Curse

Winterclaw · Apr 30, 2009, 08:44 PM // 20:44

I was just reading this at ESPN:

Quote:

THE TIPPING POINT
Hooter Restaurant The most disquieting allegation reportedly to be made in Selena Roberts' upcoming book isn't that Alex Rodriguez practiced quid pro quo pitch-tipping with opposing hitters, engaged in extramarital affairs, possibly took performance-enhancing drugs in high school or was given a certain nickname by his Yankees teammates due to gynecomastia, a rounding of the pectorals that can be caused by 'roid use.

Nope. The worst thing about A-Rod is that he's supposedly a lousy tipper.

According to the book, Rodriguez was hated at Hooters. Why? He left the 15 percent minimum gratuity. At Hooters.

Oy. Rodriguez is going to need more than a Mr. Rogers sweater to weasel out of this.

First, do the math. Rodriguez is set to earn $33 million this season. Meanwhile, Hooters waitresses make minimum wage. Plus tips. Which means a minimum tip is hardly sufficient -- well, unless they dump a pitcher in your lap or something -- and downright insulting coming from a guy making $33 million to nurse an ouchy hip.

To put things another way: Despite his steroid use, Rodriguez sports neither feathers nor a bill. So why is he emulating Scrooge McDuck?

Next, consider where Rodriguez is eating. Hooters! The food is, um, tangential. People can get hot wings anywhere; they go to Hooters for the atmosphere and the attitude. For, quite literally, the service. Young women working their way through college. And if said nice young women are cramming themselves into short-shorts and tight tops, all for patrons' amusement, the least A-Rod can do is leave, say, 20 percent. Or a couple hundred bucks.

--Patrick Hruby

I always thought tipping was something that you were supposed to do to be nice to waiters/waitresses who did an extra good job. So how has it gotten to the point where if you only leave 15% (10% used to be the minimum) you are a bad tipper? Why is it a big deal at all? Why in the world can't a major corporation like Hooters and all the other dine-in restaurants actually pay their employees so they don't depend on tipping?

IMO if you leave anything, it's better than leaving nothing, but I don't think a person should be expected to leave a penny. That's just wrong.

Besides, if those waitresses didn't do anything very special to earn a hundred dollar tip (doesn't have to be sex either), I don't think they should get one just because their client is rich.

Inde · Apr 30, 2009, 09:03 PM // 21:03

Winterclaw, this depends on the country so you are going to get varying opinions. Many countries do not tip. It's one of the reasons foreign countries can love US tourists.

10% hasn't been the minimum that I know of for at least 20 years, at least not anything recently in America. Standard is 15% and 20% for good service in America. Though in higher profile cities such as NY, etc. and at better restaurants 20% seems to be the minimum. I believe in the UK it's lower though.

The only place I usually refuse to tip is a buffet. First off, I hate them. Second off, I could have gotten the drink/plate myself thank you.

As for bad tippers, there was an article recently on bad tippers and I believe Tiger Woods was listed on there as well. In many people's minds, if you are rich you should spread the wealth. Everyone always has an opinion on how someone else should spend their money.

Winterclaw · Apr 30, 2009, 09:31 PM // 21:31

All I can remember is that it was still 10% when I was really young... but 15% becoming the new minimum. Anyways that detracts from the point that these multimillion dollar companies aren't paying their employees such that they need or expect tips.

I don't care how rich or poor you are, it's your own prerogative on how you should spread the wealth that you earned. However I also don't think that you should be expected to be paid extra for doing your job. I also don't think that you should be ridiculed for not overpaying someone who did what his job requires him to do.

Arkantos · Apr 30, 2009, 09:35 PM // 21:35

People complaining about others giving money they don't need to give, and trying to tell rich people how to spend their money.

Idiots, you gotta love them.

Hanging Man · Apr 30, 2009, 09:40 PM // 21:40

15% has been the new standard for as long as I have been alive, 18 years.
It isn't required to do more, but obviously the waiter/waitress will like you more if you do.

I think the reason they are angry at A-rod is because the guy is a millionaire and can only spend the bare minimum?

MMSDome · Apr 30, 2009, 10:48 PM // 22:48

What morons just because he is rich doesn't make him need to pay more. What discrimination that's awful.

Empress Amarox · Apr 30, 2009, 11:39 PM // 23:39

At least he tips.... It isn't required, you know. People shouldn't expect to leech off another's success.

Vilaptca · May 01, 2009, 11:25 AM // 11:25

The problem is these restaurants don't pay their employees minimum wage. Because they earn tips, they are only being paid around $3.00 an hour.

If you don't tip, or don't tip high enough, then you're really hurting that persons paycheck.

I realize not every restaurant is like this, but they are out there. Just look up what a server at Applebees makes. Applebees expects you to make enough in tips so that you average out to minimum wage at the end of the pay period. You'd be surprised that some companies are getting away with this. Don't ever work at Applebees.

I don't agree with how much we pay people to play sports or act in movies, but we shouldn't tell them how to spend their "hard earned" money.

Painbringer · May 01, 2009, 02:05 PM // 14:05

I have seen owners skim the tips from the workers and tell them if you don’t like it hit the road. The funny thing is the owner I am thinking of ownes numerous hotels and is a multi-millionaire

MMSDome · May 01, 2009, 03:33 PM // 15:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vilaptca

The problem is these restaurants don't pay their employees minimum wage. Because they earn tips, they are only being paid around $3.00 an hour.

If you don't tip, or don't tip high enough, then you're really hurting that persons paycheck.

I realize not every restaurant is like this, but they are out there. Just look up what a server at Applebees makes. Applebees expects you to make enough in tips so that you average out to minimum wage at the end of the pay period. You'd be surprised that some companies are getting away with this. Don't ever work at Applebees.

I don't agree with how much we pay people to play sports or act in movies, but we shouldn't tell them how to spend their "hard earned" money.

I like how you put hard earned in quotations as if they don't deserve it. Lets see you match their talent. They have a gift and they deserve what they get for it. If everyone had their ability then they wouldn't get paid so much.

If 15% is the minimum then that's all anyone should have to pay. WE ARENT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR PAYCHECK.

Snow Bunny · May 01, 2009, 03:52 PM // 15:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMSDome

I like how you put hard earned in quotations as if they don't deserve it. Lets see you match their talent. They have a gift and they deserve what they get for it. If everyone had their ability then they wouldn't get paid so much.

If 15% is the minimum then that's all anyone should have to pay. WE ARENT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR PAYCHECK.

Technically Dome, Vila's right. The restaurant factors in the fact that they'll be getting tips - therefore their paycheck is lower.

Also, if you think a fcukwit like A-Rod deserves to earn $33 million dollars a season for playing a game you need to re-evaluate your notion of merit.

Sports players are grossly overpaid, at least with Basketball, baseball, and football.

Shursh · May 01, 2009, 04:19 PM // 16:19

I worked at macaroni grill during college, and we were paid $2.13/hr. i think that is a really important point to get across when you start talking about tipping.

that rate is standard at pretty much any restaurant, in america at least - waiters depend on tips to make a living, and when they are either: A. stiffed, or B. left crappy tips (especially on large bills, i.e. $100+) it really hurts the wallet.

looking at it from a restaurant's perspective, they have two choices:

1. they can pay their waiters more (like you see outside of america), thus ensuring that they get a decent wage (again, up to a person's opinion of what "decent" is) - to cover the added cost, food served at that restaurant is now a couple bucks more expensive.

OR

2. they do what they are doing now - cap the base pay at something so low that it barely covers taxes (i worked over a year at said restaurant, and the highest check i ever received was about 2 dollars. this is due to having to report credit card tips - obviuosly you won't want to report your cash tips so that you pay less taxes). now your food is cheaper, and thus you are able to tip.

at the end of the day, it comes down to this:

if you are going out to a restaurant with your family, enjoying a nice meal which was prepared, cooked, and served to you by someone else, and you are paying a given amount for this SERVICE, don't cheap out at the end of the night. it's extremely disrespectful - and waiters remember who tips decently and who doesn't. on several occasions i refused to serve people who had previously stiffed me.

keep in mind, this applies to servers who actually provide decent service - if they are slow and/or otherwise an idiot, then they should apply for work in some other field and you are allowed to tip accordingly lol.

and for the record, 20% is the new 15%.

OasaTor · May 01, 2009, 04:34 PM // 16:34

I always tip with my credit card or debit card because then it can be taxed. If my sales commission is taxed why cant your tips be taxed?

20% is outright rediculous. I never tip more then 5 bucks. But then again I got school bills to pay and working part time.

DarkFlame · May 01, 2009, 05:11 PM // 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vilaptca

The problem is these restaurants don't pay their employees minimum wage. Because they earn tips, they are only being paid around $3.00 an hour.

So the problem is the restaurants and their owners.

Quote:

If you don't tip, or don't tip high enough, then you're really hurting that persons paycheck.

So how did the blame get shifted back to the customer?

Nodakim · May 01, 2009, 06:19 PM // 18:19

I will never tip.
At least it wont be my routine,i will tip if the waiter did something he wasnt required too.
But last time i saw that was....wait,i never saw that actualy...

Shursh · May 01, 2009, 07:15 PM // 19:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nodakim

I will never tip.
At least it wont be my routine,i will tip if the waiter did something he wasnt required too.
But last time i saw that was....wait,i never saw that actualy...

don't take this as a personal attack, but i would have hocked a loogey in your to-go box for not tipping.

then i would have pointed you out to all the servers at the restaurant and you would have been blacklisted.

unless of course you are in europe, etc. since they have a base pay there that is substantial. that's what you need to understand - these people are providing you a service for next to no pay (i averaged 1 dollar a week on my pay check). cut 'em some f-ing slack and stop being so cheap.

and what exactly qualifies as "something he wasn't required to do"? bring you a to-go cup? refill your drink? pick up your fork when you dropped it?
sounds like another excuse not to tip.

DarkFlame · May 01, 2009, 07:50 PM // 19:50

Then here's a f-ing tip, get a better paying job or get your bosses to pay you more. Tips ARE NOT MANDATORY. They are a courtesy, to be given at the discretion of your customers. Your issue is with your cheapskate boss, not the customers. Save your loogies for him.

Cherng Butter · May 01, 2009, 08:35 PM // 20:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkFlame

Then here's a f-ing tip, get a better paying job or get your bosses to pay you more. Tips ARE NOT MANDATORY. They are a courtesy, to be given at the discretion of your customers. Your issue is with your cheapskate boss, not the customers. Save your loogies for him.

Tips are not mandatory the same way calling 911 while you watch someone get raped is not mandatory. Either way, you're still a jackass. The simple reality is that tips make up the most of waters' wages, that's just how the service industry works, don't say they ought to change it just because you don't feel like shelling out a couple more bucks because you're a cheapo. It comes with being a good human being.

I'm a cheap-ass Asian, and I still would never DREAM of stiffing someone, unless they REALLY pissed me off. Which is rare.

Winterclaw · May 01, 2009, 08:55 PM // 20:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vilaptca

The problem is these restaurants don't pay their employees minimum wage. Because they earn tips, they are only being paid around $3.00 an hour.

If you don't tip, or don't tip high enough, then you're really hurting that persons paycheck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shursh

I worked at macaroni grill during college, and we were paid $2.13/hr. i think that is a really important point to get across when you start talking about tipping.

This is the problem. There's something call a minimum wage. Restaurants shouldn't be able to pay less because in theory someone is going to be getting tips.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shursh

and for the record, 20% is the new 15%.

Maybe I'll just stop eating out if people are going to expect me to pay 20%. Hope you guys like 20% of nothing.

Anyways tips are not and should not be mandatory. Complying with minimum wage laws and paying your people regardless of whether they get tips or not should. If your boss doesn't pay you, stop working there.

Shursh · May 01, 2009, 09:39 PM // 21:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winterclaw

Anyways tips are not and should not be mandatory. Complying with minimum wage laws and paying your people regardless of whether they get tips or not should. If your boss doesn't pay you, stop working there.

^ This. But for all the haters out there who don't tip, I just want to warn you ahead of time that your food will cost more to make up for the increased wages, so since you can't bear to part with those extra few dollars keep that in mind before you go out.

i'd be willing to bet that across the board, those people who don't tip have never waited tables before. which brings me to my next point: EVERYONE should be required to wait tables for a minimum of 3 months. consider it a high school summer/college job. it would really promote understanding and compassion for all you cold-hearted stiffers out there.

coming from someone who HAS waited tables, here is my breakdown for tips:

25%-100% - if the server was perfect, and/or did something far out of the ordinary (at macaroni grill they sing to you for your birthday, something i think we can all consider to be far from the norm)

20% - if i received normal service and nothing pissed me off.

15% - if the food was very slow to get out or some other major inconvenience (i'm lenient on this one because a lot of the time this is out of the server's control, since the cook's might be new, very busy, or incompetent at reading a computer screen)

<15% - if the waiter personally offended me or someone i'm with, or spilled something other than water>
i NEVER stiff. i expect good service, but at the end of the day, i know that a small tip will make a better impression than none at all.