How to Tip

[Cybyassociation]

Like many, I had issues with this article. I pretty much knew from reading the guy was a 24-30 year old doosh. Not sure if he is north of that or not.

First of all, do any of them really make $2.00 an hour? Both my kids bartend (in school) and I don't think either have ever made less than $8.00 an hour plus tips, and that is in the Midwest.

Is change no longer legal tender? I had a buddy in college that took all his change home and put it in a jar. He would bank it in December, and May, and it was always over $1000.00. I would like to thank the writer for making me aware that when I tip a $1.00 plus remaining change when I get a drink, I'm being a ****. I will now keep the change I have been giving. Based on how much I typically drink, It will be around $500 a year back in my pocket.

One of the biggest issues I have with his wisdom is that he is literally saying if you tip us more, we will steal from our owner to give you free drinks. I'm sure bar owners are happy about that one. I understand that happens, I know it's part of the trade, but I don't think he would openly write about that if it was his dollar going into he pockets of his staff, customers.

In big cities, I'm sure $2 an hour is not unheard of. I think I make $4 an hour + tips. If your kids were making $8 an hour, they must have been working at a country club, a bar that sees very few patrons, or they are required to tip out every single person on staff at the end of every shift. I've never heard of an establishment that pays anything over minimum wage.

 

[urb1]

My friends brother works at Dairy Queen and I guess when you start there, you make less than minimum wage because they have the little plastic cup by the register for tips. He said that at the end of the shift, there is usually like $0.10 in there or something.

I was at Dairy Queen in Urbandale a few weeks ago, and they had two tip jars. One with the Iowa State logo, the other with Iowa's. I felt obliged in that case to tip. And, in case you are interested, the Iowa State cup probably had three times as much in it as Iowa's.

 

[BeachAve]

We don't go out to upscale places because we can't afford it at this point in our life so if tipping our Applebee's Cheddars, BJ's Brewhouse or Logan's waiter10-15% is bad well then I guess I am a bad person.

You're not bad at all. Just cheap:swoon:

 

[wxman1]

You're not bad at all. Just cheap:swoon:

I can handle being cheap.

 

[Clonehomer]

So I ask again, are servers employees of the restaurant or employees of the customer? Tips should be rewards, not a requirement.

If your wages are too low complain to your congressman about how the minimum wage is setup for this category.

 

[VeloClone]

So I ask again, are servers employees of the restaurant or employees of the customer? Tips should be rewards, not a requirement.

If your wages are too low complain to your congressman about how the minimum wage is setup for this category.

Minnesota is one state where employers are still required to pay at least the state standard minimum wage to tipped employees. That is currently just below the standard federal minimum wage ($6.15) but will be ratcheting upward during the next couple of years landing at $9.50 and tied to inflation after that. Tipped employees will be doing pretty well in Minnesota and depending on how food and beverage prices are affected by this I may adjust my 20% starting point accordingly.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

In big cities, I'm sure $2 an hour is not unheard of. I think I make $4 an hour + tips. If your kids were making $8 an hour, they must have been working at a country club, a bar that sees very few patrons, or they are required to tip out every single person on staff at the end of every shift. I've never heard of an establishment that pays anything over minimum wage.

By the time I stopped bartending at a restaurant in NW Iowa I was making $6.25 an hour. I thought that was great because I was still making over $75 on average nights in tips

 

[BeachAve]

It is not unlike any other retail business. Some waiters/bartenders have helped shape a reputation of an establishment, have an incredibly faithful, personal clientele/following, and work in a fun, entertaining, popular venue. They have created their own 'book-of-business'...Hence, they make very good money.

One restaurant in CR is relatively new with a talented, likeable bartender, top-notch servers who have tons of repeat customers, and is well- managed

The owner has 25 years experience, is college-educated with other experience in inventory management---he is a expert with ordering and keeping a low inventory of product--always fresh ingredients--nothing nuked or frozen.

He hires full-timers and offers healthcare plans. He has very little turnover. he gives new employees 3 days to prove they have what it takes, or they're told to find another career. no messing around

 

[cycloneworld]

ill start this by saying no one is entitled to a good tip. tips = To Insure Proper Service

having worked in a chain restaurant you can very easily make less than minimum wage even on a busy night.

start by getting paid 4.35 an hour after taxes lets say its closer to $3. work 4-12. Net $24

then tip out 2.5% of your sales. usually on a friday $1000 in sales. thats a $25 tip out. thats -1$ for showing up.

i do a great job. but the way restaurant workers are paid is very flawed. point being if they do a good job, tip accordingly. if they do an awful job go with 5-10%. also never be afraid to grab a manager if someone does that terrible of a job.

First, you can't take out taxes when trying to get to minimum wage. Everyone has to pay them. Second, if you are making minimum wage, or close, there is no way you are paying 31% in taxes ($1.35 in your example).

And if you make $1,000 in sales, I'd expect you to make around $150-$200 in tips (on average). Decent night, you make $150 - $25 tip out + $4.35/hr for 8 hrs = $159.80. That's $19.98 per hour. Not bad at all.

Let's say you have a great tip night and get 20%. $200 - $25 tip out + $4.35/hr for 8 hours = $209.80. Or $26.23 per hour.

Even if you have a terrible night and get 10% in tips. $100 - $25 tip out + $4.35/hr for 8 hours = $109.80. Or $13.73 per hour.

So how are you making less than minimum wage? I suppose if NO ONE tips you for 8 hours and $1,000 in sales...

 

[Judoka]

First, you can't take out taxes when trying to get to minimum wage. Everyone has to pay them. Second, if you are making minimum wage, or close, there is no way you are paying 31% in taxes ($1.35 in your example).

Plus very few servers actually pay taxes on any tips greater than the amount the IRS does automatically. So they are really making more in take home pay than a normal person would making that same amount per hour.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

Plus very few servers actually pay taxes on any tips greater than the amount the IRS does automatically. So they are really making more in take home pay than a normal person would making that same amount per hour.

Tips left on a card are taxed but cash tips aren't. You may be saying the same things as me, I'm not sure. But that is why I always try to leave cash tips because servers prefer it.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Tips left on a card are taxed but cash tips aren't. You may be saying the same things as me, I'm not sure. But that is why I always try to leave cash tips because servers prefer it.

I personally don't care for it when someone wants to be paid in cash. I pay taxes, so can they

 

[KidSilverhair]

Why should the percentage of tip rise over time? It is a percentage, not a flat amount.

This is what bugs me. I don't mind tipping, I understand it's part of the service industry and you just need to account for it when you're dining out. But what's with the accepted "normal" percentage going up all the time?

I can faintly recall 10% being the standard tip. Through most of my adulthood, though, it's been 15%. Lately, however, you'll see folks talking about a "standard" tip being 18 or even 20%. In large cities, especially, you're kinda made to feel like a cheapskate if you don't tip 20%.

Why? The food costs have gone up, all the charges associated with restaurant dining have gone up. Fifteen percent of today's bill is considerably higher than 15% of the bill 10 years ago. Why am I supposed to dish out an extra 5% just because it's now "standard"? I don't get it.

What I like to do most times is figure 1/6 of the bill in my head, then round up to a whole-dollar figure. That's around 17%. Of course, figuring 15% or 20% is easy to do in your head, too ... depending on how much you really want to leave.

 

[wonkadog]

I guess I am a jerk then. You get what you deserve. Especially if what others have said that you are legally able to go to your boss and get paid whatever you need to make minimum wage is true.

I am not demanding and quite laid back.*We don't go out to upscale places because we can't afford it at this point in our life so if tipping our Applebee's Cheddars, BJ's Brewhouse or Logan's waiter10-15% is bad well then I guess I am a bad person.

Completely the same here but I guess it's because I'm a backwoods hick from a farm who doesn't know how the big city works. Seriously though, I'm not going to feel bad for leaving a 10% tip at Applebee's, sorry.

 

[Mr Janny]

ill start this by saying no one is entitled to a good tip. tips = To Insure Proper Service

having worked in a chain restaurant you can very easily make less than minimum wage even on a busy night.

start by getting paid 4.35 an hour after taxes lets say its closer to $3. work 4-12. Net $24

then tip out 2.5% of your sales. usually on a friday $1000 in sales. thats a $25 tip out. thats -1$ for showing up.

i do a great job. but the way restaurant workers are paid is very flawed. point being if they do a good job, tip accordingly. if they do an awful job go with 5-10%. also never be afraid to grab a manager if someone does that terrible of a job.

No it doesn't.

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/tip.asp

 

[KidSilverhair]

And now that I've actually read the article ... the entitled bartender who says if you're with a large group, and the tip/service fee is automatically added to the bill, you should still toss in something extra because that 18% gratuity charge "isn't even up to standard."

Bullcarp. The standard tip isn't 20% just because you say it is. I have no problem with people throwing in extra to recognize great, outside-the-box service ... but don't tell me you're entitled to it.

 

[IcSyU]

Tips left on a card are taxed but cash tips aren't. You may be saying the same things as me, I'm not sure. But that is why I always try to leave cash tips because servers prefer it.

I refuse to pay cash tips. Much like NickTheGreat, I pay taxes, so can the server. Tip share isn't my problem. Employers withholding credit card fees from credit card tips aren't my problem.

Most servers/bartenders are scumbags when it comes to the whole "tax evasion" thing.

 

[josh4isu]

No it doesn't.

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/tip.asp

im not arguing an origin of a word. i know the word was not derived from an acronym, but many people use the acronym. how snooty can you be?

 

[Mr Janny]

im not arguing an origin of a word. i know the word was not derived from an acronym, but many people use the acronym. how snooty can you be?

Is that a challenge?

lol. No worries, man. The way you put it, I thought you were saying that was what it stood for. My apologies.

 

[josh4isu]

your numbers are correct. my wording at the beginning at the post was poor. i do just fine. my point in the whole thing is that its sometimes absurd that the restaurant gets away with paying its FOH staff next to nothing + makes servers tip out but expects us to be employees of the restaurant and not of the customer.