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Thursday, May 3, 2012

I'm Back and I'm Fuming!!

Hey all.  Yes, I have been out of the blogging world for a while.  The husband is currently not working which means I am working.  More than working actually.  More like slaving away for pennies.  So needless to say, blogging has taken a back seat to other needs, such as sleep, oh and Pinterest.

After watching the news tonight I knew this was a story I couldn't pass up.  Family Locked in Restaurant After Refusing to Tip for Bad Service. 

It seems this family down in Texas went out to dinner with a group of people.  Also seems that the restaurant they chose to go to has a policy of adding a 17 percent tip onto table of five or more (although it doesn't say this on the link, on the news they showed the menu at the restaurant that clearly states this policy).  The cheap ass people decided not to pay and got locked in the restaurant and the cops were called.  First of all, bravo to the management for backing up your staff.  Secondly, bravo to the cops for making them pay it.

I don't know how many times I have to tell people this.  Waitstaff do not make a liveable wage.  Here in Massachusetts we make $2.68 an hour.  Oh and that is after the raise we just got, it was $2.63 an hour until a few weeks ago.  We survive on tips.  Also we do not pocket all that we are given.  We have to tip out bussers, bartenders, food runners and whoever else the company you work for decides you need to.

I have heard people say that they shouldn't have to pay the wages of the restaurants.  Ok so you want us to get a regular wage?  For starters, enjoy watching the price of the food you eat skyrocket.  Restaurants keep prices lower by not having to pay the staff as much.  Second, get used to crappy service.  Do you people really think that servers would take some of the crap you expect of us and get minimum wage for it.  Nope, not gonna happen.  You are going to end up being served by idiots that constantly screw up your order and are rude to you because the restaurants won't be able to get anybody else to do it.

Other people say that it shouldn't be automatic to add on a tip for large parties.  Let me try to make this clear.  As servers we get only a few tables in our section.  Usually four of five tables.  If you bring in ten people chances are you just took up three of my tables.  If you screw me on my tip it screws up my whole shift.  It means I am basically working for my $2.68 and hour and nothing else.  Then after taxes are taken out of that I usually end up having paid out of my own pocket to wait on you.  Is that fair?  I don't think so.

The people in this story are claiming that they had bad service.  Maybe they did, maybe they didn't.  It does happen but not as often as people like this claim.  I am thinking it is more likely that they are just cheap.  They knew the rules when they came in and looked at the menu.  If they didn't it was their own fault for not paying more attention.  If they didn't want to tip they should have gone to McDonald's.

Needless to say, this story really got under my skin.  Sorry about the ranting, and sorry about my absence, but I must say, I feel better now.

11 comments:

  1. it's katie...AMEN!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. First of all, welcome back!
    Secondly - Bravo for the restaurant, as you said, for sticking up for their servers! I used to be a server too and I can't tell you how many drunken idiots have stiffed me because they "forgot" to tip me.
    People need to get a grip!

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  3. If it was raised to $2.68 why am I still only getting $2.63...I will most definitely need to look into this...and those people most definitely deserved getting locked in..if people don't care to read the menu then that is their own problem and all big parties should have gratuity included...

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  4. I couldn't agree more, and welcome back :D
    Thank God the cops made them pay it, only in Texas, anywhere else they would have sued and won, for the emotional distress of being locked in the restaurant. I was a server once, it's almost as thankless as being a mother.

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  5. I hear ya. I think it should be mandatory for everyone to be a server for atleast 6 months, then that way maybe ppl would understand what its like to put up with ppls shit for a crappy $5 tip!

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  6. I cringe whenever I see one of these stories. If people can afford to go out for food or drinks, they should be able to afford to tip their waiter/waitress. Or, like it was mentioned, let's get away from tipping, pay our servers a living wage and raise the price of all products they serve. Now, tightwads, you don't have a choice of how much you have to pay because you will pay more for the product and don't expect good service. They get paid no matter what now.

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  7. You know I am with you on this! As a mom to 4 who have all or are currently still, working in the food industry, this infuriates me. My kids, much like you and 90% of the rest of the servers/bartenders/wait staff out there, bust their asses to provide for the customer and it really effects them when they get stiffed on tips. I don't think people realize that every server/bartender/wait staff out there have bills to pay!REAL bills! Some are supporting children, others are a 2nd income in a shitty economy, car ins., phone bills, rent... These aren't kids going out and blowing money on video games! Gggrr.. Totally striking a nerve here. Kudos to that manager and those cops and WELCOME BACK! We've missed you!

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  8. I thought I felt a disturbance in the force. Welcome back.

    I have never worked in the service industry like a restaurant, but I am in sales so I know how important customer service is.

    We eat out as a family, probably more than we should, but never once have I complained about the service, the food a couple of times, but that and I repeat, that is NOT the server's fault. I've seen people/parties totally disrespecting the server over something that was not their fault. I have total respect for servers like you.

    whowouldathought-kevin.blogspot.com

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  9. This is timely. I just went out with a bunch of my classmates for dinner and drinks to celebrate the ending of our first half of Senior year (Nursing majors ... we drink ... A LOT).

    There ended up being 17 people in our "party" with multiple checks. I was a late addition and it took a while for the server to offer me drinks, let alone a menu. My classmates were saying "Flag her down! You need food!" I just told them she had her hands full with the "likes of you (2 margaritas already each) and I'm in no rush, I was a late comer anyway." By the end of the 2 hours, I'd had great food, a couple beers, and enjoyed the ruckus that college seniors cause. Luckily they had given us our own area ....

    And I left a 20% tip (on the total amount, not the pretax) ... a lot of my classmates did, too. I have too many friends who have been servers say they dread large groups and always get stiffed on tips.

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  10. Welcome back!

    I am so glad the restaurant backed up their server. There are so many restaurants that don't do that anymore. I was a bartender for years (pay was much better and tips were incredible), but I can feel the pain of every server. I would not want that job, but I totally respect the people that are willing to take my order, get my drinks, bring me some food, and put up with my kids. I have had great service and really bad service. I rarely complain and the only time I leave under 20% is when I get really bad service...then it is 15%. And...I always leave a cash tip. I don't know if that makes a difference, but a friend told me they count tips on credit cards as part of her income and they don't do that with cash, so it is better for her. BTW...come to Ohio, the servers here make $3.85 plus tips.

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  11. I was a waitress in New York and people got really creative in how they chose not to tip. One group of diners left me an unused condom out of the package. This is a great story. More power to the restaurant for standing behind their server. Waitstaff works hard.

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