“Being a server in a restaurant is one of the jobs that requires the least skill possible.”
I must disagree. If you haven’t tried it, you shouldn’t be quite so cavalier about disrespecting the job servers do. It’s a serious multi-tasking effort most newcomers to the position miserably fail at. Think about having 4 or 5 tables of 4 or more with various drinks, appetizers, meals with multiple requests for various special requirements, more drinks, and then various desserts. And, all items served at the precisely correct time for that table, whilst juggling the kitchen lag and the random vagaries of more than twenty different customers’ requests.
It’s why ex-servers always are the best tippers.
Yes, it might be a hard job, but it’s not an artistic or creative task. It’s something a robot could be programmed to do and would be better at it. That’s not the kind of thing I believe deserves a tip. It’s like tipping your mailman for delivering the mail on time or your checkout girl for getting the items quickly through checkout. Some do it quicker than others, but that’s part of the job description. I think the structure of giving them a direct salary without the tip option makes more sense.
It is certainly not a job I am capable of doing.
Muti-tasking four or five tables each with four or five customers-I would be gone within the hour.
When the service and food is good, we don’t hesitate to leave a 20% tip. I am sure the wait staff at many fine restaurants will be taking a large pay cut with loss of tips.