do u write 4 leno

God doesn't bring me food so he gets nothing.

Go **** yourself, Pastor.

And this is what's wrong with Corporate America. All the money goes to the guy up at the top instead of the person doing the work. (Half kidding)

Oh btw this pastor is a pos, he represents another version of Jesus not the genuine original.

God created the food and man to prepare and bring it to you. So yes he does.

haha do U write 4 leno 2???

Well, academia is my job. But as far as my classes, it's an art degree. Lots more freedom than the typical graduate-level coursework.

Pretty much.

Though I don't mean to denigrate servers at fast-casual places (after all, I advocate tipping 20% there too). The kind of restaurant I had in mind when I said "real restaurant" was a place in the $25-an-entree price range. It's just hard for some consumers to see all the work they have to do. That work is most evident at super-expensive restaurants; the amount of invisible work in great service is astounding.

You are a real smart boy.

GOD = Billions of followers
Thigpen = 2 and one is his mom.

The pastor is a cheapskate.

Say what you will about the Bible, it's still THE authority on the best way to isolate menstruating women from your nomadic village.

Ya, but somehow it's all Gods' fault.

$34.00 for 20 people and he doesn't want to tip? Sounds like b.s.

You don't think servers at applebees do invisible work?

Fair enough. You've probably earned your way to a decent stipend. Ill stop snooping around.

Well he was so cheap he had the bill split up several ways according to the op, the good pastor doesn't deserve to eat at I-hop.

Quite the contrary. I said that its easier to see the "invisible" work at high-end places. When I said "It's just hard for some consumers to see all the work they have to do," the "they" was servers at casual sit-down type places.

I am not the one still living in moms basement. Boy.
Just wasn't sure you were aware being sheltered and all.

Am I going to hell, Chief Roundup?

My wife and I were at a seafood buffet in Orlando when the table next to us started bitching up a storm saying that the waitress had lied to them. Said she told them there were crab legs on the buffet and there wasn't and they wanted to see the manager. We specifically heard her say there were only blue crabs.

After the manager stopped by to quell the situation and they had left, I requested to see the manager and told him that they were either deaf or stupid because we heard her tell them and that she was an excellent waitress.

She thanked us like 50 times and said that was the nicest thing any customer has ever done for her. We left her a great tip and you could tell she was appreciative of what we had said to her manager.

What a moronic thing to get upset about, even if she HADN'T told them why get pissy? I'll never understand some people.

Looking back I only wish I would have called them deaf or stupid in front of them before they left. :D

That "pastor" needs to brush up on his theology. It's 18% of the tab, not his paycheck.

read the op. split check.

Probably like the rest of us. But you won't be alone. The devil will probably have you making vids about jesus.

As a waiter I didn't like when customers told management I was doing a good job...it was always a nice gesture but believe, management doesn't give a **** and they already know who's good and who sucks on their staff...

That story about calling out the table of liars is an exception, though...That's cool as hell.

I was going to say...

Sometimes I did shit for people that no one else would ever do and I'd think to myself..."if they only knew..."

In a good way, assholes.

ROFL - that's offensive, yet very funny.

And it goes even further than that in Branson, and other areas now. Let me break down JUST how poor this whole system is. Now, many restaurants add what is called tipshare to a waiter's wages. Let me explain, they pay half the minimum wage, and then require the server to pay up to 3.5% of all sales for the night into the tipshare program. Great program, right? I mean, the bussers, food runners, hosts/hostesses, and bartenders should all get a cut right?

Wrong. They then turn around and pay those hosts, bussers, foodrunners, and bartenders 2/3 of the minimum wage and supplement the rest of their income with tipshare. It's ****ing incredible. A server works a 6 hour shift in which they make 3.33 an hour. They do $1000 in sales meaning they have to pay $35 into tip share and their wages make up $20. They actually pay $15 to work for the night.

And if you don't tip, and stiff them like the good pastor here has tried to do? They have to pay it regardless of what they make in tips. They literally paid to wait on you out of the hope that you're part of the majority and a decent enough person to tip them. That's why restaurants are pushing 18% instead of 15% these days.

Complete and utter bullshit.

I have turned them down to make a point. No bullshit.

The government taxes servers based on the sales they accrued during their shift. The government takes the total sales from each servers sales report, ASSUMES they make 18% and then taxes them based on that assumption. Most servers make in the 2-3$ range am hour, and by the time they pay taxes on their sales/tips, they usually don't have a check left over. In addition, most end up owing the government at the end of the year. Its actually very easy for the government to track. So trust me, servers are doing their part when it comes to paying taxes.

Do yourself and your server/bartender a favor and tip. Many of these people are young, uneducated people who are trying to finance their way through school, or a single mother who is just trying to feed her kids. Serving also lays a foundation and build skills, such as working with others, customer service, and public speaking, that can be used to excel in all other fields of work.I tip even when the service isn't great, mostly cuz karma is a mofo,and because I appreciate the fact these kids are out hustling and grinding to get by instead of sitting on their behinds.

Quit being cheap mofo's and tip 20%, and know that you made a difference in someones life, probably put food on the table of some kid or clothes on his/her back, or helped pay for a textbook for some kid who can't get financial aid.

God = not a real thing
Thigpen = TOO REAL FOR THE WORLD TO FULLY COMPREHEND

If he's sheltered, it's probably because of his religious upbringing, so...

Why is it that this attitude is reserved for wait staff? I've never really understood that. Do you go into a book store, and feel obligated to be extra nice to the lady behind the counter because she might be a debt-riddled college student? How about a gas station attendant? Do you ever feel obligated to give them a tip because they might be financially insecure? You could make a difference in that gas station attendant's life too. How about those grocery clerks that might be trying to feed their kids? Bank tellers? Construction workers?

Those jobs are all filled by single mothers and college students too. Why don't we make any effort to make a financial difference in their lives?

Restaurants could easily find a better way to ensure that their employees receive consistent income. But instead, we're given a sob story about how poorly waitstaff has it, and why we should tip better.

I'm catholic and yes for a party like that you should give tips.

The Pastor's portion was a rather large percentage of the total bill, telling.

it's just how the restaurant business is. It's structured so that money from tips pays all front of house employees and the owner of the restaurant only has to pay them $2 per hour. Don't like it? then don't support this type of business.

Servers only make about 2/3 of the tips they do get too. The money starts with the Servers and filters down to the bus boys.

Depending on the restaurant and the tip out policies, some restaurants make you tip out the bar based on 3% of sales and expo's and bus boys get 2% of sales. Or more at some places and some places don't pay hosts either and they are compensated by the servers too.

So if a server makes $200 in tips on $1000 in sales.

3% to bar = $30
2% to expos = $20
2% to bussers = $20

then the server goes home with $130.

It depends on the company though, the tip out structures might be a little more or less at other places but that's about the norm.

Yeah, that was how it worked at the TGI Fridays I used to work at back in the day. It really sucked for the support staff (bussers, hosts, food runners) because they just got paid like shit when all was said and done. They paid the cooks pretty well though, from what I saw. I knew one guy that only worked there for a year or so and was making $12 an hour. They had guys in that kitchen that had been there for 15 years; but I don't know how much they were making. They were all Haitian and Mexican back there. No American would ever last longer than a couple months or so..

But back to your post, I could never truly feel sorry for the servers at my store. If you were in a good section and working a closing shift, you'd walk out with $300 easy. Shit, you'd make $100 in a shitty section getting cut first. That store was busy as **** though. It was right next to Disney World so in the summer months it got absolutely ****ing ridiculous. They used to say it was the busiest Fridays in the country.

Ok, so take that 18% and instead of hoping the patrons leave that as a consistent tip, and give it straight to the wait staff. Ok they get an 18% lift in income, so now they make $3.54/hr instead of $3.00 for that table. Now guess what, the bus staff, host staff, and bar staff don't get tips either, so now they need 18% per check. so how many tables at one time to get 18% from each to make a decent wage?

Your food cost will skyrocket, and still these folks won't make much money.

The ironic thing is that he gives the church 10% of his income which, in turn, is used to pay his wages.

If he's as big a doucher as it is suggested, he probably should hold on to that because I'm sure his offering plate isn't exactly overflowing.

well of course you can. But some companies, like successful ones, stick to policy at all times.

First off, let me say I have no problem with tipping. I dont fall into the stereotypical black man that doesnt tip category...I tip well. But I'm tired of hearing about waiters and waitresses not making shit. Ive dated several waitresses in my day and all of them made more money than me with no education than I do with a college degree. And they ALL cheated on their taxes by only reporting about half.

My tips are between 18-30%, depending on the service. There are times when I didn't think the server was worth the 18%, but I put my money down anyway. Most of those folks depend on tips and, in many places, have to split their tips with the busmen, cooks, and bartender.
But I guess what chaps my cheeks more than anything else is the 2-pronged holier than thou approach of the patron. First of all, I don't give a damn that you give your God 10%. A lot of people do that and don't have to toot their horn about it. Secondly, why did he have to sign his name "Pastor"? Did he expect that to give him a pass on tipping? That term, at least in my mind, brings up an image of some Bible-thumping redneck that went to Bob Jones U or some equally repressed institution. The term "pastor" is normally used by a parishoner to describe his or her spritual leader. It's not a term you bestow on yourself. I gotta tell you, if this was my pastor and I saw that kind of rudeness, I'd be looking for another church before I left the table.

Yep, that is how I do it too. I get tired of people using the inflation excuse too because your tip already accounts for inflation.

Yeah, I am no fan of the auto tip for large parties because if the waiter gives you shitty service you can't do anything about it.

Agreed. 100%

The complaining waiter/waitress is a sham.

Sorry, but none of that is my problem. Which is why the tipping system fails. Because the restaurant tries to make it the consumer's problem.

It's all unnecessary. It doesn't have to be that complicated. And no, food cost wouldn't skyrocket. It would certainly go up, but it wouldn't skyrocket. You wouldn't need to provide much if any additional money to the system. It would simply be transferring the responsibility of that 18% from the inconsistent consumer, to the the restaurant. Consumers would still pay the 18% in terms of additional food price, but the neat bonus is that the waitstaff would be guaranteed a wage. The only thing it would remove from the situation is the portion some patrons might tip above and beyond 18%. But in the long run, that could certainly be addressed. And you could still allow patrons to tip. You would just be removing the possible inconsistency that occurs because it relies on the consumer's judgement/satisfaction/current mood/whatever else.

Remember when I called out bump for not being a restaurant worker earlier even though he claimed he was management?

Yeah...I was right.

NOBODY TIPS OUT 7% OF THEIR SALES AT ANY RESTAURANT.

Lmfao

7% is the norm!??! When flop said 3.5% I was like damn...that's .5% higher than I've seen...2-3% is the norm...7% exists nowhere you ****ing liar.

Would servers really want to not go by the tipping system? Seems like they might make a lot more than their minimum wage and educational level counterparts.

I really don't know though as that is not an area I have any experience in, either directly or indirectly.

Waiters are bitches who can't do math. I worked at Dave and Busters when I was 25 60 hours a week for an entire year while writing down what I made every shift, plus counting bar wage, event gratuity, vacation and overtime and I made over $60,000 pre tax and only paid taxes on $38,000 (sorry Rain Man) since I only claimed credit card tips. I worked my ass off and worked every Saturday from 1030 AM to 3 AM with no break BY DESIGN because I would make between $300-$500 no matter what.

Could I have done that for 10 years? No. I was in great shape and don't smoke (the #1 problem in the industry) and have a strong desire to work hard and make money...

But I worked more hours than anyone on staff and made more money than anyone but two managers and everyone knew that.

Any waiter that bitches about "making ends meet" isn't working hard enough.

Oh, God.

Hootie's about to rage..

Only because the "you don't know what we go through" service industry people piss me off...

And if I owned a restaurant I wouldn't hire smokers and anyone I caught smoking on the clock would be fired on the spot.

As a former waiter, cook and manager, I agree with him, it is as easy as he makes it out to be. Everything he has stated is true. I see you didn't state your restaurant experience, to back up your opinion, as more accurate than his.

Waiters/waitresses, during the busy hours, have others(bussers), cleaning their tables for them, and expeditors organizing(putting the order together) for them.

During my time as a manager, they had no problem getting me involved with the assholes.

It's very easy.

I'd be busting my ass making money for myself running food for incompetent staff members who'd then ask me to watch their tables so they can have a smoke...

Scumbags.

I got out of the industry because I was embarrassed to be lumped in with 90% of the scum I worked with.

Aside from what has been mentioned above, the places you mention require smaller staffs to operate allowing them to pay minimum wage or better. A restaurant, in order to serve 300 people on a good day, requires a staff of about some where around 40 people. Waitstaff, usually the largest make up around 60% of that or so, with bartenders, cooks, bussboys, dishwashers and management. If you paid everyone minimum wage or more, factor in food costs, supplies, utilities, your profits would be minimal at best. Now they could bump everyone up, but then the restaurant will make it up by charging the patron. So you now instead of a 20$ bill at Applebees for lunch plus 4$ tip, you are paying 40$. That's the restaurant business. Don't like to tip? Go eat at places that don't employ waitstaff. Or you could just go to Applebees/Chili's /TGIF, pay 20$ +4$tip, have a decent meal, and also have the satisfaction of knowing that you may have helped someone.

lol, yes they do.

No they don't. Name the restaurant liar.

LMAO Bump, just run for cover, bro. Hootie's got you in his sights.

This won't end well.

7% is so unrealistic you ****ing ratted yourself out dipshit. We complain about 3% no service industry person in America would work somewhere you tip out 7%

Lololol

You're a scumbag liar...I know you're type. Just like you answer your door with a knife. You're a been there done that dipshit that hasn't really done anything.

7%? Hahaha

I knew he was full of shit earlier in the thread but he confirmed it after the whole 7% bullshit.

I worked too many years in the industry, I know better.

how many restaurants have you managed? If you are basing your whole argument that NOBODY TIPS 7% OF THEIR SALES. That kinda tells me you probably worked at one place and thats way less than what they did and you think you know everything.

maybe Applebee's doesn't require it, but there are nicer places that do. Believe it or not.

lol

Name the restaurant liar.

I worked at several restaurants in several big cities including Dallas and Chicago and basically every chain follows the same model and locally owned restaurants are generally 1.5-2% you ****ing liar.

7% is so outrageously unrealistic that I am 100% sure you're a liar.

Keep digging though.

Never worked at applebees...

I do know that 7% exists nowhere but keep digging, you're full of shit.

Whatevz, man...

I mean, some people don't do tips just like some people don't do gays.

lol

1.5-2%? lol

now I think that YOU are the liar. But who would lie about working in restaurants? So I think as a server, you worked a local place. The place is Yardhouse, my location did almost a million dollars in sales per month. What about yours? I also managed another smaller chain and their standard was %4 every night. Maybe it's not the norm, but it's the norm in the few places I've managed. None being local, but corporate or franchised. But that business sucks and am glad to be doing something else. There is nothing like babysitting people who don't take their jobs seriously, except yardhouse, they were much more strict.

God gets 10% plus whatever extra I can afford each month. No need for the " pastor " to be a jerk.

Ive never worked at a restaurant, but like Ive said earlier Ive dated a LOT of waitresses...Ive never heard of someone giving up 7% or anywhere close to it, that's just insane. I dated a girl for two years that waited tables at Mélisse (one of the most expensive restaurants in the US) and she only had to give up 4% of her tips. Not calling you a liar Bump but im very curious where this restaurant you're talking about is.

EDIT: Never mind I see you already answered...never heard of that one so I cant comment on it.

You were a manager at a restaurant that did $1M in sales PER MONTH and servers tipped out 7%?

Lolololololol

I wish I wasn't on my phone.

I was this guy when I waited. It was my job to provide superior service, and leave you smiling. If you made that impossible, it was never my fault. Because I didn't take ANYTHING personally. Why would I? It always amused me watching people break down and cry because some asshole was yelling at them. I knew they wouldn't last long. Being a big, hairy guy, I knew I had to WORK for my money. And I did.

You've pretty much nailed it down in this thread. You clearly worked in it in a variety of places and have a good understanding of the processes. I'll tell you what's really ****ed up though, is as been said in this thread, not everyone tips on alcohol but Landry's in Branson charged that 3.5% anyways. ****ers.

I never really made a bunch of money there unless I was bartending. That was a ****ing racket. No tip share, and I'd get 1% on the entire house alcohol sales. All the while taking the bar and tables outside on the deck. It was hot as **** out there, but I was good at running, and rarely got into the weeds. I knew my limits and people saw my work ethic. I'd have $500 Monday nights. That was great.

And yeah, non tippers are ****ing shitheads, but the only thing worse are servers that bitch and moan about how much money they make. I made way more money than I deserved for the job I actually did.

I just can't stand the tipshare deal. That is ****ing garbage and completely ****s the hosts, bussers, and food runners. I used to tip them out back in the day and they'd walk with cash in their pocket. Now, they're lucky to make $8 hr. Total horseshit.

Your tipshare is different. It was an expectation for servers to pay some cash. What we're talking about is 1.5-3.5% (Yeah, it was three point ****ing five!) that comes out of your cash and goes into the company drawers at the end of the night. They then distribute that money fairly (HA!) to the employees they're paying $4.50 an hour.

I tip 10 - 15% depending on my cash flow situation.

I tip 20% if service is REALLY good.

Why not?

Pastor Dick is taking witnessing to a new low.

"I give God..."

More like, other people give God 10% so he can eat.

Tip extra for Hootie's "special sauce"!!!

No it's not. The size of the staff is irrelevant. You must not understand what I'm proposing. What I'm talking about would not be removing any money from the cycle. It would simply be transferring 18% from the customer's tip line, to the customer's menu price. Then passing the additional profit from the 18% increase on the menu item, to the waitstaff's wage. The food would still cost the same. And customers could still tip if they would like. But the waitstaff's wage is no longer dependent on the customer's choice to tip. Because the choice is gone and that tip is now guaranteed. And the customer has no guilty expectation of saving a poor single mom or college student from the horrors of tip reliance.

It wouldn't skyrocket food prices. It would stabilize waitstaff wages and remove the confusion and guilt of the whole screwed up tipping system.

Very Overly Simplified Example:

Tip system
Turkey Sammich food cost: $3
Turkey Sammich Menu price: $10
Expected Customer tip: $2
Waiter wage: $4/hr

Waiter profit: $4wage + $2tip(Maybe)= $6/hr(Maybe)


No Tip System
Turkey Sammich food cost: $3
Turkey Sammich Menu price: $12
Expected Customer tip: $0
Waiter wage: $6/hr

Waiter profit: $6/hr(Guaranteed) + $tip(Maybe)

I think many consumers and most waitstaff would like something like that and could absolutely make it work without having menu prices double. Every other country except the US uses a system like this, and it's somehow worked just fine. We could make it work and eliminate all the unnecessary BS...

I think mandating a tip is bullcrap. I tip 15-20% or more since I used to wait tables in college, but I don't think it's fair for a place to force it. They claim it prevents waiters from being screwed but by putting the mandate in place, it might allow the waiter to slack off on those tables knowing he's getting the 18% automatically. Counter-intuitive.

I doubt the wait staff would like that at all, lol.