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 just wanted to point something out. Obviously, some people either agree or disagree with tipping. I personally HIGHLY disagree with tipping.
I do want to ask, WHY ALL THE NAME CALLING? This blog has turned into a hate mongering commen section. I’m seeing comments such as “go f yourself and die” and “you area gigantic c…”
Is there something wrong with you people? DO you need to go to anger management? Can’t you all act like human beings?
Big deal we disgree with tipping, but that is NOT an excuse to call anyone a c… I REFUSE to repeat that word since it is so horrific.
I think everyone, tippers and non-tippers alike need to really re-evaluate how they comment on a website.
All of you need to learn to show some humility and respect for one another. Disagree, heck I’d even say be a little patronizing, but telling someone to “die” and calling someone a “c…” is WAY overboard.
Wow! How hateful some people are! If you think that servers don’t deserve tips, I dare you to be one for a day. I have never been a server, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate what they do. If you don’t want to leave a tip then that’s your prerogative, but don’t make it seem like tipping a server is wrong.
In reply to Cheryl
Servers are greedy dumb asses that think they are entitled to a tip because they walked 30 feet from the kitchen to my table. That is not worthy even of a thank you.
I can’t be a server for a day in your shoes because I am not retarded.
In reply to Gordon
You sure about that?
In reply to Cheryl
He may not be retarded, but he wasn’t smart enough to realize you never worked as a server when he referred to “your” shoes. As David said below, these are mindless trolls. They must have miserable lives, so they try to make others miserable with them. Either pity them or simply laugh at their pitiful behavior and move on, but don’t feed them…. They wouldn’t tip anyway! :p
People, these are either internet “trolls” or truly miserable human beings. The more you acknowledge them the more important they feel. I wouldn’t waste too much time with them
if servers “don’t deserved to be tipped” then why don’t you just eat at home or order take out? If you can afford a bottle of Dom every night then you sure as hell can afford a privet chef. do the world a favor and STAY HOME.
And you have NO position to judge someone’s occupation unless you have been in those uncomfortable shoes for 12+ hour shifts. You see it as dropping off food but its a lot more than that. We are serving assholes and drunks and idiots and making sure your entire experience was worth while. Not tipping is just showing how ungrateful you are that someone genuinely went out of their way to make sure you had a pleasant experience. Servers aren’t phony, you’re just pretentious.
just stay home if you live that miserable of a life.
In reply to Christen
I can do as I please that is none of your concern. Waiters, waitresses, are servers that is the only way you will ever get into exclusive organizations. You are too low socially and financially to even speak your mind without repercussions. Perhaps you should save your pennies and purchase more comfortable shoes for your unskilled 12 hour shift. I went to an Ivy League college so I am entitled, you were born in a trailer park.
In reply to Lily
This Lily skank is obviously a troll. Will people please stop taking her seriously? I’m guessing that if she went to an Ivy League school and somehow makes tons of money, she wouldn’t have time or interest in trolling the internet. Even if she’s not a troll, her behavior only goes to show what white trash she truly is. By the Way, going to an Ivy League school doesn’t make you special. My husband graduated from South Dakota School of Mines and he likely makes more money than you. Don’t believe me? Here’s some proof: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-17/harvard-losing-out-to-south-dakota-in-graduate-pay-commodities.html
Never mind, i guess the name callling continues.
“Born in a trailer park.”
Seriously Lily? Who says that? I mean c’mon.
I HATE tipping, don’t get me wrong, but seriously? “Born in a trailer park?”
Would you say that to someone face to face? Give me a break.
Gordon:
I can’t be a server for a day in your shoes because I am not retarded.
Seriously? I am not retarded?
Heck I am anti tip but I wouldn’t call a waiter/waitress retarded. That’s just ludicrous
People, START ACTING LIKE HUMAN BEINGS. Disagree with tipping, but don’t call each other “retards” and claim the other person was born in a trailer park. It makes us all look like bunch of dumb entitled idiots.
I did it funny that rich britches want to say how they dont tip at restraunts when served a $175 bottle of Dom. Im not sure how far your education goes or how poor you really are but on your receipt the word gratuity means tip and at most fine dinning establishment’s you bill includes gratuity so you are required to tip your servers… so either you’re uneducated or you have never actually been served at anyone such restraunts.
In reply to sam
I have been to some of the finest restaurants in the United States. The Supreme Court ruled a restaurant cannot force a person to pay the tip or gratuity.
If I ever saw the tip placed on my bill I would simply cross it out . Screw all you waitresses and waiters I will never tip you. What a fool you are to think that you have to pay the tip. You never have to worry about paying the tip even if they do include gratuity just cross it out. This happens to me a lot in New York City.
In reply to Jasper
I have only been to two fancy restaurants where they tried to put the gratuity on my bill. I refused to cross out. I made them give me a new bill with no tip on it. I told them how dare you and because of that I refused to tip. Truth is I never tip. I just wanted to piss them off extra.
In reply to Jasper
You are the biggest asshole. You should never eat out!! Hopefully you are a good cook. If you can’t afford to tip keep your broke ass home. Servers and bartenders depend on there tips to pay there bills. No one would be a server or bartender if they didn’t make tips. You sir are an ass. You should not be able to eat or drink at a bar or resturant in less you have work in one. Bad tippers are the worst guest in restaurants. Servers and bartenders will remember you always. And if you stiff you bartender you will get super weak drinks and you will be ignored and sitting there looking stupid waiting for help. Slavery is over!!!! Do the right thing and leave a descent tip!!
In reply to Jasper
That is an interesting belief that you have. You do need prayer but you wont believe it you arrogant, atheist and racist bastard.
Finally!
Someone who has seen the reality of tipping.
This article hit the nail on the head, Restaraunts need to pay more. I refuse to tip and I also hate the fake attitudes as well.
Nicely put
In reply to Kay
It is common for rich people not to tip. They see no value in what the waiter or waitress does. Carrying food from the kitchen to my table seems like a silly job for an adult. To rely on the kindness of others to put food in your mouth is like begging. I see 20% saved as 20% earned. Keeping my money is what it is all about. That is why I don’t tip.
Restaurants will never pay more money because even common people will not tolerate a price increase to have food placed on a dinner table by a simpleton.
In reply to Kay
Another idiot, who has never done the job but wants to put her useless two cents in. The restaurants are never going to pay more as long as the government doesn’t make them. You don’t like fake attitudes? Seriously? Then don’t ever go out in public EVER again. That’s what dealing with the public is all about! Clearly you have no concept of the real world, just like the author of this inaccurate, ridiculous, and insulting article. When you go to the mall, do you REALLY think the sales person is complimenting your outfit because she thinks you really have style??? Uhh, NOT. They’re trying to make a sale. Same at a car dealership, a restaurant, or anywhere else you go to buy something. Please, get a clue and grow up, you ignorant judgemental morons.
In reply to CC
Very well said.
if you don’t like tipping,dont sit your ass down on the seat,how dare you sit there and judge someone you don’t know.we work our ass’s off to take care of you.take your ass to the drive thru.i don’t want your ignorant money anyway,selfish asshole.
Ok, let’s calm down a bit.
When you go to a restaurant you are not only paying for your food. You are paying for the delivery truck to drop it off, the cook to cook it, the bus boy to clean and set the table, the dishwasher to wash your plates, even the gas and electric bill for your usage.
Serving is not included in this because it is the best way to control the quality of your servers. A restaurant does this because servers are the front line of customer service. If you have awful service your Likely to not return to the restaurant, which is clearly bad for business. If they continually revive bad tips, Their quality as a serve becomes quickly noticed, this a manager can take proper action regarding their employment.
Also, just to be clear, a server does way more then bring your meal. They take your order, fill drinks, bring you an appetizer, soup salad, main dish, and bend over backwards to make sure you are happy, and they are doing this for up to 10 tables at once. Keep in mind also, just because you may be nice to your server doesn’t mean everyone is. Being continuously yelled at when something is out of your control is very hard on the average human. It’s stressful and will take it’s tole on you. Just keep in mind that it’s not the greatest job.
In conclusion, the world basically has 2 options. Open restaurants that include the service in the bill amongst everything else, or keep things the way they are now. But if you do go to a restaurant that includes it in the bill, be prepared for some horrible service.
In reply to Tom
When I go to a restaurant, even a fancy restaurant where entrées are over $100 The only money I am obligated to pay is the menu price. That price includes everything you described. That is the price the restaurant needs to charge to turn a profit.
The restaurant does not care about the wage for the waiter and neither do I.
The duties of the waiter that you described are very simple and unskilled. I now understand why serving class people are not even paid minimum wage. Instead of bitching and moaning like you. I went to an Ivy League college to keep people like you serving me.
In reply to Saraphini
Woah, “sarfai” whatever the fuck your name is, I am so glad you went to an Ivy League school and never had to serve a table in your whole life, you are so awesome, that is so cool that with your education you come on here and make comments on how you go to fancy restaurants with your groupon coupons and don’t tip. Thats like so cool with your education you still have time to go on blogs and talk about how you don’t tip. YOU SOUND LIKE THE BEST PERSON EVER TO GO OUT WITH, I say this because its funny that you are such a miserable person that it sounds like when you go on dates you end up paying for at least half the bill. P.S. I would love to serve you P.s.s are you indian?