Comments on: “The Rude New Tip-Jar Economy” http://allfinancialmatters.com/2009/10/05/the-rude-new-tip-jar-economy/ A personal finance blog dedicated to discussing such topics as budgeting, asset allocation, 401K, IRA, cash flow, insurance, financial planning, portfolio management, and other areas in personal finance. Fri, 25 May 2012 21:22:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: BG http://allfinancialmatters.com/2009/10/05/the-rude-new-tip-jar-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-439725 BG Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:53:08 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=4083#comment-439725 #19) You are describing "tip-pools" where all the waiters share in the tips. In practically every state (California is the exception) staff who do not directly interact with customers are _not_ allowed to share in the "tip-pools" (kitchen staff, managers, dishwashers, etc). Waiters, waitresses, hostess, bartenders, etc who directly interact with the customers can share in the tip-pool. #19) You are describing “tip-pools” where all the waiters share in the tips. In practically every state (California is the exception) staff who do not directly interact with customers are _not_ allowed to share in the “tip-pools” (kitchen staff, managers, dishwashers, etc).

Waiters, waitresses, hostess, bartenders, etc who directly interact with the customers can share in the tip-pool.

]]> By: Dan http://allfinancialmatters.com/2009/10/05/the-rude-new-tip-jar-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-439711 Dan Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:23:23 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=4083#comment-439711 To David M: We obviously don't agree, but I do respect your opinion. That was the first time I had actually not tipped at all, although I've been tempted previously. If I'm correct in my understanding that tips are generally shared w/ kitchen staff, hostesses, and busboys, my dining experience is a team effort on their part. I like to think of the server as one cog and my main advocate to make sure I have a good experience. They likely won't miss the few dollars from my specific lack of tipping compared to their entire shift, but if they give consistently poor service perhaps they will get consistently low tips. On the other hand, if they usually give good service the opposite will be true. To David M: We obviously don’t agree, but I do respect your opinion. That was the first time I had actually not tipped at all, although I’ve been tempted previously. If I’m correct in my understanding that tips are generally shared w/ kitchen staff, hostesses, and busboys, my dining experience is a team effort on their part. I like to think of the server as one cog and my main advocate to make sure I have a good experience.

They likely won’t miss the few dollars from my specific lack of tipping compared to their entire shift, but if they give consistently poor service perhaps they will get consistently low tips. On the other hand, if they usually give good service the opposite will be true.

]]> By: Jonathan http://allfinancialmatters.com/2009/10/05/the-rude-new-tip-jar-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-439705 Jonathan Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:08:56 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=4083#comment-439705 Any place that basically says "you're cheap unless you give a 40% tip" is going to have trouble keeping customers. No wonder they're trying to get people with the $35 specials! Any place that basically says “you’re cheap unless you give a 40% tip” is going to have trouble keeping customers.

No wonder they’re trying to get people with the $35 specials!

]]> By: jim http://allfinancialmatters.com/2009/10/05/the-rude-new-tip-jar-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-439701 jim Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:03:35 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=4083#comment-439701 I don't like a 'minimum tip' at all. If its required then its not really a tip. There should be no entitlement feeling about tips. Franky I don't like the 10-20% tip system much. Why does bringing me coffee & plate of food worth $20 at a fancy restaurant and only $4 at a cheaper restaurant? I'd much prefer flat rate tip system : e.g. average job = $4, Good job = $8, Bad job = $0, no matter what the meal costs. Yet since we have the system we do, I still tip 15-20% just cuase thats how it works. Minimum wage laws vary from state to state. Many states have higher minimum wage for wait persons who get tips. If state minimum wage is higher than federal minimum then you get paid the state minimum. Half a dozen sates require FULL minimum wage for tipped workers including : MT, NV, AK, OR, MN, & CA. Here's a breakdown by state: http://www.paywizard.org/main/Minimumwageandovertime/MinimumWageTIPRecevers Most states have combined minimum wage including tips so that if you get $0 in tips you still make a $7-8 /hr minimum. But if you get tips then in MOST states you can get as low as $2-3 an hour for the actual wages. I don’t like a ‘minimum tip’ at all. If its required then its not really a tip. There should be no entitlement feeling about tips. Franky I don’t like the 10-20% tip system much. Why does bringing me coffee & plate of food worth $20 at a fancy restaurant and only $4 at a cheaper restaurant? I’d much prefer flat rate tip system : e.g. average job = $4, Good job = $8, Bad job = $0, no matter what the meal costs. Yet since we have the system we do, I still tip 15-20% just cuase thats how it works.

Minimum wage laws vary from state to state. Many states have higher minimum wage for wait persons who get tips. If state minimum wage is higher than federal minimum then you get paid the state minimum.

Half a dozen sates require FULL minimum wage for tipped workers including : MT, NV, AK, OR, MN, & CA.

Here’s a breakdown by state:
http://www.paywizard.org/main/Minimumwageandovertime/MinimumWageTIPRecevers

Most states have combined minimum wage including tips so that if you get $0 in tips you still make a $7-8 /hr minimum. But if you get tips then in MOST states you can get as low as $2-3 an hour for the actual wages.

]]> By: KC http://allfinancialmatters.com/2009/10/05/the-rude-new-tip-jar-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-439700 KC Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:03:07 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=4083#comment-439700 I read that article, too. I wouldn't visit that shop again either. They should have the sense (and courtesy) to put a percentage instead of an amount as a suggestion. To me that's just common decency and manners. A dollar amount is crass. I read that article, too. I wouldn’t visit that shop again either. They should have the sense (and courtesy) to put a percentage instead of an amount as a suggestion. To me that’s just common decency and manners. A dollar amount is crass.

]]> By: Doug http://allfinancialmatters.com/2009/10/05/the-rude-new-tip-jar-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-439698 Doug Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:44:21 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=4083#comment-439698 I thought Dan was clear that he tipped appropriate to the level of service, regardless of how long it took to be seated. Factors that impacted the tip: * Took a long time to be greeted: This is the length of time after you sit at the table until the server greats you. When the server chooses to or "gets around to" greeting you is typically completely within their control. In the cases where it is not, it's usually due to them having too many tables. In that case, my assumption is that they will receive a smaller tip from each table, but will receive the same overall hourly amount. * Appetizer and food were luke-warm: My assumption would be that the food was hot immediately after being cooked but must have cooled due to the server's delay in bringing it out. What's worse is when the server tells you something like, "The kitchen was waiting on some fresh fries" and you can easily tell the fries have been sitting in the bin for 10 minutes or more. Personally, I'd have probably gone with something like 5%, but in the case of the server outright lying to me about waiting on the food, I didn't tip at all and let the manager know the reason why. I thought Dan was clear that he tipped appropriate to the level of service, regardless of how long it took to be seated.

Factors that impacted the tip:

* Took a long time to be greeted: This is the length of time after you sit at the table until the server greats you. When the server chooses to or “gets around to” greeting you is typically completely within their control. In the cases where it is not, it’s usually due to them having too many tables. In that case, my assumption is that they will receive a smaller tip from each table, but will receive the same overall hourly amount.

* Appetizer and food were luke-warm: My assumption would be that the food was hot immediately after being cooked but must have cooled due to the server’s delay in bringing it out. What’s worse is when the server tells you something like, “The kitchen was waiting on some fresh fries” and you can easily tell the fries have been sitting in the bin for 10 minutes or more.

Personally, I’d have probably gone with something like 5%, but in the case of the server outright lying to me about waiting on the food, I didn’t tip at all and let the manager know the reason why.

]]> By: Terry http://allfinancialmatters.com/2009/10/05/the-rude-new-tip-jar-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-439697 Terry Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:39:24 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=4083#comment-439697 I had no idea there was a massage chain! I had no idea there was a massage chain!

]]> By: David M http://allfinancialmatters.com/2009/10/05/the-rude-new-tip-jar-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-439683 David M Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:08:45 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=4083#comment-439683 To Tyler, I believe you are wrong. I believe in all 50 states, waiters/waitressses are paid below the normal minimum wage. However, maybe I'm wrong? To Dan, You absolutely had a "legal right" to not tip. However, I do not think what you did was fair to the hard working waiter/waitress. In my opinion what you did is not even ethical. Did they cause the delay in you being seated? Did they cause the food to be luke-warm? Just my opinion which I'm know you don't agree with or even care about :) To Tyler,

I believe you are wrong. I believe in all 50 states, waiters/waitressses are paid below the normal minimum wage. However, maybe I’m wrong?

To Dan,

You absolutely had a “legal right” to not tip. However, I do not think what you did was fair to the hard working waiter/waitress. In my opinion what you did is not even ethical. Did they cause the delay in you being seated? Did they cause the food to be luke-warm? Just my opinion which I’m know you don’t agree with or even care about :)

]]> By: Dan http://allfinancialmatters.com/2009/10/05/the-rude-new-tip-jar-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-439679 Dan Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:40:34 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=4083#comment-439679 We went to the same place Friday night and tonight for dinner. On Friday the wait was MUCH longer than we were told it would be. I told my wife the server better be excellent to get any tip. Sure enough, the server was excellent and got an appropriate top. For tonights meal the wait was slightly longer than we were told, but the service was not good at all. LONG delays to be greeted, to bring out a luke-warm appetizer, and again to bring out luke-warm food. We let the manager know we weren't happy with the service. We also tipped appropriately, ZERO. It's my understanding the server usually doesn't keep the whole tip. They share with the busboy and the kitchen staff. I don't know whose fault it was for poor service, but I didn't feel anyone had earned one tonight. We went to the same place Friday night and tonight for dinner. On Friday the wait was MUCH longer than we were told it would be. I told my wife the server better be excellent to get any tip. Sure enough, the server was excellent and got an appropriate top. For tonights meal the wait was slightly longer than we were told, but the service was not good at all. LONG delays to be greeted, to bring out a luke-warm appetizer, and again to bring out luke-warm food. We let the manager know we weren’t happy with the service. We also tipped appropriately, ZERO.

It’s my understanding the server usually doesn’t keep the whole tip. They share with the busboy and the kitchen staff. I don’t know whose fault it was for poor service, but I didn’t feel anyone had earned one tonight.

]]> By: Julia http://allfinancialmatters.com/2009/10/05/the-rude-new-tip-jar-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-439674 Julia Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:22:08 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/?p=4083#comment-439674 No one's living off of $2.13 an hour as a waiter or waitress. Please! "A tip is wage according to the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA). You are a tipped employee - that's for example a waitress or bellboy - if you receive regularly and customarily more than $30 a month in tip. If so, your employer 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 of $6.55 per hour. Your employer can only do that if you are informed about the tip credit allowance, if your employer is able to show that you earn at least the minimum wage when direct wage and tip are combined and allows you to retain all tips." No one’s living off of $2.13 an hour as a waiter or waitress. Please!

“A tip is wage according to the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA). You are a tipped employee – that’s for example a waitress or bellboy – if you receive regularly and customarily more than $30 a month in tip. If so, your employer 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 of $6.55 per hour. Your employer can only do that if you are informed about the tip credit allowance, if your employer is able to show that you earn at least the minimum wage when direct wage and tip are combined and allows you to retain all tips.”

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