Because it's a high-energy business, with late hours that make it difficult to have normal family life. Ask me how I know.
As for other countries, yes it's nice to see older men, in nice uniforms, clustered around the kitchen door. When they do decide to serve you, it's often with a deliberate professionalism that can say "unhurried competence" or "studied indifference," depending on your perspective (I base this impression on numerous fine dining experiences throughout Europe, specifically).
And quite a few people who put in well over 40 hours a week at the office will tell you the same thing.
When they do decide to serve you, it's often with a deliberate professionalism that can say "unhurried competence" or "studied indifference," depending on your perspective (I base this impression on numerous fine dining experiences throughout Europe, specifically).
Yes because the same thing never, ever happens in the USA. /s
First of all let me set the record straight. The federal minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13/hr. (vs. $7.25/hr. non-tipped). The IRS requires you to claim at least 8% of your total sales as income to calculate your income taxes. Servers on average have to give at least 20% to other employees (busboys, food runners, bartenders, etc.)
So if you don’t tip or tip poorly you are literally taking money out of the server’s pocket. Because the IRS and other employees don’t care if you got tipped or not they are only looking at your sales report.
Servers are sales people...period. How many times do they try to upsell your drink from the house rotgut to a premium brand, try to get to buy an appetizer or desert? It’s all about selling. They are trying to raise your check average in hopes that you will tip accordingly.
Most servers I have met genuinely do care about giving their customers the best service possible. I have seen many a kitchen fights between servers and cooks because food came out wrong or slow...because the server cared.
A recent survey was done on why people tip...10% for food/ atmosphere, 20% for service and 70% for how people perceive themselves.
Just remember TIP is an acronym for To Insure Promptness. As a former waiter I believe 15% is the standard, anything less you should talk to the manager. And quit camparing the US to the rest of the world we don’t compare ourselves to the rest of the world when it comes to other things (gas prices, health care, etc.)because we still live in the greatest country on the face of the earth!