Would you prefer tipping at a restaurant or just paying the total charged even if it's a little higher to pay all employees "fairly"?

CPT Jack Durish — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 12:18:37 -0500

http://www.pjtv.com/series/the-rundown-754/fairness-famed-restauranteur-ends-tips--raises-prices-11392/
Here we go again. The government is mucking around with the free market and guess who is going to pay. Well, we're all going to pay. Fast food workers are losing jobs. Consumers pay higher prices for less service.

One of the great failings of the Soviet Union was its controlled market economy. I well remember an incident in the late 1950s when we were shipping wheat to starving Russians only to learn later that they had ample supplies of grain rotting in the fields and silos. Why? Because those who managed supply and distribution from their lofty aeries in Moscow didn't know what they were doing. The Soviets also had a committee that decided the price of every commodity without regard to supply and demand. Are we headed in that direction? Will we fail as they failed?

It seems to me that anyone who thinks that the government knows better how we should spend our own money should look at how they spend money. Take for example purchasing practices at the Pentagon...

Famed Restauranteur Ends Tips & Raises Prices

Danny Meyer is raising prices and ending tipping. While this will help kitchen staff, is this good for consumers? Find out.

Response by SSgt David Tedrow made Nov 2 at 2015 12:21 PM

SSgt David Tedrow — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 12:21:24 -0500

I think I would not mind paying a little higher. Living off of tips is not a fair way to pay.

Response by SFC Stephen King made Nov 2 at 2015 12:22 PM

SFC Stephen King — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 12:22:20 -0500

CPT Jack Durish I want the choice to tip. 20% and above

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Nov 2 at 2015 12:35 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 12:35:00 -0500

A tip is for service above and beyond what is expected

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Nov 2 at 2015 12:48 PM

SGT Jeremiah B. — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 12:48:05 -0500

I'd rather pay more. I know too many great servers who get tipped crap because the customer is an ass, a church goer or rich (Yes, those are the three worst kinds of people to serve). Besides, there's no evidence that tipping leads to better service...if anything, it can lead to worse.

Response by SGT Scott Bell made Nov 2 at 2015 12:51 PM

SGT Scott Bell — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 12:51:47 -0500

10%

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Nov 2 at 2015 12:57 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 12:57:22 -0500

The Russian economy was so corrupt that individuals were allowed to make items the public did not want.

Response by Col Joseph Lenertz made Nov 2 at 2015 1:16 PM

Col Joseph Lenertz — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 13:16:41 -0500

I am fine with any restaurant owner doing this. If his food is great and the service is great, he will survive contact with the Free Market. If either one isn't great, the built-in tip will annoy a significant percentage enough that they won't return, and his business will fail, and it will be his own fault.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Nov 2 at 2015 1:22 PM

MSgt Curtis Ellis — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 13:22:11 -0500

smdh... This is just so the restaurant can cover the cost of increased wages for a "few of the slacker employees" as all of them are not slackers... I wouldn't mind so much if all employees provided great service and the food was worth it, but you know there will always be that "few" riding the coat tails of others, cooks or servers, and guess which one I will probably end up with on the night I decide to eat out... Not to mention, some will continue to tip anyway regardless of the protocol, so they will still make a pretty decent killing...

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 2 at 2015 1:34 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 13:34:07 -0500

Sir, I prefer to tip according to the level of service provided. Great service = great tip.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Nov 2 at 2015 1:38 PM

LTC Kevin B. — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 13:38:44 -0500

I'm fine with building it into the cost of the meal. I actually don't like the idea that restaurants can pay sub-minimum wages.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Nov 2 at 2015 1:47 PM

MCPO Roger Collins — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 13:47:42 -0500

Tips are just a means for the business to meet minimum pay requirements and get a tax break while they do it legally. I personally prefer to pay more for a higher level of service aside from the business using the tax code to keep their costs low. Pay the minimum rate and let the customer pay what ever they like in tips for excellent service.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Nov 2 at 2015 1:53 PM

SrA Edward Vong — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 13:53:55 -0500

During my travels to Japan (a country where you don't tip), every single person I have run into that works in a service position has done their job very well. I don't really believe in tipping at restaurants as every employee is expected to give it their all at work anyway (I do tip 25+% because I know how the system works).

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Nov 2 at 2015 2:11 PM

Sgt Kelli Mays — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 14:11:25 -0500

My best friend is a server. Has been for years. She taught me to leave a decent tip...just because the food is bad is not the server's fault....but if the server is bad...then you can leave less of a tip.
There are a few restaurants that already pay there servers at least minimum wage....I think getting paid $2.10 an hour is ridiculous. Why do we have a minimum wage law if Restaurants can get away with paying less?
IDK...I think servers should get paid at least minimum wage and earn tips too... These restaurants already make good money...and majority of them will still yield a healthy profit with paying minimum wage to their servers...
and don't forget...servers DO NOT KEEP THE TIP you give to them...THEY have to TIP out the bartender, the BUS BOYS and the hostess that seats you.
The SERVER ONLY actually gets to keep about 50 to 65% of their tips.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Nov 2 at 2015 2:20 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 14:20:17 -0500

This is a two fold issue.

I've never encountered a server worth a damn that worried about their "draw" or minimum wage, let alone counted their tips. The good ones don't have to. They make FAR MORE from tips than they ever would from base pay.

Let's translate this over to "Outside sales." Exact same concept. The draw (base pay) means ZERO. The Commission (Tips) mean EVERYTHING, but if you are counting it, you aren't doing what you are supposed to.

Somehow the narrative got shifted a few years back however, and this became a pissing contest.

Now, my personal opinion is as follows. The amount of Service provided does not justify a PERCENTAGE of a Receipt. Simple as that. It's Trained Labor, as opposed to Unskilled Labor. It deserves and Hourly Rate commensurate with the location being serviced. The better the location, the better the Hourly Rate.

Alternately, Servers could PAY the Restaurant to work there because their ability to profit would be commensurate with their ability to Serve. If you pay in $100/hr, and make $200/hr you profit. If you pay in $100/hr, but your skill is only at a $50/hr level, you will quickly find yourself looking for other employment.

Response by SSG Guillaume Meyer made Nov 2 at 2015 2:25 PM

SSG Guillaume Meyer — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 14:25:37 -0500

I think that they should be and deserve to be paid a living wage. It has been done in Europe for decades! There is no tip calculating there except by Americans!

Response by MSgt Erik Copp made Nov 2 at 2015 2:46 PM

MSgt Erik Copp — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 14:46:04 -0500

I personally like tipping. Although it is an easy argument on both sides. I expect service will get worse as well as the attitudes of the servers. I tip based solely on the waiter/waitress and how they treat me. If the food is not cooked right I don't hold that against the waiter. Be speedy, keep my drink full and be polite. If you do that you get a good tip. If not, then in my opinion, you don't deserve a nice tip. My rule of thumb is, start high, if it goes down it is your fault.

Response by MSgt James Mullis made Nov 2 at 2015 2:46 PM

MSgt James Mullis — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 14:46:17 -0500

After traveling around the world, I believe that tipping greatly improves overall customer service. They may not like you, but they smile, refill your drinks, and bring your food in a timely manner. When wait staff receive a high hourly wage in lieu of tips (as they do in France) you have extremely slow table service and since there is no incentive for them to turn the tables, you can stay the night for all they care. The other option I rarely hear discussed is for the wait staff to receive minimum hourly wage (as they currently do in America) and a percentage off their tables checks. This gives them incentive to be nice, push appetizers, talk up the higher menu items, serve dishes quickly, push desserts and drinks, and do anything to pad the check. It also rewards hard work which is overlooked in these discussions. No tipping takes away the customers ability to acknowledge good service and object to bad. In a no tipping environment I would be left with no option but to complain to the manager about poor service, possibly resulting in someone being fired.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Nov 2 at 2015 3:01 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 15:01:20 -0500

I prefer to have the opportunity to determine the level of tip I leave.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2015 3:23 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 03:23:20 -0500

I'd prefer to eat at a Restaurant the pays everyone a fair wage and then tip depending on service. I'd prefer not to eat a restaurant that pays it's workers as little as possible.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2015 3:56 AM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 03:56:59 -0500

Living in Italy where tipping isn't expected, I have to say I much prefer paying higher prices to tipping. As the customer, it means you're not being rushed from the table so they can get another diner in to make some more money. When your server gets paid regardless of whether you stay for 10 minutes or 4 hours, it makes for a much better dining experience. Personally, especially when meeting with friends, I enjoy sitting at the table to chat and have drinks without the check being pushed in my face, or being encouraged to continue at the bar. I find that even when servers don't have to work for tips, they still smile and bring what you need simply because they have a decent job that pays the bills, they're less stressed trying to make everyone happy enough to tip well (and often still struggling to make ends meet), and they don't want to be fired.

Response by SSG Darrell Davis made Nov 3 at 2015 1:51 PM

SSG Darrell Davis — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 13:51:10 -0500

I'd rather tip according to the service I receive. Paying the higher price potentially rewards bad service.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2015 1:52 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 13:52:31 -0500

I didn't see in the link anything about how much prices were raised on average. That's something I'm interested in knowing. Overall, I concur with Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS's statement - it's a two-fold situation.

Response by TSgt Kenneth Ellis made Nov 3 at 2015 8:51 PM

TSgt Kenneth Ellis — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 20:51:16 -0500

I know if you have a party over eight. I think they add in 8 percent to your bill. But now that they have pushed for mandatory 15 dollar minimum wage and Obama care. And It cost me up to sixty dollars to take my wife to dinner. and prices are going up. And watching the paid protesters from the seiu screaming for a living wage. I don't have any obligation to leave a tip. And when I do I leave 15 percent.