Tipping?? Is it just me or is this appalling

[Miss Wright]

I think my opinion is: if a restaurant pays its staff pitiful wages then the prices for eating there should reflect this. If the food is cheaper then most customers are going to be happy to leave a tip. If the food is just as expensive as somewhere that pays its workers minimum wage or above then the restaurant owners are profiting from underpaying. Then if, inevitably, some don't tip or only leave a very small tip it's the staff that suffer.

 

[robinator]

I think my opinion is: if a restaurant pays its staff pitiful wages then the prices for eating there should reflect this. If the food is cheaper then most customers are going to be happy to leave a tip. If the food is just as expensive as somewhere that pays its workers minimum wage or above then the restaurant owners are profiting from underpaying. Then if, inevitably, some don't tip or only leave a very small tip it's the staff that suffer.

Not necessarily; people who regularly eat at "cheap" restaurants are people with lower incomes: students, senior citizens, people who just don't make a lot of money. They eat at cheap places as they simply can't afford pricier fare. Therefore, they don't have any extra to give a bigger tip, iykwim.

Also, the really pricey places see huge tips because the clientele has that kind of money.

It's messed up.

 

[Miss Wright]

I think my opinion is: if a restaurant pays its staff pitiful wages then the prices for eating there should reflect this. If the food is cheaper then most customers are going to be happy to leave a tip. If the food is just as expensive as somewhere that pays its workers minimum wage or above then the restaurant owners are profiting from underpaying. Then if, inevitably, some don't tip or only leave a very small tip it's the staff that suffer.

Not necessarily; people who regularly eat at "cheap" restaurants are people with lower incomes: students, senior citizens, people who just don't make a lot of money. They eat at cheap places as they simply can't afford pricier fare. Therefore, they don't have any extra to give a bigger tip, iykwim.

Also, the really pricey places see huge tips because the clientele has that kind of money.

It's messed up.

I see what you're saying, it just seems unfair the employers get away with paying low wages and expecting customers to subsidise them with generous tips.

 

[MommyJogger]

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.

Thanks x1000000! Most jobs require doing things that benefit the customer, including people at the register at department stores, R&D at major industrial companies, the list is exhaustive. What part of this is "doing your job" and what part of this is "tip worthy"? Because I don't ever take a visit to P&G to let the chemists know I think the scent of my lotion is fantastic and drop off a fiver. When I was a waitress, I never expected much of anything unless I went above and beyond. I really don't want to offend anyone here, but waiting tables is not an educated or skilled labor- you shouldn't be raking in the dough unless you are extremely good at what you do. Tips are meant to bring a server up to minimum wage and not much more. If you're qualified for a job with better pay, you should be contributing that way. Those things you listed- that's the job, not something special you've added on to the customer's experience.

 

[whit.]

It's the employer who should be paying you to do those things, not expected to be part of your tip. Your tip should only be given based on the service you provided.

 

[suzib76]

I agree the employed should pay, however that doesn't make the comment that a waitress only 'plonks' food in front of you any less offensive to anyone who has worked their arse off as waiting staff picking dirty chewing gum off the undersides of tables, cleaning up after someone's child has been sick and they have walked out and being spoken to like you are no better than a piece of dirt on the customers shoe.

 

[robinator]

I can't believe people still stick gum under tables. That's what napkins are for, folks.

 

[MommyJogger]

I agree the employed should pay, however that doesn't make the comment that a waitress only 'plonks' food in front of you any less offensive to anyone who has worked their arse off as waiting staff picking dirty chewing gum off the undersides of tables, cleaning up after someone's child has been sick and they have walked out and being spoken to like you are no better than a piece of dirt on the customers shoe.

I waited tables for years-- didn't offend me. Service nowadays is unfortunately quite accurately described as "plonking". Bad service is the norm now. What I found offensive was the statement from the other server who posted "don't mess with people who handle your food" or something like that. Servers who so much as insinuate that they're going to make food less than sanitary should lose their jobs.

 

[x Michelle x]

I agree the employed should pay, however that doesn't make the comment that a waitress only 'plonks' food in front of you any less offensive to anyone who has worked their arse off as waiting staff picking dirty chewing gum off the undersides of tables, cleaning up after someone's child has been sick and they have walked out and being spoken to like you are no better than a piece of dirt on the customers shoe.

I already apologized for the comment.

 

[suzib76]

I agree the employed should pay, however that doesn't make the comment that a waitress only 'plonks' food in front of you any less offensive to anyone who has worked their arse off as waiting staff picking dirty chewing gum off the undersides of tables, cleaning up after someone's child has been sick and they have walked out and being spoken to like you are no better than a piece of dirt on the customers shoe.

I already apologized for the comment.

It wasn't a personal dig, I was just trying to point out that the comment bothered me because of the work involved in waiting, and not who paid the wage (employer only or employer and made up by tips)

In any job it is nice to receive a tip, be it monetary or something different, sometimes even a simple thank you is enough but I do agree tips should not be part of a wage. I think that is really common in the USA though

 

[louandivy]

I tip waiters, hairdressers and cab drivers. I like to do nice stuff and I know when I was a waitress I really appreciated it I never thought that much into it tbh, I don't see why I can't spare a couple of quid when I am already shelling out for a meal. If I went on a date with someone and they didn't tip when it was perfectly good service in honesty, I would be pretty put off.

 

[Quackquack99]

i never think about tipping but today i tipped the taxi man because he was a really nice man and made effort to speak to us.

 

[Sarahrei]

I tip hairdressers, resturants, and my tattoo artist (though sometimes in the form of cookies for him)

I'm in Canada, it seems to be the norm to do it here. If they do well I like to do it.

 

[Tiff]

I tip hairdressers, resturants, and my tattoo artist (though sometimes in the form of cookies for him)

I'm in Canada, it seems to be the norm to do it here. If they do well I like to do it.

You live in the same city as me! :wave: Small world, eh?

 

[Sarahrei]

Right on!! North or south end? I live in one, work in the other!

 

[Tiff]

South end, off Essa road. you? I don't work at the moment other than being a mom.

 

[Sarahrei]

Midhurst, just past the Georgian mall, but I work on Bryne!

 

[Foogirl]

I tend not to tip. I don't see why I should, even for really great service. If you choose a job serving the public, really great service is what you should give. My first ever waiting job was in a hotel that had a no tipping policy. The restaurant manager was very clear that everyone deserved the best service you could give, that was your job, and if you couldn't do it, go and work behind the scenes. People are paying good money for an enjoyable night out, it's your job to make it the best for them. And those were the days before minimum wage, I think I was on less than a couple of pounds an hour. I did go on to work in places which allowed tipping, and I tended to do quite well, but I never once expected a big tip. My partner at the time was a chef, worked longer and harder than I did and I would say contributed more to a customer's satisfaction than I did. I used to share my tips with him.

When People start tipping other low paid workers, I'll start tipping waiting staff or hairdressers.

 

[Fizzyfefe]

I'm wondering, if you are from a culture where it is not the norm to tip, and you take a vacation to a country where a tip is expected, do you still withhold a tip? Or, do you give one? Same question goes for someone who is from a tipping culture and vacations to a place where tipping is not the norm.

 

[Foogirl]

When I visited The US and Canada, I tipped. I do think it is only good manners to respect the culture of where you are travelling to.