Tip Sharing

[Pacemaker]

inspired by this thread Text

Do you find tip sharing ok? I have never thought about it until a second ago, but doesn't that break down the whole tipping system. In other words you tip good service and don't tip bad service, but if they are sharing all the tips then do servers even care about earing the good tips?

 

[chambersc]

I'm starting to be turned off to the whole tipping system altogether.

 

[dxkj]

if managers at restaurants did their jobs, waitresses wouldnt have to be controlled by a tipping system.... it is messed up that they just dont pay them a fair wage ($10 an hour) and forego tipping. They should do their job right, and get paid for it, by their employer.

Of course I do tip, and well, because the above system isnt in place and Id be screwing them if I did that.

 

[vi edit]

Overall I think it defeats the point of a tip and really only rewards the lowest common denominator.

High quality servers get the shaft while the miserable wretch that I wouldn't have otherwise tipped gets a piece of the pie.

Some tip sharing goes back to hosts, bartenders and dishwashers which I guess I'm cool with if they are working their butts off on busy nights. But those positions are typically much higher pay rates ($6-9 per hour instead of $2.13) so tips aren't required to subsidize the pay.

Overall I think it takes power away from customers and reinforces a lower quality of service.

 

[ArchCenturion]

I hate tipping. People should just do their jobs. I think its sucks that you are pretty much required to tip 15% or whatever. You should only reward people that you either really like, or do some exceptional job.

 

[Pacemaker]

I think it's ok that the table cleaners and the hostess/host get a cut, but sharing with other servers only rewards those who don't do the job well.

 

[vi edit]

My *only* gripe about tipping is the forced tipping on large parties...it's getting way out of hand.

I was just at a upscale bar last week that forced an 18% gratuity on parties of 6 or more. Screw that.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Tip sharing can be a problem, but other times is a good thing. In theory, a restaurant is going to make a lot of money from a large party, but they don't always result in a lot of tips so they often tip-share on those larger tables and allocate staff to them. The rest of the restaurant may be EXTREMELY busy and those servers will then carry their tips over to those who are stuck attending to one table. This levels the playing field a bit and gives the staff stuck on the table a boost since the rest of the restaurant is doing so well. In other cases though, it sucks.

 

[Pacemaker]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
My *only* gripe about tipping is the forced tipping on large parties...it's getting way out of hand.

I was just at a upscale bar last week that forced an 18% gratuity on parties of 6 or more. Screw that.

You can fight it if the Server did a poor job. My dad talked to the manager once because our waitress never even bothered to refill our drinks and got it removed.

I find it insulting that they do it as well, so instead of what I normally tip (around 20-25% for good service) they get what is added automatically.

 

[miri]

Most of the restaurants I have worked at, the server shares tips with the foodrunners/bartenders/bussers/hostess/expos, and not with other servers, unless its a large party so the server can basically keep their tips minus about 1/3 of their tips to tip sharing. Bussers can do very well and sometimes make more than servers.

 

[imported_griffis]

Originally posted by: ArchCenturion
I hate tipping. People should just do their jobs. I think its sucks that you are pretty much required to tip 15% or whatever. You should only reward people that you either really like, or do some exceptional job.

Youvr never been a server obiously. You do know most only get paid 2.13 an hour?!

 

[chambersc]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
My *only* gripe about tipping is the forced tipping on large parties...it's getting way out of hand.

I was just at a upscale bar last week that forced an 18% gratuity on parties of 6 or more. Screw that.

No it's not. It's not forced. It is an "optional gratuity." You can always request not to have that added onto your bill.