Tipping at a buffet

[Koolau]

As a former waiter, I don't think it is a disgrace at all. A good waitperson can make very good money just on tips. The hourly rate is just about irrelevant.

Here is an example. A few years ago some I think misguided folks in DC decided something HAD to be done about "low" wait staff wages in DC.

The DC Bar and Restaurant Workers' Alliance did not support the higher wage, but a ballot initiative passed, but was later thrown out by the DC council, and the tipped worker wage remains around $5 per hour, not $15.

The Workers' Alliance continues to support the low wage.

Son's first "real" j*b out of HS was as a cook at Dead Lobster. His "goal in life" at that point was to transition to the wait staff. I forget what he told us the wait staff could make on tips, but it was a LOT for a HS grad. Son was a real charmer - especially with the ladies - tall, good looking. When he finally made the transition to wait staff, he was not disappointed. Then, he went nuts and decided he could make even more by starting his own bar/restaurant. He failed his first time and made a small fortune his second time. He's out of it now, but those tips gave him his first nest-egg to start his "hospitality" c*reer (full disclosure: Mom and Dad kicked in $10K!) YMMV

 

[aja8888]

Son's first "real" j*b out of HS was as a cook at Dead Lobster. His "goal in life" at that point was to transition to the wait staff. I forget what he told us the wait staff could make on tips, but it was a LOT for a HS grad. Son was a real charmer - especially with the ladies - tall, good looking. When he finally made the transition to wait staff, he was not disappointed. Then, he went nuts and decided he could make even more by starting his own bar/restaurant. He failed his first time and made a small fortune his second time. He's out of it now, but those tips gave him his first nest-egg to start his "hospitality" c*reer (full disclosure: Mom and Dad kicked in $10K!) YMMV

Wow! great story!

 

[Aerides]

+1

A fellow employee, a software engineer in his 2nd year at a big telecom company told me his wife a waitress at a funny family themed restaurant made more money than he did.
She was not anything special looks wise.

Do some people really tip on a scale based on looks vs. service? What on earth do they do if the person is unattractive, or the wrong gender?

 

[COcheesehead]

I work a few days a month at a local winery and 60%-70% of my income is in tips.
A few comments. I work to get tips. I give lots of information out on the wines, local sites, trails, vineyard info, share pictures with the customers, give extra, free pours. 98% of the people tip and tips fall into the 15%-20% range, occasionally you’ll get 25% or sometimes even more.

For the systems like Square with the prepopulated tip percentages, there is a large “no tip” button at the bottom and there is also a “custom amount” button where you can add a flat rate $2, $5, etc, whatever you want.

For the folks that don’t tip, I find those are the customers who are trying to get as much for as little as possible, but they are the extreme minority. Most folks are good to the service staff.

Working for tips now in retirement actually makes me tip even more ‘cuz I know how hard it is to stand for eight hours, carry on animated conversations and try to make folks happy.

So tip your servers well.

 

[tmm99]

Do some people really tip on a scale based on looks vs. service? What on earth do they do if the person is unattractive, or the wrong gender?

Whether we realize it or not (or admit it), we tend to gravitate toward good-looking people. Or in the case of Hooters, sexy good-looking women with boobs... Obviously, if you're a terrible server, you probably won't get as good a tip, but I used to waitress with this girl who was stunningly beautiful and she was very friendly and witty. I don't know how many people (even some women) requested her to wait on their tables. Granted, she was a good server, but I'm sure her looks had a lot to do with it. Some of the men dropped a $50 tip on their $50 meals (This was in the 80s.) And she got asked out A LOT. I actually don't know anybody who was requested as much as she was.

 

[jollystomper]

Do some people really tip on a scale based on looks vs. service? What on earth do they do if the person is unattractive, or the wrong gender?

I agree with tmm99. I do not think a person would tip less than "standard" for an "unattractive" (in the eye of the beholder")/"wrong" gender server, but they might likely tip a lot more than "standard" for an "attractive" (in the eye of the beholder)/"right" gender server, particularly if that person has an engaging personality. In fact, a good, engaging personality might be what makes the server "attractive" or make gender not matter. That's the way of the world.

 

[travelover]

Do some people really tip on a scale based on looks vs. service? What on earth do they do if the person is unattractive, or the wrong gender?

Or the wrong race. This is the ugly underbelly of tipping.

 

[audreyh1]

I’m glad I stopped eating at buffets.

 

[JoeWras]

I’m glad I stopped eating at buffets.

In my case, it was a Mediterranean style cafe, i.e. food behind glass that is scooped and portioned and given to me.

I'm also done with people walking along with their germ ridden hands on the spoons, sneezing on the glass, and having kids reach their hands up to the line - sometimes successfully touching the food.

 

[mystang52]

We often take our grandkids to a small, local, family-owned diner. The waiters have been there for as long as we've been going there, and they are not part of the family. I always tip them in cash - nature of the place is the bill is relatively low, so I can be a sport and tip them 25% or so.
They still use the paper receipt I have to sign for my credit card, and in the pre-typed Tip blank line I hand-write "Cash." In other restaurants with those automated screens, I make sure to hand the cash tip to the server, vs leaving it on the table. I have this horrid fear a bus-person will clear the table and "forget" the tip belonged to the waiter, and then the waiter thinks I stiffed them.
Oh, on the original topic I don't go to buffets, but I think I would tip.

 

[Aerides]

Whether we realize it or not (or admit it), we tend to gravitate toward good-looking people. Or in the case of Hooters, sexy good-looking women with boobs... Obviously, if you're a terrible server, you probably won't get as good a tip, but I used to waitress with this girl who was stunningly beautiful and she was very friendly and witty. I don't know how many people (even some women) requested her to wait on their tables. Granted, she was a good server, but I'm sure her looks had a lot to do with it. Some of the men dropped a $50 tip on their $50 meals (This was in the 80s.) And she got asked out A LOT. I actually don't know anybody who was requested as much as she was.

Yes of course I realize people like to be around attractive people. And Hooters I view as the outlier, or, an abomination lol...but a conscious decision to tip more just because of attractiveness at a normal restaurant, bleh..

 

[Montecfo]

Yes of course I realize people like to be around attractive people. And Hooters I view as the outlier, or, an abomination lol...but a conscious decision to tip more just because of attractiveness at a normal restaurant, bleh..

It's a real thing. Particularly when accompanied by competence, charm and likability.

Service is #1, but people that are charming and easy on the eyes (though I would downplay the gender angle) enhance the dining experience. I would expect tips to follow.

And I suspect their is some social science supporting this.

 

[MichealKnight]

Good point on *cash*

I share your view on how tips are distributed and also prefer to leave cash

Yes, at buffets - I do cash for sure.

What I'm saying now is just *one* anecdote so I can't extrapolate it into the whole industry.

But I was at my local strip mall (dry cleaning, Dunkin, etc)..... I walked past the Dunkin and the owner was outside talking to some guy. As a small business owner myself - I always zero in on such conversations and guy #2 asked the owner of this Dunkin "do you keep the tips". answer "of course I keep the tips". Now - I am NOT complaining - the man has tons invested, and if that's some cash that he doesn't have to send to MegaCorp - good for him, it's his business and nobody forced the employees to work there. *BUT* since then I avoid tip jars with on exception: Five Guys. I know for a fact my local one shares the tips with staff.

I really like, and believe in tipping for things like hair, restaurants, buffets, cruise-ship staff. But I get annoyed with counter service places --- I was at Einstein Bagels getting a sandwich and on the kiosk there's multiple choices to tip "$1.00 $5.00. $0.00" so I feel it's going a bit far - - I mean, do I tip the nurse at my kids pediatricians office, where does it end.

 

[COcheesehead]

Just in follow up to my post above, if someone leaves a tip on a credit card, I get 97%. The business owner just deducts the credit card fee and yes, I pay taxes, state and federal as well as social security on tips.

 

[Music Lover]

+1

A fellow employee, a software engineer in his 2nd year at a big telecom company told me his wife a waitress at a funny family themed restaurant made more money than he did.
She was not anything special looks wise.

I know a couple servers, they do very well. One of them works in an ordinary chain breakfast special place and has done so for 20+ years specifically because of how much she make in tips.

 

[cathy63]

...But I was at my local strip mall (dry cleaning, Dunkin, etc)..... I walked past the Dunkin and the owner was outside talking to some guy. As a small business owner myself - I always zero in on such conversations and guy #2 asked the owner of this Dunkin "do you keep the tips". answer "of course I keep the tips". Now - I am NOT complaining - the man has tons invested, and if that's some cash that he doesn't have to send to MegaCorp - good for him, it's his business and nobody forced the employees to work there. *BUT* since then I avoid tip jars with on exception: Five Guys. I know for a fact my local one shares the tips with staff...

I hope you misheard that conversation, because otherwise the owner of the Dunkin franchise is in violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and in the long run that's likely to cost him a lot more than the amount of tips he's keeping.

 

[CatinKS]

Little Off Topic

When the Covid started, our grocery store started curbside. When I tried to tip the employee loading my car, they told me they were not allowed to accept tips? Seem odd to me, as I appreciate the service.

 

[jazz4cash]

Some buffets offer plenty of customer service by way of clearing dishes, providing refills, etc. I don't mind tipping 10% or so in that case. Others are strictly DIY and I might leave a buck or two on the table or maybe not. I think every buffet I have ever been to you pay in advance, so the idea of leaving a tip before you know if the food and service is good rubs me the wrong way.

I went to a national chain buffet just before covid hit with some family members including a 90+ year old uncle. He dined there every week and all the staff knew him. They knew exactly what he liked and fixed his plates for him including seconds and dessert...I didn't know they would do that but it was great. He tipped generously.

 

[Milton]

The problem is not tipping does not change the state law but may seriously harm the financial situation of the the wait staff.

Some people attempt to justify their insistence that everyone else must tip by saying “If you can’t afford to tip, you shouldn’t eat at a restaurant.” Well, maybe. But the converse also applies: if you can’t afford to do without tips, you should look for a different job that doesn’t rely on customers’ whimsy.

 

[Dtail]

Picked up bagels this morning. Tipping was an option, but did not tip.

 

[MichaelB]

Some people attempt to justify their insistence that everyone else must tip by saying “If you can’t afford to tip, you shouldn’t eat at a restaurant.” Well, maybe. But the converse also applies: if you can’t afford to do without tips, you should look for a different job that doesn’t rely on customers’ whimsy.

You’ve made you’d dislike of tipping clear. You live in Canada, where it is different and thus cannot be directly compared with most situations in the US.

In the US the minimum wage floor is much lower for employees that earn tips. In effect, this subsidizes the menu price of restaurant food, and it is up to the diner to pay the difference with a gratuity. This is a social contract that is, or at least should be, understood by all parties. If someone chooses to not tip (or under tip) in that circumstance they are effectively not fulfilling their part of the agreement.

 

[Chuckanut]

You’ve made you’d dislike of tipping clear. You live in Canada, where it is different and thus cannot be directly compared with most situations in the US.

In the US the minimum wage floor is much lower for employees that earn tips. In effect, this subsidizes the menu price of restaurant food, and it is up to the diner to pay the difference with a gratuity. This is a social contract that is, or at least should be, understood by all parties. If someone chooses to not tip (or under tip) in that circumstance they are effectively not fulfilling their part of the agreement.

But, here's the rub. The minimum wage floor for tipped employees varies by state. In my state tipped employees get the full minimum wage plus tips. That's why 20% seems a bit stiff as a tipping rate to me. But, I also live in a high COL area, so I will do 15%. I compensate by not eating out as often as I might. The other day I made lunch at home for a friend rather than blow $35+ on two sandwiches, two bags of chips and two beers for us.

 

[MichaelB]

But, here's the rub. The minimum wage floor for tipped employees varies by state. In my state tipped employees get the full minimum wage plus tips. That's why 20% seems a bit stiff as a tipping rate to me. But, I also live in a high COL area, so I will do 15%. I compensate by not eating out as often as I might. The other day I made lunch at home for a friend rather than blow $35+ on two sandwiches, two bags of chips and two beers for us.

This is why I qualified my comment by saying “most of the US”. Clearly, in states or cities where the minimum wage has been equalized, tips are not part of the base wage and therefore are optional.

 

[Koolau]

Yes, at buffets - I do cash for sure.

What I'm saying now is just *one* anecdote so I can't extrapolate it into the whole industry.

But I was at my local strip mall (dry cleaning, Dunkin, etc)..... I walked past the Dunkin and the owner was outside talking to some guy. As a small business owner myself - I always zero in on such conversations and guy #2 asked the owner of this Dunkin "do you keep the tips". answer "of course I keep the tips". Now - I am NOT complaining - the man has tons invested, and if that's some cash that he doesn't have to send to MegaCorp - good for him, it's his business and nobody forced the employees to work there. *BUT* since then I avoid tip jars with on exception: Five Guys. I know for a fact my local one shares the tips with staff.

I really like, and believe in tipping for things like hair, restaurants, buffets, cruise-ship staff. But I get annoyed with counter service places --- I was at Einstein Bagels getting a sandwich and on the kiosk there's multiple choices to tip "$1.00 $5.00. $0.00" so I feel it's going a bit far - - I mean, do I tip the nurse at my kids pediatricians office, where does it end.

Yeah, I do not do tip jars. In virtually all cases of tip jars, one is picking up something or ordering/picking up - not receiving "wait" service. I assume that these folks get paid at least min wage and I do NOT know how the tips are distributed. Tipping at Papa Johns front window would be like tipping the lady at the cosmetics counter at Macys. I don't do either. Just me, so YMMV.

 

[tmm99]

I had a friend who used to Starbucks twice a day and put the change in the cup every time. Then he switched to paying using a Starbucks card. He said that solved the problem of tipping...