allset2travel

+1

Points Scrounger

​​​​​​I leave a tip at Hilton Garden Inn as there's a theoretical charge, rather than included for all. At a Hampton or similar, no.

B3nder

Any that have given me physical breakfast coupons (the same at several, so assumed from corporate) in the past have indicated in the fine print that the coupon included gratuity. Does this not mean HHonors is paying the hotel gratuity to the restaurant employees?

I still left a $1 or two per person if the place was better than average. It's absurd for demanding additional gratuity when they're already receiving it from the loyalty program or the hotel owner agreeing to pay for the service fully as a condition of being part of the "brand".

bitterproffit

I talked to a waitress friend last night who works at a popular restaurant in town. She said that the 'house' gets 30% of her credit card tips. The same 'house' that is paying her $2.30 an hour is taking 30% of her tips back.

So, I try to tip in cash when possible. Same at HGI. I have never paid for breakfast there, but always drop a $5. I get great service at HGI's that I frequent.

Cute story time:

I usually never tip the ladies at Hampton Inn's but many are very sweet and friendly. I was in a Hampton in California the week before Christmas. My employer had given me a $30 Walmart gift card for Christmas bonus that year. I don't go to Walmart. There was a sweet Hispanic abuelita working the breakfast area. She was lovely and very helpful to some of the older guests She was all excited about Christmas with the grandkids, etc. I gave her the gift card and she got tears in her eyes.

The next morning she is there and we exchange good mornings. Like most abuelas, she makes corn husk tamales for Christmas. She brings me two homemade tamales and sets them down in front of me and tells me what she bought for her grandchildren for Christmas with the gift card. The tamales were amazing, of course.

It was a fun stay.

thunderlounge

Well crap. Now I want tamales.

B3nder

Uh no. The employer would have to be an idiot to do so, they would receive large fines. Most likely your waitress friend commits tax fraud and doesn't report or pay income tax on cash tips. The rest of us need to pay income tax, but not her!

gengar

That's not legal under FLSA. Maybe they split with back of the house.

bitterproffit

She's a former student of mine She is 20 years old and putting herself through college.

She doesn't make enough in cash tips to even have to pay income tax. She's not a hedge fund manager or anything. LOL

I think what she meant was that the house takes that 30% and distributes it to the non wait staff (busboys, hostess, etc). But those positions do get paid a legal minimum wage, but they get a small cut of tips.

That is in addition to obvious tax withholding.

By the way, when I tip in cash, I do it to make sure its not taxed.

It's not the waitress just trying to get by that I am worried about getting out of paying taxes. LOL

bitterproffit

That's exactly what I think as well.

B3nder

In which case, stealing from her coworkers (who she knows directly) is arguably even worse than stealing from the average taxpayer as a whole.

That's why I assumed the tax fraud / income tax withholding as most likely.

B3nder

The rules have flipped around a lot on tip sharing over time. I'm not sure, I think currently it is now allowed but only if all employees are paid at least minimum wage as a base pay and none a lower tipped-employee only base (which is still technically subject to minimum wage if they don't receive enough tips to make up the difference).

stc

Are you sure she didn't say 3%? (Which is probably about what the restaurant is paying in CC fees.)

bitterproffit

bitterproffit

bitterproffit