20% tip is too generous for CA's minimum wage waitstaff (house, buy)

[shooting4life]

Originally Posted by AJT123

It is also unfortunate that someone cannot see the connection between residing where you can live a comfortable life on 35k a year (assuming no debt, tons of kids, etc), vs living somewhere like here for 100k for the same life (probably not as comfortable, honestly, IMO). There's a reason there is an increase in hourly.

Said extra $7/hr is going to (help) offset the extra cost of living in crazy ridiculous prices, like here, even though he/she won't see much of it because your CC tips are taxed on the hourly.

I'm surprised you ever waited tables.

And I don't think you're the one who said this, but whomever compared serving in a restaurant to flipping burgers (while they're busy) at McDonald's is crazy.

I don't even know where to start with that one.

Imagine getting quadruple sat, two tables of them 8-10 tops, all the while checking on your other tables and making sure they are receiving perfect service, their change back promptly (all from separate checks), etc., just to hurry up and greet, get drinks, get apps in, etc etc for the next 20-25 people who just got sat in your section within 3 minutes of each other.

Comparing that to a busy day at Burger King, behind the counter, where you don't have to interact with anyone, flipping pre-made burgers is a NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE.

The federal minimum wage with tips is more than enough to live on if you are capable. Adding 5-7$ per hour to the minimum wage plus the traditional tipping standards is too much.

I know you will disagree because that means you will be making less money, but that doesn't make my post less true.

[DinsdalePirahna]

if you cant afford an 18-20 percent tip, just stay home or eat fast food.

I tip 20 percent across the board, 25 percent at restaurants that I frequent.

the minimum wage in CA for Wait Staff is $2.13 cents (and some cities are a bit higher) As mentioned above, the wait staff does not keep the entire tip. Bus help, Bartenders and sometimes the hostess all get a cut of the action.

I put myself through art school waiting tables. It was one of the hardest jobs I ever worked (and I worked in a coal mine, a river boat and a coal barge).

While most customers were really great to work with, you would always get that table of rednecks, drunks or entitled snobs that would ruin a night, make you work your ass off then leave 5 -10 percent. and don't even get me started on the hell that is called Valentines Day

[shooting4life]

Originally Posted by DinsdalePirahna

if you cant afford an 18-20 percent tip, just stay home or eat fast food.

I tip 20 percent across the board, 25 percent at restaurants that I frequent.

the minimum wage in CA for Wait Staff is $2.13 cents (and some cities are a bit higher) As mentioned above, the wait staff does not keep the entire tip. Bus help, Bartenders and sometimes the hostess all get a cut of the action.

I put myself through art school waiting tables. It was one of the hardest jobs I ever worked (and I worked in a coal mine, a river boat and a coal barge).

While most customers were really great to work with, you would always get that table of rednecks, drunks or entitled snobs that would ruin a night, make you work your ass off then leave 5 -10 percent. and don't even get me started on the hell that is called Valentines Day

You are wrong. Minimum wage for wait staff in California is the state/local minimum wage. Like in San Francisco they will be making almost $15 an hour plus tips on top of that. A waiter at an average eatery in SF would easily make over $35 an hour. Ten years ago when I worked at Applebee's during college I made around $25-30 an hour while making less than $7 an hour for minimum wage.

I can't help you if you think waiting tables is hard, it really isn't.

[malcorub16]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

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

True, in Mexico it is 10%.

Wait staff in CA hate serving foreigners as they don't tip as well as non-foreigners.

[Curmudgeon]

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.

I'm 69 years old, a California native who spent at least 50 of my years in the state and moved where I am now in 2009. I do not need anyone to tell me what's appropriate and what's not and certainly not to lecture me on it. Having children and grandchildren in the state I will be visiting periodically. When I eat out during those visits I'll tip as I see fit. Capisce?

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by DinsdalePirahna

if you cant afford an 18-20 percent tip, just stay home or eat fast food.

I tip 20 percent across the board, 25 percent at restaurants that I frequent.

the minimum wage in CA for Wait Staff is $2.13 cents (and some cities are a bit higher) As mentioned above, the wait staff does not keep the entire tip. Bus help, Bartenders and sometimes the hostess all get a cut of the action.

I put myself through art school waiting tables. It was one of the hardest jobs I ever worked (and I worked in a coal mine, a river boat and a coal barge).

While most customers were really great to work with, you would always get that table of rednecks, drunks or entitled snobs that would ruin a night, make you work your ass off then leave 5 -10 percent. and don't even get me started on the hell that is called Valentines Day

Precisely! I have two children who waited tables and also managed restaurants. If I stiffed wait staff, which I never have but for extreme cause, they would, in old soldier parlance, have my happy ass, hat and coat!

One thing I hate is, when paying in cash, being asked if I want change. If the bill is $32 and I put $40 on the ray or in the folder, you're damn right I want my change. I'll leave you what I consider appropriate but don't assume I'll leave it all to you, even if I might. But asking me that just lowered the tip. I consider it impertinent at best.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by malcorub16

True, in Mexico it is 10%.

Wait staff in CA hate serving foreigners as they don't tip as well as non-foreigners.

My goodness! Cultural differences. Who knew?

[payutenyodagimas]

another entitlement mentality..the law mandates whats the minimum pay everyone receives. that's what customers are liable + the food.

a tip should be gratuitous. not expected

[DriveNotCommute]

Originally Posted by AJT123

Certainly your prerogative, but I would advise AGAINST going back to any restaurant where you stiff, or leave a terrible tip.

Don't take my advice, go back and get recognized, (or worst case, have the same server) and I guarantee something awful will be done to your food/drinks, or at best, you'll receive terrible service.

People don't understand that servers hold lots of power over the arseholes (not calling you that, just in general) they have to deal with in this grueling job.

We remember faces, for sure, AND HANDLE PERSONALLY WHAT'S GOING INTO YOUR MOUTH!!!

Stiff me when I did my job very well, then come back next time, and I'll make sure your food is, .... wait, I'll just end it right there. ::Hocks Lougie::

Trust us servers here. (No longer in the business, but was for many years.)

This sort of argument does not help your position:
- So servers need to threaten people into seeing things their way. Is their position about tipping so logically unsound that this is what it comes down to?
- Are servers as a group so undisciplined that they need to vent their anger on customers while doing their job? There are no better outlets for that frustration?

Originally Posted by DinsdalePirahna

While most customers were really great to work with, you would always get that table of rednecks, drunks or entitled snobs that would ruin a night, make you work your ass off then leave 5 -10 percent. and don't even get me started on the hell that is called Valentines Day

This is just to illustrate the difficulty of the job right? Otherwise I don't see why I, as a customer with low demand for attention, should pay a higher gratuity to make up for unpleasant people who do not give a high one in line with their demands.

I want to point out that things aren't just about job difficulty. There's responsibilities, repercussions of failure to consider.

For example, in a regulated industry like pharma and various biotechs, there are often minimum wage entry level guys in the warehouses who are still expected to follow procedures exactly and report their own mistakes honestly as soon as anyone realizes things are wrong. The consequences of a cascade of errors could be as low as failing an FDA audit and costing the company millions of dollars in damage from operation disruptions and fines, to something as severe as customer/patient injuries or deaths.

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

I'm 69 years old, a California native who spent at least 50 of my years in the state and moved where I am now in 2009. I do not need anyone to tell me what's appropriate and what's not and certainly not to lecture me on it. Having children and grandchildren in the state I will be visiting periodically. When I eat out during those visits I'll tip as I see fit. Capisce?

I respectfully think you've got it reversed.

oh come on! is complaining about being told that 20% is an expected minimum and wants the freedom to choose to select a different level of gratuity. The opinion is clearly pushing for a lower one but there's no demand that people cannot give a higher gratuity and "paying too much" if they themselves choose to.

[johnrex62]

I tip to reward service. If I get service that adds to the experience I tip accordingly, and if I get service that detracts from the experience I also tip accordingly. I usually tip 20% or more at my regular haunts because I get good service and keep going back. I have had one visit where service was so bad I tipped zero and told the manager exactly why I was not tipping and he should be happy I am even paying my bill.

To those that complain that tipping should be set because the poor server cannot make a living without it. Do you tip 20% extra when you rent or buy a house to help compensate all those construction workers who make minimum wage doing MUCH more exhaustingly labor intensive work or the off the books day workers who may not even make minimum wage? Are you tipping the poor Walmart clerks who are forced to work part time to avoid benefits? Have you added a 20% premium to the cost of a car to help out the janitorial and clerical staff working at minimum wage? What about tipping the convenience store staff that stay open all night risking robbery and assault to be sure you can get your beer whenever you need it?

I worked for many years working in the general construction field doing menial labor and never saw a single tip. I put in many a 12 hour day working in the sun stoking a fire, walking on a white concrete slab and getting sunburned from the reflected heat, working outside in winter and rain and sleet. I never saw a tip and I worked MUCH, MUCH harder than anyone waiting tables in an air conditioned restaurant walking on carpeted floors. I carried load after load of 100+ lbs from one spot to another for months on end. How heavy is a full table of plates, and how many times a day did you have to carry them. I can count many days where I carried 500 plus full loads on lumber on my shoulder distances of 75-150 yards and then had to come back the next day to move it all back where it came from. How many waitresses can claim that? I never saw a single tip from any of you and I was working for minimum wage just like you. I even tipped my 15% at the lunch counter when I got a break from carrying my loads on my back. You never tipped me for helping build your restaurant or home or carport or garage or barn or road.

You say I MUST pay you at LEAST 20% because you cannot live your desired lifestyle on less and I am the bad guy if I dont? You guys come up with 40 years of back tips for me and then we can talk.