Yesterday while listening to NPR I heard a discussion about tipping trends for service people. A part of the discussion focused on tipping in restaurants and how many people tip less during a recession and some (a precious few) actually tip more.
As a part of the program they had listeners call in to share their thoughts. I was surprised at how many people who called in were servers who had this advice for the dining public:
“If you can’t afford to tip your server well, please do not dine out.”
At first I could not believe what I was hearing. That’s like someone saying, if you can’t afford to give me a really nice birthday present, then don’t even bother.
These servers have clearly forgotten how things work. By suggesting that only people who tip generously should dine out, they’re telling us exactly where their focus is: on their own bank account.
But, as a customer, I don’t care about your bank account or your paycheck. What I care about is getting good service while I am dining in your restaurant. If you give me good service, I will tip you well.
Last time I checked, that’s how it’s supposed to work.
These servers seem to have forgotten that. They (apparently) think they should get a full tip just for being there. It sounds like the quality of the service (and the experience) they deliver does not matter is not connected with the tip amount.
I understand many people tip poorly. And I know it’s frustrating to do a good job, deliver great service and get a lousy tip in return. After college I poured drinks and waited tables so I’ve been there. It’s not fun.
But as a server (or as any employee) you have to take the good with the bad. You accept the ups and the downs. That’s life. And, you have to remember (as we all do) we are there to help the customer get what they want. That needs to be our focus.
As employees, managers or business owners, if our focus is on money then our service will suffer. Our motivation will drive our actions and our actions will become clear. We’re there for the tips.
This will drive customers away faster than bad food, high prices or long lines. And it will keep them away.
Put all your focus and effort into helping your customers have a great experience and you will be rewarded with better tips. Not from everyone but from enough to make a difference. Plus you’ll have more fun and you’ll be creating job security by increasing customer loyalty.
What are your thoughts? Should people only dine out if they are willing to tip well? Or should servers not focus on tips and instead focus on offering a great experience to their customers? Leave your comment below.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I was a server not so very long ago before I became one of the restaurant managers. I have heard the phrase “If you can’t afford to tip well, please do not dine out.” I have also heard servers complain about specific groups of people, saying “Oh, great, more young kids. Anybody want that table?” or other age groups, race, or ethnicity. I used to make at least twice as much in tips as those servers because I always took the tables that nobody else wanted. Sometimes they tipped well and sometimes they didn’t, but here is the key: They ALWAYS tipped something. And to me, that was better than nothing, which is what the original server got for giving up the table.
I personally follow the idea that if you can’t afford to tip at all, then you probably can’t really afford to that particular restaurant. Best advice: find a place that is in your budget and that does allow you enough money left over to tip something if you get great service.
I eat out often, and I usually leave a 20% tip, my children have both been in the server position. I do however, not believe that the servers statement if you can’t tip well, don’t go out. Even in inexpensive locations, for one to tip 20% just to have someone bring you a menu and a plate of food and not provide any more attention to that is just wrong. Perhaps those servers who feel they deserve a generous tip should probably assess their performance realistically to make sure they are giving generous service for that generous tip.
Another way of looking at it, even if the tip isn’t generous, at the very least, the diners are probably stretching their budget to eat out and support their local extablishments (which employ you, buy the way) Therefore, at least you have a job!
I was a server for 10 years. I found that most of the time when I delivered great service I was tipped accordingly. Sometimes though that was not the case and it can be very frustrating, especially when you are a single mother receiving no child support and you are depending on those tips to live. I mean, I was only paid $2.13 an hour for wages so I basically made nothing for being there. I personally was there for the money as I think anyone who needs to work for a living is. There are a few who work just because they like it but most of us need to be paid. I don’t think a server should demand a large tip for delivering minimal service but I do agree that if people can’t afford to tip at least 15 percent then they shouldn’t eat at an establishment where employees work for tips. If I am short on cash, I don’t skimp on the tip, I eat at McDonalds!
Any time we start believing our customers owe us something just because we’re standing there, we’ll lose them. An attitude of entitlement is just that: an ATTITUDE and it will not get us more loyal customers because it puts our focus on us.
Our job is to serve our customers and help them get what they want. If they tip well, it’s a good thing. If not, move on and fuhgetaboutit. It’s not worth losing brains cells over.
On a personal note, I always over tip unless the service (or attitude) is lousy. And I let the manager know if the service is not worthy of a tip. Then they can choose to fix the problem or not.
I am a server, I am educated, and actually had an office with an asst. but I enjoyed serving more than getting up in the morning to catch a subway to go to work and deal with the same paperwork, phone calls, and everything else that just seemed so mundane. So when I hear people say, he’s just a server, or he should get real job if he wants to make money, and then not tip, I do get a little offended. I do go out of my way to serve my guests, I enjoy my job, and because of that, I do usually earn more than an average server, and more than my friends that continued on to get the big promotions and have their office jobs. I think it is wrong when servers say, “if you can’t afford to tip, don’t eat out”, But to often customers are now saying, I couldn’t really afford $200 on dinner, but I had to keep up with my friends/colleagues and are now tipping less. The restaurant I am currently at has a large tip out system. From our tips, we give 3% of sales to bussers, 2% to the kitchen, and 2% to management. So if a tables bill is $1000, I automatically owe, $70 regardless if I’m tipped or not. It rarely happens that I’m not tipped, but always remember who doesn’t, and will not go out of my way for them again. I’ve introduced guests to potential investors, clients to new lawyers, and even a man to the woman he eventually married. A regular of mine comes in alone since her husband passed for her birthday and anniversary, I always make sure the same pink roses are on the table for her when I see her name in the reservation system, I’ve taken out of town guests out after work to show them the city because they didn’t want to do the tourist things, and I’ve set up and arranged special dates for my regulars. When I say I go out of my way, I mean, anything that is within my means I will do for you. For the people that have stiffed me, they are missing out. Not only do I know it, but the other servers know it, sometimes the other guests will know it, and I always make sure the other people do ing with said individual knows it. On the other hand, I do have a group of elderly ladies who come in for tea some afternoons and think 5% is fine, I’m ok with that because they were born in the depression, that is their mindset, besides, they are sweet and just nice to be around. They have told their friends and family, and because of this I get my full time hours, because I am requested so often.
What I am trying to say is this, as servers, we are there for the money, and if we do a good job, we deserve to be tipped, it’s not Europe, our tip is not already built into the price of the meal, if we do a bad job, don’t tip, but please tell us what we did wrong, the few complaints that I’ve received, I’ve appreciated know what happened because ive learned from them. If ur food is cold, that’s the kitchens fault, if we do nothing about it, that’s our fault. We are people to, just trying to do our job, and I realize that some are better than others, but we are people, please don’t look down, talk down, or ignore us, we are not just servers, and if this trend of bad tipping continues, then people won’t become professional servers, all that will be left is the ones who do it to make a quick buck and are there only until something else comes along