But it'll be your fault when he drops a load in your food.

In the US servers and bartenders generally just make enough of a wage to cover taxes and they pretty much just work for tips. If they're good they can make a good living off it. I like the tip system. If a server works hard and is friendly they're rewarded. If not they won't last long. If I'm in another country where they get paid a more regular wage I wouldn't tip 20% but I'd throw out some kind of a tip for good service. The whole "it's not my fault you get paid less" attitude is just what cheap people use to justify their cheapness.

I have worked in bars and restaurants. I have also done construction work, roofing, and warehouse work. BY FAR, the hospitality industry is the most demanding, both physically and mentally, and also the most thankless. Those of you who made stupid ass comments like "they just bring you your food" are talking out of your assholes. Try actually knowing something about the thing you pass judgment on.

As a construction worker, I took my sweet time to get the job done, and if I didn't do a good job, I got paid just the same. As a waiter, I had people yelling at me from both ends - the customer and the management. If I tried taking my time about any part of the job, I most likely would not have had a job. For a straight 8 hour shift, you can be running your ass off. I would say that putting 35 miles on your feet during one shift is not a stretch.

To top it all off, you have to bow down and kiss the ass of ignorant shits like a few of the people in this thread.

"But it'll be your fault when he drops a load in your food."

What a load of shite. So its either tip me or Im going to do something to your food. How about, "do your fucking job"

We do our job.  We do our job for ingrates like you who think they are above everyone.  And we do it well.  What unmitigated gall makes you think you're better than your waitstaff?

I dont think Im better than you but why should I pay you extra for walking while holding food. You are paid to walk with food and drink, why should I pay you extra?

Sadly the whole thing is subjective.

I, like probably the majority of people will give a couple of quid to a waitress/waiter if they put in a bit of effort. But some people won't, that's the way it is. Doesn't mean it's any excuse to start throwing insults around.

The bottom line is as follows.

There is a cost associated with the meal that you eat.  Part of it are the raw materials, another part is the process of cooking it and finally there is the service related cost.

The food establishment can choose to include the cost of the service related expenses in the final consumer cost and then factor that income in to the salary of the service personal.

Another way is to not factor that in to the consumer cost, and let you the consumer directly compensate the wait staff per their quality of service.  When this is the case, the menu will clearly state that "service is not included".

FYI, in most establishment in the USA, you will have a 15% service cost when the service IS included, no matter what the quality of the service was.

Personally, as a consumer, I would much rather have the choice to pay the service and influence of the quality of it.

Why do we tip in the U.S? Because the government (in my state) factors in tips, which is why thier wages are lower. So lets say you work at wal-mart as a cashier, so you get paid $7.25/hour (roughly minimum wage) to stand there and swipe groceries amd make change, regardless of performance. And the government will tax you accordingly.

As a waiter/waitress, valet etc. The government can only tax your income $2.33/hour (roughly) which is taxed... that leaves you with shit tips are untaxed... THAT IS WHY YOU SHOULD TIP.

Saying that thier job is easy is bullshit... The county "snowplow guy" gets paid union wages... and heres the catch. HE JUST HAS TO DRIVE THE TRUCK, NOT EVEN PLOW.  

I guess that in the beginning it was purely like Charles said, "more for good service, less for poor service". But then, I'm sure the more mediocre waiters started to get a sense of entitlement and I'm sure those stories about waiters complaining about poor or no tips are true.

True story that happened to me in USA: I went to a Chinese restaurant (not buffet style) and the service was horrible. The food took ages to get to the table so some of it was cold and 2 of the menus (we were four people) had burnt food that didn't taste good. We wanted to leave without tipping and taking advantage of the pit stop we did on the way out so the ladies could go to the bathroom, the waiter and a kitchen staff caught up to us and since I didn't understand a word they said I assume they were demanding their tip. At best they were "reminding" us we had forgotten to tip. We gave them a few bucks and made the ladies reimburse us boys for the tip since it was their fault. :p

Anyway, the argument about the bad wages... I guess we are stuck in a vicious circle. If people stopped tipping, maybe waiters would get better salaries, but I'm also sure they would increase the price of the food to pass on the cost to the custimer, so I don't really know what the real solution is.

I'm going to disagree with the people trying to belittle the waiter's job to justify not tipping. It's your money, you don't have to tip if you don't want to, but I think EVERY job well done is deserving of respect.

Texas_Pickles, I think some of your anger is misplaced. Whi is the bigger asshole, the customer that is nice to you but doesn't leave you a tip, or the owner/employer who pay less than three damn dollars an hour for a job that I already expressed my respect for?

You talk about $20 a beer and $30 for a burger... is that really what one must charge just to break even paying minimum wages? I thought your industry had a high profit margin. Please illustrate this if you don't mind if you feel like correcting me.

The whole problem is the *relying* on tipping... I'm not sure the system is ideal.

I can't go up to my landlord and tell him I respect the job he's doing, and I think he's a really great landlord.  He doesn't take verbal rent, and I can't pay my rent with verbal tips.  And, the bigger asshole is the customer, honestly.  I agreed to do this job for this wage for the chance of making tips.  The good news is, for us tipped employees, is that there are far many more good people in the world that some of the Mr. Pink types.  One of the things I've heard before is "I would tip, but I'm on a fixed income."  Which is rediculous.  President Obama is also on a fixed income (which, granted is much higher than most).  I am on a broken income!  I work on commission, and the customer gets to decide what that is!  Can you imagine the automobile industry if it worked like that?  Car salesmen would be broke!

As far as profit margins go, the profit margin is actually low in the bar/restaurant industry.  It's the volume that is done, not the idividual item that makes money.  Let's take my bar in Texas for example . . .

A domestic draft beer costs $2.25.  And, a shot of Jager costs $4.75.  In Texas, the bar pays 14% sales tax on every drink sold.  That's just one tax.  There's also rent, and commerical property isn't cheap.  We own our own building, so there's no rent, but . . . there's also property taxes that must be paid and SS taxes.  Then, we get to the fact that a keg costs slightly less than $80 for us.  And, a bottle of Jager costs in the $30's.  No bar gets their full money's worth out of a keg or a bottle.  There's accidental overpouring or spilling while busy.  And, there's always excess foam that comes out of the taps.  Also, we have to pay our gas, electric, and cable bill.  Nobody comes to a sports bar without TV's.  We also offer NTN Trivia which has a monthly cost.  The pint glasses and shot glasses you drink out of often get broken by people.  Those need to be replaced.  The cola I just used to mix with your whiskey costs money.  The straw you drank out of costs money.  I've seen all these invoices.  This stuff ain't cheap.  There's the salt and lime wedge you had on your tequila.  That costs money, too.  And, we don't go through lemons as quickly as limes, so often 1/3 of our lemon stock goes bad and has to be thrown away.  The laundry bill on the towel I just used to wipe up a spill is more than most people's rent.  The paper towels, bar napkins, and toilet paper also cost money.  The glass cleaner that allows you to see your reflection in the mirror costs money.  So does the bleach, dish soap, sanitizer, and floor cleaner that's used.  The ash tray you put your cigarette out in didn't come free, either.  The chair the drunk guy broke needs to be replaced.  And, as happened on Tuesday night, the bathroom sink got busted by some jackwaggon.  That had to be replaced.  And, let's not forget I still do get an hourly pittance.  So do the door staff, watiresses, and managers.

So . . . out of that $2.25 beer and $4.75 Jager, we have to pay  . . .

Taxes
Wages
Kegs
Bottles
Numerous incidentals we don't charge for like mixers, straws, napkins, fruit, etc.
Electric
Cable
Gas
Upkeep and maintanance

Now, because of the volume we do, we are able to keep our prices lower, which is also dictated by the market.  In order to keep people coming in, we can't charge high prices.  Therefore the profit margin as a percentage is low.  One of the biggest misconceptions in owning a bar or restaurant is that it's a get rich quick scheme.  It's a lot of hard work.  50, 60, even 80 hour work weeks are demanded.  Which is why many MANY places fail - because the owners don't realize that it's a business and a job like any other.  It CAN be good money.  But it's not guaranteed.

In my country you tip (USA). If I was a waiter and you didnt tip me Idspit in your food the next time lol. And I know for a fact some do do that.

For example the pizza delivery guy, you tip him for bringing you your food, its basiclly gas money. The waitress at your local Applebees or Huddle/Waffle House her wages are set for tips. My ex was a waitress and tips are a huge factor in pay. And also its dis-respectful over here in the states, especially down here in the south.

 I thought your industry had a high profit margin. Please illustrate this if you don't mind if you feel like correcting me.

Totally false,A Restaurants "Desired Profit" is 6-7% if ran perfectly.This means 0 waste.No mistakes ect.What people fail to realize it's actually one of the hardest industries to stay alive in.A example of costs.Workers,Garbage pick up,Repairs(Fridges break all the time.)And other equipment,Food Cost,Over-Head(Rent,equipment cost ect.)Par-stock,Advertising,Grease pick up,cleaners,power,heat,water(some cases) Licenses for food,VLT,bar,Food safety training,ect.Quick fact it takes almost 8 months to perfectly train a person 100%.Back to the desired profit 6-7 %,maybe it's slow and prep was a bit much or someone drops something,instead of trimming off bad ends of a vegetable they throw it out,what ever the reason for waste.that nips away at 6-7% next your at 5 maybe 4 .You had to buy a new fryer or fridge which can be 5,000 easily.Not hard to lose that small cut.The first 5 years a restaurant/bar is open.80% fail and close doors.at 10 almost 90%.High profit?easy to run.I think not.The failure rate is astonishing.Two things can kill a restaurant in a heart beat to high or low of a food cost or labour cost.Fast food chains are more profitable usually around 11%.

And not to mention tax by government , 

Did you just flat out rip this off from Resevoir Dogs or did you actually come up with this on your own. I enjoy the great Tarantino don't get me wrong but I'm not fond of plagarizers.

I guess thats what happens when you become a teacher for a profession, occupational hazard as they say.

I am a chef and run a restaurant,I have never heard of that resevoir dogs.

Are you saying teachers are plagiarizers??? And also, in a place where dozens of people have spoken, it would be quite helpful if you told us who you were addressing.

Regarding the guy who said bartending is more physically difficult than the contstruction industry.  Come on.  You must have been a union guy.  I worked construction for a non-union company.  Got paid shit and there's no being lazy and getting away with it.  We'd get fired. 

I'm not saying being a bartender is not emotionally difficult, I'm not saying they shouldn't be tipped, but if you're doing real construction, and not just being some overpaid union hack, that is one of the few professions that is actually physically demanding.  If we're talking physically, you won't find a soul who finds serving drinks more physically difficult than lifting bricks for 12 hours. 

Growing up, my folks would take my sister and I out  to eat. Not very often, but maybe on the weekend, once every week or so. When it came time to pay the bill, my father would be very generous and would tip at least 20%.

He wasn't liberal with his money by any means, he just had the attitude, you take care of people that take care of you. You develope a reputation with a particular waiter, bartender. They know your generous with tips and they'll in turn be generous with respect to service.

I follow the same doctrine. It's never wise to be rude or cheap with the people handling your food, or pouring your drinks. I don't know about you, but I don't want to idling 5 minutes at a busy pub waiting for a cold one.