Originally Posted by billycorgan

Every person in America could not just find a different job, because there will always be people that want to go out and eat and want to be served.

If servers were the lowest paid people in the US perhaps I would understand this argument more - but really, they aren't, with tipping most decent waiters make a fair amount, certainly more than a lot of other professions.

I can't believe that you are comparing the situation of one state to the other 49 then suggesting everyone to move there. Not very logical or practical.

I don't know if you have noticed this or not Plane, but most people aren't career servers. Waiting tables is a job that most people do while they are going to school and/or trying to get experience to get a better job in the career that are pursuing. The statement of "Go get a better job" is not only insensitive, but often impractical. Most people don't walk out of high school with the ability or connections to go out and get the great jobs. Heck some people with the job market the way it is can't even find a good job with their college diploma. But lets make them all suffer because after all they should all just get better jobs or move to California.

With 2 exceptions, ever server in my local restaurant is over 35.

Or better yet maybe all waitstaff should just quit and live on welfare, at least then they would be guaranteed a livable wage.

If you do not tip then your business while perhaps good for the company, is not good for any workers that are unfortunate enough to have to serve you.

Ok, planemechanic you got me, payroll is going to go up by thousands of dollars each month. Where is that additional money going to come from? You say you are from America, what do most business do 99% of the time when the occur extra expenses?

Not necessarily. If people avoid eating out because they don't like current tipping practice, and would far rather know the total cost up front (as some on this thread have indicated they would like), that restaurant could attract, say, 15% more business by appealing to those individuals. Thus the restaurant could pay its staff minimum wage, pay its overheads, etc. all without increasing prices.


The job of a server is to estabilsh a personal connection with the customer. Otherwise why would we tell you our name? We are here to make sure that not only do we make sure you get what you ordered in a reasonable amount of time and it to be correct, but to take care of any other reasonable requests you may have. If you don't want service why not just order things to go and take it home. If you do want service then you obviously know that it is polite and customary to tip if the service was acceptable.


And then there are the ones who would clearly far rather be playing on the X box, and see every customer as a chore. Most don't bother using their name and certainly don't strive for excellence. Maybe I get my food on time, maybe I get my water refilled. But there is a whole host of 'experience' difference between that guy, and someone happy, cheerful and who does the same. Yet by your standards, I should tip both 15-18%.


30 years ago a gallon of gas was a quarter. Sure it can go back to a quarter but it is very unlikely. 15-18% is considered standard at most places where the service was to your liking. That is to handle cost of living. No one likes inflation anymore than they like tipping.

As others have said, tipping a percentage does not change due to inflation. The amount, of course, does.

Of course I have no facts on how many people don't participate in tipping, just like you have no facts on how many do. I can say from personal experience I was only stiffed rarely. That seemed to be the case for many other servers. So from what I have seen most people tip some amount and the ones that don't tip at all are a rarity.

You know plane, I got in on this thread to help and to try and give insider advice from my time as a waiter. I no longer wait tables, it was a job to help pay for my bills while I was in college getting my masters. I now have that "better job" it only took five years of hard work and study, plus some internships.

I am grateful that I had a job like waiting tables that allowed me the flexibility to be able to work and take care of my other responsibilities. I am equally grateful that the vast majority of my customers over the 5 years I worked in the business did not have the attitude and beliefs of Plane and others who don't believe in tipping. I would surely be much worse off today than I am now if that were the case.

The more I think about it the more I realize how futile my place in this tread is. I am never going to change the fact that you Plane, think tipping is bribery.

I apologize if I came across rude or angry, but when I see people who have beliefs that hurt people it does make me angry. For example, TSA has the belief that they need to see children naked, or to harass honest people with disabilities to make airplanes safer and that makes me angry.

Since this will be my last post in this thread I do want to leave one parting "food for thought" comment. I make this statement not to scare anyone into any type of behavior but just to give some final insight into this thread.

I do want people to understand that restaurants are responsible for handling the food that you are about to eat.

If you are a frequent customer to a place you probably have some type of reputation with the staff. There were some groups that came in often that were excellent tippers and every server wanted them and always gave their best and went above and beyond for them. There were some groups that were notoriously poor tippers (if at all) and no one wanted them and they usually would receive just average service if that.

The vast majority of the people I worked with wouldn't do anything to a patrons food but I did know of a few that would/did. I liked my job too much to do that, but there were others who were willing to take the risk of being fired to get back at a rude customer or someone that had stiffed them too many times.