Okay so now you waffle here. No one is forcing anyone to be a waiter either.

 

This is not an assumption.


If they got paid $2-$3 more per hour, they would be getting paid $2 - $3 per hour more on top of gratuity

 

ccarnel: I really hope that you are not serious about leaving only 10% all the time. And if you are, I hope for your sake that you do not frequent any resturants on a regular basis. The service staff typically have a very good memory about who are the good tippers and who are the bad ones. The regular good tippers tend to get well taken care of by the service staff when they are recognized. And the regular customers recognized as bad tippers tend to be "taken care of" by the service staff too...

Your estimate numbers are pretty off base. No wait staff member is going to average $180 a night as you assume in your example. (Well, maybe at some fine-dinning place where dinner is $80+/plate...) But on a busy Saturday night at a popular family resturant, they might bring in $180 on an 8 hr shift. But if they are working dinner on a tuesday at that same place, they might not even see 1/4 of that. On a slow night, they might be working for less than minimum wage - which is perfectly legal in most states as long as their two week pay averages out to > minimum wage.

In other words, a typical wait staff is not going to take home $40,000+ a year unless they work full time at a really fancy, expensive place. At a typical family dinning resturant, working full time with an average 15% tip, they could make $20k-25k annually (with no benefits) if they hustle.

Andrew

 

If someone who is a waiter loves their job and makes a good living at it, why would they NOT want to do it





It's all good exceltoexcel



Nothing like some friendly conversation

 

I said we should all sit at home sarcasticly.

It's all good

 

Sorry guys... didn't mean to dig up a bunch of crap from some of you guys

First of all no one was asking me to feel sorry for resteraunt servers but the general consensus in this thread (at least from my feel) is that waiters and waitressess are underpaid, and that 10% isn't enough tip

I gave my example of my experience working as construction worker, no one forced me too and i would have done it 10x over. I learned some invaluable skills.

I'm sorry but food service in no way requires anyone to be physically fit.. I'm not going to even go there on this one. Does it help to be physically fit... undoubtedly... but that could be argued for any job.

I appologize if some of my comments may have sounded personal... i've just heard it a 1000 times from all of my friends.. strangely enough most of them have never worked a different kind of job. They all seem to think that the hard work, multitasking, dealing with difficult customers is exclusive to this line of work. I was only ranting sorry again. I myself have worked in many different jobs construction (everything from drywall, concrete, masonry, carpentry, steel, to insulation), kinkos' employee, organ donation, custom home theater, and now medical professional... Every one of them have required those same skills.


I never said anyone was arguing this... it was merely a followup to all the comments that seemed to say that 2.13 cents per hour is all a person working in the service industry would make if they were not to recieve tips.



I did not directly mean to insult you... I have plenty of people tell me that doctors make too much money... but i sure dont tell them they are ass-clowns.


QUOTE
An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 an hour in direct wages if that amount plus the tips received equals 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.


Please explain how it is to me in California... From what i understand... the federal law is the minimum requirment. Any state law has to be equal or above this compensation

I don't see that at all. I tip them because i know what the minimum the employer pays them. 10% seems reasonable on top of what they are payed to get a little (acually a lot) over minimum wage. At least around here (TN mind you) i usually see the waiter on average 4 times (initial order, delivery of drinks and food, one additional refill of drinks, and check time) . On an order of 50-60 bucks (average for me for two... ) 6 bucks is more than enough... considering i'm usually there for less than 1.5 hrs. I'm not paying anyone 10-12 bucks to show up at my table 4 times.

 

Tipping is a very old tradition. It is customary to tip someone who provides professional, prompt, and courteous service.

I was unclear when you stated that people in the service industry should not get tipped because you posted this.

So you see, after reading these post's, I was unclear why you stated that Restaurant staff should not be tipped.

If they were paid based strictly on hourly wage "without" gratuity, a very professional, prompt and courteous waiter would not make as much money as he, or she would make as they do by receiving gratuity.

 

You should tip them, what are you a cheap bastard mg: J/K

Just for further clearification:

Yes i think we should tip for normal service at least 15% because of the system.

I however think the system is flawed!

I would rather they make an appropriate wage and be charged so accordingly in the price of my food then if they are trully great service give them a tip rather than being "obligated" by the man to do so.

 

They get paid a living wage.



I speak for everyone in the Restaurant industry when I say this would be incorrect. Now while restaurant work may not be near as physically demanding as say...concrete work, Restaurant work is physically demanding.


[QUOTE=ccarnel,Mar 27 2006, 11:45 AM]i've just heard it a 1000 times from all of my friends.. strangely enough most of them have never worked a different kind of job.