Restaurants - please ask who gets the tips

JReacher1

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

Why though? People who work in retail get paid a wage to do their job. People who work in restaurant get paid a wage to do their job. Why should the people in a restuarant get a tip? Seriously am curious as to why you think that. If someone believes that someone has given a good service then I can understand why they might want to tip, but why isn't that the case for all professions? Just puzzles me why it's just usually the two professions (hospitality and hairdressing) that it seems to be expected in?

"Need to pay staff more to perform the role of the waiter"? But that's their job!

It's a bad job being a waiter. You're not going to get decent people doing it for minimum wage. It's far worse than working in retail.

Georgiegirl256

JReacher1 wrote: »

It's a bad job being a waiter. You're not going to get decent people doing it for minimum wage. It's far worse than working in retail.

Having done both, I'd have to totally disagree with that. The amount of abuse we got off customers whilst working in retail was shocking. We got offered tips, but we couldn't accept them, nor would I have wanted to really. I was doing my job for which I got paid for and didn't expect any extra.

However, people should be allowed to tip for good service along the board, wherever they choose. Waiters/Waitresses are no more deserving than any other profession IMO.

Kim_kim

JReacher1 wrote: »

If people didn't tip in restaurants then the price of food would rise as the restaurants would need to pay staff more to perform the role of waiter.

If you can afford to eat out you can afford to pay 10% tip to the person who waits on you.

I accept many people don't tip and hide behind the age old argument of "I work in a shop and I don't get a tip" but that's really just how they excuse being tight.

And that would be a good thing!
The price charged should cover all expenses including the servers wage. I would be all for food prices rising 10% to allow wages to increase. Then they could pay tax & NI on their income too, like the rest of us.
The price charged should reflect the whole cost.

JReacher1

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

Having done both, I'd have to totally disagree with that. The amount of abuse we got off customers whilst working in retail was shocking. We got offered tips, but we couldn't accept them, nor would I have wanted to really. I was doing my job for which I got paid for and didn't expect any extra.

However, people should be allowed to tip for good service along the board, wherever they choose. Waiters/Waitresses are no more deserving than any other profession IMO.

There is something more demeaning about waiting on people e.g. Cooking them food, bringing them food, bringing them drinks, taking their empty plates away, cleaning the plates and the table that I think justifies the person on the receiving end paying a bit of money as a thank you.

Detroit

JReacher1 wrote: »

It's a bad job being a waiter. You're not going to get decent people doing it for minimum wage. It's far worse than working in retail.

If this is the case, then better that restaurants pay them more and, as you say, increase the price of the meals if necessary.

This would surely be preferable to the server, who would know their wage was guaranteed at a certain level, than to have the insecurity of their level of earnings being based on customer discretion.

I also think there's something a little old fashioned and almost patronising about tipping. It turns a straight forward transaction, agreed price for services rendered, into a 'heres a coin for you my good man' type arrangement.

Service staff should be treated as professional people performing a role for which customers pay through the official channels.
Can you imagine slipping your GP a fiver to thank him for an excellent consultation?

JReacher1

Detroit wrote: »

If this is the case, then better that restaurants pay them more and, as you say, increase the price of the meals if necessary.

This would surely be preferable to the server, who would know their wage was guaranteed at a certain level, than to have the insecurity of their level of earnings being based on customer discretion.

I also think there's something a little old fashioned and almost patronising about tipping. It turns a straight forward transaction, agreed price for services rendered, into a 'heres a coin for you my good man' type arrangement.

Service staff should be treated as professional people performing a role for which customers pay through the official channels.
Can you imagine slipping your GP a fiver to thank him for an excellent consultation?

Yep like I said in my post people like to come up with good excuses to justify why they don't tip in restaurants. I like the "I'm not going to tip you because me giving you 10% is patronising and demeans you as a person".

Great excuse for being tight.

Kim_kim

Detroit wrote: »

If this is the case, then better that restaurants pay them more and, as you say, increase the price of the meals if necessary.

This would surely be preferable to the server, who would know their wage was guaranteed at a certain level, than to have the insecurity of their level of earnings being based on customer discretion.

I also think there's something a little old fashioned and almost patronising about tipping. It turns a straight forward transaction, agreed price for services rendered, into a 'heres a coin for you my good man' type arrangement.

Service staff should be treated as professional people performing a role for which customers pay through the official channels.
Can you imagine slipping your GP a fiver to thank him for an excellent consultation?

Im going to agree with you there - it almost feels a bit third world.

That's probably why countries with the most equal standards (Australia, NZ & the Scandinavian countries) don't tip, they pay fair wages.

Kim_kim

JReacher1 wrote: »

Yep like I said in my post people like to come up with good excuses to justify why they don't tip in restaurants. I like the "I'm not going to tip you because me giving you 10% is patronising and demeans you as a person".

Great excuse for being tight.

That arguement doesn't work when we are saying increase the cost of the food & pay the staff more.

Kim_kim

JReacher1 wrote: »

There is something more demeaning about waiting on people e.g. Cooking them food, bringing them food, bringing them drinks, taking their empty plates away, cleaning the plates and the table that I think justifies the person on the receiving end paying a bit of money as a thank you.

There is nothing demeaning about working for a living, however you do it.

What an odd thing to say.

Actually the only thing that is demeaning is relying on tips to make a living wage, rather than a fair rate upfront for your labour as your salary.

JReacher1

Kim_kim wrote: »

Im going to agree with you there - it almost feels a bit third world.

That's probably why countries with the most equal standards (Australia, NZ & the Scandinavian countries) don't tip, they pay fair wages.

Yep I am sure the staff that wait on you appreciated the fact you don't deman them by saving yourself a few quid.

I Am sure you get excellent service from waiters due to your thoughtfulness.