^^^
Boss, I am not defending the people that posted on the tumblr site and bitched and complained and outed the cheap tippers.
Nor do I disagree wholeheartedly with any of the points you are making.
However, really read through this thread and look at some of the comments and opinions that are pointed out. It's depressing to know people are so callous and cheap...and tend to have this "though peasants dont deserve my monies" attitude.
LOTSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS of people CANNOT just up and get a different job. Many single mothers need the shift work that only a restaurant can provide and the flexible hours and so on..just as one example.
Maybe where I go out to eat is different, but I have the same servers, managers, hostesses all the time. A lot of non-franchise restaurants are the same as far as I have seen. So maybe try out your local hot-spot, a mom and pop diner, or even an all out 5 star restaurant and you will see the same employees at the same times more often?
I only see the revolving door of staff at places like applebees, swiss chalet, mcdonalds etc etc.
Restaurant down the street is the same waitress each and every time we eat there. She has 4 kids, works the night shift that starts once her husband gets home from work...and practically sweats all night running as fast as she can to get food ready and served piping hot.
I dont think not tipping is a "though peasants dont deserve my monies" attitude or being cold and callous attitude. I openly dont tip but routinely give money to charities, do angel trees ( plural ) at Christmas, and give all my kids clothes/shoes/toys to those with less when mine outgrow them ( all in good shape ). Its not about keeping a few bucks in my pocket so that I can afford a new pen at the end of the week or else I wouldnt do the other charitable things I do ( and never write off on my taxes ).
And it may be true there are more franchise type rest. here then in your town which is why I dont see the same people at the places I visit.
However, the single mothers or people working that job for the shift prob will never compute with me. I live in a small town ( near a bigger city though ) and my choices for 3rd shit ( or any shift ) right now are:
1. Bartender/Waiter - $2.50 an hour plus unknown tips
2. Mail room at bill processing centers - $13 an hour
3. UPS or FEDex hubs ( in lots of areas in USA ) - $15 - $20 an hour
4. Ford or Toyota plant worker - $30 an hour
5. RN/Hospital/health Care worker - $12 an hour to $60k a year ( RN )
6. Security ( think bank, parking lots, etc ) - $13 an hour
7. Kroger/Walmart stock person/warehouse - $9 an hour to $35k a year
I could list more, but in all these jobs I am sure a mix of these types of jobs can be found in most areas. Out of all of them the wait staff one is by for the lowest paying one per hour. For the life of me I dont see why someone would pick this job over the others I listed unless there just happenes to be NO JOB whatsoever expect the 1 position at Mels Diner that day.
I think the truth more leans to that the waitress/waiter know they can easily make $12-20 an hour IF they only wait on 5 tables an hour ( conservative ) and the average bill is $10 ( very conservative ) and the average tip is 20% ( $2 ). Thats $10 an hour on tips ( conservative ) plus their wage which bumps them to $12.50 an hour. Not baller status at all, but is on par with some of the jobs I listed above.
Mind you, not claiming these on your taxes is also the NORM. for these positions, so in fact these people are making more then someone making $12.50 an hour as well since they are not paying taxes on it.
They are basically trying to make their living HOPING that people always tip 15% to 20% and then getting upset when people dont. I just honestly could not feel secure or good about myself and choice of career/part time job knowing my family and livelihood depended on the hope of me getting tips and making that 12-20 an hour. It would be like playing those scratch off games or the lottery/bingo.
I just find it hard to believe people can not find another flexible job. I know all the ones I worked ( none restaurant ) we always had people coming in and out when they wanted because of family schedules so I know workplaces allow this.
I just feel some of these people think its an easy way to make up to $20 an hour and they start to depend on it and then get mad when someone doesnt tip them.