Mandatory tipping based on race is bad

[Anonemous]

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/...ips_suit_X3zcz6Zc8DhbgOBmsOdQkI#ixzz1ZBspF2kZ

This Indian dinner allegedly came with an extra-large helping of discrimin-ation and a side of assault.
Two patrons filed suit against the Baluchi’s restaurant chain yesterday over claims that their bill was illegally padded with an “automatic” 18 percent gratuity reserved for South Asian customers.
Abe Shah and Hema Virani also charge that they were physically attacked by a worker after leaving Baluchi’s eatery in Forest Hills, Queens, without paying the alleged ethnic surcharge.
The Brooklyn federal court suit seeks unspecified damages over what the duo’s lawyer, Denise Shulman, called the “shameful and appalling” incident.
According to court papers, Shah, who is of Pakistani descent, and Virani, who is Indian, were slapped with the mandatory gratuity when they got their check on May 12.
Shah demanded to speak with the manager, who admitted that the restaurant added the charge for “Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi customers because ‘they never tip,’ ” the suit says.
A woman who answered the restaurant’s phone last night said no one was available to comment.

 

[shortylickens]

Racism in New York?

I'm sorry but I'll have to declare shens on that.

 

[American Gunner]

Does anyone else think this could have been fun to watch?

 

[davmat787]

Mandatory gratuity? Isn't that a tad oxymoronic? What, did they have the jumbo shrimp?

 

[shortylickens]

Mandatory gratuity? Isn't that a tad oxymoronic? What, did they have the jumbo shrimp?

If you read the fine print MOST eateries have a mandatory 18 percent on parties of eight or more. Mandatory tipping is actually quite common in America.
I wont comment on it being good or bad, but its not unusual.

 

[spidey07]

Not seeing a problem here. If as a group they don't normally tip, then add it to the bill.

 

[Zeze]

Mandatory gratuity? Isn't that a tad oxymoronic? What, did they have the jumbo shrimp?

I never thought the word 'jumbo shrimp' is an oxymoron. You are using 'jumbo' as a relative term.

Otherwise words like, 'huge' or 'jumbo' should never be used outside of describing planets and stars.

You can't ever say "my dick is huge." It'll never be when it's no bigger than a foot.

 

[Spikesoldier]

immediate victory to plaintiff

next time the restaurant will learn to increase prices by 18% across the board on the menu rather than selectively stiff customers based on their race. that is unless they are bankrupt from the settlement/judgment.

 

[Alienwho]

Those people are only proving the stereo type as true, they don't even tip when it's mandatory and part of the bill.

 

[davmat787]

If you read the fine print MOST eateries have a mandatory 18 percent on parties of eight or more. Mandatory tipping is actually quite common in America.
I wont comment on it being good or bad, but its not unusual.

Yea, I know. But it should be called a service charge or some such term. If it is not optional, it isn't a gratuity. I know this isn't how it works in the real world, just nit picking.

 

[Zeze]

immediate victory to plaintiff

next time the restaurant will learn to increase prices by 18% across the board on the menu rather than selectively stiff customers based on their race. that is unless they are bankrupt from the settlement/judgment.

What the restaurant is doing is wrong but you're missing the point.

Tips go to waitresses which is an incentive for her to work hard. They earn a base of $2.50-$3.50/hr.

It makes minimal difference to their earning if the price of the food is increased by 18%.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Not seeing a problem here. If as a group they don't normally tip, then add it to the bill.

It is discriminatory and it is a problem, BUT they could easily have avoided it by putting the mandatory gratuity on everyone's tab regardless of ethnicity. Or if they're hurting for money that badly, raise prices a little.

Should black people be barred from movie theaters because "they always talk"? Some do, some don't. Some white people talk in theaters. Stereotypes may be based on truth but they aren't necessarily true in every case.

 

[coldmeat]

You can't ever say "my dick is huge." It'll never be when it's no bigger than a foot.

Yours is smaller than a foot?

 

[Zeze]

Yours is smaller than a foot?

No, I am Asian afterall.

 

[Spikesoldier]

What the restaurant is doing is wrong but you're missing the point.

Tips go to waitresses which is an incentive for her to work hard. They earn a base of $2.50-$3.50/hr.

It makes minimal difference to their earning if the price of the food is increased by 18%.

it releases the restaurant from legal liability so those employees can stay employed.

plus, it is their choice for a tip. in many countries around the world there is no such thing as a tip for a paid service.

if they want to be douchebags and leave a 0 tip then thats their discretion. if they want to be magnanimous benefactors then by all means, they can bestow the place and make it rain as they say.

i can understand '18% on parties 6+' , but it flies because it does not discriminate in any way besides party size.

 

[AstroManLuca]

And there are plenty of reasons to put a gratuity on the bill for large parties. They require more work and it makes it easier for the people to pay at the end without some people forgetting to leave a tip.

 

[Zeze]

it releases the restaurant from legal liability so those employees can stay employed.

plus, it is their choice for a tip. in many countries around the world there is no such thing as a tip for a paid service.

if they want to be douchebags and leave a 0 tip then thats their discretion. if they want to be magnanimous benefactors then by all means, they can bestow the place and make it rain as they say.

i can understand '18% on parties 6+' , but it flies because it does not discriminate in any way besides party size.

Right, so they're going to re-start their restaurant with a flashing new business model:

"NO TIPS REQUIRED! BUT OUR PRICES ARE INCREASED 18% FOR EVERYONE!"

Let's see how long they stay in business.

 

[Aikouka]

Raising the prices by 18% and then having to factor that dollar amount into paychecks seems like a lot of hassle. I'd also assume that it also would amount to arguments unless the system is very specific in keeping track of exact check amounts per waitstaff personnel per pay period.

In other words, do you keep track of all of that to give the people how much they should have earned, or do you go the easy route and give everyone the same amount of the pot.

 

[shortylickens]

Yea, I know. But it should be called a service charge or some such term. If it is not optional, it isn't a gratuity. I know this isn't how it works in the real world, just nit picking.

It just exemplifies the whole problem with tipping in America. Too many people require tips to survive and it fucks things up.

 

[AstroManLuca]

It just exemplifies the whole problem with tipping in America. Too many people require tips to survive and it fucks things up.

It's really true. Too often, customers don't tip because of bad food. Not the server's fault, but they're the one left holding the bag. Or they don't tip because they're just assholes, or they're fresh off the boat immigrants who don't understand that they need to leave tips. In every case, what can you do? You can't force the customer to tip. You can add a gratuity but that isn't standard practice except with large groups.

As usual, it's the person on the bottom rung of the ladder who gets shit upon.

 

[pontifex]

I never thought the word 'jumbo shrimp' is an oxymoron. You are using 'jumbo' as a relative term.

Otherwise words like, 'huge' or 'jumbo' should never be used outside of describing planets and stars.

You can't ever say "my dick is huge." It'll never be when it's no bigger than a foot.

a baby's foot is pretty small.

 

[waggy]

hope they win. people seem to have forgotten what a tip is.

but comon people pay a damn tip! if the server earns it give it. bah.

 

[Numenorean]

What the restaurant is doing is wrong but you're missing the point.

Tips go to waitresses which is an incentive for her to work hard. They earn a base of $2.50-$3.50/hr.

It makes minimal difference to their earning if the price of the food is increased by 18%.

Right.

So what you do is just give Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi customers shitty service so they stop coming. If they aren't going to tip for good service, then don't give them good service.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

A Pakistani dating an Indian? That's already an accident looking for a place. Restaurant was wrong although I'm sure the beloved patriot said something that resulted in an idiot employee "attacking" them.

 

[SandEagle]

hope they get sued out of exostence. absurd. imagine if they added Jews or Blacks to the list. they didnt because indians can only intimidate their own kind. class warfare!