Quote:
Originally Posted by savemedrzaius
Same here in China. Seriously, why do I have to leave extra money because the employer pays crap wage? Plus I always found it strange how some service industry jobs get tips, while other don't. Basically the idea here is, "I'm giving you business, that should be enough!"
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TIPS, stands for To Insure Prompt Service. Being that the restaurant industry is a service industry, the tips are to give the server incentive to giving you better service. If you don't want the servers to work off of tips, then the employers are going to have to pay the servers more. If they pay the servers more, then they are going to have to raise the prices of their food and beverages. When you are giving your business, you are giving that to the owners, not the servers, if you don't tip.
Let's say you go into a casual restaurant for a burger, fries and a beer. Using round numbers, that will cost you about $20. With a 15% tip, that brings the final bill to $23. Based on 8 years of restaurant experience, I made about $20 per hour in tips, in addition to the $5.90 per hour I made in wages. In order for me to have continued to work in the industry, I would have needed $20, and likely $25 if proper taxes are being taken off, added to my wages. If not, I'd go find another job where I could make a similar wage. The restaurant's labour cost would rise by approximately 300%, which would then be added to the burger and beer. That burger and beer that cost $23 with tip, would very likely cost $27.
Now here's the kicker. The restaurant will likely make the same amount of net profit. The server would be little worse off, as they are having to have their complete income taxed. You are way worse off, as your meal has increased. You are also going to get worse service. If all of the servers know they are getting $30 per hour whether they do a good job or not, then the incentive to do a good job is gone. If you don't believe me, have a look at all of the servers you have seen in the restaurant industry. How many do you complain about? How many servers does Springs1 write novels about? That is when they have an incentive to do a better job. By giving you, the customer, the choice on how much to tip, you are making servers work harder for your money, and you get a say in how much to give them. The system works much better that way, then the alternative. If you don't like it, you can go pick up burger meat, buns, fries and beer and have it at home. It's cheaper for you, and you don't have to worry about tipping.