Why Tip?

Off Topic
121

[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
apayne wrote:
Don’t wait on French Canadians or black people…

Or Europeans.[/quote]

…the concept of working for practically no wages, and solely depending on tips to earn a living is totally unknown and unheared of in Europe. This is why Europeans are, compared to americans, bad tippers. They simply don’t realise the person serving them relies on tips. Americans on holiday in Europe however, are loved by bar and restaurant staff all over because of their good tipping habits. This is also the only reason why american tourists are loved in Europe ((-:

122

[quote]Zeppelin795 wrote:

Hey man, I work the bar so no one in the kitchen holds a hammer over my head;-)

But if you feed me, maybe I can slip you a few drinks at the end of the night to take the edge off![/quote]

done and done.

p.s. there is always somebody in the kitchen who holds a hammer over your head, directly or indirectly

123

[quote]apayne wrote:
Don’t wait on French Canadians or black people…[/quote]

That was cute.

124

[quote]veruvius wrote:
I hate tipping. It’s just another pain in the ass. Although, service is almost always better/faster here than in Australia, which has no tipping. It could also be a cultural thing, but me and my American friends all noticed it.

Me and some friends once ate at a Hooters where we got shit food and the worst service we’ve ever had. We ended up leaving about 10 cents for a $100 bill. Apparently the waitress started crying. Once we found out, we started laughing. Never going back there again.[/quote]

Now that stinks.

You say you got bad food @ HOOTERS!?!?!
My god man! who would expect that???

When you go to a chain restaurant what do you expect. The food is tolerable, and the servers are low paid. Thats how you get the Great prices. For you to stiff the server, some young chick, making no dough at all. Is really small.

125

[quote]JuliusA wrote:
Well, you did say that you would intentionally spill a drink on a bad tipper. From there you can either expect a fight or possibly the loss of your job.[/quote]

Spilled drinks happen sometimes. And it always looks unintentional (and 99% of the time it is). If a customer were to try to fight me for spilling a drink, I’d have the cops on his ass for assault.

I never said I was unhappy being a waiter. I like waiting tables, and it’s decent money most of the time. I was just ranting about bad tippers.

Once I’m able to get a job in my field, however, I’m out.

126

[quote]emdawgz1 wrote:
veruvius wrote:
I hate tipping. It’s just another pain in the ass. Although, service is almost always better/faster here than in Australia, which has no tipping. It could also be a cultural thing, but me and my American friends all noticed it.

Me and some friends once ate at a Hooters where we got shit food and the worst service we’ve ever had. We ended up leaving about 10 cents for a $100 bill. Apparently the waitress started crying. Once we found out, we started laughing. Never going back there again.

Now that stinks.

You say you got bad food @ HOOTERS!?!?!
My god man! who would expect that???

When you go to a chain restaurant what do you expect. The food is tolerable, and the servers are low paid. Thats how you get the Great prices. For you to stiff the server, some young chick, making no dough at all. Is really small.

[/quote]

I have to agree with that. Who the hell goes to Hooters for fine dining? You get the wings and a beer and watch sports as girls walk by in tee shirts and leggings.

127

[quote]OneEye wrote:
TDog305 wrote:
It annoys me the way waiters feel entitled.

You try busting your ass for such low wages and then see if you feel entitled. The tip is practically my only source of income. I don’t even count wages in my monthly budget because I lose >95% of them to taxation.[/quote]

Like I said earlier, this is America and there are plenty opportunities out there. Busting ass doesn’t always get your rich. I could dig the best ditches around and I’ll still be poor.

Most men would get another job and stop whining about your current one you have.

I might suspect one would probably get shitty tips because of the attitude right off the bat. If you look like it’s a fucking chore to serve someone, even if you do a great job, it looks bad.

128

it’s been said before,

most people tip bad because of bad service, that or they just don’t have the cash to tip. There are many times where I didn’t bring enough cash and had to stiff the server with a poor tip( I usually leave a note to let them know it wasn’t based on there service).

and yes there have been times where I have tipped nothing, I am not one to complain if your service is shitty I will just keep being polite, not demand anything and when I leave I will leave a penny or nothing at all.

129

[quote]OneEye wrote:
JuliusA wrote:
Well, you did say that you would intentionally spill a drink on a bad tipper. From there you can either expect a fight or possibly the loss of your job.

Spilled drinks happen sometimes. And it always looks unintentional (and 99% of the time it is). If a customer were to try to fight me for spilling a drink, I’d have the cops on his ass for assault.

If you are so unhappy being a waiter, why don’t you change jobs? I ask this earnestly and not meant as a put-down-- is that not a viable option for you?

I never said I was unhappy being a waiter. I like waiting tables, and it’s decent money most of the time. I was just ranting about bad tippers.

Once I’m able to get a job in my field, however, I’m out.[/quote]

Good!

130

[quote]OneEye wrote:
JuliusA wrote:
Well, you did say that you would intentionally spill a drink on a bad tipper. From there you can either expect a fight or possibly the loss of your job.

Spilled drinks happen sometimes. And it always looks unintentional (and 99% of the time it is). If a customer were to try to fight me for spilling a drink, I’d have the cops on his ass for assault.

If you are so unhappy being a waiter, why don’t you change jobs? I ask this earnestly and not meant as a put-down-- is that not a viable option for you?

I never said I was unhappy being a waiter. I like waiting tables, and it’s decent money most of the time. I was just ranting about bad tippers.

Once I’m able to get a job in my field, however, I’m out.[/quote]

Good!

131

[quote]Professor X wrote:
apayne wrote:
Don’t wait on French Canadians or black people…

That was cute.[/quote]

You know my posts well enough to interpret it correctly.

132

It is a problem that there is such thing as a “bad tip” now. Tipping is supposed to be exactly that… a tip. You don’t HAVE to get one, and you should be pleased each and everytime you get one.

When I am not happy I purposefully leave a low tip just so they know I didn’t forget, but in a right society I shouldn’t have to remind them that I remember to tip, just low.

Too many waiters sit on their asses knowing they are atleast getting 15% and good tip is 20%. That is absolute crap, in any other job you couldn’t decide today you wanted to slack off and only get a fraction less than you normally would.

It’s different if you ONLY get paid tips, but as long as you’re still getting that measily 3.58 an hour, that is your job and if you want more act like it.

I start out at 18% when I sit down, usually by the end of the night a waiter will get 20%, shocking if they don’t. But if something isn’t right, outside of something in the ktichen, I do adjust the tip accordingly.

The best part for me is being young which usually turns into sloppy service since waitors assume they are getting a bad tip they give a lackluster performance.

But… on another side, if it is a bar I know I’ll be going to a lot, and it is usually crowded, I’ll tip heavy first.

The worst are open bar, bartenders who whine and bitch that they still need to get tipped. We haven’t forgot, but that gets annoying and usually warrents the same amount that I’d give anyone else that endlessly begs for money… change.

I hope I don’t sound like an ass, but the tipping scales are too much toward the servicer instead of the servicee.

133

[quote]emdawgz1 wrote:
veruvius wrote:
I hate tipping. It’s just another pain in the ass. Although, service is almost always better/faster here than in Australia, which has no tipping. It could also be a cultural thing, but me and my American friends all noticed it.

Me and some friends once ate at a Hooters where we got shit food and the worst service we’ve ever had. We ended up leaving about 10 cents for a $100 bill. Apparently the waitress started crying. Once we found out, we started laughing. Never going back there again.

Now that stinks.

You say you got bad food @ HOOTERS!?!?!
My god man! who would expect that???

When you go to a chain restaurant what do you expect. The food is tolerable, and the servers are low paid. Thats how you get the Great prices. For you to stiff the server, some young chick, making no dough at all. Is really small.

[/quote]

He said he had the worst service he had ever had, if the service was bad, why on earth should he be obligated to tip? Also, by your logic, he should tip even though the food was bad just because he SHOULD have known it was going to be bad? Why should anyone tip if the food is terrible under any circumstances? Guess what, if manufacturers drop the ball, our salesmen lose their commissions, how can you expect to be entitled to money from paying customers when your company is providing an unacceptable product?
I am not one to stiff a food service worker, unless it is REALLY warranted, but it sounds to me like it was in this case.

134

Supply and demand.

You’re getting paid what you get paid because you accepted the job.

Waiters get paid what they get paid because someone out there takes the low-paying job.

If you think your experience / education puts you at more than what you are receiving go to a better job, and suddenly you’ll get paid more.

You’re worth what ever you accept for your services. Work black tie.

135

[quote]mazilla wrote:
Zeppelin795 wrote:

Hey man, I work the bar so no one in the kitchen holds a hammer over my head;-)

But if you feed me, maybe I can slip you a few drinks at the end of the night to take the edge off!

done and done.

p.s. there is always somebody in the kitchen who holds a hammer over your head, directly or indirectly

[/quote]

I understand the guys in the kitchen work hard and I try and be cool and stay out of their way. However, I double as a manager and BELIEVE ME they don’t hold anything over my head. So maybe this arguemnet doesn’t apply to someone in my position.

136

[quote]Rockscar wrote:

Like I said earlier, this is America and there are plenty opportunities out there. Busting ass doesn’t always get your rich. I could dig the best ditches around and I’ll still be poor.

Most men would get another job and stop whining about your current one you have.[/quote]

I never whined about my job. I bitched a little about people who tip like shit for no good reason. I like my job.

Agreed.

[quote]LNEX wrote:
most people tip bad because of bad service, that or they just don’t have the cash to tip. There are many times where I didn’t bring enough cash and had to stiff the server with a poor tip( I usually leave a note to let them know it wasn’t based on there service).[/quote]

Nothing will piss a server off more than saying “I wish I could tip more but I don’t have the money.”

If you can’t afford to tip, don’t fucking eat there. Or order something less expensive. You’re making your server pay to serve you by not tipping them. If you order $50 of food from me, I have to tip out $2 on your meal no matter what kind of tip you leave me.

[quote]TriGWU wrote:
It’s different if you ONLY get paid tips, but as long as you’re still getting that measily 3.58 an hour, that is your job and if you want more act like it.[/quote]

Like I said earlier, the wages don’t mean anything at all. I take home practically nothing from my paycheck ($2.78 for 2 weeks of full time). I survive on tips ALONE.

I agree with you that some servers don’t do shit and expect a good tip anyway. That kind of server doesn’t deserve a good tip. As I’ve said repeatedly, I was talking about servers who bust their ass, give good service, and get stiffed nonetheless.

Oh, you make it sound so easy!

You think I wouldn’t take a job in my field if I could? There’s nothing in this area in my field whatsoever, and I’m here until my wife finishes school. I don’t have a choice in the matter.

137

[quote]Kayrob wrote:
emdawgz1 wrote:
veruvius wrote:
I hate tipping. It’s just another pain in the ass. Although, service is almost always better/faster here than in Australia, which has no tipping. It could also be a cultural thing, but me and my American friends all noticed it.

Me and some friends once ate at a Hooters where we got shit food and the worst service we’ve ever had. We ended up leaving about 10 cents for a $100 bill. Apparently the waitress started crying. Once we found out, we started laughing. Never going back there again.

Now that stinks.

You say you got bad food @ HOOTERS!?!?!
My god man! who would expect that???

When you go to a chain restaurant what do you expect. The food is tolerable, and the servers are low paid. Thats how you get the Great prices. For you to stiff the server, some young chick, making no dough at all. Is really small.

He said he had the worst service he had ever had, if the service was bad, why on earth should he be obligated to tip? Also, by your logic, he should tip even though the food was bad just because he SHOULD have known it was going to be bad? Why should anyone tip if the food is terrible under any circumstances? Guess what, if manufacturers drop the ball, our salesmen lose their commissions, how can you expect to be entitled to money from paying customers when your company is providing an unacceptable product?
I am not one to stiff a food service worker, unless it is REALLY warranted, but it sounds to me like it was in this case.[/quote]

Seriously. I thought it was understandable considering it was THE WORST SREVICE WE’VE EVER HAD. She must’ve been mid-30’s, not some young girl. Do you honestly tip when you’re ANGRY at how lousy of an experience you’re having?

The prices weren’t good. The food cost more for what we got than any other place I’ve been to. And I’ve had great service and great food at plenty of chain restaurants. No, I didn’t expect world-class food or service, but I expected to have a decent meal and have a good time with friends.

138

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/biz/4191557.html

Appropriate article for this thread in todays chronicle.

139

Yes, there were times when i have tipped when i got bad food.

Once i went to Fridays, w/ a good sized group. The food was bad, some burned, some undercooked.

I went to the mgr complained, it wasnt resolved. So when we left i refused to pay the full bill and demanded a significant discount. Went thru the details of the bad food. When i left though i made sure to tip the server well. Why? because she did her best to accomodate us and she DIDNT COOK THE FOOD.

Getting bad food is the responsibility of the mgr, and the chef.

Bad service, is the servers fault.

140

[quote]emdawgz1 wrote:
Yes, there were times when i have tipped when i got bad food.

Once i went to Fridays, w/ a good sized group. The food was bad, some burned, some undercooked.

I went to the mgr complained, it wasnt resolved. So when we left i refused to pay the full bill and demanded a significant discount. Went thru the details of the bad food. When i left though i made sure to tip the server well. Why? because she did her best to accomodate us and she DIDNT COOK THE FOOD.

Getting bad food is the responsibility of the mgr, and the chef.

Bad service, is the servers fault.[/quote]

I agree with you in principal, but why should a server be any different than any other profession. An example, if I am a salesman for a company that makes an inferior product, the inferior product will cost me money in commissions, so what do I do? I simply go to another company who makes a better product, and sell for them. It is a little unrealistic to expect the average person to distinguish between the server and the restaurant. I just don’t think its fair to expect most people to add an OPTIONAL gratuity in when they did not get what they came for.
For the record, I have done what you did before, I have also been back to a restaurant to give a tip to a server after the person paying for the meal did not tip adequately even though the service was good. If they weren’t business dinners or lunches, I would do it in front of them and let them know about it.