March 28, 2008To tip or not to tipTipping has been in the news lately related to a situation where a California judge ordered Starbucks to pay its baristas $100 million in tips and interest because it allowed shift supervisors to share tips with baristas. Apparently, supervisors are considered managers and aren’t supposed to get a share of the tip pool. Starbucks has said it will appeal the ruling. I’m not planning to debate what this case means, though it has created a windstorm at Starbucks’ company owned locations across the country. Baristas in some other states also have filed suits against the coffee retail giant. But I bring this up to discuss tipping. Probably like many of you, I’ve debated how much I should tip baristas for coffee-shop related orders. There’s a tip jar sitting on the counters of many local coffee shops, such as Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea. I know there isn’t a hard and fast rule about this, but I wondered your thoughts on how much you tip at a place that is not your typical sit-down restaurant. Also, what do you think of the idea of pooling tips? At times, I’d like to only tip the person who personally makes my drink. At some local places, a barista might recognize me and make the drink that I often request before I actually order it. That's service!
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Comments
[March 28, 2008 10:28 AM]
MichelleI used to work at Starbucks as a regular employee and also as a Shift Supervisor. I think the shift supervisors should get tips - they do all the same work as the baristas (waiting on customers, making drinks, etc) during opening hours. Most shift supervisors only make fifty cents to a dollar more than other employees, and in lots of cases new supervisors can make less than regular employees that have been there awhile.
Customers coming in for 5 minutes can't tell who are the shift supervisors and who are the baristas and if they tip because a certain person provided good service, then it is not fair if they don't know that person can't get tips.
[March 28, 2008 10:58 AM]
CraigTipping is WAY OUT OF CONTROL.
Tipping has always been related to service type jobs in restaurants, hair places, etc...
Lately tip jars show up everywhere. Subway, ice cream shops, for a brief moment I saw them at a Wendy's.
Wait staff at restaurants are usually paid a lot less up front, then if they don't make enough in tips to bring them to minimum wage, the restaurant owner makes it up.
That said, a great many places make above minimum and still ask for a tip.
Maybe if you go out of your way to do something for me I will slip you a few extra bucks...but for doing your job???
Where does it end? Should nurses at hospitals receive tips because they stop in your room to check on you...again, doing their job.
Yes, it's nice to get that extra money...but it seems that everybody has their hand out.
If I were Starbucks, I would remove the tip jar. End of problem.
[March 28, 2008 1:07 PM]
GregDo the employee's get paid a regular wage? If so then tips are not part of the expected income and should be shared by everyone or done away with.
Tipping is for excellent service beyond expectation or getting waited on hand and foot. At Starbuck's, I order a drink, I pay for a drink, and somebody makes my drink. Everyone is just doing his or her job.
I don't tip the cashier at Target becuase they ring my stuff up correctly and put it in a bag.
If you need an example of service beyond expectation, try the Chick-fil-A in Tanglewood at lunch time. They have a nice gentleman there who will take your tray for you, get you refills, help carry food to the table, and anything else you need. If anyone should have a tip jar it should be him!
[March 29, 2008 7:52 AM]
Mike Sebolt : →http://www.highpointcoffeeandtea.comI would hope that if your service was excellent that you would want to reward that service. At High Point Coffee we ask our baristas to get to know the customers, take special care with each and every order, gather feeddback, offer refills, keep the shop clean and orderly, etc... Many times it's much more than just pouring coffee. There is no hard and fast rule about tipping and I promise, tip or not, you will get the same great service on every visit.
[March 29, 2008 12:33 PM]
Martha UmbergerI agree that tipping is way out of hand. First of all the establishments should have to pay minium wage. As it is the employees aren't really gettin anything extra for their service. The Public is paying their wages. For the gratuity to be added to a bill is really being dishonest with the customer because the service may turn out to be very dissatisfactory and again the customer is paying the wages while the owners are making a large profit. Yes, Iknow that eateries take a losson spoiled foods but if they weren't making a good profit they wouldn't be opening up eateries all over the country. Getting back to dishonesty, the is one place I know of -probably mor- that doesn't give your change back if it is less than a dollar. This is teaching the young people that if you borrow ninety-nine cents or less from a friend, it's okay to just forget about it. Rudness is another thing that the employees are allowed to be by asking if you want your chsnge back. Of course I want it back. It' mine and I'll decide what I want to give according to the service I receive. Every one, remember you are helping pay wages and should quit tipping and make the establishments pay a decent wage. If you do want to give something to a server get hteir address and mail it so it can't be shared with the ones that really don't deserve it.
[March 29, 2008 6:19 PM]
LauraI agree with Greg's post, if they are earning minimum wage or more, they are being compensated for doing their job. I am not obligated to leave a tip. When a servers' salary is less than minimum wage the tip is an expected part of their compensation.
But while on the subject of tipping, I have started calculating the tip on the subtotal - as we have a 10% tax on food in this area. The waiter/waitress always starts of with 15% from me and their service will determine what they end up with. While I may feel like I am leaving a decent tip, it probably doesn't seem that way. The waiter/waitress is probably basing their expectation on the total. While I believe in tipping, I don't see why they should get a percentage of the tax I have to pay. I always feel like I need to explain this, especially for great service.
[March 31, 2008 8:55 AM]
AliciaServers are generally paid $2.13 per hour. Rarely more than $3.00/hr. It is correct that the establishment must pay out when employees don't make minimum wage....however, this is based on the pay period, not the shift generally speaking. So if one shift you don't make minimum wage, it is averaged out over the pay period. So it is quite rare that the you ever make that up. Remember, that the server lives off of their tips, even if they were to get a pay out, they have to wait for it until their next pay check, whereas they normally take their tips with them that evening...and have a system of paying their bills based on this "instant" cash. Don't forget, that servers are paying taxes on their money too....credit card tips are taxed automatically. So on days where a sever doesn't make very much in tips....but it is all in credit card transactions, it is automatically taxed...then the server usually must give a percentage of that already taxed tip to a busser or a bartender. Service is not always an easy job. YOu deal with rude, obnoxious people...who tend to think they are better than you. People who don't greet you, or treat you with respect. The change question is generally not being rude as much as it is trying to speed up your service. Servers are required to bring in their own bank. It is not always possible to have lots of change...exact change especially. When the change is not available, you usually have to find a bartender, or a manager to make change for you, thus increasing the amount of time it takes to serve you. If you are just going to leave the change anyway, then what is the point, it just saves time. If you don't want to leave the change, when asked just politely say yes please. Usually the response is, sure not a problem, I'll be right back. And most servers will round up....if owed 37 cents...you usually will get 50 back. (At least that was my policy when I waited tables.) i understand not wanting to tip for poor service, I don't tip well for poor service...but it's very rare for me to leave less than 10%. Try to be patient, understand that sometimes it's busy, sometimes the kitchen is slow, sometimes the bar is slow, sometimes you haven't even had a second to stop. It is a treat to go out to eat. The server is not just bringing your food, sometimes they have to make salads and desserts, make drinks. Clean up after you...and your children. Maintain a clean establishment...bathrooms included. I think everyone should wait tables at least once in their life. It's great customer service experience. Heres a tip: If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to go out to eat!
[March 31, 2008 10:47 PM]
MikeI always leave a tip even when the service was bad because I know that wait staff aren’t paid an hourly wage and not everyone has a perfect day. I am curious if others tip at a buffet? I noticed that there is a tip jar besides the cook heating up your food at Szechuan on the Mongolian grill. I am being charged 12 bucks for my meal already which includes the Mongolian grill, should I tip this guy too?
[April 1, 2008 12:25 PM]
DennisHey Mike, I personally DO tip at a buffet. Not much, usually a buck a head IF they keep my drink glass full and are helpful otherwise. The guy who cooks, sometimes yes, sometimes no. I do almost always tip the server, too much usually. But if I get poor service I will leave a very minimum amount. They have to be really bad for me not to leave anything.
[April 22, 2008 8:04 AM]
JesseTipping discussions seem to always be a hot topic online. Personally, I will tip 15% as long as I get good service. That being said, I think we all know what good service is; we're not talking about things that are out of the wait staff's control (i.e. kitchen), we're talking about things they can control, like their attitude. I understand, everyone has a bad day, but that's not a good reason to treat a paying customer with less than your best. On top of that, I do agree that tips should not be counted as your hourly income. Businesses should be forced to pay (at least) regular minimum wage (not $2.13, but the non-tip wage, which is currently $5.85 and hour, and will go up to $6.55 and hour this coming July, and go to $7.25 in July 2009). IMO, I believe a tip should be an unexpected reward for good service, not money that wait staff thinks is due to them, no matter how they treat you.
[August 3, 2008 12:08 PM]
Mike DYou got to love this one. I went to a local race track Saturday night and at the concession stand they had a tip jar. A TIP JAR!!!! They are doing no more than your local fast food joint. Taking your order and giving you your food. They want a tip on top of a high price they charge for food. I just dropped $8.50 for three chicken strips, fries and a 20oz drink. I take that tip jar as a insult. If you bring my food to me I'll give you a tip. I only see giving a tip for a real restaurant where you sit down and the bring you your drink and food. Thats providing a service.