Waiters are understandably upset about why I don’t tip and have given many illogical reasons in support of this ridiculous practice. Here’s a rebuttal of the most common ones.
Bullshit 1: We only Pay for the Food. Service is Extra
The menu price doesn’t include just the cost of preparing the food and paying the chef. It includes the restaurant setting, the tables, the cutlery, the effort and investment that the restaurant owner has put into the dining area. Now guess what? Since I’m paying for it, the restaurant has to give it to me. And how do they accomplish this?
Waiters. Ding ding!
See without waiters, the restaurant has no way of delivering the dining experience to me that I’m paying for. I’m paying for sitting down in a nice place. I’m paying for the air conditioning. I’m paying for the nice tablecloth and for my food to be delivered to me in a reasonable time. The menu price covers all this. Waiters are just the restaurant’s way of bringing me my food. Of fulfilling their part of the contractual obligation.
Bottom line. Servers are not independent contractors. They’re not an “extra” that you have to pay for. By hook or crook, the restaurant needs to deliver the product. Whether they use waiters or conveyor belts (a term that many seem to object to), is not my business. I don’t care. The waiters can just melt into the background and let me enjoy my food in peace. If the menu includes free refills or whatever, then waiters are required to deliver that as well. Why? Because…wait for it….I paid for it!
Bullshit 2: It’s the custom. It’s ‘merica!
Yeah right. You do realize that not all customs are created equal don’t you? Slavery was a “custom” back in the day and so was race and sexual discrimination. Anyone with an ounce of integrity does what they feel is right. There are many harmless customs in the world like bowing instead of shaking hands, or using chopsticks instead of forks etc that are morally neutral. It really makes no difference if you follow them or not.
But tipping? Hell no! It’s not morally neutral. If you get better service because you’re a good tipper, then you’re essentially paying a bribe to servers to get them to do their job properly next time. All customs have a limit. And tipping is such a convenient custom isn’t it? Hell, I wish I had a custom in place for people to just throw money at me.
And just in case someone feels I don’t appreciate the US, there are many great things about this country that I love and I’ve blogged about repeatedly. Freedom of expression, the way Americans show respect to their armed forces, the politeness of people as you walk by on the road, the work culture, the individuality.
I just don’t like tipping. It’s not as if a person has to blindly accept everything in a country without judgment. There are good things. And there are bad things. Just like everywhere else.
Bullshit 3: The cost of food will increase dramatically
Someone needs to do basic math. Increasing the price of food to pay minimum wage to waiters will not double the price of food. Some have even gone so far to claim that it’ll increase 4-5 times. Ridiculous. Totally, utterly ridiculous. Let’s dissect this rubbish.
As an example, I’ll take Chili’s. A waitress at Chili’s was so kind as to comment saying that the price of food at her restaurant will increase by 3 times – $30 for a $10 burger. Using the statistics she herself gave in her comment, there are 12 waiters (at full capacity) who need to be paid minimum wage. That’s $5 extra per hour per waiter making it a net total of $60 per hour that has to be added to the price of food on a full day.
$60/hr? For 12 waiters. That’s it! It’s peanuts. If you assume even that each waiter is serving just four tables. That’s $5 an hour extra they have to make from four tables. Even if we say that each table sits for a massive two hours, the extra paid per table is way less than $5. On the total bill. Worst, worst case scenario.
You know what? Customers won’t even notice. So stop the garbage about the prices of food going up several times to pay minimum wage. It’s utter nonsense. The only reason waiters don’t want this system in place is because they earn a hell of a lot more than than minimum wage using our tips. And they come across as the victims.
Waiters are Struggling Mothers/Students
Look, it’s not as if I don’t have sympathy for those who struggle in life. I just don’t think it’s my problem. And I specially don’t like it being impinged upon me. Generosity is one thing. Having money demanded from you is something totally else. Any tip I give is out of the generosity of my heart and I expect some gratitude for helping those in need. It’s not something I have to do since…refer to Myth 1.
Bottom line: Socially mandated tipping is a scam. I can’t believe how intelligent people have been hoodwinked into it. Probably because they like to come across as “nice” people and feel sorry for servers who hover around looking expectantly. Well, I find that irritating and I won’t buy into it.
You’d have to pay me a lot more than minimum wage to wait tables. Especially to serve people like you and the other self-entitled assholes who think they’re too good to tip, or they don’t want to. They don’t tip in other countries, but they pay their waitstaff much more, because it is a very stressful position. Have you ever waited tables in your life? I doubt it. Until then, stop passing judgements and let these people be. They’ve done nothing to you, and getting stiffed on a tab will literally ruin someone’s day. I love waiting on people and giving someone an excellent dining experience. You came to eat at a restaurant because you’re hungry, and so you don’t have to cook, clean, or do anything. Servers are part of the experience when you dine out, and when you have a great experience, a tip is justified. There are people who like to be left alone when they dine out, which is fine I will get the vibe and leave you alone. But just because you don’t want to tip doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Do not go sit down at a restaurant if you don’t plan on tipping. Call and get carry-out, or go to a quick service restaurant, where you don’t have to deal with waitstaff. I work my butt off working 12 hour shifts standing on my feet all day making sure people like you have a pleasant dining experience. When you don’t tip, we remember you. You get shitty service, you will wait for long, and your food might be cold when it comes out. No one will care, not even managers because you’re not taking care of the waitstaff, like they take care of you. It essential to weed people like you out of the restaurant. If you don’t tip, you’re not welcome into the dining establishment. You’ll likely stop coming because the service is so terrible. (just for you though, not the other guests who do take care of the waitstaff).
In reply to kelly
“You get shitty service, you will wait for long, and your food might be cold when it comes out.”
But if I pay the tip when I pay the bill…
If I get cold food and horrible (sorry, I’m not going to sink to your level) service — long before I indicate if I’m paying a tip — you’ll hear about it, the manager will hear about it, customers seated nearby will probably hear about it, and you will have ensured that you get no tip.
“If you don’t tip, you’re not welcome into the dining establishment.”
I guess I’ve missed this sign all the times I’ve gone into restaurants.
I’m glad that I don’t eat at your restaurant. Granted, with your attitude I don’t know that you’d be working there for long…
In reply to haha
“But if I pay the tip when I pay the bill…” She said she will remember you if you don’t tip, so what she was saying was referring to future times you go to the restaurant.
“If I get cold food and horrible (sorry, I’m not going to sink to your level) service — long before I indicate if I’m paying a tip — you’ll hear about it, the manager will hear about it, customers seated nearby will probably hear about it, and you will have ensured that you get no tip.”
1. If she already knows you’re not going to tip(because once again, you didn’t tip before) and she gave you cold food on purpose I HIGHLY doubt she’ll care if she hears about it. 2. she already said the manager won’t give a shit. 3. When other customers hear you bitching and they’ve had a great dining experience they’re gonna just see you as an asshole (i know i always do). 4. She already expected no tip so you’re not hurting her any.
The restaurant is going to charge a certain amount of money for the food – cost plus their profit margin. So, if you don’t care who brings you your food, and you don’t want to pay the person who does that, then it must not matter to you if they have a hostess either. So you come in and seat yourself, only what if someone who is a bigger asshole than you, decides they want your seat? If the waiter doesn’t bring you your food, how are you going to get it? Go pick it up off the counter when they call your name? Okay, what if the same asshole comes and gets your food off the counter. Or takes your seat while you’ve gotten up to get your food. What are you going to do? So now the restaurant has to make a second order for you because you weren’t fast enough to get over and get your food. And what about if you want a beer, or a glass of wine? You going to stand in line at the bar for your drinks while someone sits down at your table and eats your food? How about a completely different aspect, having waiters who earn money creates jobs, which improves the economy, which creates more businesses and more jobs. If you cut out the waiter, the owner of the business is still making their money, but now the experience of dining in their restaurant kind of sucks. So, no matter how great the food is, what is the likelihood of you going back to a restaurant if it’s chaotic when you get your food and drinks? Having servers creates order and provides a convenience to the diner. Me personally, I have a kid with Autism who doesn’t stay where he’s supposed to at all times. If I have to get up and get my food, it creates a situation where I come back, and my kid isn’t sitting where I left him. It’s a convenience for someone to deliver your food and drinks to you, and you always pay more for conveniences.
In reply to Bridget
Your entire argument is that people will act like psychopaths (Stealing seats, stealing food).Stealing food is theft and thus illegal; restaurants would just kick any seat-stealers out, because that kind of stuff ultimately loses customers. And what do hostesses have to do with it? If i want your seat, i’ll go take it whether the hostess says to or not. If she calls in bouncers or whatever, you could have done that yourself.
Oh yeah, hire one (1) guy to watch the counter, watch the tables, and call out order names. Whoops, all those problems went away. And much cheaper too.
What line would there be for drinks? Unless you’re ordering fancy cocktails or what have you, it’s pretty fast to make a drink-pour some liquid in a cup. If someone is eating your food, talk to the manager or…call the police.
Waiters don’t fuel the economy more than any other use of money. Also, since tips to them go unreported, that’s a lot of money that isn’t generating any kind of tax, which means you’re hurting the government-even though we have a deficit, and the money could’ve even gotten you something tangible! God Damn..
What chaos? You didn’t bring up any reason for chaos beyond ‘someone sitting in your table’ which isn’t really chaotic at all.
You know, i’m sorry to hear about your kid. Firstly, though, that’s a really niche concern. And secondly, why not take him with you? I get that’s hard too, but you clearly took him to his seat, took him to the car, et cetera, so you’re capable of doing so, right?
I am assuming you’re a little cunt still living with your mother. I wish I could get the time I just used reading your bullshit back!
Oh a tip for you- don’t ever go out to eat again. And go fuck yourself.
In reply to Sara
so from where does your anger stem?
In reply to Sara
fuck you asshole I dont tip! it is not required. if you dont like it work somewhere else!
In reply to john
Hmmmm how does my spit taste? I bet it tastes really good….
They create restaurants for the type of service you want. People want different things when they go out to eat. It seems to me you have had some relatively bad experiences with waiters who can’t do their number one job: read people. You make it out to be as if waiters only job is to deliver your food and refill your glass, and for you maybe it is. Maybe you only have ever had a one course meal or maybe you don’t mind trash covering your table while you try to eat or maybe you would mind taking your dishes in your self or picking up your own food.
I worked at a restaurant for a year or so and I loved it. I wa paid $2.15 an hour but, you’re right, I made roughly $15-20 an hour on average. (And reported it all to the IRS) ( I love how you stereotype all waiters as unethical that’s awesome!) Anyway I made so much because I was damn good at my job. I new people needed things before they new it and I had it on their table before they could ask. I cleared away anything that wasn’t be used as well as any trash immediately. I interacted with people in a manner they thought was pleasurable. I know this because on multiple occasions I got job offers: bank teller, baby sitter, secretary, nanny, etc.
If restaurants paid waitstaff a decent wage in general the bill would increase 10-15%, but then their would be no incentive for waitstaff to upsell. If your problem with restaurants is that they don’t pay the waitors, it’s because it’s the business model in America. Tipping from customers is the way restaurants get wait staff to strive to provide the best service, and sale their products. In other words, it’s an industry norm. Every industry has norms and many companies in the same industry follow a similar business model.
The actual reason restaurant owners don’t pay their wait staff more is this: you as the customer are the best judge of the quality of service you are receiving. You are the boss of that person, their job is to tend to your individual needs, and you are the best judge of that. I am with you, I don’t everyone the same tip. I have left $1 on a hundred dollar tab, because dear you need to find a new job, this one is not for you, I’ve also tipped my bill.
In reply to Sam
Yes, you would have no reason to ‘upsell’ (Do you mean work harder, or the actual meaning of that word? Because upsell means try to sell people more expensive or more stuff, something which i don’t think you can do as a waiter at a restaurant…)… Just like 95% of other American jobs. Those people work hard for promotions and not getting fired, plus possible bonuses and raises.
The actual reason they don’t pay them more is because tipping largely makes you seem like a cool guy and you want to be a cool guy in front of your friends spouse and children. Meanwhile being honest about crappy service makes you look cheap and dickish, because of shitty american polite culture.
So no matter the service quality you will always be tipped way more than you deserve to make, and therefore restaurants don’t see the need.
Nice job by you working that hard, and loving it. But then again, without tips, i bet you would get a raise. Or, take your skills elsewhere, and then get a raise there.
I agree! well written article! Thanks for trying to get some common sense back into our world!
Does anyone else notice the constant grammar and spelling errors by wait staff in their responses? News flash: if you didn’t drink away your high school years and had ever bothered to acquire some skills (including basic fucking literacy), you wouldn’t be a waiter. So your $2 an hour wage (I’m Canadian, min. wage laws apply to wait staff, so $10.25 an hour wage) is what you get.
And don’t give me that “mommy and daddy fed you with a silver spoon” shit either. I grew up in the care of the state, I had nothing and absolutely was NOT fed off a silver spoon. You know what I did? Dropped out of high school (but paid attention to the basic skills learned, like how to construct a sentence in the English language) and got a job Ironworking. Then I saved a bunch of money, went to college for 2 years, transferred to university, and my life is peachy.
The only places I will tip are places at which I am a regular, and fine dining (which is somewhat ironic due to the higher wages paid to fine dining staff, but the service is always exceptional. That’s what tips are for: exceptional service). Occasionally, if I’m hugely impressed by the teen mom idiot serving me my food’s ability to serve me my food, I will tip elsewhere. That is incredibly rare, but not impossible.
You are not in some rarefied atmosphere of entitlement to free money. Where I am you actually get above what the market says you’re worth because of minimum wages (but that’s another rant), and that’s all you deserve for showing and doing your job. It’s your own fault you didn’t bother to develop any fucking skills before having 6 kids by age 23 or entering college because you didn’t know what the fuck else to do with your time.
And for you educated wait staff: getting a BA in Women’s Studies or English with no fucking plan pretty much makes you as stupid as the above mentioned people.
In reply to Simon
I feel as if you are basically saying all waiters are stupid, or that is a last resort position. I love serving, and am currently studying for my AA in Food and Beverage Management, a degree I am almost finished with, then I am going to receive my BA in Hospitality Management (All of which will be paid for while I wait tables, one of the few jobs that will work around my school schedule. Which is lucky for me, because I love it.)
I work as a server because I am awesome at it, I’ve received tons of reviews on yelp, and other review sites with guests specifically naming me, because I have made their dining experience that much more enjoyable. I also have customers requesting me on the regular. Not everyone who serves is a teen mom, or drank their way through high school. Some people, like myself, want to pursue a career in the Hospitality Industry. Which may I add is one of the largest industries in the world, and is constantly growing.
The hospitality industry includes hotels, events, tourism, travel, restaurants, etc, being a part of the one field of the hospitality industry, can help open doors for other job offers. Since I have so much restaurant and customer service experience, (I even have a customer service certification) I have been offered many other jobs and am working for an events company in addition to my serving position.
I don’t think that all servers should be categorized as “fucking stupid” because that’s not at all true. It does take skills to be a server, and you’d be ignorant to not think so otherwise. Taking care of 20+ people at any given time, memorizing menus so we can answer all your questions, working 12 hour shifts, making sure everything is coming out right from the kitchen (because the guest will take it out on a server if the order is wrong even if it was the kitchen’s fault), providing exceptional customer service, and staying calm when you have a difficult guest causing a scene because something didn’t go their way, the list goes on and on. It is definitely not a position for everyone, but that does not give you a right to trash talk other people who work in the position. Also, walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, not everyone has the motivation to put themselves through school, or have had traumatic experiences that prevented them from continuing their education for various reasons. It’s just a little arrogant to judge a person based on your opinions. No one deserves to be treated poorly just because of your perception/opinion of a position.
In reply to kelly
In Canada, an AA is a joke.
Secondly, you think serving is actually a skill? Like, you can teach 12 year old kids to do all of that in 2 weeks. I guess that makes it a skill kind of but compared to “careers” it really isn’t. Being an engineer is a skill. Being an electrician is a skill. Being a lawyer is a skill. Taking care of 20+ people at a time, memorizing 2 pages of text, taking a look at the food and comparing it to your memory, and so on, are literally things ANYONE could do. Which is why I made my comments re: teen moms and shit. I was obviously generalizing.
Also, you kind of prove my point: “I feel like you are basically saying all waiters are stupid, or that is a last resort job.” You mean “that it’s a last resort job”? And comma-then-bracketing, and so on. Your English is better than most of the servers on here but is no where near the level of a university grad with a real job.
You’re right, not everyone has the motivation to put themselves through school, and having traumatic experience is a part of life, it’s overcoming that adversity that separates the hackers from the slackers. It’s not my fault people don’t have the tenacity to overcome their circumstances. I had the tenacity to overcome mine so obviously it can be done. As such, I’m not paying extra unless the server does extra.
In reply to Simon
I thought that in Canada, everything was a joke.
In reply to Simon
To be quite honest, the only joke in these comments is you pal. The fact that you’ve gone out of your way to generalize waiters and servers, and also to personally insult the intelligence level of others is ridiculous. Your entire argument is based on the stereotypical principle that all waiters are less intelligent than you. “In Canada, an AA is a joke.” Really? How dare you insult the time and effort it takes to pursue a degree of any magnitude. Truthfully, all you have managed to do is blatantly expose a few grammatical errors and make a fool out of yourself. It would behoove you to take a look at your life and re-consider just how applicable your wonderful grammar is to the world, you fucking prick. Have a nice day.
In reply to Simon
Wow buddy… you are the joke here. I can count twenty grammatical mistakes in your previous paragraphs.
Oh and good job on being an iron worker in Canada that must be a great job! Too bad when you go home your still in Canada.
In reply to Simon
You are a idiot. I was a server for years, yet I finished high school in the top 10, I also have 4 yes 4 degrees from college. I chose to serve behind my children. I chose to work while my children were in school so I can be home with them. People like you are the exact reason this world is going to shit. Who cares if you were raised by your government? Last I checked in Canada the government pays for everything but your entertainment. So shut the fuck up. If you enjoy going out for meals take care of your server. They are there to make sure your experience is outstanding. If you’ve had a bad experience think on why that was. Maybe just maybe your server read you and knew you were a ass hole who wasn’t going to tip. Common sense you pay for what you get. They are not your slaves, they are more often than not smarter then you. Take your head out of the clouds and think before you speak.
What’s next your Doctor shouldn’t get Co pays because the insurance pays? Or maybe you feel your baby sitter shouldn’t be paid because she ate your food, used your electricity, used your water, etc. Do you know how dumb you sound. Please next time think before you speak. Was this educated enough for you?
In reply to Dawn
“Was this educated enough for you?”
“…smarter then you.”
It’s ‘than’.
In reply to Simon
I think I could have taken your reply a lot more gracefully if you hadn’t started off by generalizing all waitstaff as incompetent and uneducated. As a general rule of thumb, when you’re trying to make a point in an argument that you want taken seriously, it’s probably best to not make assumptions. For example, I certainly didn’t ‘drink away’ my high school years. I joined the US Navy almost directly out of high school.
And do you know what I did in the Navy? I worked with nuclear reactors. I learned nuclear physics, chemistry, and heat transfer/fluid flow dynamics. I learned time management and how to run an electric plant while managing the engine room through the reports of several other crewmen in varying locations.
So your implications that all waitstaff are stupid are not only unfounded, but also kind of (REALLY) make you look like an asshole.
Your next point is an implied ‘waiting tables requires a skill level so minuscule a monkey could be trained to do it’. This isn’t the case. Sure, it’s easy to focus on a single table — but when you hand a server five tables to juggle, things get a lot more difficult. Getting table 7 a drink refill is a lot more difficult when ten people have just been sat at table 6, and table 5 is waving me over for takeout boxes and their check, and the food for table 1 has just made it to the passout to be put on trays and run. And that doesn’t include the phone that’s ringing for to-go orders, or the kitchen yelling that they need dishes to actually put the food on. Both of which are also my responsibility. This is an exercise in time management, as well as managing not only the people at my tables, but also the kitchen staff.
–both of which are skills I used as an E4 in the Navy, while running billion-dollar equipment.
You then go on to mention “free money” and, I’m sorry, but I don’t think you quite understand the way things work. First off, all of the money I earn in tips MUST be reported for tax purposes. The only difference between the way I earn my money and the way a conventional worker takes home their paycheck is that I tend to pay higher taxes when I file every year because my base pay does not cover it. I don’t see a paycheck. And before you go on your (equally generalized) spiel about dishonesty and not claiming tips, I’ll also let you know that most of my tips come from credit or debit cards.
In order to get them, I have to put them into the system, and my manager hands me the total at the end of the night. The system then KNOWS how much I earned, and will not let me run my checkout (and thus won’t let me clock out) if I don’t claim the proper amount. I’m sure there’s dishonesty in some places, but I’ve worked in four different restaurants since I was seventeen (I’m twenty-five) and it’s been like that in all four places. And from what I’ve heard from servers elsewhere, the system is the same there as well.
Finally, you talk about education. College, as I’m sure you know, is not free. Good on you for saving up your money so that you could go — not everyone is in a position to do that. For example, I have a daughter. One daughter (not six; seriously, you’re being a bit rude there) who was conceived despite my being on birth control at the time. In addition to daycare costs eating up around six hundred dollars a month, most child care facilities close at six, or a similar time, in the evening. Not only is that a huge chunk of money (basically another rent payment, where I live) but it doesn’t allow me to work and go to school. Night classes are impossible, because who would watch my daughter?
For some people, higher education isn’t feasible at specific times in their life. For me, it makes more sense to wait until my daughter is old enough to go to school (which is free) than to send myself into crippling debt trying to do it all at once. So in the mean time, I wait tables and do what I can to support us.
And for your information, the two semesters of college I did manage were for a bachelor’s degree. In architecture.
tl;dr: You’re being an arrogant prick for generalizing all wait staff as incompetent, unskilled, and unintelligent. You’ve given no real reason to not tip. And I’ll say to you the same thing I said to the original poster: If you don’t like having to tip, go somewhere else. Boycott, and FORCE a change, instead of participating in the system and then not tipping even though you know what a server makes per hour.
Firstly, I’d like to say that I don’t completely agree with the author of the original article here. He states directly that he does not like to tip. So I took this article as more of a rant than something that is info-useful. It’s like the old saying goes, “it’s always easier to put something on paper than to actually do it”.
Unlike a lot of people on here I am not going to be callous. Simply put, the system is twisted. Restaurants DO take advantage of their servers (in most cases) & tips ARE warranted (depending on the service, of course). I believe the old rule of 10-20% is fair… (Without going into all of the reasons; & before a server sees my statistic & tries to rant about it, I have several friends who are servers who are all able to live with the wage… it’s not a great living, but it’s a living. Those who wanted more saved for college & moved on). As for myself, I have a Masters of Science in Nutrition & am very happy with my work, (& I work 2 jobs… not because I have to, but because I enjoy to)……… but I had to start from the bottom too… which brings me to my next point.
Serving is on the same tier, or level, as assembly-line or “day labor”. This type of work is fine for those who are either fresh out of high school or are trying to work someplace part-time to help pay for their tuition, or similar. This type of work was never meant to be a career, per se. It’s not a “skill” that you can develop, (other than your charisma, but that’s not the same). A career should not only be someplace you work to earn a pay check, but to also a place where a person is able to personally develop & advance. Cooking, wood-working, computers, engineering, architecture, construction (this is variable), telecommunications……… these are things that are constantly evolving & can be developed by a person.
Unlike some of the biased & more cynical people on here I can attest that a college education isn’t always necessary for a good career. Take construction for example. Sure, a person without a degree (& sometimes even with one) has to start at the bottom, but with enough initiative & motivation that person can often make it to a supervisory position in just a few years. Take telecommunications as another example. Often times people in this field will start out with someone like Direct TV, Dish, Comcast, etc., & after a few years in the trade they are able to become a supervisor &/or move to a corporate office: And these are only two examples. If a person tells me that they never finished high school I tell them to go & get a GED. With enough initiative & motivation, a person is not limited as much as they may think. Now, you may not get your “dream job” & you may even hate the people you work with, but as long as you keep pushing forward you will find your efforts rewarded.
Above all else, I love my waiting job. I get to meet new people, and excel in customer satisfaction because I do my best to anticipate your needs.
Call it puppy-like, but a tip is of that like a treat of good-doing. And that is the incentive a small wage that is based on tips gets you.
If you dont want a pleasant smile, along with garnished food that is correct and prompt in a friendly manner, than you go right ahead and stick with buffets and get your own food that has been sitting around and perhaps sneezed on by small children.
The idea of working for tips is to influence the waiting staff to do their greatest at keeping you, as the customer, satisfied. I could imagine the behavior of the waiters/waitresses would change dramatically if it didnt matter how well they performed for you. Getting paid a solid amount regardless would mean it didnt change a thing if you left unhappily with the wrong order and sucked ice once you’d finished your drink thirty minutes ago.
And it wouldnt matter if you came back.
You may consider all friendliness a hoax, but I’ve spent much time building relationships with all of my continuously returning customers. Why? Because I take interest in them as people and deliver to them to the best of my ability and at the least, brighten up their day. If you have no passion for people I might suggest learning to cook for yourself so you can stay in your lair. Especially while you stick to judging everyone who surrounds you.
I have never, nor will ever, demand tipping or threaten for a lack of tip. I perform for the gratitude of myself and others. My sympathy for your choice in restaurant if this has happened before to you, sir.
I don’t expect you to care about what I have to say. I don’t expect you to read the entirety of my reply, and I don’t expect you to change your mind. I cannot bring myself not to try, however.
The market hasn’t valued a good server’s work at $2.15 per hour. The market hasn’t valued their work at minimum wage. The market has valued a decent waitress at $15-20 per hour. If each of those waitresses were paid her fifteen dollars by the establishment instead of the customer, then your model would make perfect sense. A ten percent tip would be a reasonable bonus, and a zero percent tip would not hurt her. By not paying your server the fifteen percent that means “acceptable service” on a 45 dollar bill, however, you are cutting nearly seven dollars out of her wage, the equivalent of almost a full hour in a minimum wage job.
In the first of these articles, you stated “I expect you to be grateful and pray for me at night if I tip you 10%.” In the United States, a 10% tip is a mark of “very egregious behavior by a server. If service is bad enough to deserve only 10%, it is a good idea to let the manager know.”(tripadvisor) The message sent when a person does not tip isn’t “service was adequate, but not exceptional”. The message sent is either “You, my server, did something horribly wrong.” or “I, the person not tipping you, am a jerk.” Neither of these are your intended message. If you, Simon, are tipping 10 percent, you received exceptional service. If almost anyone else were tipping that same amount, however, they received very poor service. If you don’t want to tip, then go to a restaurant where the wages of the servers are included in the price of the meal, and tipping is discouraged.
Your server doesn’t deserve your discourtesy.
Source:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g191-s606/United-States:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html
Here is one of my comments:
Bullshit 1: We only Pay for the Food. Service is Extra
So if you have a restaurant with the same food, one has very very bad service, and the other one has really good service, which one would you pick?
“If you get better service because you’re a good tipper, then you’re essentially paying a bribe to servers”. First, you don’t know who is a good tipper until the end of the service. My understanding is you pay the cheapest you can pay if the only difference is the price for a better service right? Make sense.
“You know what? Customers won’t even notice.” Sure, that’s why you don’t tip right, because you don’t care paying an extra 5 dollars if you waiter treated you like a king and he didn’t have to.