3 ms·

Part of the problem here is the 'tradition' of tips being a portion of the staff's wage. I'd prefer to see the 'tip' build in to the prices, workers paid a liv

Part of the problem here is the 'tradition' of tips being a portion of the staff's wage. I'd prefer to see the 'tip' build in to the prices, workers paid a living wage, and any tip being purely an optional thing for great service.

refurb 8y ago
I think if you asked a lot of server’s they prefer the below-minimum wage based plus tips to a “living wage”. I know plenty of servers who pull in an equivalent hourly wage of $30 on a good night. They’d get screwed if tips went away and they were paid a living wage of $20 per hour.
- mjevans 8y ago
  There are also the performers that do very well, compared to the vast swaths of starving artist types. If there is a minimum wage, no field should have an exception for it; that includes the labor working at places that aren't having a busy night with expensive meals. This is also about benefiting the customers; simple transparent pricing. No variable things added later. I also want /taxes/ to be included in the advertised price (at least on the local menus; national / widely targeted ads should include large text disclaimers)
  - cglace 8y ago
    They get paid minimum wage if their wage + tips do not equal minimum wage.
    - mjevans 8y ago
      My customer facing time was in a different industry, HOWEVER, that is not what I heard. The jist was that the /minimum/ wage was what the worker was required to take home, tips inclusive, and that if they couldn't clear that bar (the restaurant had to pay them more) they were retrained and/or otherwise moved around until they either could or quit on their own.
      - cglace 8y ago
        Sure, they may be fired or moved around. However it's the law that they must make at least minimum wage for the hours worked. https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm
- s73v3r_ 8y ago
  And there are plenty of servers who get absolutely fucked by this system. They don't make nearly that amount in tips, and despite the law saying otherwise, most restaurants won't make up the difference. Wage theft is very common in that industry.
  - FireBeyond 8y ago
    And there are many who make far above the IRS assumed wages for cash/tip based incomes who definitely do not declare that.
- patient_zero 8y ago
  subjective experience here. i was once a server, and I'd have greatly preferred a living wage plus token tips. the worst part being the loophole around minimum wage is that it incentivizes the widespread practice of tip pooling by restaurant owners. nowadays when you tip your waiter you're also tipping the busser, foodrunner, hostess (and with the recent law change allowing it, the line cook). it is too easily used as a tool to skirt wage laws by making every employee a tipped one.

refurb 8y ago

I think if you asked a lot of server’s they prefer the below-minimum wage based plus tips to a “living wage”. I know plenty of servers who pull in an equivalent hourly wage of $30 on a good night. They’d get screwed if tips went away and they were paid a living wage of $20 per hour.

mjevans 8y ago
There are also the performers that do very well, compared to the vast swaths of starving artist types. If there is a minimum wage, no field should have an exception for it; that includes the labor working at places that aren't having a busy night with expensive meals. This is also about benefiting the customers; simple transparent pricing. No variable things added later. I also want /taxes/ to be included in the advertised price (at least on the local menus; national / widely targeted ads should include large text disclaimers)
- cglace 8y ago
  They get paid minimum wage if their wage + tips do not equal minimum wage.
  - mjevans 8y ago
    My customer facing time was in a different industry, HOWEVER, that is not what I heard. The jist was that the /minimum/ wage was what the worker was required to take home, tips inclusive, and that if they couldn't clear that bar (the restaurant had to pay them more) they were retrained and/or otherwise moved around until they either could or quit on their own.
    - cglace 8y ago
      Sure, they may be fired or moved around. However it's the law that they must make at least minimum wage for the hours worked. https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/002.htm
s73v3r_ 8y ago
And there are plenty of servers who get absolutely fucked by this system. They don't make nearly that amount in tips, and despite the law saying otherwise, most restaurants won't make up the difference. Wage theft is very common in that industry.
- FireBeyond 8y ago
  And there are many who make far above the IRS assumed wages for cash/tip based incomes who definitely do not declare that.
patient_zero 8y ago
subjective experience here. i was once a server, and I'd have greatly preferred a living wage plus token tips. the worst part being the loophole around minimum wage is that it incentivizes the widespread practice of tip pooling by restaurant owners. nowadays when you tip your waiter you're also tipping the busser, foodrunner, hostess (and with the recent law change allowing it, the line cook). it is too easily used as a tool to skirt wage laws by making every employee a tipped one.