Tipping/Gratuity

[bigbadbrody]

AS you may not know I am going to College right now. I am currently taking 6 AHLA - American Hotel and Lodging Association courses. The current text book is about Convention Management and Service. I was reading chapter 18 entitled "Convention Billing and Post Convention Review" my class read a section on gratuity's and service charges, and even the teacher was not aware of the tipping guidelines that AHLA has set for hourly personnel

Bartender - 15% at bar - 20% at table

Bell Staff - $1 per bag

Concierge - varies on location

Door Attendant - $1 for hailing a cab or carrying luggage

Housekeeping - $1 per room per night

Restaurant Server - 15 - 20% of the check

Room Service Staff - 15% unless tip is covered in room charge

Valet - $1 when car is delivered

Wine Steward - 10 -20% of the cost of the wine

the book goes on to say that some hotels in the USA automatically add on a daily gratuity charge per guest per day, ranging anywhere from $12 - $16. pretty ridiculous I think. Tips have to be earned with exceptional service. When the tip is automatically added to the bill, the quality of service is going to start going down hill.

If anyone wants some info on gratuity's and tipping click on this link

I am going to write this down and keep it in my wallet, because I have over tipped and I have under tipped. LOL

 

[HeartBroker]

Mr. Pink:
"I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job."


Just a crazy quote from the movie!

 

[bigbadbrody]

Mr. Pink:
"I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job."


Just a crazy quote from the movie!

thats kind of how I think when it comes to tipping. The service has to be very exceptional. I have worked in restaurants all my life and I know that tips are never split equally.

 

[D-rock]

thats kind of how I think when it comes to tipping. The service has to be very exceptional. I have worked in restaurants all my life and I know that tips are never split equally.

You also have to remember that some jobs will pay you less because they take out what they think you will make in tips. I never understood that. It defeats the whole concept of a tip, because isn’t a tip supposed to be extra in the first place? I guess a business will milk every cent they can get away with out of your wage so you can't have it. For me unless they give bad service, I will still tip them for that reason.

Also some of those seem a little low, I wonder if they adjust them for inflation ever.

 

[HeartBroker]

thats kind of how I think when it comes to tipping. The service has to be very exceptional. I have worked in restaurants all my life and I know that tips are never split equally.

I don't necessarily agree, I was just thinking of a funny movie quote.
If the service is good I generally will go the allotted percentage.
If it is shit, nothing!
If it's better then more!

 

[member006]

A lot of times the business itself is the unfair part. I leave no tips on tables. I hand them to my waitress/waiter.

I once got a job as a waitress in a fancy clubhouse at a horse racing track. The first night I found out I had to split my tips equally with the busboy working my station. I thought they were handing me a lie so the next morning I called personnel, she said yes that was the rule. I quit right then. I was not going to run my ass off all night, listening to suggestive remarks as well as wimps and whines. Only to end up splitting my tip with a busboy that stood to the side arms crossed waiting to clear dishes when they were done and left. Hell, during the meal I carried dishes away as each course ended he didn't. A few times only he did help me bring the food out. That place was "money" and the tips very good, when they were winning even better, but I felt that just wasn't right. So I also know that they aren't split fairly.

LL

 

[HeartBroker]

Is that what you do now?

 

[bigbadbrody]

You also have to remember that some jobs will pay you less because they take out what they think you will make in tips.

I think that instead of making the customers pay tips, they should just pay the servers and other restaurant staff higher wages. I realize that if they get paid more they will not strive as hard to have the best customer service as possible, and that the the services will cost more (higer priced food in restaurants). This way people who don't want to pay tips do not have to

I never understood that. It defeats the whole concept of a tip, because isn’t a tip supposed to be extra in the first place? I guess a business will milk every cent they can get away with out of your wage so you can't have it. For me unless they give bad service, I will still tip them for that reason.

Also some of those seem a little low, I wonder if they adjust them for inflation ever.

some of the the ammounts do sem low but, my book is copyrighted for 2006, so according to AHLA they are up to date:dunno:

 

[member006]

A lot of times the business itself is the unfair part. I leave no tips on tables. I hand them to my waitress/waiter.

I once got a job as a waitress in a fancy clubhouse at a horse racing track. The first night I found out I had to split my tips equally with the busboy working my station. I thought they were handing me a lie so the next morning I called personnel, she said yes that was the rule. I quit right then. I was not going to run my ass off all night, listening to suggestive remarks as well as wimps and whines. Only to end up splitting my tip with a busboy that stood to the side arms crossed waiting to clear dishes when they were done and left. Hell, during the meal I carried dishes away as each course ended he didn't. A few times only he did help me bring the food out. That place was "money" and the tips very good, when they were winning even better, but I felt that just wasn't right. So I also know that they aren't split fairly.

LL

Is that what you do now?

Are my posts really that damned hard to read? :dunno: I give up.

LL:glugglug:

 

[Dro50]

Anyways....The only people I tip which well are the only people I encounter that require tipping are waiters and bartenders. Waiters I always give 20% or more unless the service was shitty...
Bartenders on a night where it isn't busy....I leave them fat tips...usually 50 to 75% tips. On busy night Ill throw out a dollar.

 

[HeartBroker]

I quit right then

That doesn't mean you aren't doing the same job now, at a different place.
:dunno:

 

[jod0565]

I tip at restaurants according to service and only at 15%.
Agreed that the tips are earned.
Once in Vegas, i valeted my car for four hours and gave the valet 5 bucks.

 

[Torre82]

I believe the story goes.. one day Richard Nixon noticed that waitresses were racking up the money and not paying a dime in taxes.. at that point he passed a law making tips taxable.

Whenever I go out, I tip very well.. because of a couple things: First.. they truly earn their cash. So does everybody else in the workforce, truth be told.. but I cant change the rest. Secondly.. I dont go out all that much.


But including gratuity? By no means is that a bad thing. If you've been one, or been around waiters.. you know full well that some ..demographics, to be fair to them. (or skip being blatantly truthful in what some might call a racist way.) Some demographics work you to death and dont give you a dime. Some ask for water with lemon and leave you with 50% of the tab, plus they're gone in a half hour. Thats why everybody wants to work on this side of town. Rich white people that know you're not making minimum wage according to your paychecks and hourly wages. Their tips tend to reflect that.

::shrug:: Never work sundays in the ghetto. They already left their money in the collection plate, according to an old friend. Well, she was a friend when she wasnt bitching about tables. Man, ever see that flick 'Waiting'? She was the hairy bush girl. I swear!

 

[lovejoy]

It is more than just tipping.

Food and drink service is a tough business. They were squeezed by the management by making below minimal wages and I remembered I made $2.00 an hour and had to depend on tips when I was in college.

The wages of waiters and waitresses are way below minimal and all have to depend on tips to survive.

Many hotels require splitting of the tips, and in some cases, the management makes a cut of 20% of all tips.

many upscale restaurants (steak houses) and room service hotels do add 15% gratitude but the hotel reports those tips as income and send them to IRS. You round up have to pay tax on all tips earned.

Don't forget most waiters only make good money on Fridays and Saturdays and if there is a convention in a hotel. Imagine you have to work almosts every weekends, holidays, Christmas, New Year and wait for the tips to pay your rent ! It sucks !

 

[HeartBroker]

Any establishment that automatically adds a tip to my bill can eat shit forever.
I will not tip well for shitty service.
I tip above 20% for excellent service!
I will not be charged just because!

 

[Torre82]

Don't forget most waiters only make good money on Fridays and Saturdays and if there is a convention in a hotel. Imagine you have to work almosts every weekends, holidays, Christmas, New Year and wait for the tips to pay your rent ! It sucks !

Yeah, but it still works out to about 3x minimum wage if you're a decent waiter. More if you can move the table, work the tips out and get the next 'john' in.

Most people make between 1.5 and 2x minimum wage with NO possibility of extra for doing your frickin' job. College grads.. bah. Make more money doing less work. How.the.hell.does.that.happen? The guy that mows my lawn should be making more than the asstard that appraises the property. But.. :big sigh: The nurse aide works harder than the nurse. The nurse works harder than the doctor. Makes ya wanna go to a third world country and catch your food, sometimes. ::stamps my food organic and laughs at it all::

 

[bigbadbrody]

I believe the story goes.. one day Richard Nixon noticed that waitresses were racking up the money and not paying a dime in taxes.. at that point he passed a law making tips taxable.

I think that Tips need to be taxed. If I work for 4 hours, lets say at a gas station or a minimum waige job that does not get tips for $8.50 per hour (random figure here, I am not sure what minimum waige is, just substitute it for the min. wage where you are from) I will make $34.00.

Another person might work the 4 hours as well, making the same minimum waige ($8.50 per hour) but at a resteraunt and earn tips. The tips might be more than what I earn at the not tip receiving job, and they are not even taxed. So they will be making way more than I am even if we both have exceptional custmoer service

Whenever I go out, I tip very well.. because of a couple things: First.. they truly earn their cash. So does everybody else in the workforce.

Not every person earns the money. Have you never had a real shitty experience? or a horrible server, that can't seem to do anything right?

 

[Torre82]

I think that Tips need to be taxed. If I work for 4 hours, lets say at a gas station or a minimum waige job that does not get tips for $8.50 per hour (random figure here, I am not sure what minimum waige is, just substitute it for the min. wage where you are from) I will make $34.00.

Another person might work the 4 hours as well, making the same minimum waige ($8.50 per hour) but at a resteraunt and earn tips. The tips might be more than what I earn at the not tip receiving job, and they are not even taxed. So they will be making way more than I am even if we both have exceptional custmoer service




Not every person earns the money. Have you never had a real shitty experience? or a horrible server, that can't seem to do anything right?

No, no.. servers make about a dollar an hour. They truly do live off of tips. So comparing this to that.. they dont have an hourly wage to speak of, if they dont make any money that day.. their boss isnt going to compensate them for any of that.

As for a server that is awful or clumsy.. well, I just dont stay for that. So.. no disapointment for them, no disapointment for me.

 

[squallumz]

i like mr pinks attitude. you dont tip the people working at mcdonalds. so wtf. i hate tipping. its mandatory and yes, they pay them shit because they gets tips, which, YES, it was supposed to be the perk but not anymore. i hate it i hate it i hate it. i find myself feeling bad if i dont leave a bunch of money. and for what? when i go to a resturant im not only already paying for the cost of the food but a little for lights, the wage of the cook, the gas bill, the rent, etc. now i have to pay even more to someone else? bah!

 

[dangerousD]

I believe that large parties (over 6ppl) should have a gratuity added on to the bill. Normally this is 15-18%. Actually, I get out cheaper this way instead of leaving my customary 20%+.

the type of service I receive will reflect on the percentage I leave as gratuity. I will never stiff someone. I would rather leave $1.37 instead of nothing to tell the waiter that I had to think about the amount I left him if he gave me crappy service. And whatsmore, I tell the manager if I receive crappy service. You can sometimes get something comped in a quality place if your complaint is valid. If not, write a letter to the corporate office or owner.

If you don't like to tip, don't eat at places where it is customary to tip; go to McDonald's instead. If you do go and flat out do not tip according to the service received, that just makes you a cheap bastard.