Something I've always wanted to know

[legion]

My little sis' is trying to get a job with a "fancy" restaurant. There, servers can pull down over six figures in a year...

[Brian 162]

I usually give 20 to 25%. What kills me is tip jars in coffee shops. Around a year ago I was at the local hardware store(Canadian Tire) that gives cupons if you pay cash. Anyway I go to leave and the cashier asks for the Canadian Tire money. I asked if it was for Hurricane Katrina? She said no but for a TIP. You had to pick up my jaw from the floor.

I remember busting my arse for $1.50 an hour pumping gas washing windows checking tire pressures etc. and rarely getting a tip.

I'm finished venting.

Brian

I'm finished venting.

[m21sniper]

Originally posted by legion
TIP = To Insure Promptness

My little sister waits tables at a Greek Restaurant in Chicago. She is paid less than minimum wage as her base. She makes $50-$70k a year.

Bet she works her tail off too. Those numbers make it sound as if the place is upscale. If you're lucky enough to get into an upscale place you can definitely bring home some good coin, like your sister is. It also helps to be really good looking and really friendly.

[m21sniper]

Originally posted by sammyg2
I'm a cheap SOB, so i look at it this way. if I get good service as in I was served as well as i expected without any problems, I tip 15%.
if the service was less than satisfatory, they get less. If they piss me off or i have to wait a long time, they get a penny.
if they go out of their way and give exceptional service which makes my dining experience special, I'll tip up to 25%.

what drives me crazy is this tipping thing is getting out of hand.
At a local donut shop i go to every morning for a cup of coffee, they have a tip jar on the counter. WTF? A tip for selling me a cup of coffee across a counter? NFW.

Those people make like six bucks an hour.

I leave my loose change for them every time. I used to bartend when i got out of the service and was putting myself through trade school, so i understand their plight.

If you think you're expected to tip a lot, the expectation is twice as high within the industry. A good bartender or waitress will tip 30% plus.

[targa911S]

Originally posted by HardDrive
m21sniper got it. I usually go 20%. 15% if I was not impressed.

That is what I do too.

[targa911S]

My son is a bartender at two very fast moving clubs in Cleveland. On a good night he makes $500.00.

[sammyg2]

why do you treat it as a charity?
A tip is a complimentary bonus for good service. It is not supposed to be a hand out.
If you want to leave them something extra because they don't make very much money, leave them a book so they can get a better education and job.

[trekkor]

I used to cook in some really nice *really nice* restaraunts.

i do not enjoy going out so much because of the waiter concept.
The highest paid staff member is the guy who carries food to you?!?

He can barely describe what you are ordering and hasn't a clue on how to prepare it...Grrrr.

they haul down $300-500 a night while working a six hour shift wacked out on drugs, while the cooks bust tail all night in the heat for $15 an hour, tops.

Why did I read this thread. ( boiling blood )

Waiters ruined my passion for cooking.


KT

[VaSteve]

Originally posted by mAd924
that was an excellant read! I like the history of the '$', '2 bits', etc. Awesome

Pretty sure the origin of the $ is wrong. The $ originated because currency used to have the letters "U" and "S" overlaid on top of one another. Then the bottom of the U was erased and you'd have a $ with two lines. Then over time the $ evolved to only have one line.


When you to a place where the waiter takes your order and different people bring you food and the waiter barely brings you enough iced tea...who do you tip?

[stuartj]

Its a practice that has leeched out of the US like a disease. Fee for service. Run your restaurant, drive your cab- build your costs and your margin into the price you are going to charge.

I especially love restuarant bills in US that come with a service charge built in, and then the customer is expected to tip over that. I had a waitress screaming at me once in Connecticut once because I tipped 10%. It was an $1100 bill- which already included a 10% "service charge". Just farking extortion. With that, I removed the 10%. All hell broke loose.

Another time, while quietly drinking Guiness in a bar in Redondo Beach, my Irish and I colleague were accosted by a waitress because we were failing to "tip the bar". "Its customary", she says. "Ah well, when in Rome" I say. "Oh, you're Roman?" she says. Dear god.

[ERAU944]

TIPS = To Insure Proper/Prompt Service

i HIGHLY doubt you woud use a tip to Insure it, perhaps Ensure...

yes, i am the spelling/grammar nazi