Chili's Server Fired After Facebook Tip Rant

Servers are not entitled to a tip. A tip is "Thank you for such a great service, here's something extra for your efforts", NOT "Oh you don't make enough? Here take some charity since you think you deserve or are entitled to more money"

A servers financial concerns should not be a concern of the customer. A servers poor wages is not the customers problem, no matter how apathetic it may seem. If a server feels his/her wages are not enough then form a union, fight back, ask for higher wages, or whatever. But do not demand it from customers, who the hell do you think you are demanding extra charity money? If its a service the customer is paying for then add it to damn bill, otherwise its up to the customer to pay it or not.

A tip is at the discretion of the customer, not at the discretion of the server. Tip is a form of gratitude and not the customers obligation to ensure his server can pay rent.

That was a very stupid thing to do on her part. At the restaurant I manage I hear servers whining about small tips alot. My first question I ask them is "What did you do to deserve it?" It's usually the same people, that I could easily tell them why the got a crappy tip before they say anything. And I also explain to them that some people just suck and find any reason no matter how small not to tip. Regardless you just have to forget about it and move on. You can make up the money by giving great service to all of your guests earning more than 15-20%. As for posting on Facebook or any other site, she should know better. I wouldn't have fired her, but she would definitely get a harsh talking to. But then again, I'm not a creeper who Facebook stalks my employees. I would just keep an eye on her, and if she is giving poor service then she has to go.

reply to post by 1MrMarc


You wouldn't fire a worker threatening to spit in someones food? WTF?

I have no problem giving a 15-20% tip BUT i also expect things out of the server;

1.I expect prompt service not waiting there 15 minutes while you gab with another waitress

2.I expect my order brought to my table promptly not whenever you're ready to bring it to my table

3.I expect my bill promptly

I'm not asking for much for a decent tip but it seems that it's getting harder and harder to find in restaurants.

reply to post by CynicalWabbit


Yep same here. Ive even tipped way, way more. Especially If ive been drinking and they were really cool.
At one TGI's, when I was visiting Florida. My brother and I finished eating and realized we were out of smokes (we were sitting outside)
Asked the waitress if she could get us each a cigarette but she didnt smoke, So she went and bummed one from her friend.
I gave her 20 bucks on about a 40 dollar bill.
You get what you work for

reply to post by Rockpuck

Probably not. Maybe because I am thinking about the servers I manage right now. I know that in realty they would not do anything like that. In a kitchen you have alot of people around. The cooks, food expediters, bussers, and other servers. Someone would stop it from happening, or tell on them asap. I guess I am just numb to the rants and whining after being in the industry 15 years and holding every job under the roof. I have dealt with almost every issue possible.
Some people need to vent, then they are fine. I tell them to go into the cooler and scream at the top of their lungs, take a deep breath, and get back to work. But like I said at the end of the post, I would watch her every move, and if she wasn't giving good service I would get rid of her.

Originally posted by roadgravel
The management should inform diners before service:

We do not pay our wait staff a decent wage. We expect your to make up for our cheapness. We are adding 15% to the total of your bill. We know some of our employees are slackers, you decide how much of that they are. If the service does not meet your expectations, inform management or do not eat here in the future.

Thanks, I needed that. I always tip (ok once I did not...one of my favorite dinner table stories)
I have never worked in the service field but I was raised with the "tradition" right or wrong, I choose to tip.

I'm still trying to figure out the math where the employer is able to legally pay the employee less than minimum wage? $3-$4 and hour? What? How?

Tipped employee's are by law afforded the right to minimum wage in their total pay between tips and their employer.

An employer may pay a tipped employee not less than $2.13 an hour in direct wages if that amount plus the tips received equal at least the federal minimum wage, the employee retains all tips and the employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. If an employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages of at least $2.13 an hour do not equal the federal minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference.
Some states have minimum wage laws specific to tipped employees. When an employee is subject to both the federal and state wage laws, the employee is entitled to the provisions of each law which provide the greater benefits.

link U.S Department of Labor

I would however imagine this somehow requires registering tips with you employer. I know I have met some servers at certain establishments who don't report tips to avoid taxes on them. I imagine this creates problems with concerns to this law. I would appreciate info from those with more information in the management of a service industries.

Originally posted by Blaine91555
reply to post by snarky412

 

Firing that person was the right thing to do. Their rant left no other choice open. No person in their right mind would patronize any restaurant where they work after that.

I just can't believe how gullible people are, or maybe just plain stupid, to post every thing on Facebook......

I just don't get it.

And never threaten to spit in peoples food when you work in a restaurant on FB......people just don't use their head any more.

reply to post by snarky412


I had to ggle "jimmie rustles"

In fact, I had to ggle "internet memes" too...

Originally posted by EnderuvStin
Tipped employee's are by law afforded the right to minimum wage in their total pay between tips and their employer.

An employer may pay a tipped employee not less than $2.13 an hour in direct wages if that amount plus the tips received equal at least the federal minimum wage, the employee retains all tips and the employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. If an employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages of at least $2.13 an hour do not equal the federal minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference.
Some states have minimum wage laws specific to tipped employees. When an employee is subject to both the federal and state wage laws, the employee is entitled to the provisions of each law which provide the greater benefits.

link U.S Department of Labor

I would however imagine this somehow requires registering tips with you employer. I know I have met some servers at certain establishments who don't report tips to avoid taxes on them. I imagine this creates problems with concerns to this law. I would appreciate info from those with more information in the management of a service industries.

I appreciate your reply. It is an interesting system. That's a fair bit of math. I remember when I was younger, I had a girlfriend who both waited tables and eventually became a prep-cook. They would pool all the collected monies from the diner's tips and divide them among the entire staff, managers included. It appears those days are gone...

Originally posted by LadySkadi
Classic FB rant - she got what she deserved (fired) and by that attitude, perhaps the correct tip amount, as well.

A few years ago, well before FB, a group of us went out to eat. The waitress we had was cool, very good and friendly. Actually had a sense of humor and was great going from table to table.

Well, this group next to us, about 12 people I guess, evidently was dissatisfied with the food, not sure. It had nothing to do with the waitress but something with the food. They ate like normal, clearing their plates and when they went to leave, the main guy held up a $20 bill and flashed it in front of her and said this would have been your tip but since the food was not what we expected, you're not getting it. Man, that pissed us off!!!! We heard it and thought how mean that was.

Any way, she started crying, not on purpose, she tried to hide near the back, but we could see her. So, what we did, there was 6 of us in our group so we all doubled our tip and gave it to her. She was surprised and thanked us. It made us feel good to do that for her. She was good and we thought it cruel the way that guy waved the tip in front of her.

reply to post by CoolStoryMan

Blaming servers for cold food? that's ridiculous, ever work in a restaurant before? I can tell you it's usually not their fault, as a lot of places have not only servers, but food runners, and expediters, I know it sucks getting cold food, but if you're somewhat polite and ask it to be fixed usually that does the trick, and they'll toss you an extra goodie or a discount of some sort

Was thinking the same thing. Sometimes the food gets cold, because the waitress is extremely busy, running to get drinks from the lounge, or adding up a bill for a table that is demanding their bill right away. Or the cooks have not put it under hot lights like required. Food should always be the priority , but when you're maybe in another part of the restaurant getting drinks , or at the machine punching in another order, its difficult to know who the bell is ringing for from the kitchen.

Sometimes the way a restaurant is managed makes a big difference on how smoothly things work, and sometimes you can tell a waitress or waiter is extremely busy, just by watching them run back and forth. Also they may be dealing with shortage of staff, because someone had to call in sick.

If you see your server standing in a corner talking with coworkers and you get terrible service, then you have a legit complaint, and I think its a good idea to leave a note on the table explaining why you don't feel they deserve a tip, or politely tell them in person.

I used to do be a server on and off over the years, and it can be a really great and rewarding job, taking care of people and making sure they have everything they need to have a great time. It also can be very lucrative , if you can read your customers, and anticipate their need before they themselves are even aware of them.

A few tips for servers..

1 If a couple is engrosses in deep conversation, do not continually butt into their time, to ask how things are. There is an art to noticing when a drink is empty and dishes need to be cleared, and after initially checking to see if their meal is to satisfaction, and they have all the condiments they require, or drinks...let them be!( I am mostly speaking of finer dining, but this could apply in other restaurants as well)

2 Nothing worse than the customer who thinks its all about him or her, when if they took the time to look around they could see that it extremely busy, and things might take a few minutes. These can also the types who want to flirt ,and chat it up with you, and find themselves far more charming that anyone else does. Try to smile, but ALWAYS steer the conversation to what they need, and let them know you'll be back when they are ready to order if they say they aren't sure, or something to that effect. Honestly, sometimes you have to remind some, in subtle ways ,that you aren't there for there ego, or to socialize, its a job, and you want to do it well, for ALL customers.

3 Don't expect tips.. lol . A member has already written a great post on this, so I won't get into it, but try to do the best you can because you want to, and think of a tip as a bonus. In this economy some just can't afford to eat out at all, and if they scrape enough together to celebrate someones birthday, the last thing they need is to feel guilty about not having much for a tip. Sucks if you have to pay out percentage on that meal to kitchen staff, but they don't always know that. Again as the member called Ms Sile mentioned , many are unaware of what system the restaurant is using, and there are always the very generous tippers who make up for it.

A restaurant that is managed smoothly, and with kitchen staff who care about what they put out on the plates, the service industry can be one of the greatest jobs , and can be very rewarding both emotionally ,and in a financial way. I remember the fond moments of going to a table after a proposal to see the beautiful flush of surprise and joy on a young woman's face as she flashed me her ring and excitedly said "we just got engaged", or the birthday celebrations with loving family members laughing and having fun. (seeing a ring box being pulled out would also be a great clue as to when not to interrupt :lol

I feel sorry that the young woman let a 5 dollar tip derail her day so much, and to her its all about the tip, but maybe she has learned a valuable lesson through the experience.

To the member who posted about the delivery guy standing there waiting for more, it reminds me of the delivery guys who lie and say they don't have change expecting that you will give them the 3 dollars more on top of the 4 you already gave them. The last time this happened, I took back the 10, said " just wait..I have change".. and came back with the exact amount of change , but no tip. I then said "see.. because you don't carry change, you just killed your chance at a tip".

Originally posted by snarky412

Originally posted by LadySkadi
Classic FB rant - she got what she deserved (fired) and by that attitude, perhaps the correct tip amount, as well.

A few years ago, well before FB, a group of us went out to eat. The waitress we had was cool, very good and friendly. Actually had a sense of humor and was great going from table to table.

Well, this group next to us, about 12 people I guess, evidently was dissatisfied with the food, not sure. It had nothing to do with the waitress but something with the food. They ate like normal, clearing their plates and when they went to leave, the main guy held up a $20 bill and flashed it in front of her and said this would have been your tip but since the food was not what we expected, you're not getting it. Man, that pissed us off!!!! We heard it and thought how mean that was.

Any way, she started crying, not on purpose, she tried to hide near the back, but we could see her. So, what we did, there was 6 of us in our group so we all doubled our tip and gave it to her. She was surprised and thanked us. It made us feel good to do that for her. She was good and we thought it cruel the way that guy waved the tip in front of her.

aww..how sweet, and yes some don't realize what she is responsible for and what she isn't. Sad part is, she may very well have to tip a certain amount to the kitchen for that food anyhow, which really bites.

I've had customers tell me the food was crap, but they were still tipping me because they new it wasn't my fault.

Also, in a very fine dining place I worked at, one customer was so impressed with the food, he asked if he could follow me to the kitchen and talk to the chef. He tipped him with a 100 dollar bill, which is exactly where it should have gone since that's where the quality came from that he was so impressed with.

reply to post by WhisperingWinds


Ok..I feel terrible for sort of derailing the thread in my first post, but just wanted to point out that it can be a great job, and attitude is what matters.

Whining about not getting tips, then threatening to spit in peoples food, on facebook isn't cool, even if she was just ranting.

Others don't know that for sure, and no one wants to got to restaurant where they think someone might spit on their food, out of spite.

I also wanted to point out why some servers may not get a tip, and how to deal with the annoying customers that prevent you from doing your job efficiently.

reply to post by WhisperingWinds


We're the same way. We never hold the waitress/waiter responsible for the food itself. And even if the waitress isn't that great, we'll still leave a tip although it's not as much as it normally would be. We believe in tipping so usually the waitress is happy with what we leave.

It's a hard job dealing with the general public so we sympathize regardless of whether they are a waitress or cashier or taking orders at a fast food place.

Now if the food is really good, my husband makes a point to tip the chef also.....

Another thing not discussed from what I see at a glance. (sorry, after two glasses of wine I don't have it in me to read it all. lol) It is very possible that she was just a craptastic waitress and the 5$ tip was meant as an insult for not having better service.