Why Tipping?

[Guest coach]

Here is a more general question: Does tipping even work? Why do we have tipping in this country, combined with the fact that most service personnel, particularly waitstaff are way underpaid?

This is always my thought, if I undertip for bad service, will that really affect the way that server treats the next customer? Or rather, will they just go back and think that I am a cheapo bastard and spit in the next person's food? If I undertip consistently due to consistent bad service, will the service quality increase?

The converse question is true, as well. Does overtipping really create better service? Well, this I know is sometimes true, but primarily in clubs with door people and bartenders. I have had this happen at some eateries, but not often. Usually the wait staff rolls over so fast that you cannot get a regular person.

Anyway, it is an interesting subject and relates to our economy as a whole. Most of the time, I tip heavily mainly because I feel bad for the servers. I know that they are legally underpaid by the restaurants, which I think is totally inappropriate.

[Guest Fuerte44]

its nice to hear someone going through the thought process and theory behind gratuity.

getting myself through college, and a paid law internship, i unfortunately have to serve to get my bills paid...

i have worked at many restaurants over the years, and it seems that by my experience, and from what my colleagues tell me, tipping by all accounts is a loophole for restaurants to underpay their staff....

i get paid either $0.00 or $15.00 (based on taxes) every two weeks from my employer. anything that i take home is from what people decide to give me...i work at grand lux(boca), and we dont get the automatic 18% like most miami servers do...

....its my opinion that miami is a bad example of service....the worst in the country imho...i hate eating out in dade....they get tipped out whether they treat you like shit or not...

the automatic grat. is good for those who get to use and abuse it and bad for us that dont work at a place that uses it....

the way it works for us, unfortunately, and i will speak from a non SoBe work experience...

1. servers look at their guests the first time and know what they are getting tipped....

2. stereotypes are unfortunately fulfilled on most occasions...

3. i have worked enough as a sever to test out the stereotypes against my own disbelief...and unfortunately i have been put to shame each time....

i have chosen to serve my "best" to those who are labeled "bad tippers" at first glance, and all times the service did not dictate my tip, it was a poor percentage as i assumed....the stereotype seems true

i have chosen to serve worse to those people tho look like they will tip me well, and weirdly, i have not seen a decline in tips, they seem to tip well no matter what....

testing out my theories has made me frustrated and confused...but simply all i can do is try my best, as i eat out frequently and i expect and appreciate great service, and hope for the best tip result....

i believe people go to restaurants knowing beforehand what kind of service they will receive...when i go to nexxt on lincoln i know im going to be treated like shit...they get tipped no matter what unless i ask to adjust...so i go to people watch and have a leisurely time, knowing it will take forever and will most likely be spoken to like an asshole...

now on the flip side when i go to barton gs or food gang, i expect a certain level of service, if i do not receive it, i do not tip well....the servers know their responsibility to provide service to those who have chosen to eat there...they would be at nexxt cafe if they dont expect to provide great service....

in working in 2 fine dining atmospheres in boston, and now that i am in boca at Grand Lux, people assume they are paying for both a well prepared meal and good service...so i try my hardest to not disappoint, and hopefully the check will reflect a positive experience....thats the best i can hope for until the government figures out a better way to pay servers and restaurant staff...

i know we are at the diner's mercy, whether i am able to pay my bills depends upon how gracious people seem to feel that meal, so i work my ass off and hope people realize our situation...

sorry for the long winded post, but this is a minor issue compared to most of our country's problems....but to me its a huge factor, and i will lastly leave my post on this final note...

in every restaurant i have worked at, most servers i knew, including myself, take the way we are spoken to and the manner in which we are tipped to heart...i

t represents how well we gave you an enjoyable experience on not just a dining level, but also a personal level. It reflects how much you enjoyed my company/personality/character.

When we bust our ass, treat you with respect, make your kids laugh, make your wife/gf feel important, etc. and we get stiffed, or get the $5.17 tip on a $74.83 bill it affects me, because i actually do care....like most servers believe it or not....

but like coach said, yes were do get discouraged sometimes which might yield poor service because of poor tips, we do play into stereotypes because stereotypes are the only thing we can safely rely upon...

but saying all of this....i still wont tip well if i get treated badly, disrespectfully, etc., theres no reason to be treated like a lowlife no matter what restaurant i choose...

ok im done sorry for the length if anyone reads this, thank you

[Guest xbbdc]

i agree in that the wage is far too low for waiters and bartenders... and i tip on service as well, if they do a great job then i give a big tip, if they look like they dont even want to work, be there or give bad service then i tip the minimum.

[Guest endymion]

Tipping is charity for wage slaves and I'm happy to contribute. I've never had the impression that it encourages good service. Especially in South Beach.

[Guest slamminshaun]

Tipping is charity for wage slaves and I'm happy to contribute. I've never had the impression that it encourages good service. Especially in South Beach.

They shouldn't even call it "tipping" in South Beach. They should call it "entitlements" because 99% of the service industry down there treats you as if they are entitled to their tip.

[Guest coach]

In a way, all servers are "entitled" to a tip. Remember that, for some odd reason, they have a much lower mandated minimum wage. My understanding is that this is allowed to go on because they are supposed to get tips. If you do not tip, then they are getting paid less than regular minimum wage. So, the Congress expects you to tip, yep.

[Guest flux]

Ok, I don't work on South Beach and I rarely eat out down there. One time I remember the service being horrible, one time it was great, and I don't really remember the time before that. Whatever. Let's forget about South Beach for a minute.

Whether you like it or not, servers make a living off tips. It's just how things are done. I'm sick of the excuse that Europeans don't know any better. I would say that 95% of the time, they do. When I was coming home from Berlin, they even said it on the loudspeaker on the plane!

Think of just your average restaurant, Ale House, Outback, etc. Really, if you're trying to stage some nationwide economical rebirth by tipping less, you're screwing the server plain and simple. Most servers and bartenders actually like working for tips as opposed to an hourly wage. I've cleared $2000 in a week where I wouldn't have made a third of that otherwise.

It's 2007, tip 20% or more for good service. The end.

[ryan2772]

i eat out on sobe all the time and i get GOOD service most of the time. rarely get bad service....sometimes i even get great service!

[Guest macboy]

Tipping is better for the servers than straight salary because they can and do underreport their income to the IRS. Who's gonna know? So they end up paying less taxes than they should.

[Guest JMT]

many years ago someone once told me, "if you enjoyed yourself, make them want to see you come back, instead of not caring if you ever come back."

i subscribe to that philosophy.

[Guest coach]

many years ago someone once told me, "if you enjoyed yourself, make them want to see you come back, instead of not caring if you ever come back."

i subscribe to that philosophy.

The question is, do THEY? How many restaurants do you go to regularly enough to be recognized? Of those, how many have servers that stay long enough for you to have the same one twice where they would remember that you tipped good? Remember, the establishment probably does not know how good you tipped.

We had one really great example of this. Manny at Roadhouse Grill. We'd go every couple of months, he always knew us because we tipped big our first time with him. And he'd always treat us right, and we'd always tip big. (Actually, Manny was probably a great waiter no matter whether you were a big tipper or not, so I doubt that our tips affected his work style, in any case.) Worked out great for a couple years. Then Roadhouse closed...

Now, everyone should know that I'm not against tipping for good service at all. I tip pretty heavily for a middle-class schleb. And I tip in a lot of situations that many folks won't. What I *hate* is that tipping is basically required by our situation. If you do not tip your waiters, most woul literally starve (well, most would get other jobs before that, I'm sure). You are not tipping for great service, you are tipping to support the restaurant not paying a decent wage.

[Guest JMT]

The question is, do THEY? How many restaurants do you go to regularly enough to be recognized?

maybe 4 or 5.

i tip for service. i tip heavy for great service. if they remember me it's a bonus.

[Guest ddg]

quick question...do you guys tip when you order take out from a restaurant.....

[Guest lulamishka]

quick question...do you guys tip when you order take out from a restaurant.....

lol i hope this question is a joke. 'Cuz we had a thread on this exact topic already lol.

Btw, hi Diego! ::waves::

[Guest coach]

quick question...do you guys tip when you order take out from a restaurant.....

I never order take out.

[Guest ddg]

quick question...do you guys tip when you order take out from a restaurant.....

lol i hope this question is a joke. 'Cuz we had a thread on this exact topic already lol.

Btw, hi Diego! ::waves::

hey michelle...sorry, i didnt know it already was a thread on here..dont check out the foodies cj that much...whats the link..

[Guest ddg]

never mind michelle...found the thread..thx!!

[Guest lulamishka]

never mind michelle...found the thread..thx!!

Haha its all good Diego. I just found it funny, 'tis all.

[Guest swirlundergrounder]

Here is a more general question: Does tipping even work? Why do we have tipping in this country, combined with the fact that most service personnel, particularly waitstaff are way underpaid?

This is always my thought, if I undertip for bad service, will that really affect the way that server treats the next customer? Or rather, will they just go back and think that I am a cheapo bastard and spit in the next person's food? If I undertip consistently due to consistent bad service, will the service quality increase?

The converse question is true, as well. Does overtipping really create better service? Well, this I know is sometimes true, but primarily in clubs with door people and bartenders. I have had this happen at some eateries, but not often. Usually the wait staff rolls over so fast that you cannot get a regular person.

Anyway, it is an interesting subject and relates to our economy as a whole. Most of the time, I tip heavily mainly because I feel bad for the servers. I know that they are legally underpaid by the restaurants, which I think is totally inappropriate.

Tipping does create better service in my experience.

I had a lot of repeat customers and when they came to me I would serve them great. I would even give them extra items for free and in return they would just tip me what they would pay for on the bill anyways..

Being kind to your server helps and there is without a doubt a chain reaction that happens.

Why are we talking about tipping anyways?

And BTW Coach all servers, bartenders etc are not underpaid.

It all does depend on where you work. I was pulling in $400 on average a day bartending a bar that also had food and I only worked 7 hours a day tops.

I know someone at the Shoreclub who pulls in over $100,000 a year bartending there.

So with those 2 examples there, I don't know how you can say that all service personel are underpaid?

[Guest swirlundergrounder]

Tipping is charity for wage slaves and I'm happy to contribute. I've never had the impression that it encourages good service. Especially in South Beach.

I can not remember any place in South Beach that gives good service.

So I don't go there anymore.

I stay up in Hollywood and eat at the places in Young Circle.

The resturaunts there are much cleaner, with a more friendly staff and no attittude at all.

SOBE is full of attitude and is not worth going down there to eat.

[Guest 0crystal0]

Here is a more general question: Does tipping even work? Why do we have tipping in this country, combined with the fact that most service personnel, particularly waitstaff are way underpaid?

This is always my thought, if I undertip for bad service, will that really affect the way that server treats the next customer? Or rather, will they just go back and think that I am a cheapo bastard and spit in the next person's food? If I undertip consistently due to consistent bad service, will the service quality increase?

The converse question is true, as well. Does overtipping really create better service? Well, this I know is sometimes true, but primarily in clubs with door people and bartenders. I have had this happen at some eateries, but not often. Usually the wait staff rolls over so fast that you cannot get a regular person.

Anyway, it is an interesting subject and relates to our economy as a whole. Most of the time, I tip heavily mainly because I feel bad for the servers. I know that they are legally underpaid by the restaurants, which I think is totally inappropriate.

Tipping does create better service in my experience.

I had a lot of repeat customers and when they came to me I would serve them great. I would even give them extra items for free and in return they would just tip me what they would pay for on the bill anyways..

Being kind to your server helps and there is without a doubt a chain reaction that happens.

Why are we talking about tipping anyways?

And BTW Coach all servers, bartenders etc are not underpaid.

It all does depend on where you work. I was pulling in $400 on average a day bartending a bar that also had food and I only worked 7 hours a day tops.

I know someone at the Shoreclub who pulls in over $100,000 a year bartending there.

So with those 2 examples there, I don't know how you can say that all service personel are underpaid?

my understanding was that they get paid $2 and change an hour and have to depend on tips to make the rest of their money. and yes there are plenty who make great money

[Guest swirlundergrounder]

Here is a more general question: Does tipping even work? Why do we have tipping in this country, combined with the fact that most service personnel, particularly waitstaff are way underpaid?

This is always my thought, if I undertip for bad service, will that really affect the way that server treats the next customer? Or rather, will they just go back and think that I am a cheapo bastard and spit in the next person's food? If I undertip consistently due to consistent bad service, will the service quality increase?

The converse question is true, as well. Does overtipping really create better service? Well, this I know is sometimes true, but primarily in clubs with door people and bartenders. I have had this happen at some eateries, but not often. Usually the wait staff rolls over so fast that you cannot get a regular person.

Anyway, it is an interesting subject and relates to our economy as a whole. Most of the time, I tip heavily mainly because I feel bad for the servers. I know that they are legally underpaid by the restaurants, which I think is totally inappropriate.

Tipping does create better service in my experience.

I had a lot of repeat customers and when they came to me I would serve them great. I would even give them extra items for free and in return they would just tip me what they would pay for on the bill anyways..

Being kind to your server helps and there is without a doubt a chain reaction that happens.

Why are we talking about tipping anyways?

And BTW Coach all servers, bartenders etc are not underpaid.

It all does depend on where you work. I was pulling in $400 on average a day bartending a bar that also had food and I only worked 7 hours a day tops.

I know someone at the Shoreclub who pulls in over $100,000 a year bartending there.

So with those 2 examples there, I don't know how you can say that all service personel are underpaid?

my understanding was that they get paid $2 and change an hour and have to depend on tips to make the rest of their money. and yes there are plenty who make great money

Yeah. My base pay as a bartender was $2.75 an hour.

[Guest coach]

So with those 2 examples there, I don't know how you can say that all service personel are underpaid?

my understanding was that they get paid $2 and change an hour and have to depend on tips to make the rest of their money. and yes there are plenty who make great money

Yeah. My base pay as a bartender was $2.75 an hour.

So, there you go. You were underpaid. $2.75 an hour works out to about $5500.00 per year, if you work full time. That is WAAAY under the poverty line. So, if the customers do not tip, you starve. In a way, the restaurants and bars are using guilt to force customers to tip in order to save money on salaries.

[Guest swirlundergrounder]

So with those 2 examples there, I don't know how you can say that all service personel are underpaid?

my understanding was that they get paid $2 and change an hour and have to depend on tips to make the rest of their money. and yes there are plenty who make great money

Yeah. My base pay as a bartender was $2.75 an hour.

So, there you go. You were underpaid. $2.75 an hour works out to about $5500.00 per year, if you work full time. That is WAAAY under the poverty line. So, if the customers do not tip, you starve. In a way, the restaurants and bars are using guilt to force customers to tip in order to save money on salaries.

Exactly...

95% of the time business was good and I would pull in arond $35 to $45 an hour depending.

But when a natural event happens like a Hurricane coming through the area you still have to work but no one go's out and spends money and all the tourist leave...

That really sucks. It's famine for about 1 week or so...

[Guest cutchemist]

I for one don't understand how Florida gets away with paying their wait staff 3$ per hour, where up north in Minnesota they pay at least 6$ per hours.

I believe that is why waitstaff expect a tip because its the only money they will see....I get 10$ per hours plus tips as a bartenter up here....no, 10$ per hour isn't alot but I get between 100-300 a night...so it works out pretty good...