Gratuity

[BBatesokc]

A few people on Twitter picked up this thread and tweeted it, so word has definitely started to get around.


And do most "6 or more" automatic gratuity policies include children?

I have an issue with the policy in general - but I really have an issue with kids being counted as adults. Sure kids can make a bigger mess, blah, blah, blah.... but its a terrible policy.

[RadicalModerate]

So, if you left a tip at a "tipless" restaurant would the owner call the cops or just bar you?
Would the waitperson accepting it get fired?
This redistribution of the wealth is more complicated than it might first appear!
(borrowed from Dennis Moore/Monty Python)

[soonerguru]

Tips should not be forced on people, isn't that why it is called a tip? You tip some, upon your own will and experience you had with them.

I think this is precisely the attitude that leads to automatic gratuity being added to the check. The answer is, yes, you are supposed to tip. That's how we do it in America. In Europe, tips are literally reserved for superlative service, and no more than 10% is recommended. But they pay their wait staff a living wage (and most of them get health insurance through their governments).

It would suck to bust my ass and have someone with your views as a patron trying to decide if I qualify for a tip.

[BBatesokc]

I think this is precisely the attitude that leads to automatic gratuity being added to the check. The answer is, yes, you are supposed to tip. That's how we do it in America. In Europe, tips are literally reserved for superlative service, and no more than 10% is recommended. But they pay their wait staff a living wage (and most of them get health insurance through their governments).

It would suck to bust my ass and have someone with your views as a patron trying to decide if I qualify for a tip.

So, are you saying you'd be 'entitled' to a tip because your employer doesn't pay you much?

If you were truly 'busting your ass' then your tips at the end of the day would most likely be just fine.

Exactly what are SoonerGuru's 'views' that are so wrong? He doesn't think he should be FORCED to tip. He didn't say he doesn't tip regardless. He also clarifies that the tip is representational of the individual experience ----- Oh my God that's so unfair!

Like I've said, I worked as a waiter and then changed to bartending - because I found it paid much better. But it all depends on where you work and how you work.

I see zero scenario where it would be right to force a family of 5-6 to have to pay a predetermined tip amount.

[RadicalModerate]

Digression Alert: I just remembered that one of the first discussionarguments I got involved with in here was about tipping at Sonic.
Two Bucks minimum. That shouldn't be a rule. Simply a choice.

[Garin]

So, are you saying you'd be 'entitled' to a tip because your employer doesn't pay you much?

If you were truly 'busting your ass' then your tips at the end of the day would most likely be just fine.

Exactly what are SoonerGuru's 'views' that are so wrong? He doesn't think he should be FORCED to tip. He didn't say he doesn't tip regardless. He also clarifies that the tip is representational of the individual experience ----- Oh my God that's so unfair!

Like I've said, I worked as a waiter and then changed to bartending - because I found it paid much better. But it all depends on where you work and how you work.

I see zero scenario where it would be right to force a family of 5-6 to have to pay a predetermined tip amount.

Bates you hit the nail on the head it's all about the entitlement.

[boscorama]

Well then, I hope you don't think "carp" was a typo! Just covering my @$$, don't you know.

I was kidding. About the alternative label. (It should have read Hospitality Coordination Specialist.) j/k

[RadicalModerate]

Well then, I hope you don't think "carp" was a typo! Just covering my @$$, don't you know.

I'm fairly sure that it's OK to serve carp at a kosher restaurant, but not to carp about it.
Perhaps a rabbi should be consulted in order to cover one's "s" here?
He (or she) might even throw in a tip about tipping for half price.
Especially if he (or she) is a moel?

[boscorama]

Noted.

I'm fairly sure that it's OK to serve carp at a kosher restaurant, but not to carp about it.
Perhaps a rabbi should be consulted in order to cover one's "s" here?
He (or she) might even throw in a tip about tipping for half price.
Especially if he (or she) is a moel?

[soonerguru]

So, are you saying you'd be 'entitled' to a tip because your employer doesn't pay you much?

If you were truly 'busting your ass' then your tips at the end of the day would most likely be just fine.

Exactly what are SoonerGuru's 'views' that are so wrong? He doesn't think he should be FORCED to tip. He didn't say he doesn't tip regardless. He also clarifies that the tip is representational of the individual experience ----- Oh my God that's so unfair!

Like I've said, I worked as a waiter and then changed to bartending - because I found it paid much better. But it all depends on where you work and how you work.

I see zero scenario where it would be right to force a family of 5-6 to have to pay a predetermined tip amount.

Perhaps you weren't a waiter very long for this very reason. Ever worked Sunday lunch after church gets out?

[RadicalModerate]

Noted.

Amen.

[BBatesokc]

Perhaps you weren't a waiter very long for this very reason. Ever worked Sunday lunch after church gets out?

Boo-Hoo. Then don't work at Luby's! (that's just my sarcasm venting)

I worked at plenty of places as a waiter that had terrible tipping customers........ guess what? When I realized it wasn't my attitude or skills that were hurting my income - but, in fact, either the restaurant and/or its customers - I got a job doing the same thing for more money somewhere else.

There are plenty of days and shifts as a waiter or bartender that don't pay enough to make it worth the effort - but you either suck it up, because its part of the job, or you move on. You think a Tuesday night bartending at the former 5th Seasons Inn at Broadway Ext and 63rd made me anything? Nope. But the weekend 'free bar' for guests made it so worth putting up with the other crap the rest of the week.

If the only flag you've got to fly is the, "those damn pesky penny pinching Christians on Sundays from noon to three" then you don't have my sympathy on this issue.

How about instead of bitching about the people who actually ensure you have a job (your customers) you re-evaluate if the 'problem' really is a problem and how you and the restaurant can overcome it without annoying, inconveniencing or otherwise causing your customers to become 'former customers.'

[Midtowner]

If you were truly 'busting your ass' then your tips at the end of the day would most likely be just fine.
.

Probably not on an early Sunday afternoon.

[Garin]

I have an idea how about all restaurants be closed on Sunday, then they won't have to take the chance of the church crowd coming in and not tipping well. This could also promote more family dinners around the kitchen table which we all could you more of and maybe these restaurants might benefit like Chick fila has.

[anthonyokc]

I don't chime in often, but here is my two cents. I used to work in the restaurant industry and here are some of my viewpoints.
1. It is back breaking and sometimes overwhelming work during peak busy hours.
2.not many people can do this type of work, this is the ultimate in multitasking.
3.$2.13 an hour is not negotiable for the server paid by the restaurant, and VERY few places pay more than that.
4.if my level of service was underpar and i was seen just standing around, i deserved a bad tip...if I was busy, most people would understand and still leave a decent tip.
5. Some people come in (not all) and treat servers like they are trash, thats not cool.
6. Some people come in and treat servers with ultimate respect, those people are getting the best service. (See where l'm going with that?)
7. In a lot of restaurants, the server is required to give a percentage of their tips to the bartender, busser, and the hostess. That is a requirement. In other restaurants where they do not give this percentage, they have do everything including cleaning up after messy people after they leave.
8. Servers have to deal with multiple tables making multiple requests at the same time and also have to deal with unexpected problems in a timely manner, no exceptions, or their tip suffers...very few people can handle that.
9.although, i can understand viewpoints against the auto-tip practice, I still firmly stand by it, just for the fact, you can walk into a restaurant and not ever have to leave your seat and the person taking care of you has to endure way more than you realize or even see. People that have never worked in a restaurant just do not understand what their particular server truly does for them, such as prepping for the shift, what kind of nut-job may be in there next table, how many tables they have...etc, etc...
9 the list could go on and on. But in reality, if paying 9 dollars to someone who has to clean up after you, put up with 1000's of different neurosis in a months time, and ensures you have good service bothers you...you may want to re-evaluate dining out in a full service restaurant all together. To the rest of the population who gets it, CHEERS!

[anthonyokc]

I just now read all of the replies...I have dined at Irma's by Chesapeake quite a few times, and they do have a "house rules" section on the menu that is usually facing up when they seat you, and it does mention items including a gratuity for parties of a certain size. In this case, I am assuminh its "5". But kudos to them for at least trying to make sure you're aware of it.

[LocoAko]

The whole idea of the patron determining a gratuity is why the U.S. generally has great service and places like the U.K. are horrible.

Tips represent *incentive* which is completely removed when added automatically.


It goes against the cultural norm and therefore such establishments run the risk of losing business because of it.

Personally, I would say something to the manager of the restaurant and probably go there less frequently if the policy didn't change. I don't want someone else making that decision for me.

Anecdotal, but I just got back from Japan where tipping is considered extremely rude (servers earn a living wage directly), and everywhere I went the service was fantastic. There's probably a lot of cultural differences there in terms of ideas of the role of service, but I found it fascinating.

[Jersey Boss]

+ 1 Anthony. If servers are expected to fold napkins, bus tables or anything other than serving the food they should be paid minimum wage at a minimum. If there is a number where an auto tip kicks in, then yeah your kids count also. They are eating, right? Only thing I would do different is make sure the server gets the tip, and not the house. Leave a cash tip and delete the charge for tip at the register if paying with plastic.

[anthonyokc]

You would think that restaurants would pay a full hourly wage for opening and closing side work, but they do not. Restaurants require their servers to provide excellent service in order to get decent tips and offset the 2.13 an hour. It sucks, but that's the way it is.

[Anonymous.]

Why are people stuck on tipping based on percentage of meal cost?

I order a steak at a nice restaraunt (for example, West) and it costs me $40.
My friend next to me orders a chicken salad and it costs $15.

The server spent the exact same time and energy providing both of us for the night. But the customer who ordered a more expensive item is punished by societal norms?


I have heard many times servers say something along the lines of "I got stiffed on a $100 tab tonight"... Were they really expecting $20+ because they brought a nice bottle of wine for two people? Then on the other end of this scale, the server could have been running sodas back and forth to a table all night for the same two people who only ordered said soda and an appetizer. Now these soda people have a $20 tab.

Anytime I have brought this up to people (usually friends that are servers and ranting after work or something) they are dumbfounded.

PS for anyone unfamiliar with what "stiffing" is to a server, it most certainly does not mean they got 0.00 on the tip line. It means they did not get the percentage they expected based on total bill.

[MustangGT]

Good service gets tipped. Bad services gets justifiably stiffed. The attitude that a tip is mandatory just because the service staff took and delivered your order is hogwash. I worked decades ago in a tip environment and had the same attitude back then.

[Easy180]

Why are people stuck on tipping based on percentage of meal cost?

I order a steak at a nice restaraunt (for example, West) and it costs me $40.
My friend next to me orders a chicken salad and it costs $15.

The server spent the exact same time and energy providing both of us for the night. But the customer who ordered a more expensive item is punished by societal norms?


I have heard many times servers say something along the lines of "I got stiffed on a $100 tab tonight"... Were they really expecting $20+ because they brought a nice bottle of wine for two people? Then on the other end of this scale, the server could have been running sodas back and forth to a table all night for the same two people who only ordered said soda and an appetizer. Now these soda people have a $20 tab.

Anytime I have brought this up to people (usually friends that are servers and ranting after work or something) they are dumbfounded.

PS for anyone unfamiliar with what "stiffing" is to a server, it most certainly does not mean they got 0.00 on the tip line. It means they did not get the percentage they expected based on total bill.

Exactly my argument when discussing happy hours with my friends...I tipped a minimum of ten bucks on a $30 tab since our server brought numerous beers throughout the night...They stuck with being cheap and tipped 20%

[Teo9969]

Why are people stuck on tipping based on percentage of meal cost?

I order a steak at a nice restaraunt (for example, West) and it costs me $40.
My friend next to me orders a chicken salad and it costs $15.

The server spent the exact same time and energy providing both of us for the night. But the customer who ordered a more expensive item is punished by societal norms?


I have heard many times servers say something along the lines of "I got stiffed on a $100 tab tonight"... Were they really expecting $20+ because they brought a nice bottle of wine for two people? Then on the other end of this scale, the server could have been running sodas back and forth to a table all night for the same two people who only ordered said soda and an appetizer. Now these soda people have a $20 tab.

Anytime I have brought this up to people (usually friends that are servers and ranting after work or something) they are dumbfounded.

PS for anyone unfamiliar with what "stiffing" is to a server, it most certainly does not mean they got 0.00 on the tip line. It means they did not get the percentage they expected based on total bill.

I know nobody who uses the term "stiffed" for anything other than no tip. I assure you, I know more waiters than you do.

I get what you're trying to intimate with your story, but the idea that a $20 tip on $100 inexplicably feels far less bearable than a $125 ticket with no tip is just crazy.

What's funny, is that it's precisely the people who choose to tip poorly (<18%) that will be most surprisingly displeased were the system to ever change. Dinner would at the very least become more expensive (at least 20% more expensive).

[Teo9969]

Good service gets tipped. Bad services gets justifiably stiffed. The attitude that a tip is mandatory just because the service staff took and delivered your order is hogwash. I worked decades ago in a tip environment and had the same attitude back then.

Yep…that sure is all they did to make sure you could eat dinner without any work but going to the restaurant and sitting down.

[Richard at Remax]

while at my honeymoon in bora bora our hotel restuarants had a built in 12% service charge on everything that had to do with food/drink. Like a lot of oversea countries tipping was a no no. I thought it was awesome and the service was top notch.