Why tipping should be banned (according to Adam)

[Exterous]

In my mind i wouldn't think to tip when picking up food. No one is refilling my drink, clearing the table and im not taking up seating. If a server is missing out on tips because they are preparing take out food that seems like its on the restaurant not me so i would be upset if an employee tried to shame me online

 

[ponyo]

In my mind i wouldn't think to tip when picking up food. No one is refilling my drink, clearing the table and im not taking up seating. If a server is missing out on tips because they are preparing take out food that seems like its on the restaurant not me so i would be upset if an employee tried to shame me online

There's no reason to tip for pickup. The restaurant is getting extra sales it normally wouldn't so it's win-win. All the to go containers are expensive and the restaurant loses out selling you overpriced drinks but they more than make it up on extra food sales.

 

[purbeast0]

I don't and would not tip on a pickup order.

And I tip well when it's earned.

 

[destrekor]

I don't and would not tip on a pickup order.

And I tip well when it's earned.

I tip any waitstaff at a regular restaurant, because I know the tips are making up for the lower-than-minimum-wage they earn.

[edit: to clarify, I also do not often tip on to-go orders, though I will on a whim]

I'd very much appreciate a move from nearly fraud to sane and practical waitstaff wages (and the resulting fixed price increases on food).


People who worry about "bad service" in a world without tips, um... look abroad. Bad service is not a norm in the service industry, because, get this, employers always paid attention anyway. If not immediately then down the road, as shitty performance tends to get you canned. If you are pissing off customers left and right, you're gonna get canned or relocated. One off days aren't a thing, and wages shouldn't be punished for it, we all have shitty days. Unless you are a regular somewhere and regularly deal with a routinely bad waitstaff (that's managements fault, btw), then most occurrences of bad waiting that people don't tip for are -- I'd presume -- more often something akin to a bad day, distracted, etc.

Let's face it, we've all been there, and I'll go on to assume that most of us would rather not see a variable daily wage based upon some performance metric as opposed to based strictly upon time in some form, be it flat hourly wage or salary for whatever time is in the contract. The real issue is often management or lack thereof.

 

[JEDI]

Here's an interesting one for ATOT discussion:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/l...-not-tipped-735-order/1WdSSRd27tTlqYJHmxMOUP/


TL;DR:

1. A church ordered a take-out order for $735
2. On social media, the server complained (against company policy, which can result in termination) about not getting tipped on the to-go order
3. The server got fired (the church also received a full refund, presumably for getting slammed on social media)

Is tipping for take-out a mandatory thing now?

take out = no tip!

F her and her entitlement mentality!

 

[IEC]

And I can say the opposite. In fact, wife and I once waited 30-45 minutes for ANYONE to come up to us so we could pay the check and leave. Wasn't a busy place, but our American expectation was shot in the foot leaving us hanging. No thanks.

Many countries you need to ask for the check. e.g. Germany.

 

[zerocool84]

If that's the case, I can understand getting angry about getting stiffed on a tip when you make 75 items & then lose out on other tips because you're prepping & not serving, and only making a few bucks an hour. Makes more sense. It should be illegal to pay people anything less than minimum wage.

It already is illegal to pay anyone less than minimum wage.

 

[BoomerD]

It already is illegal to pay anyone less than minimum wage.

True, but in many states, under FEDERAL wage and hour laws, the restaurant is only required to pay tipped employees $2.13 per hour. The balance of the federally mandated minimum wage has to be made up from their tips. I'm glad I've lived MOST of my life in states where food servers and other tipped employees are treated like human beings and get paid the full state mandated minimum wage (or more)...and their tips are on top of that.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Many countries you need to ask for the check. e.g. Germany.

I get this, but when no one comes near us we were left to eight yell across the dinging room floor or get up and chase someone down. We had a hand up several times to now avail.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Most servers i know bitch about how they rely on tips, but then admit they would make far less if it werent for tips, ie if paid lets say $10 an hour, they would still make more in tips.

 

[TeeJay1952]

I live in a better world where people care and share. Big order from butcher? Toss 2 bucks for a beer and see their eyes light up.
50 cents for "coffee lady"? Why not it makes up for all the folks who can't (or won't) chip in.
I would so rather lighten the load of someone who is serving me than a nameless, faceless politician giving the rich another tax break!

 

[piasabird]

When tipping goes from a thank you for good service to a payment that some people feel they are entitled to, then it is time to remind people we dont pay for bad service.

 

[rh71]

^ Along the same lines, tipping should make you feel good that you are rewarding someone who's doing an outstanding job. Instead, none of us feel this way because it's socially unacceptable not to tip basically anyone who serves you, which is part of their job description.

Restaurant owners make out great, and the waiters who end up making well above minimum wage love the way it has gone. Coerced crowdfunding.

 

[JEDI]

True, but in many states, under FEDERAL wage and hour laws, the restaurant is only required to pay tipped employees $2.13 per hour. The balance of the federally mandated minimum wage has to be made up from their tips. I'm glad I've lived MOST of my life in states where food servers and other tipped employees are treated like human beings and get paid the full state mandated minimum wage (or more)...and their tips are on top of that.

lets get rid of all this tipping nonsense!
to start:
no tip for standard service if their base salary is more than the fed minimum.
ie: Some cities have $12+/hr minimum

 

[Kaido]

^ Along the same lines, tipping should make you feel good that you are rewarding someone who's doing an outstanding job. Instead, none of us feel this way because it's socially unacceptable not to tip basically anyone who serves you, which is part of their job description.

QFP

 

[WelshBloke]

You're going to encounter a lot of different customs regarding payment. In many places you have to ask for the bill or it may be customary for you to go up to the front\bar to pay and not involve the wait staff at all. In others, particularly those where its common to linger, you need to signal that you want attention be it more food, drink or the bill. This may seem standoff-ish from what you get at American restaurants but its customary for the staff to in those areas to 'not bother you'. I have several international friends who find wait staff in the US a little annoying with how often they stop by and feel rushed when the bill shows up as soon as the food is finished (or even earlier)

I'd be really offended if someone brought me the bill before I'd finished eating. I'd be fairly offended if they slapped it down before I asked for it TBH.

 

[feralkid]

And I can say the opposite. In fact, wife and I once waited 30-45 minutes for ANYONE to come up to us so we could pay the check and leave. Wasn't a busy place, but our American expectation was shot in the foot leaving us hanging. No thanks.

I once had to get off my ass and go ask for the check; damn near killed me.

 

[KIAman]

The whole tipping thing is out of control lately. There's even a mongolian bbq place near my work that you make your own food and serve yourself but as you prepay, the touchscreen point of sale thingy has 5 buttons for 20%, 15%, 10%, custom and no tip. All this while the cashier is staring at you while you make your choice. And of course, the cooks have their own tip jar still. WHY AM I TIPPING THE CASHIER?!?!

 

[mindless1]

Places that decide for me what to tip are annoying. The whole point is to reward good service and make those who don't provide it, work harder.

Maybe you're not supposed to get more than minimum wage if you half-arse do your job.

Even more laughable are the ideas that they should be paid minimum wage PLUS automatic 15%+, AND still have a tip jar. No. They chose that job just like everyone else, if they don't like the wages they can pick a different line of work - same as everyone else.

Regardless I'd be fine with COMPLETELY getting rid of tipping, meaning nothing added to bill, the food price is the total price and their wages are hourly. In that case it makes sense to me that their wages be higher the more the food costs and/or more service is required.

 

[Chaotic42]

I'd be really offended if someone brought me the bill before I'd finished eating. I'd be fairly offended if they slapped it down before I asked for it TBH.

I love it because it shows they understand the value of my time. I wish more places did it, especially at lunch.

 

[Kaido]

I love it because it shows they understand the value of my time. I wish more places did it, especially at lunch.

Same. Go out, eat, finish eating, twiddle your thumbs until they remember to come back with your check, or else they come back & you have to request your check, go back to twiddling your thumbs, etc.

As annoying as the new wireless tablets on the tables are at Olive Garden, they are nice because you can pay right at the table when you're done & then leave whenever you want to.

 

[WelshBloke]

I love it because it shows they understand the value of my time. I wish more places did it, especially at lunch.

More like they want your arse out of that seat as quickly as possible to put another customer in there!

Same. Go out, eat, finish eating, twiddle your thumbs until they remember to come back with your check, or else they come back & you have to request your check, go back to twiddling your thumbs, etc.

I like to decide for myself when my meal is over. Maybe I'm having a good chat with a friend, maybe I want another glass of wine, I don't want to feel like the waiter wants me out of there ASAP!

 

[destrekor]

More like they want your arse out of that seat as quickly as possible to put another customer in there!


I like to decide for myself when my meal is over. Maybe I'm having a good chat with a friend, maybe I want another glass of wine, I don't want to feel like the waiter wants me out of there ASAP!

Meh, when a server brings a check before I'm ready to leave, it just sits there. No harm to me. It might annoy them when I ask for another drink, but it's rare that I'm sitting at a table lingering over drinks - usually it's just at the bar. lol

And I suspect if I went to a fancy restaurant for dinner and then talking over drinks, we probably wouldn't be hurried out.

Whenever I've had that type of experience, it's usually at cheaper places where the idea is that you normally wouldn't just linger over drinks. I mean, I feel like I rarely have ever seen it outside of something like a diner or diner-like place like IHOP or Bob Evans. Sometimes I get it at a bar because the place is obviously busy and I suspect it's more like, "here's this tab if you don't end up wanting another drink, I'm running around and the next bartender can ring that up for you if you want to leave before I get back or you can do whatever you want."

Part of all that is the hurry up culture ingrained here in America. Everyone is rushing half the time because time is everything, everyone wants everything done a few minutes ago. It's just so ingrained that it ain't going anywhere, we're the most obsessed with time and that won't be changing, much to my chagrin. But hey it gives me an excuse to drive fast and I enjoy that part (because I fit right in with the always rushing crowd as I'm always running late by our standards here lol)

 

[TallBill]

Meh, when a server brings a check before I'm ready to leave, it just sits there. No harm to me. It might annoy them when I ask for another drink, but it's rare that I'm sitting at a table lingering over drinks - usually it's just at the bar. lol

And I suspect if I went to a fancy restaurant for dinner and then talking over drinks, we probably wouldn't be hurried out.

Whenever I've had that type of experience, it's usually at cheaper places where the idea is that you normally wouldn't just linger over drinks. I mean, I feel like I rarely have ever seen it outside of something like a diner or diner-like place like IHOP or Bob Evans. Sometimes I get it at a bar because the place is obviously busy and I suspect it's more like, "here's this tab if you don't end up wanting another drink, I'm running around and the next bartender can ring that up for you if you want to leave before I get back or you can do whatever you want."

Part of all that is the hurry up culture ingrained here in America. Everyone is rushing half the time because time is everything, everyone wants everything done a few minutes ago. It's just so ingrained that it ain't going anywhere, we're the most obsessed with time and that won't be changing, much to my chagrin. But hey it gives me an excuse to drive fast and I enjoy that part (because I fit right in with the always rushing crowd as I'm always running late by our standards here lol)

Sometimes that's the result of the lack of social skills by other customers though. Personally when I served, I would bring checks and ask, simply as a courtesy to the customer. Then again, I have the ability to converse with someone to see what they actually want. The only times I "rushed" was for lunch rushes, when 95% of your customers are in somewhat of a rush.

Being petty about it isn't the best answer either, perhaps have the polite conversation that you're not quite ready yet. They might just be making sure that you're not waiting on them.

 

[destrekor]

Sometimes that's the result of the lack of social skills by other customers though. Personally when I served, I would bring checks and ask, simply as a courtesy to the customer. Then again, I have the ability to converse with someone to see what they actually want. The only times I "rushed" was for lunch rushes, when 95% of your customers are in somewhat of a rush.

Being petty about it isn't the best answer either, perhaps have the polite conversation that you're not quite ready yet. They might just be making sure that you're not waiting on them.

Very true.