family, so I imagine you arent close with them either. My only conclusion is that you are a lonely sad hateful man and will probably stay that way for the rest of your life. You are obviously incapable of thinking of others, or having pride or humility. I picture you in a corner with your thumb in your mouth, clutching your blanket and handfuls of money screaming, “MINE! ITS MINE!!!” Get over yourself. You dont get to ignore a custom in this country because you dont like it. What if I suddenly decided I didnt like traffic lights? Should I stomp my feet and cry and drive through them? No because you can hurt people. And you hurt people and their families by not tipping. Grow up and follow the rules, or stay home and cook your own damn food.
You might just be the biggest POS I’ve ever encountered in my life. Stay home and do the human race a favor by not eating out.
First off the state government says how much we get paid as minimum wage as tipped employees. And in most states if u want to work in a place that serves alcohol u have to pay a fee to do so. For example in the state of Indiana we r paid 2.13 per hour and if we want to work somewhere that sell alcohol u buy a license at 45.00 for 3years. All of this we do to bring u your food. You knew when u sat down that a tip was expected if u don’t wanna tip there is. McDonald’s on almost every street in America. So here is to u asshole.