Poll: Would you stop tipping if they made minimum wage?
- Thread starter DevilWithaHalo
- Start date
There's a current trend I've seen where all the tips are collected and evenly given out to all the servers- regardless of service. So in my area, tipping is more akin to payment for services rendered rather than gratuity. I mean, what?
Which begs the question- why not just raise the prices and get rid of the tipping system?
Servers really should be receive the same amount of pay that any other worker among that pay-scale receives. Tips should really be added on top of that for good service, but not required to supplement the server's base pay.
Why is this better than the current system? The current system creates an awkward dilemma when you receive poor service. You don't really want to give that person any money for doing a horrible job, but they don't make minimum wage because they're supposed to be getting tips.
That might be the point though. Tipping out of obligation.
Which begs the question- why not just raise the prices and get rid of the tipping system?
Servers really should be receive the same amount of pay that any other worker among that pay-scale receives. Tips should really be added on top of that for good service, but not required to supplement the server's base pay.
Why is this better than the current system? The current system creates an awkward dilemma when you receive poor service. You don't really want to give that person any money for doing a horrible job, but they don't make minimum wage because they're supposed to be getting tips.
That might be the point though. Tipping out of obligation.
In Australia you don't see tipping very often.
It does happen, if you receive exceptional service for example you might tip but it is not really expected of you to do so and is not the norm.
The form of tipping I see most often in Australian restaurants is putting a few dollars into the 'staff party fund' jar that a lot of restaurants have at the counter.
The reason is that here you are guarenteed a minimun wage of (of the top of my head) about $15.50 per hour for adults. Most places offer much more than this so the average waiter/waitress probably gets more like $20+ an hour.
Our minimun wage is reviewed constantly, it has steadily gone up every year for the past few years.
So I guess the poll is not really applicable to me...
Why does the US have such archaic minimun wage laws? How is it a minimun wage if an employer can pay less than the specified amount and why is the minimun wage so low?
As a result of our higher wages things do cost a bit more here and we are taxed more but the benefits far outway the cons imo.
It does happen, if you receive exceptional service for example you might tip but it is not really expected of you to do so and is not the norm.
The form of tipping I see most often in Australian restaurants is putting a few dollars into the 'staff party fund' jar that a lot of restaurants have at the counter.
The reason is that here you are guarenteed a minimun wage of (of the top of my head) about $15.50 per hour for adults. Most places offer much more than this so the average waiter/waitress probably gets more like $20+ an hour.
Our minimun wage is reviewed constantly, it has steadily gone up every year for the past few years.
So I guess the poll is not really applicable to me...
Why does the US have such archaic minimun wage laws? How is it a minimun wage if an employer can pay less than the specified amount and why is the minimun wage so low?
As a result of our higher wages things do cost a bit more here and we are taxed more but the benefits far outway the cons imo.
You actually have that backwards- The higher ups don't benefit at all because they have to deal with increased costs, decreased profits and layoffs. Minimum wage laws are only good for increasing the purchasing power of the workers who keep their jobs.Matthew94 said:
Waitstaff are essentially your slaves. The guy at McDonald's, he deals with you for maybe a minute, but every little damn thing a customer wants is a waiter's responsibility...sometimes for hours on end. More water? Let me run over to the other side of the restaurant and bring that over to you so you're not inconvenienced by having to stand up. Oh, you're having a bad day? Well, feel free to act like a prick to me; it's my job to sit there and smile at you, followed by extensive ass-kissing. Made a mistake in ordering, and now you want something else? Sure, let me get rid of this and I'll bring your new choice right out. Oh, you're going to act like it was my fault? Go right ahead! Food taking too long? Well, even though we're at peak capacity and that's technically the kitchen's deal, I'll go ahead and take your abuse on the matter.
The tip system provides incentive for waitstaff to put up with this BS. It keeps us smiling at you when you're acting like a jerk. (Low blood sugar, for the record, is no excuse for treating strangers poorly, especially when they're there to do things for you.) Yes, I'd keep tipping; most customer service jobs aren't nearly as intensive when it comes to making sure the patron is not only happy, but freaking ecstatic. Additionally, there isn't a lot of room for advancement in restaurants. The only way to that raise you probably deserve for working your ass off is to get better tips by providing better service. And when you're bent over backwards for someone and they stiff you, well, suck it up, thems the breaks.
Can you tell I've been waitstaff for damn near a decade?
EDIT: That said, I'm seeing some horror stories here about shit service received, to which my reply is: Tip low. Don't stiff- they may assume you forgot. A quarter or nickel tells them you were displeased, and hopefully they'll get the message and try to do better in the future. It swings both ways, only tip if they did their damn job right, don't feel obligated to tip rude or incompetent servers. And with THAT said, try not to blame the server for the food- that's the kitchen, and while waiters can affect the quality (by leaving food sitting too long before delivery, for example), it's usually the kitchen.
The tip system provides incentive for waitstaff to put up with this BS. It keeps us smiling at you when you're acting like a jerk. (Low blood sugar, for the record, is no excuse for treating strangers poorly, especially when they're there to do things for you.) Yes, I'd keep tipping; most customer service jobs aren't nearly as intensive when it comes to making sure the patron is not only happy, but freaking ecstatic. Additionally, there isn't a lot of room for advancement in restaurants. The only way to that raise you probably deserve for working your ass off is to get better tips by providing better service. And when you're bent over backwards for someone and they stiff you, well, suck it up, thems the breaks.
Can you tell I've been waitstaff for damn near a decade?
EDIT: That said, I'm seeing some horror stories here about shit service received, to which my reply is: Tip low. Don't stiff- they may assume you forgot. A quarter or nickel tells them you were displeased, and hopefully they'll get the message and try to do better in the future. It swings both ways, only tip if they did their damn job right, don't feel obligated to tip rude or incompetent servers. And with THAT said, try not to blame the server for the food- that's the kitchen, and while waiters can affect the quality (by leaving food sitting too long before delivery, for example), it's usually the kitchen.
Im not a fan of it either to be honest, to make it worse alot of people dont even know about it so they tip even more on top of the "enforced" tip.jklinders said:
You are pretty ignorant on the subject, but at least you admit it.krazykidd said:
They make their paycheck in tips. For example, I make about $10 an hour at a regular job. A waiter makes about $2 an hour (which is pretty much always given back on tax day). If you don't tip, they essentially served you for free.
EDIT:
Um... Yeah I call bullshit. I worked at a country club on the east coast of the US in a VERY VERY rich area and made about $3 dollars an hour. I've actually had more waiting jobs than any other sort of job (maybe about 10 different places... all suburban, rich areas) and I have NEVER seen a place go over $8 for the wait staff. It is possible your sister has found the only waiting job in the United States that pays it's waiters more than $30,000 dollars a year PLUS benefits PLUS tips.Dragonclaw said:
Are you SURE she's not a manager or something?
At the very least you have to realize that is an INSANE outlier.
Time for me to put on my NASCAR hat and go into full retard sarcasm mode.Jonluw said:
/Retard mode engaged
Oh yeah?! Well, at least here in America we're free and we don't have to pay 90% tax rates! And Greece! Yeah, look how well your euro-communism works! Climate change is bullshit lies! Like evolution (which is just a theory!).
Also, America has the best healthcare in the world!
This is slightly off topic but here goes to all you Americans who tip.
It's all done off % so what if you go to a top star place, buy 5 courses of the most expensive food and wash it down with the most expensive booze ... why do you pay more in tips than in fat Joe's truck stop where you have the cheapest food wash down with a free water?
Do the staff high class place worker harder? Why is what food you buy a meter on how much you should tip the person who brought it to you?
It's all done off % so what if you go to a top star place, buy 5 courses of the most expensive food and wash it down with the most expensive booze ... why do you pay more in tips than in fat Joe's truck stop where you have the cheapest food wash down with a free water?
Do the staff high class place worker harder? Why is what food you buy a meter on how much you should tip the person who brought it to you?
Nah i wouldnt stop tipping if they did a good job they deserve a little extra for themselves no matter what their price bracket.
I consider myself a generous tipper, simply because these are hard times, and while I'm not well off by any means, I'm better than some. So I try to help when I can.
That being said, if all waiters/waitresses made minimum wage, I think I'd probably stop tipping for bad service. If the service is bad, I won't leave a great tip, but I'll still leave something. I'd still tip (and tip well) if the service was excellent though.
That being said, if all waiters/waitresses made minimum wage, I think I'd probably stop tipping for bad service. If the service is bad, I won't leave a great tip, but I'll still leave something. I'd still tip (and tip well) if the service was excellent though.
I don't really get tipping, I don't particularly like the culture of it. It's complete bullshit that restaurants place the responsibility of a waiters salary on the customers. Have some decency and pay them fairly to begin with. On the rare occasions that I do eat at a place where tipping is the norm, I do tip a little if the service was good enough. I don't know if this is the case anywhere else, but I've heard of establishments that put the tip ON the bill, so you HAVE to pay it (probably goes straight to the owner). They probably expect a regular tip as well.
Basically, fuck it. Give good service and I might come back or send others your way, I shouldn't need to cover your staff expenses, adjust your prices accordingly instead.
Basically, fuck it. Give good service and I might come back or send others your way, I shouldn't need to cover your staff expenses, adjust your prices accordingly instead.
Just because it's "Their job" doesn't mean they have to do it well. Tipping is a sign of respect, and an acknowledgement that the person went out of their way to make sure you had a good time. All a waiter HAS to do is take your order and get your food. Everything else is pure service, and worthy of recognition.
I wouldn't, because most the time I don't even remember that they get paid less. If they are a good server, I tip them well. I tip less if they are bad at it (like the guy who never refilled our drinks, and took 20 minutes to even get the drinks when there were maybe 3 tables).
I get bonuses at work, and that is basically extra money for showing up and doing my job. Hell, in 2011 they bought us all iPads. Not to mention my extreme hatred of greed, so other than what I need to survive, money is overrated to me.
I get bonuses at work, and that is basically extra money for showing up and doing my job. Hell, in 2011 they bought us all iPads. Not to mention my extreme hatred of greed, so other than what I need to survive, money is overrated to me.
I only tip people who do things I cant do.
I tip my barber, I tip my cab driver (I cant drive), and I only tip in restaurants if there is a tip jar (so I know some of that money is going to the cook).
I do not tip waiters. Bringing food over isn't a special talent. If I had to I could get the food myself.
Plus, waiters make minimum wage or more in the UK anyway.
I tip my barber, I tip my cab driver (I cant drive), and I only tip in restaurants if there is a tip jar (so I know some of that money is going to the cook).
I do not tip waiters. Bringing food over isn't a special talent. If I had to I could get the food myself.
Plus, waiters make minimum wage or more in the UK anyway.