Tipping

I am a bartender and waiter and I make my living off of tips. I have come to love people for how gracious they can and also to hate people for how cheap they can be. Does it really hurt to pony up that extra dollar or are you planning on investing it in scratchie and a pack of smokes? I work the same 40 hour schedule every week and try to take home the same amount of money each week (give or take $50). I only make $2.63 per hour. Most of my paychecks aren't worth the paper they're printed on. I depend on gratuity and I work hard for it. I get pissed off when people are either cheap or don't know how to tip. It's frustrating and sometimes I feel like just chasing these people out the door and beating them over the head 'til they get it. I would like to be rude or refuse to wait on them or dump a hot dish on their lap. Although I hate my job (at a cheesy Italian restaurant) I can't do those things to people because it's not right and I could be fired for "accidentally" giving someone third degree burns on their nether region. Instead of complaining I could get a different job but I like what I do, the hours are flexible and it is putting me through college.

I believe that if you are going out to eat you should be prepared to spend money. Going to a restaurant, sitting down and having a nice meal is relaxing. There is no cooking, no cleaning, you just sit back and relax while other people take care of everything for you. All you need to do is order and pay. If you can't afford the luxury of going out to eat and tipping properly then go eat at McDonalds or stay home and cook. Don't come see me!!!!!

In the U.S. a 15 -20% gratuity is customary and although it is not the law it is a social norm. If you don't follow that norm waiter, waitresess and bartenders will hate you. I expect 20% from all my customers or guests (as we call them at the workplace) because I give each and every person excellent service, unless I don't like you, or you smell or I just think that you're a sh*#@* tipper. When I lean in to place a plate or a drink on a table and the person smells offensive I would love to demand them to leave and come back when they are showered and clean, I don't care how graciously they tip. Another thing I hate is that someone can be the nicest person I've waited on, they thank me 25 times then leave me a crappy tip. Here's a little tip I'd like to leave them: Thank You's don't pay the bills!!!!

Every one should know how to tip and it should be taught in school. We all should be familiarized and taught the customs and norms of our society. Ignorance is not bliss. It offends me. Wikipedia even explains the norms of tipping in the United States and anyone living here or visiting should read about the subject. The same thing goes for visiting other countries, you should be aware of what to do and how to do it right.

There is this mother-daughter combo who come in to eat every week. When they walk in the door everyone dreads having to wait on them. They order a water and a Diet Coke. They don't even touch the water, they just pass the Diet Coke back and forth. They always order the cheapest item on the menu and split it and they "camp out" at the table talking and chatting for hours (the more times you turn a table the more money you are going to make). They usually tip $1 and if you are very lucky you might get $1.75. The mother even allegedly had one of her neighbor's kids rake her entire lawn and when he was through with the job she paid him with a shiny quarter. People like that should not be allowed to go out to eat.

There are all kinds of stereotypes with tipping and some are true and some aren't. It is hard to tell upon first look if I'm waiting on cheap or ignorant people. If you have ever had a rude waiter/waitress or bartender than you may have been a victim of profiling. They may have thought that you may be a bad tipper. To prevent this it may be a good idea to check out the etiquette of tipping before you go out. If everyone familiarized themselves with the proper tipping etiquette then profiling and bad service might become a thing of the past. The only bad service you get would be from bad waitstaff.