For those of you going to a restaurant to catch the game. Please tip well.

[BacktoBasics]

Do you even know the tipping standards in Europe-- thought not.

As to going out to eat during a Spurs game, you missed the point entirely. The waiter should still be waiting on me, not watching the game in the back room. Given that the proprietor knows me, not a good idea.

My issue is not with your initial message but your comments to everyone after it. I stated what I do but no one else is obliged to do the same.

Yeah I've been to Europe smartass. Don't patronize me you pretentious . In Europe like most other foriegn countries I've visited its quite common for the tip to be included in the bill. So assholes like you guys don't stiff honest work.

I still can't respect you if you're out to eat while missing a playoff game.

[ploto]

I've asked the question before, but never got an answer. Why are waiters in the US second grade citizens? Why is their profession the only one who's salary is dependent on the good will of their customers?

And if this is such a good system why aren't other people in the service industry paid the same way (minimal salary + tips)?

I truly have no idea why the food industry is allowed to pay waiters less than minimum wage.

According to the US Department of Labor website-if an employee's tips combined with the employer's wage per hour do not equal the hourly minimum wage, the employer is required to make up the difference. I have never heard if any restaurant actually does that.

From Wikipedia:

In Germany and other Western countries, where minimum wages exist for waitstaff and where tipping is not culturally entrenched, most tips take the form of rounding up to the nearest whole or half denomination of currency when the waiter is cashing a party out at their table.

By contrast, waiters and waitresses in Japan refuse tips, which are sometimes even considered an insult. It is believed there that leaving a tip implies that the staff are not being paid enough by their employer, or that the customer believes the server must be paid extra to deliver a proper service.

Tipping is not customary in Asia, Australia and New Zealand and is not factored into wages of staff.

[Slomo]

It's not the same as a commission. A commission is the exact result of a measurable performance. Commissions are OK.
Tips are very much dependent on the good will of patrons. The tip is the result of a purely subjective perception of the waiters performance.
It is a strange system that I personally find demeaning.

[ploto]

So assholes like you guys don't stiff honest work.

Last place I ate, I tipped 50%. Nice to know that makes me an asshole.

[BacktoBasics]

Last place I ate, I tipped 50%. Nice to know that makes me an asshole.

I wasn't specifically saying you. Your tip was appreciated.

[ploto]

It's not the same as a commission. A commission is the exact result of a measurable performance. Commissions are OK.
Tips are very much dependent on the good will of patrons. The tip is the result of a purely subjective perception of the waiters performance.
It is a strange system that I personally find demeaning.

What is bad to me is that waiters often get stiffed for things they have no control over.

[ploto]

I wasn't specifically saying you. Your tip was appreciated.

But the guy watching the Spurs game only got 15 % - the bare minimum.

[leemajors]

ing genius, someone get this guy a feminine mixed drink.

from what i understand, waiters generally aren't working for tips in europe.

[Slomo]

What is bad to me is that waiters often get stiffed for things they have no control over.

Exactly, as I said it's purely subjective hence unfair.

[j-6]

I've asked the question before, but never got an answer. Why are waiters in the US second grade citizens?

To screw the government. All tipped employees are required by law to claim 100% of the tips they earn. Realistically they only claim whatever tips the POS (computer point of sale) system tallies, meaning the tips left on a credit card transaction. Cash goes in their pocket. It's not unheard of for service industry people to make 50K a year but only claim 16-18K in taxes. And at that level, you're eligible to file exempt on the American 1040EZ form and get most of your tax money refunded.

Of course, the employer doesn't mind getting labor for 2.13 an hour, either.

[BacktoBasics]

It's not the same as a commission. A commission is the exact result of a measurable performance. Commissions are OK.
Tips are very much dependent on the good will of patrons. The tip is the result of a purely subjective perception of the waiters performance.
It is a strange system that I personally find demeaning.

I agree with you thats why I said it was like it not exactly the same. That is in relation to a ty base pay most commission workers have.

[Opinionater]

IMHO, the tip should be based on the service you receive, if the waitress or waiter is a hottie and the quality of the food and nothing more.

[The_Waaaambulance]

You guys can be s all you want. All I'm saying is that a non sports bar that is typically not used to people sitting around nursing drinks for 4 hours will have a waitstaff that will suffer because tables won't be turning over. If you don't have enough common sense to see the difference I'm sorry. I just think some of you should take it into consideration.

And this coming from an asshole like myself who could give a about most to all of you ing know it all general public dumbasses.

Don't worry though I'll stay here and argue with you about for most of the day.

You called, ma'am?

[Slomo]

To screw the government. All tipped employees are required by law to claim 100% of the tips they earn. Realistically they only claim whatever tips the POS (computer point of sale) system tallies, meaning the tips left on a credit card transaction. Cash goes in their pocket. It's not unheard of for service industry people to make 50K a year but only claim 16-18K in taxes. And at that level, you're eligible to file exempt on the American 1040EZ form and get most of your tax money refunded.

Of course, the employer doesn't mind getting labor for 2.13 an hour, either.

That's a good point but it doesn't explain why are waiters the only profession (or one of the very few) being paid in such a way. If it's such a great thing (less taxes) why aren't other professions arguing for the same system?

I've been to many restaurants in the US (those who know me would argue that I have been in too many restaurants). Because of the work I do I had to take important clients to fancy dinners in Las Vegas where a 800$ check was nothing special and I did tip the waitress accordingly (by then I had learned my lesson). Now I'm sure that waitress was making a lot of money and she was very nice, quite pretty and did her job splendidly.

The waitress who served me breakfast at Denny's the next morning was working just as hard (maybe even harder) and was also very efficient and cordial - except her tip was nowhere near what the young cute redhead from the "Red Square" got the evening before. Which of the two would you say represents the majority in their profession?

So what are we really rewarding? I'll bet you anything that most waiters has difficulty in making ends meet and are not in this for the tax evasion opportunity.

[leemajors]

That's a good point but it doesn't explain why are waiters the only profession (or one of the very few) being paid in such a way. If it's such a great thing (less taxes) why aren't other professions arguing for the same system?

I've been to many restaurants in the US (those who know me would argue that I have been in too many restaurants). Because of the work I do I had to take important clients to fancy dinners in Las Vegas where a 800$ check was nothing special and I did tip the waitress accordingly (by then I had learned my lesson). Now I'm sure that waitress was making a lot of money and she was very nice, quite pretty and did her job splendidly.

The waitress who served me breakfast at Denny's the next morning was working just as hard (maybe even harder) and was also very efficient and cordial - except her tip was nowhere near what the young cute redhead from the "Red Square" got the evening before. Which of the two would you say represents the majority in their profession?

So what are we really rewarding? I'll bet you anything that most waiters has difficulty in making ends meet and are not in this for the tax evasion opportunity.

well you can have waiters run a lot of food at the end of their shift or if they're being cut (generally when it's busy), using their $2.13 to a a minimum wage job.

[j-6]

I'm sorry, I misunderstood you. I thought you wanted to know why that type of system existed. The only explanation I can think of is that most restaurants don't profit more than 20%, labor stays down this way with the majority of your staff making less than half of minimum wage, and nobody from ownership to wage earner wants the system to change. That, and in many restaurants the waitstaff themselves have to tip out other restaurant employees like the hosts, the bussers, and the expediter.

Anyway, it's not unheard of for diner-style waitstaff (like the Denny's you just described) to make very good money for unskilled, uneducated labor...like 600-700 a week or so on five shifts. They'll make their money on volume - waiting on 10-12 tables at a time, or roughly $30 an hour ($3 tips x 10 tables per hour), while the server at Red Square would have had your table and maybe three others her entire shift, making 120 a table but sharing it with a food runner, a hostess, a backwaiter, and a maitre d.

There are as many different ways of earning a living off tips as there are restaurants in this country.

[thispego]

holy someone trhow some more coal in the furnace.. this thread has officially RUN OUT OF STEAM!!

[BacktoBasics]

holy someone trhow some more coal in the furnace.. this thread has officially RUN OUT OF STEAM!!

STFU you cheap son of a .

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Hey, remember when you were going to fly down to Corpus to fight me?




That was good stuff.

Now shut the up and make sure you tip well.

I actually don't remember.

If I did that was actually pretty stupid, to be sure. Just in case I did...my apologies.

[Mixability]

Anyone down for a Cowboys GTG? I'll order the water, lemon, and sugar for all of us. Hopefully they have the chips gratis......

[Richard Cranium]

Anyone down for a Cowboys GTG? I'll order the water, lemon, and sugar for all of us. Hopefully they have the chips gratis......

How much do we have to tip?

[2centsworth]

That's a good point but it doesn't explain why are waiters the only profession (or one of the very few) being paid in such a way. If it's such a great thing (less taxes) why aren't other professions arguing for the same system?

I've been to many restaurants in the US (those who know me would argue that I have been in too many restaurants). Because of the work I do I had to take important clients to fancy dinners in Las Vegas where a 800$ check was nothing special and I did tip the waitress accordingly (by then I had learned my lesson). Now I'm sure that waitress was making a lot of money and she was very nice, quite pretty and did her job splendidly.

The waitress who served me breakfast at Denny's the next morning was working just as hard (maybe even harder) and was also very efficient and cordial - except her tip was nowhere near what the young cute redhead from the "Red Square" got the evening before. Which of the two would you say represents the majority in their profession?

So what are we really rewarding? I'll bet you anything that most waiters has difficulty in making ends meet and are not in this for the tax evasion opportunity.

that comparison can be made in any profession. High School Football coach versus college or pros being an example.

the fancy restaurant lady needs to know a lot about wines, fine dining, speak well, etc... Denny's you just need to break your back, but you do get a whole bunch more tables too.

dead giveaway I waited tables while in school.

[Mixability]

How much do we have to tip?

what's 15% of $0?

[ShoogarBear]

I just finished page 1, but this thread went Classic around post 20.

[ToughActinTinactin]

Best tip is to get there early.