Restaurant bans tipping. Guess what happened?

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by kysirsoze

As a former server, I would be all for this. I completely agree that, for the most part, quality of service doesn't greatly affect the tip. If someone is just terrible, sure, but just excellent service where nothing goes wrong? Not much.

The bigger difference in tip size, I've noticed, is whether they like you or not. Seriously, the servers who were big personalities that practically entertained the table always got the biggest tips (over the course of a night). I know some of you will say you don't like a super outgoing server, but trust me, most people love it. I was never that way. I did pretty well, tip-wise, but I couldn't bring myself to be a game show host at the dinner table.

That aside, This makes so much sense. It's essentially requiring tips and then pooling them for all the servers. Whenever I worked on a large party with a partner, they ALWAYS got better service than if we split them into two parties. Sure, servers help each other, but there's always a though to the fact that "I need to make my money." This eliminates that and would, I think, create a great teamwork atmosphere that would end up being much better for the customer, more consistent for the server, and much less stressful for the entire restaurant.

Except if you are a sexy cocktail waitress with a great personality, then you'll hate this system. I know because I dated one and the $ she made was goooood.

[ShortRoundChief]

Originally Posted by kysirsoze

As a former server, I would be all for this. I completely agree that, for the most part, quality of service doesn't greatly affect the tip. If someone is just terrible, sure, but just excellent service where nothing goes wrong? Not much.

The bigger difference in tip size, I've noticed, is whether they like you or not. Seriously, the servers who were big personalities that practically entertained the table always got the biggest tips (over the course of a night). I know some of you will say you don't like a super outgoing server, but trust me, most people love it. I was never that way. I did pretty well, tip-wise, but I couldn't bring myself to be a game show host at the dinner table.

That aside, This makes so much sense. It's essentially requiring tips and then pooling them for all the servers. Whenever I worked on a large party with a partner, they ALWAYS got better service than if we split them into two parties. Sure, servers help each other, but there's always a though to the fact that "I need to make my money." This eliminates that and would, I think, create a great teamwork atmosphere that would end up being much better for the customer, more consistent for the server, and much less stressful for the entire restaurant.

There's no mention of it going to the servers. It is nothing but a surcharge and is used to pool together the labor costs according to this article:

http://www.takepart.com/article/2013...ess-restaurant

[kysirsoze]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

There's no mention of it going to the servers. It is nothing but a surcharge and is used to pool together the labor costs according to this article:

http://www.takepart.com/article/2013...ess-restaurant

Well I guess It'd depend on how the payment of the servers worked, but if they could pay servers somewhere close to what a comparable serving job would pay, I would take the consistency and fewer headaches in a heartbeat. I'd miss the occasional huge nights, but I certainly wouldn't miss the opposite nights where you end up with every tightwad in the place and have to eat ramen.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by kysirsoze

Well I guess It'd depend on how the payment of the servers worked, but if they could pay servers somewhere close to what a comparable serving job would pay, I would take the consistency and fewer headaches in a heartbeat. I'd miss the occasional huge nights, but I certainly wouldn't miss the opposite nights where you end up with every tightwad in the place and have to eat ramen.

The interesting thing is that most people would immediately take consistency. If you offer a person a wage of $15 per hour or a wage of $10 per hour with tips that average $5 or even $6, a majority of people will take the $15. So why do we assume that restaurant workers would make the opposite choice? I think they do it because it's offered, not because it's a better system.

[kstater]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

The interesting thing is that most people would immediately take consistency. If you offer a person a wage of $15 per hour or a wage of $10 per hour with tips that average $5 or even $6, a majority of people will take the $15. So why do we assume that restaurant workers would make the opposite choice? I think they do it because it's offered, not because it's a better system.

How do you ensure consistency from a consumer stand point when the server doesn't bear a responsibility to?

[Fish]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

There's no mention of it going to the servers. It is nothing but a surcharge and is used to pool together the labor costs according to this article:

http://www.takepart.com/article/2013...ess-restaurant

From that article:

the approach amounted to servers earning $22 per hour, cooks pulling in $12 to $14, and dishwashers making about $10.

Right now minimum wage for tipped workers is $2.13.

[ShortRoundChief]

Originally Posted by Fish

From that article:



Right now minimum wage for tipped workers is $2.13.

In California it is $8 for everyone.
http://www.minimum-wage.org/californ...-minimum-wage/

I did misread the previous statement and thought that it was the prior model where those wages were earned.
Basically, it's forced tipping with tip sharing within the company mandatory.

[vailpass]

I like the tipping system, it's fair. Give me good service and I'll pay you for it. If not, no.

[aturnis]

Tipping is gay.

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by aturnis

Cow Tipping is gay.

Agreed

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Fish

[B][SIZE="3"]

You can guess what happened. Our service improved, our revenue went up, and both our business and our employees made more money. Here’s why:

• Researchers have found (pdf) that customers don’t actually vary their tips much according to service. Instead they tip mostly the same every time, according to their personal habits.
  
  
  
• Tipped servers, in turn, learn that service quality isn’t particularly important to their revenue. Instead they are rewarded for maximizing the number of guests they serve, even though that degrades service quality.
  
  
• Furthermore, servers in tipping environments learn to profile guests (pdf), and attend mainly to those who fit the stereotypes of good tippers. This may increase the server’s earnings, while creating negative experiences for the many restaurant customers who are women, ethnic minorities, elderly or from foreign countries.
  
  
• On the occasions when a server is punished for poor service by a customer withholding a standard tip, the server can keep that information to himself. While the customer thinks she is sending a message, that message never makes it to a manager, and the problem is never addressed.
  
  
• You can see that tipping promotes and facilitates bad service. It gives servers the choice between doing their best work and making the most money. While most servers choose to do their best work, making them choose one or the other is bad business.

I thought the bolded part was pretty interesting. I'd never thought about that.

[kstater]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I thought the bolded part was pretty interesting. I'd never thought about that.

And how does charging a mandatory 18% change that? If anything, it encourages it as they're guaranteed that percentage regardless of what they do.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by kstater

And how does charging a mandatory 18% change that? If anything, it encourages it as they're guaranteed that percentage regardless of what they do.

I think it does the opposite. It creates an incentive for a person to take fewer tables, not more, which means better service for the customer.

It's up to the restaurant manager to ensure that they're serving enough tables to be profitable, but that's a management issue and is best left in the hands of the manager rather than the server.

[kstater]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I think it does the opposite. It creates an incentive for a person to take fewer tables, not more, which means better service for the customer.

It's up to the restaurant manager to ensure that they're serving enough tables to be profitable, but that's a management issue and is best left in the hands of the manager rather than the server.

How so? The more people they move the more guaranteed tips they get

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by kstater

How so? The more people they move the more guaranteed tips they get

Maybe I don't understand the system. Are they getting the 18% at the end of the night or are they being paid a standard livable hourly wage?

If it's the first, then I guess there's the same incentive to maximize tables and minimize service (or it's even worse), though I think that disassociating Table 14 with that $10 bill will help. If it's the second, the problem is solved.