Tipping at Olive Garden, Longhorns etc

[Jennywren]

An interesting article on CNN's website today about pay and tipping.

edition.cnn/2021/03/25/b...ges/index.html

Shows why tipping is such a big issue in the States with basic pay as low as $2.13 an hour.

[sophiepop]

Interetsting. They are suggesting that even at $2.13 per hour, they still take away (on average) $17 when they include tips. And then somebody else says they should earn $15 per hour and keep the tips on top. This could end up a very well paid job.

I wonder if they raise their hourly rate if the 'suggested tips' at the bottom of the bill will come down or are they going to still want 20+%

[Jennywren]

Personally I think they should all get a liveable basic wage of at least $15 an hour, and that tips should only be an optional bonus that as customers we choose to offer for exceptional customer service.
I hate not being sure what I am paying and have often tipped well only to find out later a service charge of 20% has been added to my bill as well.

[JohnD]

Originally Posted by sophiepop

Interetsting. They are suggesting that even at $2.13 per hour, they still take away (on average) $17 when they include tips. And then somebody else says they should earn $15 per hour and keep the tips on top. This could end up a very well paid job.

I wonder if they raise their hourly rate if the 'suggested tips' at the bottom of the bill will come down or are they going to still want 20+%

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Sophie, when they've come to expect it as a matter of course, no matter what the quality, I suspect they'll be very loath to give it up and will still expect it. Cue some interesting 'discussions'.

[jemrock]

I am really surprised the average is as high as it currently is at Olive Garden - it would be fascinating to see the same analysis of Disney server wages!

[JohnD]

Originally Posted by jemrock

I am really surprised the average is as high as it currently is at Olive Garden - it would be fascinating to see the same analysis of Disney server wages!

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I read in another article that some Disney servers are making so much out of tips that they are being given a security escort to the staff car-park.

[duchy]

Originally Posted by Jennywren

Personally I think they should all get a liveable basic wage of at least $15 an hour, and that tips should only be an optional bonus that as customers we choose to offer for exceptional customer service.
I hate not being sure what I am paying and have often tipped well only to find out later a service charge of 20% has been added to my bill as well.

See more...

If a service charge is added it’s usually only if there are six or more in the party but it’s always shown separately on the bill , I always check the bill before signing anyway , I can’t think of a reason not to , with lots of tables it’s easy for a server to accidentally add drinks or an extra item to the wrong bill.

[Shooby doo]

Ok I don't disagree with $15/hour & I'm in the camp that if they get it & the "tip loophole" is removed then I would expect a Tip % to reflect this. My point is this, $15/hour would be the highest minimum wage in the world & is certainly a lot higher than the UK- I think you would be surprised at how many jobs do not even get close to this.
One "interesting" fact that I read, bearing in mind I don't know how many times I've heard "but they will still be taxed on the tip if you don't pay it", now this is highly unlikely but if a server receives no tips, then the restaurant has to make up the difference to the minimum.
SD

[OutbackAddict]

Originally Posted by Shooby doo

Ok I don't disagree with $15/hour & I'm in the camp that if they get it & the "tip loophole" is removed then I would expect a Tip % to reflect this. My point is this, $15/hour would be the highest minimum wage in the world & is certainly a lot higher than the UK- I think you would be surprised at how many jobs do not even get close to this.
One "interesting" fact that I read, bearing in mind I don't know how many times I've heard "but they will still be taxed on the tip if you don't pay it", now this is highly unlikely but if a server receives no tips, then the restaurant has to make up the difference to the minimum.
SD

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Yeah $15 a hour would be about £11.00 an hour considerably more than the UK minimum wage where there is a far less widespread tipping culture with 'expected' rates between 10 and 12.5% not the 18 to 20% plus in the US

[landandword17]

And we have the NHS, affordable third level education, lots of cities where you can get a nice semi in a decent estate for under 100K. It is true that a $15 an hour minimum wage would be higher than any European country and it's also true that $15 in Alabama would be a comfortable living but it is very expensive to live in the US as they have such a poor social safety net and absurd prices for education and healthcare. I know some places in NYC, LA and SF already pay a minimum $15 and too right. I wouldn't live in any of those cities for less than $30 an hour. I spent summers there on J1 visas and while you start out thinking you'll be minted when you were earning £7 an hour back home you come home with a new found appreciation of the NHS and affordable thrid level education. Heck even our very best fee paying schools are a bargain by US Standards - the tuition of the random private school across the street for our hotel in Texas - 45K per student!

Of course I will add that if every state in the US was paying $15 minimum then I also believe tipping % should be adjusted for the cost of living in the area. A Denny's server in a sleepy Arkansas town would indeed be striking oil if she was getting 22% on top if her hourly wage. A NYC server and the NYC market could bear a higher max top %.