Tips %

Tips

After reading my last blog post about the "in's and out's" about what actually goes on during the dinner wait at restaurants, I received a comment about tip-out or what some call, tip-pool. 

Here are some key points that one should consider when tipping there server at the end of a meal.

When the bill is printed there is usually a before tax total and an after tax total. For those who do not know, ignore the before tax total when deciding how you would like to tip your server. This decision should be based on: 1) overall service experience, 2) the quality of service and food delivered and 3) the total cost $ of that bill.

ü  If the service was great and you received everything you needed and your server listened to your needs, then give your server a check.

ü  If your server showed that they were engaged and cared that you came in to eat and they acted pleased to be there, then give them a check.

ü  Lastly, look at the bill total after tax. This total in many cases is the amount the servers tip-out toward other staff. Other staff such as, the supervisors, kitchen staff/cooks, food prep, dishwashers, bussers, bartenders, bar-backs and hostesses.

Servers must tip-out a percentage of that bill you're paying for. In many cases, as experienced they tip-out after tax. Therefore, if your server does their job right and there is something that happened out of their control; remember they pay their bills with their tips. Tips are their main source of income.

This tip-out I am talking about can range from 3% to 5% of the servers sales. So, to get a clearer idea, if tip out is 5%, every $100.00 your server does in sales, they are giving away $5.00 out of their pocket in tips to all of the other staff members mentioned above.

Servers do not get paid minimum wage, they are paid below minimum wage at $8.90/hour. So they really rely on these tips to survive.

I believe that a large portion of society that does not have insight on this can't relate and really do not know  the impact they have when they choose to purposely be cruel or cheap when it comes to tipping. I have seen many times on a bill for $50.00 after tax, customers tip 10% before the tax and leaving something like $4.00. If your server tips out 3% of that $50.00 they basically worked and served that table for 1.5 hour + for $2.50. It sounds harsh however; you can't even buy a jug of milk with that change.

Also keep in mind the economy has changed; prices do increase and have increased such as, the cost of living. Tips should also go along with this increase. 10% used to be a fare percentage tip I would say 10 years ago. However, 15% plus in many cases 20% is the standard tip to give in the service industry, especially given the fact that servers do not pocket all of their tips.

I would like you to put yourself in your server's shoes. If you go out to eat and you stay at your table for 2 hours or more, then leave your server 10% on a $100 bill. Now break that down to $5/hour on cleaning, clearing, waiting and refill trips on your free soda. Does it seem fare? Many citizens today wouldn't dream to get out of bed for less than $15/hour to $20/hour.