DesignRJC

A meal at a casual restaurant such as BJ’s or TGIFridays. Rowdy crowd. Good atmosphere. Drinks. Good times.

Or…

Perfect environment, stylish post-modern setting, jazzy lounge music and a fusion cuisine. Romantic dinner or first date.

Whatever it is, as long as it is a meal that you are eating out, there is a hidden fee. Why is it restaurants are able to demand gratuity of service charges of 10%, 15% or even 20%? I believe in tipping and gratuity but does it not come at the performance of the server? If the server sucked, why do they deserve a tip?

Similarly, what distinguishes the reason behind tipping? Typically you tip or offer gratuity to doorsmen at hotels, people that bring your luggage, cab drivers, strippers and bartenders just to name a few. But if society decides to tip or offer gratuity to some and leave some others out, is it fair? I deserve a tip too right? Or is tipping generally reserved for people working hourly wages? It is just horrible when people expect a tip for doing their job… key word, THEIR JOB. If you serve coffee at a diner and bring me a hot meal, you don’t deserve a tip. However, if you happen to bring me a pie after the meal, you deserve a tip because you went out of the way for me.

When you applied for your job, in your job description if you were a waiter/waitress, its description read “to host, serve food, etc” at “xx/hour”. Now why the hell do you deserve tip unless you exceed a patrons expectations. Same thing goes for strippers, you are an exotic dancer or stripper or erotic performer or whatever; that is your job. Why do you get a tip? Sure if give me something extra and exceed my expectations, you deserve it. Why is it expected and become a general rule of thumb that a tip is expected.

In my profession, I do a whole lot of tedious work. Before I get to the labor portion, I have to consult, qualify and upsale clients on services they know they need to use. And when an event happens, I have to set them up. I too deserve a tip because I am doing my job just like any doorman or cab driver.

The hidden fees. I would rather restaurants just put a cost to a meal that included tip so I do not need to calculate it myself. In addition, let these companies deal with the accounting and how they will be able to take care of its own employees, why let me decide? If you want to hire someone for “xx/hour” and give them a 10% incentive for working, do it on your own. Why should I have to calculate and put into the tip jar so that everyone can divide it up later. Do away with the hidden fees.

I don’t care if its for a party of 8 or greater where gratuity is already included because I have noticed, when you have more patrons sitting in the same party, your service sucks anyway. You get the orders wrong, water is refilled slower and most of the time, there is one person who does not receive their order or they get the wrong meal.

Does you agree with me? Once again, I believe in tipping and gratuity but when the service sucks, there is not point in tipping. Tips and gratuity is a factor of whether an individual exceeds its patrons expectations and goes above and beyond. Just like any job, if you do well and go above and beyond, you will be noticed and be promoted sooner or later.

Let me know your thoughts.