I realize this doesn’t have much to do with the article, but I have been furious lately at how many restaurants have automatically added the gratuity onto our bill. We are a FAMILY of 8, 2 adults 6 kids. It makes me furious, as a former waitress we only did this on business groups, large groups of kids etc. Not families.
Having lots of little children my husband always tips well. My children are super well behaved and don’t “trash” the place. They know they will never be eating out again if there is a problem. Honestly, by adding the gratuity on the waiters are hurting themselves in our case, my husband would have tipped more. I know that we don’t have to pay the gratuity they added but I am surprised at how many places do it now on families.
I think you can blame that on the IRS and the scads of thoughtless people who don’t tip or tip poorly.
Before the IRS changed the tip law, good or bad tips were just a fact of life as a server and generally if you were good you made money. Afterwards, a bad tip or being stiffed would affect you come tax time which really really sucks especially since usually your wages were a pittance.
I don’t see why non-family groups should be discriminated against. A policy should be a policy.