Tipping at the buffet
Apr 23rd, 2002, 02:54 PM
#21
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Thanks Tippy for understanding the method to my madness. I would comment though that tipping on the IRS guidelined is not that odd. I say why give someone 25% if they are only getting taxed on 15%. That is 10% tax free. I don't get 10% of my income tax free though I wish I did! Anyway, thank you for understanding. I think the Happy Waiter needs his head examined. He is just bitter because he can't find a better job!
Apr 23rd, 2002, 03:22 PM
#23
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I used to be a waitress at a restaurant that had a Sunday brunch buffet, regular menu rest of the time. The restaurant took out 12% of our sales in taxes (regardless of whether people tipped 10% or 15%) and on top of that, we had to pay out 2% of our sales for the cooks and busboys. So we had to pay out 14% of sales at all times, including the buffet (which everyone hated to work since we made $20-$30 in a shift) - so please don't leave a buck or two! The waiters/waitresses have to earn a living too.
Apr 24th, 2002, 04:31 AM
#25
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I'm trying to do the math to make sense out of your post, Mr. Food.
OK, let's your your pretax bill at a restaurant was $100 and you should tip $15 which would be a standard (not generous) tip of 15%. If you tip 12% of a total bill, to be equal to the amount of the other tip, the total bill with tax would have to be $125. So you figure the average tax on a restaurant bill is 25%???? Where is that true? -- most places I'm aware of it is about 6 or 7%. I think you are trying to justify saving some money and cutting out the server at the same time, pretending that you are tipping 15% when you clearly are not. 12% of a $100 pretax bill with a 6% tax on top is $12.72. I suspect you'd round that off to the lower $12, cutting out $3.00 of the waiter's tip, but even if you rounded it up to $13, you're still taking $2.00 of his tip. Yes, I'd say you're just being cheap.
I had a cheap friend who always took charge of a group restaurant bill. First he'd round off the total (always to the lower amount), then he'd take off the tax (rounding the amount of tax higher) and then subtracting it by a little more. Then he'd round off the total again to a lower amount more easily divisible by the number of us splitting the bill. Then he'd divide by the number of people and again to "make it easy" he'd round off some more. By the time he was done, the server was ending up with less than 10%, even though he'd use the figure of 15%. But I guess cheap people will do whatever they need to do to justify their incredible cheapness.
OK, let's your your pretax bill at a restaurant was $100 and you should tip $15 which would be a standard (not generous) tip of 15%. If you tip 12% of a total bill, to be equal to the amount of the other tip, the total bill with tax would have to be $125. So you figure the average tax on a restaurant bill is 25%???? Where is that true? -- most places I'm aware of it is about 6 or 7%. I think you are trying to justify saving some money and cutting out the server at the same time, pretending that you are tipping 15% when you clearly are not. 12% of a $100 pretax bill with a 6% tax on top is $12.72. I suspect you'd round that off to the lower $12, cutting out $3.00 of the waiter's tip, but even if you rounded it up to $13, you're still taking $2.00 of his tip. Yes, I'd say you're just being cheap.
I had a cheap friend who always took charge of a group restaurant bill. First he'd round off the total (always to the lower amount), then he'd take off the tax (rounding the amount of tax higher) and then subtracting it by a little more. Then he'd round off the total again to a lower amount more easily divisible by the number of us splitting the bill. Then he'd divide by the number of people and again to "make it easy" he'd round off some more. By the time he was done, the server was ending up with less than 10%, even though he'd use the figure of 15%. But I guess cheap people will do whatever they need to do to justify their incredible cheapness.
Apr 24th, 2002, 04:46 AM
#26
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Mr. Food is no investment banker - no way, no how! How do I know? Because Mr. Food doesn't understand 5th grade math. Assuming your state charges 8% tax, your 12% tip on the total bill is a 12.96% tip on the pre-tax, not all that close to 15%. If your state sales tax is less, then you are even cheaper. Get back on the couch, Jerry SPringer is on in a few minutes! "Investment banker"...hehehe
Apr 24th, 2002, 05:14 AM
#27
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Mr. Food reminds me of that old joke about the guy who, when he travels, brings two shirts and one dollar, and changes neither.
But I gotta tell ya, if the guy is an investment banker and if he's serious about how tightly he monitors his tippiing, THEN I WANT THIS GUY HANDLING MY $.
The weird part about tipping debates -- and I've seen my share of them -- is that often it's about the difference between, say, leaving $3 or $4. And it usually involves people who might pay $20 monthly for Internet access and never use it.
But I gotta tell ya, if the guy is an investment banker and if he's serious about how tightly he monitors his tippiing, THEN I WANT THIS GUY HANDLING MY $.
The weird part about tipping debates -- and I've seen my share of them -- is that often it's about the difference between, say, leaving $3 or $4. And it usually involves people who might pay $20 monthly for Internet access and never use it.
Apr 24th, 2002, 12:56 PM
#32
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Happy Waiter... You 'say' that you work for 20% and no less. If someone tips less than that, do you grab their wallet and pull out the extra money, or do you add it to their credit card slip??? Or do you advise them as soon as you approach their table for the first time that if they dare to tip less than 20%, you will refuse to serve them?
When do you serve the ice tea, before or after the expensive wine?
With your attitude, I would love you to be the first waiter that I have stiffed. I bet you look cute in your Mickey D's outfit.
You work for 20% and no less ...in your dreams.
When do you serve the ice tea, before or after the expensive wine?
With your attitude, I would love you to be the first waiter that I have stiffed. I bet you look cute in your Mickey D's outfit.
You work for 20% and no less ...in your dreams.
Apr 24th, 2002, 04:09 PM
#34
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Tina (you fool),
A great waiter SEDUCES the money out of you. You WILL pay 20% OR MORE if the service is excellent and the person treats you how you want to be treated. There is a trick to understanding how each individual table wants to be treated as well. It doesn't sound like you'd ever be the type to venture into the restaurant where I work anyway. {btw Tina, My guess is that you need a waiter who dangles his ding-dong in your face - but that is just the impression I get from your writing. For me to get 20% or better from you, I'd have to know what you really need, and meet you face to face. You sound like a pushover.}
And thank you Laura for noticing Mr. Food's gross mistake (gross as in large). I guess I even managed to get 30% out of him right here on this forum. Those 'investment bankers' are so easy. {yeah, right…. I think my first description was more accurate, he liked being made fun of, and then over-tipped me.}
Oh, and Patrick… it is obvious that you are a classy guy. No pretense needed here buddy, just excellent service - which you would enjoy.
Cheers to all!
THe happy wAiTeR
A great waiter SEDUCES the money out of you. You WILL pay 20% OR MORE if the service is excellent and the person treats you how you want to be treated. There is a trick to understanding how each individual table wants to be treated as well. It doesn't sound like you'd ever be the type to venture into the restaurant where I work anyway. {btw Tina, My guess is that you need a waiter who dangles his ding-dong in your face - but that is just the impression I get from your writing. For me to get 20% or better from you, I'd have to know what you really need, and meet you face to face. You sound like a pushover.}
And thank you Laura for noticing Mr. Food's gross mistake (gross as in large). I guess I even managed to get 30% out of him right here on this forum. Those 'investment bankers' are so easy. {yeah, right…. I think my first description was more accurate, he liked being made fun of, and then over-tipped me.}
Oh, and Patrick… it is obvious that you are a classy guy. No pretense needed here buddy, just excellent service - which you would enjoy.
Cheers to all!
THe happy wAiTeR
Apr 24th, 2002, 04:26 PM
#35
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Enough of tips, for me tips should ONLY be given if the SERVICE would justify it. Waiters may look forward to our tips , if they serve us right, but how about bad service, can we ask for a discount? No, therefore I find it stupid to impose a certain percentage for so called tips. I feel rest. in USA are tip HUNGRY even if service is not that good, compared to any place in the world. Try going to Canada, China and rest of ASIA, you will know what I mean.
Apr 24th, 2002, 05:59 PM
#36
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Dear m,
Perhaps you have a unique point - it is the USA where wages and standard of livings are best, although not perfect by any means. I guess your post might explain the great influx of people trying to become US citizens - both professional workers and 'slackers.' Sometimes the accent is so thick, my customers are very difficult to understand. It is through taking care of their every need, to the best of my ability, that I am able to receive 20%+.
'Nuff said.
tHe hApPy wAiTeR
Perhaps you have a unique point - it is the USA where wages and standard of livings are best, although not perfect by any means. I guess your post might explain the great influx of people trying to become US citizens - both professional workers and 'slackers.' Sometimes the accent is so thick, my customers are very difficult to understand. It is through taking care of their every need, to the best of my ability, that I am able to receive 20%+.
'Nuff said.
tHe hApPy wAiTeR
Apr 25th, 2002, 07:23 AM
#37
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m,
Allow me to try to wallow through your posting and pick out the salient points. First of all (if I'm understanding you correctly) it sounds as if you're saying that you should "get a discount" for bad service. Discount from what? If the service is bad, you have the option of tipping less (or not at all). Does bad service change the food/drink product you are receiving? Perhaps. If the server is lax, your food/drink may sit too long and get cold, hot, etc. If this occurs then you simply bring it to someones attention and, in most reputable restaurants, they'll take care of it--either by replacing the item or by comping an item: There is your discount.
As far as tipping in general is concerned, if you don't wish to tip at all, you have the option of eating at home or going to self-service restaurants. The fact of the matter is that, currently, we have a system where servers rely on tips for their income. Many servers in the US make $2.23 AN HOUR--PLUS TIPS. Without these tips they make LESS than minimum wage.
Many other countries are on a different system. They pay their servers a MUCH HIGHER base wage and tips are just the cream on top (and generally make up much less of the server's total wages).
To say that the server must earn his/her tip from you is right... but only to a point. As long as our restaurant system is set up the way it is, if you decide to use that system then you should play by the rules. That means that if you receive decent service, you should leave a decent tip, good service = good tip, etc..
If you are not willing to abide by this then don't burden hard-working servers with your unfair demands based on your ignorance of the industry.
TTT
Allow me to try to wallow through your posting and pick out the salient points. First of all (if I'm understanding you correctly) it sounds as if you're saying that you should "get a discount" for bad service. Discount from what? If the service is bad, you have the option of tipping less (or not at all). Does bad service change the food/drink product you are receiving? Perhaps. If the server is lax, your food/drink may sit too long and get cold, hot, etc. If this occurs then you simply bring it to someones attention and, in most reputable restaurants, they'll take care of it--either by replacing the item or by comping an item: There is your discount.
As far as tipping in general is concerned, if you don't wish to tip at all, you have the option of eating at home or going to self-service restaurants. The fact of the matter is that, currently, we have a system where servers rely on tips for their income. Many servers in the US make $2.23 AN HOUR--PLUS TIPS. Without these tips they make LESS than minimum wage.
Many other countries are on a different system. They pay their servers a MUCH HIGHER base wage and tips are just the cream on top (and generally make up much less of the server's total wages).
To say that the server must earn his/her tip from you is right... but only to a point. As long as our restaurant system is set up the way it is, if you decide to use that system then you should play by the rules. That means that if you receive decent service, you should leave a decent tip, good service = good tip, etc..
If you are not willing to abide by this then don't burden hard-working servers with your unfair demands based on your ignorance of the industry.
TTT
Apr 25th, 2002, 07:53 AM
#38
Guest
Posts: n/a
Mr. Food, By demonstrating your need to let everyone know you are an "investment banker" I'm guessing that either you are really (1) a stockbroker, (2) relatively new to the business so you have an over-inflated sense of your own importance in the process (a common problem amongst associates and analysts; trust me, you are replaceable); or (3) you really work for a commercial bank that likes to think of itself as "an invesment bank." Selling/buying bank loans is not Investment Banking.
At the age of 30, if you are working "over 60 hours a week" you are either not in a very busy area or my assessment above is accurate. When I was 30, working for a firm whose initials are MS, I'd view 60 hours as a short week.
Let me ask you this, have often do you pull an all-nighter?
At the age of 30, if you are working "over 60 hours a week" you are either not in a very busy area or my assessment above is accurate. When I was 30, working for a firm whose initials are MS, I'd view 60 hours as a short week.
Let me ask you this, have often do you pull an all-nighter?
Apr 25th, 2002, 08:48 AM
#40
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Anyone who calculates (or miscalculates) his tips to the penny is a tightwad who shouldn't be eating out. Mr. Food, working as a teller is not investment banking.
I have not waited tables but I have bartended before and heard the stories from my fellow waiters. I have also helped out in waiting tables during a busy night. The customers who stiff tips or shortchange when services are decent are usually bitter people who have bad family relationships. Stay at the Huddle House.
I have not waited tables but I have bartended before and heard the stories from my fellow waiters. I have also helped out in waiting tables during a busy night. The customers who stiff tips or shortchange when services are decent are usually bitter people who have bad family relationships. Stay at the Huddle House.
