Because Florida is an "at will" state, without its own labor department, and you'd need to file a lawsuit on a federal level because the state just flat out doesn't care. They don't care about low-wage workers. At all. The lawyers don't care, the judges don't care, the officials - elected and appointed - don't care. This is an anti-union state as well, so you won't even see the Teamsters rallying around to an opportunity to recruit.

You work where you work, you get paid what they pay you. If you don't like it, you leave and try to find something better. If they think you're making waves, they fire you "for cause" and you don't even get to collect unemployment. For part-timers earning $300/week at their job, the most they can get with unemployment is $150/week, for 26 weeks. That's it. That covers the utilities and phone bill. Good luck with your rent.

Tip pool
 

I worked for a restaurant in Sumter Landing Was told our tips had to be put in the jar at the register for sharing. If you put the cash in your pocket you were fired. The managers tallied them up at the end of the day. They were shared with kitchen help, buss people, 2 managers & cash register employee on our shifts & among all the servers. We only ended up with between 8.00 & 18.00 in tips for the day. It’s sad because one of the servers was handed a 20.00 tip from her customer, put it in the jar & at the end of the day only received 20.00 in tips.

Don't assume servers don't have memory....
 

What most of the cheap substandard tippers may not have taken into consideration that wait staff including the waitresses, bartenders and even the person who is the maître d' do have a memory.... And through the evening they talk to one another, and keep track of these types..
I used to work as a bartender and I clearly remembered who was a decent tipper and who was not. Usually that substandard tipper was a jerk who felt he or she was entitled or better than you. I don't wanna get flagged so I will not rip the actual persons name on this particular thread but you can go back and look at his post and clearly see he is one of the people I am talking about. Yes he will get service… Will he get great service....nope!!! And what does entitled person who thinks I am unemployable and can only get this job doesn't realize is the next time he comes back we all remember who he was.

And they would be the first person to complain about bad service or if the restaurants raise prices to cover wage increases for the servers.

Excellent point. Being remembered positively is certainly a valid reason for tipping. Back in Minnesota we ate often at Asian restaurants. I'd always leave my (generous) tip in $2 bills--I was told by a couple of Asian waitstaff that $2 bills are seen as good luck. After a couple of visits we were immediately recognized and our service was fantastic.

Same thing on cruises. We never buy the drink packages but pay with our room card at the bars. The tips are taken automatically from the card but are split among literally hundreds of people. I've found that tipping the bartender $1 for every drink I order ensures fast service AND generous pours.

BS! Just because someone thinks holding restaurant customers for emotional ransom for what should be a gift is inherently wrong, does not mean they don't tip or are not generous in other areas of their life.

Oh, and if no one is listening, why did you bother to respond.??

I think all US states are “at will” with maybe one or two exceptions.

Interesting! Instead of being thankful for whatever gift (tip/gratuity) you received, you consider the gift beneath your highbrow standards, hold a grudge against that customer and threaten them with substandard service. I think I would avoid that place since their kindness is for sale, like love at a bordello. It is fake!

So a win-win situation.

Arguing that tipping shouldn't be a customary practice or shouldn't be used to supplement wages is arguing against reality. You don't have to like it but to deny it makes you appear foolish. Tipping is reality, using tips to supplement wages is reality, that a server notices which customers tip well and which customers tip poorly should not be a surprise.

I bet (and I believe I read an article which supports this) that if a restaurant decided to do away with tips they would lose business. The restaurant would need to raise prices 18% to 20% in order to bring in enough money to pay the full wages of their staff. If their competitors did not do the same, their customers would complain about the increased prices. Ultimately, the customers act against their own best interests. Instead of paying 20% more for their meal with no tipping they would instead go next door where the prices were 20% less and then they would likely leave a larger tip in appreciation of the lower prices.

Sure, tip poorly but don't complain when you get the service you pay for.

Sure, argue that a restaurant should do away with tipping but don't complain when they raise prices to pay the wages without tips.

Or, quit complaining, accept reality, and treat your servers as nicely as you would like them to treat you.

I tip at least 20 percent, sometimes more because I have family members who are servers and depend on tips to pay their living expenses. If they don’t have a good attitude, I drop it a little but if they have a good attitude and just are not good as servers, I still tip 20 percent. If you can afford to eat out, you can afford to tip!

We just double the tax comes to 15% that’s it.

That would be 40% in UK.:eek:
VAT on a restaurant meal is 20% here!

It's called service. U should be ashamed of Ur self!

I know. Dreadful chap. Heard he beats his wife as well. :icon_wink:

I get it... I NEVER use cash. But now I have a separate pile of cash that I use only for... tipping.