Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Servers and Bartenders usually make INSANELY low wages (2.65-4.00 an hr where I'm from)
NOBODY can survive on that kind of pay.
If employers had to pay them competitive wages, the prices of food and beverages would skyrocket to compensate the loss.
I think that in high school it should be mandatory to do an internship or something in the service industry. Everyone visits restaurants at some point in their lives and should be aware of how the system works.
Fact:
1. Servers/Bartender pay TAXES on the total of your bill whether you tip or not. If you don't tip, I still pay the government a percentage for YOUR meal.
2. Food/Beverage prices would skyrocket if employers had to pay employees real wages. Do you want the choice of how much to tip OR do you want to see prices of Food/Bev go through the roof!
I mean, a job like this could be for people who have NO job, and need to take one to pay the bills. Being a lawyer certainly pays the bills, but I wouldn't want to be one. And, you should make a career out of it if you do love it...don't just take it to expect huge tips.
As far as the mortgage thing goes, well if it is cheaper because you locked in, than great. But I don't wanna hear people crying about weak tips because they can't pay the mortgage of $1500/mo because they only make $1200/mo and "live" off tips to make up the difference. IMO, should have gotten that apartment for $800/mo., or a better paying job.
Whatever the case may be...I don't see how ordering for myself and my girl (2 people)...like a $30 steak and some seafood...where the bill is $60...and getting me a refill means I have to tip $12 or else I am cheap. I'd tip $5 and the change...so if it were 60.57, I'd tip 5.43.
If I ordered 2 salads and it came to $30, I'd leave 3 and change...
So it's not a case of me leaving a dollar no matter what...I go 8-12%...it's what I feel comfortable with. I guess I should stay home and keep that $3.47 from being in your pocket though....because someone else could have sat there and tipped you an extra $1.53, or not.
Sheesh, everyone must really dislike you at all the places you frequent. It's not so much the fact that you don't want to tip 20%, it's the disrespect and bitterness that seem to belie your attitude towards servers. I wonder if your girlfriend is secretly embarrassed by your miserly ways? Hmmm
I do agree that 20% tips mostly represent GREAT service but you should always tip 10% because that is what we are taxed for YOUR meal.
It sounds like you are resentful that service industry workers can sometimes make a decent living (maybe even better than you in some places) so you feel justified in stiffing them. Uuugh
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
4,641 posts, read 11,991,834 times
Reputation: 9890
Quote:
Originally Posted by acapr220
Think of it this way:
Servers and Bartenders usually make INSANELY low wages (2.65-4.00 an hr where I'm from)
NOBODY can survive on that kind of pay.
If employers had to pay them competitive wages, the prices of food and beverages would skyrocket to compensate the loss.
I think that in high school it should be mandatory to do an internship or something in the service industry. Everyone visits restaurants at some point in their lives and should be aware of how the system works.
Fact:
1. Servers/Bartender pay TAXES on the total of your bill whether you tip or not. If you don't tip, I still pay the government a percentage for YOUR meal.
2. Food/Beverage prices would skyrocket if employers had to pay employees real wages. Do you want the choice of how much to tip OR do you want to see prices of Food/Bev go through the roof!
See, I disagree on two counts: 1) I've been a server off/on for years and it is insanely easy money. Servers don't just make that hourly rate. You can easily average $20/hour or more with tips. For what? I mean, it isn't exactly skilled labor. The reason most of the servers I know are broke is because they don't have any idea how to budget/ration their money. I hate to generalize, but most of the servers I've ever met are so greedy it isn't funny. And customers pick up on that and it costs them. Bottom line, for what servers actually do, they are overpaid. If employers were ever forced to pay servers even minimum wage--they'd let them go. Even as a server I realize that.
2) Servers pay taxes on the amount of tips they receive and report to the IRS. It is the server's responsibility for daily tracking of tips received regardless of how your employer handles it. Also, I've always earned more (and reported it) than the employer has reported b/c the employer figures are fairly conservative.
I think the problem customers have with tipping is that the percentage of tip is going up and the level of work required for it isn't. I mean, why are servers making 15-20% instead of the previous 10%? Who decided that and why is it accepted? When will it stop? Will customers eventually be expected to tip 30%? 40%? 50%?
Furthermore, I think employers realize how irrelevant servers really are. Servers aren't worth an hourly wage and employers know that--that's why they don't pay them even minimum wage. I mean, come on, I love waiting tables and admit it is really simple. At the more popular restaurants, there are 50 servers in the wings waiting for the job. Trust me, employers want their customers happy, they could care less about the servers. As long as customers want servers the customers are going to pay part of their cost. That's why we have the whole tipping thing to begin with. But if the customers decide they don't want to pay for servers, the employers aren't going to pick up the slack--I think they'd let them go.
As far as my girl being embarrassed...haha, I guess you could say she is a low-class slimeball like myself...since that's what some of you think.
Sucks if you make $2.50/hr...which I think is a lie. Right here in Cali, min. wage is $8/hr. Fed min wage is what now, $5.50? Who would take a job for less? lol
Also sucks if the money is pooled and you lose some cash, or whatever lil BS idea you come up with. But like I said, I don't want to hear, "well we have to deal with this, so you should tip more". That doesn't solve anything. Go take action to change the laws you have problems with or do something. Don't expect us to pay 10%, then 20%, then 30% or 50%. I know you guys get large cash sometimes..and you damn sure don't report it. I know the people I know in Cali dont...they make 20k on paper, but 10-15k in tips. One guy even plays poker ALL the time and turns that 10-15k into 15-20k...
After having this discussion, I think I will take your advice and stay outta your job...I will keep my money, and you will make less. WIN/WIN now isn't it? lol
As far as my girl being embarrassed...haha, I guess you could say she is a low-class slimeball like myself...since that's what some of you think.
Sucks if you make $2.50/hr...which I think is a lie. Right here in Cali, min. wage is $8/hr. Fed min wage is what now, $5.50? Who would take a job for less? lol
Also sucks if the money is pooled and you lose some cash, or whatever lil BS idea you come up with. But like I said, I don't want to hear, "well we have to deal with this, so you should tip more". That doesn't solve anything. Go take action to change the laws you have problems with or do something. Don't expect us to pay 10%, then 20%, then 30% or 50%. I know you guys get large cash sometimes..and you damn sure don't report it. I know the people I know in Cali dont...they make 20k on paper, but 10-15k in tips. One guy even plays poker ALL the time and turns that 10-15k into 15-20k...
After having this discussion, I think I will take your advice and stay outta your job...I will keep my money, and you will make less. WIN/WIN now isn't it? lol
'go take action to change the laws' just because you are cheap? How arrogant can you be?
And you 'don't believe' servers make that little? talk about ignorant!
Taken from the US department of labor (http://www.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm - broken link) website
Quote:
What is the minimum wage for workers who receive tips?
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.
Tell me, do you also not shake hands when you meet a new co-worker? Do you wear sweatpants to a black-tie dinner? Do you slam doors closed in the faces of senior citizens? There are countless social norms we uphold every day, not because they are the law but because of common decency.
you 'know we damn sure don't report' tips? Just like you "knew" we were lying about the minimum wage for waiters being so low?
I was only a waiter for a few years, but my old boss, who was a waiter for over 10 years was audited four times simply because the government required all tipped employees to report and pay taxes on tips. Servers get audited pretty often simply to make sure they actually do report tips.
Before you post again, try to research what you claiming instead of throwing your opinion around as fact.
I said "Which I think is a lie"...you said I said "knew"...thanks for twisting the facts.
Man you people really like to bully around...Im getting a good chuckle. Sorry I never busted out the FLSA handbook and read it completely. You then resort to personal attacks? How does that show for your character? That is against forum policy. Did you read that information? Of course I didn't know about the $2 BS or whatever it may be...but now you guys are crossing the line.
Tell me, do you also not shake hands when you meet a new co-worker? Nah I spit in their face and call them bad names
Do you wear sweatpants to a black-tie dinner? Nah my cheap ass can't afford black-tie dinners remember...because I can't afford tips. Where I am from we wear those tshirts with a tie silk screened on...(laughs inside my head because I wore a tie every night last week to dinner while on vacation....good one)
Do you slam doors closed in the faces of senior citizens? No I was until they walk up...then I let them go first and steal their pocket money from behind.
There are countless social norms we uphold every day, not because they are the law but because of common decency.
It's one thing to hold a door open, or let someone go first at a stop sign, or to simply shake hands. It's another thing to be told I have to tip X amount of my earned money because someone chose a profession in which they survive on tips. Like I said...make a law or whatever you need or want to do. Make it say I have to tip 20%, fine I will do it if I choose to eat out...but if I go into a place and have $35 cash and the meal is $31.00 and I leave every dollar I have to tip YOU $4.00...and you complain because it is just under 13%...then forget you. You guys are so quick to come on here behind a computer screen and call me names and disrespect me, but try doing that at work when someone leaves you $2 on a $35 bill...you'd be fired, or beat up, or whatever. (No I am not saying I would beat you up...so don't go twisting my words again.)
And don't say I don't respect you because I don't tip what YOU feel is right.
I think here, we are going to have to agree to disagree...and maybe one day you can get over the fact that there are some people who can make $150 a night, 3 nights a week, or $1000 a week...but you can barely get $300 a week even when people tip 20%.
Just because "Susie" averages $750 a week on tips...means you deserve at the very minimum 20% and above so you can make that too. Not everyone can afford, or feel it is right to tip 20%...would you rather the percentage of those people stayed home? Is that magically going to bring in the tippers who tip over 20% to make up the difference? NO! Like bande said...when does it end?
You average 25% for a month or two...then you want 30%, then 20% is cheap....no? How can you argue with that?
Another tidbit...last night...I went to a club where I paid $5 to get in.
The cheapest drink there was bud light for $5...mixed drinks...in a 6oz cup full of ice were $8.00!!!! Some were $10.00. My friend ordered one, didn't have enough so I gave him $3...he then told me to tip the guy. I said, "for what, all he did was pour a red bull into some vodka." Was someone suppose to tip him $1.60/20%?
Then inside the bathroom...there was a guy setup with BS candy and handed you a paper towel w/o saying anything or even looking up off his phone. Tip jar on the side. I didn't have any money since I gave it to my friend....but cmon...a buck for handing me a towel when I would get it by myself. I'm suprised the guys in the parking lot didn't ask for a tip to allow me to park my car myself.
Tipping reminds me when living in Mexico City I was at a Disco. Of course drinking makes a person go to the restroom often. A male attendent handed me a towel and when I offered him some loose change from my pocket (normally I do not have loose change when going out to a Disco), he was insulted and smirked at me cause it was not a paper money...I shrugged my shoulder and said later man...after all I'll be returning later on this evening. What am I supposed to do? tip him every 45 min or so. My bladder can only hold so much. Stayed at the Disco from 9 PM til 4 AM...during a long night of drinking/dancing. Did this at every Disco while living there. Always closed them down at 4 AM. Stefhen
I don't go out too much, but when I do I like to tip well. Minimum ever, even with lousy service, is 15%.
I usually give 20% - 30%+. I also don't really get expensive bills. $100 tops. Maybe a bill of $42 I would give $50 - $55 if I had a good experience. It really is about the experience for me. If I am uncomfortable the whole time while sitting, ordering, eating, waiting, then I won't be happy and they'll get 15%. And please smile while you're serving me. thanks.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
