Dining Out from the Point of View of a Waitress
Few people are aware that servers are roughly paid $3 a hour. by their employers and that amount is allowed by federal and state laws. Therefore tipping is really not optional, it is a employment deal between you and your server the minute he or she comes to your table.
The amount of the tip should be determined by the total of the bill. The myth that one only tips on the amount of food and not drinks or tax was obviously concocted by a cheap person who did not realize that in most restaurants the server gives a percentage of what a table leaves her to the bartender, busser and sometimes a hostess depending on the restraint.
Verbal tipping should not be a substitute for cash. While compliments are highly appreciated one cannot go to the landlord and say ’12 people said I was the best server ever and pay the rent with that.
Also 10 percent is not an adequate tip. Not even at breakfast. 15 to 20 percent is the acceptable and expected norm.
Stiffing a server is extreme measure to take and should be only done in extreme circumstances. Some things to keep in mind before you do this are
1 Servers have very little control over the time you were forced to wait for a table. So please show common courtesy and if there is a wait be respectful of others waiting and after you are done dining please conversate elsewhere, it helps keep the wait down as well as allows servers to turn their tables faster allowing them a chance to make more money.
2 Servers are generally not cooks and have no control over the goings on in the kitchen, Trust me they want the food to be as perfect as possible, because if the customer isn’t happy it isn’t the cooks pay who gets docked but stiffing a server is cheating them of their pay.
3 Inter-table disputes are also not her fault if they are smoking and you agreed to sit in the smoking section, or the people next to you want the heat on and you are burning up.
4 If your children are misbehaving or your spouse if being a jerk please do not take it out on the server, every time a kid starts screaming or you and your dining companion get in a argument mid dinner it always seems the tip goes down. Unless they antagonized the child or had their tongues down our partners throat, don’t take the disharmony out on them.
Why it is important to tip
If you are one of those arrogant jerk types who doesn’t believe in tipping and who frequents the same restaurants repeatedly I promise the servers are doctoring your food or throwing it on the floor then back on your plate or worse. If you don’t tip at least 15 percent I bet you have ingested the servers saliva at least once.
Keep in mind the restraint profession has the same percentage of crazy people that other jobs have. People can be really gross especially after suffering repeated rudeness without the option of talking back.
Servers also pass the word around to other servers when you come in again. Oh and believe me they are waiting on you with a vengeance. You on the other hand are none the wiser.
On the other hand if you are a good tipper and customer servers will fight over the chance to wait on you. These are the ones who get special favors freebies, food samples and whatever else they can lavish upon you. A customer who tips well is always a pleasure to wait on.
Top ten signs you are a good tipper
10 You don’t answer a greeting from your server by yelling 2 coffees
9 You say please and thank you
8 You check to see if your dining partner is ready before you belt out an order
7 You don’t demand to see the cheapest thing on the menu
6 You answer questions with actual words other than grunts
5 You aren’t talking on your cell phone and say hang on to the server when they come to get your drinks
4 You don’t slap your kids in public
3 You actually look at the server when they are telling you the specials and may even smile
2 You don’t order water with lemon
1 Your free refill soda lasts more than 2 minutes
The thing to remember is everything that everyone does in a busy restraint affects everybody. Why not try to cooperate? You will get better, faster service which is exactly what they want to give you and its what you want. I hope these simple tips help you and enjoy your next meal out.
