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.
Interesting. You must be a paki. You think the same as every curry-eating paki I’ve ever met. What I would do is take your camel and your daughter and go back to pakistan where people like you are the norm. We never asked you to come here. We never asked you to eat at our restaurants. In fact, most of us don’t give a shit that you’re even here. The fact that you’re allowed to express your opinion is a blessing that you should embrace, because people that tip actually fought for that right.
So. Pack your shit and get out. We won’t miss you.
Id really love to watch all who say that serving is such an easy job, so easy you dont have to have any sort of skill level nor intelligence to do, serve on a sat night at a busy restaurant……
I work as a valet at a five star Las Vegas hotel. The guy that drives the car wears a sparkling diamond ring. His wife has a huge diamond. The teenage daughter has a matching Tiffany bracelet that the mother owns. This guy never tipped me for getting me the car. On the last day the daughter meets me at the drivers door and tells me I’m dismissed. I’m really going to press this guy for a tip. Then the daughter looks at me and says shoooooo bye. Must be nice to come from a privileged family.
Stop complaining about this guy, it’s the employers who need to get yelled at. If you know your job won’t pay you, QUIT YOUR DAMN JOB Staying home on unemployment/foodstamps while you look for an actual paying job is much easier than going to work and being a restaurant owners slave not getting paid for half your hours you put in.
Customers money is their money, they pay your employer, and your employer should pay you, imagine if people did this at Walmart. You push your buggy to the check out line, ask where something is, they go get it for you/show you where it’s at, bag your groceries, and you say thank you and before you start walking to your car to leave, they clear their throat and point to a tip jar, what do you say? Probably a firm NO
I own a restaurant, understand the hardship, but don’t ask for tips, it’s not the customers place to pay extra money for something I already sold them, that would be absolutely ridiculous.
You are a fucking idiot Dax who the fuck do you think you are to feel you need to go out to eat and have people serve you and feel you don’t need to tip as a sign of even appreciation to those who served you hot food and drinks. If you feel the need to eat a certain type of food then cook it your self you fucking dick head and stay the fuck inside you are what’s wrong with this country. I pray every time you go out to eat everyone runs their balls and dirty ass holes on your food so all you taste is ball sweat and shit cause that’s all you deserve. If you have a problem with this system then stay the fuck away from places that have servers go eat mcdonalds every fucking meal but don’t think you are high and mighty and get to fuck people out of a tip because you don’t agree with it if you have a problem move somewhere out of the country where you don’t have to tip people who serve you. Fuck you Dax your a piece of shit!
In reply to Fuck Dax
You are just a lowlife jealous waiter that’s hates people with money and prestige. As a foodie that enjoys fine dining, I really think you should be happy to serve people that can affored affluent restaurants. I will be amicable with you, however I feel your min wage is enough for your menial services. Thus no tip is required or given.
In reply to Jasmine
3.63 an hour which is the wage for servers by the way, is all we make an hour. There is plenty more to deal with them just bringing drinks and food to your table. We are not trying to be your best friend but are trying to make your dining experience pleasant so you will want to come back. You have no idea how much patience, calmness, and finesse it takes to deal with customers like you and keep a smile on our face. Although we know you are cheap and feel entitled, we still smile and tell you to have a pleasant evening. serving people like you is all part of our job. The way I see it is what goes around comes around when you are generous to others generosity comes back to you. We don’t need your tip because as a good server I will make it up throughout the evening but know that greed an entitlement is part of what’s wrong with this country. if you do not want to tip the servers then just don’t go to a restaurant. If you do go to a restaurant remember we are servers not servants.
In reply to Amy
Amy fed law states that if with tips you fail to make min wage of your state the employer is required to make up the difference. This is why I don’t tip because you at least get minimum-wage.
In reply to IRS Guy
You do realize that without tips, your servers will only get minimum wage. Which means that your orders are now going to be taken by the same high school kids that screw up your orders at McDonald’s. Your dinning experience will be awful not to mention way more expensive.
In reply to Kali
Kali, The kids that work at McDonald’s are way smarter than any waitress.
In reply to IRS Guy
You’re correct, that is the law.
Most restaurants do not follow this law because what the fuck are the servers going to do about it? Your name is “IRS Guy,” so I assume you know that the IRS really couldn’t give less of a shit if they tried. Are servers going to sue them? Do you really think they can afford that? They’ll keep their mouths shut, make criminal wages, and hope next week will be better, because they need the job.
Minimum wage employment is one step above modern slavery. You make just enough not to die of starvation or succumb to the elements, and that’s it.
In reply to John
Contact your senator with your concerns. Minimum wage equals minimum skill, thus minimum wages. Learn a valuable skill or trade. Get a college degree. Bitching and moaning will never pay the bills. Never rely on the kindness of others to pad your paychecks. You still won’t get a tip from me. I still feel minimum wage is fair. Having trouble making ends meet, paying your bills or putting food in your mouth it’s still not my problem. You want more money honestly get a better job. You know as well as I do this is not a job for an adult.
In reply to IRS Guy
I own a business, and I always tip. BIG. The thing is, no matter what your job title, you always rely on others to ‘pad your paycheck’. Anyone with any business sense would know that. Actually, any smart adult would know that. If you are an IRS guy, than you know how the economy works, the more money people have to spend, the better the economy is. The service industry, in case you didn’t know, is the single largest workforce in the world. That being said, you’re lucky that most areas aren’t unionized, because then you would definitely be paying more for your dining experience. As far as skilled or unskilled labor is concerned, more times than not, people get hired on to a job by experience, not education. That’s no reason to down-grade someone, or their profession. After all, even ditch-diggers have to know math in order to put a hole in the ground. People here want to talk bad about these service industry folks about their attitude, well what if someone attacked you and your lifestyle, you would be mad too. I think it’s mighty funny that people talk bad about servers and their lowly jobs, then the president who’s job is probably the hardest one in the country. Sounds more to me like people just want everything to be their way. Well, adults know that’s just not possible. Oh, and one last thing, if you have all this money, why is a tip that big of a deal? You do know that you can’t take it with you, right?! :)
In reply to business owner
Business owner the big deal is I am never going to pay a person a tip for doing their job. Don’t forget the golden rule do your job. I am too high and mighty to tip anyways. The waiters is just gum under my shoe. Going by I spend about 200 a week at restaurants at a 20% tip that $40 so let’s say I save about 2000 a year I put that into my Roth IRA. Tipping is the same thing as a fool and their money tmoney are soon parted.
In reply to IRS Guy
Never rely on the kindness of servers to treat you well, if you don’t tip .. whether or not, it is our job :)
In reply to Joseph
Joseph when I am sitting down at the table I am the boss of the waiter. You will give me excellent service or I will complain and you will not have a job. I also wont tip. This happened to me at Ruth Chris. No idea what happened to the waitress but I got a $200 gift card from Ruth Chris and my meal that night was free. No restaurant gives a crap about the waiter your expendable. The customer with money is not.
In reply to IRS Guy
this is what happens the waitress or waiter that makes bellow minimum has to do a tip log to prove there not making minimum wage then the company has to pay it. well when that happens there manger is going to cut there hours because they are going to think the worker is doing something wrong to cause the customers not to tip (because yes in the real world it is socially expected that you tip your server) they could even loose there jobs or be forced to leave because they are not getting enough hours and making enough money to keep a roof over their heads. oh and for your information that waitress that served you is getting taxed on her weekly paycheck for YOUR meal weather you tip her or not so in reality she is paying on your meal like YOUR the charity case.
In reply to Suzanna
Susanna I am calling bullshit on this. You can’t be taxed on money you did not earn. Not only is that a felony tax crime, it is money laundering as well. These are federal crimes punishable by federal prison. You are only taxed on what you earn and you know it. The real question is how much you don’t declare in tips. I won’t tip you so you wont have to declare my tip.
In reply to IRS Guy
YOU ARE RECIVING A SERVICE. Plain and fucking simple. So when you go to a bar and order and drink and the bartender ACTUALLY MAKES YOUR FUCKING DRINK you’re not going to tip him either?! Most servers are in the service industry as a means to an end. Most are not in it for life. They’re job requires a fucking MAD set of skills to deal with entitled, low lives like yourselves. What goes around DOES INDEED come around and boy is it going to suck for you in the future if you keep up being a fucking ignorant asshole. People have said it earlier but I’ll say it again…if you “can afford” or “don’t feel it necessary” to tip, don’t fucking go out because no one wants your business. Resuarant owners would rather you stay the fuck home. Thank you, do not come again.
In reply to Gabrielle
Gabrielle I am not tipping you for doing your simple job. If you don’t like it get a real job. Learn to speak proper English. I have no idea what “mad” skills means. The bartender is paid to make drinks. No reason to tip him ever.
In reply to Amy
Make shitty money? Get another job then. Lmao. Is it that hard of a concept. Please, explain to me. If I order a slice of bread that cost 75 cents, and you go grab it and bring it to my table it requires little effort aside from lifting the plate and bringing it to me. So how my good lady, should you be entitled to more money if that plate contains a steak that cost 20 dollars? Youre still walking to the same spot, picking up the same plate, and bringing it to the same place. Why should me spending more money, entitle you to make more. Why should I have to give you more money because I can spend more money. It’s a fucking joke. I understand sometimes a larger bill may entail more services/a larger party/more work. But not always the case. A tip should be decided by services alone, not the amount of money the customer spends. to think you deserve 20% of a bill up front is just a joke. And by the way, I normally tip 20-25% so you can fuck yourself. I’m not against tipping, I’m again whiny entitled brats who apply for a job when they are fully aware of the job and then complain they don’t make enough. I don’t believe I make enough.. I don’t post rants about it on the internet like it’s someone elses fault. I see server rant’s almost to the point were its cliché. Please all of you, just shut up. You undermine yourselves and just look like whiny children.
In reply to Jasmine
Looks like Jasmine is a synonym for dumb bitch. Waiters and Waitresses are people working not living off the system. Calling someone a low life that hates people with money just affirms your stupidity. You never stopped to think that a portion of these people come from wealthy families and will become far more successful than whoever you are leeching from. Ever think their parents are helping them build a work ethic after all they have to wait on low lifes such as yourself. Prepares them for a professional career where they have to deal with the pain in the ass of the office that is always going to HR hint hint Jasmine. It’s about taking care of people which is a two way street. You take care of people, no waits, the best tables, great service and the best the math on your check will be off most of the time. Be nice to a bartender a few times and stick a $50.00 in the tip jar and see what happens. Sorry that amount of money would be beyond your means.
In reply to Dave Jones
I rather put that $50 in my pocket. Screw the bartender.
In reply to Dave Jones
It is not a two-way street. When I go to an affluent restaurant I am there to be served and waited on end of story. I am not there to take care of you the waiter or the waitress. Your tip is no concern of mine. I am only there for the food. If you do not do a good job I will complain and you will not have a job. At approximately $150 a plate per person management will not tolerate service that is top notch. I am not going to tip you but you better give me excellent service. If you don’t you will be terminated. Very affluent customers are hard to come by. Waitresses are five cents a dozen. You’re not entitled to a tip for doing your job. When I am sitting at the table I am the boss of you, if you don’t like it get a better job.
In reply to Franklin
You’re a dumb bitch. I bet you sit on your prissy corporate ass doing absolutely fucking nothing but relying on the employees below you to make you look good, while they make menial wages and can barely afford to put food in their family’s mouth. You’re a self righteous asshole who believes the your opinions are actually desired and a narcicisstic whack job who thinks her mouth is worthy of $150 per plate food. You believe you’re entitled to overpriced food when you make money off the cheap economic workers below you. The ones your taking food from when you get your outrageous bonuses that allow me you too afford such ludicrous prices. A homemade hamburger will fill me up just the same as well your overpriced food and then I still have $145 to spend on something more meaningful
In reply to Ashley
While I kind of agree with your concept of frugality here, Ashley, you do understand that you are essentially complaining about having a job, right? If they did understand the value of money and realized that $150 on a plate of food is absurd, they wouldn’t come there in the first place and thus there would be no business.
I ultimately still agree with the article. Point #2 in particular. There’s no way the business can’t afford to pay its staff better wages with the luxurious and frankly over the top prices. It would also remove a ton of stress off their staff’s shoulders without them having a ‘us vs them’ mentality against certain customers and not have them worry if they’ll have enough to feed their family that night.
In reply to Ashley
Ashley you sound very jealous. Get a better job bitch. First you need to get a college education.
In reply to Franklin
I have a great job, one that pays me an hourly rate that I set since I have a skilled trade. I waitress only for the beer and cigarette money I need and whatever else I want. Plus the hundos I put away for myself in retirement and especially since I WILL NEVER claim thos dollars :-)
In reply to Ashley
Ashley only a retard smokes. Seriously you have to be a complete moron for smoking. I am sure you will live a short life. I am sure all your drinking is going to destroy your liver.
In reply to Franklin
Know what’s funny? When you complain to management at a restaurant with a demeanor/attitude such as the one you are expressing in this post, the managers do NOT take you seriously. I assure you. We are good at discerning between legitimate complaints and when the customer is a narcissistic sociopath. So, I smile and apologize. Later on the staff will talk about how much of a piece of shit you are and then if you ever come in again, we will most certainly remember you. I assure you, there are plenty of people in the world that are willing to spend good money for good food and will tip accordingly. I know this may come as a shock, but you are not the center of the universe and nobody gives a shit about your self-righteous “screw you” to the system.
Have a lovely day and we hope to see you again!
In reply to Fine Dining Manager
You would not be the first restaurant manager I had fired. The places I eat at better make the patron feel like they are the center of the universe. The only reason people like you have a job is because patrons like me can afford to eat at very exclusive restaurants. I am so important I never tip those beneath me. Being allowed to wait on me is an honor for you.
In reply to Jasmine
Obviously you’ve never served. Try it first, then tell us your ignorant and rude opinions. We are people outside of work too you know, we deserve to be treated as such.
In reply to almay
Almay outside of work you maybe people, however you are the lowest member of society only one step above welfare. I have never served because I have education money and skills. People like me are to be served. Six-figure salaries we are the ones that drive the economy. We are the ones that make decisions and we are the ones that allow you to have a job. I feel you make enough money without tipping for what you do.
In reply to Jasmine
I hope You choke on your food. Thats all. Your prestige will not help you there.
I understand that you are frustrated about paying for something that you either didn’t receive or don’t want to receive. If I’m understanding you correctly, you are the type of person that don’t want to pay for something you don’t want. When you eat at a restaurant, you were given a clean seat, a clean table, the food was brought to you, the workers were polite to you, you don’t have to do the dishes nor clean the utensils after you’re done, and you don’t have to clean up after any of the mess you made. All those are services that was covered by the tip. If you feel that you don’t want to receive any of those services, then you should order a take-out instead.
In reply to L. W.
Everything you described is being charged for in the menu prices. The tip just allows the waitress to make more than minimum wage. Minimum wage is more than enough for such an unskilled menial task. Retarded people do this job better because they don’t complain.
In reply to Ned
Ned, do you have any idea what “restaurant minimum wage” is? In every state, it’s significantly LESS than the statutory minimum wage – there’s a loophole for restaurants in minimum wage laws. Take into account that the statutory minimum wage is too low to provide a living wage, and then tell me how restaurant workers would be supposed to live on their base wages.
In reply to Bob Jones
Bob Jones
It is federal law that a restaurant has to pay the states minimum-wage if they don’t make it in tips duhhhhhhh. Not two dollars an hour which is the base rate. If they don’t make minimum-wage employer has to pay the difference
In reply to Sam
Of course waiters don’t want you to know the truth. They want you to think they only make two dollars an hour which is not true. They want your tips because that is how they make more than the minimum wage. A waiter can make zero tips because the employer by fed law has to make the hourly wage equal to the state min wage. This is why if you don’t tip you have nothing to feel bad about. They are still getting minimum wage which is way more than they’re worth.
In reply to Ned
It is not considered a menial service, it is a profession chosen by many and is not particularly easy. If you give me your coordinates I will personally come to you and punch you out.
And also fuck you.
In reply to Freshy
Freshly: Being a waitress is not a profession. The dept of labor officially classifies it as unskilled labor. Menial labor and unskilled labor are the same things. Dr. Lawyer, Engineer those are actual professions. Non- educated people such as yourself often have a high propensity for violence because of low self-esteem. I am sure your lack of education is very frustrating and embarrassing for you.
In reply to Ned
You are a stingy, stupid, lying, moron. Keep your misanthropic, misguided, obviously REPUBLICAN ass out of public places and especially restaurants!
In reply to Sam
And guess what retard, if restaurants start paying federal minimum, your “cheap” food ( I say cheap in quotes because you losers still complain it’s expensive) will be much, MUCH more expensive. Whatever the fuck it is you retards do for a living, it sure as Hell isn’t running a business. That’s for damn sure
In reply to Shinae
Shinae restaurants already pay the federal minimum by law anyways. Keep your opinions to yourself waitresses should be seen and not heard.
I just came here to read the comments. :)
In reply to Coke
I came for the comments too.
Most places require claiming a certain percentage of tips. I HAVE to claim 12% of my total sales even if I only make 6%. I’m getting taxed on money I didn’t even make. Then we have to tip out bartenders, cooks, bus boys, and so forth.
In reply to Leah
Leah not only is that bullshit it is against the law. Why do waitresses always lie about crap like this?
In reply to Tax law 101
I don’t think Leah is lying. I worked as a waitress in college (about 10yrs ago) and at the end of the night, had to claim my tips in the POS system (Aloha, maybe?) The program would calculate my total sales for the night, and if I entered an amount that was too low (unsure what the % was), I got an error and had to increase the claimed amount. So if I had a bad night (low or no tips), sometimes I did have to claim more for tips than I actually made.
I made $2.13/hr, and the tips varied greatly: some nights I might only make $30, but on a few occasions I made close to $200, so I don’t think I ever made less than minimum wage.
Tipping customs vary around the world, but since its a custom to do so in the US, its expected (unless they did an awful job.) Just as patrons need to remember they’re not better than their server, servers need to remember that no matter what the custom is, at the end of the day it’s the patron’s choice to tip or not.
Well for those that think tipping is not required. I say yea if you pay them min wage then you deserve the same service you get at a fast food joint. You can get a drink from a soda machine. Food will be yelled out and you come pick it up. Most important pay before you get your stuff because we do not trust you. Min wage is enough to cover the fact that they clean and stock most of the stuff on each of your tables. They fold the silver ware fill all of the condiments at your table. That is a job in and of itself. Having to serve a prick like you takes another set of skills. Tipping is not required it is saying thank you for serving me well. Thank you for a good meal. Thank you for keeping my drink full. If they fail at those things then yes even i will not tip or decrease my tip depending on how bad it is. I have always worked some kind of customer service and you jerks that think your better than everyone else and that everyone but you is incompetent . Are the worst people to have to talk to. Guess what you suck, your going to die, and your going to be forgotten just like everyone else.
I’m sick of these arguments ready. I love being waiter. I put my apron on and feel I do a service. What problem you have with me?