I've never worked as a server, but I'd imagine B+ service on 10 tables is a lot more work than A+ service on 5 tables since a lot to do with quality of service is timeliness. So due to no fault of their own the server is working harder for the same amount of pay.

The real issue is why it is even allowed to pay servers such a small base wage in the USA. Absolutely atrocious and puts both customers and servers in ****ty situations.

If I get compromised service because of too many tables I'll still tip the same because I think the server should be rewarded in proportion to their work. Does that suck for the customer? It does. But I also know how ****ty their base wage is and their lower level of service was not their fault.

I guess it depends on your definition of "service suffering". For a lot of people it's wait times and if a server has more tables obviously things are going to take longer.

And yes, KOF is right. B+ service on 10 tables is honestly more impressive.

And 10 tables at once is A LOT. At that point it's really just a managerial ****up.

Except things don't work that way - typically people will leave 15-20% for B+ service. They don't leave 30-40% for A+ service.

There will also very rarely be a scenario where a server working has 5 tables while another has 10, unless it's a place with a patio in the summer and one server has an outside section and the other has the bar area inside etc.

All tables don't order the same amount of food or require the same amount of attention. You might get a four-top who just immediately orders drinks, apps, then you take their entrees check on them a couple times and that's it. Or you might have an eight-top with questions about the menu, they want oil to dip the bread in (also the bread isn't hot enough) constant refills & requesting of sides of stuff, maybe throw a couple impatient rude people in there, etc

Obviously tip whatever you want, the problem is the people I usually encounter who constantly stiff waiters or leave tiny tips generally do it for stupid reasons and are just looking for reasons to be cheap (they've also never worked a restaurant before too). Stuff like water glass was empty for a couple minutes or the food came out a little slow is just an lol reason not to tip.

Everyone's had nightmare waiters, personally I've stiffed maybe 2-3 times in my life and they absolutely deserved it and probably knew it too. But this kind of stuff should happen pretty rarely.

If you choose a job and then complain that the compensation system is unfair, even though that system has been the same since before you were born, you're never getting any sympathy from me.

There are servers who constantly bring up how unfairly they're treated compared to hourly or salaried workers, yet never mention the advantages their job offers compared to their counterparts. But there are servers who, having weighed the pros and cons, think that they've made the right choice for them at this point in their lives. The second group tends to be far better at their job and thus earns more.

The sad thing is that the second group used to be the majority, but the whiners are slowly taking over. In my opinion, this has nothing to do with the job, but is a pathetic reflection of many Americans' huge sense of entitlement.

Yes while there aren't [usually] immediate consequences to office workers besides a complaint opposed to a server immediately getting stiffed that day, there are long term consequences that might get you fired during your performance review. While this is a bit extreme, it's also like a hundred times worse losing your job than getting paid 5-10% less on one day.

I don't think you need to be a server or work in the service industry to complain about service you are providing me. If I'm paying for service, and you are unable to provide me the service that I'm supposed to be getting, what logical reason is there for me to pay you for it?

For the record, I always tip well because I rarely get bad service and feel bad when I don't, but I don't think it is inarguable that some waiters just don't deserve tips.

Can you site any data that supports waiters who complain about small tips being worse than those who don't? I'm sure a lot of good waiters get upset when they don't get tipped to an acceptable degree.

Yes, there are good servers and bad servers. But it is a sad fact that restaurant owners are allowed to pay their servers a pittance as a base wage. This forces the customer to make up for the differential unless you are just a dick and don't care. It's a ****ty situation for both servers and customers.

Personally, I'm glad there are people who choose to be servers because without them I wouldn't have my food served to me. And it's not like servers can't make a good wage, but yes, our tips make up that wage to a large degree and if an ******* customer doesn't tip them then that effects them to a very large degree. Did they know that when they took the job? Yes. But they probably figured there are enough non-*******s to make sure they made an acceptable amount of money.

I'm referring to servers who complain about the system as a whole. I have no problem with those who complain about individual bad tippers. (Although for their own peace of mind, they'd be better off just letting it go, because there always has been, and always will be, bad tippers, and no amount of complaining is going to change that,)

Someone said they could see the chef doing this, not a cook. There's a big difference obviously and even if it was a cook, the chef would never let that **** happen anyways.

Responsibilities change as different stuff happens in different situations. That's like talking about poker situations in that they're never the same at all. 10-15 minutes is a really really long time if you're eating out and I expect you're exaggerating a little bit too. Where do you guys eat that you get all this ****ty service?

The main reason to bring it up to a manager too is that they need to be aware of someone who's lacking in a certain area and to try and improve that or take action as needed. Also thank you for explaining why to leave change instead of nothing. No one "forgets" to tip when they eat out. As to the last part, that's what the guy tipped on the discounted bill. I don't expect to get tipped on the full price of the burger but there was no reason for him to stiff me besides that he was a cheap-o.

No, not really. Fine dining you do something like that and you'd likely be fired on the spot or as soon as they found out. I'm saying is that anywhere above like Pizza Hut isn't going to have their kitchen staff do that. It sounded like a moody waitress who just was doing a bad job and picked them off and put the fresh ones on there. Either way it's unacceptable. Servers can have access to that depending on how it's setup in the back of house. But we can't know either way, but I'd doubt a cook let alone a chef would ever do that. Kitchen people take a lot of pride in what they cook and how it looks. It's a big deal if you present something they made in a ****ty manner or don't know the ingredients etc.

That sounds like some super shady stuff and you're def getting jacked. That's in no way fair cause people may have served more drinks/worked longer hours. It should be individuals having their own tips for their own tabs. Unless it's a private party then you just pool it in case one side has more than the other.

I knew you were going to make a big deal about the cook/chef thing. When we talk on the internet about a random restaurant, its safe to assume we're talking about chains and the like and that we're not talking about a white table top place, even if someone uses the word 'chef'

This is the same philosophy that the Brits take to not tipping and as a consequence this contributes to the servers in the UK having it so much worse than the Americans.

You guys get paid more hourly in the UK unless I'm mistaken in that.

It's true but with tips the Americans take the cake. Also have to factor in the higher cost of living in the UK.

There is a restaurant in San Francisco that has a mandatory 15% service fee on all food. The money gets distributed to the servers and a percentage goes to the kitchen workers. They don't accept anything over the 15%. If someone tips over the top, they donate it to charity.

After they started this new policy, their revenues increased a lot. The owner said that the kitchen was getting more money so the food was better and this increased business so waiters were making more overall as well.

Maybe the beginning of the end of tipping?

They should be complaining. It is a horrible system in the US.

Even if the system were horrible, it takes a real idiot to say, "Wow, look at how the workers in that industry get screwed. What a terrible system! Where do I sign up?"

Sometimes, I lay 5 twenties on the table, and tell the waiter "That's for you, I hope." Then, with every infraction the waiter makes, I remove five to ten dollars from the table. Usually, they end up with about 15% after whittling themselves down. Apparently, this practice is standard in some parts of the country.

I also have perfected a technique to get optimal service with the unfortunately now standard 20%. There are some necessary conditions though. This must take place in a restaurant that is visited about the same time each week, always with the same waitress. On the first visit, tip her 100%, no matter what. When you come in the next week, she will be ecstatic to see you and will wait on you hand and foot. This time, tip her NOTHING. She will have no idea how she possibly fell so far from your grace. The third time, her behavior will be tentative and meek, like an abused spouse. Now, and from here on out, use a randomization technique to randomly tip either 100% 1/5 of the time or nothing 4/5s of the time. Obviously, this will average out to 20%. But, having now placed your server on a variable rewards schedule, they will flock to you like degens to the slot machine.

You're a loser.

Don't forget a liar. A dirty rotten liar.

lol

Would have been a good lol if you didn't rip it off.

I forgot which sitcom this was from. It was delivered a lot better on TV.

The second one was much better. 1/2 lol for that one.

You are wrong, plain and simple.

You really think at any place that isn't a pos the kitchen staff just plucks the toppings off and puts fresh tomatoes on there as opposed to just the server running back and doing it? Have you worked in the industry before? Also I don't get the snark attitude either.


Edit- I made good money when I served at the D&B type place and the menu was semi-modest in prices for food. The new place I got hired on to as a food runner I'll be making about as much running food as I was serving plus I won't have to worry about tips as I get tipped out a set amount. It's a fine dining place and I can assure you if we served pizzas they wouldn't pick the toppings off lol

The lesson is just to eat what you're served or else you will become horribly ill if you send something back.

Anyone ever game to do this?