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I still think a serverless restaurant would be the answer for those that think like minded, a niche perhaps but I think it would work. One would still need a person to clean the tables, that should be included with the meal costs.
Example, pick you fav restaurant and eliminate the servers:
1) You go into a restaurant and pick your table, each place setting has a water glass.
2) You read the specials on the board and look at the menu. (Remember we used to be able to read)
3) You go to the same alcove that the server would go to and order you meal(s), get a number, Pay for your meal(s), refill your water glass while you are there and pick up a bread bowl for the table.
4) When your name or number is called you go and pick up your meals.
5) Eat meal and leave.
This will work for most single folks and couples. Probably families would not like it, but that is OK as there would be no screaming kids there. In fact it should be adults only.
Just a thought.
I've been in several restaurants in the past that worked exactly that way. A couple were really unique. One had a little mechanical version of the tablets that some places use today. You flipped pages like a juke box and pressed the number for what you wanted. A light would come on when your order was ready. Another had a phone on the table to place your order and it would ring to pick it up.
You've just described a Jersey Mike's Sub Shop, and every Chinese Take-Out in your area.
But that is not real restaurant food it is fast food. If you read my post you would have seen that I said NOT for fast food. For proper restaurant food. That is exactly my point. You can only get that type of service, which I would argue is better than being served by a server (who a lot of the times smells of smoke), but for basically Fast Food type Fair. You should be able to have a place where you can order a nice filet steak medium rare with garlic mash and beans in the same manner, or perhaps a breakfast place.
Last edited by shokwaverider; 10-14-2018 at 08:15 AM..
Are folks like me, who live on Social Security or other fixed income, justified in reducing the level of tipping?
The prices of restaurant meals have gone through the roof, partly to cover higher minimum wage (currently $11.50 in my state, rising to $13.50 in 2020; higher in some cities etc)., but way beyond that, to really outrageous levels — at least where I live.
I used to automatically tip 20%, but now with restaurant prices where they are, I just can’t afford it. I’m lowering my standard tip to 10%.
How about you?
Almost everyone I know is on "fixed income". Often it is called pay check. If money is tight - why do you eat at high prized restaurants? Invite a friend, serve a simple meal with fresh ingredients, have a glass of wine and enjoy desert. Probably the equivalent to one restaurant meal which does not sit well because minimum wage will go up in two years.
Wages are only part of overhead in the food industry. Have you been to a grocery store lately, filled up your car or paid utilities?
Little Cesar's 5$ went to 6$ - were are the outcries over a 20% increase?
Are you sure that is true? For decades Food Service Workers have been exempt from Federal Minimum Wage statutes because of the prevalence of tipping.
I don't remember reading anywhere that Food Service Workers are now covered by Minimum Wage or Living Wage laws.
I was not aware of the points you raise. I’ll check it out. If the waitstaff are not receiving the state minimum wage, that certainly makes the greed of the restaurant owners even more egregious.
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You find it strange, that’s swell. How does that help the OP?
I will be more than happy to add some more advice.
Another option in terms of good dining is Training restaurants at catering colleges and cooking academies, which can be fantastic places to sample excellent food at much lower prices. Of course, just like restaurants, even these vary in price and style, with some cooking up extremely cheap homemade comfort food, while others serve reasonable priced cordon bleu main courses. Many countries have training colleges, catering colleges and cooking academies where the future great chefs ofen train.
The US must have similar places to the UK and parts of Europe where budding chefs often learn their trade. Have a look on-line and see if there are any near you and if they have a restaurant.
As for tips I have already explained that you can pay what you like in terms of Discretionary Tipping, whilst Mandatory tipping also known as a service charge will be automatically added to the bill however the make you clearly aware of this policy and you don't legally have to pay it if you are not satisfied with the service.
A further idea might be to check out less expensive less well known restaurants that have good reviews at places such tripadvisor or to eat at certain times when restaurants may have offers on. Failing that there's always the chain restaurants.
Last edited by Brave New World; 10-14-2018 at 10:52 AM..
Thanks to (most) posters for your observations and suggestions.
Actually, my wife is an excellent cook, and we seldom eat at restaurants — the food is often mediocre and poorly prepared, anyway. It’s just that I like to give her a break and a chance to dress up a little and get us out of the house together.
As I mentioned, tipping is just something I feel obligated to do, and on top of the noticeably higher prices for the same food, we are being priced out of the restaurant scene.
Guess we’re just going to have to change that “seldom” to “rarely”...
I will be more than happy to add some more advice.
Another option in terms of good dining is Training restaurants at catering colleges and cooking academies, which can be fantastic places to sample excellent food at much lower prices. Of course, just like restaurants, even these vary in price and style, with some cooking up extremely cheap homemade comfort food, while others serve reasonable priced cordon bleu main courses. Many countries have training colleges, catering colleges and cooking academies where the future great chefs ofen train.
The US must have similar places to the UK and parts of Europe where budding chefs often learn their trade. Have a look on-line and see if there are any near you and if they have a restaurant.
As for tips I have already explained that you can pay what you like in terms of Discretionary Tipping, whilst Mandatory tipping also known as a service charge will be automatically added to the bill however the make you clearly aware of this policy and you don't legally have to pay it if you are not satisfied with the service.
A further idea might be to check out less expensive less well known restaurants that have good reviews at places such tripadvisor or to eat at certain times when restaurants may have offers on. Failing that there's always the chain restaurants.
They but the affiliated restaurants are not necessarily inexpensive.
I think the problem is tipping based on a percentage combined with the fact the expected tip has gone from 10% to 15% to now 20%. Think about it, why should the tip be based on percent of cost since the work is the same whether it's a small family joint or Red Lobster (yes I know what most think of Red Lobster, but for much of the country that's as good as it gets)?
Consider the server is working about five tables an hour. And say anywhere from 2 to six people at a table, average 4, or about 20 people an hour. At Red Lobster those 20 people were run somewhere around $25 each or $500. And 20% of that is $100. So the server at Red Lobster gets $100 an hour in tips. Now go to Grandma's Family Table, where the average meal price is maybe $13 per person. Those same 20 people will have $260 in cost of which a 20% tip is $52. Now in either case that's a pretty respectable amount for an hour's work. But they'd done about the same amount of actual production. Served 20 people. Carried about the same amount of food and tableware back and forth. So why would the server in the high priced place earn double the tips just because the food was priced higher?
I think that's the real inequity with tipping -- the lower priced places, which often are more actual work because they turn tables faster, earn less in tips. As for the comment someone made about if you can't afford to tip, then don't eat out. Well that's happening. Restaurants are pricing themselves out of the market. Look at the number of chains we've all eaten at that are on the edge. 20% on top of an overpriced meal can be the deal breaker.
Tips get shared with back and front office. What do you eat at Red Slobster for 13/person?
Yeh.. blame the market.. its easier than facing the reality.
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