Among Friends

[Pook]

If servers were given minimum wage and not dependent on tips,  I actually think the quality of service would go down a bit as many would become lax in providing great service!!!  I think I still would tip good service though.

[dex]

I live in Washington state and I believe the restaurants must pay the minimum wage here.I know in some states the rules are different.I just believe that the prices of food will be higher and my living costs won't.....so if I decide to stay home to eat and others do too, how does that help anyone.

[NicksmomESQ]

     Where I live waiters/waitresses don't get paid minimum wage.That being said restaurants around here charge high  prices & make a fortune!! 

     I tip according to service!! I don't consider it my responsibility to pay my server's salary!! The restaurant owners who make the money selling overpriced food should pay their help!! 

    Places I frequent often where I've known the servers for years & get excellent service I tip generously.Other places where service is so so I tip much less.If the service stinks I don't tip at all!!

[Nightowlz]

I looked online & it shows the highest wage is $11 for 2017 in Washington. It shows Baltimore $15 in the Year 2022 but it's not a done deal yet. Even if it's $15 an hour in 2022 I seriously doubt the wait staff will be making that.

If you feel they don't do their job complain to the manager & don't pay the tip. We have only ever had 1 person that got smart with DH talking back to him & he would not leave him a tip.

If it does go up to that by 2022 it would really need to be more then that because in 2017 $15 is not a living wage. For those that think it is try to pay your monthly expenses with it & see how you like it.

[chickenbutt]

For me, as to the original question, it wouldn't be contingent on what they get paid per hour, but more on the actual service provided.   For THAT reason, no, I don't think it's right to automatically include a certain amount for tip.

We tip pretty well for good service - 25-30%.  But we also tip appropriate to por service.   That's the way it goes.

 If somebody does a good job, and we are NOT at all demanding, we want to pay for that.  If they clearly don't care about doing a decent job, and that's about their work not if the food comes out krappy or something, we go anywhere from a low percentage to zero (zero only if it is REALLY bad).

[chickenbutt]

I forgot to say - another thing with which I most vehemently disagree is 'tip pooling'.  I know some places do that, and that is just wrong.    

For somebody who doesn't do a good job to get paid as much as somebody who really hustles and cares is so very wrong.

[LilacTree]

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@Sunnycorle wrote:

Tipping is part of eating out in resturants and has been forever!  Its a great way for a student or young person to get their foot in the door of employment and to work while going to school.  I waited tables thru College and learned alot about how to act socially.  I paid my entire way thru College and if I didn't have a job like Waiting tables I would never been able to do it. 

It also teaches you how to be good resturant patron. 

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@Sunnycorle

My three college grads (all magna c*m laude) all waited tables after class when they were in high school.  That, with Pell Grants, some scholarships, and student loans got them through school.  They were in their early 40s before the loans were paid off.

All of that would not have gotten them through one semester nowadays.

[lulu2]

My sister owns a restaurant in a western state.  The state's minimum wage is $10/hour.  Her wait staff starts at $3/hour

Here is a break down for minimum wage for tipped employees in the US. (by state)

There are countries that pay waiter/servers/etc decent wages.  These countries do not tip.  Australia is a one of the countries.  Most European countries do not believe in tipping.  They may add service fees (15%) to restaurant checks.

[Nightowlz]

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@chickenbutt wrote:

I forgot to say - another thing with which I most vehemently disagree is 'tip pooling'.  I know some places do that, and that is just wrong.    

For somebody who doesn't do a good job to get paid as much as somebody who really hustles and cares is so very wrong.

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@chickenbutt IMO that's not fair. There are always those slackers out there that don't do their fair share of the work. 

[Nomorebirthdays]

Our favorite restaurant is busy, wait staff have multiple tables, our bill averages 50$ for 2 people, 20% is 10.00. If she or he have 10 tables that's about 100 dollars an hour plus her wage. Of course not everyone leaves 20% and a breakfast server would get less. I heard Stewart Varney waited tables when he first came to this country and made over 60 thousand per year. And cash tips, do you think they declare all of it on their taxes. That said it's hard work.