Man there are SO MANY freaking things in this thread that try to just throw shit at the U.S.. I used to be a shift manager at a restaurant that had deliveries (where our drivers were paid under minimum wage and relied on tips).
1. You will always make minimum wage. If you dont, there are government agencies to call and put in an anonymous tip. You can also quit your job and move elsewhere.
2. Tips DO help service. They absolutely do. When one of my drivers would receive a 20-30% tip, they would remember the person, and sometimes even their order. If someone calls before that person and doesn't tip well, they will be delivered to after the good tipping person. (If the time difference isnt drastic). Hell, ive had drivers seriously tell me to hurry up on an order because they tip well (and as a manager at that time I really appreciated good tippers to, because they made my drivers happy. I like happy employees).
3. Many tip-reliant workers make MORE than minimum wage. Seriously. I got paid 10 bucks an hours as a shift manager, some of my drivers may make 12-15 dollars an hour on slightly good days. IF they get a catering order they can deliver, they will most likely make 18 dollars an hour that day. But hey, during our slow slow days, they are only gonna make minimum wage after gas.
4. From many many places I know, managers are on hourly or salary and do not take a dime on tips.
5. From many many places I know, people who arent interacting with customers do not take tips. They make minimum wage (or similar).
6. Splitting tips is actually a good thing for waiters and waitresses many times. If someone has a bad day, they dont get shafted. So one day that guy will have a good day and help the guy who had a bad day.
So yeah. I like tip culture. It lowers food cost, increases employee morale (as long as people do tip), and it actually provides a lot of money for many of those workers.
shootthebandit said:
Action Jack said:
snip
A few myths that us brits have been told about tipping in america are they true or false:
a) if your service is poor you still tip but you leave the tip under an empty up-turned glass
b) wait staff have been known to aggresive chase after customers who have not tipped them
I shall answer these.
A. Nope. Never heard of that. Not even once. There is really no protocol for bad service tips, just tipping low.
B. Nope. People will talk about you behind your back if you ever come back, and you wont have excited servers, but nope.