Why should someone expect a tip when they are getting a paycheck?

Question

I ahve been in both food service and as a delivery driver, I have never expected a tip, nor counted on it. No one should have to tip and in truth I think tips should be done away with. There is no way to truly rely on tips for income because it is not a garunteed thing. Why should someone pay a tip when an employer is already paying that person to provide a service. If the pay isn't high enough for one's personal standards shouldn't they ask for a raise or find a different job? What do you think about all this? I pay for a service and expect good service without having to pay extra for it, its the job the person chose, no one told them they had to do it. Why should I have to pay extra to be treated nicely, isn't there a "golden rule" do unto others... what is your take?

Answer 1

I think it is sad that a school age kid takes his girl friend out to eat to a nice restaurant that he is still expected to tip when his job is paying him minimum wage. No way that is way not fair, hey waitress make tons of money. They do!

Answer 2

I HOPE that you have watched Reservoir Dogs. At least the opening scene where Mr. Pink (Steve Buschemi) refuses to give a dollar tip.

If people expect a tip, there service or lack there of will show, then don't tip them. But I am a firm believer that if I feel like that person did a great job I will tip them.

You have every right not to tip. It's your money, and the only thing that you have agreed to do is pay for the actual price of the merchandise or food plus tax.

Some people can only work as a server/waiter because the have two more jobs that they do. I guess that it is naturally assumed that if you can afford to eat at a place where they serve you, than you can throw a couple bucks for good service, but it is still your choice.

One last thing, most servers make 2 and hour. If they all left, like they wanted to, we would all have to go into the kitchen and grab our own food.

Answer 3

Although I wholeheartedly agree that a tip shouldn't be "expected," I believe the system of providing tips in itself isn't such a bad one. Yes, it can be irritating to go to a nice restaurant where your waiter or waitress seems to be litterally begging for a tip, or the opposite, expecting that they won't get a tip and providing shoddy service. But, on the other hand, it would be far more irritating to me to have to pay the additional fee for my meal that it would cost to pay each waiter or waitress at least minimum wage, regardless of their level of service. And I don't feel a compulsion to provide even an average tip to someone who exhibits what is obviously below-average service.

Just as an aside, in my town, some of the best servers are at a buffet where the meals are charged as you come in. Not just the table service, but the service behind the buffet tables, as well. So I would take it that the establishment not only share tips, but since it is impossible for EVERYONE to know how an individual customer has tipped and you are waited on by approximately 5 people during the visit, I have to assume that everyone just has exceptional service knowing that they're paid for a job well done.

Answer 4

If you think about it, you would end up paying more if there weren't tips, and you wouldn't get the chance to decide if it went to the person that kept your glass full and made sure your dinner was pleasant, or the person that only came to your table once. Without tips, then restaurants would have to raise the wages that these workers make. This, in turn, would cause the restaurant to raise its prices to earn the extra revenue for the higher wages. This means that you will still be paying the cost of what would be a "tip" on each meal, but you won't have the choice of how much or if the server deserves it or not. Just be grateful that you have that choice.

Answer 5

So, Why don't I believe you?

In a JUST world, servers would be paid what they are worth, not the lowest wages allowed. Most employers pay LESS than minimum wages( and most places its legal) to serving staff because they assume YOu will top up their wages by tiping for good service.. Most places, the servers have to give part of their tip to the owner or manager of the restaurant, based on total sales, not total tips. there are somedays, when she's had a few cheap people like you, that my daughter makes almost nothing. By the way, waiting tables if a very hard, demanding job that is very hard on the back, legs and arms, and compensation rarely pays for injuries incurred on the job. Tip the server, you cheapskate, or you may not get ANY service next time, and deservedly.

BY the way, usually, people who have been servers, generally tip better than people who haven't.

Answer 6

I'm assuming you don't live in the United States because here, servers work for nothing but tips. I am a server/bartender and only make $2.13/hr. After my hours are calculated and my tips figured into my paycheck, we have no paycheck left over and at the end of the year we could actually be forced to pay back taxes if we claim too many tips. If we claim no tips, then our wages are too low to recieve any type of credit, cards, cars, homes, etc. Figure I work a 40 hours week and I'm getting paid $2.13/hr, that figures to a weekley paycheck of $85.20 before taxes and before I claim any tips to get taxed further.

As far as working in the industry and expecting tips, a server can do quite well for themselves when customers understand what the protocol for tipping is. I have worked in the tourism side of Orlando and we get plenty of foreigners who either don't tip because they don't know any better or they're not accustomed to it and won't tip no matter how much they know we're not getting paid. As a matter of fact, a server has to tip out a bartender and a busser depending on what our sales are and if we get no tip from a table then we actually lose money because we still have to pay them for their services.

I was actually in Amsterdam over the summer and asked my bartender if it was true that they made an hourly wage and that the tips weren't really a big part of there income. He said, oh no, I live off of my tips otherwise I go broke. Then I asked him what he made as an hourly rate and he said 10 Euro per hour. I was shocked. 10 Euro an hour is about $12 or $13 per hour, if I made that and then decent tips forget about it, I would never stop serving. However, I make $2 or $3 per hour and rely solely on my tips. So next time you go out in America think about your server and that if you don't tip him, he is actually losing money just to serve you. Now, I don't agree with the fact that employers get out of paying their employees for the service and they put the onus on the customer, but that's the way it is an until it's changed, TIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

Well, I just think of it as common courtesy. I tip because I want to show the waitress/waiter that I had a good experience and that they did a good job. It's nice to get a reward for things you do.

It's not like you sit there and praise your waiter/waitress. Tipping is like praise.

If I was in the food service industry, I wouldn't expect a tip either. However, I would provide good service to the best of my ability, and if the person did leave a tip, I would be thankful.

Answer 8

I agree that tips should not be expected and in a perfect world they wouldn't be. BUT I think mentally you're blaming the servers for expecting a tip when really it isn't their fault. They recieve only $2.13/hour because employers expect their tips to make up the difference. They expect tips because their employer is basically depending on the customer to directly pay at least half of the wage. It isn't the servers who are greedy; it's the employers.

Answer 9

In restaurants it is standard practice to pay the employees less, assuming that they will make up the difference in tips. It's only if the tips are less than the minimum-wage level that the employer will give the employee enough to bring the pay up to minimum wage. It's quite a rip-off for the employee, I think.

Answer 10

I think its ok if the person has done a great job thats above norm. But waitresses expect tips so there is a guilt trip involved because of what they'll think of you if you dont leave a tip or dont leave enough. A tip should be a gift, not part of the bill.