5 reasons why I won’t tip you if you’re a waiter

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

 

Did you earn this tip?

 

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.

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12,129 thoughts on “5 reasons why I won’t tip you if you’re a waiter”

  1. Ok. Something for everyone to keep in mind: The person who wrote this blog is probably an immigrant or child of an immigrant. This means that they do not understand how capitalism works here – it is a federal issue that employers are not required to pay their staff a livable wage, i.e. here in Texas servers are paid 2.13/hr. Minimum wage must be met, but that is not livable. That is not going to carry someone through college or supporting children/dependents. To change this would raise the price of the food a great deal and I’ve seen it happen at a restaurant that switched over to non-tipping. It worked wonderfully and I have no issues with it, but the food became very expensive. A dish that was once $9.00 became $13.50.

    Secondly, to all those who choose disrespect over personal accountability: A server is not a simple conveyor belt. Here’s an example – If you are an experienced server at a great restaurant, you could have an 8 table section along with all your other servers on the floor. The sections are sat by the host in a rotation, so each of your tables are sat at varying and staggered intervals depending on how fast you as a server can turn them over. Each of the tables needs to be greeted within (typically) a minute of sitting down. Drinks need to be on the table within 10 minutes of being sat. Appetizers need to be sent to kitchen in a timely fashion before entrees can be ordered. Complicated or potentially confusing modifications need to be verbally communicated to the lead chef as the order gets sent in. You are responsible for running the majority of your food the moment it hits the window and helping other servers with food running as the expo asks for hands in the window. You are responsible for your tables’ drink refills, though your team can help you if need be. You are responsible for actively bussing the tables that have dishes they’re done with and tables that have left. You are responsible for splitting checks and running payment as guests are ready. ALL of this happens at once, for each table, at different times even though you can only be in one place at a time. It is your responsibility to prioritize what happens first, to read your guests like a fucking psychotherapist to know what they need, and help your team as much as possible with their guests. Now imagine this happening during a RUSH. None of you would last a fraction of a second in the shoes of a bad ass server and, baby, it SHOWS. The multi-tasking required of servers is nothing short of heroic. I’ve seen and experienced the anxiety of being in the weeds, and it’s a running joke that servers run into the walk-in freezer to cry/scream/punch things. This job requires mental, physical, and emotional resilience.

    To condescend to this level of professionalism is to condescend to farm workers responsible for the food in your fridge, truck drivers responsible for nearly everything you purchase, construction workers responsible for the parking lots you use and the houses you live in. None of these professions require higher education or prior experience, yet they are essential to you nonetheless. Servers are just the only workers paid by their guests because, well, they directly provide you a SERVICE. That’s why it’s called gratuity. Be grateful. Or take some personal accountability and let your server know that you don’t believe in tipping so that they don’t bust their ass for you, because guess what, they don’t have to. They choose to.

    Sincerely,
    A bad ass server of 9 years who supported herself through college and is now an herbal healer and ethnobotanist.

    Reply

    • In reply to Kiciah

      That is a long winded comment. If minimum wage is not enough money for you then get a better job. It’s not my responsibility to pay your bills. You are nothing but a living conveyor belt. Mindless simple unskilled job a teenager should only have.

      Reply

      • In reply to David

        If you’re too broke to eat at a restaurant and compensate the people making your experience worth it, maybe you should eat at home and wait on yourself. Undoubtedly you’re the person demanding satisfaction and making an excuse for a bad attitude and lack of decorum but these hard working people deserve respect and to be compensated for their work. Clearly profit margins and economics aren’t your strong suit so I’ll make this easy for your smooth brain. If every restaurant charged just enough to pay the waiter they wouldn’t pay enough for competent servers and the price of your food would increase. If everyone acted entitled like you and refused to tip nobody would take the job. Your excuses are a personal and financial problem, maybe you should get a better job and learn to respect yourself before you pretend to grasp humanity.

        Reply

      • In reply to David

        You’re nothing but a simple minded punk with a blog… as stated before if you don’t have the money to go out you cheap ass (if I leave 10% you’re lucky?) then go to McDonald’s where you belong, they won’t ask for a tip & will even bring you’re food to you! I waited tables for 6 years & yeah now I have a degree & a better job but people like yourself were and always will be the common douche that we all have to deal with.. 10%… this fucking guy, you mind friend suck & km sure have a little wiener. Sincerely, D

        Reply

      • In reply to D

        This is why America is trash. Get your act together. If there are payment issues, change the law. But ay, since you fkn capitalist scums allow lobbyism since the day your shitty US came to life, it’ll never happen. If I ever come to visit the US, I won’t tip. I’m not responsible for you fucking up your politics.

        Reply

  2. This is valid. I do tip because I have grown up in a guilt-heavy American society, and my luck is the waiter will remember me next time and give me terrible service. However, this are absolutely correct. It’s not my job to cover your restaurant’s poor job of paying you. You aren’t giving me anything I can’t do myself (and I was in the waiter business); it isn’t hard work, it’s just mentally exhausting because of rude customers. I’m not that kind of customer. I order, expect food to be delivered promptly, then I ask for a refill once or twice. That’s it…you want 20% for that? 10% is more than enough…being a waiter is meant to be a job for young adults. If this was your career choice, you took a wrong turn somewhere. That’s on you.

    Reply

    • In reply to Jay

      I am a waiter at a higher end restaurant reservations 90 percent of time. An at a time like this, stimulus & income . I have people like you come into our restaurant., & trust me at a establishment such as ours we know who is who.on top of what that lady commented do you also know Us servers at least for me pay out 3.5 percent of my sales out , on top of paying for the stuff you didn’t like or trust me there’s always something wrong when we have your typical day weekend millionaire . Let alone you can see your mom winter handling 5 other tables that sat at same time . Like when you get a 220 dollar tab I ain’t bitch in about how cheap you want to be . You an I are different I ate at I hop an had a 26 dollar tab an gave her 15. But when you come out to eat steak an lobster an redfish etoufee an order drinks . An tip 5 dollars on a 220 dollar tab. That at the end of the day I actually had to pay out of my own pocket just to serve you . That is trash . Cause I’m hat pissed me off. There’s a reason why 10 percent is at lease appreciated . Fuck man give me 10 dollars at least so that 1hr you been qt my restaurant an everything came out on time an refills an table scrape an presentation plate an all that extra stuff you get at a high end restaurant an not the nonsense conversations cause at this place it’s a silent service . But your ass is only out cause you got a stimulus or income. An only tip 5 dollars , I pay the busses I pay the host I pay for sales , I pay to . An you sir that our I work an gave you service . I payed out of my own pocket just to meet you . That’s what I’m upset at least 5 percent dude 10 bucks so I can make 2 extra dollars that whole hour. Now times that all weekend .. because everyone gots money an all the people who can’t afford to spend 200 bucks a meal comes out to your place an under tips you … but then you have your regulars , an people who appreciate the service . I’m grateful for the whoever an whatever … there is some wonderfully awesome people an I started tipping when I realized that being a SERVANT IS MORE THAN A JOB.
      ITS A LIFE STYLE

      Reply

  3. So, I feel that Dave’s problem is that if a person is on welfare, you are paying for their children. Welfare is a government program that comes out of EVERYBODY’S taxes. So if they don’t work, you are paying for them to have those illegitimate children. At least, they are trying to care for themselves and their children, dumbass.

    Reply

  4. A waitress is a lowlife who cant get a real job in the world. $2.13/hr is very generous for the easy work that they do. It is not my job to pay their salary. I probably make more in one week then they make in 10 years. They should feel honored to have the opportunity to wait on me and be privileged just to be in the same room.

    Reply

  5. I feel the same way. The waitress should feel honored to serve a wealthy important person such as myself. My car insurance for my Lamborghini is most likely her yearly salary.
    You make minimum wage it is the law with or without tips. I didn’t become wealthy by giving my money away or tipping. .

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  6. Simple. Order take out and stay home, because your dirty plates won’t walk back themselves to the dishwasher, the same way they won’t grow legs to come to your table 🤣

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  7. Do you realize.. that when you come in there and eat and your bill is 50 or 100 that we have to pay tax tips on our sales? How stupid ignorant are you. Yes I chose to work at a restaurant for many reason we all have reasons.. maybe bc they are flexible and we are taking care of our parents instead of doing luke most people putting them n a home. The world has became so judgmental harsh rude im just glad im not like you.. it could be worse we could be like you. 👍

    Reply

    • In reply to Km

      I work for the Internal Revenue Service.
      If a person leaves you no tip you don’t pay tax because there’s no pay tax to pay for. That means you are either very stupid or a liar I am not sure which?
      If a person leaves you no tip obviously you can’t pay tax and zero dollars!1111111111111

      If I eat at your restaurant I did not tip you because I do not believe anything you do is worthy of a tip. You are just a living breathing conveyor belt bringing my food from the kitchen to the table.

      Reply

  8. I was born and grew up in the Caribbean and lived in New York for just under 15 years.. Where I’m from.. You started at 0%… Not 20%. Your service had to stand out to get a tip. Moving to New York City forced me to take a step back since request for tips initially came across as bold and forward.. There’s definitely a tip culture.. And employers use it to their benefit as well as waiters.. I’ve had less than perfect experiences.. Cold food, mistakes etc.. But I still tip at least the minimum and even more when I can detect that the service was excellent in a genuine sense and not just working for a fat tip. Why do I tip? Because I understand the waiters are between a rock and a hard place.. They are exploited by the system and I can relate to that.. if I don’t pay for my food I can be arrested.. Just like shoplifting..I could not pay a tip and walk away free.. Remember that.. So to me, that’s a failed system. I do my part none the least.
    Respect for others is a fundamental principle no matter how our views differ..
    I’ll leave it there.

    Reply

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