TIPPING IN ATHENS
When going out to eat, everyone ponders whether to do fast food or full-service. Either choice is fine, but when deciding on which way to go, one should always take into consideration one main item when choosing full-service--the tip. I work in the food industry and have for several years in several different places, and yet, I have never seen so many people who don’t know how to tip as in Athens. I feel obligated to open people’s eyes to this situation, and why it is an issue.
Restaurants only pay servers $2.13 per hour. Most servers, that depend on their job, work about 30-40 hours a week. Doing the math, that would only be, at most, $85 a week before taxes. There is not a person that can pay rent, car payment, cell phone bills, etc. with less than $340 a month. Servers rely on tips to not only make their job worth it, but to make their lives livable.
So, let’s go into the tipping system. As a whole, I have received more 10% and under tips in this city than anywhere else. Adding all the tips up, yes, it would amount to something but not very much. For example, if you were to wait on 4 tables with each of them having a $100 tab and only received 10% tip off of each bill, you would make about $40. Not a bad night, if you think about it adding up. There’s only one catch in this system.
In a restaurant, each server is mandated to pay a “tip out”. For most places, “tip out” is about 2.5% of a servers total sales for a night. So, let’s do a little bit more math! Let’s say that a server comes in to work, and because business is slow, only gets to take one table before they are sent home. Trust me, it happens more than you’d think. This table gets a couple sodas, an appetizer, two entrees, and a dessert; they run up a $40 tab. Let’s say this table tips the server $4 and leaves. A $4 dollar tip on that table would be 10%. Now, again, not only has this server been at work for probably over an hour to serve this table, but they also now have to clean and roll silverware before they leave. Let’s take the “tip out” from the tip at that table. 2.5% of $40 dollars is $1. So, that means the server made $3 in over an hour of work.
“Wait!” you say, “what about their hourly pay?” At the end of the day, a server must report 100% of the tips they earned so they can be taxes. What does this mean? This means that the taxes that they pay on the tips they make get taken out of their hourly pay. So, most server, if not all, don’t get a paycheck, or if they receive one, it is only about $14.
So, next time you go out to eat, if you don’t have enough money to tip the acceptable 18-20%, just go eat fast food, and save everyone some time. I know times are hard with the economy, but the person that is serving you at a restaurant, is trying to support themselves, their kids, etc. We all have story, so pretend like you actually care. That’s what we do.
I don't know much of anything about the food service industry, so don't berate me if I'm wrong, but...
Isn't it illegal for any business to pay workers less than the minimum wage? I don't understand how restaurants could only pay servers $2.13 an hour.
Like I said, could be wrong because I don't know how the system works. Restaurants may be able to say that they're paying servers more because of the tip system. If that's the case, then ignore my comment. :)
I understand your frustration. Having worked service both here, and in Atlanta, the money in Athens just isn't that good. Especially now, during the recession. When I was working service, I was lucky if I pulled above 15% ($40 wkdy/$100 Fri/$70wknd). You can either get used to it (trust me its still the best wage in town)--or--if you can't stand serving for the amount you make, get a job that pays less, but manages to make you happy. I chose the latter, and haven't looked back since.
To the first 4/02 -
Because the servers receive tips, the establishment doesn't have to pay them minumum wage. In the event the server doesn't end up making equivalent to minimum wage after declaring their tips, the restaurant should then make up the difference in the server's paycheck, or at least that's how it worked at the restaurant where I worked.
And I'd like to add before people start accusing the server of sub-par service, a lot of times as a server you can tell when a table isn't going to tip you as well. Often these types of tables are the most demanding, so when you figure you're not getting a good tip, you have two options: continue giving them good service, or spend more time with your other tables who might actually make it worth your time to give them great service... Which would you do? And when a party gets a reputation for not tipping as well, it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle... they don't tip well, they don't get good service, they tip even worse...
However, their employers do have to bring them back up to the normal minimum wage if their tips don't get them there.
If they don't they're breaking the law. They're not supposed to be making their employees work for free.
They ought to be reported to the authorities.
... That's what I said ...
That is why the system of tipping is inherently flawed. Many other countries include tax and service in the price of the good (in this case, food).
Why we still use the tipping system is beyond me, other than the fact that it is now just the status quo.
I sympathize with your argument, however I would say that 15% tip is appropriate (for average service), and not 18-20% as you suggest.
15% is appropriate only if you have a large tab and you didn't make the server refill your drink 70 billion times. Not to mention, a lot of people like to sit and talk for a while after they finish their meal. Let's say you want to catch up with a friend. Well, the longer you sit with that 15% tip that you're so "generously" leaving... you're costing that person hard earned money. The 15% tip is almost a slap in the face. It's saying, "Yeah... I know you did a good job, but I'm too cheap to tip that extra dollar." 20% of a check isn't that much. On 20 tab... $4 tip. Not that hard. That one dollar makes it it work it for a server. Think about it this way. If you sit there tipping 15% on a $20 tab, and for some reason, you don't leave for 2 hours. That server has just made $1.50 an hour on your table. There is no person who should tip LESS than $2... unless they were completely ignored... in which case... I getcha. However... that is seldom (unless you're downtown). Server's work for their tips, and unlike some, I don't judge tables before they tip me. I allow for that slight glimmer of hope that someone will realize that I need to make a living. Of course, I had a table just the other day that ran me to death, needing refills every 5 seconds, and each time I came to the table there was a new task for me to do. I did this with a smile. You know what? I don't mind waiting tables. I enjoy most of the people I meet, and some of them, at the very least, give me a good story sometimes. That table that I ran back and forth for... they left me a $4 tip on $70 tab. That's less than 10%. Which means after tipping out... I made about $3 after about 1 1/2 of work. It was a great day. I've gotten a 1 cent tip from people who just wanted to round up the bill. A 36 cent tip on $22 tab. It's not the 15% people I worry about... they bother me... but the under the 15% that I don't get. GO FAST FOOD IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR A TIP. That way you people are out of my life, and I can just, on a bad day, have a 15% day.