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.
You are severely inconsiderate and VERY misinformed.
If you knew anything you’d know that servers get paid less than min wage because servers minimum wage is less, legally. Second of all, as a server, we do not keep all the tips. We are required to rip out to the house (that goes to the hosts, the food runners, the kitchen, the bar, etc) anything from 5-8 percent (depending on the place)of our sales. This means that for every hundred dollars we sell, we pay out 5-8 dollars. If someone spends $200 and doesn’t tip and my tip out is 6%, I pay $12 of my own money out of my wallet to have served them. You don’t tip your server they pay to serve you. At the minimum you should be tipping what they have to give the house to serve you.
You seem like a rude and awful person. And to say those kids who have to work their way through school deserve menial jobs? Grow up. Not all of us were lucky enough to have people pay for our school, I’m serving tables to pay all my bills and save up for school. Not that it’s any of your business. And we do a lot more than bring you food. We have to be very well organized and quick to be able to give you good service while serving 10 other tables. We clean up your dirty mess after your finished eating. We hold on our bladders because we have no time to pee, we get yelled at because the food is bad which isn’t our fault, and we do a TON of cleaning.
And we’re not “pretending to be your best friend for a tip”. We’re being nice because we’re genuinely nice people which is why we were hired in be first place. Your attitude is disgusting and I hope karma screws you over.
In reply to L
You lying pirce of shit. Servers get minimum wage by law with or without tip. Retard
In reply to L
You are a fucking liar http://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm
You do make minimum-wage. You are so stupid you should only make $2.13 an hour.
Feel sorry for this guy. He clearly had no respect for others and the work they do. There’s clearly a lot of anger and resentment in his life, and he’s so immature he takes it out on others. I bartended my way all through college and now have an amazing job in NYC in the media industry. But bartending taught me so much and gave me so much life experience – I’ll always be grateful for that. A spoiled brat like the author of this post will always be an idiot and that will probably never change.
In reply to Jess
I worked hard and earned a masters degree in chemical engineering. I make six figures because of my education and continuing education. I treat myself to exclusive restaurants because I enjoy it and can afford it. A family meal generally costs about $350
You are an unskilled waiter/waitress. You do nothing complicated and have no responsibilities. You think you deserve a $70 tip for bringing me food and wine. I find this very laughable. Minimum wage is your pay and what you deserve. You do not deserve a penny more.
If you want respect get a better job loser. All through history the poor serve the wealthy.
In reply to Alexander
So I don’t deserve respect because of the job I do? I’m going to get my degree in early childhood education and I will teaching young minds and that is the most important job but to get me to my final destination is to work as a waitress to pay for my education because I don’t know about y’all I don’t get handed anything I work for thing I want in my life and if you can’t appreciate and say thank you for someone serving you then you don’t deserve respect. To get respect you must give it. How someone treats a server says a lot about their character.
Being a server is not an easy job by any means, the reason you tip is to pay for the service you are receiving. This way the restaurant can pay less money in wages and you will get better service because they can afford to staff the required amount of people. Nobody would ever be a server for only minimum wage and no tip, there are plenty of jobs that are way easier and less stressful. Sure money doesn’t grow on trees, if you can’t afford to pay for service then maybe you should make your own food.
In reply to fds
I can afford to tip. Nothing a waitress does is worthy of a tip. The service you speak of, is so silly it is worth zero dollars. The only tip you will get from me is get a real job stupid.
In reply to fds
If you think being a waitress is a hard job, then you are doomed to do this your entire life. You are far too simple to succeed with a real job. I waited tables in a fancy restaurant when I was in school. I can’t remember anything being hard or difficult. It was the simplest, easiest job I ever had in my entire life. Delivering newspapers as a child was more complicated than being a waiter.
As far as your services being worth extra money. You are delusional to think what you do is even worth minimum wage. You are pathetic, and will live your life in poverty waiting tables.
In reply to Richard
YOU DELIVERED NEWSPAPERS AS A CHILD?! HOW POOR OF YOU. My friends and I chase those kids with our Rolls-Royces. There such fucking joke. HAHAHAHA. Stupid 12 year olds.
IF YOU REFUSE TO TIP THEN STICK TO MCDONALDS DUMB ASSES
In reply to Alex
You are jealous because I can afford to eat at expensive restaurants. I will eat wherever I want to. You are a waiter your opinion does not matter. You should only be seen and not heard.
You are the dumbass, because you are a waiter and you’re too stupid to succeeded with a real job.
It must be very difficult for you to watch my family enjoy a meal that costs more than what you make in an entire week. I love the look on your face when I leave you zero tip.
I dare you to give me poor service the next time I come in. If you give me less then perfect service you will be collecting unemployment because you’re employer needs wealthy customers. I am important to the restaurant, the waiter is easily replaceable.. Unskilled waiters are a dime a dozen.
In reply to Dave
Just because I work as a waitress does not mean I can’t afford shit. And trust me us servers don’t sit up awake at night thinking what we did wrong and why didn’t get a tip we say wow you’re an asshole and next time you come in I won’t spend time on y’all I’ll spend time on the customer that appreciate my time and effort. Wow if you have nothing better to than take my job then you must have a fucking boring life. Good luck with all your meaningless shit
In reply to Shut the Fuck Up
Yes, we’re the assholes because you picked a minimum wage paying job and yet feel it’s our job to make up for YOUR choice? It’s not our job to pay you. Period. You’re no better than the guy at BK who gathers the whopper, fries, and drink and puts it on a tray for me. The only difference is I have to walk the tray to the table myself, and if they let me at the place you work at I can guarantee nobody would give you money to do it. You don’t cook the food. You don’t do a thing more than the guy at BK, and he doesn’t get a tip for doing it.
As a 20 year old waiter that is “unskilled” and “ignorant”, I say this to all of the people who deem waiters as not deserving of a tip. To deal with tens even hundreds of people on any given day or night, and still be able to smile and not let a rude customer effect my service or anyone elses is a rare ability that very few professions require. Youll also find that in many jobs of the world, customer service to be the main principle behind any profession that you choose. Much like the salesman at your local Dillard’s who gets a commission for your purchase, I as well get a commission, except it’s not promised. It’s only given to me in the form of a tip, some people, at times decide that I’m not worthy of a paycheck because of their own beliefs, and that’s just fine with me. Everyone has their right to an opinion and Im proud to live in a country that allows such thoughts to be allowed. But as to my being unskilled, in just about every job, you have to be able to handle yourself in front of a client, customer, guest, patron whoever it may be that you or your company get paid by. Many times you have bossy, uncaring, rude flakes that are just a part of our society that I label for lack of a better word as the culprits of what our society is lacking. I have to deal every day with idiots, and that’s okay, because no one has empathy anymore and that’s just fine. I’m proud to give everyone a pleasant dining experience, and at the end if I am tipped or not it’s okay, because I know it will all come back to you. Any deeds you do will come back in fact.
Not everyone believes in that ideal, and a lot of people think that a waiting job is for the idiots of society, that’s fine, because once again that’s your opinion.
I don’t find it easy at times dealing with everyone, even when I’m having hard times. When even the guests who come in are having a hard time still can find the money to spend 200 on a tab and act like they’re too broke to tip.
Now for my opinion and request.
I just ask as a waiter that anyone who can say that my job is for the retards, or dimwits, that you walk in my shoes for a day and see how long you last working like a slave for as long as any waiter does, and still can have a smile on your face. In fact I don’t even care about your tip, just your respect because most can’t do the job. You can say it’s easy, and yes its unskilled to a point, but in the end most jobs today are relations based, so what separates me, the man serving your food from yourself? I have to deal with people just as you, so what makes you so special?
In reply to MicahV
What makes us so special? The fact that we went to school. Succeeded. Got real jobs. Many of us have done crappy jobs in the past. We earned what we get paid now.
You say you “work like a slave” but guess what? Slaves don’t get paid. At all. They’re slaves. They also have no choice.
You deal with rude customers? You get paid a crappy wage to do so? That’s your choice. And regardless of what the alternative is, it’s still your choice. It’s a minimum wage job. A lot of people have minimum wage jobs. It’s called unskilled labor for a reason. If you choose to stay at the job you clearly hate so much, you definitely are dimwitted. And before you say anything, as several other people have pointed out here, federal law requires your employer ensure you get paid federal minimum wage. If you don’t get that much in tips, they are legally obligated to pay the difference.
I went to college – full time as a single dad. I earned the grades. I earned my job by working my butt off to get where I am. If you think serving is a difficult job that deserves more than minimum wage, you clearly won’t make it in a real job.
Every job requires you to act nice to people you don’t like. They don’t expect those people to pay you their hard earned money in tips just for doing it. What makes YOU so special?
Plain and simple. Obviously you need money more than a server does. Here’s a tip for you…don’t go out if you cannot afford it. Take this quarter and have a rat down the street naw off your narcissistic mouth.
In reply to Dre
Here’s a tip for you. I am wealthy customer, give me poor service and you will be collecting unemployment. Well to do clientele is important, unskilled waiters can easily be replaced.
In reply to Sam
And dumbasses like you are everywhere
I always tip a minimum of $5 and a maximum of $20 and I always give it to my server in person and thank them for their service, when service is good. I haven’t been to a diner, cafe or restaurant where I’m not remembered and the servers try to chat me up and give me great service. Word gets around about my tipping and I always make somebody’s day. I have literally seen servers with a look of disbelief when I handed them a $20 and been thanked and even hugged. If I’m eating out its because I have the money to pay for my food and show others the appreciation they expect and deserve by tipping them. It is degrading to have someone give you good service anywhere where a tip is expected, and to just leave them with nothing for all their work, focus and dedication to make your visit and meal a pleasant one. I am a limo driver. My tips have ranged from $5 (which is almost an insult) to $200 for a 30 minute drive to Beverly Hills. I pick up passengers who have the money to book a nice private sedan to get driven to a fancy hotel with comforts in the car for their use like water, candy, hand sanitizer, napkins, phone chargers, air conditioning and relaxing music, all in a superbly well maintained clean shiny detailed car….and it hurts me when they don’t tip me. I still give great service and sometimes one passenger tips me the equivalent of what 2 or 3 passengers before them failed to give me-this makes up for lost tips. Always tip those in the service industry. It always comes back to you. Do good to others and good always comes back your way sooner or later.
In reply to Skely
Six friends and I went on a wine country tour in a limo. The limo ride for the tour cost $520.00. At the end of the tour the limo driver is holding out his hand like a beggar. He looks right at me and says it is customary to tip your driver I take out my iPhone and call his boss. Long story short, our limo bill was reduced by $75.00, and the driver is going to need a new job. How do dear the hired help speak to me about it tip. He got exactly what he deserved, (FIRED)
Can someone please give these wealthy narcissists a complimentary side of (use your imagination) something extra special.
In reply to Not a waitress/eaiter
Niggers are the worst at tipping. Indians and rag-heads too, they have no concept. The brownies because they’re used to eating out in Europe before they come to the U.S and tipping isn’t customary, but the niggers are just outright cheap, and are always looking for a free meal. Remember, comparable service for comparable gratitude.
In reply to Sally D.
Yes you’re right. Now the Baghwad melon head who eats kimchi shit all life, is fucking retard booley wooley.
In reply to James B.
Hey yo biatch mm mmm mmm mm, i leave no tip like other commenters because we twuly pow biatch, most waiters here richer than fake rich commenters YO!
In reply to nigganontippa
Its ok baghwad i support u
In reply to teri gaand mein haathi ka lund
I always eat out at restaurants and drop a 50 percent tip. I sometimes leave a 100 percent tip if the bill is small like 20 bucks, i’ll leave 20 bucks. What’s 40 bucks to me? I didn’t spend a hundred!
In reply to Sally D.
I am white and I never tip. I know alot of whites that don’t tip so you’re just a racist piece of shit. No tip for you loser!
In reply to Thomas
I must be a rich conservative working at a restaurant huh? Doesn’t fit with your lie model of life. Collectivist scum.
India is a shit hole now that alqaeda in the jndian sub-contintent has taken completely over the entire nation. Go home baghwad.
And beautiful people. Everyone should leave at least a 20% tip.
In reply to I tip because they need it and they’re friendly
If they needed more than the minimum wage they earn, they wouldn’t work in a minimum wage job.
In reply to I tip because they need it and they’re friendly
I don’t tip because I am superior to the waiter or waitress. I am rich and important. Even without tips you have to make at least federal minimum-wage. Walking 50 feet from the kitchen to my table is not worthy of a tip. You are just doing your simple monkey job. If you give me poor service I will contact the corporate office and have your employment terminated. Rich important customers pay the restaurants bills. Unskilled waiters are a dime a dozen. You are easily replaceable. Wealthy clientele is not.
In reply to $Bill
I doubt you make more than minimum wage. You don’t tip because you can’t afford it…Non tippers are the lowest form of subhuman filth.
In reply to Brian
You are jealous because my dinner cost more money than you make in an entire week. People that wait tables for a living are subhuman filth. Get a real job loser
In reply to $Bill
you’re a fag. If you can’t afford to eat out then don’t. No, servers are not easily replaceable. Douchebag customers are though, and trust me, we’ll tell you to get the fuck out and embarrass your bitch ass while we’re at it. Don’t like it? I’ll call your master and complain how you’re a shitty customer, cus that’s what you are at the end of a day, a corporate bitch.