What does everyone think?
I have always felt that a server -- if they do the bare minimum -- should receive a 15% tip. I give around 20% if they do a decent job, and closer to 10% if they are below average. I've given as much as 50%, once or twice, when they do outstandingly well. I worked as a wait person for a week once, and let me tell you: it's tough work (hence the "week")!
A certain person to whom I am married but shall remain nameless to protect her identity feels that wait staff are NOT entitled to 15% unless they do better-than-average. We've had a few times where we've eaten out and she's gotten mad at me when I tipped a server who did an admittedly lackluster job. Then again, she has convinced me 2-3 times not to leave a tip at all when our server was overtly rude or horrendously bad (one guy sat down with some friends and ignored us the entire meal).
Except for those 2-3 times, however, I feel justified in my tipping practices. These people don't make that much money unless they work in nicer restaurants. So giving 15% is not all that magnanimous of us. They're not buying Porsche's with our $3, people. Also, the lower base wages keep the food prices lower.
Then again, my anonymous wife made the good point that the system is set so that better waiters/waitresses will EARN more money; so when I tip 15% regularly, I am defeating the purpose of the system since piss-poor servers can count on a decent wage no matter how good a job they do. Another good point was made by my friend Chad: They are doing no more work to bring me a $30 plate than they are to bring me a $10 plate -- so isn't the 15% a bit arbitrary? And, because of the "15% rule" servers can get a bit peeved if we don't order drinks or dessert with our meals. That happened to me a couple of weeks ago...
I tipped him 5%.
But, really, I'm torn on the whole issue.
7 years ago
3 comments:
I was thinking about becoming a waiter until you said that...
This reminds me of the opening scene of Reservoir Dogs in the diner.
No, I agree though I probably would have said it differently. I think that my company DEFINITELY influences the size of my tip. Even paying cash versus credit makes a big difference...
When it comes down to it though, I'm still held back by the fact that - to me - I was that kid working for $8/hour just a year or two ago. I value a dollar just as much as the waiter does: so for them to get a bigger tip, I lose out on something I was going to buy. I can almost SEE that trade-off in my mind when I drop an extra buck on the counter.
Do you know what I mean? I always think that older, wealthier people value a dollar much less than I do because of their inflated wealth. I don't know if that's true or not. That's just what I've always thought.
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