Tags
bad tipping, gratuity, restaurant minimum wage debate, restaurant server issues, restaurants pay regular minimu wage, should you tip your server, tip debate, tip sensitivity training, tipping dilemma, to tip or not to tip
October 29, 2014
In case you haven’t been paying attention, there is a BIG debate going on about tipping. Should you or should you not tip your server? In either case, does the server deserve to be tipped? If so, how much? If not, do you do it anyway?
Scenario 1: OMG! You got the worst service ever while eating out.
Scenario 2:OMG! You got the absolute best service while eating out.
Scenario 3: OMG! Your service was right in the middle. It wasn’t bad, by any means, but it was not the greatest, either.
What to do?
Scenario 1: Absolutely NOBODY likes to pay their hard earned money only to receive shoddy service from the restaurant staff (manager, server, bartender, etc.). If you do, please let us know because it’s totally unheard of and we want to acknowledge you for being different. Anyway, you receive shoddy service and wonder if you should still leave a tip. After all, tips are how today’s servers make money so they can pay their bills. However, where is the line drawn? Should they be rewarded for less-than-stellar service? Do you even bother to leave a bare minimum?
Scenario 2: You just got the best service of the year! You absolutely feel your server deserves a tip. But, how much? 15%? 18%? 20%? Some restaurants have 22% as on option. Do you follow the “guidelines” or do you tip however you feel? Or, do you even tip at all? Even with great service, people tend to still not tip at all. Is that fair?
Scenario 3: Eh, service was just okay. You weren’t disappointed but you weren’t blown away, either. What do you do? Do you just leave the standard percentage of the tip and keep it movin?
Here’s another twist: should restaurants be forced to pay their employees the standard minimum wage, like everybody else, and not one set aside for the restaurant industry? According to the United States Department of Labor, “The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires payment of at least the federal minimum wage to covered, nonexempt employees. An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 an hour in direct wages if that amount plus the tips received equals at least the federal minimum wage, the employee retains all tips and the employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. If an employee’s tips combined with the employer’s direct wages of at least $2.13 an hour do not equal the federal minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference.
Some states have minimum wage laws specific to tipped employees. When an employee is subject to both the federal and state wage laws, the employee is entitled to the provisions which provides the greater benefits.” (http://www.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm)
Check out these two articles on the subject:
http://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/tipping-debate-pros-and-cons-of-tipping
http://www.lyvbh.com/2013/08/14/tip-sensitivity-training/
Should there be a tip sensitivity training or is the world simply overreacting? Speak up, America! Let us know where you stand on this very touchy subject.
Here’s one comment on the subject (name not revealed to protect privacy):
- If you can’t afford to tip your server accordingly, don’t go out to eat. I hardly ever publicly bitch about my job because I’m thankful to have it. However, it is not okay to tip $10 on a $137 ticket, especially if you said I gave you EXCELLENT service. Rant over.
Let’s continue to shine, Everyone!
~DHSI
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