Restaurant Kills Tipping, Service Improves

lumberjim · 10-05-2013, 05:26 AM

When I was a Waiter, my wage was $2.34. That was minimum wage for tipped employees. They took the taxes for the tips you claimed out of that. My paycheck was usually less than $20 net.

Most of the cooks made $7.50/hr plus. They got raises, we didn't. I made $30k the one full year I waited tables. When I got promoted to manager, I made $24K.

infinite monkey · 10-05-2013, 08:19 AM

Ar the country club, thr gratuity was added to the check. none of us ever saw a dime of it. we got paid, i don't know, 6 or 7 an hour, but still...
A few of the cooler members were onto the jig and tipped individually every now and then. Later, they worked in incentive bonuses...say if you served 10000 bucks in shit a month you got a 500 dollar bonus. (that 10 grand might be way off i don't remember the magic numbers) this was good incentive to push wine sales and the like. Not so good for a non-salesy person like me, who didnt want to juggle 5000 tables at a time and make everyone buy pricey wine (usually pushing them to show off to their other snooty friends...and I ated 'presenting' wine...what a crock) I was a slowere and steadier server...this gig was not my bag. And i rarely got even the lowest bonuses.

At the neighborhood bar where i worked we pooled tips and split if someone went on or off the clock. This was so no one got screwed if they ended up cooking or whatnot. This worked out nicely. There were probably a couple cheaters but on a busy night we could really bank. Plus we also made a decent hourly.

So in conclusion i agree with sharing tips, but don't so much agree with a required gratuity. I have always been happy to overtip, but i would like to retain the right to give a lesser tip for lousy service. If I knew the tips were being divvied up to cookstaff i would have trouble remembering that crap food doesn't always feflect on the server.

Most of all, tips or not, 2-something an hour should be illegal wages

Of course, i think if we paid the more 'menial' labor (as dictated by society not byme) then we'd take care of some social ills. Not everyone can claw their way to the top as the rich types often suggest, and the world needs those ditch diggers and street cleaners and bartenders (god YES the bartenders) so why can't they make a living wage (please don't argue my examples...they're probably not the best.)

Well damn, would you look at that, I'm a socialist.

Lamplighter · 10-05-2013, 08:24 AM

When I read the title I wanted to

,
but when I got to the 18% service charge ... not so much.

They say their food improved when the cooks got paid more ... Well, Duh !
Maybe health benefits and a livable wage for all employees would make the whole place really shine.
After reading the quote, the only thing I would be pleased about is now meal has a fixed price.

This whole business of tips and service charges is inane.
An 18% service charge would impel me right back out the door.

Maybe the airlines will take note... an 18% service charge for each flight sounds about right. Right ?

richlevy · 10-05-2013, 08:39 AM

I use restaurant.com a lot and they usually mandate an %18 tip on the original amount. Most places add this in. I don't usually mind since this avoids having me do the math.

10-05-2013, 05:26 AM	#1
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	When I was a Waiter, my wage was $2.34. That was minimum wage for tipped employees. They took the taxes for the tips you claimed out of that. My paycheck was usually less than $20 net. Most of the cooks made $7.50/hr plus. They got raises, we didn't. I made $30k the one full year I waited tables. When I got promoted to manager, I made $24K. __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

10-05-2013, 08:39 AM	#4
richlevy King Of Wishful Thinking Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 6,669	I use restaurant.com a lot and they usually mandate an %18 tip on the original amount. Most places add this in. I don't usually mind since this avoids having me do the math. __________________ Exercise your rights and remember your obligations - VOTE! I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. -- Barack Hussein Obama

10-05-2013, 08:19 AM	#2
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	Ar the country club, thr gratuity was added to the check. none of us ever saw a dime of it. we got paid, i don't know, 6 or 7 an hour, but still... A few of the cooler members were onto the jig and tipped individually every now and then. Later, they worked in incentive bonuses...say if you served 10000 bucks in shit a month you got a 500 dollar bonus. (that 10 grand might be way off i don't remember the magic numbers) this was good incentive to push wine sales and the like. Not so good for a non-salesy person like me, who didnt want to juggle 5000 tables at a time and make everyone buy pricey wine (usually pushing them to show off to their other snooty friends...and I ated 'presenting' wine...what a crock) I was a slowere and steadier server...this gig was not my bag. And i rarely got even the lowest bonuses. At the neighborhood bar where i worked we pooled tips and split if someone went on or off the clock. This was so no one got screwed if they ended up cooking or whatnot. This worked out nicely. There were probably a couple cheaters but on a busy night we could really bank. Plus we also made a decent hourly. So in conclusion i agree with sharing tips, but don't so much agree with a required gratuity. I have always been happy to overtip, but i would like to retain the right to give a lesser tip for lousy service. If I knew the tips were being divvied up to cookstaff i would have trouble remembering that crap food doesn't always feflect on the server. Most of all, tips or not, 2-something an hour should be illegal wages Of course, i think if we paid the more 'menial' labor (as dictated by society not byme) then we'd take care of some social ills. Not everyone can claw their way to the top as the rich types often suggest, and the world needs those ditch diggers and street cleaners and bartenders (god YES the bartenders) so why can't they make a living wage (please don't argue my examples...they're probably not the best.) Well damn, would you look at that, I'm a socialist.

10-05-2013, 08:24 AM	#3
Lamplighter Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bottom lands of the Missoula floods Posts: 6,402	When I read the title I wanted to , but when I got to the 18% service charge ... not so much. They say their food improved when the cooks got paid more ... Well, Duh ! Maybe health benefits and a livable wage for all employees would make the whole place really shine. After reading the quote, the only thing I would be pleased about is now meal has a fixed price. This whole business of tips and service charges is inane. An 18% service charge would impel me right back out the door. Maybe the airlines will take note... an 18% service charge for each flight sounds about right. Right ?

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