Are you going to change your tipping habits?

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Source
Starting Dec. 31, the minimum wage for bartenders, servers and other tipped workers increases to $7.50 per hour, from $5. To meet that requirement, restaurant owners said, prices must go up.
.....

Santora’s Pub & Grill in Amherst has instituted a service charge on banquets and eliminated tipping on banquets. That allows the company to use the revenue from the fee to fund a higher wage for banquet servers.

Owners at a meeting Tuesday talked about posting signs or airing public service announcements on the higher prices. “We have to educate consumers about the reasons behind it,” said Paul Santora, the pub and grill’s owner. At the meeting, Mike Rizzo suggested changing the “suggested gratuity” line on customer checks to read “8 to 10 percent” instead of the current suggestion to tip 15 to 20 percent.

“The expectation shouldn’t be for customers to have to pay higher prices and still leave a higher tip,” said Rizzo, who owns six restaurants including Rizzoto, Banchetti and Rizzo’s.

As someone who worked in the restaurant industry in my 20s...this could actually be a really bad thing for servers. At least the ones who don't work at a greasy spoon. But it's what many have asked for.

So, are you going to continue to work off 20% or are you going to drop down to 10% as some owners suggest?

[Jason]

So, are you going to continue to work off 20% or are you going to drop down to 10% as some owners suggest?

Over the last 30 years, the rich really have gotten a lot richer, while everybody else settles for less.

Do you know why? It's not because those with less don't work as hard, it's really because the rich are always finding ways to pay less and make more profit. Instead of businesses settling for a little less profit so that their employees can make more money and share in the success, they instead pass the cost on to the customer, keeping their profit intact while everyone else has to settle for less.

THAT is how the rich continue to get richer, while the middle class shrinks and the lower class suffers.

[300miles]

Instead of businesses settling for a little less profit so that their employees can make more money and share in the success, they instead pass the cost on to the customer, keeping their profit intact while everyone else has to settle for less.

THAT is how the rich continue to get richer, while the middle class shrinks and the lower class suffers.

I don't think I would categorize most restaurant owners as "The Rich". They are middle class too.

[4248]

Having a gratuity built in for banquets is justified. Too often the tips aren't distributed fairly. Everyone from the prep workers to those who clear the tables help shape that experience for patrons.

In regular street corner restaurants it wouldn't work for me - I like tipping the person who works for me !

Owners should pay their employees fairly and stop finding ways to pass the costs. They make good profits ! Tips are what keeps waiters and waitresses working - not the less than fast food worker wages !

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Over the last 30 years, the rich really have gotten a lot richer, while everybody else settles for less.

Do you know why? It's not because those with less don't work as hard, it's really because the rich are always finding ways to pay less and make more profit. Instead of businesses settling for a little less profit so that their employees can make more money and share in the success, they instead pass the cost on to the customer, keeping their profit intact while everyone else has to settle for less.

THAT is how the rich continue to get richer, while the middle class shrinks and the lower class suffers.

You're a fool.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

In regular street corner restaurants it wouldn't work for me - I like tipping the person who works for me!

Owners should pay their employees fairly and stop finding ways to pass the costs. They make good profits ! Tips are what keeps waiters and waitresses working - not the less than fast food worker wages !

Full-service restaurants at all levels spent about 32 percent of each dollar on the cost of food and beverages, 33 percent on salaries and wages, and from 5 percent to 6 percent on restaurant occupancy costs. Profit margins, however, varied according to the cost of the average check per person. Those with checks under $15 showed a profit of 3 percent. Those with checks from $15 to $24.99 boasted the highest profit margin at 3.5 percent. Finally, those with checks of $25 and over had the lowest profits, at 1.8 percent.

I know you're not the brightest but it's comical to think 1.8% to 3.5% is good profits.

I swear the amount of people who try to speak with authority on subjects that have no understanding of is almost as big of a Buffalo tradition as the Bills missing the playoffs.

[WNYresident]

I'd tip the same but then again we don't eat out nightly to have it be an issue.

For 20+ years we go to lunch at Alton's on Saturdays. Bill is usually about 20 bucks for 2 people and we always tip $5. Even if the bill was a couple of dollars more I'd still tip $5

[FisherRd]

It's not something I'm proud to admit, but maybe now I'll be a little more critical of the service I receive and the tip will reflect it. I always tip 15-20% for crap to mediocre and above that for a job well done. Except one time I didn't tip at all, at the old orchard in west seneca. There is a Timmy's there now.

[dtwarren]

More than likely I will not change. I tip based on the level of service I receive. I also do not believe that employers should be suggesting any level of tip for their employees.

[BorderBob]

Help me out with one thing. Since tipping s supposed to represent a reward for good service, is it better to leave the tip in cash n the table or include it in the check via the credit card?




b.b.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Help me out with one thing. Since tipping s supposed to represent a reward for good service, is it better to leave the tip in cash n the table or include it in the check via the credit card?

Tipping cash is best for the server as they don't have to claim it and there is not the 3% or so fee to process it.

If you do pay via CC and had exceptional service, a note on the back of the slip like 'great service or wonderful meal' is also a good way to help out the server. This helps show the manager they are doing a good job. Next time around they give them better sections or bigger tables. This means more money.

If you have really bad service, also tip on the credit card. The server needs to explain why they only got 5% on a $100 check.


It's a service industry. It's more than just an hourly job bringing food to a table.

This is why a no tip policy is a horrible idea unless you're at a place with such high standards that only experience professionals are working there. It can work at a steakhouse or 3 star place but your average bar is just going to enable lazy and bad servers.

Being a server is a LOT like being in sales. The better you are the more you make. Tell me how eliminating commission would go over for people who work on it and do well with it....to ensure those who can't sell can make a decent living.... Some people are just not cut out for it.

[Save Us]

I tip 15-20% unless the service is lousy and it's not the server's fault. On an aside note, the 15 dollars/hour fast food wage is ridiculous.

[joe d.]

Tipping a server is a reward for good service...automatic tipping charges as proposed would eliminate the motivation to perform just that. Why would a server go out of their way if he or she knew that the tip is coming regardless. Bad idea...but then those who have proposed it probably just eat at 5 star restaurants or have private servers?

[sharky]

depends on how much the prices increase
lately though I go to the same few places and the staff is starting to recognize me, I'll probably still tip the same at those places. Although I've always thought tipping a percentage was kind of lame vs tipping a set amount. Better service at a local diner type place would get a smaller tip than worse service at someplace like Russel's due to the bill being so much higher