The worst thing about waiting tables...

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I've never waited tables (though I have worked in the kitchen of a nursing home, which put me off food altogether for a while; but I digress...), so I'm asking the experienced servers here:

People have mentioned age and race as factors, but I didn't see any one mention gender and group composition. But I have a friend who swears that the best tips always come from pairs/groups of guys, the worst tips always come from pairs/groups of women, and mixed male-female groups are in the middle (obviously). Whaddaya think?

[Asher]

When I've been in a group of guys at a restaurant we always tipped really well, no one wanted to seem stingy and all. Don't know if all groups are like that.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by Asher
When I've been in a group of guys at a restaurant we always tipped really well, no one wanted to seem stingy and all. Don't know if all groups are like that.

Exactly, plus throwing money around is a form of machismo. That's always been my experience, too.

[Kaak]

Anectdotal evidence only. I see nothing to make me believe Kaak's and Che's experiences can be extended to a general rule.

Wait tables for a couple weeks...

[David Floyd]

My friends and I usually tip around 20%...

[MikeH]

See... the tipping culture is totally different. $2.25 an hour is obscene. You couldn't pay someone that here, it's about 1/3 of minimum wage.

New Zealand's the same as Australia I think, people there would sometimes get offended if you tried to tip them but they definitely appreciated you being nice to them.

The UK is about half way between the two extremes. It's fairly normal to tip around 10% but you certainly wouldn't do it if the service was crap and you could tip more if you thought it was exceptional.

[Asher]

Originally posted by MikeH
See... the tipping culture is totally different. $2.25 an hour is obscene. You couldn't pay someone that here, it's about 1/3 of minimum wage.

I'm not sure if they were joking about the $2.25 thing here...that's well below minimum wage here, and the people I know here who wait tables do so for a bit above min. wage plus tips and make really good money.

[MosesPresley]

That is the whole point. The restaurants are allowed to pay below minimum wage, because the waitstaff is working for tips. I know some restaurants that pay less than $2.00 an hour. This is why I say, if you can't or are too cheap to tip in the US, eat at home.

[MrFun]

double post

[MrFun]

Originally posted by David Floyd

Also people who don't speak English piss me off - even more so when they expect us to speak Spanish. Get a ****ing clue, this is America.

So glad that YOU are able to speak fluently in every country's language that you visit, David.

As for those who do not speak English that live in the United States -- they are probably in the process of trying to learn it -- but you probably never even considered that, have you?

[David Floyd]

So glad that YOU are able to speak in a fluent country in every country that you visit, David.

The only time I've ever visited a country where I didn't know the language was when I went to Cancun. Cancun, though, is a special case, because the part I was in (the party part) is simply an extension of America with Mexican drinking laws.

Further, I didn't go into Mexican department stores outside of the resort area and start babbling in English, expecting someone to understand.

As for those who do not speak English that live in the United States -- they are probably in the process of trying to learn it -- but you probably never even considered that, have you?

I don't really believe that - if they were really trying to learn English, they wouldn't be crying about and demanding bilingual education and speaking Spanish at home to their kids. They'd be teaching English FIRST, speaking ONLY English around their kids, and encouraging ENGLISH ONLY education.
Actually, they shouldn't even have come here to live if they can't speak English, but I'm sure we've had this argument before.

[devilmunchkin]

see..i wouldn't mind if tipping was a "you feel like it" and techinically it is..because alot of people don't realize that many waiters work for under minimum wage...last night was my first night at $2.13 per hour.....i literally must live off tips because even if i work 8 hours, i'm getting $16 on my pay check.
and as far as baylor tippers...they usually tip...which is good...but they don't necessarily tip high.
and another thing..when a restaurant is understaffed and you have one little waiter running around serving the whole restaurant...do you tend to be more understanding when the service is slow....that happened to me the other day..and we only had one cook and i was serving...and some people were really understanding cause they saw me hauling ass..and other still expected everything lickity split..which is impossible when you have to do the whole store

[Kaak]

yup. I Think that is what most people don't understand. WE MAKE $2.13 AN HOUR. This is why tips are important to us. NOT ONLY THAT, but we have to tip out. 1% of our total sales go to the bar tender, and 1% go to the Buss boys...If you and five of your closest friends come in and spend $100 bucks, We have to tip out 2$ whether you leave us a dime or not...

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Lefty Scaevola
Anectdotal evidence only. I see nothing to make me believe Kaak's and Che's experiences can be extended to a general rule.

I never said it was a rule. If it were a rule, you could depend upon it, and wait staff problably wouldn't spend much effort on Black customers. It is frequently, but not always, the case that Black customers don't tip.

Also consider, Lefty, that Southerns are a hell of a lot more polite than Notherners. So it may well be that diminished Black tipping isn't a problem in the South.

[monolith94]

Yeah… that's it… SUuuuuure.
I think you'll find that Northeners (except for obnoxious NYCers) are pretty damn polite!