How do you feel about tips in restaurants?

I don't know Applebee in the US but I have been aware for many years that tipping is essential in US restaurants (it is illegal to tip in China, and often optional in other countries); but this story by the waitress who was sacked after the customer complained his bill was posted online raises questions about the salary she was being paid -$3.50 an hour? is THAT legal?- as well as his Christian beliefs: 'I give God 10% why should I give you 18%'. I feel the waitress was right and Applebee is wrong to sack the staff, he could have asked to see the manager to explain why he wasn't payng the tip.

For the record, I have had some rubbish meals in the US; I have also had some splendid ones, its that kind of country; but the worst in North America was in Montreal. The link is below the article.

Tips are not optional, they are how waiters get paid in America

An Applebee's diner refused to leave a tip for religious reasons. The waitress who exposed it wonders if Jesus will pay her bills
Chelsea Welch



http://1.2.3.9/bmi/static.guim.co.uk...eceipt_460.jpg
A customer at an Applebee's restaurant in St. Louis left no tip and a note saying, "I give God 10%. Why do you get 18?"



I was a waitress at Applebee's restaurant in Saint Louis. I was fired Wednesday for posting a picture on Reddit.com of a note a customer left on a bill. I posted it on the web as a light-hearted joke.
This didn't even happen at my table. The note was left for another server, who allowed me to take a picture of it at the end of the night.

Someone had scribbled on the receipt, "I give God 10%. Why do you get 18?"

I assumed the customer's signature was illegible, but I quickly started receiving messages containing Facebook profile links and websites, asking me to confirm the identity of the customer. I refused to confirm any of them, and all were incorrect.
I worked with the Reddit moderators to remove any personal information. I wanted to protect the identity of both my fellow server and the customer. I had no intention of starting a witch-hunt or hurting anyone.
Now I've been fired.
The person who wrote the note came across an article about it, called the Applebee's location, and demanded everyone be fired -- me, the server who allowed me to take the picture, the manager on duty at the time, the manager not on duty at the time, everyone. It seems I was fired not because Applebee's was represented poorly, not because I did anything illegal or against company policy, but because I embarrassed this person.
In light of the situation, I would like to make a statement on behalf of wait staff everywhere: We make $3.50 an hour. Most of my paychecks are less than pocket change because I have to pay taxes on the tips I make.
After sharing my tips with hosts, bussers, and bartenders, I make less than $9 an hour on average, before taxes. I am expected to skip bathroom breaks if we are busy. I go hungry all day if I have several busy tables to work. I am expected to work until 1:30am and then come in again at 10:30am to open the restaurant.
I have worked 12-hour double shifts without a chance to even sit down. I am expected to portray a canned personality that has been found to be least offensive to the greatest amount of people. And I am expected to do all of this, every day, and receive change, or even nothing, in return. After all that, I can be fired for "embarrassing" someone, who directly insults his or her server on religious grounds.
In this economy, $3.50 an hour doesn't cut it. I can't pay half my bills. Like many, I would love to see a reasonable, non-tip-dependent wage system for service workers like they have in other countries. But the system being flawed is not an excuse for not paying for services rendered.
I need tips to pay my bills. All waiters do. We spend an hour or more of our time befriending you, making you laugh, getting to know you, and making your dining experience the best it can be. We work hard. We care. We deserve to be paid for that.

I am trying to stand up for all of us who work for just a few dollars an hour at places like Applebee's. Whether a chain steakhouse or a black-tie establishment, tipping is not optional. It is how we get paid.

I posted a picture to make people laugh, but now I want to make a serious point: Things like this happen to servers all the time. People seem to think that the easiest way to save money on a night out is to skip the tip.
I can't understand why I was fired over this. I was well liked and respected at Applebee's. My sales were high, my managers had no problems with me, and I was even hoping to move up to management soon. When I posted this, I didn't represent Applebee's in a bad light. In fact, I didn't represent them at all.
I did my best to protect the identity of all parties involved. I didn't break any specific guidelines in the company handbook – I checked. But because this person got embarrassed that their selfishness was made public, Applebee's has made it clear that they would rather lose a dedicated employee than an angry customer. That's a policy I can't understand.
I am equally baffled about how a religious tithe is in any way related to paying for services at a restaurant. I can understand why someone could be upset with an automatic gratuity. However, it's a plainly stated Applebee's policy that a tip is added automatically for parties over eight like the one this customer was part of. I cannot control that kind of tip; it's done by the computer that the orders are put into. I've been stiffed on tips before, but this is the first time I've seen the "Big Man" used as reasoning.
Obviously the person who wrote this note wanted it seen by someone. It's strange that now that the audience is wider than just the server, the person is ashamed.
I have no agenda here. I seek no revenge against the note writer. I have no interest in exposing their identity, and, at this point, I'm not even sure I want my job back. I was just trying to make a joke, but I came home unemployed.
I've been waiting tables to save up some money so I could finally go to college, so I could get an education that would qualify me for a job that doesn't force me to sell my personality for pocket change.
While this story has garnered immense media attention, my story is not uncommon. Bad tips and harsh notes are all part of the job. People get fired to keep customers happy every day.
As this story has gotten popular, I've received inquiries as to where people can send money to support me. As a broke kid trying to get into college, it's certainly appealing, but I'd really rather you make a difference to your next server. I'd rather you keep that money and that generosity for the next time you eat out.
Editor's note: Chelsea added the final two paragraphs at 2:30pm EST on Friday.




http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...ess-needs-tips

I think it is a disgraceful commercial practice where restaurants believe that the salaries of their staff should depend upon tips. Staff should be paid a decent wage.

Many restaurants now include a service charge on the bill. It is claimed that this is divided up between staff. I've no idea if this is true.

I would like to see serving staff paid properly and then, if they do a decent (or even better an excellent) job get tips on top, directly from customers which they get to keep.

I always tip...even when the service is not up,to par (I consider why). Why? Because I used to be a server in a restaurant and I know what they're going through. I actually usually OVER-tip...even more if the service was extraordinary. Yes, I was payed the minimum wage as well (I worked at an M&M Soul Food restaurant).

Damn shame...I LIKE Applebee's.

And from my experience, church people are some of the worst customers...ESPECIALLY on a Sunday. That's coming from both being a server AND as a customer in a restaurant with them. See story above.

I always tip at least 20 percent if the service is decent. The restaurant had every right to fire the girl for posting a customers personal info online but the customer was wrong for not going to the manager about bad service if that was the case. Mandatory tips are silly anyway and if the service is bad I make sure it isn't added to my bill.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Quiet Reflections

I always tip at least 20 percent if the service is decent. The restaurant had every right to fire the girl for posting a customers personal info online but the customer was wrong for not going to the manager about bad service if that was the case. Mandatory tips are silly anyway and if the service is bad I make sure it isn't added to my bill.

---

Wow mandatory typing is bad even tho that person is making 3.50 an hour? Lmao okay

I always tip at least 20% because I've dated waitresses in the past and my wife is a restaurant cook. She makes pretty good money, since she is paid a living wage. A good waitress can make nearly what she makes at this restaurant, because most of the customers are local and know the staff well. A place like Applebees though is different and while I'm not surprised this person was fired, I think the management overreacted to the situation. The customer in question was obviously an idiot, as his note indicated.

I tipped in China and they didnt have a problem. I just heard you dont tip in some Asian countries before you eat or anything because the quality you get might not be as good as what your tip would suggest it is.

I got a shock at just how much tipping goes on in America. Not saying its wrong or anything but its so much different to England.

I tip 99 per cent of the time too - the only exceptions being if I have had totally lousy service, or rudeness from my server (I once had a stand up row with the owner of a restaurant when I sent a dish back because the food was badly off. He told me no one else had complained... which was hardly a defence! ) But I still tipped the server.

But despite that they should NOT depend upon tips to make a living.

France seems to have the system right where service is automatically compris. But then being a waiter or waitress is considered a real profession there.

I was puzzled by the author's claim that her minimum wage was $3.50 an hour and checked online; apparently the US Federal Minimum wage should be $7.25 but obviously many employers do not pay this. Even $5 an hour should be considered an insult, and its not good saying they make extra on top if this woman was mostly making $9 an hour.

In the UK the official minimum wage is £6.19 for workers over 21 which is $9.73; it goes down to £4.98 if a worker is between 18-20 ($7.83); £3.68 for under-18's ($5.78) and £2.65 for apprenticeships ($4.16).

In France the official minumum wage is E9.40 ($12.70) and in Japan ranges from between 618-739 Yen (($6.63-$7.93).

In Norway, Sweden, Germany and Switzerland there are no official minimum wages other than in some professions, but they have strong union representation and collective bargaining with employers.

I don't mind tipping for good service, but I think the basic wage should be a living wage -tipping is supposed to be an Extra, not a compensation for the employer's parsimony.

I tip anywhere between 15%-20% in the USA depending on the type of service and restaurant I am dinning in.

In Europe I generally leave a tip if the service was good to excellent but usually just a Euro or two. I lived in Switzerland for a while and at least in Switzerland I am told that servers go to school to learn their profession and are paid a salary by the restaurant.

In the USA servers are generally not trained beyond whatever the specific restaurant offers and thus the belief that they can be paid less than minimum wage. I am not sure that I agree with that practice, but it is what it is.
k

i saw this story and found i quite funny because i am one to leave notes on bills as well. then when i saw that she was fired, i believe that applebees showed that a $34 customer is more important to them than good PR. They should have stuck by their employee AND their policy of adding gratuity to bills of large parties. Perhaps her error was leaving the customer's name/signature on the bill but still, dismissal was excessive.

Now, as for tipping. I tip well when deserved and I tip poorly when deserved. I start at 15% and go up or down if I am impressed or depressed with the service. The largest tip I have ever left was somewhere around 40% of the bill because I know that I drank much more than that for free. I have never left $0 for a tip because when service is horrid...nothing gets your point across like a penny. Leaving no tip could mean you are just cheap and don't tip. Leaving a penny as a tip and a note about the terrible service gets a manager to look at the ticket and the employee.

People should not have to tip. We tip because these companies are legally allowed to pay these people awful wages. Our representatives should change the law and make these greedy companies pay better wages.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FRANKLIN

People should not have to tip. We tip because these companies are legally allowed to pay these people awful wages. Our representatives should change the law and make these greedy companies pay better wages.

---

PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TO TIP. It isn't required, just expected.

it figures you'd say something like this.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RallyCola

PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TO TIP. It isn't required, just expected.

it figures you'd say something like this.

---

What exactly is wrong with the point he's trying to make? He's basically saying that they should pay waiters/waitresses more so they don't have to survive off of tips (cause there's people like you who don't think it's mandatory).no one can live off of $3 dollars a hour and that's pretty much the standard wage for a waiter in the us.
It doesn't really surprise me tho that in this shit country we not only pay the people who serve us shit but give them shit for expecting a tip.

I find the idea of tipping distasteful, especially when it's expected.
Pay people a living wage!

Also, whom do you tip?
Your waitress, cab driver, the guy who carries your bags to your hotel room?
what about the guy who picks up your garbage, your postman, bus drivers, do you tip them?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by amberskyi

What exactly is wrong with the point he's trying to make? He's basically saying that they should pay waiters/waitresses more so they don't have to survive off of tips (cause there's people like you who don't think it's mandatory).no one can live off of $3 dollars a hour and that's pretty much the standard wage for a waiter in the us.
It doesn't really surprise me tho that in this shit country we not only pay the people who serve us shit but give them shit for expecting a tip.

---

i subscribe to the theory that employers pay you just enough money so you don't quit. if your incentive in the service industry is to exceed a customer's expectations because your pay is dependent on it, you may be more motivated to go a good job. waitresses, devoid of the need for a tip, would be inclined to offer little more customer service than the check out girl at mcdonalds.

amber...as a person who provides a service to others and may likely be tipped...i can't see why you don't see how this is a much better alternative to paying higher wages and negating tips all together. the best waitresses at the finest restaurants can pull in a ridiculous amt tax free

it is no different than a real estate broker or car salesman...pay is dependent on performance. it's the way it should be. his point is stupid. a tip is nothing more than "commission pay" over base

Tips? Yes, to Garbage collectors at Christmas (or they strew all your Rubbish across the garden), window cleaners, milkman, postman, the paperboy..... and in hotels yes, the bellboy and the porter who carries your luggage, and room service and the maid. cabbies.

Anyone on here who has ever frequented female escorts in London will also be familiar with the 'something for the maid" thing too - a tip you're more or less obliged to ay upfront for the old gal who shows you to the escort. Not encountered that in years.

I'm with Rallycola on tipping in restaurants. A derisory tip for wretched service does get the point over... but as I said earlier restaurateurs should pay their stuff a decent wage.

oh...i never "tip" escorts. that's where i draw the line. i will tip someone who is working for a company and whose wages are largely out of their control except for going above and beyond the expected level of service. independent contractors who set their own rates are not people who should be tipped, IMHO. having never visited a brothel and only indie girls, i've never had to tip the maid so to speak.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Prospero

... but as I said earlier restaurateurs should pay their stuff a decent wage.

---

what is a decent wage?

the federal minimum wage is $7.25. Even if you triple it...i wouldn't consider that a decent wage. you need to pay people commensurate with their skills and education and more importantly how easily replaceable they are. If tomorrow, a waitress decided she would only work for Applebees for $10 an hour, plus tips...the sad fact is that there are people who would undercut her and and do it for less. There will always be more people in need of a job than there are jobs available.

I don't think restaurants are under any pressure to increase wages. they are under pressure to ensure the restaurant is full and profitable because then the hourly wage they pay their servers is completely inconsequential. Only when restaurants suck and no one wants to go there, can the hourly wage be important.

Restaurants in the US do not pay their employees a living wage, let alone the legal minimum wage for other jobs. At least the staff who wait on tables can supplement their income with tips (the general rule is 20%). The waiters and waitresses are not responsible for the ambiance, the food, the conversation at the table next to yours, what's playing on the juke box or the TV etc., yet their tips often suffer should any of these prove annoying. Cooks are often paid very low salaries as well and even when the food is very good they are never tipped. Owners are out to make a buck, and if it means stepping on the backs of their workers so be it.

I heard this story being discussed on NPR yesterday as I was driving home. It seems the customer is suing because his receipt, showing his signature, was photocopied and posted on the internet. The claim is that his signature is personal and protected by privacy laws. Can that be? Isn't your signature a facet of your public face? You sign public petitions, contracts, checks, etc. A signature is usually taken to be a public proof of one's private identity.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RallyCola

i subscribe to the theory that employers pay you just enough money so you don't quit. if your incentive in the service industry is to exceed a customer's expectations because your pay is dependent on it, you may be more motivated to go a good job. waitresses, devoid of the need for a tip, would be inclined to offer little more customer service than the check out girl at mcdonalds.

amber...as a person who provides a service to others and may likely be tipped...i can't see why you don't see how this is a much better alternative to paying higher wages and negating tips all together. the best waitresses at the finest restaurants can pull in a ridiculous amt tax free

it is no different than a real estate broker or car salesman...pay is dependent on performance. it's the way it should be. his point is stupid. a tip is nothing more than "commission pay" over base

---

You need to look at why people work at these jobs. These jobs may be their only option. People work crappy jobs because its the best option they have at the moment.

America says it is the land of opportunity. Yes, it is the land of opportunity for the rich. Most people die in the same class they were born in. The American Dream doesn't exist. It's a joke. America is full of inequality. America is one of the most unequal nations on Earth.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Prospero

Tips? Yes, to Garbage collectors at Christmas (or they strew all your Rubbish across the garden), window cleaners, milkman, postman, the paperboy..... and in hotels yes, the bellboy and the porter who carries your luggage, and room service and the maid. cabbies.

---

Apparently, Postmen aren't allowed to accept tips (i always make sure mine gets a bottle at xmas..He goes above and beyond).

But the binmen can fuck right off, lazy bunch of cunts!
Was a time, they'd come up the drive, take the shite down, then bring the bin back up. Now, i have to sort the rubbish out, carry it down to the bottom of the drive, then go hunting around the street for my bin because they're too fukkin lazy to put it back where they found it...FUCK 'EM!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FRANKLIN

You need to look at why people work at these jobs. These jobs may be their only option. People work crappy jobs because its the best option they have at the moment.

America says it is the land of opportunity. Yes, it is the land of opportunity for the rich. Most people die in the same class they were born in. The American Dream doesn't exist. It's a joke. America is full of inequality. America is one of the most unequal nations on Earth.

---

That is the biggest load of horse shit. that is the attitude of a defeatist and someone that wants to blame everyone other than themselves for their predicament. yes, america isn't a fair place and having money makes life a lot easier, but moving about the class system is not difficult if you are not afraid of hard work.

if you work at a job because it is your only option...then that's the job you deserve.

my parents' combined gross income was 40k a year when i was a child. they struggled to pay rent in a shitty apt in jackson heights queens and never owned a new car or fancy labels on their clothes. presently, i earn significantly more than that because i paid attention in school and i'm still just a fellow.

though it is true that many people are grossly overpaid and over valued, far less are really underpaid or under valued. if you earn 50k a year but think you should earn 150k...you are probably not realistic about your own potential. you may think you are undervalued, but the market doesn't so stop your bitching or do something about it.

other than students working their way through school or developmentally/physically disabled people...if you are a person in a low income position, you've done something wrong in life.

I agree Jericho re bin men but woe betide you if you don't 'bribe" i.e. tip them. They actually come knock and my door and ask for a tip.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RallyCola

That is the biggest load of horse shit. that is the attitude of a defeatist and someone that wants to blame everyone other than themselves for their predicament.

if you work at a job because it is your only option...then that's the job you deserve.

my parents' combined gross income was 40k a year and i presently earn significantly more than that because i paid attention in school and i'm still just a fellow.

though it is true that many people are grossly overpaid and over valued, far less are really underpaid or under valued. if you earn 50k a year but think you should earn 150k...you are probably not realistic about your own potential.

other than students working their way through school or developmentally/physically disabled people...if you are a person in a low income position, you've done something wrong in life.

---

I'm normally nice to people. Dude, you're an asshole. A person's social status does not mean they made mistakes in their lives. In America, your social class determines the quality of your education. In America, your race determines your pay.

There are many college graduates who are working at these low wage jobs because these jobs are their only option. Is that their fault? NO. You can't make a "job creator" hire you.

People need to stop blaming the poor for being poor. People need to look at our social structures because our culture, government, structure, and society are the problems.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Prospero

I agree Jericho re bin men but woe betide you if you don't 'bribe" i.e. tip them. They actually come knock and my door and ask for a tip.

---

really? i have never tipped the garbage men. when we had our co-op, we tipped the handymen and porters in general, whose responsibilities including collecting garbage among other things. it has never crossed my mind to tip the guys in the truck.

here in NYC, a garbage man starts at 34K a year as a base before overtime and ends up at near 70K by 5.5 years in. that's enough money for a job where your only skills is to drive a truck and pick up heavy dirty things.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Prospero

I agree Jericho re bin men but woe betide you if you don't 'bribe" i.e. tip them. They actually come knock and my door and ask for a tip.

---

Yer kidding?
Cheeky fukkers!
If they tried that around here, they'd get the tip of some fukkers boot up their arse! :ignore:

I know Rally, but if you live in NYC then. unless you have a brownstone or out in the burbs (certainly in Manhattan) you're probably in an apartment building where you never have any contact with these guys. Its all doormen and janitors. But, as you know, outside of Britain's city centres, most everyone lives in their own houses - with drives and front paths etc - and we all have a more direct relationship with the garbage collectors, mailmen, etc etc. They come onto your property - so you don't want them dropping bins and crap on the roses or whatever.

I was unaware you postmen were not supposed to accept tips. Mine has never refused (and he is a good guy anyway.)

Well I live in a more genteel neighbourhood than "the corner booth at titty twister."

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FRANKLIN

I'm normally nice to people. Dude, you're an asshole. A person's social status does not mean they made mistakes in their lives. In America, your social class determines the quality of your education. In America, your race determines your pay.

There are many college graduates who are working at these low wage jobs because these jobs are their only option. Is that their fault? NO. You can't make a "job creator" hire you.

People need to stop blaming the poor for being poor. People need to look at our social structures because our culture, government, structure, and society are the problems.

---

lol...the fucking race card. you are just a walking cliche aren't you.

1st off...i am an asshole and an elitist. i did not come from money but will never begrudge anyone what they have. anyone at any time can make the best of a situation.

there is one huge fallacy about a college degree, i will admit. just getting one doesn't mean you are qualified for anything. doing well, networking, getting an advanced degree...these are keys to success...not just getting your degree.

please stop blaming anyone but yourself for your short comings and stop having a chip on your shoulder. if you are not receiving waiver services, its all up to you, and only you to make them most of your potential.

for the record, i am NOT saying that a rich white straight man doesn't have a ludicrous advantage over a black lesbian midget born into an impoverished family but this society offers that woman the best chance of changing her situation among anything globally.

you cannot fault anyone for what they are born into...you can only fault someone for what they do with what they have.

let us be clear on one thing as well...i respect only educated people. when i say i am an elitist, it pertains to intellect and skill. i don't care about how much money you have because it is meaningless. i didn't go to the ivy league...i went to rutgers and new jersey medical school. i still have a better h-index than my cohorts and am a fellow at columbia. that's the son of doorman and bank teller who doesn't knew i would never be pigeonholed by my parent's race and social status

[quote=RallyCola;1272253]lol...the fucking race card. you are just a walking cliche aren't you.
QUOTE]

You're very ignorant. I doubt you have an education. It is commonly known that minorities are paid less than whites because of their race. Minorities have less opportunities than whites.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RallyCola

for the record, i am NOT saying that a rich white straight man doesn't have a ludicrous advantage over a black lesbian midget born into an impoverished family but this society offers that woman the best chance of changing her situation among anything globally.

you cannot fault anyone for what they are born into...you can only fault someone for what they do with what they have.

let us be clear on one thing as well...i respect only educated people. when i say i am an elitist, it pertains to intellect and skill. i don't care about how much money you have because it is meaningless. i didn't go to the ivy league...i went to rutgers and new jersey medical school. i still have a better h-index than my cohorts and am a fellow at columbia. that's the son of doorman and bank teller who doesn't knew i would never be pigeonholed by my parent's race and social status

---

That is what you're saying.

This society doesn't offer women the best chance of changing their situation. This society makes life worse on women. They are paid less than men. The police rarely gives a damn about women when they are rape. Most single women work minimal wage jobs. Most men do not pay child support. No, life in America is worse for women then it is for me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Prospero

Well I live in a more genteel neighbourhood than "the corner booth at titty twister."

---

Don't start that shite with me, you overpadded southern softie! :tongue:

But seriously, no, it's a Royal Mail thing, posties aren't allowed to accept tips.
But obviously, if you're not telling anyone, they're not going to.

Tho as for the binmen...fuck 'em!

[quote=FRANKLIN;1272268]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RallyCola

lol...the fucking race card. you are just a walking cliche aren't you.
QUOTE]

You're very ignorant. I doubt you have an education. It is commonly known that minorities are paid less than whites because of their race. Minorities have less opportunities than whites.



That is what you're saying.

This society doesn't offer women the best chance of changing their situation. This society makes life worse on women. They are paid less than men. The police rarely gives a damn about women when they are rape. Most single women work minimal wage jobs. Most men do not pay child support. No, life in America is worse for women then it is for me.

---

i'm not disputing that minorities are paid less. i'm saying i don't care. if a white guy in my department is making more than me, its unfair and illegal, but it's not his fault for accepting what he is offered. you are comparing apples to apples there...2 people of "equal" qualifications, test scores, whatever.

you however are going overboard by comparing someone who is a waiter to someone that is a garbage man to someone what is an accountant. they are all quit different and have varying social value. garbage men are necessary because we would have trash built up around us or lines at the dump if we had to go there individually. Accountants and waitresses are needless jobs and easily replaceable. Neither is integral to your daily life as you can go to a buffet and serve yourself or eat at home, or you can do your own taxes. The difference is that the accountant may deserve more respect for his achievements and abilities.

Here is how you can determine how important any person is in your life, and therefore determine the amount of respect they deserve for the position they occupy: how easy can you train their replacement? using that judgement allows me to not give 2 shits about a person's race or social status because that's an apples to apples comparison.

I wish my mailman and garbage man switched jobs. Everything would be delivered and taken away much better.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dino Velvet

I wish my mailman and garbage man switched jobs. Everything would be delivered and taken away much better.

---

lol...that might in fact be true. good call.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RallyCola

i subscribe to the theory that employers pay you just enough money so you don't quit. if your incentive in the service industry is to exceed a customer's expectations because your pay is dependent on it, you may be more motivated to go a good job. waitresses, devoid of the need for a tip, would be inclined to offer little more customer service than the check out girl at mcdonalds.

amber...as a person who provides a service to others and may likely be tipped...i can't see why you don't see how this is a much better alternative to paying higher wages and negating tips all together. the best waitresses at the finest restaurants can pull in a ridiculous amt tax free

it is no different than a real estate broker or car salesman...pay is dependent on performance. it's the way it should be. his point is stupid. a tip is nothing more than "commission pay" over base

---

im not going to compare my situation to that of an waitress.while i may get tipped i dont depend on tips to eat and im sure as hell not making 3 bucks an hour.
i think tipping in restaurants is mandatory because i know what these waiters are making.i have a flat rate i tip if the service is mediocre and i may tip more is service was excellent.ive rarely never tipped and the only times that has happened was because the service was beyond horrible.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by amberskyi

im not going to compare my situation to that of an waitress.while i may get tipped i dont depend on tips to eat and im sure as hell not making 3 bucks an hour.
i think tipping in restaurants is mandatory because i know what these waiters are making.i have a flat rate i tip if the service is mediocre and i may tip more is service was excellent.ive rarely never tipped and the only times that has happened was because the service was beyond horrible.

---

tipping is never mandatory though...it is voluntary and customary but nevertheless, you should never feel as if you MUST tip a certain amount.

i don't really care about the base pay of a particular person. they will be given a tip commensurate with their level of service and how much I value their contribution to my experience.

if base pay was what was important, then that person shouldn't be a waitress. they are working for tips, not that little hourly check. they knew the job when they took it.

i dated a girl in undergrad that worked with kids with autism. daily, she was hit, had feces smeared on her, etc and she did this as a direct care worker for $10 a hour. where was her tip? she was a caregiver for people who put there kids in group homes because they didn't want to take care of them. how many of you would wipe the ass of some disabled kid spitting on you for $10 a hour to put food on the table or buy textbooks. so please, spare me about the poor waitress who can earn money tax free.