I feel like there's a real reason behind it but this is how I see it. It's a service therefore based on how you serve, how friendly you are, etc demonstrates what you get paid. If you're a waiter who does fuck all and gets paid the same as the waiter busting their ass then that's not fair. This is essentially a way to provoke better service in hopes of better payment.
But, it ends up being that the pretty and flirty waitresses make a lot more in tips than the waiter busting his ass. And, before people think I am sexist, search your feelings, you will know it to be true.
15
deleted
· 8 years ago
I used to be a server on a little cruise ship here on the Columbia river and I'm nice and apparently that's seen as flirty but I was always outdone by my middle aged male coworker because he'd stand there and sing show tunes to the old ladies at his tables. Then they'd leave my tables to sit at his to get crooned at.
Yes, there are exceptions. But your comment truly adds to my point: the guy had to do exceptionally more than his main function of taking orders and bringing them to the table in order to get those tips. Also, not all nice is flirty (unless you ask my girlfriend... she is always like "the waitress was flirting with you").
5
deleted
· 8 years ago
Yeah I never considered myself flirtatious but apparently some people see it that way. Oh well.
Some people consider someone being nice to them as flirting.
deleted
· 8 years ago
I used to get so annoyed by that. I always liked being nicer to people no one noticed because I've been there but then it got interpreted as romantic interest and that was just awkward.
In reply to the original comment here, the only flaw I see in that is that some people will like a really chatty waitress/waiter and will tip well for being friendly and stuff. But I on the other hand would feel annoyed, I came to the place to eat, not to chat with someone I don't know.
Servers do not HAVE to be tipped in order to make money. We Americans show our appreciation for their taking care of us by giving them something extra. Most servers (at least the ones that are worth a damn) make far above their coworkers wages. When I was a server I made much more money than even the managers. I have been in the restaurant business for most of the last 20 years and I can tell you that the servers who do not make much money are terrible at their jobs and usually get fired for poor performance/being rude to customers. I have never been to England but if you don't show your appreciation to those who wait on you I don't think I want to visit such a rude country. Hope this helps you understand and I hope you tip your servers while in our country.
personally i think servers should be paid a real wage and tipping still done but at a smaller percent and not as a requirement. like, if you thought you had a great server, you leave a couple singles. service still rewarded, employee still paid fair wages for performing work. this notion that a server will give bad service without a tip is crazy cuz like non tipped employees, if they are shit to customers, its the bosses job to handle that.
I learned it was because during the depression they couldn't afford to pay a good wage. Before then it was normal to not tip, just pay the bill. Then they couldn't afford to pay as much so people started taking tips for better service and then the business running people decided to keep it that way.
Patrons pay regardless. If the restaurant had a higher payroll cost, food prices would increase. I'd rather give it to the waiter. Reward a job well done rather than a flat rate whether I got shit service or exceptional service.
American who recently toured Europe... I gained a newfound love for american tipping. The service in Europe blows! They get paid the same either way - good job or bad.
In every other business people are paid the same..you're like saying I have to tip a good teacher because they did their job the way it should be! I agree with you good employees should be paid higher than the bad ones, but I think tipping waiters is now more like a culture thing it's hard to change it even if they were paid properly.
Literally only America does that. Right?
It doesn't happen in Australia and it's really confusing for me when I'm expected to top someone but I have no idea how it works
Albania, Croatia, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Romania, Spain, Canada, Dominican Republic, St. Barths, and Mexico all see tipping as an acceptable practice although only Albania, Romania, and Canada see it as important as the United States.
i think most places that tip do it a bit differently than america, paying their employees a bit more and tipping is just a little extra instead of practically a requirement and 20%
That's only federal. In Oregon, the regular minimum wage applies to wait staff as well so they don't get a special lower wage. So whether they got that $2 or more would depend on the state.
I know I'm 5 years late for this post but anyhoo- This is so interesting because it sounds like in other countries waiters either don't get paid enough or they are super entitled regarding tips (or both). I am from South Africa, I did many years of waitressing and bartending (being paid a incredibly low minimum wage) but our social norm is that the waiter gets tipped 10% as a courtesy- but not as a requirement, and a higher tip if they were particularly helpful. If they do a particularly bad job, then it is not unusual for them to get a lower tip than 10% or none at all. I just find it interesting how the attitudes, wages, norms etc. Differ so much in different areas due to cultural and social influence.
It doesn't happen in Australia and it's really confusing for me when I'm expected to top someone but I have no idea how it works
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicholas-denmon/customer-leaves-lol-as-di_b_8052016.html