20% tip is too generous for CA's minimum wage waitstaff (living in, restaurants)

[eureka1]

Originally Posted by AJT123

Go back to Europe. If you can't afford to tip your server 20% as part of your restaurant bill, you aren't worth even talking to.

People DEPEND on tips to make a living; I know, as I used to do this while working my way through college.

If you wanna be cheap and stingy bc everything is expensive here, I understand, but don't stiff your server for it.

Seriously.

^^^^^^^^^^^^WHAT HE SAID and said well.

[slo1318]

I would only tip 20% at a very top notch place with top notch active service.
At an average restaurant 12-15%
At a minimal service place (counter order type)...couple of bucks max.

[Podo944]

Originally Posted by oh come on!

If you're paying an extra 20% on your food, you're paying too much in CA, considering the waitstaff makes at least $9/hour doing nothing but sticking to their job description, which is to
1. bring your food and
2. not mix up your order.

Satisfying these requirements is not considered "outstanding."

If you think they did an outstanding job, you should compare it to how you are treated in non-tipped countries, and then reevaluate whether you truly got outstanding service.

Even though I see so many bored-annoyed-looking waitstaff, I would not consider a smile on the face to be outstanding service either.

Serving can be very stressful and it's hard work. (Been sent to physical therapy on more than one occasion! Tennis elbow, carpal tunnel, shoulder injury) I've worked on and off part time in restaurants most of my adult life, and I've seen a few servers literately flee in tears in busy restaurants over the years.

People who've worked this job know how it is. But as a server, I don't automatically leave 20 percent if the server is poor or mediocre. Also because of my experience, I know if a server is doing all they can within a rotten situation like being understaffed, or an unusually large crowd comes in so I'll still be generous. But on occasion I'll come across a real brat with a rotten attitude, and they have no business working in service. No mercy for them!

[shooting4life]

As minimum wage goes up the amount I tip goes down. How I tip in certain cities with high minimum wage laws is different than others.
I used to wait tables when I was younger btw. It isn't a hard job as long as you can keep things straight in your head and anticipate needs. I was good at what I did because I have a very logical mind in the sense of processes.

[oh come on!]

Did California do the right thing by requiring waitstaff to be paid a base salary of $9/hour?
I'd like to think the increasing restaurant food prices I'm paying for go toward the guaranteed base salary of the waitstaff.

Do you think a waiter's job is worth more than the McD's burger flipper who has to manage 20 patties at a time without burning them during peak hours?
I see those guys hustle during lunch/dinner hours.


If tips did not exist, and if you had to negotiate a base salary, how much do you think waitering is worth per hour?

It's not an issue of being cheap. I just think waiting tables is but a minimum wage job, and if the law guarantees the same minimum wage as non-tipped workers, that should be your only expectation.
If waiters expect to be paid more, then the fairest solution is for restaurant owners to raise food prices, and then waiters should negotiate higher wages with the owners. Those who get the best customer feedback get higher wages.

[MItoBH]

When it comes to food, I always tip. It's the civilized thing to do. If you can't afford to tip, or are too mean to tip, make your own food.

[payutenyodagimas]

Originally Posted by MItoBH

When it comes to food, I always tip. It's the civilized thing to do. If you can't afford to tip, or are too mean to tip, make your own food.

obviously only in America tipping is the norm. do you mean to say other countries are not civilized because they don't tip or tipping is not required?

[04kL4nD]

not true at all. plenty of other countries practice tipping, just not in most Europe countries.

[MItoBH]

Originally Posted by payutenyodagimas

obviously only in America tipping is the norm. do you mean to say other countries are not civilized because they don't tip or tipping is not required?

Obviously as an American and commenting in a thread about CALIFORNIA, my comments are about tipping in CALIFORNIA and it is being civilized to tip for good service!!!!!

[MidtownSacto]

This topic isn't really about the merits of tipping vs not tipping even though the discussion has strayed that way. The question by the OP boils down to: should people tip waiters the same percentage in states that require minimum wage for waitstaff compared to states that don't require a minimum wage? For example, do you use the same tipping scale for waitstaff in Washington State who make $9.47 an hour compared to waitstaff in New Jersey who make $2.13 an hour?