Joe's Crab Shack Curtails No Tipping Policy

[jazz4cash]

The results were not satisfactory so they are scaling back thier experimental policy from 18 locations to 4 while re-evaluating the whole idea.

Customer research apparently showed that nearly 60 percent of patrons disliked the tipless model, which increased menu prices by 12 to 15 percent and paid servers a flat $14 an hour.

AND

customers didn't like not being able to incentivize good service, and also didn't trust management to pay employees the higher wages. ​

Full Article:
http://www.grubstreet.com/2016/05/joes-crab-shack-walks-back-no-tip-policy.html

I used to eat there when I was driving around for work but the last few times it was hit or miss. Paying 15% more for a meal would save me money if I didn't have to add a tip. I suspect the management trust issue is significant.

I searched and see there was a thread on this topic that was closed down last year.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/eliminate-tipping-76057.html?highlight=tipping

 

[MuirWannabe]

Nothing to add on the tipping subject. But in terms of Joe's Crab Shack their biggest problem IMO is the noisy restaurants. They play music on their speakers very loud and just seem to generally go out of their way to make it so noisy you cannot talk with your table mates. I don't get it. This has always been a problem at Joe's. But it actually seems to be getting worse at many restaurants.


Now, get off my lawn.

 

[gcgang]

I've only gone to Joe's in Vegas. Loved it.

I lost my credit card in Vegas. After retracing steps, finally called Joe's, where we lunched the prior day. They had it! Big tip for them, plus, this Joe's didn't have a no tipping policy that I was aware of. But Vegas runs on tips, so, wouldn't expect this outlet to do that.

Is this Joe's Stone Crab, or a different place. If so, never mind.

 

[Midpack]

Is this Joe's Stone Crab, or a different place. If so, never mind.

Joe's Crab Shack is very different from Joe's Stone Crab. Joe's Crab Shack is on par with Red Lobster, Joe's Stone Crab is far more upscale/expensive.

 

[haha]

Maybe half the places I go to in Seattle have moved to a 20% "service charge", with additional tips not required but not discouraged.

I don't like this. I am perfectly capable of deciding who and how much to tip. and anyone who thinks tips do not affect service has never worked for tips or even weighted experience over dogma.

One place that I frequented and likely spent ~$1k annually went to this model and I am essentially staying away to favor places that retain the tip model.

I know how to shop at a grocery, and I can prepare food. I go out so that I and my guest or guests can have a good time and an experience different from home.

Ha

 

[ziggy29]

One place that I frequented and likely spent ~$1k annually went to this model and I am essentially staying away to favor places that retain the tip model.

Well, bless the free market for giving us each what we want, because I'm the opposite. I don't like the game-playing that comes with the tipping stuff. I prefer a no-nonsense approach. And if I paid 15% more for my food and got bad service, I could still tell the manager -- no different than almost any other service sector business.

To each their own. But I love the idea of getting rid of the tipping nonsense.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I've never been to Joe's. Is the food any good?

 

[FUEGO]

I consider myself fortunate to rarely experience the angst of tipping. Another benefit of cooking at home almost all the time.

 

[audreyh1]

Joe's Crab Shack here is just a dive. I'm amazed they are in business, their parking lot is always mostly empty. Went once, was so disappointed. The one in Austin was always packed.

Thank goodness Pappadeaux's came to town.

 

[ziggy29]

Thank goodness Pappadeaux's came to town.

I remember them from Houston, near the Memorial City Mall on the Katy Freeway. Yeah, a lot better than Joe's, which I went to once but was way too noisy and the food mediocre. To be fair, I went there during an Astros playoff game in 2005, so.....

As an aside, see your new signature -- DW was a travel agent for a while, mostly selling cruises and tour packages since nothing else pays a commission any more. She stopped doing that, then became a substitute teacher and finally a preacher after that.

 

[audreyh1]

As an aside, see your new signature -- DW was a travel agent for a while, mostly selling cruises and tour packages since nothing else pays a commission any more. She stopped doing that, then became a substitute teacher and finally a preacher after that.

I'm a travel agent with only one client - me (us). Kind of like all those "second career" investors on this forum.

 

[doneat54]

I never have liked the "presumptive" (included) tip. I tip if I get good service, do not it I don't. I was in Miami in March for several days and was really surprised how many placed added 18% gratuity on all bills. In my own "dining geography" (and we dine out very often) I have not seen it, and if I do, I will not go back to that establishment.

 

[MichaelB]

Joe's Crab Shack here is just a dive. I'm amazed they are in business, their parking lot is always mostly empty. Went once, was so disappointed. The one in Austin was always packed.

Didn't they have a problem with adding trans fat a few years ago?

 

[ziggy29]

I'm a travel agent with only one client - me (us). Kind of like all those "second career" investors on this forum.

Ah. Tricky!

 

[audreyh1]

Ah. Tricky!

A couple of months ago it really did feel like a full time job!

I'm about to get launched on another round of "work".

 

[ziggy29]

I never have liked the "presumptive" (included) tip. I tip if I get good service, do not it I don't. I was in Miami in March for several days and was really surprised how many placed added 18% gratuity on all bills. In my own "dining geography" (and we dine out very often) I have not seen it, and if I do, I will not go back to that establishment.

Here's the thing. EVERY other thing we do, when we buy products and services, the cost of the service is built into the cost. Sometimes we get great service, sometimes we get horrible service. If we get great service or terrible service, we tell the manager and hopefully enough good and bad feedback will result in appropriate adjustments to their wages and their careers.

Why is this one occupation singled out for wages at barely $2 an hour and expected to make it up in tips? I don't even like the adding 18% stuff. Just price it without gimmicks, without tips. Like any other service, if it sucks I complain to the manager or even their manager.

 

[FUEGO]

Here's the thing. EVERY other thing we do, when we buy products and services, the cost of the service is built into the cost. Sometimes we get great service, sometimes we get horrible service. If we get great service or terrible service, we tell the manager and hopefully enough good and bad feedback will result in appropriate adjustments to their wages and their careers.

Why is this one occupation singled out for wages at barely $2 an hour and expected to make it up in tips? I don't even like the adding 18% stuff. Just price it without gimmicks, without tips. Like any other service, if it sucks I complain to the manager or even their manager.

I actually like the "18% surcharge for large group" thing. Zero math, zero stress. I just pay the $3.27 or $6.33 or $8.21 or whatever the auto gratuity is on the bill.

Though like you, I'd prefer it as a cost included in the menu prices. It would be a lot easier to compare two restaurants with varying levels of service. At Moe's a $7 burrito is $8 after tax. At a sit down place with a waiter, it's $9 after tax for the same $7 burrito. Why oh why

 

[Midpack]

"Singled out?" There are quite a few other jobs that rely on tips in part, it's not just restaurant servers!

I prefer tipping as is, including the years I was a waiter! But I know servers are sometimes forced to split tips which is dead wrong IMO. And I know some people are so math challenged (no excuse, but it is what it is) that they sometimes seriously under tip out of ignorance, also wrong. [Inadvertent over tipping is much less common, wonder why?...]

Beyond that

 

[Sunset]

Here's the thing. EVERY other thing we do, when we buy products and services, the cost of the service is built into the cost. Sometimes we get great service, sometimes we get horrible service. If we get great service or terrible service, we tell the manager and hopefully enough good and bad feedback will result in appropriate adjustments to their wages and their careers.

Why is this one occupation singled out for wages at barely $2 an hour and expected to make it up in tips? I don't even like the adding 18% stuff. Just price it without gimmicks, without tips. Like any other service, if it sucks I complain to the manager or even their manager.

+1
Also, if I'm paying the staff, then why can't I tell them to slip a little extra on my plate, they are essentially my contractor.
That is what is so false about the weird tipping model.

 

[Sunset]

"Singled out?" There are quite a few other jobs that rely on tips in part, it's not just restaurant servers!...

Well, a bunch of those jobs on the list should just be paid a normal wage and then we don't have the fuss of tipping.
Which is just a way of management to underpay employee's when business is slow (min wage vs $20/hr).

You forgot baggage handler.

 

[Chuckanut]

Nothing to add on the tipping subject. But in terms of Joe's Crab Shack their biggest problem IMO is the noisy restaurants. They play music on their speakers very loud and just seem to generally go out of their way to make it so noisy you cannot talk with your table mates. I don't get it. This has always been a problem at Joe's. But it actually seems to be getting worse at many restaurants.


Now, get off my lawn.

Noisy restaurants are an ongoing problem, IMHO. Some manage to be noisy even without music and sports on TV. For some reason they think we want to here what the people four tables away are saying. And the espresso machine going full tilt. They don't know about using fabrics, wood etc. to absorb noise.

Put me down on the side of higher stated prices and no tipping.


The worst decisions are made when angry or impatient.

 

[HFWR]

I never have liked the "presumptive" (included) tip. I tip if I get good service, do not it I don't. I was in Miami in March for several days and was really surprised how many placed added 18% gratuity on all bills. In my own "dining geography" (and we dine out very often) I have not seen it, and if I do, I will not go back to that establishment.

Not tipping assures you'll get extra attention on your next visit...

 

[Aerides]

To those who don't like it when the tip is included or part of the meal, the idea of a flat stable wage for the servers... gonna guess you maybe never waited tables? Don't have memories of your early days on your own, getting anxious because the restaurant is having a few slow nights and you've got rent to pay...

In tourist areas, added gratuity or tip-included in price, protects the wait staff from the EU patrons who aren't aware of US custom, or those who don't tip as well because "never have to come back here!". If you've ever spent half your night serving a rowdy large table of tourists and ended up with a $3 tip you'd favor a flat model.

A good waiter is a good waiter, and you'll get good service because they take pride in their job. They increase their tip not by being extra nice, (mostly). but by up-selling you and talk you into the special or a nice wine to maximize your check and the percent.

In a normal tip model, a waiter with $500 in total checks at the end of the night takes home more than the one with $400, almost every time. Even if the $400 one gave "better" service.

 

[Hamlet]

I've always felt that a great way to judge the quality of the people you are with is to handle paying the bill at a restaurant when out with them ( it worked better when most people used cash). If everyone hands the person paying enough money to cover their bill with tax and tip included, it's a good group.

When I was out with my close friends, the person handling the bill always ended up with a bunch of extra money to distribute back even after a generous tip.

Some other groups of people I've been with have left the payer struggling to even cover the bill itself. They weren't people I miss seeing.