Tipping: why is 10% not perfectly adequate?

Mable

Active member
Sep 20, 2004
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Had a girlfriend in Philadelphia once, about 15 years ago. She was a waitress at an expensive restaurant associated with a hotel in centre city and it did have a alcohol license. She worked the night shift and finished around 1am. Her takings/year? Well over $100,000 U.S.. On top of that she was continuously propositioned by wealthy businessmen on expense accounts to go up to their room after she was off. She would never tell me what she made off of that!!
 
B

burt-oh-my!

Getting back to the title of this thread - so what is wrong with 10%?
 

Toke

Just less active
Oct 14, 2002
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I wish that restaurants would just pay the staff a fair rate and that way "tipping" is not necessary. Tipping is not a global thing. You do not do it in many countries in Europe for example.

Think of this - waiter/waitress might spend a total of 5 minutes on your order. That means that they can serve 12 people per hour. 12 x $5 on average for two people table is $60 per hour. Say the waiter/ress gives $20 for the staff kitty - they still make $40 in tips. At their $10 minimum wage and you get $50 per hour. Pretty good for waiting tables. This is more than I earn.
Your numbers are off for the most part as completely serving 12 people per hour is not realistic over multiple hours in 95% of restaurants.

What really bugs me is the basic premise of the business model surrounding tipping.

Companies underpay requisite staff and then add the cost of that staff to the customer in the form of tips.

Tips should be a bonus for good service, not the final step in paying staff a working wage.
True, but if tipping were 'eliminated', either all good servers would abandon ship (unlikely), or the 'tip' would be incorporated into the cost of your meal. (Do you think that $12-$16 for a plate of pasta covers all the support staff, fixed costs, and turn a profit?

A 38% tip (your figure of $15.00 on $40.00) I would think that they would kiss you.
Do that on a regular basis and some would want to.

why is it mandatory though ? why is it the customers responsibility to make up for the lack of wages the owner wants to pay. should tipping not be an extra for good service ?

what about delivery drivers that bring you your pizza ? if the place charges a "delivery charge" that should go to the driver and i should not have to tip.

(read my above post to see what i do for tipping i am usually in excess, i am just playing devils advocate here)
As the government who is more than happy to mandate a 'waiter's wage' below the minimum. Not to mention, it is a custom. Like many have said, you could get away with it if you plan not to return, but if you do.... expect the staff to remember you. Come to thin of it, I'm waiting for some dude to return who stinged out a couple of weeks ago.

It's bizarre how some seem to think it is triple horrible not to tip over 10%, yet in a lot of countries it isn't necessary at all.

If waitresses get minimum wage, and so do burger joint employees, as well as Tim Hortons employees, grocery store employees, etc etc ad nearly infinitum, - then exactly why do waitresses deserve the huge bonus of tips, and the others don't? And in spite of what some have written about sharing it etc, I know several waiters waitresses and they both say the money is far better than anything else.

Low skilled? Yes, it isn't that bad, I've worked construction as well as a variety of other manual labour jobs, including picking fruit, and I assure you that I would have happily been a waiter for the same wages, NOT MORE!
No you wouldn't. At least doing those other jobs did not require you to constantly entertain the ridiculous whims/requests of customers who could be downright boorish. Like others have said, many treat there server like little more than a servant.

It seems pretty obvious which posters have never worked as a server.

I think most anyone that has never tried it will be surprised as to how much 'skill' it does take to handle so many situations and people.

You may also be surprised by how often people will speak down to you, and how much manners they lack.
Big time correct here. I'll admit, if I realized how rude people could be and how much the job demanded I may not have not have gotten into it. However, besides the money, because I can be polite through most of the abuse (there are many pleasureable people to server too) the job is bearable.

I believe the restaurant was Centro and in fact I think the waitstaff used to pay a fee to the restaurant to work there because the tips were so good....

Steph
Never heard of this except through 'tip-out'. This is usually to cover support staff, but many places also request a 'tip' too. Imagine that, they make all the money and still look to the server for an extra percentage or two.




All in all, if you don't want to tip that's fine. Just let your server know at the begining of the service, "To Insure Proper Service'.
 

NorthernBear

Dirty (Not So) Old Man
Jun 13, 2009
2,529
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I just went on a cruise with Carnival and they add the tip onto your bill. Each passenger pays $10-$20 depending on which cruise line you use and that money pays tips to wait staff in restaurants, maids, and any other hospitality staffer on board.

On top of that you pay for drinks with your room key since they do not want any cash changing hands while at sea. Drinks are automatically charged a gratuity.

So at the end of the week your bill comes to you with an additional $70 plut 15% on all drinks. I supposse this is much easier than tipping everyone individually, but 3000 passengers per cruise should put enough cash in the cruise line's till to pay the staff a pretty decent wage not relying on tips.
 

Furo

Member
Dec 29, 2007
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Listen asshole. Serving is not a low-skilled job. I would like to see you give the service that I provide to my customers. Serving is one of the most difficult jobs out there to master. I worked in IT for years, hated it, but find that getting back into the restaurant business, it's quite challenging but also more rewarding for me. I work in fine dining and tip out 6% of what assholes like you tip me. That means if you tip me $10 on $100, i make $4. You're probably one of those jerk offs that raises your hand to get served, asks for extra FREE bread and chews with your mouth open.

You are so fucking ignorant! Have you ever worked as a server before? You think that eating at Moxies is the same as eating at McDonalds? You think that you get the same service at Wendy's drive thru as you do at Milestones? Wake up, fuckwit. I use Moxies and Milestones as an example because although the food is shit, those girls work their asses off to make enough money to get through college without having to strip or escort. I work in a far superior restaurant than the ones I mentioned and you get a far superior experience because of that which means I should be tipped accordingly. 20% is expected. 15% is acceptable (as long as you tip on the final amount, not before tax, because guess what? I tip out on tax!), 10% is a slap in the face. That's like saying, "you did the bare minimum for me".

Tipping is a North American reality. Get used to it.

I have a very fun job in an exciting industry. I get to work with hot girls every day. I get to flirt with them, and occasionally have them rub their tits across my back as they pass me in the narrow server station. I also probably make more money than you do for less work. I also don't have to claim a large percentage of what I make on my taxes which means if I was making a 6 figure salary, I would take home the same amount of money as I do right now. I also only work 30 hours a week instead of the standard 40 to 45.

Sounds to me like you're jealous because you're too old, fat and ugly to work in a business that requires you to speak to people face to face everyday and make shit loads of money for such a "low-skilled" line of work. If you don't like tipping, move to England or Australia. Then you'll just be pissed off that the servers over there get paid $25/hour for such a low-skilled job. Go fuck yourself, retard. Good day



I tip 10 or 11% for most meals, yet a lot of people seem to think that 15% is the minimum now. Yet I fail to see why I should pay say $5 for a $30 meal when the grand total time she spent serving me was at MOST 5 minutes. In fact the whole idea of tipping is annoying and silly, especially as we see it expanding into other areas.

If you work out what waitresses are getting on an hourly basis, it can be ridiculously high. and yes, I do know that the basic wage is low and they have to share, but waitresses can still earn $40 or more per hour. I find that over the top for a pretty low-skilled job.

What is most annoying though is how everyone moans and groans about low tipping of waitresses - yet we don't tip the staff at numerous other places who are alos earning low wages, like the person at the fast food joint for instance.
 

East York Melissa

The Champ
Supporting Member
Sep 13, 2007
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East York
Have you guys ever seen the movie Waiting with Ryan Renyolds? For those of you who don't like to tip I'd advise you to watch it. It's a bit of an exaggeration but unless you are in a place where you can see your food being made, you don't know what might be done to it before it reaches your table.

Just because you tip well doesn't mean that everyone else does. So the formula of $5x12 is not really accurate. Although I always leave a tip, I do believe in tipping based on service. If I receive good service, the waiter/waitress is friendly, I tip well. If you receive bad service and still tip very well, there is no incentive for the server to up their service level.
 
B

burt-oh-my!

Ignoring all your silly ,childish name-calling, which does nothing other than amuse me (and indicate that you are short of arguments):

So why stop at 15%? Why not 25%? 40%? Give me a FORMULA or METHODOLOGY as to why the amount should be X%.

Or do only assholes, jerkoffs, fuckwitted jealous old fatty retards dare to question your pompous majestic self?
 

bigapple

Member
Oct 25, 2004
265
1
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Durham
I'm curious how tipping has changed over the years. Was it more or less in the 70s/80s/90s??

And why is it I feel obliged to tip when its really a discretionary thing? I accept its purpose and I will not argue that it takes skill to serve, but why is a 5% tip any worse than a 15 or 20%?? afterall isnt it up to the customer?
 
B

burt-oh-my!

I work in fine dining and tip out 6% of what assholes like you tip me. That means if you tip me $10 on $100, i make $4.

>>>So, how long did you have to work to make that $4? 10 minutes? Give me a number.>>>>>

You're probably one of those jerk offs that raises your hand to get served, asks for extra FREE bread and chews with your mouth open.

You are so fucking ignorant! Have you ever worked as a server before?

>>>>No, doesn't mean I can't comment on it though. Just like I commenbt about SPs (as do you), even though I 've never been an SP.>>>

You think that eating at Moxies is the same as eating at McDonalds?

>>>>I think the people who work at mcDonalds work just as hard. Do You?>>>

20% is expected.

>>>> OK my little friend, THEN EXPLAIN WHY 20% is the corect amount. Can you get that through your brain, WHY 20%? Why not 30%, if you are such a friggin Mother Theresa?>>>>

I have a very fun job in an exciting industry. I get to work with hot girls every day. I get to flirt with them, and occasionally have them rub their tits across my back as they pass me in the narrow server station. I also probably make more money than you do for less work. I also don't have to claim a large percentage of what I make on my taxes which means if I was making a 6 figure salary, I would take home the same amount of money as I do right now. I also only work 30 hours a week instead of the standard 40 to 45.

>>>LOL, proves my point 15% - 20% is WAAAYYY too much.! >>>

Sounds to me like you're jealous because you're too old, fat and ugly to work in a business that requires you to speak to people face to face everyday and make shit loads of money for such a "low-skilled" line of work. If you don't like tipping, move to England or Australia.

>>> OR... TIP 10%! >>>

Then you'll just be pissed off that the servers over there get paid $25/hour for such a low-skilled job. Go fuck yourself, retard. Good day
Pls see my points above.
 
B

burt-oh-my!

a good article from the web:

I understand the theory behind tipping. People in the service industry who give excellent service get a little extra reward. The reward will give them incentive to continue to perform in an exemplary manner, creating a positive cycle of great service. Too bad reality is nothing like theory.

In reality, tipping is nothing more than a system of blackmail instituted by food servers. You tip us, and we’ll make sure your burger isn’t basted in the cook’s special sauce. Servers figure out in about 20 minutes that they’re getting tips pretty much no matter what.
Think back of your last 10 trips to a restaurant. How many times would you describe the service as excellent? Maybe I go to crappier restaurants than you do, but I honestly cannot remember the last time I got excellent service. That’s not to say I get bad service, it just isn’t outstanding. So why is it I have to tip for average service? Why am I rewarding mediocrity?

Restaurant owners have embraced our willingness to tip. They’ve responded by paying servers everywhere next to minimum wage. The customers directly subsidize the living standards of underpaid wait staff. Is this right? One of the reasons why serving is an attractive career choice for young, uneducated women is because the customer pays them money simply for looking pretty. Often, they can make a decent wage doing something that, frankly, isn’t a very difficult skill to master.

Sure, it’s a racket. We tolerate it because we’re scared of the consequences, and because we feel compelled to. Let’s at least be honest about the whole thing.

Why am I expected to tip my server or my hairdresser, yet not the cashier at the grocery store? I worked in a grocery store for more than 5 years and even if the cashier gave service that went above and beyond expectations, she never got rewarded. It’s the same with people who pump gas or who find that tough to find product at Walmart. Those people are providing service as well. Why don’t they get tipped? Where’s the line? Why is the line where it is? It’s because it doesn’t make sense.
 
B

burt-oh-my!

And another beaut:

One of my articles from 2009 that continues to get a steady stream – okay, trickle – of occasional comments is my article imploring people to not feel guilty for tipping their servers 15 percent for average service.

In that piece I noted that the standard tipping guideline for expected service was 15 percent for as long as I could remember.

I also pointed out that nowadays a lot of people are pushing 20 percent or even more as the standard for average service, which I think is ridiculous.

Although I didn’t cite any references, I wasn’t making that claim up. Even as a kid I remember going to restaurants with my folks and figuring out the tip for Dad. He obliged me almost every time simply because he knew I loved to do that sort of thing. His rule was fifteen percent for good service, twenty percent for excellent service.

“Yeah, Len, well maybe your dad was just a cheapskate, just like you.”

Sorry, but I don’t think so.

Obviously that opinion doesn’t endear me to the great majority of American waiters and waitresses.

Still, my recollections regarding tipping standards are backed up by the Wall Street Journal, which points out that the standard tip for servers was ten percent in the 1950s before it rose to 15 percent in the 1970s. Meanwhile, MSN proclaims that “20 percent is the new 15 percent.”

I assume if the trend continues, our great great great grandchildren can expect to cough up a 40 percent tip for average service (and 50 percent if it is excellent).

So what’s going on here? Why are tipping rates steadily creeping up over time?

Well, that same Wall Street Journal article points out an interesting theory posited by a Cornell University professor who has written over 40 papers on tipping: most people give large gratuities to make a good impression on the server. Likewise, most people tend to leave average tips for poor service because they don’t want their server to dislike them.

Let me repeat that again: most people tend to leave average tips for poor service because they don’t want their server to dislike them.

WTF? (Please, no letters; it means “what the frijoles,” folks.)

Not only is this upside-down psychology straight out of Alice in Wonderland, but the end result is a slow uptick in the inflation rate of tips for average service.

Even worse, over the slow march of time, that attitude also can’t help but foster an entitlement mentality in the restaurant staff. After all, why should a server go out of their way to give excellent service when they can give lousy service and still expect to get a 15 percent tip from weak-kneed customers afraid of insulting them?

Never mind that, in reality, it is the customer who should be insulted for spending their hard-earned money only to have their experience ruined by poor service.

In the end we have nobody to blame but ourselves.

Well, truth be told, I blame all of you because that’s not how I think at all. (Thanks, gang.)

If I get poor service, the server is usually going to get ten percent with the hope that the smaller tip will encourage him to do a better job next time. If that happens to tick him off, hey, so be it.

Think about it. When we patronize sit-down restaurants we do it because we’re hungry and looking for a relaxing evening away from the kitchen, not because we’re trying to gain a few more Facebook “friends.”

So why worry about a server disliking you simply because you gave them a poor tip for poor service?

Besides, don’t you have plenty of friends already? In the off chance you don’t, drop me a line and I’ll be happy to friend you on Facebook.




I'd love to know why 10% was satisfactory in the 50's, but it is now 20%. Hmmm, could it be as simple as...greed?
 

Master_Bates

Member
Nov 13, 2003
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I'm curious how tipping has changed over the years. Was it more or less in the 70s/80s/90s??

And why is it I feel obliged to tip when its really a discretionary thing? I accept its purpose and I will not argue that it takes skill to serve, but why is a 5% tip any worse than a 15 or 20%?? afterall isnt it up to the customer?
Because servers are often required to tip out 3-5% of their sales to the support staff... If you only tip 5% they're making next to none of that... and no matter the level of service some people will still tip 0 and the server ends up losing money on that table because they're still required to tip out.

The purpose of tipping out to support staff is not to supplement their wages, it's to keep them happy. Would you really want to make minimum wage and bust your ass supporting the servers when they're keeping all the tips? Tipping out to support staff is to reward them for busy nights and keep them motivated.
 
B

burt-oh-my!

I'm curious how tipping has changed over the years. Was it more or less in the 70s/80s/90s??

And why is it I feel obliged to tip when its really a discretionary thing? I accept its purpose and I will not argue that it takes skill to serve, but why is a 5% tip any worse than a 15 or 20%?? afterall isnt it up to the customer?
When I was a kid it was a standard 10%, now it is 15 or 20 supposedly. I see no difference in service so I still tip 10%
 

james t kirk

Well-known member
Aug 17, 2001
24,039
3,893
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Listen asshole. Serving is not a low-skilled job. I would like to see you give the service that I provide to my customers. Serving is one of the most difficult jobs out there to master. I worked in IT for years, hated it, but find that getting back into the restaurant business, it's quite challenging but also more rewarding for me. I work in fine dining and tip out 6% of what assholes like you tip me. That means if you tip me $10 on $100, i make $4. You're probably one of those jerk offs that raises your hand to get served, asks for extra FREE bread and chews with your mouth open.

You are so fucking ignorant! Have you ever worked as a server before? You think that eating at Moxies is the same as eating at McDonalds? You think that you get the same service at Wendy's drive thru as you do at Milestones? Wake up, fuckwit. I use Moxies and Milestones as an example because although the food is shit, those girls work their asses off to make enough money to get through college without having to strip or escort. I work in a far superior restaurant than the ones I mentioned and you get a far superior experience because of that which means I should be tipped accordingly. 20% is expected. 15% is acceptable (as long as you tip on the final amount, not before tax, because guess what? I tip out on tax!), 10% is a slap in the face. That's like saying, "you did the bare minimum for me".

Tipping is a North American reality. Get used to it.

I have a very fun job in an exciting industry. I get to work with hot girls every day. I get to flirt with them, and occasionally have them rub their tits across my back as they pass me in the narrow server station. I also probably make more money than you do for less work. I also don't have to claim a large percentage of what I make on my taxes which means if I was making a 6 figure salary, I would take home the same amount of money as I do right now. I also only work 30 hours a week instead of the standard 40 to 45.

Sounds to me like you're jealous because you're too old, fat and ugly to work in a business that requires you to speak to people face to face everyday and make shit loads of money for such a "low-skilled" line of work. If you don't like tipping, move to England or Australia. Then you'll just be pissed off that the servers over there get paid $25/hour for such a low-skilled job. Go fuck yourself, retard. Good day
Please tell me the name of the restaurant you work at so I can avoid it. I'm sure that an attitude like yours shines right through.

BTW, Waitering is not a high skill job in my books. It's work yeah, but it's not really that hard, and it doesn't require any real higher education. At most - it requires you to be organized and have a good memory, and be reasonable with people.
 

Toke

Just less active
Oct 14, 2002
2,677
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48
Listen asshole. Serving is not a low-skilled job. I would like to see you give the service that I provide to my customers. Serving is one of the most difficult jobs out there to master. I worked in IT for years, hated it, but find that getting back into the restaurant business, it's quite challenging but also more rewarding for me. I work in fine dining and tip out 6% of what assholes like you tip me. That means if you tip me $10 on $100, i make $4. You're probably one of those jerk offs that raises your hand to get served, asks for extra FREE bread and chews with your mouth open.

You are so fucking ignorant! Have you ever worked as a server before? You think that eating at Moxies is the same as eating at McDonalds? You think that you get the same service at Wendy's drive thru as you do at Milestones? Wake up, fuckwit. I use Moxies and Milestones as an example because although the food is shit, those girls work their asses off to make enough money to get through college without having to strip or escort. I work in a far superior restaurant than the ones I mentioned and you get a far superior experience because of that which means I should be tipped accordingly. 20% is expected. 15% is acceptable (as long as you tip on the final amount, not before tax, because guess what? I tip out on tax!), 10% is a slap in the face. That's like saying, "you did the bare minimum for me".

Tipping is a North American reality. Get used to it.

I have a very fun job in an exciting industry. I get to work with hot girls every day. I get to flirt with them, and occasionally have them rub their tits across my back as they pass me in the narrow server station. I also probably make more money than you do for less work. I also don't have to claim a large percentage of what I make on my taxes which means if I was making a 6 figure salary, I would take home the same amount of money as I do right now. I also only work 30 hours a week instead of the standard 40 to 45.

Sounds to me like you're jealous because you're too old, fat and ugly to work in a business that requires you to speak to people face to face everyday and make shit loads of money for such a "low-skilled" line of work. If you don't like tipping, move to England or Australia. Then you'll just be pissed off that the servers over there get paid $25/hour for such a low-skilled job. Go fuck yourself, retard. Good day
The bolded section is where you lost me, and I'm a server...

I'm curious how tipping has changed over the years. Was it more or less in the 70s/80s/90s??

And why is it I feel obliged to tip when its really a discretionary thing? I accept its purpose and I will not argue that it takes skill to serve, but why is a 5% tip any worse than a 15 or 20%?? afterall isnt it up to the customer?
Easy. 15% and 20% are 10% and 15% more than 5%. If your salary was reduced by 10% would you accept the rationale as 'how is 90% of your wage any worse than 95% or 100%'?

When I was a kid it was a standard 10%, now it is 15 or 20 supposedly. I see no difference in service so I still tip 10%
No problems. Just let the server know that ahead of time. I pride myself on giving exceptional service to boost my percentages. If I screw up, I expect less, but if not I'll gladly take 15-17%. 20 and above are nice, but never expected.
 

Master_Bates

Member
Nov 13, 2003
563
0
16
When I was a kid it was a standard 10%, now it is 15 or 20 supposedly. I see no difference in service so I still tip 10%
I can guarantee that customers known to give better tips, get better service. So if the tips has always been 10% then the service will always be the same.

And if the couple of dollars to difference to get to 15% is really that big a deal, maybe you should stay home and save money.
 

pilot123

New member
Jan 25, 2010
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0
I worked at 2 different restaurants as a waiter when I was in high school / University which was 10 years ago. I can say it does take much more "skill" than working in a grocery store or simple retail (both of which I've also done). So I think its proper that wait staff gets paid more for their "skill".

Its common that for Thurs to Sat nights from 5pm to 10pm, just tips alone I would average $140/night, and to include the hourly wage that would put me to $200/night. Thats just the evening! If I worked lunch from 10am to 5pm add another $150, so I would make $350/day. Thats pretty damn good!

And get this... I was working at a buffet place so most people just tip @ 10%. So I don't understand why people complaining 10% tips is too little for the server.
 
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