Am I a curmudgeon, or what??

[jnyork]

For our 44th anniversary I took the wife out to Olive Garden for lunch today. It's a place we never go usually, but we had a gift card so OK.

Food was good, service was fast, waitress was very nice, all was well. Got ready to pay up and she puts this little machine in front of my face with the little screen telling me how much they would like me to tip and I should just push the little button and all will be well. Well, this did not go over very well at all with me, I really get offended at someone trying to hustle me, I told the young lady to take the dang thing away, which she did under protest, we paid up leaving a smaller tip.

I know this is the new modern way of skimming the customers for every last cent you can squeeze out of them, and I'm sure everyone else just rolls over and goes along with it, but I am not a new modern man.

[Streetstar]

I've seen similar machines at Applebees and Chili's. I try to avoid these places unless i am travelling and , if i am unsure of the local restaurants and dont want to experiment, i'll go to these big national places--- at least i know what i'm getting for the most part

I guess these places are trying to appeal to the i-pad generation , - the ones who cant even eat without having a screen in front of them --- or maybe they are just trying to regulate the tips a bit better so they can stick it to the broke college kids who earn them

I frequently use my business credit card to pay for a meal, but i try to keep enough cash on hand that i can tip the server in cash personally

-- my friends call me a curmudgeon too- i take that as a compliment

[FWiedner]

Being curmudgeonly is not necessarily a bad thing.

Occasionally, people need to know the score, even if they don't care.

[Walker]

I'd say that you're more of a seasoned skeptic, and that's a good thing. Hopefully we'll have enough like you to keep Hillary out of the White House.

[jnyork]

I'd say that you're more of a seasoned skeptic, and that's a good thing. Hopefully we'll have enough like you to keep Hillary out of the White House.

I will certainly do my part.

[Ray]

Deleted.

[Ray Newman]

I ignore the "suggested" tip amount.

And even more so since I read an on-line news article about the "suggested" tip amount phenomenon. The article showed bills and the "suggested" tip amounts. On about 95% of the bills, the "suggested" tip amounts exceeded the suggested percentages. In others words, 15% of the bill would be $3.00, but the "suggested" 15% tip amount was $4.00.

[Blaine]

Another scam is "Do you want your change?" Hell, yes, Young Lady/Man.....Grrrrrrr

[2571]

Amazing you trust paper currency. Why are you so afraid to accept day-to-day, commonplace, commercial progress?

[Les Staley]

May I suggest that we ignore the troll?

[Ysabel Kid]

I don't mind the modern tool, I'm just offended that it is needed. Apparently, calculating simple tip is beyond a good majority of the population nowadays!

I usually tip 20%, to the penny, for good service. I will tip less for poor service, but I always tip, just so they know that I didn't forget, and meant to give a lousy tip if the service warrants it. I have tipped over 20%, if the bill is small and the service outstanding, to make the opposite point. Problem is, any more, the bill being small just never happens!

[stretch]

Those little machines are just another tool for the big corporation to make it quicker, easier,
and cheaper to get your money. No cashier needed - make the customer do the work! Not only
that, when a tip is put on the receipt like that, it's taxable. Just another way to really stick it
to the little guy. Wealthy folks don't wait on tables, eh?

Same with those "self-checkout" lines at the big box stores. I'll never use one. There are
ALWAYS problems with 'em, and it's slower for the customer. Again, make the customer
do the work so the big corporation can save money. If I wanted a job as a cashier at
your store, I'd apply.

In high school and college, I worked in restaurants quite a bit. I'm a generous tipper.
I know how hard waiters and waitresses work for their money. They won't get a good tip
for bad service, though.

That little rant probably makes me look like a curmudgeon, don't it?

-Stretch

[AJMD429]

I refuse to tip because I dislike the 'concept' since you're supposed to be tipping in relation to the service quality, but you're "expected" to tip a given percentage. I defer to someone else in the party who will participate in the hypocrisy.

A friend of mine has worked in the restaurant industry for decades, and now owns one. Since our teenage years, he has had two tips he gives for his meal, whether a cup of coffee and a muffin, or a lobster dinner - he either tips a nickel, or a twenty dollar bill. His rationale is that if the service is above-average, they earn their money, REGARDLESS of what kind of food you actually ate, or how much, and if it sucked, the fact that you had expensive food doesn't mean they did a job worth much money.

I agree with his philosophy, but since I haven't been a server, dishwasher, chef, or owner, as he has, I can't pull it off without being 'politically incorrect'.....so I just delegate the 'tipping' to someone else in the party.

I have several patients who are servers and happen to be cute young friendly women, and they make far more in a shift than I make in a 12 hour day seeing patients, so I don't assume all of them are living in poverty, either.

[Streetstar]

I'm dubious about the 15-20% gratuity for all situations anyway --- my brother was a server in college and after some of the stories about humanity he would tell me, - i am a good tipper now, -----

But ------- if i am sitting at the bar at a place like Outback / Chili's /Buffalo Wild Wings etc watching a ballgame and my friend or wife and I rack up a $75 tab on drinks and appetizers -- is it still obligatory to pony up another 15 bucks? The cook brings bar food straight to you usually, -- and the barkeep just pops a top and slides it over to you, then deposits empty one in the trash

In this specialized, (but common) occurence, it seems a bit much

OTOH, if i'm at a diner and my eggs and grits is 6.25, i'll commonly just leave a 10 --- by %'s thats a large tip, but its not much money
Same with haircuts --- if the clip looks good i'll usually just pay them a $20 for my 12.95 haircut and not worry about the change

But in the case of liquor tabs which are usually pretty high --- i guess thats where i start feeling a little cheap sometimes

[claybob86]

I hate the whole tipping thing. Why don't they pay employees what they're worth, charge for the product accordingly and just let us pay and leave? I don't have to tip the guy at the parts counter or feed store or anywhere else. Why the surcharge on anything that goes into the mouth? AND, why must the "customary" percentage of the bill tip continually rise? Used to be 10%, then somehow 15% became the norm, and now they want 20%?????? WTF!

Kind of a sore spot with me, I feel better now.

[Blaine]

Many moons ago, the tips were usually in cash, and wait staff didn't report them as income, ie, tax free income. The IRS started cracking down and pretty soon, their tips were counted as part of their wage....My first wife was waiting tables when that happened, and her income dropped by a quarter.

[tman]

Those little machines are just another tool for the big corporation to make it quicker, easier,
and cheaper to get your money. No cashier needed - make the customer do the work! Not only
that, when a tip is put on the receipt like that, it's taxable. Just another way to really stick it
to the little guy. Wealthy folks don't wait on tables, eh?

Same with those "self-checkout" lines at the big box stores. I'll never use one. There are
ALWAYS problems with 'em, and it's slower for the customer. Again, make the customer
do the work so the big corporation can save money. If I wanted a job as a cashier at
your store, I'd apply.

In high school and college, I worked in restaurants quite a bit. I'm a generous tipper.
I know how hard waiters and waitresses work for their money. They won't get a good tip
for bad service, though.

That little rant probably makes me look like a curmudgeon, don't it?



















-Stretch

+1

[Rusty]

As long as the service is worth it 20% is my standard. If I get really bad service that amount can be adjusted downward though.

[FWiedner]

I don't mind if a machine or waitstaff suggests a tip amount. I will still calculate what I think is appropriate, myself.

I do this because I know that if any 'rounding' of a total takes place, it's my idea.

Personally, I find the concept of obligatory gratuities to be offensive.

[Pete44ru]

.


I was a short-order cook for several years when I was younger, and both my daughters were waited tables when they were younger - so I too know they worked hard to maximize their tips.

I always leave a cash tip, for which I know the server's grateful.

Both my daughters told me that most senior citizens left a dollar-amount tip instead of a percentage, that was commensurate with what was considered a good tip 40 years earlier ($0.25, or maybe a full $1), ILO keeping pace with the economy/inflation.

Ergo, I usually leave a 20% tip for good service, keeping in mind that sometimes, late delivery and/or food quality issues are caused by the kitchen & not the server.

OTOH, for poor service and/or a server with an "attitude", I leave 2 pennies, so they know that I didn't just forget (or was too cheap) to leave a tip (and, if the service is WAY out of line, I have a chat with the manager about a training opportunity availability ).


.

[mikld]

May I suggest that we ignore the troll?

Sure! Who be da troll?

I was in the restaurant/bar industry for a while and my wife waited tables for 17 years, and I would be offended by a "suggestion machine" place in front of me. But for some, who just forget tips or have trouble figgering, it might be OK, and those jerks that don't tip it wouldn't make any difference anyway. Mebbe I'm a curmudgeon also, but I won't be intimidated to leave more than the waitress/waiter deserves (and most wait-persons tip out the other staff; bus boys, bartenders, and often the cooks, so their performance counts too).

[claybob86]

(and most wait-persons tip out the other staff; bus boys, bartenders, and often the cooks, so their performance counts too).

Long ago and far away, I was a bus boy and then a cook in a nice restaurant, but never heard of anyone getting a cut of the waiters and waitresses tips. Is this something new? (In this case, "new" would mean in the past 40 years or so )

[Griff]

...I always leave a cash tip, for which I know the server's grateful.

Both my daughters told me that most senior citizens left a dollar-amount tip instead of a percentage, that was commensurate with what was considered a good tip 40 years earlier ($0.25, or maybe a full $1), ILO keeping pace with the economy/inflation.

Ergo, I usually leave a 20% tip for good service, keeping in mind that sometimes, late delivery and/or food quality issues are caused by the kitchen & not the server.

OTOH, for poor service and/or a server with an "attitude", I leave 2 pennies, so they know that I didn't just forget (or was too cheap) to leave a tip (and, if the service is WAY out of line, I have a chat with the manager about a training opportunity availability ).
.

I was never a cook or server... did work as a bartender in college for a very short while. Made more money diggin' ditches for the water company part time. We never ate out much as a kid, so I really had no concept of what the industry was/is like. Ergo, according to SWMBO, I was a lousy tipper. SWMBO, worked as a hostess and server in restaurants after H.S., and could burn my ears over my pitiful tips. Most of the National chain places calculate the reported tips as part of the server's minimum wage. Some places require tips to be shared with busboys and dishwashers, etc. So, now, I generally leave 20% in cash for the server. For lousy service, I will leave $0.02. And if the server doesn't know what that means, I hope they ask. For REALLY bad service, I have a talk with the manager... some folks have no place in the food-service industry. For really good service, I generally give 25%, and go out of my way to verbally thank the server and the manager.

[tman]

(and most wait-persons tip out the other staff; bus boys, bartenders, and often the cooks, so their performance counts too).

Long ago and far away, I was a bus boy and then a cook in a nice restaurant, but never heard of anyone getting a cut of the waiters and waitresses tips. Is this something new? (In this case, "new" would mean in the past 40 years or so )

Yes, It's a by product of "Trickle Down, Rain Up "economics.

[mikld]

(and most wait-persons tip out the other staff; bus boys, bartenders, and often the cooks, so their performance counts too).

Long ago and far away, I was a bus boy and then a cook in a nice restaurant, but never heard of anyone getting a cut of the waiters and waitresses tips. Is this something new? (In this case, "new" would mean in the past 40 years or so )

Every place I worked at (bars,restaurants) in So. CA, the wait staff tipped out the others (buss boys, bartenders, etc.). Mostly to insure cooperation and share good service. If I made crappy drinks for the waitress, she might not get a good tip, therefore I wouldn't either. '70s and '80s in/around L.A. county......

[AJMD429]

"...keeping in mind that sometimes, late delivery and/or food quality issues are caused by the kitchen & not the server...

Yes. The server is whose performance you are rating, although he or she may be expected to distribute a portion of the tip to some of the other team members.

Many moons ago, the tips were usually in cash, and wait staff didn't report them as income, ie, tax free income. The IRS started cracking down and pretty soon, their tips were counted as part of their wage....My first wife was waiting tables when that happened, and her income dropped by a quarter.

When I am by myself, I do tip, but leave this card:

tipcard2.500.jpg

Thank You... for providing good service to me. In appreciation of your efforts, I choose to make this GIFT to you. I am permitted by the tax code to make income tax-free gift transfers to family, friends and others as long as they do not exceed $12,000 per year. Because this is a GIFT and not a TIP, you do not need to report it as income on your tax return.

I guess that makes me an official 'Card-carrying Libertarian'..

I still think a good server in a greasy spoon dive serving $5.00 meals who does a good job is worth EXACTLY the same as if they were working in some upscale yuppie place where the appetizer alone costs $15, and the meal totals $75, so I never base the tip on a "percentage"...I base it purely on 'service', and all the nebulous things that involves, like 'attitude', 'friendliness', and so on.

....and I still don't know why I should 'tip' some dude who drives my car 50 yards to retrieve it from a hotel parking garage I'm already paying a bunch for....just to 'reward' him for not wrecking my car or stealing my stuff...???

[jeepnik]

I tip well. I will not add a tip to the bill or use one of the devices discussed. What the IRS doesn't know is better for the server.

[Sixgun]

I seldom go out, mostly because I dislike/distrust most strangers and being in public, plus, my Italian wife is the best cook in the world. Something different everyday and made to perfection, not something that some stranger sneezed over or the cook dropped on the floor.

After I finish my dinner, while watching The Military Channel, I leave her a $10 dollar bill under the plate. Then in a day or two when she hits me up for a buck or two, I tell her to use her "tip money". ------6

[Streetstar]

After I finish my dinner, while watching The Military Channel, I leave her a $10 dollar bill under the plate. Then in a day or two when she hits me up for a buck or two, I tell her to use her "tip money". ------6

Dang-- but thats a great idea ! Something like that might get my wife cooking ! A long weekend could easilly get her an extra $50 of mad money

I spoil her too much though - last night was surf n turf with a small rainbow trout fillet and a 4oz beef tenderloin with stuffed mushrooms on the side

She has a feeling that her cooking won't measure up to my concoctions -- My feeling is that i'd love anything (well....within reason) that she gave an honest effort to

[2571]

"I hate the whole tipping thing. Why don't they pay employees what they're worth, charge for the product accordingly and just let us pay and leave? I don't have to tip the guy at the parts counter or feed store or anywhere else. Why the surcharge on anything that goes into the mouth? AND, why must the "customary" percentage of the bill tip continually rise? Used to be 10%, then somehow 15% became the norm, and now they want 20%"

Gunshow today. Same guy there selling sugared almonds, cheese corn, cotton candy & caramel corn, at obscene prices.

He had an empty water pitcher there with a sign 'TIPS' and some folding Money in it.



__________
MEA CULPA

I reread OP and now understand it to be commencement about a 'suggested tip' amount. My rejoinder was based on his being a comment about those little payment machines that now seem to everywhere.

PS, I understand those machines are also used by mgmt to audit tips for lackluster service.

[1894]

I resemble the first line in Six' s comment . So , on the rare occasion I do go out with my wife and get that machine thing stuck infront of me. Can I just say " no thanks , a paper bill would be just fine " and expect to get one ? They can still print out the bills correct ?

[Blaine]

These tip jars are everywhere.
If I hear a good street musician, I'll throw in $5 because I've been a broke musician.
There's a tip jar at the pizza place, and I won't tip for picking up a pizza to go.
I don't have much, but, I don't mind spreading it around a bit if a person gives good value for a service.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Lets keep it clean boys! This is a family friendly forum. Read the highlited portion at the top of this page. Keep it CLEAN. There is always face book for those who can't.

[Sixgun]

Ok Chuck I got a little excited....besides, with the people I work with and shoot with, that was clean. ----6


---

[Streetstar]

Ok Chuck I got a little excited....besides, with the people I work with and shoot with, that was clean. ----6

I thought you were just referring to being able to sit back and watch the wife do some case prep for you - turning down oversized rims, case re-sizing and such

[Chuck 100 yd]

no sweat, We as a family need to look out for each other . Just a reminder brother. I have from time to time slipped too.

[AJMD429]

no sweat, We as a family need to look out for each other . Just a reminder brother. I have from time to time slipped too.

Why can't you all just be perfect like me....

[piller]

I don't like that machine. I use the calculator on my phone to come up with the tip, and sometimes will increase it for really good service. Curmudgeon is not the right word for someone who is offended by discourtesy. I would say the person is probably just aware of their self worth.

[Sixgun]

Streetstar,
You and I would get along just fine. I like your return humor. ----6

[41 Redhawk]

I tend to pay for most things with a credit card. With that said, I like the CC reader at the table. When I use it I know the CC doesn't have to leave my hand. There have been documented cases where unscrupulous wait staff has stolen the CC information or "skimmed" the card. If they never have it they can not do that.

When it comes to tipping I ignore the suggested amount and put in what I feel is appropriate. I do tend to be somewhat generous usually because I frequent the same places and have developed a relationship with the wait staff. Also, cash tips do not avoid the IRS. They now require the employer to report the wait persons sales and I believe they have to withhold 10% of that amount from the wait person's salary for taxes. I have talked to some waiters and bartenders that don't get a pay check because the withholding was more than their hourly rate provided.

[Streetstar]

Streetstar,
You and I would get along just fine. I like your return humor. ----6

Thanks Six --- I readilly admit to curmudgeon status , --- but this thread reminded me of a conversation i had with a 19 year old cousin of mine not too long ago (the son of my direct cousin -- he's young enough to be my nephew though )

He overheard a cell phone call between myself and an old buddy --- and we were talking about girls (not our wives-- just some other old hoochie mama's of our aquaintance and the whirling rumors around their proclivities )

He looked a bit perplexed ----- i set him down and had a talk with him -- (he's 19, - so this was not a "birds and bees" talk) ---

I let him in on a big secret that a lot of us guys' who are heading towards middle age or even old age try to harbor


I told him

1) Yes - I still notice everything -
2) Yeah, I still think fanny burbs and fanny burp related humor is funny
3) I talk frequently about lewd things to a couple of close friends -- but never about my wife or anybody else's that are in my friend circle
4) I tell dirty jokes whenever possible
4) I still use politically incorrect expressions when i address my friends --- "Hey queeb" is an approved greeting -- this gets wide eyes from the young
5) Most importantly --- i told him - "Look at me as a role model if you must, as i have crawled to the top of my personal food chain and i love what i do --- but realize at any given time , - i am the same guy i was when i was 19 as well -- i am a bit paunchier, slower physically, and some would say more rational, -- but myself, my friends and even your dad -- are all still the same dumb skits we were decades ago, only slightly more refined

--Basically i told him the difference
between being 19 and my age (44) - is i can hold a straight face much longer when i fanny burp up an elevator than i could as a lad ----- other than that i am an improved version of the same 'ol me


I also told him to embrace the journey -- it can be fun. He wont remember any of that until he himself is 44 most likely

[MrMurphy]

Been a busboy (in Los Angeles), we got a cut of the waitress tips. Since ours was a nice place and we made a million (in profits) in 3 months....yeah, even though I was technically making min wage (at the time, $5.15/hr) I was effectively getting 2 paychecks, since my tip share equaled my paycheck...which wasn't a lot.


I tip what I think is appropriate. I've tipped $50 for a $10 meal (I knew her, she needed it, and hey, she was cute), a couple bucks for an average meal, and in one particular case where the service was atrocious, 1 penny and a note to see his manager about future employment in dishwashing (after talking to his manager).

I'd been IN the business (ironically, for the same chain, many years before) so there was no "You don't know how it is".

[mohavesam]

Wow, lots of comments on those machines, that have been in use for years. Ya gotta get out more!

[jnyork]

Wow, lots of comments on those machines, that have been in use for years. Ya gotta get out more!

We get out some, we just go to the right kind of places.