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Bad food service. It's like the movie Waiting, but not as funny.
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I'm intimately aware that how I feel is not at all the norm. I know most people I worked with would have punched me in the face if I'd told them how I felt. I also know that I made a lot of fucking money practicing what I'm preaching, and there's just no arguing with that. I enjoyed my job, I made bank, and customers nearly never complained about me.
And I got promoted, and was able to make a career out of it, and save up enough money that I was able to quit my job a year ago and go back to school, and haven't had to work more than part time since, and haven't needed to touch a student loan.
They usually cash out at the end of the night when they send the charges through. When they run your card it's normally just to request approval for a ballpark amount. Then later in the night they print off a master receipt and get cash for the tips.
It varies from place to place. Usually what happens is when the server settles out, the tip is factored just like a tip on a check would be. The total amount on the slip counts toward what they owe, so they just keep more of the cash. Some places keep it all and put it into the paycheck.
Papa John's taxes credit card tips. Actually, as of last August, Papa John's delivery drivers are legally classified as "tip credit" positions (just like a waiter), which means they don't have to pay them $6.55, and this August, won't have to raise them to $7.25. Drivers here make $6, plus tips.
The members charged everything to their house accounts, so there was no cash or credit cards used, and no tipping. We got paid a flat hourly rate which higher than the state's (non tip-based) minimum wage, so it didn't matter whether we were doing a lot of tables or just a few, we had to perform to the service and etiquette expectations of very upper class patrons. however, there was a decent mixture of nice people and assholes; some were very laid back, some not so much.
I must say, it was never boring; in the short span of the summer, I served parents of a movie star as well as a famous retired football player, learned all about fine food and wine pairings, served cocktails in the sand one morning and worked a luau with hula dancers/firedancers in the evening, served at a classy black-tie soiree with bass band and a dance floor, was offered a dubiously ambiguous job by a very friendly effeminate man with a high-pitched southern drawl who liked my service just a little too much, and got to watch tipsy housewives fall off of a mechanical bull.
I kind of miss the place and I'm hoping to go back when they reopen in a couple weeks.
But I'm talking about service that is less than incredible, not downright shitty service. If you show up to my table less often than you should I'm not going to rip you off. Likewise for attitude: you shouldn't have to shit rainbows to get your paycheck.
I just want mutual respect. Both the customer and the employee treating eachother like human beings.
Where I work, you either owe the restaurant money at the end of the night or they owe you. Everything gets taken care of when I check out, so if everyone paid their bills in cash that night, that's when I cough it up. If all the checks were paid by card, I check out and it shows how much tip I'm owed (minus tip share).
Getting tipped in cash does provides more to the server. With a credit card, you have the enter the amount of the tip and it gets authorized on the card. Cash isn't tracked, so more goes into the server's pocket.
That all being said, it doesn't really make a huge difference. I don't mentally curse someone out when they tip via card instead of cash. Many people don't carry cash around anymore, so cards are perfectly acceptable.
I'm pretty much of the same feeling. I guess being a manager has tainted me to look at things more from the customer's perspective, thus making me more critical of servers than customers.
Pretty much. Whereas I could probably come up with something decent, you can't beat a three man crew and the scope of good chef training and choice ingredients. The pickier you get, the more things like timing and flavour notes seem to count. My tastes and sense for aesthetics go far beyond what I could ever make myself, even though I do a pretty fine job when I'm in the mood- that is to say my reach when it comes to dining far exceeds my grasp, so I pay people to make up that difference.
Yes they do, considerably higher in fact. High end restaurants expect their servers to be able to go into detail about the dishes and wine lists, to make quality recommendations (not just 'house specials') and even know what the chef that night is especially skilled at making.
There is a right way to approach, pour wine, take orders, serve, etc. People can get pretty detail oriented about that particular way. Formal dining and its expectations are not taught especially well here in Canada, I would imagine similar cultural attitudes in the States with a few pocketed exceptions. Waiters who learn the art well should be (and are) compensated- it really is an art, and some are better at it than others. Rewards where they are due and all.
Honestly though, if you can't tell the difference, no need to pay through the nose.
A few months later, I took Mrs. deowolf there for a date night, and we had the same waitress. She didn't do anything special for us that night, but I remembered her, and tipped her huge again for being so nice the first time and being such a help. I also made sure to fill out a comment card detailing just how much I thought of this server. When you get good waitstaff at a place, you need to let them know.
On the black screen
"Olives?"
"Water," my fiance says again, confused.
"Okay," says the waitress.
The waitress proceeds to return with a glass of water with olives in it.
It was just.. mind-boggling. How do you think you hear someone ask for olives in their water and not just automatically assume you made a mistake?
PSN: SAW776
On another note entirely, I disagree with Tip Sharing. I don't like the Idea that the tip I give my waitress who did an excelent job essentially has to give 30% of that tip to the bum I had last time who I give a lower tip to. I've only worked as a dishwasher when I was 16 and didn't get tipped out so my experience is limited.
I tend to give at least $3($8-$15 meals). 20% on up from that. I have stiffed very rarely, I think I did it once to a TGIF waitress that talked to us like we were pieces of shit for no reason and a Hooters waitress who I saw all of twice the entire night. The only thing the Hooters girl did was take our order and brought the check after I had to go find her(She was sitting in a booth with her boyfriend), another girl brought out our food. Again, Tip sharing, eff that girl she shouldn't get any tips from anybody.
Making a proper sandwich is a fucking art. Not too soggy, no sliding of the meats and cheeses and veg, perfect bite everytime. This is why I tip at Sub shops, usually just with the change of the purchase. Same with a properly pulled expresso. People get rewarded for doing a good job.
This is why I absolutely have NO problem with not tipping for horrible service. Not for cold food, bad food, or any of that crap. Heck the biggest tip I've ever given was to a server when we had to send back food twice. $15 on a ~$30 check and the location of a much better resturant desperately in need of good help. She was that attentive, courteous, and good looking.
Worst customers i've ever had? I waited tables for 3 years at a diner style mostly breakfasty/brunch kinda place right near duke university. Every summer the Talent Identification Program kids would zerg campus and the restaurants and shops in the near vicinity for a week. That's right T.I.P. kids, the name is quite ironic. These three girls came in ordered a bunch of complicated ass shit that wasnt on the menu, which we charged extra for, were generally rude and childish as this was probably their first time eating out away from mommy and daddy. After i bring them the bill i watch panic slowly dawn on each of their faces for some reason (when you are waiting tables you know this look and dread it) I tell em i'll come back for the check in a few moments, make a quick round checking drinks etc. at my other tables, when i come back one of em is gone. The other two sit there, taking up my table, looking frightened. Finally FORTY FIVE minutes later their friend returns, and dumps a fuckton of change and singles on the table and they all 3 scatter. Took me 10 minutes to count what they left and it was 11 dollars short of the actual fucking bill. That's called dine and dash boys and girls, and most restaurants hold the waiter responsible. SO DO NOT FUCKING EVER DO THAT SHIT EVER.
Well one day the older waitress was ours when we got there, took our orders (having no concept of shorthand so it takes forever to order), brings our drinks, then disappears. It was a fairly busy restaurant and the pregnant waitress was working in another section. We could see the kitchen and see our orders up on the counter for a couple of minutes before the pregnant waitress has to go get them, and bring them to us. She remained our waitress for the rest of the meal and despite being very busy with the rest of the restaurant and ringing up bills, came back to check on us twice.
We see our old waitress standing by the kitchen talking to one of the dishwashers or cooks (I couldn't quite see other than they were wearing white) while this is going on, not helping at all. Maybe she was on break, I don't know. Finally our old waitress comes back to check on us as we're about half way through, checks on a couple of other people, tends to someone at the cash then goes back to talking.
The younger one is now taking an order from an old couple and child who are being quite picky, and a man is standing at the cash register for about a minute. The older waitress comes up and starts yelling at the young one about how incompetent she is and how she should get off her ass and do some work, and get to the cash, etc. Just reaming into her for 4 or 5 minutes in front of the whole restaurant when this woman has been doing all the work herself. The younger woman is near tears now, but continues to do her job. A few minutes later we get up to leave and the older woman goes to the cash to take our bill. We say "No, we're not giving you a tip, you didn't do anything. We'll wait and settle our bill with the other waitress." She got all huffy, but she left and we waited a minute, gave the younger waitress a 25% tip, asked for both their names and when the next time the manager/owner would be in. We called two days later and explained what had happened. A couple weeks after that we went back and found the young waitress there looking a lot happier, with no older waitress to be found but another employee. The waitress gave us our drinks for free.
Newsflash: Most waitstaff makes good money. You can make like, stripper money if you work at a place like an Olive Garden or something.
Also, I'm sick of hearing about what a hard fucking job it is. You bring people shit. You fill their drinks up. It's not hard. I don't care if your first job was retail and slinging soup and breadsticks at the olive garden beats your feet up a little more, you get paid WAY more.
I particularly hate slow drinks, and people who do a touch-and-go on the table - just buzz the table, and leave asap, or ask if anyone needs anything and take off as soon as the first person says no.
Also RE not blaming the waiter for shitty food, it's a huge hate on for me if you let my shit sit on a counter or heatlamp. Another thing? If you have a mandatory gratuity for a large party, that's what you're getting. Sadly, for you, I would have gone over 15% because my party was large and demanding and loud, but you bid it out beforehand and when I bid it out beforehand at my job, that's what I get. Also, while they obviously can't check to see if a steak is really rare or something, they should have some common sense - if the food looks like shit, if soup or gravy has been sitting so that skin has formed on it, or if a side gets ruined while they cook the main meal, have a brain in your head and skip the step where you set it in front of me and make me send it back. Just have the cook scoop some new potatoes.
Disclaimers: Yes, I have been a server and I was well tipped. And yes, I tip. Exorbitantly, in general. I very seldom withhold a tip even when staff pisses me off, because it doesn't teach anyone (when was the last time a server you worked with said, "someone gave me a shitty tip, maybe it's me?) anything and also because it would make me look cheap.
I generally view paying someone to wait on me hand and foot part of the cost of the meal, and take the view that if can't tip 20% you shouldn't be at the restaurant. (not to say you should every time, but you if you can't afford a good tip you can't really afford the meal)
I'm also of the view that if you didn't like your experience, if it was bad enough to leave no tip at all, you should complain to the manager, not passive-aggressively punish the waitress.
I host a podcast about movies.
Edit: I use the word undertipping because you claim you would have given them more, not because I believe the mandatory gratuity is insufficient.
Now, there's another Applebees down the street from me. I don't go to that one, because the service -there- sucks monkey balls.
I'm pretty sure the difference is management. At the one I like, the manager is out on the floor, and hits every table, and if you ask them a question, they will try to grab a chair, sit down (not -at- the table, just next to it), and they'll engage you about any questions you may have. Whether they're related to this experience, or just general food-related questions.
At the other one? I....guess they have a manager. Somewhere...in theory.
edit: and in situations like this, servers vehemently refuse to split a check, despite ever couple having only card.
See how many books I've read so far in 2010
fwiw, the restaurant I used to work at had a "mandatory" gratuity for parties of 8 or more, but it was up to individual servers whether or not to apply it to the check. luckily it was relatively easy to distinguish [assholes that aren't gonna leave more than a few bucks if it was up to them] from [otherwise generous guy who gets offended by mandatory tip]
this was a small regional chain though (8-10 locations) - national franchises might be more 'mandatory'
It just seems to me like utter bollocks that waiters should somehow be considered to be entitled to a tip, but that's probably because tipping isn't common practice around here(their wages aren't as shitty as in this thread either).
At any profit-turning Applebees, the wait staff never stops smiling. Know why?
Shock collars.
Places that have to cook food do ussually have servers however serving is preety much all they do, Money is typically upfront, atleast in most of the places Ive eaten, so when your done you can just head off and theyll clear away our plates.
But the main reason tipping seems foreign is at some point during Australias history someone had the brain wave, Why not just raise the price allitle and use that to pay the server?
The over all effect is the only delay is that of cooking the food and the occasional line. Plus if the server sucks who cares? You see them for all of ten seconds as long as they manage not to drop your food from point A to point B theyve done their job.
Hell some of the best places Ive eaten give you a number, when your foods done they call you up and you go to the counter and Add whatever side dishes you want. All they need is someone to clean up the dishes and they are set.
I honestly dont understand the American serving system, to me it seems quite inefficent. Is there any real plusses?
This has come up several times while ordering from Pizza Pizza and I never know what to do.
Dine and dash.
Or as my buddy did a few years back after receiving horrible service, went up to the manager with the food amount (+ tax), and said he wasn't paying for a tip that wasn't earned and they could either leave with out paying or pay the meal.
They paid the meal and never went back.
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Delivery fees are paid to the resturant, not the driver. You don't tip when you get the pizza, you won't get hot pizza if the word spreads.
I tip delivery guys
"A Heineken please"
"There you go, $4.50"
I pay, get my change and am expected to leave $1.
Its absurd! He opened a bottle! It required no effort whatsoever. I only really approve of tipping when there actually was some degree of skill or involvement required.
You, sir, are a good man. And thorough.
I don't know about Pizza Hut or Dominoes, having never worked at either, but most smaller places pretty much let the driver keep his entire fee, which I look at the same way as mandatory tipping. If you don't do anything above the minimum for me, I'm not going to do anything above the minimum for you.
I would recommend just asking the driver the next time he comes out. Just say, "Hey, they charge all this for delivery, how much of that do you actually get?" Most won't feel too interested in lying (it's amazing how many pizza deliverers don't understand how influential they can be).
As far as bar tipping, tip $5 up front. Make sure he sees it. That will ensure that the next time he sees your face, even at a crowded bar, you'll get your drink a bit quicker. It's less a tip and more a bribe, honestly, but it can be worth the money.
Also, Xenogears, I don't know where you're getting your information. I don't know a single place delivery place that doesn't pay drivers some sort of per-delivery compensation, either a set amount per delivery, or a small % of their net sales delivered.
As for not tipping at all, though, sadly, yes, that will get around, sometimes. I've worked in places where I've heard, "Feh, take that one last, after you get gas. They never tip." and I've also heard, "They're $4, that one goes first. He always gets his pizza first."
I've also heard, "He always tips good, so don't bother hurrying. You'll get $5 no matter when he gets it." So, take that for what it's worth.
I know that my local pizza places started doing delivery fees when gas prices started veering upwards, so I assumed that it was to compensate drivers for additional gas fees. Having never been a delivery driver, I don't know how that actually works... do you track your miles and they pay by the mile? or by gas used? or is it just on your head and you get a flat pay rate?
In any case, I assume the delivery fee is part of the overhead for running a delivery service and continue to tip drivers as normal. I used to be friends with a guy who got mugged while delivering pizza (the fact that he would have given them the money had they asked Before hitting him with a crowbar ties with the fact that he took the hit to his head and didn't go down for best part of that story), so between that and all the stories about prank orders and such I am well aware of the risks involved in that profession. So if you can bring me a piping-hot meal to my door and save my the trouble of putting on my shoes, I feel you deserve some gratuity.
I actually leave more than a dollar per drink normally, even if it is a beer. Because it means later that night, when the place is full of people, I wont have to wait on another drink. They'll remember my name, and usually buy me a free round or two at the end of the night.
I will say that this is a regular place, and they've gone out of their way to go next door and get some coffee if I want an Irish, or order a type of liquer I drink that they dont normally carry. I don't think I'd give some 21 year old dumbass at a night club who can't mix anything at all more than a couple quarters until they proved otherwise.
edit: Delivery fees always seem to apply to orders below a certain amount where I am. If you get six pizzas, no fee. I'm pretty sure the entire fee goes to the pizza places, who then pay the drivers hourly or whatever with a portion of it. I usually tip in cash if it's possible. I will write 0$ in the tip column if I am paying by credit, and then hand them cash.