Should they have tipped me?

Question

I used to work at a very casual Japanese restaurant. Customers paid me first at the register, but I also brought them the food, was expected to bring them anything else they needed. I also cleaned up after them. I took pride in my ability was always polite. I did everything except chew the food, but because the sign said Japanese Fast Food, no one tipped. Was I shortchanged? Did they have a valid loophole or were they just being cheap?

Answer 1

If you were required to do all that it shouldn't be called fast food and you should be entitled to a tip.

Answer 2

What do you mean were you shortchanged? YOU took the job. YOU read the sign on the wall. There's no loophole, the customers weren't being cheap.

YOU were the moron for taking a job that clearly did not involve tips, then expected them. BTW, your job was to be polite. So you took pride in doing an adequate job. Geez.

Answer 3

people don't expect to have to tip at a fast food restaurant, but it depends on a few things whether or not you should be expecting tips.
1. how much do you earn per hour? If it's minimum wage or higher, then you probably shouldn't expect tips- waitstaff at regular restaurants rely on their tips- some only make 2-3 bucks an hour.

2. What is your company's policy? Some employers do not allow the employees to accept tips.

3. Go to a restaurant, pay attention to what your waiter/waitress does, watch what they do whe they are away from your table- do you do the same tasks? Most important though, is your hourly wage.

Answer 4

You don't say where this was, but in America, customers do not expect to have to tip if they "pay first at the register". It's just a fact of life. I personally leave a buck on the table if I know somebody has to clean up. Maybe two bucks if it's a cute girl.

Answer 5

Questionable. If I go to a cafeteria and do not have a waitress, I do not tip the cashier. Basically they did not have a waitress since you took the order and the money and then brought the order when it was ready and nothing else. If you had checked to see if they needed drink refills or anything it would have put you in a different status.

Answer 6

Valid loophole. The restaurant I used to work at was set up like that.

Answer 7

if there is a table and you were waited on, it is customary to tip.

now you must keep in mind that since it is a gratuity, and since there is no law that says someone must show good upbringing and proper manners, in other words since they wont go to jail if they dont, many will not, even though they should, tip.

i have gotten 20$ tips off two dollar tickets and gotten no tip at all off of 100$ tickets. there is no rhyme or reason to it.

you just have to treat them all as if they were 100$ tippers, and not get annoyed when they dont tip.

Answer 8

Nope, it's a fast food restaurant, so customers are not expected to tip. Your high value of customer service is commendable, but is part of your company's standard practice.

If you want to get tipped, work at a regular, sit-down restaurant.

Answer 9

If you are in the US, I believe it depends on how you are paid. Most restaurant service staff is paid a nominal amount of around $2.00/hr, and depend on tips for their wages. If you are paid a regular (even minimum) wage, I think the assumption is that you will receive little or no tips.

Answer 10

They have a wonderful system in Japan where noone is dehumanized by being tipped. Instead they are given a livable salary. You should ensure that you are paid well when your customers are Japanese, wherever you live.