- We made this change because we wanted to distribute the “tip” revenue to our cooks as well as our servers, making our pay more equitable. Servers and cooks typically made similar base wages—and minimum wage was the same for both jobs—but servers kept all the tips, which could often mean they were taking home three times what the cooks made, or more. In California at that time, it was illegal to distribute any tip money to cooks. (Recent court rulings in the Western U.S. have loosened that restriction somewhat). By replacing tipping with a service charge, we were legally able to redirect about a quarter of that revenue to the kitchen, which reduced the income disparity and helped foster unity on our team.
Something that has always rubbed the wrong way is that tips are rarely given to kitchen staff. Having lots of friends who still slave away in kitchens (early/mid 20s), I know how hard and thankless the job is. It doesn't make sense to me that the person who opens my bottle of wine and remembers that I ordered the steak deserves ten dollars bonus for doing their job, but the person who prepared the perfectly cooked steak deserves none of it.
Yea another article that is totally biased in favor of the owners of capital about how people shouldn't get tipped and that owners should decide some arbitrary amount that is less than what workers would make if they were tipped. I'm all for everyone involved in the endeavor splitting tips (funny how this is an option they don't really bring up, it's get rid of tipping or go to jail if you want to split, this is a false dichotomy, just so you know). I know first hand the pain of the line cook but I've never seen an interview in any of the "abolish tipping" articles that deals with anyone but the owner of capital, wonder why? It's probably because the people who write these stories don't really give two shit's about employees and would rather rub shoulders with the people who hold the money a lot more than the people who actually make it. They are probably also cheap fuckers who feel ashamed at their dislike of giving a few bucks to the people who work their asses off and would find it all a lot easier to have gratuity mandated so their cheap asses could sleep a bit easier knowing they had no choice in the matter.
This is how I've always seen things. I never quite understood what the point of tipping was. From this article it seems like there isn't a benefit to it. I fully welcome tipless restaurants. It just makes it easier on me when I go to pay. No worrying about how to split up the tip or arguing with my friends how much to tip. No need to bother trying to figure out how much of a tip for how the service was. And a full guarantee the tip (err, service charge) goes to the right people.
Basically, it's the best way to ensure excellent customer service. The quality of customer service can only be effectively judged by the customer being as it's completely subjective, and a tip is essentially a rating. The tip serves as a direct incentive for the server to do everything within his power to up that rating. Compare going to a coffee shop vs going to a 7/11. Warm smile, eye contact, small conversation, empathy... Practically speaking, it's the simplest way to get a great customer service experience, people get to pay what the want for it, employers can get away with lower prices, workers end up getting paid a decent amount for their skills. Win win win win win win winI never quite understood what the point of tipping was.
Sure, that's how it's supposed to work in theory, but what I find is that tipping becomes a required thing on the part of the customer. And if you don't tip, or tip lowly you get dirty looks from people that came with you. So essentially you are forced to tip a "regular" amount, or even above. Which completely eliminates the feedback/rating part. Honestly, I think that both service charges and tipping should be removed. And the workers paid an average amount. And introduce tipping as just something that is done for good service anywhere. I don't see why it should be limited to restaurant servers, when they aren't the only people serving you. All it does is drive up costs for the customers and makes the worker stressed out about being paid a "normal" amount.
Well, wait, you aren't required to tip above. You're right in that etiquette requires tipping a 'normal' amount (15%) but there's always the potential that you tip above and beyond. Servers are compelled to prove to you that above and beyond tip. Hey, I agree with you there. At sushi places, the sushi chefs have their own tipping jars I always make sure to frequent. Eh, I'd rather work at a place where I get tipped because I know I can make bomb tips because I can work it. I don't want to share my tips, I don't want to make the same amount no matter how good I am to my customers. I will dominate them with my service skills.And if you don't tip, or tip lowly you get dirty looks from people that came with you. So essentially you are forced to tip a "regular" amount, or even above. Which completely eliminates the feedback/rating part.
I don't see why it should be limited to restaurant servers, when they aren't the only people serving you.
All it does is drive up costs for the customers and makes the worker stressed out about being paid a "normal" amount.
As I said, I'd rather see tipping as just a cultural thing where you'd tip whenever and wherever good service was found. Not just for waiters. I see no problem with genuinely giving extra for hard/good work. But when it becomes culturally required, that's when I have a problem. I shouldn't have to tip, just because you don't get paid enough. I should tip when I feel like you did a good job. I see it as a "donate" button on a website. You don't have to click it. But you do if you like the website.
Hey, that's reasonable. Maybe I'm sympathetic because I work coffee where it isn't culturally required. But pro tip: tip your barista at least if he makes you a specialty drink. Or assume he doesn't like you. ;) (If he just pours you drip coffee, another story. But if he's a nice dude and makes you a bomb ass latte, all it takes is fifty cents and he makes his 15%.)