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Should employers be allowed to pay tipped employees less than minimum wage?

Should employers be allowed to pay tipped employees less than minimum wage?

  • Yes

    Votes: 22 41.5%
  • No

    Votes: 31 58.5%
  • Don't know

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    53
You buying?

For all intents and purposes, they could rename the "dollar menu" the "Gipper menu".

I'm not always like that though. Once in a while, I'll take a date out to dinner for unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks for $5.95. This is what we call "splurging".

:rofl :rofl

(I remember you on a thread or two I posted mentioning your "economical ways." Now I understand. :rofl !!!
 
Yes, they should be allowed to pay less than minimum wage in tip jobs. Anyone who's ever stayed at a resort where tips are included? Or where they add 15% onto the checks for dinner? Knows that tips are the only things that motivate excellent service.

I don't buy that. Many people work without being tipped, and give excellent service. And it doesn't mean tips will stop. Some will still tip.
 
:rofl :rofl

(I remember you on a thread or two I posted mentioning your "economical ways." Now I understand. :rofl !!!

Well, is soup, salad, and breadsticks not a delicious, well-rounded, and even potentially healthy meal (depending on how much salad/breadsticks you eat, and the type of soup)? Can't beat that with a stick.

I pride myself on only dating low-maintenance women...and nothing said "high-maintenance" like steak and lobster - especially on a first date.
 
As a restaurant owner,I have no problem paying my employees minimum wage as long as people here have no problem paying a dollar or two more per dish.I don't get my ingredients for free.I offered to pay my waiters and server minimum wage,but since they average out to $500-600 a week on tips,I guess they don't want to take a pay cut.
 
I don't buy that. Many people work without being tipped, and give excellent service. And it doesn't mean tips will stop. Some will still tip.
I agree with this, but I believe the entitlement mentality has encroached so completely in some industries (i.e.: food service, especially) that now some actually use it as an excuse to purposely give bad service. It didn't used to be this way.

I used to ask the question: What's next? Do I tip the toll taker at the toll booth for taking my money when I cross the toll bridge?
 
I have heard stories of people being arrested for refusing to pay the mandated tip, but only second-hand. Of course, even if the cop is over-zealous doesn't necessarily mean he's right.

Unless you didn't get your food at all, how did you not get the service you paid for? They only promise service. Nowhere is it implied that it will be good service. "Good" is subjective.

A dispute like that is a matter for the courts, not the police.

There is always a standard implied whenever you purchase any good or service. "Good" is subjective and that's why disputes like that are handled by the courts. People are constantly suing one another because things they bought didn't live up to the implied standard.
 
As a restaurant owner,I have no problem paying my employees minimum wage as long as people here have no problem paying a dollar or two more per dish.I don't get my ingredients for free.I offered to pay my waiters and server minimum wage,but since they average out to $500-600 a week on tips,I guess they don't want to take a pay cut.

As a former restaurant owner I understand... to a point. There are a handful of states that do not allow wages less than minimum wage, and menu prices in those states aren't any higher (on average) than in states that do pay lower wages.

To your point, though, I would actually be happier if I could pay a few dollars more then not have to bribe the server for good service. It would be worth it to me and make my overall dining experience much more enjoyable.
 
As a restaurant owner,I have no problem paying my employees minimum wage as long as people here have no problem paying a dollar or two more per dish.I don't get my ingredients for free.I offered to pay my waiters and server minimum wage,but since they average out to $500-600 a week on tips,I guess they don't want to take a pay cut.

Personally, I would pay several dollars more to dine in a restaurant with a professional waiting staff who take pride in their job. Waiters seem to personify the "good enough" mentality these days.
 
I agree with this, but I believe the entitlement mentality has encroached so completely in some industries (i.e.: food service, especially) that now some actually use it as an excuse to purposely give bad service. It didn't used to be this way.

I used to ask the question: What's next? Do I tip the toll taker at the toll booth for taking my money when I cross the toll bridge?

Just requires retraining. ;)
 
As a restaurant owner,I have no problem paying my employees minimum wage as long as people here have no problem paying a dollar or two more per dish.I don't get my ingredients for free.I offered to pay my waiters and server minimum wage,but since they average out to $500-600 a week on tips,I guess they don't want to take a pay cut.

Reporting tips and the less than minimum wage are both sort of honor systems and we know how that works. I voted yes and think that as long as the playing field is level, each of us is well served by the system. There are always exceptions.
 
As a former restaurant owner I understand... to a point. There are a handful of states that do not allow wages less than minimum wage, and menu prices in those states aren't any higher (on average) than in states that do pay lower wages.

To your point, though, I would actually be happier if I could pay a few dollars more then not have to bribe the server for good service. It would be worth it to me and make my overall dining experience much more enjoyable.

Like I said,I put the offer on the table (all my employees get bennies,by the way) and it was rejected by the waiters.
My restaurants check averages are int the $45 per customer range.Which is pretty good for casual fine dining.If either of you don't mind paying $50 a plate,I have no problem selling it to you.



Personally, I would pay several dollars more to dine in a restaurant with a professional waiting staff who take pride in their job. Waiters seem to personify the "good enough" mentality these days.
 
Like I said,I put the offer on the table (all my employees get bennies,by the way) and it was rejected by the waiters.
My restaurants check averages are int the $45 per customer range.Which is pretty good for casual fine dining.If either of you don't mind paying $50 a plate,I have no problem selling it to you.

I believe you. Earlier in the thread I talked about how, as much as servers complain about the day-to-day inconsistency of their tips, they always balk when higher wages / less tips is proposed. For all their complaining, they know they'd lose out in the long run.
 
As a restaurant owner,I have no problem paying my employees minimum wage as long as people here have no problem paying a dollar or two more per dish.I don't get my ingredients for free.I offered to pay my waiters and server minimum wage,but since they average out to $500-600 a week on tips,I guess they don't want to take a pay cut.
How would that be a pay cut? You can pay them minimum wage, or anything above the tip credit wage if you want, and that has nothing to do with tips. A few states don't allow tip credit and the wait staff receive at least min wage and still get tips.

Or were you suggesting a no tip policy and pay min wage. (which makes no business sense).
 
Reporting tips and the less than minimum wage are both sort of honor systems and we know how that works. I voted yes and think that as long as the playing field is level, each of us is well served by the system. There are always exceptions.

Good luck with getting that past the NRA (National Restaurants Association) and state/city Restaurant Associations.
The states where my company operates have RA's that aren't to keen on raising on wages in this economy,and a lot of waiters in high end restaurants aren't to keen on it either.
 
How would that be a pay cut? You can pay them minimum wage, or anything above the tip credit wage if you want, and that has nothing to do with tips. A few states don't allow tip credit and the wait staff receive at least min wage and still get tips.

Or were you suggesting a no tip policy and pay min wage. (which makes no business sense).
Why don't you ask my waiters?
I offered, they rejected,end of story.
 
I believe you. Earlier in the thread I talked about how, as much as servers complain about the day-to-day inconsistency of their tips, they always balk when higher wages / less tips is proposed. For all their complaining, they know they'd lose out in the long run.

Thank you.We both know that experience trumps ideology. You've been in the business (a lot of these people here haven't) so you know the realities of owning and operating a restaurant.We both know it isn't easy,and you probably popped antacids like Tic-Tacs like I do.
 
Thank you.We both know that experience trumps ideology. You've been in the business (a lot of these people here haven't) so you know the realities of owning and operating a restaurant.We both know it isn't easy,and you probably popped antacids like Tic-Tacs like I do.

It can be exciting, and there were some aspects I was good with, but I really didn't like it in an overall sense. People don't seem to understand that it is a high-stress occupation. I'm more of an introvert and a office 9-to-5 kind of person, so what I do now better suits my personality.
 
Why don't you ask my waiters?
I offered, they rejected,end of story.
Why didn't you ask your waiters? It makes no sense that min wage plus tips could be considered a pay cut from less than min wage plus tips. It would completely stupid and irrational to oppose it.

Of course it doesn't make sense to offer them a pay raise when you didn't 't need to either
 
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Why didn't you ask your waiters?
I did,and they gave me their reason.It was good enough for me.
It makes no sense that min wage plus tips could be considered a pay cut from less than min wage plus tips. It would completely stupid and irrational to oppose it.

It also makes no business sense to raise my dish prices and drive away loyal big spending longtime costumers.
I tried that once,and it didn't work out,and that was when the economy was booming.
Is our economy booming today?
And you know what makes sense in the restaurant business how?
How many years have you owned a restaurant?
I've been in the business for over 30 years,20 of those years owning a restaurant.
I think I know what I'm doing by now.
Of course it doesn't make sense to offer them a pay raise when you didn't 't need to either

For the waiters to make what they make on average a week on tips,I'd have to raise their pay beyond minimum wage.
If I raise my dish prices,people will tip less, )if they don't eat out somewhere less expensive)and minimum wage will not cover the money they are used to.
 
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