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SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

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Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#41

Post by sincerely »

listenallyall wrote: post #35
JackCh wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you buy something at a counter, there is no social expectation that you tip (bartenders are the sole exception, but just give them a dollar not a percentage.) Nor for takeout, but you should definitely tip for delivery (those guys get a raw deal anyway, their pay sucks and they're almost always putting miles on their personal vehicle. Tip them with cash when possible, to make sure they get to keep it...)

> If you buy something at a counter, there is no social expectation that you tip In the USA, plenty of counter-service restaurants/shops have tip jars. Further, many counter-service food outlets have added a tipping option to their credit card process, usually with 15% as the minimum.

Those tip jars are basically a "if you don't want to deal with coinage or $1 dollar bills, we'll take it off your hand" option. You won't be thought poorly of for not tipping at a cafe or counter-service restaurant the same way you would be for not tipping a regular waiter.

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#42

Post by listenallyall »

habosa wrote: post #8
Eridrus wrote: post #3

So, a question from a foreigner, if you buy something at a counter, should you tip? I would think the answer is no, but in states where minimum wage laws are different for tipped workers, I would expect the answer to be yes, but are there other guidelines? Does it matter if you eat in vs take out? What are the damn expectations?

I tip when I take out from somewhere that also has seated, tipping customers. In that case I tip 10-15%. I don't tip more than a buck or two at other places (coffee, burrito, pizza, etc) and if I don't tip at all I don't feel bad.

When you tip for takeout, who do anticipate is receiving that money? You didn't interact with a waiter, a maitre'd, a sommelier, and the owner didn't come by to ensure everything was good. The cook/chef (who is, realistically, the employee most worthy of receiving a tip) only gets a small slice of pooled tips. It's a bit absurd to tip for "service" when you received no service, and there's no employee to whom you're directing the tip. It's just like, hey, here's some extra money for whoever wants it...

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#43

Post by jedberg »

toomanybeersies wrote: post #38
everdev wrote: post #22

In Santa Cruz we have a bar with no bartenders. It's fantastic. Scan your bracelet (linked to your CC), pour yourself whatever beer on tap you want and pay only for the once you pour. Want one once of 16 different beers? No problem. Can't get that experience at a traditional bar. The seating is more like a restaurant, so no one is sitting by themselves staring at a wall full of hard alcohol, everyone is facing the ro…

Given how bad most people are at pouring beers even from a bottle, let alone from tap, I don't know if that's a good idea. But then again, I've seen plenty of bartenders completely screw up the pouring process. Just the other day I had a German backpacker behind the bar try to pour my Guinness like it was a lager. > And the notion of the wise bartender with an ear to lend from the movies I never saw transpire in real…

I went to a place like that. The nice thing is, if you get a shitty pour, you have no one to blame but yourself!

I actually got to try three different drinks for the price of one, since they have no problem if you give yourself a one ounce pour. In fact, they have a button right on the machine to dispense one ounce. It was great.

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#44

Post by sincerely »

walru wrote: post #32
baddox wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hopefully GP meant a dollar per drink. That seems to be the norm.

If you're headed to a craft establishment, $2 is the norm now. (aka a drink that has 4-10 ingredients, not a vodka/soda)

Personally if the drink is sub-10$, I tip $1.

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#45

Post by jedberg »

jcelerier wrote: post #39
everdev wrote: post #22

In Santa Cruz we have a bar with no bartenders. It's fantastic. Scan your bracelet (linked to your CC), pour yourself whatever beer on tap you want and pay only for the once you pour. Want one once of 16 different beers? No problem. Can't get that experience at a traditional bar. The seating is more like a restaurant, so no one is sitting by themselves staring at a wall full of hard alcohol, everyone is facing the ro…

> Want one once of 16 different beers? No problem. apart from the lack of decency. > And the notion of the wise bartender with an ear to lend from the movies I never saw transpire in real life. maybe not like "in the movies" but did you ever try to at least befriend the bartender ?

> apart from the lack of decency.

I've been to a place like that. They had a button on the dispense for a one ounce pour, so they were actually encouraging us to try many beers.

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#46

Post by keiferski »

philliphaydon wrote: post #29
p1necone wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm from New Zealand and can also confirm that there are plenty of small cafes and restaurants where you have to order at the counter. It's not a new thing here either.

Wait there’s cafe where you don’t go to the counter? I’m from NZ and living in Singapore and traveled all around Asia, never been in a cafe where I didn’t have to go to the counter...

At most cafes in France and Spain, you are expected to sit down and have the waiter come to you.

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#47

Post by bunkydoo »

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Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#48

Post by IncRnd »

acchow wrote: post #27
listenallyall wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Delivery used to be free from most pizza places and the occasional other restaurant that delivered. Now, almost everyone charges a delivery fee. The idea of tipping on top of that just irks me to no end, although I do it so they won't spit on my food next time. I don't tip my Fedex or UPS deliveryman, why should I tip for food delivery when I've already been charged extra for that exact service?

There are people who tip the fedex or ups courier? I didn’t even consider this was a possibility.

No, of course there aren't. That was the point that was being made about food delivery.

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#49

Post by dfee »

everdev wrote: post #22

In Santa Cruz we have a bar with no bartenders. It's fantastic. Scan your bracelet (linked to your CC), pour yourself whatever beer on tap you want and pay only for the once you pour. Want one once of 16 different beers? No problem. Can't get that experience at a traditional bar. The seating is more like a restaurant, so no one is sitting by themselves staring at a wall full of hard alcohol, everyone is facing the ro…

> and pay only for the once you pour. Want one once of 16 different beers? No problem.

Once -> Ounce (I was very confused)

Re: SF Restaurants Can’t Afford Waiters. So They’re Putting Diners to Work

#50

Post by jedberg »

Eridrus wrote: post #3

So, a question from a foreigner, if you buy something at a counter, should you tip? I would think the answer is no, but in states where minimum wage laws are different for tipped workers, I would expect the answer to be yes, but are there other guidelines? Does it matter if you eat in vs take out? What are the damn expectations?

I still tip 5% - 10% depending on if they are going to run the food out to me, clean up the table after me, or have to spend a lot of time packaging up the item after they make it (to go orders or complicated stay in orders).
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