"Dave Smith" wrote in message
news:4264305B.FF62B79E@sympatico.ca...
> "oconnell@slr.orl.lmco.com" wrote:
>
> >
> > > When I go for dinner I tip. But I ain't no rube. I work hard for my
> > money and I see no
> > > reason to be flaunting it my playing financial power games with
> > people who wait on tables
> > > because they can't find a better job than that.
> >
> > I fail to see why you would patronize a restaurant you think is
> > grossly overcharging you.
>
> You don't always know if it is just expensive or overpriced until after
you
> have eaten there. We had a local winery restaurant that was expensive,
but
> is now what I consider to be overpriced. The last time I was there the
> vegetable soup was $14.95. Being a winery restaurant, it was not located
> on expensive downtown commercial property and highly taxed. The food was
> good, but not that good. What can you put into vegetable soup to make it
> worth $14.95 ?
> So that is one place I don't go any more.
>
> > The servers work hard for their money too. If you don't want to pay
> > for what you receive, don't go there.
>
> I don't doubt that they work hard. If I go out for a $150 dinner this
20%
> tipping guideline dictates a $30. If I am there for a 2 hour dinner that
is
> $15 I am paying for service. Maybe $15 per hour may not seem like a lot to
> some people, but I am not the only person being served. That waiter will
> have 4-5 other tables at the same time. So now we are looking at $60-90
> per hour. We should all be waiters. :-)
Well, it's clear you've never been one.
In expensive restaurants, diners tend to stay longer. One to one-and-a-half
hours is not unusual, which means a waiter may have anywhere from three to
as few as one "sitting" a night. The waiter usually splits tips with the
busboys, the bartender and the maitre d'. Now consider the tables that
stiff the waiter or undertip (always "on principle," and usually because
they didn't like the food or the ambience, neither of which are within the
control of the waiter). Then remember that, though Friday through Sunday
may be busy at a restaurant, Monday through Thursday rarely will be.
Waiters are not making $60-90 an hour.
I don't doubt that there are some waiters who do very well. However, for
most of them, it's very hard work for very low pay. Having worked as a
waiter early in working life, I will _never_ begrudge them a fair (which
means "generous") tip, unless the service truly demands something less. If
you don't want to tip the accepted amounts, then don't eat out.
>
>
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