End of tipping?

[StLucieBengal]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-22/the-end-of-tipping-could-mean-better-restaurant-food

This topic has been brought up a few times before and I saw this and wondered what everyone thought. Would zero tipping increase quality of food?

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

I read an interview with Danny Meyer and his reasoning behind the move made sense.  I don't think how much the waiter is paid would affect the quality of the food, though

[StLucieBengal]

(10-23-2015, 07:10 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: I read an interview with Danny Meyer and his reasoning behind the move made sense.  I don't think how much the waiter is paid would affect the quality of the food, though

Do you have a link to this interview? This is an interesting idea but I'm not sure how it would work and still be able maintain quality staff.

[Interceptor]

(10-23-2015, 06:29 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-22/the-end-of-tipping-could-mean-better-restaurant-food

This topic has been brought up a few times before and I saw this and wondered what everyone thought.  Would zero tipping increase quality of food?

No, but it might decrease the quality of service.

[JustWinBaby]

(10-23-2015, 07:19 PM)Interceptor Wrote: No, but it might decrease the quality of service.

Most definitely, maybe.

I'd say I'm more likely to leave a bad tip than complain to a manager about bad service...but the former is rarely (and even then, at least 10%) and the latter about never.

There's also the strong likelihood that waiters who suck at their job probably hate it and won't be there long regardless.

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

(10-23-2015, 07:16 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Do you have a link to this interview?  This is an interesting idea but I'm not sure how it would work and still be able maintain quality staff.

I thought I read it on yahoo or at&t but can't find it.  Basically, his plan is to eliminate tips and instead charge a uniform service charge to all checks.  Instead of minimum wage with tips he will offer salary with benefits.  The owner will be able to reward the better preforming servers rather than the customer.  In theory, it makes sense if the business owner is ethical.  I got the impression he cared for his employees and was motivated to do the right thing.  However, this has the potential for abuse (like the couple I saw on one of Gordon Ramsey's shows who kept all the tips for themselves.)

[StLucieBengal]

(10-23-2015, 08:44 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: I thought I read it on yahoo or at&t but can't find it.  Basically, his plan is to eliminate tips and instead charge a uniform service charge to all checks.  Instead of minimum wage with tips he will offer salary with benefits.  The owner will be able to reward the better preforming servers rather than the customer.  In theory, it makes sense if the business owner is ethical.  I got the impression he cared for his employees and was motivated to do the right thing.  However, this has the potential for abuse (like the couple I saw on one of Gordon Ramsey's shows who kept all the tips for themselves.)

Yikes Boss Hogg even let daisy keep 10% of her tips.

Sounds like an interesting setup. I like the idea of rewarding quality service. I am sure if there was a Boss Hogg type owner then they would lose employees. But you never know what people will put up with...

[RICHMONDBENGAL_07]

I don't know.  I mean I get what they're saying in the article, but like it said tipping is a cultural thing.  It would depend on how the servers are being compensated.  I do like the idea of a service charge of 15% with room to add more.  A lot of restaurants do that now with large parties of eight or more people (it's usually 18% though).  Some customers like it, some don't, and even if the gratuity is added and you don't like it they can remove it and then you can proceed with screwing your server as you wish.  As it stands though most servers will bust their ass trying to get that 20%.  Just like any profession though there are some that just aren't good at it, they don't usually last long.

What I don't understand is what restaurant would do this because the restaurant can pay a large majority of its staff peanuts, while counting on customers to make up for it.

I don't know how I feel about it.  I guess it would come down to how the servers were to be compensated.

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

(10-24-2015, 01:58 AM)RICHMONDBENGAL_07 Wrote: I don't know.  I mean I get what they're saying in the article, but like it said tipping is a cultural thing.  It would depend on how the servers are being compensated.  I do like the idea of a service charge of 15% with room to add more.  A lot of restaurants do that now with large parties of eight or more people (it's usually 18% though).  Some customers like it, some don't, and even if the gratuity is added and you don't like it they can remove it and then you can proceed with screwing your server as you wish.  As it stands though most servers will bust their ass trying to get that 20%.  Just like any profession though there are some that just aren't good at it, they don't usually last long.

What I don't understand is what restaurant would do this because the restaurant can pay a large majority of its staff peanuts, while counting on customers to make up for it.

I don't know how I feel about it.  I guess it would come down to how the servers were to be compensated.

When I read the title of the article I read I thought, "What a scumbag."  But, when I read his reasoning he changed my mind.

[BmorePat87]

(10-23-2015, 08:44 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: I thought I read it on yahoo or at&t but can't find it.  Basically, his plan is to eliminate tips and instead charge a uniform service charge to all checks.  Instead of minimum wage with tips he will offer salary with benefits.  The owner will be able to reward the better preforming servers rather than the customer.  In theory, it makes sense if the business owner is ethical.  I got the impression he cared for his employees and was motivated to do the right thing.  However, this has the potential for abuse (like the couple I saw on one of Gordon Ramsey's shows who kept all the tips for themselves.)

Haha, I love kitchen nightmares. I remember those assholes. They claimed they did all the work themselves so they deserve her tips. Ramsey blew up on them and told all the customers. 

[RICHMONDBENGAL_07]

(10-24-2015, 11:26 AM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: When I read the title of the article I read I thought, "What a scumbag."  But, when I read his reasoning he changed my mind.

Yea I had read about this in the paper the other day and admit had a knee jerk reaction.  However after reading it, I kind of changed my mine.  Like I said it all comes down to how they'll be compensated.  A restaurant won't be able to be able to just pay min wage with out additional compensation to fill that position.  Not somebody that's good anyway.

I'm not resistant to change especially if the money is going to be more consistent.  The one thing I will say is I think that if owners have more money at stake, they might make better hiring decisions in that area.

[RICHMONDBENGAL_07]

(10-24-2015, 01:04 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Haha, I love kitchen nightmares. I remember those assholes. They claimed they did all the work themselves so they deserve her tips. Ramsey blew up on them and told all the customers. 

Oddly enough, I've never watched that show.  I do like Bar Rescue though.

[Benton]

employers have abused the tipping system for decades. They should have been paying at least minimum wage years ago. Preferably better than that. And adjusted food prices accordingly. If a customer feels the service was above standard, then they can give more as a way to reward those who do a good job. But if it was below standard, then they don't feel obligated to give a bonus for crappy service.

that's not uncommon to how sales people are reimbursed. They've got a living wage, they've got commissions and if the employer feels they go way above the call, he can give them a healthy bonus.

[fredtoast]

(10-23-2015, 08:44 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: I thought I read it on yahoo or at&t but can't find it.  Basically, his plan is to eliminate tips and instead charge a uniform service charge to all checks.  Instead of minimum wage with tips he will offer salary with benefits.  The owner will be able to reward the better preforming servers rather than the customer.  In theory, it makes sense if the business owner is ethical.  I got the impression he cared for his employees and was motivated to do the right thing.  However, this has the potential for abuse (like the couple I saw on one of Gordon Ramsey's shows who kept all the tips for themselves.)

To me it sounds like a way to turn the wait staff more into salesmen who will try to the customers to buy the highest priced items.

In law school I worked in the original Ruby Tuesdays (It was more of a bar than a restaurant and it was in the middle of "the strip" on UT campus.)  Too many times I saw customers get mad at the wait staff for problems that were actually caused by slows cooks or bartenders.  And there are always times when you will get stiffed by broke college students or old people who still think a dollar is a decent tip.  It isn't fair for restaurants to get by on paying the wait staff peanuts.  It was only $2.01 an hour when I did it, but they claimed taxes based on the tips you should have gotten on your recorded sales.  The weakly paycheck was so small it was meaningless.

[*michaelsean*]

(10-25-2015, 02:11 PM)fredtoast Wrote: To me it sounds like a way to turn the wait staff more into salesmen who will try to the customers to buy the highest priced items.

In law school I worked in the original Ruby Tuesdays (It was more of a bar than a restaurant and it was in the middle of "the strip" on UT campus.)  Too many times I saw customers get mad at the wait staff for problems that were actually caused by slows cooks or bartenders.  And there are always times when you will get stiffed by broke college students or old people who still think a dollar is a decent tip.  It isn't fair for restaurants to get by on paying the wait staff peanuts.  It was only $2.01 an hour when I did it, but they claimed taxes based on the tips you should have gotten on your recorded sales.  The weakly paycheck was so small it was meaningless.

I worked at Montgomery Inn a long time ago, and sometimes the wait  staffs paycheck wouldn't even cover the taxes owed on their tips.  

[fredtoast]

(10-26-2015, 12:37 PM)michaelsean Wrote: I worked at Montgomery Inn a long time ago, and sometimes the wait  staffs paycheck wouldn't even cover the taxes owed on their tips.  

Yep.  If you were lucky enough to get a job at a high end restaurant then your hourly wages would not cover the taxes based on claiming 15% (20%?) of your sales.