Played like a toy

I’m loving the British socialist outcry to this article by an American waiter about bad tips from Europeans. Demand that the government force extending general minimum wage to waiters is right. The fact that waiters aren’t demanding this legislation means that they’re 1) already making more yearly on $2/hr plus tips than they would be at $8/hr. or 2) benefitting slyly from the self-reporting of tips on income taxes. Maintaining restaurant tipping culture because it’s the status quo is the worst argument I’ve ever heard.

I’m not anti-tipping, per se. I’m happy to tip the individuals who work with me in salons and spas who I know are only getting a small cut of the listed price, with the majority going to the owner. These are the people who spent an entire hour by my side cutting my hair, exfoliating my feet, and tolerating my flinching inability to properly receive a massage. I’d equally be happy to tip the chefs and cooks directly. It’s their artistry and attention to detail upon with the quality of my meal largely depends. I too would loved to be tipped by my employer for all those 12-hours days and working weekends put in to meet deadlines. Instead I just get to keep my job and stay in everyone’s good graces.

The individual who ferries my order and food to and from the cooks? No so much. Let’s admit, ferrying food isn’t a special craft and there’s not a lot of room for creativity, which makes distinguishing between 10%-worthy tip and 20%-worthy tip difficult. That whole “Did the waiter just make snicker and judge me for not ordering apps/cocktails/another drink…  ummm, he’s definitely visited the other table, the one that ordered two rounds of cocktails, about seven times since I’ve been out of water…. is he going to think I’m a jerk for considering his service average and leaving 12%?” is such an annoying and unnecessary part of dinner. I’m never even sure if and how the tip will be divided among the support staff and what, if anything, it is the waiter did to prepare for my meal before I even arrived. These silent negotiations between client and server really do make the meal more enjoyable.

I have had some really awesome waiters who went above and beyond by insisting themselves on having food sent back, offering drinks and desserts on the house, asking for portion sizes to be adjusted on the house, and dealing with nitpicky companions. They deserved every penny of that 20%-25%, but I’d still prefer they receive a regular hourly wage, so that they are better protected from recessions and bad days.

Elle