Your opinion on Resturants..... Please

[Junkman]

It is a well known fact that at a restaurant, you are expected to tip the waiter, waitress, server, or what ever name that you care to use to designate the person that takes your order and brings your food. Anyone that has worked in the industry knows that the tips are what make the job worthwhile. Do you think that it is fair that the restaurant industry should be allowed to pay a sub standard wage when all the other industries in the US have to pay at least the state minimum wage. I can't speak for many states, but I do know that in MA, the restaurants pay $2.63, but must guarantee the employee that they will make $6.75 per hour including tips. You the customer are directly paying that persons wages, unlike any other business where the wages are paid out of sales revenue. Your opinions please........

 

[OkeeDon]

Sounds like a plan, to me. My tip goes directly into the pockets of the server, not through the administration of the restaurant, which would siphon off some of the dollars to overhead and profit, resulting in even higher prices. Then, there are the payroll taxes and insurance costs tied to higher salaries that chew up even more of the money. Can you say, "...great sucking sound..."?

There is also a direct incentive to the server to do a better job, although that has been lessened over time.

I understand where you're thinking that the restaurant has a better deal than other businesses, but I think the present system is a better deal for employees and customers.

 

[GaryM]

I'd rather see a system such as in Europe. The "service charge" is part of the price, but folks will leave the small change for the server if the service was good. If the total bill was $14.68 the server could get the additional 32 cents.

But on the other hand where's the incentive to provide good service? I think most servers want to do a good job and have satisfied customers.

When figuring a tip, I make allowance for problems that the server caused, or fixed, and those not under their control.

 

[Gatorboy]

I am extremely pleased with the whole tip process.

TIPS - To Insure Prompt Service

If you have ever been to Europe, you will soon notice how slow the service is. There is no incentive on part of the waiter/waitress to please you.

Tips are a great way to weed out good servers from bad. If a person does not perform well, in general, they will receive low tips and thus quit -- whereas great servers will receive good tips and stay working at a particular restaurant. Over time, restaurants always have a great crew of servers working for them.

You can relate this to:

Private Industry Workers (incentive) VS Government Workers (no incentive)
or
Non-Union Workers (incentive) VS Union Workers (no incentive)

When given a choice, give me a private industry, non-union company to do work for me any day!

 

[lamarbur]

Junkman,
Coming out of my driveway the other day, you were facing my mother in laws "old" restaurant. Actually, on the opposite side of 84, the "Travelers" also was in the family. Anyway, she sold her restaurant 9 years ago. She still has all the records here.. 9 years ago she paid each waitress $6.00 per hour. They would pool all tips, at end of day, MIL would add those up, give ten percent to the busboy/dishwasher, and divide the rest equally amongst the 5 girls. The CT state law at the time was 5.75 per hour. She had near zero turn over in help. Asking her, 15 - 18 years was avg employee time in job. Some of them are at Gracie's in Sturbridge now. In Mass, they are lucky with tips to get 7 per hour all included and most all of them work hard for that.

 

[cowboydoc]

I don't like it. Why not just pay a fair wage like everyone else and not mess with it? I hate the whole tipping process period. We went on a cruise and by the time it was all done you were expected to pay a couple hundred dollars in tips. Now it costs $20 for a haircut and then you're supposed to tip on that. I mean everywhere you go you're supposed to tip tip tip. It gets old to me. When I was working through college I worked for minimum wage and busted my tail. Not because I was hoping for a tip but because I was being paid to do a job. I just don't get why a food server deserves tips and a guy digging a ditch doesn't deserve a tip.

 

[Bird]

Richard, I agree with you; just don't like the system. And the unfortunate fact is that some employees receive pretty decent tips even when the service is poor, while those giving good service occasionally receive poor tips. Many, if not most, restaurants that I've been in do add a "15% gratuity" to the bill when you make reservations for groups. So why not just add it to the bill to start with on all bills.

Incidentally, I've worked a couple of part time jobs on which part of my income depended on tips. I drove a cab part time in Dallas many years ago, while working full time for the Post Office. Cab drivers at the time kept their own tips and were paid 35% percent of the meter readings. And I also worked part time for a valet parking service, parties and special events in various locations. On that job, the tips were pooled and divided equally among the employees at the end of the event.

 

[Docsknotinn]

Not soo many years back it was not uncommon to see employees stay several years. Now we barely see a average of three years on our staff. Paying a good wage helps but I personally just dont think you can buy a good work ethic. I think in any buisiness you have to have the respect of your staff or they will be gone in short order. I have been in the Food industry so long I never really think much about tipping any more. I Can say I do not tip for poor service at all and I tip those who act like they expect it poorly. A tip is simply a sign of a job well done. When possible I always leave cash tips and never put them on the credit card. This allows the server to report the proper amount to the IRS and insures that they get the $ and not the restaurant.

 

[Junkman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( .............. When possible I always leave cash tips and never put them on the credit card. This allows the server to report the proper amount to the IRS and insures that they get the $ and not the restaurant. )</font>

This is one of my bones of contention.... I have to pay taxes on all the money that I earn, but people that receive a majority of their income from tips, rarely report ALL of the income. I don't mind paying taxes, and I don't mind paying my fair share. I do mind the people that cheat on the taxes that they pay because it causes the honest people to have to pay more taxes to keep the politicians going!!!!

 

[Docsknotinn]

I try not to think that hard about other peoples money. Especially those who work for abot $3 per hour. The biggest tax cheats I know make a lot more $$$ than the wait staff. Honestly I think if it bothered me that much I just would avoid restaurants altogether. Its not that hard to grill a burger /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif