Quote:
Originally Posted by CFrance
We had lunch at Amerikanos today. My husband (former labor relations, interested in this) said to the waitress, "None of my business, but can I ask you if you'd rather have minimum wage or tips?" Her answer: Tips! She said she makes $9.98/hour (state law), and during the season does fantastically thanks to tips. Not as good off season, but overall more than just minimum wage.
That's one person's answer...
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No surprise here. My focus is not on the waitstaff. It's the customer position.
The customer pays a price, part of which goes to cover employee pay. So, waiter gets a cut. Tax is added. The comes the tip. Now the wait person has an opportunity to dramatically increase their "cut" through sweet talking, cajoling, persuasion, etc. Pitty the poor server. A good actor can make a lot more than a bad actor. If it wasn't for tipping, restaurants would be paying more tax. Servers would be tax liable for all their income. Customers wouldn't have to figure the appropriate cost of being called "Hon". He/she ain't your friend. It's about getting the biggest present they can from you. It's a con, a game, a scam, that we all play. But it isn't an honest hourly wage for labor. Restaurant owners are complicit in this for their own reasons.
Tonight's nice dinner out and the waitress pocketed $20+, on top of her regular pay, for the 10 minutes that she spent on us.