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Sunday, July 23, 2017

Sad Waitress Gets $0 Tip On $187 Bill, So She Takes Matters Into Her Own Hands

When I was a teenager, I started out babysitting. Then I worked at a gas station pumping gas. But my real work began as a waitress… and it was back-breaking, foot-killing work. But at the time, the pay wasn’t bad. This was before the IRS clamped down on tips, like they do now. So, I can relate to this waitress in Colorado. On a ticket order for $187.43, the diners stiffed her on a tip. She took this issue to Facebook and let ‘er rip. I don’t blame her in the least.

Taylar Cordova took a picture of the receipt and posted it on Facebook. She followed it up with a passionate and articulate commentary on what it takes to work as a waitress. Waiters and waitresses count every penny they get in tips. It’s the difference between paying the bills and going without. The good ones are worth their weight in gold and they know when to be there for you and when to go away. They are there to cater to every order and need of the customer. All they ask in return is fair compensation for making the meal enjoyable and worry-free. When you chintz on a tip, it is a very selfish thing. Even now, when we go out, we tip between 25 and 50% of the meal. At the very least, you should tip 15% – this is a person that doesn’t ask anything else from you and they serve with no complaints.

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51 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry I don't believe in tipping. Lots of people have grueling jobs some physical some mentally challenging etc etc. Is it nice to get a tip, yes BUT it is not mandatory. People should be able to go out and enjoy a date night it family night that they have worked and saved for, they are not obligated to tip. Most have sacrificed just to do this, so don't try the guilty trip if you can't afford a tip don't go out BS. Everyone is struggling to pay their bills and some have two and three jobs and I'm sure they don't get tips. Firm believer that the restaurant businesses need to pay their employees instead if hogging the money they make for their own profit, it's all a money greed game.

Anonymous said...

Are you crazy? These people work for $3.xx/hr plus tips. When you do that you say it's totally fair for them to make $3.xx/hr. Get off your high horse and pay for service.

Anonymous said...

1:39 AM - Yikes! If you don't believe in tipping, go to a place where tipping isn't expected.

Anonymous said...

All my credit card slips have a zero in the tip line. WHY? Because I tip in cash @ 15-20%. If you don't like that and want to take pictures and post them on Facebook demanding 25-50%, I'm going to have to charge my tip and make you pay tax on it.

I can tell this "Wait" person was tipped in cash because of the lack of complaint of having to pay tax out of their tips for an "assumed" 15% tip.

Watch out what flags you wave out there; you just might get what you're asking for.

Anonymous said...

I believe in tipping but 25-50% tip is absurd. However, I do believe that 15% should be the starting point as long as the service is very good.

Anonymous said...

Obviously, Anon 1:39 doesn't realize server staff receive below minimum wages because they are expected to receive tips. But maybe in this case, cash was left on the table and someone else picked it up. I usually leave a cash tip anyway because some restaurants deduct some of the credit card processing fee from the tip amount.

Anonymous said...

What an uninformed comment, 1:39. Waitstaff pay includes tips. They make only a few dollars an hour base pay.

Anonymous said...

ask any waitress and they will tell you that blacks in general don't tip. Mexican and Latinos are great. Not a racist statement but rather a fact.

I Threw Up My Lemonade When I Saw This On Your Blog! said...

Tipping is based on quality of service. If you want good tips; give good service. Many servers today don't understand this premise because they think they're owed tips due to the low wages they're paid. The reason for the low wage is they're expected to get high tips because any restaurant owner would expect his wait staff to render exceptional service to his customers. The assumption is badly flawed and based in misconceptions about what good service really means.

Anonymous said...

We are one of the few countries in the world that tips their waitresses. I believe in tipping for more than 20% if the service is good and less if it is bad. For posting this, she should be fired. He may have had his reason's for not tipping. She made herself and the restaurant she works look bad. For that she needs to be fired.

Anonymous said...

I tip at least 25% to try to make up for all the cheap bastards out there

Anonymous said...

There are times I tip 100% if the service is fantastic especially on bills $20 and under. If the service is bad, I'll tip 10%. Depends on the service. It's one of the downsides of doing this type of work, unless you have pride in what you do.

Anonymous said...

When I served it was a lot more intensive than I ever imagined. I've been stiffed on checks over 100 and under. I've had instances where I've given amazing service and got very little and given less than stellar service because of the busyness of the place or back of the house needs and I've gotten tipped well. I usually believe it all balances out eventually - the only bad thing is most establishments have servers tip out a percentage of sale to bussers and the bar so the server probably actually owes the place a tip out on their bill. all you can really do as a server is the best you can and hope people appreciate your work - sometimes you'll get rotten apples that don't believe in tipping or people without the $$ to even eat out and it's hard not to be upset. But that's really the Kind of job it is - you can walk out with $350 in one night or $35. this likely why hospitality has such a high turnover - hang in there $187!

Anonymous said...

1:39. If you don't like the system then stay home. It's rude not to tip when you get good service. You would be complaining if the service fees were incorporated into the menu prices.

Anonymous said...

1:39 you're not worthy to go out. too immature, clueless, stupid...go to McDonald's or another fast food restaurant...shame on you.

Anonymous said...

So when I waited 15 minutes for a waitress because she sat at the bar talking about her party last nigt
To the bartender.. got the order wrong.. never apologized... had a horrible attitude... and when I requested my correct order she rolled eyes.. I should tip her ? Maybe the restaurant should be responsible for Making sure she makes atleast minimum wage or be well trained,not me.. I am always polite and understanding because I waitressed and bartended in my younger years but not all serve staff are friendly and accomadating.. some are rude and just don't want to do the job and I am not required to reward this..

JoeAlbero said...

I was at an event in Philly many years ago. We went to Bookbinders restaurant for dinner where we had a bill that came to over $400.00. That was pretty typical, (if you had ever been there) and I tipped 25%.

We were walking out the door when the waiter confronted me and said, did I do something wrong? Confused, I said, excuse me? he said, you only left a 25% tip, did I do something wrong. I replied, you dare try to embarrass me in front of my guests with that BS, get out of my face.

Needless to say we never went back and now they are no longer in business.

USMCRetired said...

I only tip if the service is adequate or good. Most of the time the servers are just going through the motions and forget a lot of what you asked for. They hardly return to see if you need additional help or service. Tips are a reward for GOOD service not for doing your job!

Anonymous said...

I know these people work their butts off for low pay. That is because they depend on tips. I generally tip 20%. That is if everything went fine with no extras. If the service was lousy I still tip them 15%. I have been out with others at a restaurant and was embarrassed by their tipping. This one guy was always dissatisfied with something. And one time we ate in diner and the food was slow coming out of the kitchen. Well, the waitress was nice and apologized for the slow kitchen staff. Well, this fellow when it came time to leave left the poor waitress two pennies. Everyone else at our table left a nice tip for her. Some people can be real jerks.

Anonymous said...

I love how everyone is on her side, but the fact is, her boss, and millions of bosses like him get away with paying them "Slave" wages. The boss expects the customer to pick up the slack in what he should be paying his employees. I can eat a comparable meal in a restaurant in Rome, Paris, or Madrid, and not be required to tip the help. In fact Tips are not expected. Like one girl said, "I get paid to do a job, why do you need to pay me too"?
There was a study on what employers save by not paying minimum wage to their help, they save $15 billion a year!

Anonymous said...

Aw shucks....there's a rhyme/riddle that has to do with a person disliking their $3 per hr waiter/waitress/cook/bar keep job to move where the food is...aka, like a bigger populated area that is not called SALISBURY.

If they are unable to move, then quit your liberal whining and be a better waiter/waitress/cook/bar keep!!!

Anonymous said...

Give good service to EVERYONE, take the good with the bad, and look for another job. People are people, and some will always just be a..holes.

Dan said...

Coffee in Madrid, 2 eruo = $2.20
Coffee in Paris, 2.50 eruo = $2.80
Spaghetti in Rome, 12 eruo = $15.00
Gelato in Rome, 2 eruo = $2.20

I also travel all over, and these are the prices, and the waitstaff get paid minimum wage for their country. American workers, and the customers are getting ripped off!

Anonymous said...

Exactly.

Anonymous said...

Every time a server in a restaurant addresses my party as "You guys", I mentally subtract 1% of my intended tip. This familiarity might be appropriate for a sports bar or a clam shack in the boonies, but it's not for a respectable restaurant that wants my business again.

Anonymous said...

No I'm not crazy. They need to find another job that pays better or get a second job...as other people do in their low paying jobs. And until the industry forces the employer to actually pay their staff the BS wages will continue to be low, Originally a tip was left for good service NOT to supplement a wage, but the employer saw this as an advantage to him to keep the profit instead of paying decent wages. People know wages are low in the restaurant business, so if you want better wages apply elsewhere. This has nothing to do with being on a high horse it's about changing the industry and making them pay instead of letting them continue this farce. It has nothing to do with being uninformed, wake up people, don't let the employer be greedy at the expense of their employees.

Anonymous said...

A tip should not be "expected" for any job.

Anonymous said...

Well aware of the fact they have low wages. Don't think tips should be expected, think the employer should pay better wages. Quit letting the greedy employer get away with this.

Anonymous said...

It's not rude. Tipping should never have been accepted to begin with. No need trying the quilt trip to stay home. I have every right to go out when and where I choose, as I have every right to tip or not.

Anonymous said...

And you are part of the problem shame on you. Need to change the industry and demand better wages instead of having your patrons pay for greed.

Anonymous said...

The biggest problem in America is the employer pays his waitress little over $3.00 per hour. Expects the customer to pay the difference to make up to the minimum wage. Then every week just about you go into the same restaurants and they have increased their prices with none of the waitress salaries going up. Now who is raking in the profit?? Then the girl is getting tips and has to give a percentage to the bar and bus boys. So the customer is getting the higher prices when eating there plus they want us to tip 20-25% to the help to make up their salary and the bar and bus boys. Employers you keep robbing the customer and you will find yourself out of business because I have seen the quality and quanity going downhill also.

Anonymous said...

Joe. I knew Sam and Joann Bookbinder. They were wonderful folks. They would have been horrified if they knew one of the their severs did such a thing. As for them closing. They wanted to retire and none of the kids were interested in continuing the family business. So they decided to sell the restaurant. No one would by it because part of sale required changing the name. The name "Bookbinder's" was not part of the deal. As far as tipping I've been on both sides of this issue. I've worked in the business for almost 30 years, and I eat out also. I always tip well because I understand the plight of servers. If I'm in a situation where the service is sub par I'll ask the server to determine what I should pay them. Then I'll tell them what I though their service was worth and why.

Anonymous said...

Your right, it has nothing to do with being uninformed. It's just being disgustingly and laughably cheap. Except for those unfortunate enough to serve you, then it's just sad. If you "don't believe in tipping", then do everyone a favor and get your food to go. It sounds like your the one that needs a second or better paying job.

Anonymous said...

11:50

Stop being cheap and broke, while acting like "greedy" restaurant owners are to blame. Your a joke.

Anonymous said...

I feel sorry for anyone that has to serve you. If your broke and can't tip, it's not "guilt tripping", it's common sense. Cook at home or order to go.

Anonymous said...

Has nothing to do with being cheap either. A tip is not mandatory period. They accepted a job that pays low wages, I should not have to supplement their income due to a greedy employer. If that were the case we should tip every person we come in contact with for doing their job. I'm not supporting this farce

Anonymous said...

Not being cheap, the employer is by not paying better wages. You have people campaigning at McDonald's for $15 an HR wage hike. Time for people to stand up against the restaurant industry. I guarantee you they are making enough profit to pay better.

Anonymous said...

I'm not broke work hard long hours to have what I have. And if I choose to go out I will and I also choose not to tip. We don't get tips at our job and we serve the public. Tips are not mandatory and should not be thought of as a given. And people who are struggling ( there are others with low paying wages ) and want to treat themselves to a night out they should. And if they can't tip they should not feel guilty about it.

Anonymous said...

I was in the restaurant business for some time. Now I own a company no not a restaurant I'm not crazy when I go out to eat I almost always leave a 50% tip and sometimes a 100% why because I make great money I only by what I need and live by a saying "It's not a bargain at any price if you don't need it" going out to eat is a luxury so I treat my server very well. If you can't afford it stay home lol just my opinion but I do expect someone to tip there server at least 20% it's only fair. It would be nice if restaurant owners would pay there employees a living wage like the rest of the world

Anonymous said...

1:39 you are a cheap POS period.

Anonymous said...

Restaurants have to compete. That said, either get rid of tipping altogether and pay servers $25 an hour and put it in the menu price, or leave existing in place, but all have to agree Statewide.

Argument here is futile, and I still think the complainant got his/ her tip in cash like I do.

F**K Uncle Sam!

Anonymous said...

6:55

The mental gymnastics your doing to justify being as cheap as you are is hilarious. Your just broke and cheap, yet you want to justify it by acting like your making some moral stand against the restaurant industry. You're an absolute clown.

Anonymous said...

"And if they can't tip they should not feel guilty about it." You just admitted that your broke and cheap. So you have someone else serve you, and then refuse to pay them for the service that they provide and you are convinced that YOU are in the right. Your simply pathetic and laughable.

Anonymous said...

No you're playing into the hands of the employer NOT the employee. I have been to restaurants were no tipping is allowed. Such a novel idea they actually pay their employees.

Anonymous said...

Then tell me why should we pay McDonald's workers $15/he and a restaurant employee $3. Everyone in an uproar about low wages, but I guess you think it's ok for them to try and depend on tips.

Anonymous said...

I said people less fortunate should not be deprived of going out occasionally and having dinner. To tell them they can't enjoy a much needed night out because they can't tip is wrong. Wait staff serve that's their job, their employer should be the one paying them. You must be one of them, demand better pay, get a second job or a better paying job, it's not my responsibility to supplement your income. I work for mine and don't expect a handout

Anonymous said...

Do any McDonald's workers around here make $15? No. If you don't understand the difference between a McDonald's cashier or a server who's spends an hour or two serving you, your simply a moron. But keep attempting to justify being so cheap. Hilarious.

Anonymous said...

You are so clueless as to the whole point of the discussion. No one said McDonald's are actually being paid that but people are trying to get that done, but there is no talk of the restaurant business trying to get better wages. I bet you were are still are working for a cheap restaurant. But keep whining about not getting tips that will certainly help your income problem.

Anonymous said...

Please only eat at restaurants that pay their employees at least minimum wage. You will either be eating fast food or paying much more than you want for your meal. If you want restaurants to pay more they will gladly pass that cost on to you the consumer. You say restaurants are greedy. The profit margins for them is thinner then almost any other industry, hence the failure rate is higher then the divorce rate.

LastMohican said...

July 17, 2017 at 1:39 AM

If you don't believe in tipping, I don't believe you should eat out, except maybe McDonald's or similar.

Anonymous said...

Tipping is not an entitlement! It is a reward for good or outstanding service. Tips should not be expected or demanded! Servers should be mindfull of their customers and perform more attentively. I tip in accordance with the attitude and service I receive; and if you don't properly do your job, you get NO TIP!