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Why should a server be tipped a percentage of the meal cost?

radcen

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Why should a server be tipped a percentage of the meal cost? Where did this idea start? Why does that make a difference?

Ok, if a table runs up the tab and orders round after round of alcohol, and the server is constantly running back and forth for drinks, sure. That makes sense. The effort is there.

But if a customer orders a $25 steak or a $10 hamburger, the effort is the same. (Presumes no extra courses, as many places have eliminated those.) Why should the steak customer be expected to pay more for a tip simply because their meal cost more? At 20% you're talking $5 vs $2, and for what?

Question presumes a simple dining experience with no extras or drama.
 
Why should a server be tipped a percentage of the meal cost? Where did this idea start? Why does that make a difference?

Ok, if a table runs up the tab and orders round after round of alcohol, and the server is constantly running back and forth for drinks, sure. That makes sense. The effort is there.

But if a customer orders a $25 steak or a $10 hamburger, the effort is the same. (Presumes no extra courses, as many places have eliminated those.) Why should the steak customer be expected to pay more for a tip simply because their meal cost more? At 20% you're talking $5 vs $2, and for what?

Question presumes a simple dining experience with no extras or drama.

I rarely tip because service is rarely good. They rarely make sure my drinks are constantly filled, they rarely check to see if everything is ok. Usually what happens is they make 1 pass, drop off the bill and then might as well be a bunch of ghosts.

I tip delivery drivers though. I live kinda on the edge of all delivery zones and it's not easy to find. If they bring me plates, crushed pepper, parmesan, and napkins they get a good tip. If not they get something measley. But they always get something.
 
Why should a server be tipped a percentage of the meal cost? Where did this idea start? Why does that make a difference?

Ok, if a table runs up the tab and orders round after round of alcohol, and the server is constantly running back and forth for drinks, sure. That makes sense. The effort is there.

But if a customer orders a $25 steak or a $10 hamburger, the effort is the same. (Presumes no extra courses, as many places have eliminated those.) Why should the steak customer be expected to pay more for a tip simply because their meal cost more? At 20% you're talking $5 vs $2, and for what?

Question presumes a simple dining experience with no extras or drama.

Another factor I would assume is the quality of restaurant.... you may have a few felons as waiters for your local applebees... but a nice fancy restaurant, the waiters are classier. Fancier places tend to be more expensive...hence the waiters get paid more.

Unless you think the quality of service is the same at applebees than at a one of Gordon Ramsey's restaurants...
 
I suppose for the same reason that a real estate agent or car salesman expects a similar deal.
 
Another factor I would assume is the quality of restaurant.... you may have a few felons as waiters for your local applebees... but a nice fancy restaurant, the waiters are classier. Fancier places tend to be more expensive...hence the waiters get paid more.

Unless you think the quality of service is the same at applebees than at a one of Gordon Ramsey's restaurants...
Quality of service would be a better measure than cost of the meal. And my examples bear that out, constant running vs bare minimum.

Quality can be subjective, though. How do you quantify that? To me, quality includes friendliness, something you're just as possible to get at an Applebees as you would at a Gordon Ramsey place.
 
Why should a server be tipped a percentage of the meal cost? Where did this idea start? Why does that make a difference?

Ok, if a table runs up the tab and orders round after round of alcohol, and the server is constantly running back and forth for drinks, sure. That makes sense. The effort is there.

But if a customer orders a $25 steak or a $10 hamburger, the effort is the same. (Presumes no extra courses, as many places have eliminated those.) Why should the steak customer be expected to pay more for a tip simply because their meal cost more? At 20% you're talking $5 vs $2, and for what?

Question presumes a simple dining experience with no extras or drama.

It is not for naught that the French call it a "porboire".
But the connection between the size of the bill and the tip seems normal enough. When you've just spent a large sum, a large tip feels more justified and you expect the waiter to work harder.
 
I find myself tipping for what used to be 'average service'.The bar has been lowered so much, that if we get 'super service', I tip very well. If the system changes now the meals will be out of sight!
 
Why should a server be tipped a percentage of the meal cost? Where did this idea start? Why does that make a difference?

Ok, if a table runs up the tab and orders round after round of alcohol, and the server is constantly running back and forth for drinks, sure. That makes sense. The effort is there.

But if a customer orders a $25 steak or a $10 hamburger, the effort is the same. (Presumes no extra courses, as many places have eliminated those.) Why should the steak customer be expected to pay more for a tip simply because their meal cost more? At 20% you're talking $5 vs $2, and for what?

Question presumes a simple dining experience with no extras or drama.

It got out of hand. I think at first, it was just something that was done to show a "job well done", but then companies used it as an excuse to pay servers less. So now, it's entrenched and expected. It's hard to say that the server shouldn't be tipped something now because it is true, they are paid significantly lower than min wage and tips are part of their nominal paycheck.

Personally, i'd like to see the whole system done away with. Servers make min wage, and no tipping.
 
Fair comparison, but all that does is expand the question. It doesn't answer it.

The key here is expectation, based on custom/tradition. Why we have that custom/tradition is another matter - and a very good question, BTW.
 
It got out of hand. I think at first, it was just something that was done to show a "job well done", but then companies used it as an excuse to pay servers less. So now, it's entrenched and expected. It's hard to say that the server shouldn't be tipped something now because it is true, they are paid significantly lower than min wage and tips are part of their nominal paycheck.

Personally, i'd like to see the whole system done away with. Servers make min wage, and no tipping.

It should be noted that if servers are not paid enough in tips to match non-tip minimum wage, the employer is required to make up the difference in pay. So, by law, they are required to be paid at least minimum wage either way.
 
It should be noted that if servers are not paid enough in tips to match non-tip minimum wage, the employer is required to make up the difference in pay. So, by law, they are required to be paid at least minimum wage either way.

Yeah, it can be claimed in taxes and such.

But then why even muck it up? Get rid of tipping in general.
 
I mostly tip the wait staff who don't hover around me better than I do the ones who are super attentive. I feel like the ones who are constantly there are watching me eat, which is annoying.
 
It should be noted that if servers are not paid enough in tips to match non-tip minimum wage, the employer is required to make up the difference in pay. So, by law, they are required to be paid at least minimum wage either way.
This is absolutely true, but not all employees know this and don't push for it if they do fall below.
 
This all came about after tips became taxable income.

Once upon a time, tips were awarded on the basis of service. Good service got a tip relative to how good the customer thought it deserved. Bad service got no tip or a minimal "spite" tip (often with a complaint to management).

However, when tips became taxable income based on an employer's estimated gratuity earnings amount via amendments to various tax and wage laws, it allowed employers under the Fair Labor Standards Act to pay less than minimum wage and calculate the difference earned in tips as wages. This then became part of the server's wage consideration. Restaurants (and certain other businesses) are allowed to pay below minimum wages because tips are counted as wages.

Servers/waiters now feel that it is just part of their expected wages, so they don't really have to do anything except what they were hired to do...take your order, bring you your order, and present you with the bill.

Personally I think this was a mistake. Tips should not be taxed, servers should only expect a tip if they provide exceptional service, and customers should only tip when it is merited.
 
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It got out of hand. I think at first, it was just something that was done to show a "job well done", but then companies used it as an excuse to pay servers less. So now, it's entrenched and expected. It's hard to say that the server shouldn't be tipped something now because it is true, they are paid significantly lower than min wage and tips are part of their nominal paycheck.

Personally, i'd like to see the whole system done away with. Servers make min wage, and no tipping.
Government laws allow this, though. I have a HUGE issue with this practice. I do not think it should be allowed. If you're going to have a minimum wage, have a minimum wage. Tipping is extra.

Five states (I think) do not allow tipped employees to be paid less, MW is still required. California is one of them, and my ex being a "professional server" I can attest that the wage paid does not negatively affect tips. She still got the same. I can also attest that it didn't affect prices, as I paid roughly the same for a meal there as I do now in a state that does allow less than MW.
 
Yeah, it can be claimed in taxes and such.

I don't mean just claimed in taxes -- the employer actually has to pay.

But then why even muck it up? Get rid of tipping in general.

I'm fine with that.

I know a lot of people will be upset when prices go up, though.
 
This all came about after tips became taxable income.

Once upon a time, tips were awarded on the basis of service. Good service got a tip relative to how good the customer thought it deserved. Bad service got not tip (often with a complaint to management).

However, when tips were taxed on an estimated amount, then it became part of the server's wage consideration. Restaurants (and certain other businesses) are allowed to pay below minimum wages because tips are counted as wages.

Servers/waiters now feel that it is just part of their expected wages, so they don't really have to do anything except what they were hired to do...take your order, bring you your order, and present you with the bill.

Personally I think this was a mistake. Tips should not be taxed, servers should only expect a tip if they provide exceptional service, and customers should only tip when it is merited.
I agree that tips should not be taxed.
 
This is absolutely true, but not all employees know this and don't push for it if they do fall below.

This happens, but the law doesn't leave servers high and dry, as many seem to think.
 
I don't mean just claimed in taxes -- the employer actually has to pay.



I'm fine with that.

I know a lot of people will be upset when prices go up, though.

Perchance, but prices would need to go up by more than 15-20% for it to make a real difference, lol.
 
Perchance, but prices would need to go up by more than 15-20% for it to make a real difference, lol.

Sure, if the typical customer were to look at that sort of thing rationally.
 
This all came about after tips became taxable income.

Once upon a time, tips were awarded on the basis of service. Good service got a tip relative to how good the customer thought it deserved. Bad service got no tip or a minimal "spite" tip (often with a complaint to management).

However, when tips were taxed on an estimated amount, then it became part of the server's wage consideration. Restaurants (and certain other businesses) are allowed to pay below minimum wages because tips are counted as wages.

Servers/waiters now feel that it is just part of their expected wages, so they don't really have to do anything except what they were hired to do...take your order, bring you your order, and present you with the bill.

Personally I think this was a mistake. Tips should not be taxed, servers should only expect a tip if they provide exceptional service, and customers should only tip when it is merited.

If that is the case, then , they should get paid the same wages as everyone else.
 
Why should a server be tipped a percentage of the meal cost? Where did this idea start? Why does that make a difference?

Ok, if a table runs up the tab and orders round after round of alcohol, and the server is constantly running back and forth for drinks, sure. That makes sense. The effort is there.

But if a customer orders a $25 steak or a $10 hamburger, the effort is the same. (Presumes no extra courses, as many places have eliminated those.) Why should the steak customer be expected to pay more for a tip simply because their meal cost more? At 20% you're talking $5 vs $2, and for what?

Question presumes a simple dining experience with no extras or drama.

The American tradition of tipping actually has some very ugly origins.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...l-feel-ok-about-tipping-in-the-united-states/
Shake Shack Founder Explains Tipping's Racist Origins | The Huffington Post
 
Sure, if the typical customer were to look at that sort of thing rationally.

Ruined by the illogical again!

Honestly, in the end, it would be the servers who don't want to go away from this, I would think. Though I actually have no statistic to back it up. I think when you include tips, servers generally make decent coin. I'm just bitter at the whole "tipping" system in general.
 
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