desdemona
2nd Level Orange Feather
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2001
- Messages
- 2,375
- Points
- 38
That needs to change.
I hate the idea of refusing to tip, and I won't be participating, but I will at least acknowledge that when you look past all the cocky bluster and the self-righteous responses of indignation, it's clear that the #notips movement if successful would promote the change that needs to take place. If tipping stops altogether, the restaurant owners and managers will be forced to pay a better wage if they want to attract potential employees. Also, it achieves the goal without government intervention, which is always a plus.
I realize that by continuing to tip I'm helping to perpetuate this sociological dysfunction, but it's something I've always done, and likely always will do. It's just not in me to leave without paying a tip.
What can I say? I'm weak.
You really think that if the government states that by federal or state law it is legal to pay employees $2.13 an hour, and people stop tipping, that this will encourage restaurant owners to increase wages? Sure... sure. And then they lay people off to cut costs. And raise food prices (which will now be equal to what you would have paid with a tip - and then some). You'll have something akin to what Mitch described with one server covering dozens of tables so the restaurant can afford to keep the costs down and profit margin up. Otherwise, the restaurant will fail - and certainly, the food industry might have to rethink its position. I agree, change is needed. But turning the screws on like this, you can drive things both ways... either it drives people out the door (refusing to pay higher costs for the same food) or few will be wiling to work in a restaurant doing such "menial" labor for the minimum wage that they will be forced to accept (assuming most restaurants aren't going to go higher than that).
Tipping was once a "Gratuity" - a gracious bonus for excellent service. Service as a whole is sliding into the ground in more industries than the food industry. Try explaining to the new generation what it used to be like to get a live person on the phone to help you. So we now have complacency for poor service on top of everything else to deal with. It's a great start - I'd love to see a restaurant start the idea of no tips and see how it goes. I work on commission, too. Perhaps, if servers (I h,ate using that term after someone referred to them as "servants") were guaranteed a base salary and then given a percentage on top of what they sold it would incentivize them to offer more to customers (drinks, desserts, etc). Lots to think about other than #notipping. And I don't think it's a sign of weakness - unless you call following the other sheep weak. But that's a whole other herd of problems 😉