Quote:
Originally Posted by niwell
I generally tip at least 20% at bars/restaurants I go to and will often now tip (less) for takeout as well, just because I know how much some people are hurting right now. Now I probably wouldn't do so if I was going to chain restaurants rather than places I know the staff. Tips usually get distributed to the kitchen staff in these places as well.
I also don't really buy the argument that because service minimum wage has risen in Ontario then that's a fine wage. That's predicated on the idea that service jobs are inherently entry level and you can't make your career in the industry. I don't have a problem with the idea of a chef or bartender that's my age making a similar wage that I do - they certainly work a lot harder!
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I'm not trying to say servers deserve minimum wage, as they will almost never actually have just their wage as a take-home, but tipping culture is odd in general and doesn't make any sense to me so..
For some reason we are expected that servers, which is not a particularly skilled profession (though certainly not no-skill) should be clearing $30+/hr for bringing me my food, while the poor chefs in the back, the guy delivering my package, the guy selling me my clothes, the guy doing just about one of a million other things has to work without tips and just rely on the pay his employer gives him.
if it were up to me tipping being mandatory would be made illegal and I would force employers to just pay their staff...
My point as well is the escalation of tipping culture in recent years, which flys in the face of all trends regarding server compensation from significantly increasing base wages, significantly increasing restaurant pricing leading to larger totals on the same % tip, the inclusion of tax in the calculation, and of course the rapid inflation of the % itself.. What used to be a 15% tip on a $35 meal and drinks for two, resulting in a tip of $6 atop an hourly wage of $7/hr in 2005 (adjusted for inflation is an $8 tip on a $9/hr base wage) is now a $60 meal, with an 18% tip on $67.80 (after tax), resulting in a tip of $12.20 on top of a minimum wage of $15.
If a server in 2005 cleared 3 tables an hour with that example's average bill, they could expect to earn ~$33/hr inflation adjusted.. now that's $51 for the same example..
I admit I'm not aware of what servers typically actually clear in tips and that it varies wildly by night and restaurant.. but I just don't see how that huge of a tip is needed for that level of skill. I'm paying $12 for someone to spend about 10 minutes of time actually focusing on serving me over a meal.. often It's just very expensive and the way social shame is used to try to enforce it is silly. Price the cost of paying staff a living wage into the good like literally every other industry and get out of here with guilt trips and dirty looks for perceived and wildly varying standards of what is "a fair tip".