Quote:
Originally Posted by kysirsoze
I can tell you that the empowerment you envision is an illusion. The only way your tip is really going to result in better service is if you are a regular and you tip very well. Otherwise it's kinda luck of the draw with what server you get. Even if a service charge to pay the servers was included in lieu of a tip, you still have the right to complain if there is a problem, which is really the only thing that makes a real difference in a restaurant with tipping.
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When you think about the incentive system, it does shed some light.
As the customer, your incentives are:
- if you're a regular, tip well regardless of service in hopes that you'll get good service next time.
- if you're not a regular and you get good service, your incentive to tip well is general kindness and a favor to the next customer, weighed against the fact that you leave with more money if you don't tip well.
- if you're not a regular and you get bad service, your incentive to tip well is the knowledge that you'll be called names after you leave, weighed against the fact that you leave with more money if you don't tip well and send a message for the next customer.
As the employer, your incentives are:
- None. You don't care either way. You want your good servers to get good tips to keep them. With your bad servers, do you want them to get good tips to keep them from grousing, or bad tips so they'll quit?
As the server, your incentives are:
- Avoid the really bad tips by providing at least minimal service.
- Scout out good tippers and give them particularly good service.
- Serve as many tables as possible because there's not that much variation in tips regardless of what you do.
I don't know if I learned anything from that, but I typed it so I might as well post it.