Tip Culture

[Runwildboys]

I agree to a point but many, if not most, restaurants will fold if they pay minimum wage to servers and bartenders. It can be done in some cases but your $40 steak would then cost $100. It is much cheaper paying a 20% tip rather than obscene food costs.

IDK. I don't think it would take much more than raising the price of certain things by a dollar or two. Of course, that depends on how busy the place is.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Back when I frequented Hooters

Back when I frequented Hooters, well this is the wrong thread for that story.

 

[CyberB0b]

I agree to a point but many, if not most, restaurants will fold if they pay minimum wage to servers and bartenders. It can be done in some cases but your $40 steak would then cost $100. It is much cheaper paying a 20% tip rather than obscene food costs.

Why would the price of a steak increase 150% by paying a worker 20% more?

I don’t really know about the restaurant industry, but there are many restaurants around the world that pay waiters normal wages and tips aren’t expected. IMO, restaurants should never have been given a carve out to pay less than minimum wage.

 

[Vtwin]

Waitstaff would be crazy to lobby for minimum wage.

Even at the low end. 4 tables an hour at 30 bucks per table gets you 24 bucks/hr in tips at 20%.

The system worked just fine for the under minimum wage servers until the rest of the food service workers stuck their hands out.

 

[SlammedZero]

Ran into a new one last night:

Went to a concert last night....first time ever at this venue. Rolled up to order a beer, and my buddy goes first. He turns around and tells me, “Don’t tip, they already added it.” Then he points to the beverage sign, and in the tiniest letters at the bottom, it says “15% gratuity already added.”

Sure enough, I order my beer, and they still flip the screen around with the usual 15%–25% tip options, even though they already tacked one on. I didn’t notice it at first, and I bet a ton of people didn’t either. Luckily my buddy did. That kind of stuff just feels super shady to me. It’s frustrating because tipping is supposed to reward good service, not be something you get tricked into twice.

 

[Tabascocat]

Why would the price of a steak increase 150% by paying a worker 20% more?

I don’t really know about the restaurant industry, but there are many restaurants around the world that pay waiters normal wages and tips aren’t expected. IMO, restaurants should never have been given a carve out to pay less than minimum wage.

It depends on the situation. It is not one worker, it can be up to 60 servers. I owned a restaurant years ago, nothing huge but had 20 tables with 12 servers and bartenders. If I paid them minimum wage, we would have gone bankrupt without raising the prices substantially. Food and labor costs mount up quickly.

Some types of restaurants can do that like Ruth Chris, etc but mom n pops and smaller chains would fold. It is what it is.

 

[CyberB0b]

It depends on the situation. It is not one worker, it can be up to 60 servers. I owned a restaurant years ago, nothing huge but had 20 tables with 12 servers and bartenders. If I paid them minimum wage, we would have gone bankrupt without raising the prices substantially. Food and labor costs mount up quickly.

Some types of restaurants can do that like Ruth Chris, etc but mom n pops and smaller chains would fold. It is what it is.

Gotcha. Wasn’t trying to argue, just understand the economics.

I came up with a model assuming 15% average tip and came up with a 16-17% surcharge to pay $20/hr for waiters.

 

[Tabascocat]

Gotcha. Wasn’t trying to argue, just understand the economics.

I came up with a model assuming 15% average tip and came up with a 16-17% surcharge to pay $20/hr for waiters.

Yea, it just not as easy as saying pay everyone minimum wage. You also have to factor in manager(s), chef, sous chef, cooks, desert chef, dishwasher, hostess, bus boys, etc. Those are huge labor costs. Most restaurants don’t bring in enough money to cover everyone at higher wages for all.

Besides, servers would lose a lot of money, even at $20 an hour. It would be hard to find servers for that little, it is hard work.

 

[HungryLion]

Ran into a new one last night:

Went to a concert last night....first time ever at this venue. Rolled up to order a beer, and my buddy goes first. He turns around and tells me, “Don’t tip, they already added it.” Then he points to the beverage sign, and in the tiniest letters at the bottom, it says “15% gratuity already added.”

Sure enough, I order my beer, and they still flip the screen around with the usual 15%–25% tip options, even though they already tacked one on. I didn’t notice it at first, and I bet a ton of people didn’t either. Luckily my buddy did. That kind of stuff just feels super shady to me. It’s frustrating because tipping is supposed to reward good service, not be something you get tricked into twice.

The tactics are annoying.

There is a donut shop in my town that we get donuts from every Sunday. It’s a tradition.

So if you go through the drive thru, they won’t just take your card to pay. They actually hand you the card swipe or tap unit. And why? Because as soon as you tap your card it prompts you to leave a tip.

A tip. For drive thru ****

 

[VaqueroTD]

A million years ago when I was neck deep in the restaurant business servers made 2.01/hrs plus tips. Minimum wage was something like 3.35/hr.

Not one of them would have traded that system for one that paid them double minimum wage with no tips. They made very good money on tips alone. Back when the standard was 15%.

Now with inflation so bad who knows but I always wondered how much some of those waiters make who worked at the restaurants where bills were always in the hundreds. Not a bad gig. You don't have to work in a top of the line joint either, just getting a spot in a tourist heavy steak house probably pays pretty well on the tips.

 

[Vtwin]

Now with inflation so bad who knows but I always wondered how much some of those waiters make who worked at the restaurants where bills were always in the hundreds. Not a bad gig. You don't have to work in a top of the line joint either, just getting a spot in a tourist heavy steak house probably pays pretty well on the tips.

Many many a time I sat at the bar with the rest of the crew at the end of the night and watched the waitstaff count out their tips having made more on one shift than the dishwasher took home for a 40 hour week.

Decent waiters in a busy place will make more per hour than anyone in the kitchen.

 

[John813]

Years ago I worked the front desk/take out for a restaurant. At times it got slammed during the weekend/sporting events.
Never expected to get a tip, and there was definitely no pre-selected top options on any screen for the customers.
It did feel good getting a small tip, especially on a hectic day.

So, years later I will tip for even pick up if the staff is nice. "Return the favor" so to speak. However, if they are rude it's 0-ez.

 

[kskboys]

Is it just me, or is tip culture getting out of control?

I stopped by Dairy Queen today, and when I paid, the tip screen popped up, even though it was just a quick counter order. I don’t mind tipping for good service, but it feels like everywhere you go now, you’re being prompted to tip for things that never used to require it. Even drive-thrus these days.......you’re just handing me my food through a window in a paper bag.

I get that times are tough and workers deserve fair pay, but when there’s no real service beyond handing over the food, it feels like the tipping expectation is more about guilt than gratitude. Am I being cheap, or are others feeling this way too?

Couldn't agree more. I get a buck tip for Sonic servers, but counter servers? No.

 

[kskboys]

I don't think service workers en mass started a campaign to push tips on all of the POS systems. I believe it is the credit card facilitators that have done this. They take a percentage of the total bill, so they are highly incentivized to guilt people into pushing the bill up 10-30%. In fact, I have seen some workers reach over and hit $0 for me before I can even see it on the screen.

Interesting. Hadn't thought of that.

 

[kskboys]

It is beyond out of control. Saw a sign on a restaurant the other day that said if you can't afford a 30% tip you are not welcome.

Long story short, I had no interest in being welcomed and went elsewhere.

I absolutely would not give them my business.

 

[kskboys]

Back when I frequented Hooters, the girls would tell me about bad tippers. One girl had a party of about 16 people. They stayed for a few hours, and tipped her $10 total. She was a good waitress, and pretty attractive, with a good personality. Some people either just don't understand how important tips are, or they're scumbags.

Scumbags.

Had a convo w/ a buddy of mine. He has a rich friend who was a very poor tipper. He didn't like it when I called him a lowlife, but that's what he is. If you have tons of money and won't even tip well for a good service, you are not much of a human being.

 

[kskboys]

No one’s expecting you to tip. If there’s no service, don’t tip. Easy. Much easier than whining about it.

Holy Moly, you enter a thread just to insult people? That's low. Let me help you: No one in this thread is whining except you. Accusing others of what you're doing is really really sad.

 

[Rockport]

Holy Moly, you enter a thread just to insult people? That's low. Let me help you: No one in this thread is whining except you. Accusing others of what you're doing is really really sad.

Are you stalking me bro?

 

[Runwildboys]

Scumbags.

Had a convo w/ a buddy of mine. He has a rich friend who was a very poor tipper. He didn't like it when I called him a lowlife, but that's what he is. If you have tons of money and won't even tip well for a good service, you are not much of a human being.

Agreed

 

[Dunks3001]

Someone once explained it to me this way, and it really stuck



Imagine you’re at a restaurant and you order $50 worth of food. The waiter refills your drink, checks in regularly, and the food is prepared well. The overall experience is great. When it comes time to tip, you’re likely tipping based on that $50 bill. Keep in mind the service was active and consistent throughout.





Now, picture someone else goes to that same restaurant and orders a $50 glass of wine. The waiter brings it over, and that’s the only interaction. No additional service, no refills, no check-ins. Are they still expected to tip the same amount on that $50 tab?