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.
1. I absolutely agree that waiters and waitresses deserve a decent wage, maybe even above the minimum wage. Most of them work hard. But the biggest benefitter of their hard work is not the diner but the business owner who is making the profits. Average Joes get a just wage, sloppiness gets the pink slip and only those who go above and beyond get the variable pay/bonus/tip – that should be the rule. Why should a waiter/waitress have to rely on superlative service to just get the federal minimum wage? Minimum service equals minimum wage and the employer must pay that. That would require amending the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
2. Even with the way FLSA stands right now, a worker must be paid an hourly wage not below the greatest of federal and local minimum wage limits, after adding all tips. If the restaurant owner blames the diner for a waiter’s wage falling below the minimum wage, then he/she is cashing on the waiter’s ignorance. If you are such a waiter, you must consult a labor attorney on how you could sue for unpaid wages and then some more.
In reply to Allen DSouza
I’m confused about your views on point 1. A waiter/watiress doesn’t have to rely on superlative service to get the federal minimum. Per part 2, they legally get the federal minimum.
Also, I’d never consider it hard work, unless you’re comparing it to sitting around collecting welfare or something. The fact that it’s active (sometimes) in no way makes it difficult. It certainly isn’t intellectually challenging. The reason it pays so little is because that is what people are willing to accept for the work. That’s pretty much how every wage/salary works. That quite literally means that’s what the work is worth.
In reply to What a joke
What I meant was the minimum wage should be paid for just doing the minimum work and any exceptional service should cause the waiter’s wage to go beyond the minimum wage. That can happen if the employer pays the minimum wage without taking into account the tips received. Current system that is biased in favor of the employer may cause a waiter providing exceptional service to just get minimum wage, just like another waiter doing the bare minimum. Using a customer-initiated variable incentive for good performance to meet an employer’s statutory obligation of a minimum wage is unfair for any worker, in my opinion.
In reply to Allen DSouza
The current system isn’t biased in favor of the employer. It specifically says that any laws that vary on a state level that are more beneficial to the employee apply in place of federal.
The current system exists because of the tipping mentality. The reason employers are allowed to use the tip credit is because of the fact servers get paid tips. It’s not the other way around – with servers getting tips to make up for the tip credit. Basically, the idea is the job is worth a certain amount, and even the government views tipping as basically “taking out the middle man.” If people would simply stop tipping, then servers would get a standard wage just like everyone else.
That’s not going to happen so long as American servers believe their work is worth more than it is, like the rest of the world already knows.
In reply to What a joke
It is definitely somewhat intellectual. Loads of memorization, consolidation, and multi tasking under pressure. I think if everyone participated at least once in their lifetime, opinions would change dramatically. You can’t relate or know until you experience something.
In reply to Justin
Loads of memorization? There is a pad of paper where you write down a freaking table number and what everyone wants, and even then at least 10% of the time something is wrong.
Loads of people have done it and don’t think servers deserve tips. Hell, $Bill did it and he’s one of the most adamant people againat tipping. Many servers have commented here that it’s an incredibly easy job.
The problem is people are lazy. They want to act like what they do is so hard because they have to get up and walk around if things happen to get busy. If it’s so much harder than what others do to actually EARN a living wage, why aren’t they doing the “easier” job instead? The fact is it’s not more difficult. The reason they don’t do the other job is because it takes real work and dedication. Even for unskilled jobs it doesn’t compare to manual labor, where people spend 10 hour shifts lifting, carrying, and/or moving heavy things. It doesn’t compare to the tedium of working on an assembly line where you do the exact same thing day in and day out. Hell, it doesn’t compare with working in a call center because, even if you have a few bad customers a day in a restaurant (and no, people who don’t tip but are otherwise cordial don’t count), it doesn’t compare to the fact that few people call customer service to tell them they’re happy with things.
The only thing serving tables is harder than is not working at all, and even then only with the caveat that it’s by choice and all bills are taken care of for you.
In reply to Justin
Bringing food and drink to a table is not multitasking. Your job is unskilled, requires no advanced education or specialized training.
The only memorization required for you is the path from the bar, food preparation area, and the location of the dining room.
In reply to Allen DSouza
Waiters and waitresses should never make a good wage. The job is simple and unskilled. Get a real job if you want to enjoy the finer things in life.
Your life is meant to be poor and miserable if this is your job.
In reply to $Bill
tell that to everyone 50 years ago in the United States.
In reply to why dont you just go kick a puppy
50 years ago waiting tables was just as simple then as it is now. The job payed poorly then, just as it does now.
In reply to $Bill
You sound like a piece of garbage, those are people too, human beings. Of course they deserve a good wage.
In reply to thelsea
People performing unskilled labor do not deserve a good wage. That is the reason they make minimum wage. Minimum skill equals minimum wage paid.
You’re a piece of shit! I bet you’re broke af I hope you suck dick on the shop floor forever you cheap scumbag. Go fuck your fay ugly wife
The guy who wrote this is absolutely a cheap piece of trash. Way to treat another human being as sub-par just because of their job, you insufferable twat. You. Are. BAD. Just BAD. Your points are ridiculous and you sound like a major asshole who I’d be ashamed to go out to eat with. Fuck off.
In reply to thelsea
You sound like an entitled piece of shit that thinks they should be paid extra money for doing their job. I am not your employer. It is not my responsibility to pay you. Get a real job if you want to make more money.
As a customer my only responsibility is to pay for the food I ordered.
This is really a silly stance to take. If you can’t afford at least 15% ($1.50) per dollar spent which is low then stay home and eat or use a drive thru. Most servers are just that serving you, which we gladly accept the service they provide directly to us, so why not provide a small stipend to their income. The wage for severs in most cases is low to keep the prices of the meal down. To raise the wage the diner will raise the $10.00 plate to $15.00 or more. To your point I am turned off by the extras servers feel compelled to do. I just want speedy, accurate service done politely, and for that I’ll tip accordingly. To think severs are some how unskilled and therefore deserve less is ignorant. Many a doctor, lawyer, etc. have paid their way during college this way, so be careful the server you don’t tip today could be the doctor to do that surgery you may need.
In reply to RW
Okay, first off your math is wrong, moron.
Second off, we can afford 15%. We could afford 100%. The point is there’s no valid reason to tip them. You’re absolutely wrong about the wage for servers being meant to keep costs down. Most of the world does not tip, and the cost of their restaurants are not any higher. They are serving because that’s the job. The job they are paid to do. The job that, by LAW, they receive minimum wage for, with or without tips. The FEDERAL minimum, at the very least. It is not the customer’s responsibility to pay them, and it isn’t the customer’s responsibility to pay their tuition, either.
Oh, and servers are unskilled because the definition of unskilled means requiring no education. They train monkeys to be servers, and I’ll tell you something – you ask the people dining in those restaurants what they think of their servers and they will tell you they are better servers than most people they’ve had.
In reply to What a joke
Hope you don’t go in the same place twice. Lord knows I’d leave your ass sitting there looking stupid waiting on that water with three lemons if I knew no tip would follow. You would be the last person to receive anything. And us servers can pull off neglect and keep our jobs just fine. Actually most manages are going to side with the server about neglecting you after they fake apologize to you. I think you’re selfish and probably single and have to pay for sex. I understand. And BTW I’ve worked with many servers and had more intellectual ability in their left nut than your entire brain. And you actually do have to be somewhat more capable than most would expect in regards to intelligence. You go wait on 25 to 40 people at the same time asking for 100 different things simultaneously. And expecting it in a matter of seconds while expecting you to be effective and efficient the entire experience. You’re a joke alright.
In reply to Justin
I dare you to do that to me one time. I promise you it will never happen twice.
You will be collecting unemployment. A restaurant needs and appreciates wealthy patrons. Without our money supporting the restaurant you won’t have a job anyways.
Waiters and waitresses are a dime a dozen, and very easily replaced.
In reply to RW
Not only are you ignorant, but you are very stupid. I really didn’t want to have to post this link again it must appear on this website over 1000 times.
http://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm
WITH OR WITHOUT TIPS you stupid moron, waitresses make Federal minimum wage. If minimum wage is higher than Federal min wage in their state, then they get the State minimum wage. Whichever is higher.
If you think the cost of food would raise that much, not only are you misinformed but you are a complete and utter moron. They already get minimum-wage and nothing got raised five dollars a plate.
The miserable cunt that wrote this is a no class cheap feltch monger. In this country it’s customary to tip when you’re being waited on. Your shitty attitude will eventually catch up to you.
In reply to James
Custom is a poor excuse for anything, and it isn’t even an American custom. Hell, the reason for it in the first place is as un-American as you can get. The purpose of tipping is to show off how much money you have and how you can get the poor to do more for you by offering them some change.
It originated in Europe, and even there they don’t do it unless it’s for exceptional service, and only a fraction of what we tip here.
There is absolutely no legitimate reason to tip. If you want to go on custom, you might as well bring back slavery and take away women’s rights. Just because people have done something for a long time doesn’t make it sensible or right.
In reply to James
European aristocrats brought tipping to the United States It was not given as a show of appreciation It was done to humiliate and embarrass the waiter. It was a show of wealth and power.
The United States government even made it illegal for a while. The great depression is when the government allowed it again. It was meant to help restaurant owners stay in business.
When the economy got back on track they were supposed to eliminate it again . Restaurant owners Petitioned the Federal Government leave it in place.
To prevent restaurant owners from not paying a fair wage this came about:
http://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm
That is the history and the so-called NOT American tradition you are talking about. You stupid ignorant fuck.
In reply to $Bill
To explain what $Bill was saying in more detail because I know it will go over the heads of the ignorant:
The entire reason the tip credit exists is because tipping exists. It is a legal allowance for business owners to reduce pay when service people get tips (note that it’s not because they CAN get tips, only when they actually do) so that the servers only get a fair wage for the work being done. Essentially the idea was tipping was simply taking out the middle man in pay.
Unfortunately, the expectation has gotten out of control, and servers think they deserve more than they get. Instead of doing what intelligent people do (get a better job), they somehow blame the customer for their poor career choices and financial difficulties.
Waiter is unskilled job ? Realy ? Why dont you try it ? You need more skills than you think my friend …one is to smile at you if you have this attitude….dont like waiters? McDonalds is allways there for you .
Enjoy
In reply to Alin
Many of the people who are against tipping have done it. They train monkeys to serve tables.
And that is beyond the fact that “unskilled” means it requires no education or formal training.
In reply to Alin
When I was a teen, I waited tables at an exclusive restaurant. It was the easiest most simple laziest job I ever had in my entire life.
Stop being a whiny bitch. As an adult if you do this for a living you should be fucking ashamed of yourself.
I work in retail and I bust my ass for every single customer but you don’t see me making any tips. The only thing waiters do is deliver my food to my table. They are not cooking it or preparing it or nothing so I don’t see why it’s necessary to give them anything over 5 dollar tip if they only come to your table less than 5 times. Theu get paid regardless of I tip them or not so I don’t see the point of a 2 digit tip honestly. Unless they were an excellent waiter: waitress that’s different. This is just my opinion no one has to agree with me.
In reply to Claire
I don’t understand why you think it’s necessary to tip the waitress?
You are not their employer and they make minimum-wage with or without tips.
You work hard for your money, why give it away to a server? They are paid by their employer to do the job they were hired to do. You are under no obligation to pay them extra money.
In reply to $Bill
Actually they don’t make minimum wage without tips. In Alabama a server makes like $2.18/hr and has to claim their tips which helps them make minimum wage. I’m sure being a waiter isn’t the hardest job but dealing with the public can be very hard. People can be cruel as you have showed. I worked at McDonalds when I was 16 and dealt with some mean people. Being cussed for no reason all with having to keep a smile on my face.
In reply to M
*sigh* Why do people continue to believe this lie? Servers, by Federal Law, make at least $7.25 with or without tips. And yes, Federal law supersedes state law unless the state law is more beneficial to the employee (read: if the state minimum wage is higher that is what they get).
Per the Department of Labor: If an employee’s tips combined with the employer’s direct wages of at least $2.13 an hour do not equal the Federal minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference.
https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm
In reply to M
Also, many, MANY jobs deal with the public and don’t get tips. McDonalds is a good example. Retail is another, or cashiers, or general customer service. Why should servers get tips when those people don’t? Why should anyone get tips, for that matter? It’s an employer’s job to pay them, and if they feel the pay is not adequate for the work they do, the answer is to find a job that pays more, not demand money from the customers.
I agree with not tipping. I’m a server and I completely detest tipping. However, I do have to point out that everywhere I’ve worked as a server I’m also doing a lot of food preparation as well. Not that it justifies a tip. But yeah. We do make some of the food
In reply to Bliss
Not really sure what you’re trying to say? You are a server and detest tipping. You do a lot of food preparation but say that does not justify a tip.
You were hired as a waitress that has other duties as well. So what!
In reply to $Bill
Im sorry, I thought my comment was pretty clearly just me stating a fact. What point does it need to make? Y’all are so argumentative.. Like why do you feel the need to reply to every comment? It wasn’t directed towards you. Is this your job? You both have responded individually to almost all the comments on this thread. It’s kind of frightening. I’m scared of you. You’re omnipresent . Watching our every move. Are you the comment police? Some kind of madman? Are you even the OP? Truly a mystery.
In reply to Oman
I don’t think $Bill was being argumentative, I think he was simply questioning why the food prep needed to be mentioned.
We respond because we get email notifications about responses and, having professional positions resulting from the hard work we’ve put in to our lives, have the luxury of taking a moment to respond.
In reply to What a joke
You have the luxury to respond to emails at your job? Wow much luxury many nice things.
In reply to Oman
The luxury to do it whenever we want, smartass.
In shitty, minimum wage type jobs if you are caught on your phone or using computers for non-business reasons at any time other than a scheduled break your ass gets fired.
In reply to What a joke
I’m a smart ass? Just making my replies as ridiculous as you do. Your job ain’t shit and you ain’t shit. acting like you the bees knees cuz you can reply to comments. Lmao. Your job sounds cool. I actually look down on people in your particular profession. You suck. And your arguments are repetitive and boring. You’ve made your point 1000000000 times. Your job here is done. Your a good pig.
In reply to Oman
Haha Except servers keep coming here making stupid, uneducated comments.
I mean, after all, servers keep saying the same stupid shit over and over, so doesn’t it seem reasonable that they would receive the same responses pointing out how stupid they are? Maybe one day it will sink in for them.
If my “work” were done nobody would tip, either through intelligent choices, or because of legal mandate.
In reply to What a joke
The servers are always going to be here commenting stupid shit. People bitch about their jobs and wages pretty much regardless of what it is. Servers are entitled so what makes you think they will process what your telling them? And I don’t think in anytime within the next 10 ears tipping will be completely eradicated. It’s unfortunate but it’s true. If you hate whiny servers so much you should probably get out of this thread. For someone who supposedly hates talking to servers you sure do an awful lot of it. Your pretty much buddy buddy at this point. Teaching them about their wages and what not. Bless you. It’s a hard job but someone’s gotta do it. They are so lucky youre here for them. Did you mention to them that they make the federal minimum wage? Perhaps if you sent them a link containing that info they would understand and quit commenting. Oh well too bad no such link with that information exists. I don’t think your ever going to get your point across. What a shame
In reply to Oman
Okay, seriously it’s “you’re.” That one really annoys me.
I think you are getting confused as to which person is which, not to mention confusing socializing (which Bhagwad noted he disliked) and educating. Telling somebody, server or otherwise, that they are making an incorrect, ignorant statement is not the same as dealing with somebody trying to suck up to me for a tip the way servers do. Like how they always flirt with my morbidly obese friend thinking he will leave a big tip because they know he isn’t used to it (joke is on them, I’m usually the one paying).
Either way, I don’t think it’s as likely that tipping will continue, at least legally, as long as you think. Politically there are demands to end it on both sides, and a lot of restaurants are already doing it.
In reply to What a joke
Lol educating? I’m not the one confused here. Also your morbidly obese friend sounds hot. Think I can Holla?
In reply to Oman
Sorry, but you clearly are confused. You stated, “For someone who supposedly hates talking to servers you sure do an awful lot of it.” However, personally I’ve never actually stated I hate talking to servers. As a person who has tutored and trained people, I am used to talking to ignorant people, and getting the opportunity to show them exactly why they are incorrect so that they can learn to be better people (or get themselves fired because they don’t like facts).
In reply to What a joke
I’m still not confused. You’re still dumb for trying
In reply to Bliss
Right, and fast food workers do food prep too, and don’t get tips either.
You know the biggest sign that tipping is wrong? Because it’s an act done out of pity and shame. It isn’t done face-to-face. It’s a number written on a receipt that isn’t looked at until the customer has left, or cash left on the table. It isn’t done like that anywhere else in the world.
In Europe, if you have had EXCELLENT service, you tell them to charge more (and how much – not nearly as much as the US). Or you give them the cash and tell them how much to give back instead of the full change.
In America, our tipping has reached levels of embarrassment. Nobody wants to face their tippee because, even if they consider the tip they are leaving to be fair, there is this horrible fear that the server is going to be angry that it isn’t enough. Likewise servers don’t want to take the money directly because they inherently know it’s shameful.
In reply to What a joke
What a joke you are so right. Everybody I know that does tip, does it out of PITY and SHAME.
Not because they feel the server deserves a tip. They feel an adult waiting tables has a very pathetic job.
They know a person like this lives from paycheck to paycheck and and it makes them feel bad. They tip because they feel charitable for the person. Not at all because they think they deserve it.
In reply to $Bill
What’s your point? I’m having a hard time processing a relevant point here. Servers shouldn’t be tipped.. So what? I’m
In reply to Oman
It’s simply contributing to the conversation, but with a definitive standpoint and related directly to the stated points, or with a clear segue into related points.
In reply to What a joke
I’m finding a hard time seeing how it’s contributing to the conversation when it’s he same repetitive stuff you have posted numerous times before.
In reply to Oman
Hmm, I don’t think I’ve ever brought up the point that the way people conduct tipping is an indication of the type of act it is prior to this.
I mean, we do end up having to repeat ourselves fairly regularly because people tend to simply not bother reading things they don’t like, regardless of facts, but I don’t believe this particular statement is in repetition.
In reply to What a joke
It’s okay if you don’t remember… Shhhh. It’s okay. You’ve done so much for this thread so far. You need to rest those eyes
In reply to Oman
I think walking and chewing gum at the same time is difficult for you. You also need to work on your English skills. You sound very uneducated.
I don’t understand the slang you use because I speak proper English.
If you expect to be taken seriously, you may want to stop using improper English.
In reply to $Bill
You can’t understand my slang? Wow are you assuming my demographic is uneducated ? #triggered
Come on bud. I know you know that I know that you are picking up what I’m laying down. Is your fat friend single or not? Damn.
In reply to Oman
…$Bill and I are two different people.
In reply to What a joke
His reading and comprehension levels are very poor.
Oman is so confused he can’t remember who he is speaking to.
In reply to $Bill
It’s not that I can’t remember who is who. It’s just that I’m convinced your both the same lowly man living out of his mothers basement. You can’t convince me otherwise
In reply to Oman
$Bill and I have completely different verbal mannerisms and speak to people in entirely different ways. It should be fairly obvious to anyone with even the slightest intellectual capacity that we are not the same person.
Not that what you believe in terms of $Bill or myself particularly matters. For as much as you criticize us for continuing to respond, you’re hitting the reply button, too.
In reply to What a joke
I for one personally think you both have fabulous verbal mannerisms. really you are both really cool. I feel special just talking to you. Why would I want to ever stop replying? I’m hoping if we continue talking online enough eventually we can meet up and just become like the best of friends. I want to go to that sick ass buffet. Don’t worry I clean up really nice and I DEFINITELY put out on the first date.
In reply to Oman
You know, the funniest thing about all this is simply the fact that you got so defensive and snarky after $Bill simply asked why you needed to mention what part of your job was.
Even despite that, I was still cordial until you started being outright insulting ($Bill doesn’t quite have the patience I have, at least when it comes to servers).
Instead of antagonizing us, why not explain why it is you dislike tipping despite your career choice?
In reply to What a joke
What? I’m not being defensive. How am I defensive. I’m probably the least defensive person here… No probably the least defensive person ever. By calling me defensive it’s really just you being defensive and projecting it on me. Look guys I’m just having fun on my day off. You keep responding to me so I keep using this as an outlet to say weird things to people. I love it. Probably just as much as you guys get off on telling servers they are wrong. Its therapeutic.
In reply to $Bill
Also we aren’t nor have we ever been speaking to each other. We’re writing each other. Who’s stupid now
In reply to Oman
Oh my god it just hit me. You don’t even have a fat friend do you. You just made him up to get my hopes up. Fuck you man not cool
In reply to Oman
No, he’s real, but he recently had gastric bypass so he is losing weight. He’s almost down to a quarter ton now.
You are full of shit spending all your time to acknowledging people about NO!NO! tipping in restaurants.For your self respect and maturity,just stop
whining about it.Live you life sufficiently ,do not go dine in restaurants.
If you think they don’ t deserve any tip.Please tell them all here what make you happy from the REAL service.
If I happen to be an excellent chef,how would I know that you deserve to consume any of my food?Because if you don’ t tip my server I prabably seeing you as a clown. A good chef only socialize with true clients.What is the good outcome from having a bogus type dinning in some good restaurant ?….Money!!!No No No, my friend.I want a fame among right people.I do not want any stain on my uniform just because a clown came contact with me.
In reply to McKinley
Wow, you’re a clown! LOL Every single chef/cook I know has personally said that servers don’t deserve tips and that they’re all a bunch of entitled, whiny bitches. Especially because the cooks are the ones doing the REAL work, and they (legally) can’t receive tips. Did you realize that they will specifically drag ass on orders for servers they don’t like, or ones who piss them, off just to reduce the likelihood they’ll get a tip at all?
Until you start tipping every single person you interact with who is doing their job – including store clerks, store greeters, the bag boy, the guy at the counter at the post office, the customer service representative you call to whine to because your discount has expired and you can’t afford to pay your cable bill at your shit wage, and even the people working in fast food – then shut the hell up about tipping servers. They’re doing their job, a job they are paid for an amount they agreed to receive when they accepted the job. A job that requires no education or any real skill. A job that they train monkeys to do.
In reply to What a joke
I think you don’t understand how chef and server and manager and everybody on the same team. We work hard together. You keep saying the manager gonna side with rude customers but it’s simply not true. At least any place I work. The manager gonna call you dumb ass and walk away. And the chef and server are friends too. Probably want to fuck the server. Have you seen the movie waiting? Yeah. we are all friends. The customer is not always right the customer always the asshole bud.
In reply to Gidget
Now I know you’re delusional. Servers are a dime a dozen. Many, many of the people who have commented here have gotten servers fired for poor attitudes, including over tipping.
You talk about being a team, but the entire purpose of that “team” is to serve customers.
Cooks don’t give a shit about the whiny servers because they act like special snowflakes. My brother-in-law was a cook (and then a chef), and he couldn’t stand servers or their attitude.
Management definitely doesn’t care about servers because, unlike other positions, they are nothing to replace. You think a manager is going to let a server ruin the business by making them look bad to customers? Seriously, look up all the servers who posted receipts where they didn’t get tips. I’d say 90% or more are fired over it. If they cared, they wouldn’t take the tip credit out of your paycheck. If they cared they wouldn’t leave you believing that the CUSTOMER is supposed to be paying you instead of them.
In reply to What a joke
You can’t generalize everyone. It’s because your brother in law didn’t like the servers so no cooks do? There are some extremely lazy and entitled servers so that means they all are? I don’t think that is how it works. Some people tip and others don’t. Nothing is wrong with it. That’s life
In reply to Oh
My brother happens to be a cook as well actually and I was a server. We were a team and loved working with each other. Some servers and cooks are good friends and treat each other with respect.
Something I guess you don’t know how to do.
In reply to Gidget
It’s funny because using my brother-in-law as an example got me accused of generalizing, yet here you are doing it with your brother. Of course you got along with your brother at work. Hell, I never even said cooks don’t “play” nice in general. But how do you imagine these people in back doing all the cooking and cleaning while standing near hot stoves/grills all day feel to hear the people who just take the orders and carry the food THEY made to the customers whine about how bad they have it?
“Table 7 was so rude to me!”
“Table 4 didn’t leave a tip!”
“Table 11 is bitching that they haven’t gotten their gougères yet! Hurry it up!”
All the pressure is on them, and you know what? They have all the power in the “relationship,” too. They will see servers come and go because it’s nothing to train a new server, but it is significantly more difficult to get decent cooks, and especially difficult to get good chefs. As soon as they realize it they will passive aggressively mess with servers. Sure, they’ll have their favorites, and their crap will be down and up as quick as you like, but the whiny one? Her shit will take FOREVER. Oh, and maybe they’ll “miss” something on the slip. Who do you think will get the blame? And the cooks know it.
I like how no one has responded to the question about management in the restaurant, because they know it’s true.
In reply to What a joke
What was the question about management? I’ll try to answer it. Also of course the whiny server deserves to get shit on. But honestly the cooks feel the same way anyone else feels when servers or anyone complains about their shit. Indifference. At the end of the day though we all help each other clean up for the night, servers will stay late to help close up for the bartenders and will stay to help back of house finish dishes. My restaurant is a family. I actually have a good relationship with all the cooks. It’s not hard to not be a whiny little bitch. most of the cooks have actually told me they applaud the servers for being able to go out there looking nice and interacting with assholes all day. They prefer to stay in the back. Usually, a restaurant will cross train anyone who wants to be. I have done back of house and front. They both entirely depend on teamwork from the whole restaurant.
In reply to Oh
The question was why the managers claim the tip credit if they care about their “team.” We know it has nothing to do with the price of food, even if they try to claim it is, because not only must they (by law) be able to pay the full minimum wage if a server doesn’t make tips, but we know that food is reasonably priced pretty much everywhere else in the world where there is no such thing as a tip credit. We’ve also demonstrated mathematically that even if a restaurant needed to raise prices to offset the cost, it would actually be an insignificant amount because you divide the difference across all customers over the course of the operation hours. It works out to be a few cents per item. They certainly aren’t required to claim the tip credit.
So the only reason to claim the tip credit is to screw servers out of pay. If servers actually mattered to them, they simply wouldn’t do it.
In reply to Oh
Who is generalizing? I said every bloody cook or chef I’ve ever known has thought servers were annoying. They might not at first, but they get really sick of the whining.
In reply to Oh
Of course we aren’t talking about the high schoolers/college students who are just doing the work for a little extra cash and wouldn’t be caught dead waiting tables more than a couple years, and don’t actually think they deserve tips just for doing their job.
We’re talking about any server who thinks they are ENTITLED to tips simply because they are a server. We’re talking about ones who complain about their shitty wage and blame the customer instead of doing something about it. We’re talking about the servers who spend YEARS at the job, all the while claiming it’s hard work when it really isn’t.
For example, I certainly wouldn’t call $Bill lazy and entitled for having been a server. He has actually worked hard and built his own wealth. He’ll tell you it was the easiest job he ever had.
In reply to What a joke
This is the only agreeable thing you’ve ever said in my opinion
In reply to Oh
I’m sure you haven’t read through all of the comments, then, as $Bill and I have repeatedly indicated as such.
In reply to What a joke
There’s almost 500 pages of it. Of course I haven’t read it all.
In reply to Gidget
A lot of customers are count as outsiders in a real life working enviroment. Unless they are a true customer .WHAT A JOKE doen’ t get it because he is a superman who is so good on one man show.
Those chefs/cooks you’ve met don’t really really know you, that’s why they were just went along with whatever you said.Your point is NOT worth enought to sociallize with restaurant staffs. Like I’ ve said… “live a suf·fi·cient life”so you won’t have a problem paying your damn cable bill! Learn to cook your own meal please.
Open cookbooks or try youtube perharps.That way you will start to see ton of money appears from saving each month.
Don’t go to any restaurant just to create a dramatic scence.I wish to continue listen to your rightiousess
BUT I am not fully respect by it.
Sir,you have a prejudice against this job.I can feel your prejudicial radiation is extreamly high!! I amost go HIGH HITLER!!!!
Why don’t you just build your own organization??
Try facebook perhaps and I might as well join you.
It will get so famous you will get many sponsers too.
In reply to McKinley
lol Again, you’re clearly delusional. They were the ones ranting about it. Some of them have been my best friends. A lot of them are why I have such a low opinion of servers, not the other way around. Like I said: one was my brother-in-law.
Oh, and for the record, I’m an excellent cook. I go to restaurants because restaurants need patrons to operate. And pretty much nobody likes tipping except the ignorant. The only reason they do is because they feel pressured by society.
I am guessing you’re not American, nor educated, based on your language skills, so I am going to assume you simply don’t understand the reality of the situation. Like I said – if your employer cared about you, why do they take the tip credit out of your paycheck?
You have not offered any justification for tipping a server. It’s not my job to pay them. By law they get paid minimum wage with or without tips. They agree to that when they take the job. It is their employer’s responsibility to pay them, just like every other job in the world. It isn’t difficult work. They train monkeys to do it in Japan. They don’t have to go to school to do it. If the shit wage they ACTUALLY earn isn’t enough to live off, then it is THEIR problem because working there is their choice. They don’t demand higher wages from their employer.
I earned my way in life. I was even homeless at one point because my mother was a whiny person like servers and expected everyone to feel sorry for her instead of actually doing anything. So I worked my ass off. I earned scholarships so I could go to school without begging others. I studied hard and got good grades. For money I tutored. I did it all as a single father and not once did I ask for handouts, or extort anyone for money. Tips are handouts to any server who plays the “poor me” card. They are extortion money to any server who threatens poor service (or worse) if they don’t get money they haven’t earned.
In reply to What a joke
Are you on good terms with your mother now ?
In reply to McKinley
Why don’t you learn how to speak English? Nobody can understand your gibberish.
In reply to $Bill
So you can’t read/understand shit? Look I know it’s not grammatically correct but you can still get the gist of what is being said. It’s not that hard.
In reply to Lol
I see nothing important or relevant being said. Gibberish and nonsense throughout the entire post.