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#428708 - 09/27/05 07:44 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Power Poster
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,353
Anchorage Alaska
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For those who aren't living on waitstaff wages...you may not know it, but many restaurants pay BELOW minimum wage because the tip money is allowed to be calculated into their salary (just a guess of the average tip). SO when you don't leave a tip, which is the norm in the US, they're not even working for minimum wage.
They are also taxed on that "guess" as to average tips. WHile I don't advocate tipping high when service is poor, I certainly don't like to hear about folks who leave a little tip no matter what, and assume that these hard working people "don't deserve the extra" since they know what they were getting into when they took the job.
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Dawn Coursey VP/CRA Queen
CRA Rating is in...Oh who cares...I'm home with the baby.
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#428709 - 09/27/05 08:01 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Power Poster
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,925
So Cal
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My first job was at a mom-and-pop owned Italian restaurant where I often had to wait on tables and even go on pizza deliveries, so I agree with Dawnie and Nunzeo. I will certainly tip well for good service and take into account things that are beyond their control. Accidents happen as well, but their attitude is something that they have complete control over, just like refills, clearing empty plates, etc.
The mentality that they deserve it no matter what just doesn't fly with me. Right when I walk in, I plan on leaving 15%. If the service is better than average, it will go up. If the service is bad (again, relative to things under their control) or unfriendly, it will go down. I don't mind if it's slow, so long as the server is friendly and/or acknowledges the delay. I know they work hard.
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I've just writed a wrong.
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#428711 - 09/27/05 08:51 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I once dumped a Singapore Sling down the back of a customer. I was absolutely mortified! To top it off, the poor guy was wearing a white shirt. I was very apologetic but there wasn't much we could do about the condition of his shirt. He didn't leave me a tip - not that I could blame him! I probably would have tried to give it back if he had. The cost of replacing the shirt would have far out-weighed any tip he would have left me. You know when you're being a sucky waitress or waiter. You should never just assume that a tip will be coming your way. Fortunately, I'm not a waitress anymore. Fortunately for the customers, that is!
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#428712 - 09/27/05 09:02 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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100 Club
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 142
North Alabama
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You could have said "oh I'm sorry I did forget that!" Then you could have jotted down on a sheet of paper 'A tip on how to be a better waiter!'
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The second mouse gets the cheese!
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#428713 - 09/27/05 09:52 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Power Poster
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,706
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What I don't like is when they work the tip into the bill if it is a large group. Especially when the service is poor. There was a case where this happened and the guy who picked up the tab took off the automatic tip from the bill and paid the rest because the service was poor. It went to court. I'm not sure of the outcome but I thought it was deemed a tip is not a legal obligation and he didn't have to pay it. Anyone else hear about this?
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Beauty is only skin deep...but ugly goes all the way to the bone!
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#428715 - 09/27/05 10:01 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Power Poster
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,706
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If I see that on a bill I never tip higher. I'm actually quite offended.
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Beauty is only skin deep...but ugly goes all the way to the bone!
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#428716 - 09/27/05 10:02 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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10K Club
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,846
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Quote:
...when you don't leave a tip, which is the norm in the US, they're not even working for minimum wage...they are also taxed on that "guess" as to average tips.
Dawnie, I'll bet I've waited tables more recently than you. We were taxed on what we reported, not on some average. And if we didn't report enough to average out to the federal minimum wage, the employer had to make up the difference. And in my years, I never knew of anyone who wound up reporting less than minimum wage more than once or twice (it was VERY unusual, usually someone who wasn't worth what they were getting, and usually someone who didn't stay long, anyway).
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#428717 - 09/27/05 10:12 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I worked in a full service restaurant for 9 years (all different positions), you were right to not leave a tip, a few months ago, I had bad service for lunch and took my bill and complained very nicely to the manager about how my waitress had an attitude and gave poor serivce, he appoligized and charged me nothing. I left her nothing.
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#428719 - 09/28/05 03:01 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Diamond Poster
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,245
US of A
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Quote:
I can't believe he followed you out of the building, seems that would be harassment...hhmm.. the nerve of some people.
Harassment?! Nahhh. It might be "stupid," or "agressive," or "obnoxious," but a single incident of following you out in the parking lot to confront you about not leaving a tip is not "harassment."
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"If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you." ~ Oscar Wilde
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#428720 - 09/28/05 03:11 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Diamond Poster
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,245
US of A
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Quote:
For those who aren't living on waitstaff wages...you may not know it, but many restaurants pay BELOW minimum wage because the tip money is allowed to be calculated into their salary (just a guess of the average tip). SO when you don't leave a tip, which is the norm in the US, they're not even working for minimum wage.
They are also taxed on that "guess" as to average tips. WHile I don't advocate tipping high when service is poor, I certainly don't like to hear about folks who leave a little tip no matter what, and assume that these hard working people "don't deserve the extra" since they know what they were getting into when they took the job.
You're right, Dawnie, and I agree 100%. I had a situation happen where we had really bad service one night. We even called the manager over to our table to talk about it. However, I still left the server a 20% tip, if for nothing else, to let him know that I wasn't a total jerk and to encourage him to do better next time. I look at my role as being the "balancer," for the times when the server provided *good* service and ended up with a bad tip. (It happens all the time, folks.)
I think my daughter's hourly wage where she works as a server is $2.10. Recently she had a four-top with a $60.00 bill (Applebee's), she gave them good service, and they left her a $1.00 tip. She went to the manager to see if he would help her out by covering some of the tip or comping the bill, but he refused on some technical policy reason. However, she still had to tip out her bartender and busboys based on her gross sales. As a result, she actually *lost* money because of the poor tip.
When you tip poorly, you not only deny wages to the server, you may also be putting him or her in the hole.
Think about it next time you're tempted to leave a poor tip. It's much easier to be generous than stingy.
_________________________
"If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you." ~ Oscar Wilde
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#428722 - 09/28/05 05:17 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Platinum Poster
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 952
Stockton, California
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For great service I tip 20%, decent service with some problems I tip 18% and poor service but maybe they're just having a rough night or you can tell they tried 15%....if the service is completely unacceptable I usually will contact the manager and ask why I'm receiving this type of service. In my experience the manager usually apologizes profusely, assigns a new server and pays for the meal, even in this instance I leave 15%...as I understand the bartender and the bus person but be tipped out too. I was never server, never intend to be, and appreciate their hard work.
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"For with God NOTHING shall be impossible."
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#428723 - 09/28/05 06:06 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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It's all a dirty karma game. Each Waiter/Waitress has to also tip out their bus staff, the kitchen staff, maybe bar staff too. Everybody gets a piece of the pie.
Not to say that I think anyone should be punk'd in a parking lot on their Anniversary, but if you deny one person a peristaltic reaction of denials spirals out from that incident.
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#428724 - 09/28/05 06:18 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Power Poster
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,706
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When I was a bus boy in my teens I worked at two different national chains and I never receive a portion of the tip. Neither did the cooks unless the customer specifically left one for them.
The bad day thing doesn't work for me. If I have a bad day it's not acceptable for me to treat my co-workers badly. Leave it at the door. If you can't do that then you should find something else.
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Beauty is only skin deep...but ugly goes all the way to the bone!
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#428725 - 09/28/05 10:07 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Diamond Poster
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,245
US of A
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Quote:
When I was a bus boy in my teens I worked at two different national chains and I never receive a portion of the tip.
Let me guess, Steak 'n' Shake, and Waffle House?
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"If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you." ~ Oscar Wilde
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#428727 - 09/29/05 01:54 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Diamond Poster
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,245
US of A
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_________________________
"If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you." ~ Oscar Wilde
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#428728 - 09/29/05 02:01 PM
Re: Wow...you've gotta be kidding.
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Power Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,050
Tulsa, Ok
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Mmm....Steak 'n' Shake and Waffle House...I love those grease pits.
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It takes a long time but God dies too, but not before he'll stick it to you. - Issac Brock
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