Minimum Wage Question for Food Service Workers

[SwimExpert]

In France, there is a mandatory 18% tip added to the bill. Would you prefer that?

There are placed here that do that too. Add 18%. I don't like it.

I tip for good service. If it's exceptional I leave an exceptional tip.

Generally, automatic gratuities apply for larger parties. And there's a very good reason. It's become all too common for people in large parties to under tip because 1) the bill is already high and they figure it's no big deal to give a low percentage tip because it has a "high" dollar amount or because they did not realize just how much they were promising to pay when they agreed to pay the tab for everyone, and 2) many people have a tendency to underrate the quality of service for larger parties, failing to understand that even though it's one table, it's much more work because it's many people.

It's extremely rare for a restaurant to indiscriminately auto-grat every single table. In fact, I've never once seen it.

 

[Dana7360]

$40 to $100 dollars a day on average? Or that would be the outlier?
Tell us the right amount on average compared to the outlier. If there is one.

There are cash tips and tips done with credit cards that are entirely less desirable.

I nearly always tip with cash.

Me too and my bartenders would prefer that. I have to report their CC tips.

I don't know where you live but I used to be the payroll person for a restaurant in the 80s. They had a few of them around the area.

Every quarter I had to add up all the receipts for each of the staff who earned tips. If what they declared in tips wasn't at least the national standard level, which was around 10% at the time, the amount they should have reported was reported to the IRS.

The staff that earned tips never lived on their paychecks. Their paychecks paid the taxes they owed on the tips they earned. They made anywhere from 40 to 100 dollars an hour on tips depending on their job, what day of the week they worked and if they worked banquets or not.

Either you have selective reading comprehension skills or you're a liar. Or both.

I'll go with both.

It depends on their job, what day of the week they worked and if they worked banquets.

The restaurant I did the payroll at was a 5 star upscale restaurant on Puget Sound. Very well known for their very fresh seafood. The name if it is Ray's Boathouse. It's a very popular restaurant and everyone who works there makes very good money. At the time I did the payroll they had a few restaurants around the area. I think that some of them have closed in the 25 or so years since I worked there.

You can see their menu at this link:

Ray's Boathouse Menu | Ray's

 

[boilermaker55]

So a liveable wage would be a good idea because accountants and business can alter the books!

Yes, of course, but I'm not about to discuss accounting practices I'm not familiar with. You could call my accountant....

 

[boilermaker55]

Your insulting was totally uncalled for because it was a legitimate question to ask bout the outlier compared to what is an average. If you don't care to take a question that was not insulting, it shows that you might be making shit up.
To clarify. There are restaurants in this country, upscale and lower, that deduct tips from their workers wages. So, their "accountants" can fuck the workers.
My comprehension is more than adequate and there was no lie in my statement whatsoever, it seems your sensitivity is the real problem.

$40 to $100 dollars a day on average? Or that would be the outlier?
Tell us the right amount on average compared to the outlier. If there is one.

There are cash tips and tips done with credit cards that are entirely less desirable.

I nearly always tip with cash.

Me too and my bartenders would prefer that. I have to report their CC tips.

I don't know where you live but I used to be the payroll person for a restaurant in the 80s. They had a few of them around the area.

Every quarter I had to add up all the receipts for each of the staff who earned tips. If what they declared in tips wasn't at least the national standard level, which was around 10% at the time, the amount they should have reported was reported to the IRS.

The staff that earned tips never lived on their paychecks. Their paychecks paid the taxes they owed on the tips they earned. They made anywhere from 40 to 100 dollars an hour on tips depending on their job, what day of the week they worked and if they worked banquets or not.

Either you have selective reading comprehension skills or your a liar. Or both.

I'll go with both.

It depends on their job, what day of the week they worked and if they worked banquets.

The restaurant I did the payroll at was a 5 star upscale restaurant on Puget Sound. Very well known for their very fresh seafood. The name if it is Ray's Boathouse. It's a very popular restaurant and everyone who works there makes very good money. At the time I did the payroll they had a few restaurants around the area. I think that some of them have closed in the 25 or so years since I worked there.

You can see their menu at this link:

Ray's Boathouse Menu | Ray's

 

[Ernie S.]

So a liveable wage would be a good idea because accountants and business can alter the books!

Yes, of course, but I'm not about to discuss accounting practices I'm not familiar with. You could call my accountant....

You best be careful who you accuse, son.

 

[boilermaker55]

Give yourself a big pat on your back.

So a liveable wage would be a good idea because accountants and business can alter the books!

Yes, of course, but I'm not about to discuss accounting practices I'm not familiar with. You could call my accountant....

You best be careful who you accuse, son.

 

[2aguy]

Would you give up Tips for a $15 per hour minimum wage?

I worked in the food service industry when I was in college.

No. They make much more in tips than a wage of 15 dollars an hour.

Which is why the new law in Seattle exempts those who work in the food service industry and get tips from the law. The employees who don't get tips will have the 15 dollar an hour wage.

And the lie about high wages from conservatives? Well it's been shot down again. The unemployment rate in King County where Seattle and Seatac are is 3.3%. Which is way below the national level.

The median income in the area is 67,479.00. Which is way above the national level.

How many of those jobs are 40 hours.........and how many are people only working part time but several jobs?.....like to see that answered.....

 

[OKTexas]

In France, there is a mandatory 18% tip added to the bill. Would you prefer that?

There are placed here that do that too. Add 18%. I don't like it.

I tip for good service. If it's exceptional I leave an exceptional tip.

I figure a server starts with a 20% tip, then it's up to them to keep it. If the service is lacking, I make deductions, when I find a very poorly trained server I have actually explained to them what they could have done to get a better tip. If they screw up the order, forget it, it goes to zero. I refuse to eat a establishments that automatically add a tip.

 

[OKTexas]

Would you give up Tips for a $15 per hour minimum wage?

I worked in the food service industry when I was in college.

No. They make much more in tips than a wage of 15 dollars an hour.

Which is why the new law in Seattle exempts those who work in the food service industry and get tips from the law. The employees who don't get tips will have the 15 dollar an hour wage.

And the lie about high wages from conservatives? Well it's been shot down again. The unemployment rate in King County where Seattle and Seatac are is 3.3%. Which is way below the national level.

The median income in the area is 67,479.00. Which is way above the national level.

The cost of living is also way above the national average.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I mfer gets 15 bucks an hour tips are a thing of the past.

 

[g5000]

Would you give up Tips for a $15 per hour minimum wage?

As one who employs tipped workers, they would be crazy. My bartenders make about $20/hour over all on an average night. On a busy week end night, they can make $100/hour.
We had a couple last night tip $50 on a 26 dollar tab.

That is not the norm.

 

[g5000]

Would you give up Tips for a $15 per hour minimum wage?

McDonald's workers don't get tips. Nor do Taco Bell, KFC, Burger King, Subway, Blimpie, or Dairy Queen workers.

Nor do cafeteria line workers.

 

[The Irish Ram]

TIP. To Insure Promptness. The only one who should decide whether it is applicable is the one that received the service. It is discretionary, not mandatory. If an establishment forces it on you, refuse to pay it. You should not be obligated to reward someone for a sandwich with mayo, when you asked for a sandwich with no mayo.

 

[SwimExpert]

Would you give up Tips for a $15 per hour minimum wage?

As one who employs tipped workers, they would be crazy. My bartenders make about $20/hour over all on an average night. On a busy week end night, they can make $100/hour.
We had a couple last night tip $50 on a 26 dollar tab.

That is not the norm.

Agree. Gross tips have gone down over the past 10-15 years. Also, $100 an hour is pretty far fetched any way you slice it. If a bartender walks through the door at 6pm and works until 2am, $800 on the night is just bullshit. Even if they walked through the door at 10pm, $400 on the night for half a shift is not believable. I'd believe half of that, on outlier nights.

 

[SwimExpert]

It is discretionary, not mandatory. If an establishment forces it on you, refuse to pay it.

Good luck with that. Expect to have the police called and be arrested for theft. Establishments that auto-grat for larger parties include that information in the menus. You are informed, you have accepted responsibility for the charge, refusal to pay constitutes theft.

 

[The Irish Ram]

It does now, in this politically correct society we have born. Write in great big letters on your check: Tipping is my decision, not yours. Will not return to a restaurant that helps themselves to my money and my right to determine the quality of service I received. Then leave. If they call the cops, call the media. Bad publicity may stop the practice. Or keep paying whatever the business overcharges. How about 26%? 40%? When do say, enough already?

 

[SwimExpert]

You're free to dine somewhere else. It's on the menu. If you don't want to accept the charges they've made you aware from the beginning of your dining experience, then don't. You can get up and leave. But once you order and partake in the goods and services, you are responsible for paying the prices that were informed of at the beginning.

And it has nothing to do with being politically correct. It's simple business. The restaurants don't want your business at the expense of losing their staff due to your being a douche bag.

 

[The Irish Ram]

You're free to dine somewhere else. It's on the menu. If you don't want to accept the charges they've made you aware from the beginning of your dining experience, then don't. You can get up and leave. But once you order and partake in the goods and services, you are responsible for paying the prices that were informed of at the beginning.

And it has nothing to do with being politically correct. It's simple business. The restaurants don't want your business at the expense of losing their staff due to your being a douche bag.

If it's on the menu, then write your response on the menu and walk out.
Want to keep your staff, then pay your staff. Don't transfer that obligation on to me because I want a meal.

 

[mikegriffith1]

Would you give up Tips for a $15 per hour minimum wage?

How about we give servers the option to choose between getting tips and getting $15 an hour? A sizable percentage, if not the majority, would choose tips because they make more than $15 per hour on average.

$15 an hour equals an annual salary of about $31K, assuming a 40-hour work week. Many, many servers make more than that.

 

[SwimExpert]

You're free to dine somewhere else. It's on the menu. If you don't want to accept the charges they've made you aware from the beginning of your dining experience, then don't. You can get up and leave. But once you order and partake in the goods and services, you are responsible for paying the prices that were informed of at the beginning.

And it has nothing to do with being politically correct. It's simple business. The restaurants don't want your business at the expense of losing their staff due to your being a douche bag.

If it's on the menu, then write your response on the menu and walk out.
Want to keep your staff, then pay your staff. Don't transfer that obligation on to me because I want a meal.

So, this shows that you really have no intention of tipping your servers. Okay, fine. Stay home and cook yourself. You're not entitled to the food at the restaurant. Either you pay, or you go somewhere else. They'll happily serve your party of 10 for reasonable menu prices, and an 18% automatic gratuity that will be applied to the bill. Or you can go home. It's called freedom, and it's what makes America great.