Tipping.. and servers that make under minimum wage.?

Question

For the most part, I am a very good tipper. but that is because i at the moment can, regardless of the service i get..

I know their are 'rules' when it comes to tipping. BUT and NOT to be disrespectful of any server, I want to ask.. I hear that " I make 3$ an hour, I need my tips," OK. Yes, I know this, BUT is it my fault your job only pays you 3$ an hour.?

I don't mean to be rude, and I am not sure how to word this with out sounding rude. In the end is it the customers job to make up the rest of a servers pay?

Answer 1

its a bullshit system, its designed to have the consumer pay more and the restaurant pay less. think about it, an average night out can cost the high price of the meal PLUS maybe $5 on average?



An aspect of it that makes sense, however, is you get paid for how hard you work. For the people who really put in effort it will pay off.



I am a good tipper too, however. I usually do 20% or higher. But the system is retarted. We're personally paying for service that should be standard anyway.

Answer 2

No. I don't feel it's my job to fill in my servers pay check.

I say that having been a waitress. A bad waitress. And it showed in my lack of tips.

(Thankfully, I was an excellent bartender. $$$$$)

Waiting tables is a demanding job. But I took that job expecting to only make the wages offered by my employer & did not budget in tips.

I am not tipping a person for taking my order & fetching my meal. I can do that. I can pick up a menu & walk to the cook & then watch the time to pick up my meal.

I DO tip when a server has made my dining experience pleasant. Having been a waitress, I'm one of those over-tippers. But it does have to be earned with friendliness or suggestions that will make my meal even better or accommodating where I want to sit at another empty table or jokes to brighten my day or not chatting with me when I'm obviously busy, etc.

As I said, I can get the food myself. I can't "entertain" me.

I guess I'm tipping b/c of "people skills." That's above & beyond what I'm paying for on the bill.

Answer 3

"I make $3 an hour, I need my tips" is not a valid excuse. If servers do not earn at least minimum wage from their hourly pay + tips, the employer is legally required to make up the difference.



Personally, I hate the American tipping system. In many European countries, tipping servers in not required. Servers are paid a living wage. Servers do a good job to keep their job, not just to score a good tip. Menu prices may be a little higher, but in the end it all evens out.

Answer 4

Being a former waitress / server I would say "no" it isn't the customers job. Like you said, it's not the customer's fault that this person decided to take a job that is mainly based on tips. I just think that servers get irritated when they give someone exceptional service, go above and beyond what is expected, and then not receive anything. It is just common courtesy to always tip someone when they wait on you.

I truly believe that most people don't tip because (1) they think the service was bad, (2) they weren't aware they were supposed to tip at that type of food establishment (like buffets), or (3) they really and truly don't know any better.



I am a teacher now and can tell you the pay for servers and teachers have one thing in common; neither job pays you what you are worth:)

Answer 5

There are a couple of reasons servers are paid under $3/hr. By paying servers this small salary, restaurants are able to keep their menu prices a lot lower than they could if they had to pay every single waiter/waitress minimum wage or more. Another reason is better service. When a server is depending on their customers paying their salary, they are much more likely to give better service. If they were paid a set wage, some servers would slack and not bust their butt's so much for their customers because they make the same amount of money regardless of whether their customers got mediocre service or not. Yes companies are supposed to compensate servers if they don't make enough money to make minimum wage, but that doesn't always happen. I was short on tips one night and when I clocked out I entered the amount of money I made although it was not enough to make my earnings equal at least minimum wage that night. I got a call from one of the managers in corporate scolding me for not claiming enough tips even though I was doing what I was supposed to. We servers have to pay taxes on our sales whether we were stiffed or not. My paycheck is usually under $20 for every two weeks after all those taxes are taken out. I understand why people don't want to have to be responsible for paying a server's wage, but if they weren't, then prices would be higher and service would be sub par. I try my best to please every customer that sits down in my section and it's much appreciated when I have customers that recognize my hard work. It may seem like an easy job, but there are a lot of really hard things we have to deal with that go on behind the scenes and that customer's don't always notice. Hope this helped somewhat!

Answer 6

You enter into an unwritten contract when you dine out that you will tip. The wage paid a server is based on the premise they will receive tips. In fact the IRS requires restaurants to automatically report 8% of the servers' net sales as tips which are taxable. So you actually cost a server money if you tip less than 8%. Contrary to popular belief, tipping is required, and the only possible excuse for not tipping is extremely poor service. If this happens to you more than once in your lifetime, you are the problem, not the server. And you should also tip if the food is bad. Bottom line, if you are not prepared to tip at least 15-20% when you eat out, then you should not eat out.

Answer 7

Servers aren't as poor as they cry, unless they're bad servers no one likes to tip. If their tips do not amount to minimum wage, the employer has to make up the difference. And if they customary do not, he cannot pay the modified wage. It's Federal labor law.



But weren't you just expecting them to also split their tips with everyone else in the restaurant on your other question? You apparently are not aware of the nuances of restaurant work. I haven't even worked in one and I often find I know more about the regulations than those who do.

Answer 8

No you don't HAVE to tip if you don't want to. Yes they make $3 per hour, but if they don't make the equivalent of minimum wage in tips, the employer has to pay them up to minimum wage.



For example, in Indiana, the minimum wage is $7.25/hr. If the waiter/waitress is only getting paid $3 per hour, and somehow they don't get any tips for the entire pay period, the employer has to pay them the extra $4.25. That is the law.

Answer 9

Tipping is a courtesy, not a requirement. You are right, it's not your fault their job pays so little, and it is not your responsibility to make up the difference.

Answer 10

sucky sucky 3 dolla an houa