I totally don't understand tipping... HELP!

[Dattebayo]

No, consumerism makes Americans unhappy. Every day of our lives we are told we need sh*t that isn't important to our lives.
Even if you are immune to that school of thought, it's all around us every day and is in everything we do. I notice alot of older folks aren't into that because they don't use the things that us younger people do. If you think the fogies are pissed off now, wait till the current generation gets old. YIKES

Basically, read the book Fight Club.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I don't want to converse, exchange small talk, pleasantries, or tell a stranger about my day.

Absolutely agreed. There's no better way to ensure that I won't enjoy my meal than to keep asking me if I'm enjoying my meal.

I'm gonna start tipping the cooks. Sorry, servers - You can be replaced by a touchscreen and a conveyor belt.

WHOA, keep your voice down. I don't want anyone to hear you saying crap like that.
Can you imagine restaurants dependent on touchscreens and machines? Holy shat, supermarkets can barely keep half of their self-checkout lanes working most of the time. Imagine trying to just have an effing meal but having to fight with a broken touch screen. Then the manager or supervisor would come over and fiddle with some buttons, put in some employee codes, and it still wouldn't work. So they'd just take your order by hand. And 10 minutes later you'd be right back where you should have been from the start: with a real human helping you.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

If tipping was as it is claimed to be, a performance-based reward (think commission), then I think life would be better. Bartender's tips are more like this. You tip well to reward a stiff drink, fast service, future fast service, etc.

Instead, it's just another entitlement these days.

And don't give me that "we make less than minimum wage without tips so we need at least 10%" s***. Some salesmen are entirely commission-based (which is effectively what tipping is).

[PEZi]

the prices skyrocket when restaurants have to pay ALL their employees DOUBLE what they currently make.

If that were true, then restaurants in California (required to pay minimum wage) would be twice as expensive as everywhere else (which is not the case).

i never said the prices on the menu double.... simply that you need to pay the employees double... the result is a higher price that typically equals or slightly exceeds the price you'd normally pay with a tip... so why not just tip instead, and only tip those that deserve it?

[PEZi]

No, consumerism makes Americans unhappy. Every day of our lives we are told we need sh*t that isn't important to our lives.

Basically, read the book Fight Club.

oh how i love palahniuk

[AsanBBoy]

I have worked in the back and front a few restaurants. Some of these servers think they are top s*** in the restaurant. They can be greedy about potential income and this effects both service to the customers and how they treat the people that provide the food that they transfer to the customer. If you are getting paid even a penny to do something, you better be doing a damn good job at it. It is what the customer expects when they pay for food, regardless of the wage the server is paid by the restaurant. I've gotten a few fired before, they're easily replaceable. A flat rate would be much better.

[Ozzie]

Alright, because Ozzy seems to be locked up by his new woman I asked my Cousin-in-law who was born in England. He was able to define one large difference between English and American servers.

In England you order your food and drinks. You're served. Before the server leaves the table he/she says, "Is there anything else I can get for you?" If there is nothing, they leave. They do not return until you raise your hand to flag them down, but they respond immediately when flagged.

In America the waiter/waitress will constantly come to your table and ask you how everything is. If you'd like a refill. And other pleasantries.

This was really the only difference. The speed of service is about the same he said.

As a note, he said that he finds the constant visits by the wait staff to be annoying as they interrupt your conversation.

*edit* He did mention that the servers in England seem to be generally happier then those in America. Quoting him, "Most American servers don't seem genuinely happy."

I was at work, so couldn't reply until now.

I think Australia would be the same as England in this regard.
What your cousin-in-law described to you about the servers is pretty much on par with Australia.

I think the American servers who complain about the tipping being not enough, need to work in a country (like Australia) where there is no tipping, and the pay rate would be around $16-$19 an hour, so they can see the difference between a tipping, and non-tipping culture.

I also just did a quick comparison in food menu prices.
I chose to look up steak. (I figured it would be a common item to find in both countries)

I found a chain called "Lone Star Steakhouse" in the US, and downloaded a menu so I could have a look.
Sorry to dissappoint you, but the prices are higher in the US for a comparable steak here.
And then I would have to tip the server on top of that.
I thought having to tip would mean the menu prices are lower?
This is not the case.

[Rex]

care to read that entire paragraph before sitting me down for a lecture?

and if you had read my earlier posts in the thread, i never said i had a problem with tipping, i have a problem tipping servers who provide no service. theres a difference.

I wasn't "disagreeing with you", I was providing actual info to your point.

And my other comments weren't direct at you either. They were general comments to those saying "just charge more for the food, I'll end up paying the same".

Sorry for the confusion.

[PoorManQ45]

another job i did was work at McDs for 6 month. our franchise policy included delivering the tray of food to the customers table and you had to go wipe down their tables afterwards. but do we get tipped for that s***? f*** no we didnt. in a fast food restaurant, you had to put up with just as much if not more s***, than you would get at a sit down diner. when compared, you could say that a worker at a fast food restaurant provides better service than some servers do, but they dont get tipped at all. they just stand there making $8.00/hr.

QFT! I worked at McDs for a total of 20 days. Then I quit. The amount of work required of you for minimum wage is insane!

[Poyzinous]

I agree with the China comment. Both Mexico and Honduras, which I've lived in/visited many times have excellent service and are very concerned with customer satisfaction, (except for the little places that aren't really 'restaurants' but they're still good) The custom in both those countries is 10%, and servers are happy to just get that. But because I know many of the hardships lots of those people go though I usually leave 20% or even 25%. Food down there is anywhere from 30% to 70% cheaper than here. A typical steak dinner thats $20 here is between $8 and $15 in either country. Since I get more or equal food at a significantly lower price, and the service is excellent, I enjoy the feeling of giving and being generous.

[wingFeather]

i never said the prices on the menu double.... simply that you need to pay the employees double... the result is a higher price that typically equals or slightly exceeds the price you'd normally pay with a tip... so why not just tip instead, and only tip those that deserve it?

[/quote]
If this were true, California restaurant prices would be higher as you've said... which they are not. It's simply not true.

[PoorManQ45]

I also just did a quick comparison in food menu prices.
I chose to look up steak. (I figured it would be a common item to find in both countries)

I found a chain called "Lone Star Steakhouse" in the US, and downloaded a menu so I could have a look.
Sorry to dissappoint you, but the prices are higher in the US for a comparable steak here.
And then I would have to tip the server on top of that.
I thought having to tip would mean the menu prices are lower?
This is not the case.

That is very interesting.

Anyone want to take a shot at an explanation of this?