Gratuity Included

[PurePursuit]

Fucking crazy.. first off, if you don't like your pay where you work.. get the mindset to get the fuck out, work a 2nd job, or better yourself and learn how to get more tips. This is no diff if you were in any other career and didn't like something about it.

If the restaurant is so damn worried about waiters getting stiffed so much, they need to pay their waiters more then below min wage and/or raise their prices on their meals to compensate. If you can't make ends meet on your $3 an hour job and depend on basically handouts from other people then don't go to fucking work for below min. wage IMO.

Just cause your ass got $4 on an $80 meal doesn't mean the people tipping were cheap, it means instead of relying on fucking handouts, get a job that has more fucking stable pay and get a life. Any clown can wait tables, just like any clown can try out affiliate marketing. I have had my fair share of horrible wait staff and extremely good wait staff, but I have to say a lot of them these days are getting worse and worse and I do make sure the good ones get tipped well. However, if you dont like it some other people dont tip you well, then you need to get the fuck out of that career.

The difference is the initial effort and push you put into it. Im not giving you a handout ( 15% min tip ) just because you decided all you could do was refill drinks and bring out my food. You do your fucking job right and do more then the average clown, then I might give you 25%, but you aint getting shit for just doing something average and saying hi to me and taking my order/refilling drinks. I can do that shit at McDonalds and they don't tip me when I refill my drink on my own.

If you don't like not getting your free handouts, then get a fucking real job. And YES, I have worked in the restaurant business before.

I really don't want to get into it with you, because I've seen your posts and I don't know where the fuck you get off acting all high and mighty, but take that shit and quote someone else. However I feel obliged to respond. Where I'm from (Fairfield County, not hicksville or Europe) its considered customary to tip a waitress minimum 15% for a job well done, I wrongly assumed this to be common knowledge. Waitresses make 4.25 or less an hour due to their tips, if you want the establishment to include "gratuity" into their hourly wages, you are merely contradicting your argument (and you probably have no clue). No business owner is going to start paying servers 12-15 an hour (or more) and not tack that onto your bill, the bill is always passed onto the customer, no successful business owner takes a loss if he doesn't have to. I unlike you respect anyone that gets up and works to earn an honest living, so take your elitist attitude and go fuck yourself with it ya cheap bastard.

 

[Rage9]

Tipping is an integral part of the service business, and for many reasons.

One of the largest being the overall cost of the service being provided. Tipping allows places like restaurants to provide you with the best product they can at the best price point that they can. It's simple business really.

Another large reason is, it allows instant feedback to the employees. The employee knows (typically) how good of a job they are doing at taking care of their customers.

It also allows the best employees to make the most money, while the worst employees will make much less. This system encourages employees to be more on their game so that they will "hustle" for more money. It's a control your own destiny kind of situation.

In a world without tips you lose all these creative devices, and in a field mostly populated by very low wage workers your people would basically become worthless miserable fucks. Their only goal would to be just not getting bitched at by the boss.

Servers are a lifeline in a restaurant. They keep the place orderly. They keep you sat down in your cube so that the restaurant can operate at peak efficiency. That has a direct translation to the restaurants bottom line.

It really doesn't have that much to do with that you can't get your own food / drink. There are so many factors.

Liability is a huge one. You'll notice that most sit down places where you'd be expected to tip typically have better quality of food. Now that in itself may not be so revealing, but how about even something small like the plate the food is served on initially is hot. We live in a sue happy culture, all it would take is one mistake somewhere for someone to grab a hot plate, burn themselves and sue. It sounds crazy, but it's true. When your paying someone else to handle it you've removed a ton of liability.

It's pretty hard to hurt yourself on that wrapping around your double cheeseburger from McDonald's.

So you see, servers actually save you more money than you ever even realized.

Anyways, if you don't like to tip (or you don't think it's worth it) it's pretty simple, do fucking go someplace that expects you to tip. Sadly you'll only be balls deep in Big Macs, Chicken Nuggets, and various other random junk food.

 

[PurePursuit]

I didn't say this was the problem, the problem is you're young and have a big ego. Instead of brushing it off, and proving to the establishment that you didn't deserve to have a measly 10% tacked on, you should have just paid the damn 10% and left another on the table. If you think this is fucking insulting your in for some huge surprises in life. You made your point at the expense of a server who probably had nothing to do with adding the 10% to your bill.

That wasn't what the problem was in my eyes. Several other people that I know have gone to that restaurant, and I asked them about it. None of them have ever had gratuity added to their meal, and they were all either older or older-looking than I was.

I find it insulting that they stereotypically lump "young" with "not planning on leaving a tip". If the restaurant had done this all the time, it wouldn't be a problem, and I would understand, but unless it was a system that they incorporated that very week, we were biased against.

Also, the restaurant itself, since we went around 3:30 in the afternoon, was almost completely empty, if that helps.

It wans't an issue of reading the receipt properly to avoid paying way too much. I always read the receipt, as there are errors in a small percentage of them, and I also want to know where my money goes, and how much of it goes where. I would have caught on regardless.

Also, the waitress did nothing but take our orders and refill our glasses on occasion, she spent most of the time we were there discussing clothing with a fellow employee. In my mind, she did a good job, but not a good enough job to have a tip forced upon us, and expect to even pay extra.

 

[jdomaha]

Our dinner tonight came to a total of $72. No drinks. We rounded up to $90. My wife was a waitress in high school so she's a big waitress advocate.

For our foreign friends - if you are concerned about looking like a cheapskate in front of your American friends, just tip 15% if the server brought you your food and kept your drinks filled without being asked. If they did anything special, tip 20%. If the meal was extraordinarily expensive (like $200-$300 for two people) then don't go off a percentage. Just throw down $20-$30 bucks. It's fine, believe me.

Don't feel bad about wait staff working for below minimum wage. If they're in a decent place they can do $400-$700 a night - without showing their tits even.

 

[RuDeDoGg]

I didn't say this was the problem, the problem is you're young and have a big ego. Instead of brushing it off, and proving to the establishment that you didn't deserve to have a measly 10% tacked on, you should have just paid the damn 10% and left another on the table. If you think this is fucking insulting your in for some huge surprises in life. You made your point at the expense of a server who probably had nothing to do with adding the 10% to your bill.

He has a right to be pissed off. Usually gratuity is only added for 6+ people, or some other rule so servers don't get stiffed on the big tickets. I'd be pissed too, and I've noticed servers tend to give me shitty service, catering to people older than me (30-40) even though I arrived first, etc. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I don't tip, I worked as a waiter and usually tip well.

Also, I hate when I ask someone what to tip them and they wiggle around the question. I ordered room service and there was already gratuity added on, but I asked him what a "normal" tip was. He said something like "well that's up to your discretion", I hate that bullshit. I've had this happen in other situations where I was unfamiliar with the tipping protocol, in both cases they probably got a shitty tip and made me feel awkward.

 

[cryptix]

DONT WANT TO TIP or DONT LIKE TO TIP or DONT LIKE TO TIP ALOT?

SOLUTION:

1. go to amazon.com and pick out 3 top selling cook books

2. look through the cookbooks and pick some recipes that look good. write down the list of ingredients that you will need and then head to the market.

3. buy fresh organic meats, vegetables, fruit....and some kick ass wine or import beer.

4. open your wine or beer - have a glass, turn on some tunes, and then get cracking...

5. cook your meal and then chow down.

You will be amazed that when you start cooking good recipes that you wont really want to eat out anymore. Especially when you know what is going on in the kitchens - FUCKIN GROSS!!

anyhow, just a thought.

 

[erect]

I find it insulting that they stereotypically lump "young" with "not planning on leaving a tip".

Just because I'm young doesn't mean I don't tip, I worked as a waiter and usually tip well.

Stop being so gatdam politically correct. Just accept it's part of the game and move on.

If you feel discriminated against, go whine to the naacp or some other liberal pussy organization.

You want to do something about it? Become a fucking regular (guarandamntee you that gratuity won't be added) or start eating at Mickey D's. Like AM, tips are a #'s game to waiters ... the stereotype (and therefore policy) is there for a reason.

 

[ricdes]

love europe, where people think im an idiot if I tip more than 2 euros for a large meal.

most frenchmen wont even accept tips.

 

[JustFU]

I didn't say this was the problem, the problem is you're young and have a big ego. Instead of brushing it off, and proving to the establishment that you didn't deserve to have a measly 10% tacked on, you should have just paid the damn 10% and left another on the table. If you think this is fucking insulting your in for some huge surprises in life. You made your point at the expense of a server who probably had nothing to do with adding the 10% to your bill.

I think you are missing the point. Tips are voluntary, meaning you are not required to tip. Instead, you leave an amount of money based on how satisfied or dissatisfied you were with not only the service, but your overall experience.

I am notorious for leaving very large tips when I am happy with a meal and the service I receive. So much so that on more than one occasion, after leaving an establishment, my wife will accuse me of hitting on a waitress because of the amount of money that I left as a tip.

If I went to dinner with my wife, and got the bill with a predetermined amount forced on me, not only would I not pay the tip portion, I would likely bitch until they comped the whole entire check.

On the other hand, when I take my staff to breakfast, or dinner around the holidays, due to the large number of people, I completely understand the gratuity being added into the check, and not only pay it happily, but always tip extra as long as the service was even average.

By definition, gratuity should not be forced onto a check, and I too would be pissed if what happened to the OP were to happen to me. You on the other hand, have a wife or girlfriend, who worked in a restaurant, and to some extent obviously depended on tips to make it day to day, or week to week. No doubt she had her share of no/bad tippers, but to say that a gratuity should be added to a check, is retarded, and more than likely will only accomplish ill will from the people that it happens to.

I can assure you that I would NEVER visit the restaurant that the OP was talking about again.

 

[JarredLv]

I've found that with the included tip, the service is usually subpar. No incentive if they know they're going to get a tip.

 

[erect]

I am notorious for leaving very large tips... not only would I not pay the tip portion, I would likely bitch until they comped the whole entire check.

lulz ... You guys who are whining just fucking sound stupid.

By the sound of it you think notorious means that you've left $10 twice in your life. Bitching until comped ... jeez, I hope you like eating feces the next time you go out. Word travels from pub to pub.

Working in a restaurant should be mandatory for 2 years for everyone... lots of life lessons are taught there.

 

[JustFU]

lulz ... You guys who are whining just fucking sound stupid.

By the sound of it you think notorious means that you've left $10 twice in your life. Bitching until comped ... jeez, I hope you like eating feces the next time you go out. Word travels from pub to pub.

Working in a restaurant should be mandatory for 2 years for everyone... lots of life lessons are taught there.

Gratuity:

A tip (also called a gratuity) is a voluntary extra payment made to certain service sector workers in addition to the advertised price of the transaction. Such payments and their size are a matter of social custom. Tipping varies among cultures and by service industry. ..

What's next? The next time I buy a car, the F&I guy automatically gets to include one extra warranty? When I go to get a hair cut, the stylist gets to automatically include $5 in the cost of the haircut?

I don't mind tipping, as a matter of fact, I actually enjoy tipping when I get good service, but to have the gratuity forced on me while dining with a total of 2 people, is unacceptable.

It sounds like you might also have a wife working in a restaurant, or in some other service industry? Tips are mandatory, they are not required.

 

[RuDeDoGg]

lulz ... You guys who are whining just fucking sound stupid.

By the sound of it you think notorious means that you've left $10 twice in your life. Bitching until comped ... jeez, I hope you like eating feces the next time you go out. Word travels from pub to pub.

Working in a restaurant should be mandatory for 2 years for everyone... lots of life lessons are taught there.

You don't have to get so defensive, this isn't the Racial Profiling thread. We're not stomping on your hatred of Mexicans here

 

[eliquid]

In this economy a lot of cheap cocksuckers don't tip, waiters and waitresses rely on tips to make a living. I can't blame them for doing this. I probably would have given the waitress more money if the service was good.

I can't believe eliquid would make a comment about people who go to work everyday and not leeching off the system.
I can understand cause you're from Kentucky but sheesh give some people a break.

ah, hello? i never said anything about someone leeching off the system, thats a whole other conversation right there dude that you know nothing about my opinion on.

point is, sounds like OP is taking up for wait staff and how they should be tipped more and make their living off tips, etc... Just like anything in life, if you dont fucking like your career then stop bitching and change jobs.

That would be just like an affiliate bitching that Opes didnt fucking pay them, then continue to run their offers. WTF, if you dont like WTF your doing and cant handle the fact you basically depend on a handout cause your "job" only pays you $4, then change the job and get something that pays you $8 an hour stable and not worry about tips.

This isnt about if I give good tips or not, or if I feel that giving 20% is correct, etc, etc ....

If you depend on those tips to make your living, you got a serious financial problem basically waiting tip to tip to make your car payment and groceries, not fucking smart. Your not going to get good tips all the time no matter what you do, so depending on them is stupid. Making the customer feel like they need to tip you more so you can make those payments because you wont change whats wrong, even more stupid. If you got stiffed, its cause you allow yourself to work in a career where you can get stiffed.

Forcing someone to pay 10% or any % on their bill to make up for their low end wage job that they wont get out of is not my issue to make up or pay.

 

[erect]

When I go to get a hair cut, the stylist gets to automatically include $5 in the cost of the haircut?

You should tip your barber, else you'll end up looking like Justin Dupree

It sounds like you might also have a wife working in a restaurant, or in some other service industry?

I've waited tables for years in my late teens/20's ... have a candid conversation with a waiter sometime and you'll find out why you got grat slapped.

Tips are mandatory, they are not required.

??? If you mean they're not mandatory you shouldn't eat out.

You don't have to get so defensive, this isn't the Racial Profiling thread. We're not stomping on your hatred of Mexicans here

You guys are screaming age discrimination .. the funny part is, the stereotype is absolutely true. I'm just suggesting you get the fuck over it. It's a cold cruel world out there, you'll find out when you grow up that automatic grat is the least of your worries.

It IS however true on the other end as well. Line up a wait staff of 22 year olds around my bar and you'll see enough 50% tips in one round of customers that your head will spin. I've had $200 dollar nights turn into $400 nights thanks to my last round more times than I can remember ... they're just making up for the rest of your cheap ass generation who are still sucking off mommy's teet throughout college.

 

[eliquid]

I really don't want to get into it with you, because I've seen your posts and I don't know where the fuck you get off acting all high and mighty, but take that shit and quote someone else. However I feel obliged to respond. Where I'm from (Fairfield County, not hicksville or Europe) its considered customary to tip a waitress minimum 15% for a job well done, I wrongly assumed this to be common knowledge.

Fairfield County? WTF that got to do with anything? From my count there is a Fairfield county in Ohio, SC, Connecticut and a few other places. You think where you live means fucking anything... your a douche already.

Waitresses make 4.25 or less an hour due to their tips, if you want the establishment to include "gratuity" into their hourly wages, you are merely contradicting your argument (and you probably have no clue).

No shit eh? Wait staff make less then min. wage? Holy fucking bells Batman! If you chose that job, then $4.25 is what you get. Cant pay your bills on that? Ok fine, dont start acting all shitty when you get stiffed or get a low tip and cant make your car payment. The real problem is you chose a shitty career and that career cant pay your bills. Dont tack on shit or complain someone stiffed you and you cant make a living. Actually do something and chose a new career that is aligned with your spending habits and not depended on random income.

No business owner is going to start paying servers 12-15 an hour (or more) and not tack that onto your bill, the bill is always passed onto the customer, no successful business owner takes a loss if he doesn't have to.

Oh noes, not again.. holy fucking balls Batman! Thank you for your enlightenment. Your so fucking wrong its funny. Every business tacks on costs to the consumer and plenty of business pay their workers 12-15 an hour if not more, shit gets passed to consumer yo. Even Walmart can pay their people $12-15 an hour for certain positions. The fact is, if you allow yourself to be paid $4, then your paid $4 an hour. Stop bitching and waiting on random income to help you make your car payment. My beef is that if you feel like your getting stiffed, I shouldnt have to make up for it with a line item for grad. Dont justify making people tip cause you cant pay your bills on $4 an hour.

I unlike you respect anyone that gets up and works to earn an honest living, so take your elitist attitude and go fuck yourself with it ya cheap bastard.

Whatever you need to say to make yourself sleep at night dude, you have no fucking clue and never will.

 

[cryptix]

 

[turbolapp]

That's really weird. I've never heard of included gratuity with just 2 people. Usually it was standard with a table of 8 or more (although it was still optional) i would always make sure it was added though. They're something about large groups either people forget to pay, didn't realized the bill would be so large and get cheap, or make you work your ass off for the only table you're pretty much going to get that night (for a large enough table) and then leave you 10%. So like I said I never had a problem with including it then. But 2 people that's just stupid, the odds are you're going to get a better tip without the gratuity in that circumstance.

edit: we just go home from a nice dinner. We always tip at least 20% even when the service is just so so. To me it just says more about you than the server when you tip poorly.

 

[Roundabout]

I tip 20% regardless, unless the service was so poor I was pissed off for some reason. Honestly, 20% is a lot easier math-wise to calculate, and I want to leave the restaurant knowing the waiter/waitress didn't think I was a cheapskate.

Forced gratuities are pretty commonplace wherever I go, especially when ordering room service at a hotel. I wouldn't get upset over a 10% forced rate, if it were any higher then you'd have a right to bitch about it being presumptuous, especially if service was poor.

Try and remember tips are a majority of the revenues waiters and waitresses make. Don't be a cheap fuck, if you received good service, give back. 15-20% is considered normal today.

 

[eliquid]

I tip 20% regardless, unless the service was so poor I was pissed off for some reason. Honestly, 20% is a lot easier math-wise to calculate, and I want to leave the restaurant knowing the waiter/waitress didn't think I was a cheapskate.

Forced gratuities are pretty commonplace wherever I go, especially when ordering room service at a hotel. I wouldn't get upset over a 10% forced rate, if it were any higher then you'd have a right to bitch about it being presumptuous, especially if service was poor.

Try and remember tips are a majority of the revenues waiters and waitresses make. Don't be a cheap fuck, if you received good service, give back. 15-20% is considered normal today.

I def agree that 15-20% is normal for good/great service and I leave 20% on mine when service is good. However, any forced rate or expecting 10-15% for just any kind of service is just crazy as I feel my tip should be depended on the service at that time, not just expected and added on.