Tipping?? Is it just me or is this appalling

[Tasha]

I went to Olive garden when I was in NYC and I would say that was comparative to our middle of the road eateries and it was cheaper in $ to eat there for the two of us than it is in £ here. Not sure if I am explaining that well but I think a two course meal with a gorgeous cocktail for me and a beer for DH, plus two soft drinks was about $70 plus tips, for the same at home would cost us £75-£80 plus tips.

 

[robinator]

Just did a pounds to dollar conversion. Holy crap that's expensive!!!!!

 

[live_in_hope]

me and My hubby have different opinions on this too. When eating out, I will be quite happy to leave a tip, not a certain percentage but afew pounds really. We don't go out that often so we'd rather spend more money on the meal lol. But my hubby rarely leaves tips. He doesn't mean to appear rude but his argument is that it isn't compulsory and the price for the meal is on the menu and that is what he is asked to pay and so that's what he pays. He works as a painter and decorator and he doesn't expect tips. He gets paid what he quotes. I work in a school,teaching the next generation and I certainly don't expect a tip, I find it hard to understand that other countries count on their tips? Surely if you are lucky enough to receive a tip then you class it as a bonus? I give christmas cards and small prezzies like chocolates or gifts things to my hairdresser and Daughters nursery teachers but I don't feel that I have to.
So in places where people are expected to tip, what happens to customers if they don't tip? I'm curious now

 

[robinator]

So in places where people are expected to tip, what happens to customers if they don't tip? I'm curious now [/COLOR]

Nothing "happens" to customers who don't tip; occasionally you hear a horror story of a server following a customer outside and demanding to know why they weren't tipped; but that is the exception, not the rule.

 

[Tasha]

me and My hubby have different opinions on this too. When eating out, I will be quite happy to leave a tip, not a certain percentage but afew pounds really. We don't go out that often so we'd rather spend more money on the meal lol. But my hubby rarely leaves tips. He doesn't mean to appear rude but his argument is that it isn't compulsory and the price for the meal is on the menu and that is what he is asked to pay and so that's what he pays. He works as a painter and decorator and he doesn't expect tips. He gets paid what he quotes. I work in a school,teaching the next generation and I certainly don't expect a tip, I find it hard to understand that other countries count on their tips? Surely if you are lucky enough to receive a tip then you class it as a bonus? I give christmas cards and small prezzies like chocolates or gifts things to my hairdresser and Daughters nursery teachers but I don't feel that I have to.
So in places where people are expected to tip, what happens to customers if they don't tip? I'm curious now

I dont think the UK and other places can be compared with regards to the bolded bit. In the UK they will be getting what a lot of people make (minimum wage of £6.19 an hour) so tips would be a bonus, but if someone is making say $4 (roughly 2.50) an hour in the US then I am sure they will have to count on their tips because I know I couldnt pay all my bills, rent, feed my kids etc on $160 (99) a week.

 

[Jaylynne]

Omg I love panera bread...

Me, too. Love their tomato basil bread.

I always get the chicken Caesar salad with french baguette, lemonade and extra dressing as I like to dip my bread... Omg I want one closer now...

 

[Tasha]

I always get the chicken Caesar salad with french baguette, lemonade and extra dressing as I like to dip my bread... Omg I want one closer now...

I read that really quickly and thought you were dipping your bread in the lemonade

 

[robinator]

me and My hubby have different opinions on this too. When eating out, I will be quite happy to leave a tip, not a certain percentage but afew pounds really. We don't go out that often so we'd rather spend more money on the meal lol. But my hubby rarely leaves tips. He doesn't mean to appear rude but his argument is that it isn't compulsory and the price for the meal is on the menu and that is what he is asked to pay and so that's what he pays. He works as a painter and decorator and he doesn't expect tips. He gets paid what he quotes. I work in a school,teaching the next generation and I certainly don't expect a tip, I find it hard to understand that other countries count on their tips? Surely if you are lucky enough to receive a tip then you class it as a bonus? I give christmas cards and small prezzies like chocolates or gifts things to my hairdresser and Daughters nursery teachers but I don't feel that I have to.
So in places where people are expected to tip, what happens to customers if they don't tip? I'm curious now

I dont think the UK and other places can be compared with regards to the bolded bit. In the UK they will be getting what a lot of people make (minimum wage of £6.19 an hour) so tips would be a bonus, but if someone is making say $4 (roughly 2.50) an hour in the US then I am sure they will have to count on their tips because I know I couldnt pay all my bills, rent, feed my kids etc on $160 (99) a week.

Yes. In the US, it depends on which state you live in. I mentioned pages back that in WA, servers get minimum wage; in AZ they make waaaaaay less than minimum wage and rely on tips (I used to serve there).

That being said, I don't agree that it should be the responsibility of the diner to make up for what the state has deemed service wage. It is not my fault what my state has come up with to pay servers, or the restaurant for not at least bringing it up to minimum.

I think that is where a lot of diners feel obligated to tip: "oh, these poor servers not even making minimum wage!" It isn't fair on the server, but it also isn't fair to expect a customer to make up the difference when a restaurant is too cheap to pay their own employees fairly so they can have higher profits.

 

[Tasha]

Totally agree with your robinator. I felt more obligation in New York (wasnt sure on the minimum wage rules for servers there) than I do where I live (London) because I know in London they're making the same money as my DH. But no one should do a tip because they feel obliged to, IMO.

 

[live_in_hope]

wow, I didn't realise that they earns so little! But I agree, it shouldn't be customers responsibility to make up the difference and its a shame that its the case it seems. X

 

[Natsku]

You all eat so cheap! Here's its 30-50 dollars per main course/entree per person at low to mid end restaurants! Add in drinks and a starter or dessert and you're looking at 80 odd dollars per person! No wonder no one tips after a bill that big!

 

[robinator]

^^That's insane. Do people stay home for most meals and only eat out for special occasions, or is eating out a regular thing?

 

[Natsku]

Eating out tends to be a special thing or you eat at bars or pizza places which tend to be cheaper but have very limited menus.

 

[x Michelle x]

Nope, i rarely tip unless i have received excellent service! I never tip my hairdresser (its a ridiculous cost to get your hair cut anyway) and with restaurant staff, why should i tip them for doing the job they are paid to do? I worked in supermarkets and shops and i was never tipped.
The only people i really wanted to tip but couldn't were the nurses who looked after my little girl in the NICU, but obviously you can't go handing £10 notes to NHS staff but they seemed pretty happy with the vast amount of chocolates and biccies we got for them

 

[suzib76]

Nope, i rarely tip unless i have received excellent service! I never tip my hairdresser (its a ridiculous cost to get your hair cut anyway) and if all a waiter/ress is doing is plonking my food in front of me then why should i tip them for doing the job they are paid to do? I worked in supermarkets and shops and i was never tipped.
The only people i really wanted to tip but couldn't were the nurses who looked after my little girl in the NICU, but obviously you can't go handing £10 notes to NHS staff but they seemed pretty happy with the vast amount of chocolates and biccies we got for them

I worked as waiting staff for many years in hotels and restaurants and I can assure you my job entailed a lot more than 'plonking food' in front of people.

 

[Fizzyfefe]

and if all a waiter/ress is doing is plonking my food in front of me then why should i tip them for doing the job they are paid to do?

My list of things to do as a waitress included:
Taking food and drink orders
Filling drinks throughout the meal
Preparing certain foods and specialty drinks
Clearing dishes
Wiping down tables
Folding silverware
Setting up and breaking down chairs
Filling salt, pepper, ketchup bottles, salad dressing
Boxing up leftovers
Writing check-out tickets and swiping credit cards
Taking and preparing to go orders
Sweeping and mopping
Arguing with the kitchen chefs when they make an order wrong
Putting up with rude customers

I always make three suggestions to people:
Try working in a restaurant for a day
Watch the movie Waiting
Don't piss off the people who handle your food

 

[x Michelle x]

Sorry to all i offended.. Insert seepish smiley....

 

[whit.]

and if all a waiter/ress is doing is plonking my food in front of me then why should i tip them for doing the job they are paid to do?

My list of things to do as a waitress included:
Taking food and drink orders
Filling drinks throughout the meal
Preparing certain foods and specialty drinks
Clearing dishes
Wiping down tables
Folding silverware
Setting up and breaking down chairs
Filling salt, pepper, ketchup bottles, salad dressing
Boxing up leftovers
Writing check-out tickets and swiping credit cards
Taking and preparing to go orders
Sweeping and mopping
Arguing with the kitchen chefs when they make an order wrong
Putting up with rude customers

I always make three suggestions to people:
Try working in a restaurant for a day
Watch the movie Waiting
Don't piss off the people who handle your food

I've been a waitress. Majority of the things listed - the customer shouldn't have to tip for.

Here, you make $2.19 hourly + tips. I tip (and expected to receive tips) based on the service I provided. Not because I filled the salt and pepper on the tables or put the chairs up.

 

[Fizzyfefe]

I've been a waitress. Majority of the things listed - the customer shouldn't have to tip for.

All the things I listed are for the benefit of the customer. If we didn't set up the chairs or fill salt shakers, then the customer couldn't sit or add extra salt to their food. Do those two things specifically deserve a tip? Perhaps not. But the rest of the duties listed are to take care of the customer, and yes, in my opinion, deserve a tip.

Sorry to all i offended.. Insert seepish smiley....

No offense taken.

 

[Erinsmummy]

I have been a waitress in a hotel, guests were never asked to tip at all, but they often would if I took the time to be really attentive. If I had no other tables in I could really take my time to chat to them and make thier deserts really nice (bit of extra ice cream) just meant I could take more time. If busy, with 10 other tables on my own I'd have to obviously be quicker and not stop and chit chat too much! It was always a great bonus to get a tip as I was on a very good wage! I loved that job.... Talking about it makes me wanna go back lol.