Why some restaurants add a gratuity on large parties

[Ed Pawlowski]

This was discussed here recently, adding 18% to parties of 6 or more.
Her place does not add anything. Tonight my granddaughter had a table
of 12. All young adults about 30 to 35. They got one check for $250
and all chipped in to pay it. They each left tips individually. A
dollar each. So she got 12 bucks for two hours, a whopping 5%.

Every night she has at least one table that is no tip such as the one
last night $100+ bill.

She gets some excellent customer comments about her service so it is not
her, it is just cheap customers. Fortunately, there are others very
generous.

[dsi1]

That's young folks for you - they don't have a lot of extra money for tips. That's pretty sad actually. The same goes for most old folks.
I just love places that add a tip for large parties. I get to tip 18% instead of 20%.

[GM]

If y'all can't tip then STAY HOME...

SHEESH...

:-\

--
GM

[Bryan Simmons]

We usually tip a high % because we usually have small check.
We both drink water, and don't buy more food than we can eat.
Yesterday lunch was one sope each. The check was $10.46.
We paid $15. That's a 44% tip, but would have been only 20%
on a more typical $22 check.
>
> --
> GM

--Bryan

[Sqwertz]

On Mon, 19 Jul 2021 02:04:14 -0700 (PDT), Bryan Simmons wrote:

> We usually tip a high % because we usually have small check.
> We both drink water, and don't buy more food than we can eat.
> Yesterday lunch was one sope each. The check was $10.46.
> We paid $15. That's a 44% tip, but would have been only 20%
> on a more typical $22 check.

Won't pay for an egg at McDonalds but tips almost 50%... Does Not
Compute Will Robinson!

-sw

[Bruce 2.2]

On Mon, 19 Jul 2021 02:04:14 -0700 (PDT), Bryan Simmons

2 sopes for $10.46, ok. But what is a sope? A local St Louis animal?

[bruce bowser]

One or two people always try to skate.

[Dave Smith]

I used to hat organizing meals at work because there were a couple guys
who wouldn't even contribute enough to cover their meals, never mind the
tip. One guy got caught going back to the table and taking some of the
tip money others had left.

We had one guy who always wanted to join us when we went out for lunch
or supper. We were on expense accounts that were generous enough that we
could eat well. This guy had a well earned reputation for not having
any money to pay his bills. Someone else would have to pay his bill. He
would put in for the expense account and then not want to pay back the
person who paid for his dinner. It got to the point that when we showed
up in time to join us we would make him show us that he had enough money
to pay for his meal.

[Sqwertz]

What's odd is 12 assholes conspired that $1/ea is a proper tip and
not one of them went against the grain. Bunch of pussies!

-sw

-sw

[itsjoan...@webtv.net]

On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 1:57:21 AM UTC-5, dsi1 wrote:
>

> On Sunday, July 18, 2021 at 5:07:28 PM UTC-10, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>
> > This was discussed here recently, adding 18% to parties of 6 or more.
> > Her place does not add anything. Tonight my granddaughter had a table
> > of 12. All young adults about 30 to 35. They got one check for $250
> > and all chipped in to pay it. They each left tips individually. A
> > dollar each. So she got 12 bucks for two hours, a whopping 5%.
> >

> That's young folks for you - they don't have a lot of extra money for tips.
>

Really?? That's your reasoning for running up a $250 tab with 12 people
shoveling food in their faces but they just couldn't afford more than $1
for her tip??

[GM]

dsi1 = CHEAPSKATE

[ or else he's trolling... ]

--
GM

[dsi1]

When I went out with my dad, it was always a fight for the check. If my younger brother was there we'd just let him pay for it cause he's rich and he has a company card that allows him to wine and dine other people. My older brother mostly just watches. When we had a birthday for my dad, I slipped out to pay the bill but the waitress said that my older brother had paid for it. I was pretty happy about that because it was around a thousand bucks. Who knew that would happen? Not I.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vZntBXl_z4

[itsjoan...@webtv.net]

On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 1:14:48 PM UTC-5, GM wrote:
>
> dsi1 = CHEAPSKATE
>
> [ or else he's trolling... ]
>
> --
> GM
>

A bit of both, I believe.

[Bruce 2.2]

On Mon, 19 Jul 2021 11:23:34 -0700 (PDT), dsi1
<dsi...@hawaiiantel.net> wrote:

>On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 4:20:25 AM UTC-10, bruce bowser wrote:
>> On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 2:57:21 AM UTC-4, dsi1 wrote:

>> > That's young folks for you - they don't have a lot of extra money for tips. That's pretty sad actually. The same goes for most old folks.
>> > I just love places that add a tip for large parties. I get to tip 18% instead of 20%.
>> One or two people always try to skate.
>
>When I went out with my dad, it was always a fight for the check.
>

Asian pride.

[dsi1]

Sounds like you kids are desperate for a little of my attention. So kawaii!

[dsi1]

That's right. To not fight over paying the bill would be a loss of face. That's just asking for trouble!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQN6Gkv4JRU

[jmcquown]

On 7/18/2021 11:07 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> This was discussed here recently, adding 18% to parties of 6 or more.
> Her place does not add anything.   Tonight my granddaughter had a table
> of 12.  All young adults about 30 to 35.  They got one check for $250
> and all chipped in to pay it.  They each left tips individually.  A
> dollar each.  So she got 12 bucks for two hours, a whopping 5%.
>

This is exactly why I believe the "gratuity" should be automatically
added for larger parties. They take up a lot of time and in the end the
server winds up getting practically nothing for their time and effort.
Meanwhile, she could have been taking care of other smaller parties and
likely more than made up for that measly 5%.

> Every night she has at least one table that is no tip such as the one
> last night $100+ bill.
>

:(

> She gets some excellent customer comments about her service so it is not
> her, it is just cheap customers. Fortunately, there are others very
> generous.

Sadly, there will always be cheap customers. I don't go out to eat very
often but when I do I tip very generously when the service is good.
BTW, don't blame the server if you don't like the food. The server
isn't the one who is cooking it. Got a problem with an order, let the
server know and ask to speak with a manager. DON'T eat the food and
then bitch about it trying to get a free meal. That's lower than low.

Jill

[Bryan Simmons]

It's about the same amount of work to bring $10 worth of food as $20
worth of food. We eat there most Sundays if we're in town. The guy
who owns that McD's franchise, and a bunch of others in StL, isn't
going to miss the $2. Have you ever worked as a server, or had a
family member who did? I assume not.

Servers can hardly hide their disappointment when a diner only orders
a small amount of food, figuring they won't get much of a tip. Part of
the experience of dining out is a cordial interaction with the server. I
don't enjoy fake nice.

The difference in the total cost of the meal if I'd tipped 20% vs 44% is
only about 20% more. I would be ashamed to ever tip $1 per person
for a meal.
>
> -sw

--Bryan

[Dave Smith]

On 2021-07-19 6:33 p.m., jmcquown wrote:
> On 7/18/2021 11:07 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>> This was discussed here recently, adding 18% to parties of 6 or more.
>> Her place does not add anything.   Tonight my granddaughter had a
>> table of 12.  All young adults about 30 to 35.  They got one check for
>> $250 and all chipped in to pay it.  They each left tips individually.
>> A dollar each.  So she got 12 bucks for two hours, a whopping 5%.
>>
> This is exactly why I believe the "gratuity" should be automatically
> added for larger parties.  They take up a lot of time and in the end the
> server winds up getting practically nothing for their time and effort.
> Meanwhile, she could have been taking care of other smaller parties and
> likely more than made up for that measly 5%.

Note a problem. Add it to the menu price or apply it to the bill as a
service charge. Just don't call it a gratuity because it is no longer
voluntary.

> Sadly, there will always be cheap customers.  I don't go out to eat very
> often but when I do I tip very generously when the service is good. BTW,
> don't blame the server if you don't like the food.  The server isn't the
> one who is cooking it.  Got a problem with an order, let the server know
> and ask to speak with a manager.  DON'T eat the food and then bitch
> about it trying to get a free meal.  That's lower than low.

To be fair.... many diners are hungry and will work their way through a
crappy meal because they don't want to sit around and wait while their
table mate is enjoying their meal. However, they should say something
early, not finishing it and saying it was bad.


Last night my wife sent her steak back to be cooked more. She had asked
for medium rare and it was quite rare, too rare even for me. She just
asked them to cook it a little more. She didn't even notice the saliva
in the re-cooked steak ;-)

[jmcquown]

On 7/19/2021 7:01 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2021-07-19 6:33 p.m., jmcquown wrote:
>> On 7/18/2021 11:07 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>> This was discussed here recently, adding 18% to parties of 6 or more.
>>> Her place does not add anything.   Tonight my granddaughter had a
>>> table of 12.  All young adults about 30 to 35.  They got one check
>>> for $250 and all chipped in to pay it.  They each left tips
>>> individually. A dollar each.  So she got 12 bucks for two hours, a
>>> whopping 5%.
>>>
>> This is exactly why I believe the "gratuity" should be automatically
>> added for larger parties.  They take up a lot of time and in the end
>> the server winds up getting practically nothing for their time and
>> effort. Meanwhile, she could have been taking care of other smaller
>> parties and likely more than made up for that measly 5%.
>
> Note a problem. Add it to the menu price or apply it to the bill as a
> service charge. Just don't call it a gratuity because it is no longer
> voluntary.
>

Why do you care what it's called?

>> Sadly, there will always be cheap customers.  I don't go out to eat
>> very often but when I do I tip very generously when the service is
>> good. BTW, don't blame the server if you don't like the food.  The
>> server isn't the one who is cooking it.  Got a problem with an order,
>> let the server know and ask to speak with a manager.  DON'T eat the
>> food and then bitch about it trying to get a free meal.  That's lower
>> than low.
>
> To be fair.... many diners are hungry and will work their way through a
> crappy meal because they don't want to sit around  and wait while their
> table mate is enjoying their meal.   However, they should say something
>  early, not finishing it and saying it was bad.
>

I'd say that's a personal problem. No one should "work their way
through a crappy meal" just because other people at the table are
eating. Then later complain and try to get out of paying for it.

> Last night my wife sent her steak back to be cooked more. She had asked
> for medium rare and it was quite rare,  too rare even for me. She just
> asked them to cook it a little more. She didn't even notice the saliva
> in the re-cooked steak  ;-)
>

Uh huh. Did they cook it to her liking? Only takes a minute to throw
that steak back onthe grill. Honestly, I don't think anyone spit on her
steak.

Jill

[Sqwertz]

On Mon, 19 Jul 2021 15:42:29 -0700 (PDT), Bryan Simmons wrote:

> On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 5:28:38 AM UTC-5, Sqwertz wrote:
>> On Mon, 19 Jul 2021 02:04:14 -0700 (PDT), Bryan Simmons wrote:
>>
>>> We usually tip a high % because we usually have small check.
>>> We both drink water, and don't buy more food than we can eat.
>>> Yesterday lunch was one sope each. The check was $10.46.
>>> We paid $15. That's a 44% tip, but would have been only 20%
>>> on a more typical $22 check.
>>
>> Won't pay for an egg at McDonalds but tips almost 50%... Does Not
>> Compute Will Robinson!
>>
> It's about the same amount of work to bring $10 worth of food as $20
> worth of food. We eat there most Sundays if we're in town. The guy
> who owns that McD's franchise, and a bunch of others in StL, isn't
> going to miss the $2.

He's not getting $2. He's losing money on those damned 2 for $2
sausage muffins which you're too cheap to upgrade to an +egg. Those
promotions are forced upon the franchisee's against their will and
they lose money and hopefully recoup it on people who aren't so
fucking stingy as to go home and add their own eggs and make their
own Sausage McMuffin with Egg out of what they pilfered from them.

> Have you ever worked as a server, or had a
> family member who did? I assume not.

Your assumptions are pretty shitty. Swenson's Ice Cream and Eat 'n
Park, and I'm sure I've said it here before as well as AFF-F where
you think I'm Jerry Sauk. Not to mention my brother and my mother
also worked shit server jobs for a time. My mother even worked
coatcheck at fancy restaurants support her children [insert tiny
violin music here].

> I would be ashamed to ever tip $1 per person for a meal.

Yet you do that at McDonald's practically every weekday morning
while making sure they get paid the bare minimum and nothing more.
And you're not ashamed at all - you actually BRAG about it.

We'll just call you Slum Lord Robbing Hood.

-sw

[Dave Smith]

On 2021-07-19 8:56 p.m., jmcquown wrote:
> On 7/19/2021 7:01 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>
>>> This is exactly why I believe the "gratuity" should be automatically
>>> added for larger parties.  They take up a lot of time and in the end
>>> the server winds up getting practically nothing for their time and
>>> effort. Meanwhile, she could have been taking care of other smaller
>>> parties and likely more than made up for that measly 5%.
>>
>> Note a problem. Add it to the menu price or apply it to the bill as a
>> service charge. Just don't call it a gratuity because it is no longer
>> voluntary.
>>
> Why do you care what it's called?

It is a misrepresentation to call it a gratuity. It is a mandatory
charge and should be billed as such.

>> To be fair.... many diners are hungry and will work their way through
>> a crappy meal because they don't want to sit around  and wait while
>> their table mate is enjoying their meal.   However, they should say
>> something   early, not finishing it and saying it was bad.
>>
> I'd say that's a personal problem.  No one should "work their way
> through a crappy meal" just because other people at the table are
> eating.  Then later complain and try to get out of paying for it.

I did say they should complain early.

>> Last night my wife sent her steak back to be cooked more. She had
>> asked for medium rare and it was quite rare,  too rare even for me.
>> She just asked them to cook it a little more. She didn't even notice
>> the saliva in the re-cooked steak  ;-)
>>
> Uh huh.  Did they cook it to her liking?  Only takes a minute to throw
> that steak back onthe grill.  Honestly, I don't think anyone spit on her
> steak.
>

She started on one side ant it was nicely medium rare, but as she got to
the other side it was blue rare. She asked them to take it back and
cook it a little more and it came back nicely medium rare.

Interesting thing is that it was my son who flagged down a waitress and
it turned out to be a woman who had worked for him when he ran a brew
pub in Toronto. She had been one of his best waitresses.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Fortunately, most people give a fair tip, a few very generous. If you
don't like the tipping system, don't go to restaurants. Unfair to take
it out on the servers.

[dsi1]

Yes, really! I don't have any control over what other people tip. Yoose can get all mad and shake your fist at people that don't tip according to your schedule. It's none of my business what other people do. Yoose old farts are famous for being cheap tippers so I wouldn't be getting too outraged if I was you.

[itsjoan...@webtv.net]

Have you been sitting on a pointy rock on that rock you live on? How I
hate to disappoint you, but I tip very well, thank you. You can wipe the
spit out of the corners of your mouth now.

[dsi1]

Your game is lame. You act all outraged at how people are such cheapskates which implies that yoose ain't a cheapskate either. Yoose is too self-absorbed and selfish to think about other people. Nice try scumbag. 😀

[Michael Trew]

I'm almost as cheap as they come, but when I (rarely) eat out, I never
stiff on a tip unless the waitress is horrid, which is exceptionally
rare. I even tip a couple of dollars when eating at the Chinese buffet.

[Michael Trew]

On 7/19/2021 9:12 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> Eat 'n
> Park


Eat 'n Park, like the little local chain restaurant around SW
Pennsylvania? Haven't been there in a couple years, but I pass one on
the way home from work. Yum! Might stop tomorrow. I remember eating
at their Sunday breakfast buffets as a child... I wonder if they still
do those, post-COVID... those were the best! I love their soup/salad
bar also, assuming that's still a thing. I've never had a better bowl
of potato soup.

[dsi1]

I've tipped at buffets too. I feel a little awkward doing that though.

[Cindy Hamilton]

On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 6:42:32 PM UTC-4, bryang...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 5:28:38 AM UTC-5, Sqwertz wrote:
> > On Mon, 19 Jul 2021 02:04:14 -0700 (PDT), Bryan Simmons wrote:
> >
> > > We usually tip a high % because we usually have small check.
> > > We both drink water, and don't buy more food than we can eat.
> > > Yesterday lunch was one sope each. The check was $10.46.
> > > We paid $15. That's a 44% tip, but would have been only 20%
> > > on a more typical $22 check.
> >
> > Won't pay for an egg at McDonalds but tips almost 50%... Does Not
> > Compute Will Robinson!
> >
> It's about the same amount of work to bring $10 worth of food as $20
> worth of food. We eat there most Sundays if we're in town. The guy
> who owns that McD's franchise, and a bunch of others in StL, isn't
> going to miss the $2. Have you ever worked as a server, or had a
> family member who did? I assume not.
>
> Servers can hardly hide their disappointment when a diner only orders
> a small amount of food, figuring they won't get much of a tip. Part of
> the experience of dining out is a cordial interaction with the server. I
> don't enjoy fake nice.

I prefer minimal interaction with the server. I barely notice fake nice.
OTOH, I don't go to corporate restaurants where the servers wear
"flair".

As long as they serve the food, fill up my water, and bring the check--
all in a timely fashion--they get at least 20% from me, or $3, whichever
is more. My tipping algorithm for adequate service is to look at the
bottom line, take 10%, double it, and round up to the nearest dollar.
I can't be bothered to worry about tipping on the 6% tax. If my tab
is $10, the tax is $0.60 and the tip on the tax is 12 cents.

Cindy Hamilton

[Taxed and Spent]

If everyone, or most everyone, stopped giving tips, how long would it
take for the system to change to increased pricing and no tipping?

[bruce bowser]

Meaning higher wages for the little guy.

[Cindy Hamilton]

On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 7:40:53 AM UTC-4, Taxed and Spent wrote:

Longer than it would take for all those servers to decide they'd starve
to death on $3.67 per hour and find new jobs.

Mind you, I don't know how many servers are actually paid the minimum
wage for tipped workers. I quoted the figure specified by Michigan law.

Cindy Hamilton

[Taxed and Spent]

That would speed things up.

[Dave Smith]

On 2021-07-20 5:43 a.m., Cindy Hamilton wrote:

> As long as they serve the food, fill up my water, and bring the check--
> all in a timely fashion--they get at least 20% from me, or $3, whichever
> is more. My tipping algorithm for adequate service is to look at the
> bottom line, take 10%, double it, and round up to the nearest dollar.
> I can't be bothered to worry about tipping on the 6% tax. If my tab
> is $10, the tax is $0.60 and the tip on the tax is 12 cents.
>

Sales taxes are 14% here. Since the standard tip for decent service is
15%, the tax should be a little more than the tax. When the sales tax
is higher and the bills run higher, the difference is significantly more
than 12 cents. Then there is the principal of being expected to pay a
tip on tax. The server did nothing for that. It's bad enough that you
are expected to pay so much more tip on a premium wine. It's not as if
the server had to do any more work for a $100 bottle of wine than they
did for a $10 bottle.

[Taxed and Spent]

Exactly. And the back of the house guys, too. In California, at least,
the law excludes them from tip pooling.

[Cindy Hamilton]

Our circumstances are somewhat different, since I don't do fine dining.
If our sales tax were 14%, the excess tip on that for my $10 tab would
be 28 cents rather than 12 cents. You're quibbling over pennies.
Pennies that I already don't care about when I round a $3.43 tip up
to $4.00 (for example). (I often spend more than $10 on a restaurant
meal, but it made for easy calculation in this example.)

Cindy Hamilton

[Gary]

Dave Smith wrote:
> Last night my wife sent her steak back to be cooked more. She had asked
> for medium rare and it was quite rare, too rare even for me.

Was it eating the salad?

[Gary]

Sqwertz wrote:

> Bryan Simmons wrote:
>> I would be ashamed to ever tip $1 per person for a meal.
>
> Yet you do that at McDonald's practically every weekday morning
> while making sure they get paid the bare minimum and nothing more.
> And you're not ashamed at all - you actually BRAG about it.

Ease up, Stevers. Nobody tips at fast food restaurants.

OB Food: my daughter was here again Sunday with her kiddies.
She brought me 2 Big Macs and 2 small fries. YUM

[Gary]

Michael Trew wrote:
> I'm almost as cheap as they come, but when I (rarely) eat out, I never
> stiff on a tip unless the waitress is horrid, which is exceptionally
> rare. I even tip a couple of dollars when eating at the Chinese buffet.

I so rarely eat out in a restaurant. Never liked that but when I do,
I've always tipped generously....25-30% and even in a self-serve buffet.
They still stop by and bus your table while you're eating.

I'm aware of the waitress side of the situation. Paid very little per
hour and they all hope for good tips. My daughter did that in her
college years.

People like Dave are too tight. If you want to pay extra to eat out,
that extra percentage of tip is a good thing for your waitress and only
a few dollars extra.

IMO, anyone too cheap to tip generously should just cook at home and
save half the cost.

Note: I've never tipped for fast food or even good restaurant take-out.

[Gary]

dsi1 wrote:
> I've tipped at buffets too. I feel a little awkward doing that though.

Why? They still spend time with you although not so much. Buffet
waitress' get paid low per hour and rarely get good tips. Give your
buffet waitress a nice tip and make someone (her) happy! It's good
karma and you won't miss those few extra dollars.

:)

[Bruce 2.2]

She must be rich.

[Cindy Hamilton]

I tipped for take-out during the COVID lockdown. The restaurants I got
take-out from are all family-owned and I figured they could use a little
extra.

Cindy Hamilton

[Dave Smith]

It works in many European countries where tipping is not expected and
waiters are paid a decent wage.

Pity the servers in tourists destinations that get stuck with busloads
of German tourists who expect good service and do not expect to have to
tip. We had some Dutch visitors who really balked at the idea of leaving
a real tip. This is part of my point about servers having to depend on
the generosity of their customers.

[Dave Smith]

On 2021-07-20 8:02 a.m., Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 7:40:53 AM UTC-4, Taxed and Spent wrote:
>> On 7/19/2021 8:29 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>> On 7/19/2021 2:12 PM, itsjoan...@webtv.net wrote:
>>>> On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 1:57:21 AM UTC-5, dsi1 wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sunday, July 18, 2021 at 5:07:28 PM UTC-10, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> This was discussed here recently, adding 18% to parties of 6 or more.
>>>>>> Her place does not add anything. Tonight my granddaughter had a table
>>>>>> of 12. All young adults about 30 to 35. They got one check for $250
>>>>>> and all chipped in to pay it. They each left tips individually. A
>>>>>> dollar each. So she got 12 bucks for two hours, a whopping 5%.
>>>>>>
>>>>> That's young folks for you - they don't have a lot of extra money for tips.
>>>>>
>>>> Really?? That's your reasoning for running up a $250 tab with 12 people
>>>> shoveling food in their faces but they just couldn't afford more than $1
>>>> for her tip??
>>>>
>>>
>>> Fortunately, most people give a fair tip, a few very generous. If you
>>> don't like the tipping system, don't go to restaurants. Unfair to take
>>> it out on the servers.
>>>
>> If everyone, or most everyone, stopped giving tips, how long would it
>> take for the system to change to increased pricing and no tipping?
>
> Longer than it would take for all those servers to decide they'd starve
> to death on $3.67 per hour and find new jobs.

It's more like $14 here.
>

[Dave Smith]

On 2021-07-20 9:22 a.m., Gary wrote:
>  Sqwertz wrote:
>> Bryan Simmons wrote:
>>>  I would be ashamed to ever tip $1 per person for a meal.
>>
>> Yet you do that at McDonald's practically every weekday morning
>> while making sure they get paid the bare minimum and nothing more.
>> And you're not ashamed at all - you actually BRAG about it.
>
> Ease up, Stevers. Nobody tips at fast food restaurants.

Actually, they do. Some fast food places have tip jars.
$tarbucks stores around here always have a tip jar. It seems a little
odd to me to expect to be tipped for counter service. We should tip
ourselves for going to the counter to place our orders and carry them
back to the table. That is what we tip waiters for.

[Dave Smith]

On 2021-07-20 5:43 a.m., Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 6:42:32 PM UTC-4, bryang...@gmail.com wrote:
>> On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 5:28:38 AM UTC-5, Sqwertz wrote:
>>> On Mon, 19 Jul 2021 02:04:14 -0700 (PDT), Bryan Simmons wrote:
>>>
>>>> We usually tip a high % because we usually have small check.
>>>> We both drink water, and don't buy more food than we can eat.
>>>> Yesterday lunch was one sope each. The check was $10.46.
>>>> We paid $15. That's a 44% tip, but would have been only 20%
>>>> on a more typical $22 check.
>>>
>>> Won't pay for an egg at McDonalds but tips almost 50%... Does Not
>>> Compute Will Robinson!
>>>
>> It's about the same amount of work to bring $10 worth of food as $20
>> worth of food. We eat there most Sundays if we're in town. The guy
>> who owns that McD's franchise, and a bunch of others in StL, isn't
>> going to miss the $2. Have you ever worked as a server, or had a
>> family member who did? I assume not.
>>
>> Servers can hardly hide their disappointment when a diner only orders
>> a small amount of food, figuring they won't get much of a tip. Part of
>> the experience of dining out is a cordial interaction with the server. I
>> don't enjoy fake nice.
>
> I prefer minimal interaction with the server. I barely notice fake nice.
> OTOH, I don't go to corporate restaurants where the servers wear
> "flair".
>

LOL thinking of the movie Office Space.

[Dave Smith]

I am not quibbling over pennies. I am talking about the more expensive
restaurant meals and the idea of being expected to tip on the tax. For
instance, last week we went out for dinner to meet my son's fiancee's
parents. I picked up the tab. The cost of dinner and drinks was about
$262 and the tax brought it up to $298. At the basic 15% it is an extra
$5.40 and at 20% it is an extra $7. In this case I tipped 20% because I
feel sorry for people in the restaurant business and the impact of the
pandemic, so it cost me an extra $7 ... $7 for the tip on the sales tax
I had to pay.

[Bryan Simmons]

On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 8:22:46 AM UTC-5, Gary wrote:
> Sqwertz wrote:
> > Bryan Simmons wrote:
> >> I would be ashamed to ever tip $1 per person for a meal.
> >
> > Yet you do that at McDonald's practically every weekday morning
> > while making sure they get paid the bare minimum and nothing more.
> > And you're not ashamed at all - you actually BRAG about it.
> Ease up, Stevers. Nobody tips at fast food restaurants.
>

Steve wrote that I go to McD's "practically every weekday morning."
I never wrote that. Like Sheldon, he's just making shit up. Maybe he
figures that Sheldon is going to die soon, and he's practicing blowing
out his ass so he can assume Shelly's schtick.

--Bryan

[Michael Trew]

There is a local restaurant here that is hurting for help, like
everyone. It's a cafeteria style restaurant; tips aren't expected. I
asked the owner once what he paid hourly, he said $8.50... well no
wonder you're hurting for people. I would have seriously considered a
job offer there to not travel 45 minutes each way daily for work, if
say, they offered a half-decent wage of $12/hr or so.

[Michael Trew]

The way I see it; if they are taking away dirty plates and bringing
drink refills, they deserve something. Even though I rarely go out to
eat by myself since I split with my ex a year ago, the Chinese
waitresses at the buffet always remember me and my drink order, and are
quite pleasant. I don't think they say cruel things about me in Chinese
-- I suppose I can't prove it though ;)

[Michael Trew]

MOOOOOOO

[Ed Pawlowski]

On 7/20/2021 9:24 AM, heyjoe wrote:
> On Tue, 20 Jul 2021 02:43:39 -0700 (PDT)
> in Message-ID:
> <news:473f8a5a-e220-46bf...@googlegroups.com>
> Cindy Hamilton wrote :

>
>> As long as they serve the food, fill up my water, and bring the check--
>> all in a timely fashion--they get at least 20% from me, or $3,
>

> There's an idea I can get behind - tips based on the number of people
> being served.
>
> Does a server spend any more time on a customer's one surf & turf meal
> than one pasta dinners? Yet, you're expected to tip on meal price. A
> $3.00 tip per person covers $20.00 of food/drink (15%). Feel like 20%
> is more appropriate, tip $4.00 per person for that same $20.00 of
> food/drink.
>
> Of course this approach only works for normal people. Big niece is a
> $10.00 tip.
>

It works long term on averages. One of the best tips the GD got was a
table that ordered nothing but water. She brought 5 glasses of water,
the men ordered nothing, had their meeting and left a $20 tip.

[Ed Pawlowski]

It would have to happen quickly and be wide spread. I know of two
restaurants that tried it and failed. May be other factors too but they
did not make it work.

[Ed Pawlowski]

That is one of the problems. It does not always mean higher wages. I
good server in the right business makes a good wage with tips exceeding
the fixed wage. What do you think servers should get paid? On a good
night they can average $25 to $35 an hour.

[Sqwertz]

On Tue, 20 Jul 2021 09:22:35 -0400, Gary wrote:

> Sqwertz wrote:
>> Bryan Simmons wrote:
>>> I would be ashamed to ever tip $1 per person for a meal.
>>
>> Yet you do that at McDonald's practically every weekday morning
>> while making sure they get paid the bare minimum and nothing more.
>> And you're not ashamed at all - you actually BRAG about it.
>
> Ease up, Stevers. Nobody tips at fast food restaurants.

That's not the point here, Gary. Pay attention.

-sw

[dsi1]

On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 6:52:23 AM UTC-10, Michael Trew wrote:
> The way I see it; if they are taking away dirty plates and bringing
> drink refills, they deserve something. Even though I rarely go out to
> eat by myself since I split with my ex a year ago, the Chinese
> waitresses at the buffet always remember me and my drink order, and are
> quite pleasant. I don't think they say cruel things about me in Chinese
> -- I suppose I can't prove it though ;)

You're certainly right about that. I don't really go to buffets over here because there aren't many available. I used to leave some cash for the guy clearing out the dishes in cafeteria type situations. Unfortunately, I don't carry much cash these days - perhaps I should. What would you suggest I leave at the table when eating at a buffet in Las Vegas?

[Sqwertz]

Margins are so thin there that you don't even order at the counter
anymore. They want you to order and pay at kiosks and from your
smartphones.

-sw

[Sqwertz]

That's what you chose respond to out of all that?!?

You're always bragging about what you're getting or what's up next
on your McD's smartphone app. You sure make it seem like you go
there a lot.

But that was all beside the point anyway.

-sw

[dsi1]

I like to pay 20% on the entire amount because, after eating a large meal, I'm in no mood for maths. I still, however, have enough brainage to multiply a number by two, move the decimal point two spaces to the left, and then round up or round down. I do that so I don't have to add two random numbers like .57 and .28 together. I love adding two decimal numbers together as much as the next guy - but only if one of those numbers is ".00."

[Hank Rogers]

The two are a lot alike.

[Dave Smith]

Remember that when you hear servers complaining about their base pay
being so low. Most of them prefer to have that low pay and supplement it
with tips because some of them make a lot of money on tips. I have a
nephew who worked his way through university as a waiter. He studied
hotel management. When he graduated he went back to waiting because he
made a lot better money at that than at management.

[Dave Smith]

There is a semi local chain of Chinese buffets called the Mandarin.
There is no shortage of signs suggesting a minimum 15% tip. I always
thought that they tip was for service... taking your order, taking the
order to the kitchen, bring your food to the table. They aren't doing
that.

[Dave Smith]

I am fascinated by the fact that so many people claim to like to pay at
least 20% tip, but they balk at the suggestion of a 15% service charge
on the bill, or menu prices having that 15% built in.

[itsjoan...@webtv.net]

On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 2:27:20 PM UTC-5, Dave Smith wrote:
> >
> I am fascinated by the fact that so many people claim to like to pay at
> least 20% tip, but they balk at the suggestion of a 15% service charge
> on the bill, or menu prices having that 15% built in.
>

I think what irks people is having a 15% or more service charge or tip
added to the bill and many times they receive lousy service.

[Dave Smith]

I thought it was just that they wanted the financial power trip to
dangle and make the server jump hoops.
I don't think I would have too much trouble with extra charges for
customers being a pain in the ass. A prime example would be the big
niece. The time she came with her mother SiL took us all out to dinner.
BN ordered the "gourmet" burger and fries for the side. A while latern
she called the waitress over and said she wanted salad. Waitress
brought the meal with the salad. BN asked where are the fries. Waitress
said she thought she had asked for salad. She had. She wanted both.
Waitress scooted off to the kitchen to fix here error but a couple
minutes later BN tells her she doesn't want the fries. Waitress has to
run back and cancel the fries. A couple minutes later, BN calls here
back and says she changed her mind and does want fries.

She pulled a similar stunt at her grandfather's family Christmas party
where we had our own waiter. Apparently she thought he was her personal
slave and kept sending him back for one thing after another. He was
smart enough to disappear. We lost out waiter, and I could not blame him
at all.

People like that should have to pay a serious premium.

[Hank Rogers]

Universities offer degrees in hotel management?
Sounds more like a diploma mill.
You sure he didn't take a correspondence course?

[Taxed and Spent]

Perhaps because the service charge goes to the restaurant, not to the
servers. What the restaurant does with it is anybody's guess.

[Bryan Simmons]

The community college near here has an Associates in Hospitality
Management.
https://stlcc.edu/programs-academics/pathways/business-management-tech/hospitality-management.aspx

--Bryan

[Taxed and Spent]

On 7/20/2021 7:04 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 9:25:36 AM UTC-4, Gary wrote:

>> Michael Trew wrote:
>>> I'm almost as cheap as they come, but when I (rarely) eat out, I never
>>> stiff on a tip unless the waitress is horrid, which is exceptionally
>>> rare. I even tip a couple of dollars when eating at the Chinese buffet.

>> I so rarely eat out in a restaurant. Never liked that but when I do,
>> I've always tipped generously....25-30% and even in a self-serve buffet.
>> They still stop by and bus your table while you're eating.
>>
>> I'm aware of the waitress side of the situation. Paid very little per
>> hour and they all hope for good tips. My daughter did that in her
>> college years.
>>
>> People like Dave are too tight. If you want to pay extra to eat out,
>> that extra percentage of tip is a good thing for your waitress and only
>> a few dollars extra.
>>
>> IMO, anyone too cheap to tip generously should just cook at home and
>> save half the cost.
>>
>> Note: I've never tipped for fast food or even good restaurant take-out.
>
> I tipped for take-out during the COVID lockdown. The restaurants I got
> take-out from are all family-owned and I figured they could use a little
> extra.
>
> Cindy Hamilton
>


When I ate at home, I tried tipping myself to encourage me to clear the
table and clean up properly. It didn't work.

[Cindy Hamilton]

Cornell University does, among some others whose names I
recognize:

<https://thebestschools.org/rankings/bachelors/best-hospitality-degree-programs/>

Cindy Hamilton

[Mike Duffy]

On Tue, 20 Jul 2021 15:44:58 -0400, Dave Smith wrote:

> She wanted both. [...] later BN tells her she doesn't want the fries.

> [....] later changed her mind and does want fries.

> People like that should have to pay a serious premium.

Maybe word-smiths Bryan or Hank could work out the 'À la carte' menu.


Are you sure you're not embellishing things, David? It looks to me like
aggressive-passive-aggressive behaviour. I don't know if that's a defined
entry in that medical book about crazy stuff.

[Bryan Simmons]

You could ask Kuthe Kuthe.

--Bryan

[jmcquown]

On 7/20/2021 8:02 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:

> On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 7:40:53 AM UTC-4, Taxed and Spent wrote:
>> On 7/19/2021 8:29 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>> On 7/19/2021 2:12 PM, itsjoan...@webtv.net wrote:
>>>> On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 1:57:21 AM UTC-5, dsi1 wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sunday, July 18, 2021 at 5:07:28 PM UTC-10, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> This was discussed here recently, adding 18% to parties of 6 or more.
>>>>>> Her place does not add anything. Tonight my granddaughter had a table
>>>>>> of 12. All young adults about 30 to 35. They got one check for $250
>>>>>> and all chipped in to pay it. They each left tips individually. A
>>>>>> dollar each. So she got 12 bucks for two hours, a whopping 5%.
>>>>>>
>>>>> That's young folks for you - they don't have a lot of extra money for tips.
>>>>>
>>>> Really?? That's your reasoning for running up a $250 tab with 12 people
>>>> shoveling food in their faces but they just couldn't afford more than $1
>>>> for her tip??
>>>>
>>>
>>> Fortunately, most people give a fair tip, a few very generous. If you
>>> don't like the tipping system, don't go to restaurants. Unfair to take
>>> it out on the servers.
>>>

>> If everyone, or most everyone, stopped giving tips, how long would it
>> take for the system to change to increased pricing and no tipping?
>

> Longer than it would take for all those servers to decide they'd starve
> to death on $3.67 per hour and find new jobs.
>
> Mind you, I don't know how many servers are actually paid the minimum
> wage for tipped workers. I quoted the figure specified by Michigan law.
>
> Cindy Hamilton
>

South Carolina still has $2.13/hr. as minimum wage for tipped employees.
However, if the tipped employee does not earn in enough in tips to
make up the difference between that and the Federal minimum wage, the
employer is required to make up the difference to equal $7.25.

Jill

[GM]

It's the top - rated US hospitality school, very difficult to be accepted. Years ago a friend did the program, literally afterword, "the world was her oyster"...

--
GM

[jmcquown]

On 7/19/2021 2:12 PM, itsjoan...@webtv.net wrote:
> On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 1:57:21 AM UTC-5, dsi1 wrote:
>>
>> On Sunday, July 18, 2021 at 5:07:28 PM UTC-10, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>
>>> This was discussed here recently, adding 18% to parties of 6 or more.
>>> Her place does not add anything. Tonight my granddaughter had a table
>>> of 12. All young adults about 30 to 35. They got one check for $250
>>> and all chipped in to pay it. They each left tips individually. A
>>> dollar each. So she got 12 bucks for two hours, a whopping 5%.
>>>
>> That's young folks for you - they don't have a lot of extra money for tips.
>>
> Really?? That's your reasoning for running up a $250 tab with 12 people
> shoveling food in their faces but they just couldn't afford more than $1
> for her tip??
>

He's speculating again. When I was a "young folk" in my 20's and 30's I
went out to eat a lot more than I do now. I always tipped at least the
[then] norm of 10%, often 15%. Larger parties require a lot more work
and should tip accordingly. Can't afford more than a $1 tip? Stay home.

Jill

[jmcquown]

They are likely the ones stocking the buffet, though, and they bring
beverage refills, etc.

Jill

[Dave Smith]

Most restaurants have computerized systems than can allot it appropriately.

[jmcquown]

On 7/20/2021 8:32 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 8:07:15 AM UTC-4, Dave Smith wrote:
>> On 2021-07-20 5:43 a.m., Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>>
>>> As long as they serve the food, fill up my water, and bring the check--
>>> all in a timely fashion--they get at least 20% from me, or $3, whichever
>>> is more. My tipping algorithm for adequate service is to look at the
>>> bottom line, take 10%, double it, and round up to the nearest dollar.
>>> I can't be bothered to worry about tipping on the 6% tax. If my tab
>>> is $10, the tax is $0.60 and the tip on the tax is 12 cents.
>>>
>> Sales taxes are 14% here. Since the standard tip for decent service is
>> 15%, the tax should be a little more than the tax. When the sales tax
>> is higher and the bills run higher, the difference is significantly more
>> than 12 cents. Then there is the principal of being expected to pay a
>> tip on tax. The server did nothing for that. It's bad enough that you
>> are expected to pay so much more tip on a premium wine. It's not as if
>> the server had to do any more work for a $100 bottle of wine than they
>> did for a $10 bottle.
>
> Our circumstances are somewhat different, since I don't do fine dining.
> If our sales tax were 14%, the excess tip on that for my $10 tab would
> be 28 cents rather than 12 cents. You're quibbling over pennies.
> Pennies that I already don't care about when I round a $3.43 tip up
> to $4.00 (for example). (I often spend more than $10 on a restaurant
> meal, but it made for easy calculation in this example.)
>

> Cindy Hamilton
>
Not to mention, the server has no control over the tax rate. The tax
doesn't go into their pocket but those few pennies on whatever the taxed
amount could - or he could calculate the tip based on the pre-tax total
if he's so worried about it.

Jill

[Taxed and Spent]

If they choose to. It is up to the restaurant. Not so with tips.

[Dave Smith]

No, I did not embellish the restaurant incident at all. The time we were
at FiL's club for the family Christmas party there was a buffet and we
had a waiter for drinks. When the waiter came around with coffee she
asked for tea. He came back with a teapot. There was already cream for
the coffee, but she wanted milk. He came back with a pitcher of milk.
Then she asked him for a glass of orange juice. He came back with the
juice and then she asked for a glass of milk. He came back with the
glass of milk and she asked for a coke or ginger ale. That was when he
went AWOL.

[Dave Smith]

Minimum wage here is currently $14.35, $12.45 for people serving liquor.

[itsjoan...@webtv.net]

On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 2:52:51 PM UTC-5, Hank Rogers wrote:
>

> Universities offer degrees in hotel management?
> Sounds more like a diploma mill.
> You sure he didn't take a correspondence course?
>

They truly do.

[Dave Smith]

Most restaurants have some sort of tip back system that sees a portion
of the servers' tips distributed to the kitchen staff and managers.

[jmcquown]

Uh, are you sure that's right? Those serving liquor get paid less?

Jill

[Taxed and Spent]

Nice snip job. We are talking about service charges, not tips.

[Dave Smith]

Yep, and you can thank the tipping culture for that. It is expected that
people serving liquor get more tips than others. It's much like the
reason for tipping in many US states is that their minimum wages for
tipped positions are so pitifully low.

[GM]

Remember, Hank, not EVERY hotel is a Kuthe Flop Inn...

The top - class hotel schools have traditionally been in Switzerland...but many lesser programs are fairly useless, better to get solid experience in the hospitality industry in order to rise in the field. Peeps spend huge $$$ on cooking schools, many think they are going to immediately get their own cooking TV shows or celebrity chef gigs and are sadly disappointed. Best way to grow a career as a chef is to start out washing dishes, that way you can see if you can hack it...

Top hotels often require managers to have good MBA's, speak several languages, etc...

My friend who attended Cornell's Hospitality Program had an MBA, and also a Master's in Biology...she spoke three languages; the take rate for that program was about one in fifteen. Cornell sent her to Nairobi and Hong Kong for part of her course work...also to a suburban Chicago casino...she had to successfully complete a number of culinary courses, too, not just hotel management...

--
GM

[dsi1]

Chinese people are very strange people. Don't bother trying to figure them out.

[dsi1]

On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 9:27:20 AM UTC-10, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2021-07-20 1:21 p.m., dsi1 wrote:
> > On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 5:43:52 AM UTC-10, Dave Smith wrote:
>
> >> I am not quibbling over pennies. I am talking about the more
> >> expensive restaurant meals and the idea of being expected to tip on
> >> the tax. For instance, last week we went out for dinner to meet my
> >> son's fiancee's parents. I picked up the tab. The cost of dinner
> >> and drinks was about $262 and the tax brought it up to $298. At the
> >> basic 15% it is an extra $5.40 and at 20% it is an extra $7. In
> >> this case I tipped 20% because I feel sorry for people in the
> >> restaurant business and the impact of the pandemic, so it cost me
> >> an extra $7 ... $7 for the tip on the sales tax I had to pay.
> >
> > I like to pay 20% on the entire amount because, after eating a large
> > meal, I'm in no mood for maths. I still, however, have enough
> > brainage to multiply a number by two, move the decimal point two
> > spaces to the left, and then round up or round down. I do that so I
> > don't have to add two random numbers like .57 and .28 together. I
> > love adding two decimal numbers together as much as the next guy -
> > but only if one of those numbers is ".00."

> >
> I am fascinated by the fact that so many people claim to like to pay at
> least 20% tip, but they balk at the suggestion of a 15% service charge
> on the bill, or menu prices having that 15% built in.

In my case, I'd love a mandatory charge of 15%. It means I'd be getting away cheap.

This morning, we ate at McDonald's. It cost 12 bucks for that feast. Two biscuits, two pork sausage patties, one hash brown, two fried apple pies, one large coffee, one large fruit punch. I also ordered 3 cookies. All the items were of pretty high quality, and - no tip needed!

[Bruce 2.2]

On Tue, 20 Jul 2021 17:05:41 -0400, jmcquown <j_mc...@comcast.net>
wrote:

>On 7/19/2021 2:12 PM, itsjoan...@webtv.net wrote:
>> On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 1:57:21 AM UTC-5, dsi1 wrote:
>>>
>>> On Sunday, July 18, 2021 at 5:07:28 PM UTC-10, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>>
>>>> This was discussed here recently, adding 18% to parties of 6 or more.
>>>> Her place does not add anything. Tonight my granddaughter had a table
>>>> of 12. All young adults about 30 to 35. They got one check for $250
>>>> and all chipped in to pay it. They each left tips individually. A
>>>> dollar each. So she got 12 bucks for two hours, a whopping 5%.
>>>>
>>> That's young folks for you - they don't have a lot of extra money for tips.
>>>
>> Really?? That's your reasoning for running up a $250 tab with 12 people
>> shoveling food in their faces but they just couldn't afford more than $1
>> for her tip??
>>
>He's speculating again. When I was a "young folk" in my 20's and 30's I
>went out to eat a lot more than I do now.

It's hard to imagine you at 20. Were you a promising librarian?

[jmcquown]

Sorry, but when I worked as a server I was never paid less money for
serving alcholic beverages. Canada must be different.

Jill

[Bruce 2.2]

On Tue, 20 Jul 2021 20:06:44 -0400, jmcquown <j_mc...@comcast.net>

I think you should get paid more. For the torture of having to give
them to other people.

[Dave Smith]

Note that it is still higher than the minimum wage in most US states,
and that they are some states that have lower minimums for tipped employees.

[Bryan Simmons]

What? Jill was a librarian? I think you must be mistaken. My beloved wife
is a librarian. When she was 22 she was in grad school in a program to get
a PhD in Applied Experimental Psychology, and had already co-published a
research paper and was working as a graduate assistant when she came
home one day and said that while psychology was interesting, what she
really would rather do was to be a children's/young adult services librarian.
I asked her why she was doing psych grad school and she told me that I
had married her thinking that she would end up as a tenured professor, like
her father, a highly paid job.

I told her that I didn't care about money, and she should follow her
vocational desires, so we left for Florida, where she was merely an alternate
for a full ride scholarship for a Masters in Library and Information Science.
I quit my job, and we moved down there with $1K of borrowed money, and all
of our meager possessions loaded in the back seat, trunk, and on the top of
a $750 1975 Cadillac Sedan Deville that was held together with body putty.
Luckily, the other guy turned down the scholarship after we had already
moved there, and I worked a Hellish 77 hour/week job so we could survive,
but she got her degree, worked in Florida for a while, and then got a job
offer back here in StL, where she's worked for almost 29 years as a
children's/young adult services librarian.

We moved to a community with racial issues, and she was decidedly
anti-racist, but what got her into trouble was that she was also
anti-homophobia, and ordered books with gay themes. She suffered
decades of harassment from local regressives for that, even after most
folks in the community had come around to a more modern perspective
on acceptance of LGB persons. She was, in her mild mannered librarian
way, a civil rights warrior. The fundies even vandalized her car one night,
and there's not much doubt that it was about her anti-homophobia. The
shit continued for many years, and I adore her for her steadfastness.
Librarians, at their best, are heroes. On the other side, she caught shit
from folks who felt that she bought too much Christian fiction, but she
felt that all segments of the community should be served with what
they were interested in reading.

She has been a force for good, and my inspiration, and honored the
legacy of Hypatia of Carthage. She'd approve of everything I wrote
above, but might blush at my saying that she's also beautiful and
sexy as all get out. I'm a very lucky guy. I married well.

--Bryan

[Bruce 2.2]

Makes one wonder how she would feel if she read the last 3 months of
your writings in RFC. Would she also say she married well or would she
move to an unknown destination on the other side of the country?

[Michael Trew]

On 7/20/2021 2:18 PM, Hank Rogers wrote:
> Bryan Simmons wrote:
>> On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 8:22:46 AM UTC-5, Gary wrote:
>>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>>> Bryan Simmons wrote:
>>>>> I would be ashamed to ever tip $1 per person for a meal.
>>>>
>>>> Yet you do that at McDonald's practically every weekday morning
>>>> while making sure they get paid the bare minimum and nothing more.
>>>> And you're not ashamed at all - you actually BRAG about it.
>>> Ease up, Stevers. Nobody tips at fast food restaurants.
>>>
>> Steve wrote that I go to McD's "practically every weekday morning."
>> I never wrote that. Like Sheldon, he's just making shit up. Maybe he
>> figures that Sheldon is going to die soon, and he's practicing blowing
>> out his ass so he can assume Shelly's schtick.
>>
>> --Bryan
>>
>
> The two are a lot alike.
>
>
>

I concur, but one is worse.

[Michael Trew]

On 7/20/2021 3:44 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
> N ordered the "gourmet" burger and fries for the side. A while latern
> she called the waitress over and said she wanted salad. Waitress
> brought the meal with the salad. BN asked where are the fries. Waitress
> said she thought she had asked for salad. She had. She wanted both.
> Waitress scooted off to the kitchen to fix here error but a couple
> minutes later BN tells her she doesn't want the fries. Waitress has to
> run back and cancel the fries. A couple minutes later, BN calls here
> back and says she changed her mind and does want fries.

Did she just not want to admit that she wanted them? What was the point
in all of that? Just order the damn fries and get it over with.

[Michael Trew]

On 7/20/2021 3:55 PM, Taxed and Spent wrote:
> On 7/20/2021 12:34 PM, itsjoan...@webtv.net wrote:

>> On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 2:27:20 PM UTC-5, Dave Smith wrote:
>>>>
>>> I am fascinated by the fact that so many people claim to like to pay at
>>> least 20% tip, but they balk at the suggestion of a 15% service charge
>>> on the bill, or menu prices having that 15% built in.
>>>

>> I think what irks people is having a 15% or more service charge or tip
>> added to the bill and many times they receive lousy service.
>>
>
> Perhaps because the service charge goes to the restaurant, not to the
> servers. What the restaurant does with it is anybody's guess.
>

Yes, that's my issue. Some restaurants (illegally - or should be) pool
all tips, or worse. On one episode of "kitchen nightmares" (Gordon
Ramsey), the owner KEPT all of the tips for himself. Yikes. If I leave
a tip, it's *my* gift for service rendered, which I'm legally allowed to
do - those gifts are tax-exempt. I tip in cash only, as everyone
should. Waitress can pocket the cash and not worry about any more
grubbing hands picking at it (metaphorically and literally).

[Michael Trew]

That's the issue... especially managers... they don't deserve a dime of
the underpaid waitress's tips.