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Generally speaking, the higher the cost of the wine, the more work is done for you. We went out to dinner with another couple last weekend and had three bottles of wine that totaled about $600. One was opened and poured with appetizers, one was decanted then served with dinner, the last was opened and set aside to come to serving temp why we ate. The server made sure our glasses were kept at the right level (not full, that's not how you drink wine) and the sommelier stopped by to check on us and chat a bit a couple of times.
We definitely got more "service" for our wine than the couple at the next table over who ordered a single bottle off the $35 "value" list. We tipped 20% on the tab including the wine, and gave the sommelier $50 as well for his excellent suggestions and assistance.
In the US, servers get taxed on about 8% of their checks whether they are tipped 8% (or more) or not. So to stiff the server on the wine is quite possibly taking money out of their pocket.
Why should that matter to us?
Why are we paying their salary... that's the issue we're trying to discuss.
They are not our employees, the restaurant is their employer.
Why should that matter to us?
Why are we paying their salary... that's the issue we're trying to discuss.
They are not our employees, the restaurant is their employer.
I agree that this is the question no one can find an answer for.
Imo the core question here is not "why don't Europeans tip every time?" but rather "if people are already paying the bill, why should they pay even more for something the employer should?"
Yeah, in the sense that people should be entitled to be paid for their work.
Wouldn't that be the restaurant's owner part, pay his/her employees?!
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On the other hand, people like you feel entitled to get **** for free.
Isn't the customer paying for way over the actual cost of the meal already?!
If it is so, why are people on the restaurant business working depending on those who may or may not pay for their service? There are lots of jobs, on all educational levels, that pay a fixed salary which does not depend on a customer's decision to tip or not.
I tip when I am very happy about the service and do not feel the person is being artificially polite to make a bigger tip. I don't think people should be treated disrespectfully bc of that - after all there are lots of restaurants everywhere and customers might as well take their checkbooks elsewhere.
Customers are already bringing their business to places so that they can keep their doors open and people employed.
Wouldn't that be the restaurant's owner part, pay his/her employees?!
Isn't the customer paying for way over the actual cost of the meal already?!
If it is so, why are people on the restaurant business working depending on those who may or may not pay for their service? There are lots of jobs, on all educational levels, that pay a fixed salary which does not depend on a customer's decision to tip or not.
I tip when I am very happy about the service and do not feel the person is being artificially polite to make a bigger tip. I don't think people should be treated disrespectfully bc of that - after all there are lots of restaurants everywhere and customers might as well take their checkbooks elsewhere.
Customers are already bringing their business to places so that they can keep their doors open and people employed.
Newsflash, all waiters/waitresses are being artificially polite, make that everyone in any customer service. You really think people are excited and happy about serving your cheap a$$ and refilling your drinks and then having to pick up your dirty dishes and take them back to the kitchen.
I don't think anyone would be genuinely excited about that, its called customer service and they are nice to enhnace your experience.
Newsflash, all waiters/waitresses are being artificially polite, make that everyone in any customer service.
Some people love what they do. Some have a true talent for customer service.
I don't know the kind of restaurants you go to - nor am interested, btw - but I have met waiters/waitresses who took great pride in their jobs and were happy to do their best for customers regardless of tips.
I know, unbelievable isn't it?! But they do exist, and those I gladly and generously tip.
Your rudeness, that I will have to decline, thank you.
I don't mind tipping waitstaff when they do their job well, I actually like it that they have to provide good service in order to get their full wage. And if they are only being friendly and helpful because they want to get paid, so what? That's the whole point.
What I don't like is going to a discount store and needing something that's up on an overstock shelf out of reach, walking down several aisles looking for someone to get it for me, finding 3 employees hiding out and making fun of some customer they saw in the store that day, having them tell me that they don't work in that department but they will try to find someone to help me, then finally getting tired of waiting and going to find something to stand on so I can get the damn thing myself, then paying for the item knowing that part of my money is going to pay the wages of the 3 slackers who are probably still standing in the same spot doing the same thing.
I say this from the perspective of a former retail manager who has had to listen to many, many customer complaints and then had to listen to the BS excuses of my slacker employees.
Newsflash, all waiters/waitresses are being artificially polite,
eh? what nonsense is this? Who told you they are being artificially polite? In the US the hospitality industry is polite, we don't stand for rudeness like they do in Europe. Rude people die a natural death in the hospitality industry here.
I have almost always received excellent courteous and polite service in the US, I tip 20%, the waiter is delighted, I am delighted that I received great service, the restaurant is delighted that they got money, everyone leaves happy...unlike in Europe when I have been pissed most of the time when I was forced to pay a tip for service that was terrible! The waiters know they are going to get your money anyway, they don't give a rats ass whether they serve you well or not.
Trust me, I will be the first NOT to tip at all if the service is any less than good... but as I said in the US I have very rarely had to do that. Customer service is very important in the US, a restaurant would fire a waiter that was rude to customers.
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