Why do people insist that waitresses MUST be given tips?

Question

OK.. Why do some people feel that tips should be given at a restaurant no matter what? I saw a person saying how much they would tip based on service and quality of the meal... Which in all reality makes sense to me.. HOWEVER.. they said that.. if the meal was terrible and the service was awful, then the tip would only be 10-12% of the total...

WHY?!!? Why would you give ANY tip to someone who provided you awful service? They're not doing their job properly, they don't deserve it!

A tip is a 'gift'. It is something that is given OVER AND ABOVE what the waiter/waitress already gets paid for doing their job.. It should be given based on what they did for you, not just because people think it's 'proper' to do!

Yes, I understand they work hard.. But don't forget, they are PAID to do that work.. Like any other job, they must be paid AT LEAST minimum wage. If they do their job well, give them that 'gift'.

WHY do some people say it's a MUST?

NOTE: When I referred to waiters/waitresses making AT LEAST minimum wage, I was referring to here in Canada. I apologize to those that have worked in the industry in the USA where this is apparently different. For example, in the province I live in right now, you must get paid at least the minimum wage, which I believe is $7.85 per hour. (each province has slightly different minimums, some are $6 and some are $8 etc)..

So, for those in the USA that get paid $2.15 an hour or so, I can understand better why it's EXPECTED down there. (At the same time, one person noted that the employer has to make up the difference from minimum if they don't get enough tips? If this is true.. then they really are getting at least minimum I would think.. but.. it's a dumb way for it to be done.. they should be paid AT LEAST a fair amount)... Just my opinion :)

Answer 1

I don't even bug about this because honestly, I give good service!!! People WANT to tip me. I work at a blue-collar joint, not too fancy and I made $190 in tips yesterday in a 9 hour shift. If your server sucks, then don't tip him or her. They don't deserve it. However, even when I get crappy service, I still leave a little cause I'm in the states and they are only making $2.32 per hour.

Answer 2

You are right.

BUT!

Waiters and waiters are paid 1/2 of minimum wage.

If their service sucks, don't tip, or tip only 10%, because you did get service, 10% sends a message, 15% for normal, and 20% for really good service.

Don't fault the the waiter or waitress for service problems that are beyond their control, such as a really busy restaurant or slow chefs.

I always tip in cash for really good service, in hopes it does not get shared with management who only pays them 1/2 of minimum wage.

I am not sure gift is the correct term, grattituity is what a TIP is. TIPS = To ImProve Service.

If you never tip, I promise you, you will never get improved service.

If the food is bad, but not the service, what I do is talk to managment, they will usually take the bad item off the ticket, and sometimes just make the entire meal free. I make sure the waiter or waitress still gets what they would have gotten for a tip, if the service is good.

Answer 3

You're right. A tip is supposed to be a gift. If I think that the food and service have been decent, I generally try to tip fairly, partly as a reward, and partly because I know what it's like to wait tables and barely scrape by.

However, not all waitresses are paid minimum wage. I used to work at a Waffle House (or Waffle Hell), and we were only paid a little more than $2.00 an hour, and we didn't get much in tips to make up the difference.

Answer 4

It's courtesy. If the food was bad, that might not be the waitress's fault. If they just threw the food at you and didn't pay any attention to you, that would be bad service. If she just seemed a little distracted or not completely chipper and glad to give people their orders, she might have something else going on in her life. Her job is to get your order, deliver the plates, and take them away. People may think if she did do her job she deserves a little tip at the LEAST. I have seen many waitresses who just don't get tips for their rude attitudes or ignoring the customer. They really didn't deserve a tip and they shouldn't get one. Different situations may be considered such as if the waitress or waiter seems undeserving of a tip only because s/he isn't getting respect from the customers which is as common.

In the end, if you don't think the waitress or waiter doesn't deserve a tip and you're not giving a tip, then to each his own.

Answer 5

Waitresses make $2.13 an hour. that isn't minimum wage by your normal standards. Its the tip industries min wage. If the food was bad, blame the damn kitchen. The waitress didn't cook it! A good waitress will get it back to the kitchen, get a manager and fix it. If the service was bad enough to not leave a tip, tell the manager why it was that bad so at least the poor girl knows why you didn't leave her tip! And you have to declare 10% of your sales as tips whether you make those tips or not. Cut the waitress some slack.

Answer 6

I notice that all the answers say about people making $2..something an hour, even after you clarified that in Canada they make minimum wage, which I know is true since I also live here.
I have worked in fast food and it is a thankless and tough job and you don't make tips usually in fast food, but you do make minimum wage, which is not easy to live on.

When I was the manager of a pet store, the owner once took me out for lunch. she didn't leave a tip, and told me that she never does. Her explination was that she runs a store, and no one tips her staff. She is required to pay them minimum wage and she has also has to pay rent on the store and for products etc etc etc...and she doesn't see why a restaurant owner should get to have the public suplimenting their staff, when no one supliments hers. So maybe in Ontario at that time they did not pay waiters and waitresses min.wage.
I am not saying I agree with her, and where I live now they do pay min. wage to wait staff. It was just something I found interesting.

Answer 7

Ok, first most waiters and waitresses get paid less then minimum wage. Usually $2.10 to $2.35 per hour. If they claim all their tips (which most do not) then they should be making minimum wage or better. Most do not claim all tips because if they do they have to pay taxes on those wages. For example... you work a 6 hour dinner shift and get paid $2.35 per hour. That is 14.10 and lets say you make $50.00 in tips...that is $64.10 divided by 6 hours is $10.68 per hour, but they are only being taxed at minimum wage. Now, say this person only made $10.00 in tips, plus their 14.10, then they made $24.10 divided by 6 is $4.01 per hour. The restaurant would have to make up the difference so that they were paid minimum wage. On a final note, if I get crappy service the waiter/waitress gets a crappy tip. They still get some tip, but it may only be $1.00.

Answer 8

Minimum wage for waitresses and waiters is $2.15 an hour. Could you live on that?! Pizza Hut waitresses get the minimum and have to report all sales, their check takes the tax they owe from the amount sold, not what they get in tips. Last I knew, tax is 8% of everything they sell. You should at least tip that much. Above that is your "gift". At least cover their taxes they have to pay because you want to eat out!

Answer 9

All of these are good answers, however, I have to make a comment on someof them. A few of the answers stated that maybe a server will give better service if he/she thinks she will get a better tip from a certain party.

That should not be a consideration in the quality of service given.

I have been on both sides of this issue.

My first job in high school was as a waiter in a casual dining restaurant. After my training period, i was assigned the same section of the restaurant on the days I worked. There was one customer who came in regularly (3 or 4 times a week). None of the other wait staff liked him because he was grumpy and left poor tips. The first few times I waited on him, he was grumpy and left me poor tips. Since I had a positive attitude, and always had a smile, whenever he came in, he was seated in my section. I was always positive and made him feel like he was the most imprtant customer there (which they all are)

After a while, he started being less grumpy and leaving better tips. One time, after his meal, he asked to speak with the manager.

He told the manager that I was one of the best servers he's ever had, even when the service was slow since it was so busy. He sais that he always left poor tips before because the waiters didnt give him good service, and I happen to know that they didnt give good service because they thought he was a lousy tipper.

A server should never base their level of service on the assumed tip they will get. You know the old saying "When you assume, you make..................."

Answer 10

waiters and waitresses do not get paid minimum pay. They work for their tips, they make $2.13 an hour (at least this is what it was when I waitressed) They can make below minimum pay because they get paid in tips. (there's a proper way to put it, but i forget)
Although I agree that poor service deserves a poor tip, but they deserve a tip nonetheless, because afterall they did serve you. (who knows, that person may have been having a bad day..everyone has a bad day once in a while)
So...it's a MUST because they work for tips, and not for wage.