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Tipping: How Gratuity Replaced Fair Wages in U.S. Restaurants

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Re: Tipping: How Gratuity Replaced Fair Wages in U.S. Restaurants

#141

Post by mbirth »

dm270 wrote: post #68
KingOfCoders wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd guess it depends where you live in Germany. Berlin Mitte: Agree, yes, atrocious service, many arrogant people, no credit cards because of tax fraud (Lived the startup life in Berlin for 20 years, "Monsieur Vuong" was IMHO the worst for service and arrogance - but then there is "Il Pane e le Rose", lovely people, went there for 20 years, or "Restorani Tbilisi", my favorite restaurant in Berlin, most excellent food…

I agree with you. Haven’t had very bad experience with service. I for example am perfectly ok with flagging down a waiter to order extra drinks. The US make me feel uncomfortable with their almost obnoxious wait staff asking you 100 times if everything is ok…but hell breaks loose if you’re done with your meal and you just wanna sit with your buddies and have one more drink or finish your beer. Then wait staff manages…

Because in Germany the waitstaff isn’t expecting a tip and they’re usually happy with their salary.

Whereas in the US, it’s all about the tips. And once you’re done with your meal, you’re just delaying the next tip.

Re: Tipping: How Gratuity Replaced Fair Wages in U.S. Restaurants

#142

Post by mbirth »

Gud wrote: post #122
HDThoreaun wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

restaurants have tried this, all the servers quit. It is the servers who are forcing tips on us because they make way more money than they would on wages.

Did they try paying fair wages? Because in your scenario, they were obviously paid less than they were before.

There’s a huge gap between a fair wage for some untrained employee that just has to carry around food without stumbling over their own feet; and the amount of $$$ some cute young blonde waitress goes home with after every shift.

Re: Tipping: How Gratuity Replaced Fair Wages in U.S. Restaurants

#144

Post by eru »

mbirth wrote: post #141
dm270 wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with you. Haven’t had very bad experience with service. I for example am perfectly ok with flagging down a waiter to order extra drinks. The US make me feel uncomfortable with their almost obnoxious wait staff asking you 100 times if everything is ok…but hell breaks loose if you’re done with your meal and you just wanna sit with your buddies and have one more drink or finish your beer. Then wait staff manages…

Because in Germany the waitstaff isn’t expecting a tip and they’re usually happy with their salary. Whereas in the US, it’s all about the tips. And once you’re done with your meal, you’re just delaying the next tip.

Why would they be 'happy' with their salary? More pay is always better.

Re: Tipping: How Gratuity Replaced Fair Wages in U.S. Restaurants

#145

Post by bad_username »

mbirth wrote: post #143

Today, there was a great video from Honest Guide about the tipping situation in the US compared to the Czech Republic: https://youtube.com/watch?v=KHDpVPKuwjY Also, this is my favourite skit about tipping: https://youtube.com/watch?v=KHDpVPKuwjY

The URLs are the same

Re: Tipping: How Gratuity Replaced Fair Wages in U.S. Restaurants

#146

Post by mbirth »

bad_username wrote: post #145
mbirth wrote: post #143

Today, there was a great video from Honest Guide about the tipping situation in the US compared to the Czech Republic: https://youtube.com/watch?v=KHDpVPKuwjY Also, this is my favourite skit about tipping: https://youtube.com/watch?v=KHDpVPKuwjY

The URLs are the same

Sorry, this was meant to be the second one:

https://youtube.com/shorts/rEQhA-JJlH0

Re: Tipping: How Gratuity Replaced Fair Wages in U.S. Restaurants

#147

Post by testing22321 »

janalsncm wrote: post #130
testing22321 wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tipping is a disgusting practice of making others into servants. It goes like this: I have lots of money, you do not. if you wait on me hand and foot in just the right way and if I like it just right I might give you some money. Or not. But you have to dance to find out. Utterly disgusting, and of course it is normal in a country with severe income disparity - people who have so much money they can waive it around to…

Hooters could still exist if the waitresses were paid a salary or an hourly rate. Tipping isn’t the problem. > there are laws in place forcing the employer to pay a certain amount for a given amount of work. Not so with tipping. The laws apply a minimum pay to a fixed amount of time working. Not an amount of work. If you do 2x the amount of work as a coworker in the same amount of time, you will be paid the same. I t…

> Hooters could still exist if the waitresses were paid a salary or an hourly rate. Tipping isn’t the problem.

There are two problems. Requiring an employee to wear extremely skimpy clothing, and tipping.

> I think you might also be confusing tipped minimum wage with actual minimum wage, and I think the article did no one any favors there.*

I am not, I understand the difference perfectly.

Re: Tipping: How Gratuity Replaced Fair Wages in U.S. Restaurants

#149

Post by TipsForCanoes »

penguin_booze wrote: post #117
vldmrs wrote: post #14

As a European, I can safely say that tipping in American restaurants is one of the most unusual things I remember about America. The amount of tips is huge and they are demanded of you everywhere

Tell them that tipping is against your religious beliefs. They can't question nor challenge it--because, hate crime. Checkmate.

You're not wrong if you adhere to the Bible.

Tipping appears nowhere in the Bible. However, the practice of fair and honest trading appears many times.

Re: Tipping: How Gratuity Replaced Fair Wages in U.S. Restaurants

#150

Post by sans_souse »

ndsipa_pomu wrote: post #90
sans_souse wrote: post #57

Always tip for quality service, and tip with cash, directly. This way you know it is going to the person who rendered the service (and the person who likely needs it, as opposed to the owner of the business)

I don't understand why I should have to be judging just the "service" which is usually just taking the order and delivering the food. I find other aspects of restaurants to be more important such as the food quality, the comfort of the furniture and often the noise level (I don't want to have to be shouting to get heard above loud background music and everyone else having to shout). If there's any logic behind it, wh…

What does your SERVER have control over? That's the person getting any tip you leave.
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