Pastor to waitress: I GIVE GOD 10% WHY SHOULD I GIVE YOU 18%?

Originally posted by destination now
reply to post by redhorse

 

But how would they know before presenting the bill whether they were going to get a tip or not? Good service should come first, then a tip.

But like I said, tipping is not the norm in the UK anyway

Here's how it works in the U.S.

If they have no incentive but minimum wage to pay extra attention to you, and be friendly, most people will just do their job with a minimum of effort. Sad but true. So if the industry has the expectation, or custom rather, of tipping, the wait-staff will work harder at service hoping for that tip.

Honestly, there was only one restaurant where I worked where they payed below minimum wage. Everywhere else was minimum wage or higher plus tips. It was made very clear that the expectations for customer service in those places was very high. There is a certain professionalism (believe it or not), even a sort of theatre required in high end restaurants. How hard the wait-staff work is actually carefully orchestrated to NOT be in view of the customers. It must all look effortless.

Maybe from now on, he can sit there waiting on God to deliver his meal from the kitchen. Although I'm not tied to any one religion, I did give a considerable amount to Christian causes last year. This year, I think I'll be giving extra to the waitstaff instead.

reply to post by redhorse


Yes, but at the same time employees whether on minimum wage or not have expected standards to meet and if your job involves customer service, as waiting does, then I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a level of service without the expectation of a tip. And if I get rubbish service in a place, I just don't go back, problem solved, and of course if all customers do what I do, then the staff wont have any job at all because there will be no customers, so far better in my opinion to do your job well as part of your contract of employment which states you are paid x amount of money per hour and just be glad you have a job. Don't like it? Get a new job.

Originally posted by OtherSideOfTheCoin
reply to post by camaro68ss

 

I just don’t understand why you give 10% because someone is doing the job they are paid for.

Makes no sense to me.

I'm sure this has already been mentioned in future posts, but you do realize that a large percentage of workers who work on tip-based wages receive less than half of minimum wage per hour (when tips are not factored in)?

This is why tipping is important. To many of these people, a large percentage of their income is tips, and it's how they survive.

True, no one is forcing them to work at these places, but that's not really the point...

Originally posted by destination now
And yes, I'm from the UK,.............

and most of the waiting staff I have encountered are totally disinterested, bang your plate down in front of you and getting a friendly smile seems to be totally out of the question.

And that is why dining in the USA is a much better experience BECAUSE of tips.

Thanks for proving the point that if they just paid wait staff a straight minimum wage, all we'll get as customers is bad service.

reply to post by Scuzzlebutt

Waiting tables is one of THE hardest jobs on the planet.

No its not,

I worked as a waiter when I was younger, they pay wasn’t all that good but the work was easy I had no stress and I can honestly say it’s the easiest job I have ever had.

Seriously try telling a Surgeon, a Solider, a Nurse, a Builder, an Air traffic controller or a Fire Fighter that you job is one of the “HARDEST” on the planet and they will probably laugh at you (and not give you a tip).

I can tell you that in my experience it is one of the easiest.

reply to post by HandyDandy


And then they'd get sacked...you can only provide rubbish service and losing customers for so long til the management/owner decide you're not right for the post.

I did say that I have had good experiences as well, and I would return to those establishments, the rubbish ones I don't

reply to post by Liquesence


Please see pervious page.

reply to post by destination now


I just really don't think a person will give 110% just for minimum wage.

A good wait staff can bring in some money here vs. making minumum wage in the UK. No wonder they come here to wait on us by the truckload huh?

Why?

Well first... the waitress actually exists. You can see the waitress.

reply to post by HandyDandy


I know plenty of people who give 110% on minimum wage, because it is a job they rely on to pay the bills and they don't want to lose it.

As for truckloads of UK citizens moving to the US to do waiting jobs, does your immigration policy allow that? Here in the UK you must have a skill, profession or trade and you can't just move here to take up minimum wage jobs (EU residents excepted) and despite what scuzzle says waiting is not a skilled profession and can be done by most people with very little training

Originally posted by destination now
reply to post by redhorse

 

Yes, but at the same time employees whether on minimum wage or not have expected standards to meet and if your job involves customer service, as waiting does, then I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a level of service without the expectation of a tip. And if I get rubbish service in a place, I just don't go back, problem solved, and of course if all customers do what I do, then the staff wont have any job at all because there will be no customers, so far better in my opinion to do your job well as part of your contract of employment which states you are paid x amount of money per hour and just be glad you have a job. Don't like it? Get a new job.

The thing is, most people won't put up with that level of hassle for a job that pays peanuts. So the industry has to pay them more, or you get crap service. The fact that you have already complained about consistent lousy service illustrates that. They aren't getting paid enough to put up with you. So...

"fire them" you say. And replace them with whom...? Someone else who will give you lousy service because they aren't getting payed well. And around and around it goes.

reply to post by redhorse


With over 3 million unemployed in this country they'd soon find someone to replace them...I guarantee it! And it's not about consistently bad service, I have said twice now that I do get good service, but in my opinion it's about what constitutes exceptional service that would deserve a tip, but at the same time the minimum wage cashier in the supermarket who is friendly and chatty doesn't have the opportunity to get a tip and gets paid the same as the grumpy one, so why should waiting staff be any different?

reply to post by HandyDandy

I just really don't think a person will give 110% just for minimum wage.

Unless it was the only way I could pay my bills, and feed my family, I might not even get out of bed for minimum wage. If I truly had to work a minimum wage job now, I would be doing just enough work to earn my minimum wage. For me, minimum wage equates to minimum effort.

If the minimum wage was a true living wage, then I would certainly work above and beyond the minimum.

When I worked minimum wage jobs, in my past, I would work just hard enough to get through the day. I didn't care about the business I worked for. As a matter of fact, if a rude boss was combined with my minimum wage, they got less than minimum effort, if not some sabotage to their operation.

The waitress deserved to be fired, she blasted this persons name all over the internet. Doesn't matter if you think the person was wrong for not leaving a tip, the customer is always right.

I tip very well when I go out to eat if I get decent to good service. If I get poor service, see the waitress just talking with other staff and ignore the table, see her texting or on her cell phone, have her bring out the food after seeing her do these things and it is cold....she gets nothing.

Waiting is not a hard job...being a miner is a hard job, being a road worker is a hard job, contruction can be a hard job (can be incredibly easy too), millions of jobs are hard jobs....waiting is not a hard job...that is why teenagers are very common as waiters.

High end waiters/waitresses in high class restaurants...still not hard...just better attention to detail and manners.

reply to post by tamusan


Well fortunately not everyone thinks like you or we would have no waiters, no supermarket cashiers, no fast food workers no retail workers, in fact very few service personnel at all. Not everyone has the ability to get a degree or learn a trade etc and as such are unlikely to get a high paying job and of course if there were no one doing the minimum wage jobs the system would soon fall apart.

reply to post by Djayed


Not slave labor... but yeah they do pay them below minimum wage, that said I do think they make a bigger deal out of it than needs be. I don't think tips should be based on a percentage of the meal because that is nonsensical. Why should I tip more because the server brought out a steak as opposed to a burger. It's the same amount of work. I tip, but I tip what's reasonable. I think if my tip combined with their hourly pay puts them at minimum wage for that hour that is fine because you have to consider unless the restaurant is empty there are likely other people tipping so my tip guarantees they are making over minimum wage for that hour. If I was in a huge party that might change of course and I would tip more.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin

Seriously try telling a Surgeon, a Solider, a Nurse, a Builder, an Air traffic controller or a Fire Fighter that you job is one of the “HARDEST” on the planet and they will probably laugh at you (and not give you a tip).

My last job, for an employer, included two from your list. Now, I own a business, and operating my own business is a little less difficult, but it is still very hard work. However, I believe that most waitresses also have hard jobs. Any job that requires moving fast on your feet all day is a hard job. In the U.S., I already tip 20% if I get courteous service with a smile. If I am displeased with the service, I don't tip. If it's mandatory to tip, I complain loudly about the bad service to the management.

reply to post by destination now


A person who relies on tips for their bread and butter uses skill to make their customer feel like the most important person in any restaurant. They have to just to be able to pay their own bills.Food service is a trade in it's own right and those that do it well can make a good living at it. I'll take our system over yours any day of the week.

People go out to eat to have a pleasant dining experiance so they themselves need not go to the hassle of doing it. Your points are moot simply because your system doesn't equate with the way things are done here. Not to mention that tips are a way of communicating your personal gratitude for the service you recieved. Apparently graciousness isn't much of a part of your social tradition

When I worked in college as a waiter I had a somewhat like experience.

I took care of a table of 6 people and everything came out on time and they were pleased with the service by their comments. However, after I dropped off the bill they quickly disappeared as soon as I went to check on some other tables. It almost appeared like they skipped on the bill. That was not the case, they left the exact amount in cash with a business card size note. The note said something along the lines May God bless you and his blessing should be enough and monetary things are not important. Of course the card did not have any contact information on it.

Till this day I wish I could have had a word with those Cheap as Bastards. They not only stiff me but they cost me money because I had to tip the bartender and bussers a commission based on my total amount for the day which included their hefty bill.

Its a really $hitty thing for those Aholes to do. First of all , they conveniently assume one is religious, They conveniently assume one doesn't have bills to pay like rent school books, tuition,etc and the school doesn't take blessings as payment nor landlords.

Its basically a total scam for inconsiderate cheap bastards to feel better about themselves once they stiff you for the service you provided.