Re: Last night was "surf and coop."

On 3/8/2025 11:56 PM, Carol wrote:

Ed P wrote:
 

On 3/8/2025 10:14 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
>

I am not a big fan of the taxing and tipping culture and would
prefer  that tax and service be included in the menu price. I do
tip but I stick  to the old standard of 15% for good service and I
am fed with the  pressure for a minimum 20% just for showing up.
>
>

Won't work.  Tipping in restaurants is ingrained and overall, works.
>
Canada may be different,but in the US, states determine minimum wage
for service workers if they want more than the federal mandate of
$2.13.  In Florida is in the $10,98 vs $14 for regular minimum.
>
The business will have to pay more so prices will go up to cover it.
People will complain, even if a tip is not needed and some sales will
be lost.
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Let's say they start to pay the $14 wage.  Many servers will quit.
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Take a family restaurant type, Applbee's, or Chili's. What do you
think is a fair and decent wage for the server?
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Oh, under present setup, servers often have to share a portion of the
tip with others, like food runners.
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OK, as manager, what do you think your servers should earn?

 Long ago I worked with this.  What most don't know if if it's a chain
place (Applebees, Chili's, Denny's etc. including McDonalds and that
set), they have to be paid minimum wage.  It's the NON-CHAIN places
where you might see the 2.13hr.  Waiters at bars, Bartenders are fair
game for it.  Exception Hard Rock Cafe, Hooters, etc are probably big
enough to be part of it.
 

What the heck are you talking about?  Tipped employee minimum wage varies by state.  Check it out:
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped
Quite a few only earn $2.13/hour in base pay.  The employer is supposed to make up the difference to meet the state minimum wage if the tipped employee doesn't report enough in tips to meet the minimum.

The people aren't going to tell you this.  They want you to think they
get 2.13hr so you tip heavily in sympathy.
 

WTH?

Starbucks is the worst.  They pay well over minimum wage and have good
benefits, even ones that help pay for a degree.
>

An employer can choose to pay over minimum wage but they cannot fall below the state minimum hourly rate. In a lot of states the minimum wage is higher than the Federal rate (which is still $2.13/hour).

I DO leave a good tip if service is good.  I leave more if they
actually fall under the 2.13hr (a few local places do like my favorite
Chinese place) but most of them pay more than 2.13hr just to get people.

Do you routinely discuss hourly wages with the people who work at restaurants?  How do you know what they're being paid?
Jill