Waiting Tables

[jmood88]

Re: Waiting Tables

They do have places like that, it's called McDonalds

Yeah but that's not as good as food at some restaurants. But if you are going to give bad service and then expect a tip then you are sadly mistaken.

[X*Cell]

Re: Waiting Tables

Yeah it still boggles my mind how some people can be so cheap and inconsiderate but for the most part my customers tip me well. I work at california pizza kitchen. Just a college job no way could I do this for a career atleast for very long. I've been serving for about 3 months now.

As for me I alwasy leave 15% almost always no matter what even before I became a waiter. Theres been a few occasions when I left less FEW. For the most part I tip over 20% if its great service no doubt.

That is my favorite restaurant... I ate at the one in Boston a couple times...

anyway... we call all associate Waiting Tables with tipping b/c 100% of the posts in this thread had to do with tipping...

I agree with Mike01... I can't NOT leave a tip... it's just bad taste IMO... but I believe in being a "critic" when it comes to tipping... if the waiter/waitress just doesn't try, I will leave 5%-10%... if someone is trying their best, and provides great service... you're getting in the 20%'s my good man.

[MassNole]

Re: Waiting Tables

Maybe it's your attitude. I know many fine waiters and waitress in this country. I'm a big tipper (at least 25%), and I rarely ever get bad service.

If you don't want to pay the staff, then why not make sure your own drink is filled, you bring your own food to the table, and you clean up after yourself. Since you're only buying the food, why should you expect anything more?

Okay, so when I do legal research for my boss, why don't I ask her clients for a tip? I would easily say the service I provide is much more important than that of a waiter (unless getting food is more important than staying out of jail). I mean they could always envoke their right to defend themselves, go to the Court library and do the research themselves.

Oh wait, I do that because that is what I am paid to do by my employer, novel concept. It would make much more sense for restaurants to conform to the standards of society. And as for the argument that prices will sky rocket, that is a myth. Might they in the short term? Yes, but restaurants can only charge what the market is willing to pay, and when people stop coming, prices go down, and waiters get paid a relatively competitive base salary without worry of tips. If their level of service becomes unacceptable they get fired, just like the typical worker who's performance isn't up to snuff.

I'll be honest, there are 3 occasions in which I didn't leave a tip. This would be why, feel free to pass judgment.

1. At Friendlys (no idea if it exist outside of New England). The woman was incompetent, the manager compted the meal and told us not to tip her as she was going to be fired that day. She forgot our appetizer, brought our food to us cold, never refilled drinks, and spent 20 minutes talking with a friend, while our food got cold.
2. At Zachary's (pizza place, where I used to work). Our waitress never refilled our drinks and let our food sit out for 15-20 minutes (we were staring at it). Then to top it off, after we were ready to leave it took her over half and hour to bring us our bill. We ended up with a $25 gift certificate and it was 2 years before we went back, I gave the gift certificate to my aunt to use with her grandchildren.
3. At Applebee's. The service was slightly below average and by itself by our cultural standard deserved 10% or so (we had a formula, which I'll post). Then came the kicker, it took her 45 minutes to bring us the bill. We had some time to kill, so out of morbid curiousity we waited, and waited. We watched her gossiping and giggling with several other waitresses. She told us that she was super busy and had forgotten. Now mind you, there was maybe 10 customers in the entire restaurant at the time. So on top of wasting our time, she lied to my face.

Now imagine how sickening this would be if there was a mandated 15% tip system.

Now here was that formula I mentioned.
Base 15 points. For stuff like walking by and ignoring an empty drink subtract 1. For bringing cold food, subtract 5 (I know this isn't the cook's fault, as much as waiters love to pretend). For not checking in on the meal, -1. Then other completely random observations.
Now to gain points, stuff like getting to refills before the glass is empty will earn them, being friendly and courteous earns points as well. I am a guy, so being hot helps as well (sucks for waiters). It caps at 20. Whatever level of points they are at is what they get % wise. My ex-gf actually came up with this and would keep track. My wife used to be a waitress so she holds them to an even higher standard than me for the most part, but shows more sympathy when it is busy.

[rudyjuly2]

Re: Waiting Tables

Okay, so when I do legal research for my boss, why don't I ask her clients for a tip? I would easily say the service I provide is much more important than that of a waiter (unless getting food is more important than staying out of jail). I mean they could always envoke their right to defend themselves, go to the Court library and do the research themselves.

Oh wait, I do that because that is what I am paid to do by my employer, novel concept. It would make much more sense for restaurants to conform to the standards of society. And as for the argument that prices will sky rocket, that is a myth. Might they in the short term? Yes, but restaurants can only charge what the market is willing to pay, and when people stop coming, prices go down, and waiters get paid a relatively competitive base salary without worry of tips. If their level of service becomes unacceptable they get fired, just like the typical worker who's performance isn't up to snuff.

I do think that tipping is out of hand when every take out place now has a tipping jar on the counter but its still a part of the food industry no matter how much you hate it. I've worked as a busboy and know how it works. Waiters and waitresses get paid less than minimum wage because they get tips. They also work crappy shifts and deal with jerks sometimes so they need and deserve the extra money. I personally don't mind tipping as I see the 15% we usually leave as just the amount the restaurants would raise prices if they had to pay the waiters and waitresses the equivalent amount anyways.

Personally, I believe in working to the best of your ability regardless of how much you get paid but a lot of people need the incentive of a tip to provide good service. The system is fine as is. You just have to accept it.

[BagMan]

Re: Waiting Tables

I don't mind tipping for good service (left 33% at dinner this weekend), but what's with the tip jars at Starbuck's and Dunkin Donuts? Now I gotta feel obligated to tip on a $5 cup of coffee? I think I'm gonna put a tip jar on my desk at work. lol

[tenth]

Re: Waiting Tables

Although I use to work in the restaurant industry, I'm not a big fan of tipping (although I always tip).

tipping standards are a little different in Canada vs the US. Up here restaurants are forced to pay at least minimum wage as base pay. That's a far cry from the $2/hour a lot of servers are making in the US.

[rudyjuly2]

Re: Waiting Tables

tipping standards are a little different in Canada vs the US. Up here restaurants are forced to pay at least minimum wage as base pay. That's a far cry from the $2/hour a lot of servers are making in the US.

$2 an hour sucks but restaurants didn't pay minimum wage in Ontario when I worked as a bus boy 15 years ago. It wasn't that much less - 50 cents or $1 less an hour for a waiter but it wasn't minimum wage back then in Ontario. I think minimum wage was over $6 for an adult and they had paid about $5.50 back then but its been awhile.

[PdiddyPop]

Re: Waiting Tables

Why would it be embarrasing to not leave a tip for bad service? Your girlfriend must be terrible cause if me and my girlfriend got bad service she wouldn't care if I didn't leave a tip.

No doubt. I ain't paying someone for doing crappy service. That just sends the message...."Oh well if I don't try....I'll still get paid." Which would filter down to the next customer or customers. I usually pay 20-30% on all meals when I eat out.