I've always been more than generous when it comes to tips, but I've heard restaurant managers all over this area talk about not finding help and how low folks tip, if at all.
Is paying the waitress/waiter the responsibility of the customer or the highly paid executives that sit back in the office crunching numbers?
Who in their right mind is going to stay employed at the low guaranteed rate, tips not included?
Wouldn't it benefit an employer to pay better to keep good help or do as corporate America does and roll in young non-experienced help annually to just get by?
Corporate America spends more on constantly training new employees at a lower wage than focusing on better services by keeping experienced help.
I was a server one summer when I was 19, and it was grueling, but I usually got good tips. Not all servers do. I always tip generously now, knowing what the job is like. Unfortunately, management sometimes steals part of the tips servers earn, which is a real scumbag thing to do, especially since they pay such ridiculously low wages. I'm all for $15./hr. minimum wage for all workers, servers included, so we as taxpayers no longer have to subsidize wealthy corporations that only pay slave wages, forcing their workers to rely on government assistance to survive.
I thought Americans all loved the tipping system. I learn things on this site (and they don't all involves things that can be inserted into orifices...)
I've never liked tipping - I will do it in Australia for exceptional service, but the minimum wage is around AU$19 per hour, which has dipped to be equivalent to around US$13, but can actually keep someone with one job alive. I'll tip in the US because it seems to be expected, but I hate the mad rush of people wanting to carry my bag or do whatever other task I'm happy to do myself. And the service in restaurants always seems to come across to me as desperation for tips rather than actually wanting to help (some of this is cultural - I want to be served a meal and then left alone and I hate being treated differently based on the perceived size of my wallet). And I always wonder why I'm supposed to tip someone more for carrying a Wagyu steak than a salad...
But lots of Aussies say that service would be better here if tipping was more of a thing - service staff get paid roughly the same amount whether they do their job really well or not. But, in my experience, most are happy to work as part of a team, help out customers and, you know, do their job, without hoping that some generous tippers are in so that they can make their rent payment. Kind of like most jobs, poor performers don't get kept on too long...
Whether its a chain business or a local business they all seem to follow a similar pay model.
I've just gotten used too this is the way it is in America and i tip good. IDK if thats a good thing or not.
It depends who you ask and where they work, but some people do quite well as a bartender or waitress depending on the business, I know several people that had done it for a long time and they were making some pretty insane money. I would think some of those people would be opposed to changing the pay model in the food/beverage service because they would make less money. Others might not feel that way
In the UK I tip a waiter/waitress if a person goes out of their way to make your evening special and looks after you well.
