Is tipping on the way out?

[Jenksismyhero]

http://money.cnn.com/2015/11/11/pf/joes-cr...ack-no-tipping/

 

God I hope so. I hate tipping so much.

[bmags]

I have a hard time believing that Joes crab shack will be on the forefront of anything.

[pettie4sox]

Well you'll see an increase in your food prices to compensate for the wage increases waiters will receive.

[StrangeSox]

I have a hard time believing that Joes crab shack will be on the forefront of anything.

 

lol'd, but I'm at least hearing more and more stories on the news about restaurants experimenting with no tipping policies.

 

Most of the rest of the world manages to make service industries work without relying on customers' tips, but there's concerns that ending tipping could mean taking money out of workers' pockets if there aren't other changes and guarantees.

[StrangeSox]

Well you'll see an increase in your food prices to compensate for the wage increases waiters will receive.

Yeah, but you're already paying $20 for your dinner + 20% or whatever.

[bmags]

I say keep tipping.

[bigruss]

I say keep tipping.

I think the ideal state is to pay waiters/service staff more and at the same time cut down on tipping. Essentially, raise the guaranteed money while cutting down on the variable (though possibly higher at times) pay from tips. If a server is really good then you still have the normalcy of seeing a higher tip.

 

Problem is, that's a shift that is harder to accomplish than a full cut out of tips, people would still feel obligated to tip a higher percentage if a tip was still expected (and that would hurt businesses in the long run since people would see a higher bill on average).

[dasox24]

I never knew how awful people were about tipping until I became friends with a waitress at a restaurant I go to a lot. I couldn't believe what she would tell me about her tips.

[greg775]

I never knew how awful people were about tipping until I became friends with a waitress at a restaurant I go to a lot. I couldn't believe what she would tell me about her tips.

Maybe it's because I grew up upper middle class with my dad paying for my college and me always having enough money to keep my wallet full (knock on wood and thanks mom and dad) but I've never understood why many people are "cheap." If you are cheap, tell us about it. How cheap are you? Has your significant other called you on it ever?

 

I've always tipped excessively and been so polite to people who wait on the public. It stems from when I worked as a kid at a concession stand and cooked hot dogs and sold beer, pop, candy, chips and heard all the public's unwarranted, unfounded complaints. Made so mad I told myself I'd never be a rude customer.

One time, one asshole who came into my concession stand at the golf course every Sunday and b****ed about the prices and how my hot dogs weren't hot enough (at f***ing 7 a.m. when I just opened the store) left his wallet. I put the wallet under my counter. We didn't have a phone up there in my stand on the 9th hole and I couldn't leave it. So about 3 hours later this asshole comes driving up with the golf course owner and says, "I left my wallet up here and I bet you found it." I said, "Yes I did, here it is." The bastard counted his money and said, "It's all here," and left without even thanking me much less giving me a tip.

The public can be ASSHOLES. Be kind to your server. Tip tip tip!!! Life is too short to be cheap. Spend your money, don't hoard your money.

Edited November 12, 2015 by greg775

[StrangeSox]

Server is the #1 job in the world for women. There would certainly be plenty of resistance because of that. Also, the thread title is misleading. Joe's Crab Shack is trying it out at SOME of their stores. This isn't much of a movement.

 

As a server, if I worked at Joe's Crabs Shack and they took away tips and were going to pay the servers 12-14/hr I would go to a different restaurant before they could put the new rule in effect. Incentivizing is important. From the consumer's point of view, I understand the argument but if you took away the carrot in front of the server it would change the quality of work.

How does the rest of the world manage to survive without tipping? Both service sectors in other countries and people with non tipped jobs here.

 

 

[LittleHurt05]

Server is the #1 job in the world for women. There would certainly be plenty of resistance because of that. Also, the thread title is misleading. Joe's Crab Shack is trying it out at SOME of their stores. This isn't much of a movement.

 

As a server, if I worked at Joe's Crabs Shack and they took away tips and were going to pay the servers 12-14/hr I would go to a different restaurant before they could put the new rule in effect. Incentivizing is important. From the consumer's point of view, I understand the argument but if you took away the carrot in front of the server it would change the quality of work.

 

I'm sorry but I don't buy this argument at all. It's still a job, you still have customers who can complain, bosses who can fire you, you aren't gonna just stop doing your job because you aren't working for tips. Your "incentive" is to keep your job and keep getting paid.

[Big Hurtin]

I hate counter tipping, like when they put a cup out af coffee shops. If it's a sit-down place where someone's bringing me food, I have no problem tipping.

[GoSox05]

I never knew how awful people were about tipping until I became friends with a waitress at a restaurant I go to a lot. I couldn't believe what she would tell me about her tips.

 

My wife was working as a waitress when we first start dating. The stories she used to tell me about how awful people were.

 

I would last about a day doing that job.

[Iwritecode]

Maybe it's because I grew up upper middle class with my dad paying for my college and me always having enough money to keep my wallet full (knock on wood and thanks mom and dad) but I've never understood why many people are "cheap." If you are cheap, tell us about it. How cheap are you? Has your significant other called you on it ever?

 

I've always tipped excessively and been so polite to people who wait on the public. It stems from when I worked as a kid at a concession stand and cooked hot dogs and sold beer, pop, candy, chips and heard all the public's unwarranted, unfounded complaints. Made so mad I told myself I'd never be a rude customer.

One time, one asshole who came into my concession stand at the golf course every Sunday and b****ed about the prices and how my hot dogs weren't hot enough (at f***ing 7 a.m. when I just opened the store) left his wallet. I put the wallet under my counter. We didn't have a phone up there in my stand on the 9th hole and I couldn't leave it. So about 3 hours later this asshole comes driving up with the golf course owner and says, "I left my wallet up here and I bet you found it." I said, "Yes I did, here it is." The bastard counted his money and said, "It's all here," and left without even thanking me much less giving me a tip.

The public can be ASSHOLES. Be kind to your server. Tip tip tip!!! Life is too short to be cheap. Spend your money, don't hoard your money.

 

Workers at places like fast-food, gas stations, grocery stores and retail stores all have to deal with those same assholes. But they don't get tips no matter how good of a job they do.

 

Retail cashiers usually get it the worst. They get the brunt of the customer's frustrations and are typically powerless to do anything about it. "Why are the lines so long?" "Why wasn't this product in stock?" "Why isn't that item ringing up at the correct price?"

[RockRaines]

My wife was working as a waitress when we first start dating. The stories she used to tell me about how awful people were.

 

I would last about a day doing that job.

Everyone should be required to work in the service industry at some point. Thats why I am a perpetual over tipper for good service. People feel like you are their slaves and mistreat and speak down to you almost any chance they get. More than 50% of patrons under tip or barely tip at all. Your employer builds in tips to your wages so they can save money. As a bartender I took pride in my craft and work ethic and pay usually reflected that.

 

 

 

 

if you really want to go to "no tips" add 20% to your bill and in some cases even 25%. Your cost as a consumer would stay the same or increase.

[Iwritecode]

As far as tips go, I don't mind them. I just wish they would get rid of the automatic gratuity BS. I've been burned on that twice at two separate places and haven't been back to either one since then.

 

[RockRaines]

As far as tips go, I don't mind them. I just wish they would get rid of the automatic gratuity BS. I've been burned on that twice at two separate places and haven't been back to either one since then.

Usually thats for large groups, if its automatic somewhere else for individuals, thats their attempt at a "no tipping" model.

 

My Country Club went to that because there were just too many seniors that never gave a cent to the hardworking people, so they switch to automatic tips. Seems to work.

[Jenksismyhero]

I never knew how awful people were about tipping until I became friends with a waitress at a restaurant I go to a lot. I couldn't believe what she would tell me about her tips.

 

All the more reason to get rid of tipping playing any role in their compensation. I remember American Life did a podcast on whether attitude/attentiveness changed the amount of the tip. They deliberately had the waiter be super flirty, nice, attentive, etc. and then they had them act the opposite. Not rude, but basically take the order, bring the food. That's it. And while it was only a few servers in one day at one restaurant, they found that how nice/attentive they were didn't mean anything. People are going to tip you how they're going to tip you. If you're a person that tips 15%, you could have the nicest experience ever and the server is still getting 15%.

 

I hate all of it. Giving a pizza delivery guy a few bucks? Why? I paid a delivery fee. Why am I paying a waiter/waitress $40 bucks at a nice place for the same work that I pay someone $10 at a regular place? That sort of crap drives me nuts.

 

 

[RockRaines]

All the more reason to get rid of tipping playing any role in their compensation. I remember American Life did a podcast on whether attitude/attentiveness changed the amount of the tip. They deliberately had the waiter be super flirty, nice, attentive, etc. and then they had them act the opposite. Not rude, but basically take the order, bring the food. That's it. And while it was only a few servers in one day at one restaurant, they found that how nice/attentive they were didn't mean anything. People are going to tip you how they're going to tip you. If you're a person that tips 15%, you could have the nicest experience ever and the server is still getting 15%.

 

I hate all of it. Giving a pizza delivery guy a few bucks? Why? I paid a delivery fee. Why am I paying a waiter/waitress $40 bucks at a nice place for the same work that I pay someone $10 at a regular place? That sort of crap drives me nuts.

Because their employer is probably a s*** head that factors in a percentage of their pay to tips and they rely on that additional piece.

 

I take it you've never actually worked in the service industry.

[StrangeSox]

All the more reason to get rid of tipping playing any role in their compensation. I remember American Life did a podcast on whether attitude/attentiveness changed the amount of the tip. They deliberately had the waiter be super flirty, nice, attentive, etc. and then they had them act the opposite. Not rude, but basically take the order, bring the food. That's it. And while it was only a few servers in one day at one restaurant, they found that how nice/attentive they were didn't mean anything. People are going to tip you how they're going to tip you. If you're a person that tips 15%, you could have the nicest experience ever and the server is still getting 15%.

 

Yeah, making positive comments about the weather or drawing a smiley face on the check has an influence on tipping, too. Plus, a lot of the problems can be out of the wait staff's control, anyway. Food came out wrong or cooked wrong? Took too long? Didn't like what you ordered? None of that has anything to do with the waiter's service, but it could definitely affect how much they take home.

[StrangeSox]

Because their employer is probably a s*** head that factors in a percentage of their pay to tips and they rely on that additional piece.

 

I take it you've never actually worked in the service industry.

 

California doesn't have a separate tipped minimum wage, not sure if other states are like that. In many other countries, restaurants are required to pay their employees' wages instead of relying on the customers to do it directly.

[Jenksismyhero]

Because their employer is probably a s*** head that factors in a percentage of their pay to tips and they rely on that additional piece.

 

I take it you've never actually worked in the service industry.

 

Define "service industry."

[RockRaines]

California doesn't have a separate tipped minimum wage, not sure if other states are like that. In many other countries, restaurants are required to pay their employees' wages instead of relying on the customers to do it directly.

My time as a server in IL/OH the minimum wage would be lets use 8 bucks. Your wage rate would be 3 dollars and the rest would be made up by tips. On the employers records and your W2 without claiming tips you were effectively make a fraction of minimum wage.

 

On really slow night or with s***ty customers (quarter beer night or the sort) I would work 8-10 hours and make less than 50 bucks. One thing to remember in the restaurant industry as well, you have to tip out people that arent exactly customer facing like the bar backs and bus boys as well. So your "tip jar" actually gets divided up quite a bit

Edited November 12, 2015 by RockRaines

[Jenksismyhero]

Oh, and tipping a bartender for beers? For literally taking the top off? Wtf? Why is that acceptable? I can understand it if you spent 2-3 minutes and made me a drink (even though i'm paying 10-15 bucks for it, why isn't that included?). But so many times I felt compelled to drop an extra dollar on an 8 dollar beer. The older I get, the less likely I am to do that crap.

 

 

[illinilaw08]

Because their employer is probably a s*** head that factors in a percentage of their pay to tips and they rely on that additional piece.

 

I take it you've never actually worked in the service industry.

 

I'm all for paying a living wage to people in the service industry - then they don't have to rely on me as a consumer to subsidize their wages. The tipping model as a whole is annoying - plenty of consumers take advantage, and there are more unwritten rules than baseball (there are people who don't tip on liquor, do you tip on carry-out, etc.).

 

In an ideal world, everyone in the service industry would be paid a living wage, and they wouldn't rely on the consumer tipping on the service. Until that day comes, I'll continue to tip and tip well...