Posted on 12/06/2005 12:33:26 PM PST by George14
It has recently been publicized that a 20 percent tip is now appropriate because servers are usually only guaranteed $2.13 an hour and the tips have to be split. Let me explain something. It is the customer's sole right to determine whether a tip is given, the amount and who will be the recipient of his tip. Such rights are not only guaranteed by our constitution they are clearly explained in the Code of Federal Regulations. Customers may tip any amount they choose. Instead of a higher tip being appropriate, what is now actually appropriate is for the public to start questioning why they are being expected to tip more.
While it has been widely publicized that tip splitting and lowered wages are both creating a need for higher tip percentages, what is not being publicized is an explanation of what these business practices actually are and why they create a need for the public to tip more. You see in both cases, such practices equate to employers being allowed to take part the tips away from the employee to whom the customer has presented a tip. You see, tip splitting is the business practice whereby employers take part of the tipped employee's tips and give them to workers whom the customer had every right and ability to tip but didn't. The $2.13 an hour business practice which has been publicized is actually called a tip credit. The tip credit also allows businesses to take or credit part of their employee's tips for themselves. In both cases the public's tips are being taken by businesses owners. The problem is not that customers should be tipping more the problem is that business owners should not be utilizing their employee's tips for the business's interests.
The truth is, business owners are using the customer's tips which undeniably and indisputably are not intended for the business owner for the business's own interests. Such business practices are being allowed by our government even though such business practices are an illegal dominion over the customer's property. To put it simply, businesses are being allowed to steal the money customers present as tips. Now, the public is being expected to tip more because the workers are not receiving the financial benefits of the tips they have been presented.
What is needed is not a higher tip percentage but some educating of the public of what is actually happening to their tip. Businesses have lobbied our federal government and I believe have probably even paid off many of our judges so they can steal the financial benefits of the tips our public is tipping workers in the service industry. The stories you read on how the public is being expected to tip more are actually stories about how our country is allowing businesses owners an ability to blatantly steal from their workers. If the real issue was resolved there would be no issue.
Employers should be prohibited from using their employee's tips to establish a lower minimum wage for their tipped workers. Customers are not tipping so the business can lower it's payroll expenses and thus benefit itself to the customer's tip. Customers are not tipping so the business owner can decide who should share in their tip. Both these business practices are fraud on the public for they are clearly the misappropriations of the public's property. Because our public has sat back and done nothing as business owners misappropriate the public's tips to their own interests, there now exists an undue pressure on the public to tip more to make up for such criminal acts.
The reason I believe our public has sat back and done nothing as business owners reap the financial benefits of the tips presented to their workers is because the media has also been paid off to avoid informing the public of what is actually happening to their tip when the courts ignore the constitutional rights of the customer and when our federal government so blatantly misappropriates the public's tips. The courts have ruled that employers may share the customer's tip among employees whom the customer had every right to tip but didn't. The federal government has allowed businesses to benefit themselves to the customer's tip through the tip credit without the consent of the customer. Such acts by our federal government and courts are not only unconstitutional but criminal. The media is covering up such crimes by intentionally avoiding the issue and keeping the truth from the public.
The tipped employees of this nation need some help from the public on these issues. The truth of what is happening to the customer's tip is being withheld from the public so that employers can continue to steal our tips while the public is left to foot the bill.
Yes, you basically say "Stimmt so.", which means "Keep the change." If you're really generous, you give, say, a 50 Euro bill for a 45 Euro meal and still say it. However, "Stimmt so" is not expected of patrons as tips are here. You will get no dirty looks for not doing it.
Rounding to the Euro is done regularly, and is seen as much as a convenience for both patron and waiter (not bothering with change) as it is a gratuity. Rounding to give the waiter several Euros is a bit rare, and you do it for exceptional service, usually on a special occasion.
It just seems to me every one has their hand out. I hate seeing the tipping jar at Subway sandwich shops.
I'm surprised that no one's mentioned the Hillary! tipping incident.
Hillary received a free breakfast once, I think while she was campaigning, and she didn't give her waitress a tip.
She certainly has that Marxist help-the-working people attitude down.
In the restaurant I worked, at the end of the night you went to the office to "tip out". They make you give a certain % of your food SALES towards bus-boys, hostesses, etc.
I see the reason behind the practice. If a bus-boy or hostess does a good job they indeed do affect a server's tips. The issue is, the customer is not tipping the bus-boy/hostess. They are tipping the server - period.
What has happened is restaurants are able to pay the non-tipped employees less based on the server's tips. Instead of a server voluntarily sharing some of their tips with the help that does indeed HELP, you have it mandatory by management. The management collects a % from each server then equally distributes it between the various help.
It is socialist to the core.
:-) You're welcome!
I went to the South and they were very American friendly.
I think lots of shared tips go to busboys who clean tables for the server, people who make the salads for them, people who help deliver their orders. I don't think tip sharing is in itself evil, but then again, salaried people in management shouldn't get part of the tip. That's what customers give their server for the value of the service, not part of the food bill. I usually am a big tipper because I'm usually out with grandkids who are not as neat as they will be in years in the future. We clean up what we can, but it's easier after ourselves are out of the way of course. So, tipping well then is in order.
I was more fearful on that cab ride than at any time on either combat tour.
When a practice such as the one George14 described is in place in a restaurant (socialism) what is the incentive to work hard? You're taxed on 8% of food sales no matter what, 1-3% goes to hired help, etc...
Sigh.
Tipping in Germany is regular and expected. I just came back. I didn't realize that the rounding up was gone, but it is.
Yes there's a gratuity included, but the practice is an additional 10%. I am trying to be helpful for those who will have occasion to travel.
PS Stimmt so literally means "That's true". In one context, it can mean that you and the waiter are all set. In another, we could read it that the writer is confirming that what was written is accurate :-)
Dennis Miller shows up a couple of times and appears to be quite an @sshole, while Rosie O'Donnell consistently leaves a 100% tip (but only signs autographs for kids!).
It's a penumbra of an emanation.
Agreed. He and his wife live just outside of Munich. You're spot on when compared to the North (I'm Canukistanian but with a Southern Ontario voice get taken as American in most places, and no problems ever, and I don't generally see a need to bother correcting anyone).
I can't even imagine what that ride was like. Again I am glad that you made it!
I also would like to thank you for your service. God Bless you and your family! :-)
It made the papers. She had even had second helpings. She couldn't get out of that one, but it passed quickly.
Actually tipping is uncommon in Europe. The gratuity is usually built into the price of the meal or service. A huge faux pas is to leave a tip for a bartende in England or Scotland. Didn't see tipping in Germany and Austria either.
You can read minds? Do you really think most people care if the waitress has to share her tips with the rest of the staff that helps her provide the service to you?
I think the question is whether people are paying extra for good service from one person, or if they are paying extra for good service period.
SD
I worked for $1.30/hr plus tips as a waiter when minimum wage was $1.65. I also washed dishes for $1.45, cooked for $1.55 and worked the fountain for $1.65. The manager routinely took half my tips and distributed them to the busboys. Even more egregious was when I handled a party of 120 people. I received zero assistance from anyone until the last two plates needed to be cleared. Another waiter walked in and picked them up. The manager forced me to split the $5 tip with a guy whose only contribution was picking up two plates after the whole show was over. That same manager wouldn't give me the day off from washing dishes to participate in the once in a lifetime "Flight of the Eagles" sponsored by PSA in San Diego. A different manager routinely punched my timecard out early to "improve" his financial results. He sorry butt is in prison today for more serious crimes.
Frankly, I think the whole "tip splitting" behavior is an outrageous intrusion on the issue of tipping a server. I have no problem reporting the amount of tips as taxable income, but being forced to "share" tips with people who had no part in the service to the customer is ridiculous.
I think Rosie follows the Pat Cooper philosophy, that is to always tip well as thanks for the cushy living we make.
Exactly the reason top pooling shouldn't be allowed. ALLOW failure. If the waitress doesn't tip, and doesn't get good "help" from the others, she's not going to make good money and thus how long do you think she'll be in the server business? Probably not long.
Now, on the other hand, I can see why a MANAGER of a restaurant would not want this to happen as it is the customer who suffers.
The solution is not tip pooling though, it's to fire or shift the bad servers. *shrug*
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