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.
OP is a prick.
don’t you feel emembarrassment from posting this in public?
I would say that you need to find more value in humanity, than your food. Mostly, waiters are college students doing what they can to survive throught hours and years of classes to get a better paying job, versus living off your wages. Kudos to them. Or maybe they have a nack for fastpast, rude customers like yourself.
Another reason Americans are encouraged to tip is because, restaurants know that your only coming to enjoy the FOOD, and thats why waiters are not paided well to begin with, however, a tip rewards the waiter for great service. Oh, looks like your ineed of more Pepsi, oh, whats that, no tip you say, well, sorry, you got your one glass of pepsi that your only willing to pay for.
Did you know that its a restaurants policy is to be FRIENDLY WITH THEIR TABLES? Its the reason why restaurants close their doors all over America, because their waiters sucked, and service was horrible. …
If you struggle this bad with your humanity, then maybe the problem starts with the person in the mirror, not the people bringing you your food or refills.
If you can’t afford to or refuse to tip then do not go to a restaurant. You obviously have never worked in service a day in your life, you would not last a minute in a server’s shoes.
In reply to logan mcconnell
I went to college so that I would never have to spend a single day as a server servant to the upper echelon of society. Since this is your life you should learn not to speak unless you’re spoken to. When I go out for dinner tipping you is the furthest thing from my mind to me you’re nothing but gum stuck to the bottom of my shoe.
In reply to Brianna
You’re the rudest thing I’ve ever encountered on an online comment. Guess what? Some servers go to college. I’m in my last year of getting a neuroscience degree. Being a server doesn’t mean you’re less of a person, it’s a job. A job that can pay the bills (or tuition) unless people like you walk in. You’re probably an ignorant rich kid who has never had to lift a finger to get anything they wanted. At least when some of us move on to careers based on our education, we will be well rounded and educated, not just educated.
I cannot believe there are neanderthals like you, who would even consider dining at a restaurant, a you clearly failed to adapt to a set of “social norms” in which are an important part of our culture. The concept of tipping, has been around longer than a woman’s right to vote, and has not changed a reason. Had it been something that clearly violated one’s rights as you indirectly state, this would have been abolished a long time ago. But it hasn’t, because it works. I work in a tourist industry, where I have had the plsure to serve people from all around te world. And have been praised from many customers, that come from areas of the world, in which, for instance, the waiters salary IS the employers responsibi nonlity, where tipping is nthe”noonoorm”. They told me that the quality of se rve compare, as waiters do not feel required to do anything above the minimum, because at the end of the day, walk away with the same salary. And no, they won’t get fired, for they are doing exactly what you insinuated we do, bring you your dish. They will not get you those extra olives for your martini, nor will they stress out when your rare steak comes out medium, or fight with the cooks who forgot toa a
I don’t tip and I am proud of it I am better than you and you are here to serve me. I have the money and make the rules. If you don’t like it get a real job.
In reply to Fredrico
You were just kidding right there, right?
In reply to Christina
This article is a troll-fest anyway. Americans know that when they go out to a restaurant that tipping on service is part of it, it’s customary, and frankly it’s expected. It says something about you as a person if you don’t – it points to a lack of class. Maitre’ds & sommeliers expect tips too. If you don’t want to tip, don’t eat out. It’s simple.
In reply to Fredrico
You’re a asshole. I’m 25 and raising six year old twin girls and I work as a waitress at a diner and you can’t give a tip? I stopped eating so my children can eat. I’m behind on my rent because I don’t have enough money. My daughter’s birthday is on Christmas eve and my birthday is on December 1 and I don’t think I can get them the presents they want/deserve. I’m not rude cause I wouldn’t want a rude waitress/waiter when I go out to eat. Their father(my ex husband) left me for when another women when I was four months pregnant. And no hire pregnant women. I hadlost my first job at a clothing store before I found I was pregnant and I couldn’t get another job until I had the babies. I hardly get decent tips but now any tip is decent. I don’t have a car so I have to walk and take a bus to work. And I’m going to night school to become a nurse but it’s hard to even do that because I can’t find anyone to watch my babies. My babies deserve more than this,more than me. But I WON’T put them up for adoption(if you can still do that if they’re six)they’re the reason why I wake up in the morning,the reason why I haven’t killed myself yet. They keep me going. Please stop being a inconsiderate bitch and give waitresses/waiters tip even if they’re rude. We need it. I get that it’s hard and money doesn’t grow on trees but we need the money. I always dreamed of being a pastry chef but the tuition fees are too expensive for me to afford. I can’t get a second job,i need to rauraise my children. Stop being a prick and give a GOOD five or six dollar tip
In reply to Gracie
Tough situation you’ve gotten yourself into. Be strong every day for yourself and for those kids. And kick that attitude that other people owe you something. Otherwise your next guy might be inclined to leave you as well. Good luck with the nursing studies. And remember to be thankful for any tips that you do receive. The author’s point #2 is valid, if not tactfully stated. In fact, it is incomplete. In a market-driven economy where supply meets demand, it is reasonable that a lower-skilled jobs earn less than skilled jobs. Study hard and be a great nurse. Budget well, and those kids will have some nice Christmases. But even if they don’t get the gifts they want, they have you and that is more important than any material gift that they could receive.
In reply to Gracie
Boo-hoo nobody gives a crap about your problems. . You make two dollars an hour you worthless unskilled piece of crap. Just shut up and bring me my lobster dinner. I don’t mind paying for the dinner but I’m not going to pay you to put it on the table. I will not be forced to tip you just for bringing me my food. I really don’t care what your financial situation is or your personal life. I am there to eat my food nothing more. I don’t care about you so just shut up and put food on the table.
In reply to Gracie
Pissed your life away and you are poor. Have no skills or future plans. Work as a poor waitress and I am supposed to care? News flash too fucking bad. It is not my responsibility to pay your wages. I don’t care if you cannot afford to feed your twin girls or pay your rent. I only care about paying my bill for the food I ate. I am responsible for nothing more. Don’t like it tooo freaken bad. Get a second job to pay your bills if this job does not pay enough.
In reply to Fredrico
Fredrico,
You have no class.
In reply to Fredrico
All you did was walk 50 feet and put food on my table if you want a tip get a real job. Screw you.
To all the cheap bastards who don’t think they need to tip waitresses for doing a good job, I understand. You’re probably one of the many cases of “balling on a budget”. You are not made of money, and there is nothing I can do as your waitress to make you less of a cheap joke.
Waitstaff have one of the worst jobs because we get paid less than three dollars an hour to do the jobs that no one else wants to do. I agree, there are other jobs out there. But, let’s say just hypothetically here, that someone is a waitress to put themselves through college (because let’s face it, not everyone’s daddy can put their kids through school) to get a “real job” where we wouldn’t have to deal with shitheads like you. Now, if you could live on less than three dollars an hour, PLEASE share because most responsible adults have bills.
Look, I’m not saying it’s right that we aren’t getting paid like normal human beings. Being a waitress is almost akin to being the stray dogs of society. We get scraps tossed “generously” to us from the table tops of those who are so much more privileged than us. We get beat by long hours, abusive customers, corrupt companies and yet if you speak out you loose the last glimmer of hope you had, your measly waiting job.
Maybe instead of arguing with ignorant people who look down their noses on other human beings just trying to make a living, we should just get down and dirty and let the world know what really is going on behind the fetch of restaurant service.
Please do me a favor….what if they did get a reasonable wage? The food prices would fucking skyrocket, this is the most ignorant post I’ve ever seen
It baffles me that some people think all we do is bring food to your table. Maybe if my job title was a “FOOD RUNNER” but its not… I take you to your table ie HOST…I Take your order, make your salads, get you drinks, refill your drinks, bring your food to you and whatever else you would like with it -condiments ect…. I also bus your table and clean up after you. AND after thats all said and done after we close I sweep and mop the entire restaurant clean all surfaces, roll silverware, clean bathrooms, prep food stations for the following day and We also tip out from what you tip us the HOST, BARTENDER and BUSERS if we don’t do that job ourselves. We are the only front of the house cleaning crew so if you feel like tipping us for just bringing your food is too much maybe because you dont know what else we do for you to enjoy the atmosphere at the restaurant. maybe we should stop cleaning stuff if you stop tipping us. Im willing to bet 99.9% of you saying tipping is necessary have never worked in the service industry because your ignorance is showing. Im in grad school and I will not serve after Im done but I wont ever think Im better than someone who does serve. YOU people making this comments are disgusting and VERY IGNORANT and should maybe get carryout if you don’t want to pay a server. OR maybe you are SO RIGHT… im sure this multi-billion dollar industry has been needing someone like you to finally tell us how it should be done! But then again, your probably just an idiot who feels good making other people feel like what they do for a living isnt worth being paid to do.. I bet i can make an argument for your lines of work as well with the same ignorant bliss yall have shared with us. JUST STAY HOME!!
These comments are so sad and pathetic, just as the article is. I’m sorry the point here is that servers are servers, not servants. It is the business and government structure. Ever heard of minimum wage? I guess the author hasn’t, because the only reason employers are allowed to pay their servers below minimum is because they TIPPED employees. It’s more than the fact that it’s the American norm, it’s how these businesses are run here. This isn’t so in the Middle East, Europe or other areas of the world, but when you come to a new country you are expected to follow their ways so as not to offend. Wouldn’t everyone agree? This is why you’ll see every restaurant worker run, look away and hide when Arabs, blacks, Indians or other cultural/racial groups known for non tipping walk into a restaurant. Servers loose money when people don’t tip, this is because they have to tip out all the other people that do tasks so that you can have a fresh meal prepared and delivered to you without any clean up. People who don’t tip are no more than ignorant, self righteous assholes. Period.
Replace tipping with higher priced food and a higher wage. Stop being addicted to the past and “normal” culture. Easy solution.