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I'd like to say that I don't tip at buffets (or at least the ones I've been to) because all they do is ask "Are you ordering from the menu or will you be trying our buffet?"
We get our own drinks, own food, and put our own plates away.
The fact of the matter is that service people earn much of their money via tips. So, I tip them. It's just that simple. Over in Asia it's a different situation. The normal custom is to not tip. However, as an American, I feel obligated to tip them so I usually do anyway.
The restaurant industry gets away with murder regarding employment laws, IMO. They don't normally have to insure them, they only have to pay minimum wage, which if I remember correctly, is a different minimum wage than other business sectors? I don't know how they've gotten away with this. So, should we boycott them?
Okay, I found this link. It's scandalous. If a worker gets tips, the employer doesn't have to pay the full minimum wage. The govt figures the customers will make up the difference, apparently.
I only tip if the server deserves it. It's not my job to pay a bad employee a great wage. If you bring me cold food and are talking with other servers instead of bringing my hot food....oh yes, I see you over by the cook's window there - then you will probably not get any tip at all from me.
On the other hand, I normally tip very well, even though I'm low income myself. Generally 30%. But, since I'm poor, I don't go out much. So, I have high expectations. If you don't treat me well on my special night out - even if it's just a Red Robin's burger, you won't get a tip from me.
So out of a 5 day 40 hour work week, say you make $200.00 on Saturday night running like a maniac for 5 hours and doing sidework for 3. Friday night you run for 3 hours making $100 and do sidework for 5 hours. Monday, Tues and Wed, say you make 40, 50 and 60 running but not killing yourself except for crawling around on the floor cleaning chairs, under tables, dusting and shining everything in the whole place!!! plus normal sidework. You have 450.00, give the bar 50 or 60. The bus 50 or 60, probably 60 each so deduct 120 from 450 and you have 330. Now 40 goes into 330.00 how many times?
Oh! It only goes in 8 times!!! What a surprise!
Since you usually have a 0 paycheck because the total of each person's check is how your income tax is figured out and deducted, the server who has killed themselves to provide you with a spotless environment to enjoy your food which they sometimes have to fight and battle to bring you (exactly how you ordered it) really has a lot of nerve to earn 8 dollars an hour while you sit back stuffing food into your mouth and paying for it with your unemployment check which they have helped to provide you with.
So keep your measly tip and remember, what goes around also comes around.
Okay, I found this link. It's scandalous. If a worker gets tips, the employer doesn't have to pay the full minimum wage. The govt figures the customers will make up the difference, apparently.
That is not always the case in every state. In California even the jobs positions that receive tips gets paid the state minimum wage.
Let me rephrase some of my thoughts... Do people think that waiters and bartenders should be earning $25 an hour or plus? Some earn more than $40 and $50 an hour... It's a $13-16 an hour job at best.
If people think they deserve it then that is the free market system. Its what people decided to do; no one holding a whip and some don't or tip little if service isn't good. those who think its automatic or part of bill are fooling themselves. It can stop if people think its not deserved for service rendered. Just as court ruled that automatically adding a tip means its not a tip and must be stated as service fee on menu. If they add 15% as service fee then no tip is likely in most cases.
Okay, I found this link. It's scandalous. If a worker gets tips, the employer doesn't have to pay the full minimum wage. The govt figures the customers will make up the difference, apparently.
I only tip if the server deserves it. It's not my job to pay a bad employee a great wage. If you bring me cold food and are talking with other servers instead of bringing my hot food....oh yes, I see you over by the cook's window there - then you will probably not get any tip at all from me.
This is what the text from your link states:
Quote:
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires payment of at least the federal minimum wage to covered, nonexempt employees. An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 an hour in direct wages if that amount plus the tips received equals at least the federal minimum wage, the employee retains all tips and the employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. If an employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages of at least $2.13 an hour do not equal the federal minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference.
Some states have minimum wage laws specific to tipped employees. When an employee is subject to both the federal and state wage laws, the employee is entitled to the provisions which provides the greater benefits.
This is what is defined as "tip credits". The employer has to ensure at least a $7.25 Federal wage if the employee doesn't make that much between the lower wage they're earning plus whatever tips they make. Thus, the employee always makes minimum wage. If it's a busy night and they get a lot of tips, they make more. If it's a slow night with no tips, they make $7.25 or whatever the prevailing state wage is.
There are seven or eight states where at least the Federal minimum wage is the prevailing rate, in a few states, the minimum wage is even higher. Most of these states are in the West. I suggest to anyone who has philosophical issues with tipping that they move to one of those states.
I have stated on other tipping threads that there should be a special menu for those who claim some philosophical BS guiding light principle for not tipping under any circumstance. This menu would have the true cost of your meal, including the costs of labor, FICA and any mandated insurance. So a non-tipper's burger would cost, say $14-$15 on their menu, while a tipper's menu might list same for $10.
The system is what it is. Lots of people don't like it, including many employees. But as the US is one of the few countries who use this system, it's perfectly fair to suggest that customers who abuse this system by dining at an establishment in one of the states where tip credits are the rule and then not tipping out of principle are really no better than welfare cheats. You're simply gaming the system and profiting at someone else's expense. There are no excuses to not tip, other than horribly bad service. In which case you should call that to the attention of the manager so that employee can find work at something other than serving people.
So why not just have the total costs built into the menu price like here in England? Then no tips, the staff don't have to worry about other employees, the IRS, or whoever taking a cut of their tips. They just do their job, collect their wages, and go home. They haven't got to worry about not being tipped properly. Simple! Folks study the menu in the establishment window, and decide if they can afford it. Trouble is, then servers wouldn't come to your table every two minutes asking, "everything all right here?" I don't need this, maybe some other folks like it.
So why not just have the total costs built into the menu price like here in England? Then no tips, the staff don't have to worry about other employees, the IRS, or whoever taking a cut of their tips. They just do their job, collect their wages, and go home. They haven't got to worry about not being tipped properly. Simple! Folks study the menu in the establishment window, and decide if they can afford it. Trouble is, then servers wouldn't come to your table every two minutes asking, "everything all right here?" I don't need this, maybe some other folks like it.
That's the million dollar question. There's no valid reason for the system to continue to exist as it does, and the fact that several states no longer have a "tip credit" wage system would seem to imply that paying a higher wage doesn't really adversely affect restaurant revenue. Restaurants in states that already pay $7.25 or more still get employees to work there. You would think the states would be all over this as there should be a bump in tax revenues.
I suppose a proponent for the tip credit system might argue that abolishing that in favor of a standard minimum wage floor paid entirely by the employer would limit earnings for top performers. I would argue that the market would respond by having restaurants that require better trained and more professional staff would simply pay more to attract those people and add other sales-related compensation to attract better people.
That's the million dollar question. There's no valid reason for the system to continue to exist as it does, and the fact that several states no longer have a "tip credit" wage system would seem to imply that paying a higher wage doesn't really adversely affect restaurant revenue. Restaurants in states that already pay $7.25 or more still get employees to work there. You would think the states would be all over this as there should be a bump in tax revenues.
I suppose a proponent for the tip credit system might argue that abolishing that in favor of a standard minimum wage floor paid entirely by the employer would limit earnings for top performers. I would argue that the market would respond by having restaurants that require better trained and more professional staff would simply pay more to attract those people and add other sales-related compensation to attract better people.
To me, the reason as soon as one of these threads die down, another starts, is because many folks are unhappy with the situation as it stands. This constant worry of 'should I tip this, or that person, or not. How much should I tip...... People come on, and say 'oh, I like to tip for good service, I leave 20 - 30 - whatever percent. Or, well, you will pay more in the menu price if service is built in..... and so it goes on. Honestly, I eat in America, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Tunisia, Italy, Turkey, Portugal, and of course England. Service is good wherever you go, and there isn't all this painful tipping nonsense...... only in America!
I accept it as the price of visiting America, which I love to do. But, that doesn't make it right does it. This is not just a limey complaining....... many Americans are fed up of it also. There is no real defense for it, in this day and age. Hard working folks shouldn't have to depend on the whims of patrons on whether they make proper wages.
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Trouble is, then servers wouldn't come to your table every two minutes asking, "everything all right here?" I don't need this, maybe some other folks like it.