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.
Give that explanation to your waiter so they can understand the next time you show up. So they can have a good laugh with the other coworkers you are such a dick. OUR SERVICE IS NOT FREE IDIOT “free money” stfu then get your ass up and serve your fat ass. You have so much anger you were probably a waiter in some point of your life and you got zero tips for your attitude your probably a loner. Stick to fast food or cook at home fukkr if it hurts you so much to leave a fkkn dollar. by the way we clean up after your fat ass and your families fkkng mess. Enough said fuck you we don’t need your 10¢ overall we probably make more than you because we have the skill of being friendly.
Hope you get terrible service ;)
It’s quite silly how some people react about tipping their servers. As if there is some dangerous trend going on where the majority of servers are living off only $2.13/hr and are constantly being ripped off in tips.
First off, there is a reason why waiters and waitresses do not campaign to receive minimum wage ($7.25/hr) from their bosses and demand them to get rid of the “tipping culture”. Because if servers actually did this, they would be shooting themselves in the foot. For in reality, on average, waiters and waitresses receive more than the federal minimum wage because of the “tipping culture.” (The average earnings per hour is $9.95.) Even the bottom 10% make slightly above minimum wage ($7.79/hr). For reference, check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes353031.htm#%282%29
So what’s with all the bitching and griping done by servers? Well in my opinion, it seems most servers are just unhappy with their jobs. After all, it’s an unskilled/low skilled job, that requires you to be on your feet all day and serve people who can be assholes. So when they feel they have done their job adequately for a person/table and left tip-less from said person/table they lose their cool. But at the end of the day the majority still break (slightly more) even, despite the occasional non-tipper. So why lash out at the customer? Because they are a lot easier target than say looking a bit more introspectively at why they are so frustrated with their job.
Ultimately it’s silly to expect more than $10 bucks an hour for a job almost anyone off the street can do. And on average they make $9.95/hr. Not bad. Certainly not an ideal career path though and I can see how it can be frustratingly unsatisfying, despite earning above minimum wage. And I can understand why they would lash out at others.
For me the real issue would be why has the minimum wage remained so stagnant, especially for those unskilled workers who are NOT involved with the “tipping culture” like janitors etc…
In reply to Lita
i’d say why even have a minimum wage in the first place? Did you know that whenever minimum wage increases, you see a sudden spike in lay offs at the lower end of the market place?
This is actually what minimum wage tells people:
“if you don’t find a job that pays $7.25/hour, you are not allowed to work.”
Servers in the United States make under three dollars and hour_ oce taxed, nothing. They live off tips. The U.S. in the only place in the world where one gets good service…eventually they will raise the wage, you will pay more for food , and get zero service just like the rest of the world….feel better thn cheapskate?
In reply to dd
“The U.S. in the only place in the world where one gets good service”
How do you get off on spreading such bullshit?
We servers would never EVER work for less than we make with tips from those good people who understand the way it works here in the U.S. We are continuously insulted, groped, kicked, elbowed, and vomited on by belligerent assholes, because that, apparently, is the American way. We go to work never knowing what to expect. We are abused by the public and the management simultaneously. We are VERY WELL EDUCATED and well traveled for the most part. We deal with all kinds of people, with all of their eccentricities, rudeness, and bodily functions. They hire us because of that, since they need us to be able to interact with all levels of society. (No, I’m not talking about people who work at chain restaurants in the suburbs. Please take pity on them and tip 30% at least for good service. You will make someone cry with joy.) I agree with previous posters— Go, try it for yourself. We do this job because it works best for us, and because the majority of our customers are decent human beings. We are not slaves, or Untouchables, or uneducated, and are only treated as such by arrogant people like you. Yes, our culture sucks, and our economy sucks. That is why we are in the service industry. If you don’t understand tipping, don’t go out to eat, especially if you plan on coming in 15 minutes before closing time and demanding extra attention. Fuck you. If you do that, you should know that your server is praying you get hit by a bus, or mugged, or both. Or worse. Please also note that some folks of certain “problem” demographics tip extra to compensate for their peers. We try desperately to understand why certain groups of people consistently tip less than others, while demanding more. It does not go unnoticed, and we remember you either way. You are what you eat, and what you tip. FYI: I had a decent night, but had a bad table at the end, so I googled “why don’t Indians tip well”, and this beautiful string of comments came up at the top. I really just wanted to know…and now I guess I do. Thanks for confirming stereotypes.
In reply to Katie
It is hilarious when wait staff say their job is the ONLY difficult job that deals with rude people etc. C’mon give me a break. There are TONS of other jobs that are equally if not more stressful. YOu guys aren’t the center of the job universe now.
If we didn’t eat out, guess what, you wouldn’t have restaurant clients in the first place.
In reply to Common Sense
Well doesn’t matter how the service is people are always going to eat out. And if you don’t tip we don’t need your business. There are plenty of people out there that do tip and appreciate good service and that’s what they get. Not even on a racist note, white people tip the best. And guess what? White people get the best service. No body’s spitting in there food that’s for sure.
In reply to Kara
how do you know that I’m not white?
if that’s the case, my fellow whtie bros and sis are acting like sheep following an outdated 19th century european practice.
I won’t tip. I don’t care if I get “good service” or not. I just want my food. You can be a jerk to me and I really don’t care. Just give me my food.
How about a REAL discussion about tipping: http://www.tipping.org/discus4/messages/9/3357.html
you are a dick, u cheap fuck!
Regardless of how YOU feel about it (you self-involved prig), tipping is the culture in the US. If you don’t like it, don’t go there. The rest of the world harasses the US for being arrogant by going other places and acting as if they are still in the US. Well, you are a hypocrite – by maligning their culture, then doing the same thing. If you visit a place, you follow their rules. If you don’t want to, stay at home.
In reply to Lisa
As mentioned before, I have no obligation to follow an unethical “custom”. That’s like saying “Unless you’re willing to mistreat women, don’t go to the Arab countries”. I’ve given this example before elsewhere in these comments.
If a custom is wrong, then it deserves to be ignored.
In reply to Lisa
How is it possible that the government actually enforces a “culture” in the sense that the gov gives restaurants the right to pay only $2.13/hour? Its not a cultural issue, it is a scam. Perhaps you should re-think your job. Culture should never be applied if it affects someone economically.
If you don’t like our culture, and the part of tipping that is included ..take your cheap ass back to India. You have done nothing but insult our culture. When you don’t tip a waiter (who does more than spit in your food and bring it to you, how ignorant are you?) the waiter ends up paying to wait on your needy butt. Yep, they make 2.13 an hour and tip an average of five percent of their sales to toher parts of the restaurant staff, which means for every one hundred dollars you spend and don’t tip on the pay five dollars to waste ttheir time catering to your every need and demand. If you don’t want to tip, don’t go out to eat. It’s funny you do t post a picture of yourself on here. Iwaited tables to get through ccollege and get my masters degree. It was the hardest job I have ever had, or will have. I think every single person who claims this ridiculous reasoning not to tip (aka I’m Indian and I’m cheap and here are my excuses) should be forced to wait tables for a year. Here’s to hoping you get hep c
In reply to Melissa Finn
“If you don’t like our culture,”
A bit of a reach there don’t you think? I think American culture especially the part relating to freedom of expression is one of the crowning achievements of mankind. Just because I don’t like tipping doesn’t mean I have a problem with American culture in general :) . In fact, your demand that I go away just because I don’t agree with your views is kind of contradictory with the customs of your own country no?
“It’s funny you don’t post a picture of yourself on here. “
I proudly display my mug on the website. I’m surprised you missed it!
In reply to bhagwad
You should stick to buffets. Everyone is right in saying you need to adjust to cultures that you live in. In Italy, when you go into museums and other important historical sightings (that are indoors), you must cover your shoulders with some kind of garment or entry is not permitted. Tipping in America is just as much of a standard and is no big surprise (if you have any knowledge of America at all, which you apparently lack or you’re just a cheap asshole). You think you’re better than server’s are is what this article is saying. You (don’t have the respect to add sir after you), are a self-righteous ass who needs to adjust to his surroundings, which in your case is life in general. Hope you choke on a quarter you plan on tipping you’re server on a $100 bill you get, because she was ‘nice’.
This is a very stupid article. As long as it is not illegal to tip a waiter, it should be entirely between the people concerned whether they will tip or not. If you do not want to spend your money on something that is not billed then you simply dont. End of story. To point out your own presumed reasons not to tip only seem like an unsuccessful attempt to cover up some unconscious guilt.
And to compare such idiotic ideas with the “custom” of mistreatment of women in Arab countries is proof enough about your bizarre thought process. Have you ever been to an Arab country to make such absurd sweeping generalizations? Or are you like those kids who are fed on fantasies based on weird cultures and people around the world? Grow up man!
In reply to J D
“Have you ever been to an Arab country to make such absurd sweeping generalizations? Or are you like those kids who are fed on fantasies based on weird cultures and people around the world?”
That’s funny. I don’t even have to look as far as Arab countries to find places where mistreatment of women is the norm. There’s plenty of that in India as well. So no, I don’t think I’m exaggerating.
“To point out your own presumed reasons not to tip only seem like an unsuccessful attempt to cover up some unconscious guilt.”
It’s merely a pushback against the expectation of a tip. I don’t see what guilt has to do with it. There are many sites dedicated to waiters and the practice of tipping. This article of mine is a counterpoint to those sites. What’s the need to read anything more into it?
In reply to bhagwad
“I don’t even have to look as far as Arab countries to find places where mistreatment of women is the norm.”
You are still harping about your misconceptions that you probably have gather through years of being fed on hearsay. As if people (men) in the Arab countries dont have anything better to do instead of mistreating women so that it is called a “norm”. You make it sound as if Arab men feel out of place if they dont mistreat women. Instead of making such sweeping generalizations, if you could only spare the time to look around yourself, you would have found discrimination and mistreatment of women wherever on earth you are. So instead of stereotyping regions and using such flawed stereotypes to back your statements, talk some sense. But if you still want to appear foolish by continuing to do so, its your choice.
In reply to J D
Merely because there’s a difference in degree does not mean that one culture gets let off the hook. Is there discrimination against women in the US? Yes of course there is. Is it as inherent and as prevalent as it is in the middle east or in India? No. So I don’t really know what your complaint is.
In reply to bhagwad
And “It’s merely a pushback against the expectation of a tip.”
The one and only, basic and bottomline reason for you not to tip is your dislike to hand out your hard earned money where you are not legally required to do so. Just your choice. Thats it! But nowhere in the above article do we see this reason find any mention. Instead you make so many other irrelevant points.
Would it be any different if (1) The waiter/waitress didn’t act if they were your best friend? (2) If they were actually paid well enough? (3) If they didn’t spit in your food? (4) If they actually cooked or invented the food they brought to you? (5) Even if money did grow on trees?
The basic point is, none of those would have made any difference if you were still against handing out your hard earned money when it wasnt legally required. So instead of creating such nonsensical ideas of your own and inviting the flak of hundreds of people who disagree with you, it would have been much acceptable if you had merely accepted to the basic reason behind your not tipping.
In reply to J D
Waiters expect a tip. These are some of the reasons they claim they deserve to be tipped. Like how nice they are to you, how little they get paid etc. I can point you to some websites that give these reasons if you want.
And my article rebuts each of their reasons one by one. I’m not sure what point you’re really trying to make here. Are you insulted in some way that these reasons don’t make an impact on me? If not, what?
In reply to bhagwad
He made his point pretty clear. Here, let me copy and paste it for you to reread since you OBVIOUSLY didn’t read it. “The one and only, basic and bottomline reason for you not to tip is your dislike to hand out your hard earned money where you are not legally required to do so. Just your choice. Thats it! But nowhere in the above article do we see this reason find any mention. Instead you make so many other irrelevant points.” Hmmm….wonder what point he’s trying to make. If you need me to make an audio for you to make it simple (because reading is obviously complicating for you), let me know.
Yours truely,
A Real American
Did I read this correctly? Let me tell you Canadians something. I’m a server not a servant. I make 2.13$ an hour witch all goes to taxes to pay for my tips. When your faggot ass doesn’t tip me i just paid for you to sit down and eat. I tipped out my bartender, busser and food runner(s). If your broke ass can’t afford to tip, then buy your broke ass a TV dinner. Tipping isn’t your courtesy its part of your damn bill. Ohh yea and most of us are in collage trying to further out eduction others have families to feed and take care of. I was wandering why these really strange people left 1$ on a 68$ bill. Then I realize there from Canada. But you can bet your sweet ass next time Canadians come in and I know I’m going to get stiffed I’m going to take my sweet time making sure my other tables have the best service while taking my time getting your drinks and stalling in putting that order in leave it in the window as long as I possibly can.
In reply to Kara
Not my problem. Either give me my food or get another job. I will tip as I please. I’m not legally obliged to tip. It is not illegal.