What about cow tipping? Should we tip cows, too?
It makes quality of service kind of meaningless when the staff doesn’t have to sell themselves or the restaurant.
Businesses can charge however they like. You can choose to dine elsewhere.
Over time the businesses noticed their servers were making a lot of money in tips so they reduced their pay to minimum wage. The difference between that and what you should have been paid was made up by tipping.
http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/tipped.htm
Interestingly, there is no requirement to pay it. They may add it, but courts have routinely held you do not have to pay it.
Problem is that so few (and mainly minorities) tip anymore.
I see on checks now....”minimum tip suggested”.
Its free enterprise.
My standard practice is $1 per person at buffets where the wait staff does very little for me, but still do provide something. I always presume that buffets are paying their staff more. For real sit-down table service, I leave 20% for good service, more if its spectacular service. I won't leave less than 15% unless the wait staff did something to really make my day much worse, and then I'll usually leave next to nothing.
I generally detest counter tip jars, where no personal service is delivered, beyond making my food and handing it to me over the counter.
I like the idea of a living wage for the server and a 5% tip max if the service was great.
anything more then 15% is interesting... as that’s the amount they are taxed on
sounds like they need an audit to insure their books are in order
of course, you could just remove yourself from the problem and get out of the people’s republic of califorinia. let the freaks have it. the next step is to insure the fedgov doesn’t cover their socialistic bs using our tax money
The entire F and B industry has totally changed since you were involved. There are more restaurants, and more and more expensive restaurants, where indeed good servers can make a thousand a week in tips, a lot of which is cash.
In a way, it’s a great training ground for entrepreneurs, because in a way, servers work for themselves. They are almost like brokers. They have their customers and they have the provider - they are the conduit. If they are good, they make good money.
If they are real good, they get to work in a more expensive place - ie - a place where they’ll make more money. They work their way up like a farm system in baseball almost.
In addition, waiters/waitresses “tip out” to the bartender, the sushi chefs, etc - again, part of the business chain.
Now, 20-25% tip should be only reserved for outstanding service and great food (yes, I know, not the servers fault, but not the customers fault either). But the system is great training for the free enterprise system.
If the business (restaurant, etc..) is automatically adding the "tip" no matter the size of the party, then yes it is a SERVICE FEE.
I'll also say this: I'm typically a very good tipper. I remember starting out my working life bussing tables and working the kitchen which meant tip sharing with the wait staff. I know how hard really good restaurant people work to make dining out a pleasant experience. I can only recall one time in the last 30'ish years that the wife and I have been together where the service we received at a restaurant was exceptionally bad. Even then, I knew if I left $0 for the wait staff, I was also leaving nothing for the food prep staff, buss staff, etc.. and I didn't want to do that.
So I found the restaurant manager, handed him the %15 tip and asked that it be given to the kitchen and other staff as the wait staff we had really neglected our table (other wait staff had taken up her slack.)
An "average" waiter/waitress will always get 15-20% from me. Keep my ice tea or coffee filled and don't pester me more than twice during the meal if we need anything is all I ask.
Really good wait staff will get 25% of more easily. There have been times I've left 50% when the meal was really good and the wait staff service was awesome.
Holiday's (Christmas, New Years Day, Mothers Day specifically) are really hard days for restaurant staff. They really want to be home with their families but let's be realistic: alot of them really need the money and tips from that day and they're counting on good tips for their service. I remember those days and I really appreciated the good tips on those days so I pay that forward. If you're my family's wait staff on a holiday and you provide good service you can count on an excellent tip. (When I say "excellent" typically in excess of the tab itself.)
Personally, if there is a service fee on the bill, I complain. Get it removed, then give the cash direct to the server.
I ain’t going to stiff someone who has made a meal a pleasure (or tolerable). But I’m not going to play the restaurant game where people have to wait for months for a well earned tip either. They get cash up front.
FR: This Kentucky Restaurant’s New ‘No Tipping’ Policy is Genius
When I go to a restaurant I expect to pay. The way I see it... If I’m worried about a service fee on my bill, then I should not be eating out.
Moreover, when I tip I always start at 20% and work my way down.
Nobody tips in Japan. Yes, the prices are high, but the service is good. Other countries manage without the practice. I personally think tipping is extortion and I hate the practice.
Agree. Tipping should be about 15% and 20% for good service. No tip for utterly poor service. Automatic gratuity of 18+% became popular when the economy was good during the late 90s and the early 2000s (not the Obama years, of course). I am not sure when this became an expected thing in the service industry.
How about a massage therapist who is supposedly a professional but expects a tip like a cab driver?
My daughter got offered a $20 tip on a $8 drink if she let the guy kiss her cheek (on her face). She does get minimum wage and has earned over $250 in tips on an 8-hour shift a bunch of times. She is very pretty though, and a very hard worker. Nice work if you can deal with the sore feet, aching back, complaining hips and the headaches.
If a waitress really takes extra steps to make sure we have what we want, refills drinks even before they are empty, and checks in a few times I tip them higher and generously than one who shows up to take the order and the next time you see her is to get the bill. To them I tip but very minimal. I also never leave a tip on the table I tip the waitress in person.