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.
To call a human a loser and sat their job is unskilled ha you people make me laugh serving isn’t an easy job I’d like to see all you “high society” people try it out and us losers let you wait on us and us treat you how you treat us. Our job is very skilled we have to be able to hold our anger in from wanting to punch you assholes in the face and just stand there with a smile. We aren’t losers and aren’t unskilled we are surviving in this world just as you. Some work at restaurants to get through school. Some are working because they got layer off from another job some are just fresh out of high school. Whatever the reason it’s not a fake job as people would cause I don’t work at my fake job to pay my fake bills. You don’t want to tip that’s fine just don’t go out and stop being dick.
In reply to jordan
I am very wealthy because of my education and investments. I’m not here to brag. I have the expensive clothes, jewelry, house and Porsche. There really isn’t any more material items I want. My only real enjoyment I get is dining out at very exclusive restaurants. The dishes are extremely complex and fancy. I am not able to make them at home. I had a personal chef but he really wasn’t that great. I don’t like to tip and I refuse to. All you have to do is bring me my meal, and a vintage bottle of wine. Go away I don’t need you anymore. You won’t do that though. You have to come back every three minutes to top off my water glass. Or feel the need to bring my wine glass to the half level. I really don’t want to see your face again except for dessert. What I really wish I could do is pick up the food myself so I didn’t even have to speak to you. My average bill is about $500 for two. Leaving you a $100 tip is ridiculous. Your job is not a dignified profession for an adult. When you speak I don’t look at you because I think you are extremely beneath me. I truly don’t even understand the purpose of your employment. I would pay extra money if I didn’t even have to look at you. The restaurant should replace you with iPads on the table so that I can place my order. I certainly don’t need you.
In reply to Penelope
Yes you can order through iPads my job has them there great!! But who’s going to bring your food your drink anything else you desire you simply can’t walk right in the kitchen and get it yourself. You feel as if I’m beneath you ha sir your beneath me for how petty you are. All you you care about is money and expensive stuff that’s fine just rehire a better home cook So no one has to deal with you
To be honest, unless you’ve worked as a waitor before, you don’t really have a right to be making comments about what a eaitors job consists of. Yes, waitors bring food and refill drinks, but it is certainly not only for you. Sometimes it’s for 7 or more different tables at a time. It’s a lot of running around, and you’re carrying very heavy trays most of the time (if you aren’t, you’re slacking and you’ll fall behind.) I’m a waitress and I completely agree with you that the employers should pay a higher wage. But the fact of the matter is that they do not. So you not tipping is not “sticking it to the man” and proving a point that you don’t think this is a fair practice. Instead, not tipping is making your waitor or waitress work for free. We also do not keep all of our tips. I tip out about $100 a week to the hosts and bartenders, and the percentage is based off of my sales, not my tips. Meaning if every single one of my tables were to stiff me, I would have to bring in money from home to pay for the tip share. I would be leaving work with less money than what I walked in with. Tipping at a restaurant does not pay us “more” for doing our job. It’s our only source of income. We never actually see that $2 an hour because it automatically goes to taxes. The one time I actually DID receive a paycheck, it was for 83 cents. Is this your fault? Of corse not! But if you really feel so strongly about this, there are much better ways to take a stand rather than hurting the people who don’t deserve it. Just thought I should clear things up for you.
In reply to Victoria
You are a lying sack of shit. http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm I hope this clears things up for you stupid
Being a waitress is no less unskilled than any other “job” and most waitresses would like to have another job or even a career and do it to get by until they can fulfill their degrees. I know. Most of us are not career waitresses so we deserve the respect and pay that anyone else does. Your 15 % is the least you should pay and by the way if you don’t already know most of us have the added duty to do food prep. We make salads and soup and desserts often. We are responsible for cleaning and money also. Aside from that we also have to work other jobs to make ends meet. Don’t ever treat a server like crap near me because you will not win. The only people who I allow to get away with not tipping me are people I know are very poor because the meal at my restaurant might be the only hour or two of humanity they see in a month.
You should be forced to work as a waiter and never have an ounce of money otherwise to see how you like it. Ignorant piece of shit.
In reply to Amy
Job application for waitress:
Gross tattoos and piercings
GED or no high school
Stupid and lazy
Thinks the world owes them
Lives in a trailer park
Total lack of ambition
Gets confused easily
Likes the excuse that I’m going to college
Couldn’t get a job in her field because it was worthless so now I’m a waitress
Must be so simple that you think this is a skilled job
If you can say yes to five of these you’re hired!!!
WOW…There are some real cunts
Tip your server or stay the fuck home
You comment saying that a server did not invent the food and did not make the food and all of that is accurate, alebit obvious, but a server’s job is to make you enjoy your experience. ITS THE SERVICE INDUSTRY! Server’s that should be appreciated do small things to provide you a most enjoyable service. I am a server at a brunch/breakfast cafe and when I bring a customer a small tea kettle with extra hot water for their tea, or offer honey and lemons for their tea, or wrap up their food for them, or make recommendations on the most popular items, or get you free things like extra bread or dipping sauces that we’re technically supposed to charge for, or promptly filling your water glass when they’re no less than half full, or a million other small actions that make your experience better. It is our job to “serve” you, so let us do that. And if you feel that we did that successfully and positively impacted your dining experience, why is it wrong to give a monetary tip to your server?
I sincerely disagree with your comments on being friendly. Hey, I’m a people person and I am good at my serving because of that. But I also know how to read my tables and can tell who is in the mood to chat and who is there for strictly business (a.k.a. eating, lol). I cater my services to each unique customer and can provide them with what they’re expecting. So no, I would never force inane conversation on a diner who isn’t receptive. So I ask again, why is it wrong to provide a monetary tip to your server who makes an effort as such?
To comment on employers paying us so little. IT IS A STANDARD MINIMUM WAGE DETERMINED BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR SERVERS, not by the employers. So if you have an issue with tipping, take it up with them.
Lastly, I’m sure you’ve heard this argument many times, but when I collect my weekly checks from my place of employment they are never over $10 and almost consistently read $0.00. Therefore, you dining without tipping your server, means that I am working for you, FOR FREE! Please at least have respect for the server’s livelihood. Your argument is severely flawed and if you feel as though you don’t need to leave a tip, order takeout or cook at home.
In reply to R M
Liar liar pants on fire http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm
In reply to Tax Guy
You sir, are an idiot. It clearly states the tipped minimum wage. In Florida it is $5.03. That’s $3 below minimum wage you wanker. It’s fine that you don’t have common decency or a smidgen of empathy, and clearly are not from this country, but do you have to be an insulting asshole about it?
In reply to Rey
I am a busbuy and I do more than the servers I bring out the food( which sometimes I hate to lift over 60 pounds worth of plates at once) I have to clean all the tables, sometimes I do the server’s work and I don’t get any tips. The only thE only thing that servers do is put the order in the computer and take the food off my tray and they complain that they only left 2 dollars. Seriously sometimes they make over 200 dollars of tips in one night and they complaint it’s not enough that’s my whole paycheck in one night. And you saying that they make $3 dollars below minimum wage is kinda invalid. One example is I make around 50 dollars on one shift(6 hours) that means they make around 30 dollars working the same shift as me so if we are really suppposed to tip you because you don’t make minimum wage your total tips should only be 20 dollars so that you can make the same money as me. It’s like McDonald’s employees asking for 15 dollars an hour for working an unskilled job.
In reply to Rey
Yes it is three dollars under minimum wage. However you are forgetting you’re just a waiter. I still think five dollars an hour is still too much money for you. Waiting tables is pathetic, have some pride go to school get a skill get a real job.
In reply to Rey
Read the Florida chart again retard. If you don’t make $8.03 an hour including tips, then the employer has got to pay the difference. The cash wage was around five an hour but the total has got to equal 8.03. So either way you still make the Florida minimum wage which is still way too much for you drivers today.
In reply to Tax Guy
We absolutely remember faces Tax Guy. So next time you come in this will be your experience.
30 minutes to be greeted
10 minutes to get your drinks
20 minutes to come back and take your order
30 minutes to put your order in that I forgot
15 minutes to bring your side you asked for
25 minutes to bring you your bill
Then when I bring your change or credit card back I will send you away with
“Alls well that ends ok fuck you but have a nice day!”
In reply to Clint
I really want you to do that to me because I’ll tell you what will happen next. I will contact the manager, district manager, and the corporate office. Not only will my meal be free but I will get a gift certificate to come back again. You will be unemployed. It would not be the first time I ran into this problem. No tip for you. A restaurant needs wealthy patrons. A restaurant does not need worthless waiters that make patrons not want to come back. You are very easily replaceable.
In reply to Jade
I have not waited tables in years, so your immature little whining will not bother me. However it is really sad to see someone get so much enjoyment out of being an asshole. I can not imagine how sad and pathetic your life must be. You really should worry more about the waiter doing something to your food. I never did because little pricks like you were not worth all that. I did know plenty of waiters that would though. So you have probably eaten some scrotum sweat or worse a few times. Assholes always get what they deserve.
In reply to Nick
Nick I will always be better than you. I will always be waited on. While you will always be serving patrons like me. The upper echelon of society allows little people like you to have a job. I can also take that little job away from you very easily. Don’t you forget that. If you display any attitude around me, I will crush you like a bug. If you think treating patrons poorly will not have repercussions you are very foolish. I will also never tip because I am more important than you. I want to make sure you understand that. The automobile I drive would probably take you 10 years of wages if you saved every penny. Just imagine The hardships I could create for you with my pocket change. If you were ever foolish enough to ruin my dinner, I would make sure I ruined your life for a long time to come. Waiters should always know their place in society. It’s under the whale shit on the ocean floor.
In reply to Jade
Wow, what a stupid cunt. It’s always funny to me when I see spoiled little rich people who are so proud of mommy and daddy’s money. Good job on never having to accomplish anything for yourself. The sad part is that you don’t even have a clue as to how pathetic and worthless you really are.
In reply to Jade
Just be aware that if a server wants to mess with your food and “you get them fired” like you said servers are very easily replaceable. That server will a have a new job by the next day and if you walk into that restaurant they could do it again
In reply to Jade
Yes I’m sure everything you have posted about yourself is true, that is why you have to brag about it over and over again over the internet. I don’t wait tables anymore so I don’t have to deal with little dick losers like you anymore, I was just trying to warn you that if you are half the prick you claim to be then you have eaten someone’s asshairs. Once again I’m sure that you really are in the upper echelon of society and not just some teenager trolling on his mom’s computer. No really, I believe you.
In reply to Jade
Wow you’re a cunt. lol
It’s cool if you don’t want to tip, just tell me first and a manager will take care of you and make sure you get everything you need. I agree that tipping doesn’t make sense, but it’s the reality of the industry and I won’t take care of you for free. If you truly believe in not tipping, please tell your server beforehand. I wouldn’t spit in your food, and service wouldn’t be an issue because as I said previously a manager would be taking care of you. Not tipping doesn’t make someone a bad person, but not letting a person know before the service starts is cowardly and just as unethical as the practice of tipping. I do hope you read this, because I realize a lot of people have just jumped down your throat without wanting to discuss the issue. I apologize for the others in my industry, they only react because while some are lazy entitled cunts, many more are hard working people trying to make ends meet in the only field where it’s possible to be a full time student and a part time employee and still pay your bills. I understand that has nothing to do with you, but many people supporting the thoughts presented here are saying we are lucky to have this job and shouldn’t complain. Are we really? We work for a company that doesn’t pay us and we are lucky? I work for a restaurant that is performance based. If I fuck up I don’t get shifts so I’m not lucky, I’m very good at my job which contrary to your article is to engage my guests and to give them an experience. I hope you do tell your servers that you don’t tip from now on, you’ll start to see which restaurants are worth going to and which aren’t.
In reply to Jake Brose
You seem very pleasant. Let’s be honest. Nothing a waiter does is worthy of extra money. Plus we all know you make min wage even with no tips since it is the law. When you mess up your life waiting tables seems to be the go to job. You can be drunk and brain dead.
In reply to Fred
Minimum wage? I don’t know where you get your facts at, but definitely not correct. Servers/bartenders in most states make anywhere from $2.13-$5 an hour. Since when did tipping become an issue? You’d like your food to come out correct? You don’t want to cook it correct? You want to be served in a timely and satisfying matter? Then tip. Most people in the service industry have other “real jobs” on the side or are in college. I have a friend that went to college got her masters but she doesn’t make even close to what she makes serving. And quite frankly, it isn’t THAT easy. Have you ever served before? No? You should try it some time. And when you work a 4 hour shift with crappy people who talk down to you, even though your know deep inside you hold a higher iq, and you make well over $100 in 4 hours, then you can talk on it. After busting your butt to grab people their extra sides of sauce while not charging for it, or their refills of the soda for the umpteenth time , and that table leaves you $3 on a $50 bill. Yeah, most people aren’t going to be too happy about that. When people go out to eat, then are expected to tip just as we are expected to give great service. If you don’t want friendly stay home in your dark miserable cave that obviously people like this have. You don’t want to tip, stay the heck home! Cook your own food, serve yourself. End of story.
In reply to rude people make me sick
Right here retard http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm end of story
In reply to rude people make me sick
Just finished dinner at Applebee’s with three buddies. Bill was $110 and we busted the waiters butt. We left zero tip. The waiter is a loser anyways get a real job.
In reply to Sam
I don’t tip either. Waiting tables is the lowest of the low jobs. Just bring me my food shut up and go away. My tip to you is get a real job. Waiting tables is a good job for the mentally disabled. If you’re not retarded and wait tables it’s because you’re stupid and lazy.
In reply to Jason
I guarantee the majority of the people commenting are white! Enough said
In reply to white people sux
Yes most of the people commenting are white. The blacks don’t have jobs and just want to rob the restaurant with a stolen gun.
In reply to Sam
You my friend are a piece of shit..hopefully you an anyone like you have karma coming your way..
In reply to Fred
When you order food in a full service restaurant you are culturally and socially obligating yourself to purchase food, as well as service. If you do not want to pay for service I suggest you restrict yourself to either fast food or fast casual restaurants where you would pay a cashier upon ordering. Fine dining and casual dining restaurants employ a full service business model which, again, obligates you as a customer to pay for food, and service. By this logic, technically everything a server does from before the customers arrive, to well after they leave is worth the standard 15%-20% tip.
In reply to Not Dead Inside
The service you provide at a upscale restaurant it’s not even worth minimum wage. How dare you think you’re worthy of extra money.
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If you’re my server, don’t be a cunt or get in my business and I will tip you. If you are a cunt or get in my business I won’t be a cunt back, I simply won’t tip you. It’s not your job to pretend to be my friend. I’m out to eat to eat and in most cases enjoy the company I brought along or joined, not the company of the server that was told to pretend to like me.
You guys would think that if servers were really the backbone of their restaurant, that they would have the ‘backbone’ to fighting for their minimum wage so they wouldn’t have to complain about not getting enough tips.