Quote:
Originally Posted by aarono2690
From my experience as a former waiter:
Friendly, cooperative table w/reduced tip > bunch of *******s w/higher tip.
Just be friendly but also tip well you cheap **** suckers.
Sometimes. Maybe.
Depends on the degree of seperation. In 'fine dining', you can quickly go from a $150 tab of a couple out on their anniverary, to a $1000+ table of two execs having a meeting. The variance in tip here is generally <5% ... Execs win, every time. Money talks.
And FWIW: $2.13/hr is server pay in Texas.
As I've mentioned before, and has not been said in this thread, is you have to realize that in the U.S., in nicer restaurants, every dollar you spend, the waiter is paying a set percentage back to the house. In my case... 4.5% (I've heard as high as 6% in some places, not counting those with captain systems). Every time, every table, regardless. So when you tip 10%, nearly half of that is paid in life-rake. When you tip generously because your server wasn't a mouthbreather, he sees a real benefit from it.
Would I like to be paid min. wage? Yes. Do I think the US system is perfect? No. Is it going to change? No, there's too much profit in it for restaurants (many of which wouldn't survive if paying min.). Deal with it, and tip accordingly. Sure, if your server is terrible, a bad tip is in order, but if your waiter is clearly experienced and professional, he's 'moved up stakes'... pay the man his manies plz.