This one has it all (Outback firing)

In all states with this tipped position minimum wage that is less than the regular minimum wage for non-tipped workers, the company where the tipped employee works has to make up any deficiencies so that the worker earns the regular minimum wage.

So all the "they get less than minimum wage" arguments don't really hold any water when it comes to why people should tip.
Thanks for the info, I didn't know that.
 
So what makes servers special? Shouldn't the bank teller who does their job well deserve a tip (otherwise known as a bonus)? What about the metal worker? Should they expect a bonus?

Nothing makes servers special.

But there definitely is a difference between TIPPED positions and NON-TIPPED positions such as in your scenario with the bank teller and the metal worker.

Most people know that a bank teller and a metal worker make more than minimum wage. A server in a restaurant does not, and I'm sure you know that. There are probably a few people who don't know that, but then they need to be informed.

I think you're just trying to be argumentative now, aren't you?
 
In all states with this tipped position minimum wage that is less than the regular minimum wage for non-tipped workers, the company where the tipped employee works has to make up any deficiencies so that the worker earns the regular minimum wage.

Nope, the employer doesn't always make up the deficiencies.

I can remember a few super s-l-o-w shifts in the winter when we had very few customers come into the restaurant. We made $15-$20 in tips for that shift, but the employer did not make up the difference so that we made at least minimum wage. We were told the good shifts (and in all honesty, most were good) made up for the bad ones. And technically the employer probably should have been paying the servers minimum wage for our time after the restaurant closed and customers were gone, during which time we had cleaning/closing chores to do that took at least another hour, if not more. But we still got our regular wage, which when I was working there started at $2.13/hour and I was up to a whopping $3.25 when I retired.
 
In all states with this tipped position minimum wage that is less than the regular minimum wage for non-tipped workers, the company where the tipped employee works has to make up any deficiencies so that the worker earns the regular minimum wage.
I know that’s how it’s supposed to work, but I don’t think it’s how it works most places. I remember getting paid $2.13 an hour (same wane exhists here today), and having a slow shift, walking out of a 6 hour shift with $10 in my pocket. Servers generally clock in an hour or so before getting tables, and clock out at least an hour after their last tables.
 


Nothing makes servers special.

But there definitely is a difference between TIPPED positions and NON-TIPPED positions such as in your scenario with the bank teller and the metal worker.

Most people know that a bank teller and a metal worker make more than minimum wage. A server in a restaurant does not, and I'm sure you know that. There are probably a few people who don't know that, but then they need to be informed.

I think you're just trying to be argumentative now, aren't you?
No. I'm trying to present my views. I'm sorry they don't match yours. I get that servers make less than minimum wage. Part one would be changing that. Part two would be changing the tipping culture. And please don't tell me it can't be done. Other countries don't have the culture here. I understand servers work hard.

I'm going to ask again because no one has answered... what's the purpose of tipping?
If it's to make up the pay inequality, then raise wages. Yes, prices would go up to cover that, but the amount out of MY pocket potentially won't change much (because I wouldn't be expected to tip).
If it's to reward a good job, then servers shouldn't get upset if they don't receive the tip they feel they deserve.
 
Nope, the employer doesn't always make up the deficiencies.

I can remember a few super s-l-o-w shifts in the winter when we had very few customers come into the restaurant. We made $15-$20 in tips for that shift, but the employer did not make up the difference so that we made at least minimum wage. We were told the good shifts (and in all honesty, most were good) made up for the bad ones. And technically the employer probably should have been paying the servers minimum wage for our time after the restaurant closed and customers were gone, during which time we had cleaning/closing chores to do that took at least another hour, if not more. But we still got our regular wage, which when I was working there started at $2.13/hour and I was up to a whopping $3.25 when I retired.

I asked about this specific requirement at my last serving job (in PA, about 6 years ago): Your wages are viewed over an entire pay period, so one bad shift wouldn't trigger the requirement, but 2 weeks of bad shifts would. That's how restaurants get around paying over tipped minimum wage when you're doing sidework, closing, or opening.
 
I'm still trying to figure out how ONE employee got all those meals ready without much of it being too cold to eat... that is a HUGE order to box up. I agree with the poster who said the manager on duty should be fired too. I am happy to see the response of the church, trying to help the girl find a new job. They aren't just talking the talk they are indeed walking the walk.
 


So all the "they get less than minimum wage" arguments don't really hold any water when it comes to why people should tip.
Thanks for the info, I didn't know that.
@starry_solo is correct. By law, employers that take advantage of the Federal Tip Credit are supposed to make up the difference, but in practice I have never seen this happen. I've worked in family run restaurants and global corporate brands -- none of them would've ever considered actually coming out of pocket to follow the law on that one. For the ones who even cared enough to keep up appearances that their employees were never falling below the minimum, they would do some creative bookkeeping. I.e., the server didn't claim enough in tips one week to meet minimum wage so the manager has them sign a form that will be submitted to corporate saying the employee made an error and they actually did earn enough, or the server is made to claim more than they earned the following week to make up for the shortage the previous week.

I have distinct memories of coworkers getting yelled at by management for not claiming enough in tips. It didn't matter how much you actually earned so long as you claimed enough to clear the minimum. It was the kind of thing you could get fired for, so if you wanted to keep your job you made sure to clear the minimum wage in what you claimed, regardless if you actually earned that much. That's for the larger restaurants/chains who were concerned with things like record keeping and audits. Mostly though, that law is just completely ignored. The restaurant industry is as shady as they come.
 
Takeout orders - to tip, or not to tip? While I don't think tips should be as compulsory on takeout orders as they are for table service, I think that a server who is making far below minimum wage shouldn't be given the task of handling take out orders at a place like Outback.

Setting aside the larger tips/no tips discussion for now, one thing that hasn't come up in this thread yet is that the fact that most states, and the federal government, require servers to claim tips based on a percentage of their sales each and every shift. In PA, the absolutely minimum I could claim upon clocking out for the night was 10%. It literally did not matter if I'd made less than that. I had to claim the 10% to even be able to clock out.

In this case, the server would have had to claim around $80 in tips for the shift, and take a loss on the taxes.
 
I worked for years as a waitress. I know at Shoney’s the waitresses put the amount of their tips on their clock in card. If they don’t make enough to make minimum wage, they do compensate. Another nicer place I worked, I may make $200 in tips one night, more the next night and $10 the next. They averaged it over the week so rarely necessary to compensate. And the last place, they just paid minimum wage to keep from dealing with it.

Personally I think they should all be paid minimum and do away with mess like this. It’s a bit dumb anyway. Tips no longer mean what they are supposed to as everyone feels required to tip regardless of service.

For a take out order of that size, there should be an automatic tip added OR the managers should be required to be the one to box it up.

I do think Outback was right in firing her but I also respect the church for trying to make it right.

And lastly, I like Outback!! Always have great service. Love their blooming onion and they have some pretty good steaks. But really like their chicken dishes. Always good.
 
Takeout orders - to tip, or not to tip? While I don't think tips should be as compulsory on takeout orders as they are for table service, I think that a server who is making far below minimum wage shouldn't be given the task of handling take out orders at a place like Outback.

Setting aside the larger tips/no tips discussion for now, one thing that hasn't come up in this thread yet is that the fact that most states, and the federal government, require servers to claim tips based on a percentage of their sales each and every shift. In PA, the absolutely minimum I could claim upon clocking out for the night was 10%. It literally did not matter if I'd made less than that. I had to claim the 10% to even be able to clock out.

In this case, the server would have had to claim around $80 in tips for the shift, and take a loss on the taxes.

My daughter worked at a restaurant that estimated her tips each shift and that's what was reported on her taxes. I think that might work in high end restaurants; however, at the local Applebee's type place there was a ton of tightwads there. On the other thread on this on another site, there is one poster who refused to ever tip more than 10%. There's a legion of those people out there.
 
Takeout orders - to tip, or not to tip? While I don't think tips should be as compulsory on takeout orders as they are for table service, I think that a server who is making far below minimum wage shouldn't be given the task of handling take out orders at a place like Outback.

Setting aside the larger tips/no tips discussion for now, one thing that hasn't come up in this thread yet is that the fact that most states, and the federal government, require servers to claim tips based on a percentage of their sales each and every shift. In PA, the absolutely minimum I could claim upon clocking out for the night was 10%. It literally did not matter if I'd made less than that. I had to claim the 10% to even be able to clock out.

In this case, the server would have had to claim around $80 in tips for the shift, and take a loss on the taxes.

::yes:: Excellent example of how it becomes the employee's responsibility to always fudge the numbers in the company's favor.

And yes, even the amount a server owes in taxes may be based on more than they earned.
 
curious about this is that isnt it the job of the cook to Prep the meal and organization? Honestly, all the waiter should do is to do a quick transaction, hand the food over and that is that right?

was reading this on a different place... its like mcd right? they put the order in a bag and hand it to you, are we suppose to tip them?
 
@starry_solo is correct. By law, employers that take advantage of the Federal Tip Credit are supposed to make up the difference, but in practice I have never seen this happen. I've worked in family run restaurants and global corporate brands -- none of them would've ever considered actually coming out of pocket to follow the law on that one. For the ones who even cared enough to keep up appearances that their employees were never falling below the minimum, they would do some creative bookkeeping. I.e., the server didn't claim enough in tips one week to meet minimum wage so the manager has them sign a form that will be submitted to corporate saying the employee made an error and they actually did earn enough, or the server is made to claim more than they earned the following week to make up for the shortage the previous week.

I have distinct memories of coworkers getting yelled at by management for not claiming enough in tips. It didn't matter how much you actually earned so long as you claimed enough to clear the minimum. It was the kind of thing you could get fired for, so if you wanted to keep your job you made sure to clear the minimum wage in what you claimed, regardless if you actually earned that much. That's for the larger restaurants/chains who were concerned with things like record keeping and audits. Mostly though, that law is just completely ignored. The restaurant industry is as shady as they come.

Didn't know that either, and that does stink.
If that is the case then it seems more people, including servers, should take issue with that instead of how much people tip.
I don't ever hear of rantings about that kind of stuff, just about getting stiffed by a customer.
 
Tim Horton's took employees paid breaks away , etc.
Tim Horton's doubled their profits last year, so...
just throwing that out there. Don't blame people working for a living actually wanting to make enough to survive. Blame corporate greed to try to keep insane profit margins instead of reasonable profits and having a social conscience.

No-to SM complaining.
Good for the church to trying to help what was probably an honest mistake on their part.
BOO to Outback for NOT helping the server with that large of a take out order.

Also-thanks to the education on what servers in some restaurants must do for takeout orders. I tend to tip with those as well.
 
curious about this is that isnt it the job of the cook to Prep the meal and organization? Honestly, all the waiter should do is to do a quick transaction, hand the food over and that is that right?

was reading this on a different place... its like mcd right? they put the order in a bag and hand it to you, are we suppose to tip them?

Apparently at a place like the Outback, the curbside employees are responsible for being in the kitchen and "plating" the food properly into the to-go containers, ensuring they are all in the right back, all your condiments, utensils and bread are in the bag and making sure your hot steak isn't sitting on top of your salad.
 
Definitely agree Outback had to follow through on company policy and fire her. I cringe when I see old coworkers complaining about work or their current coworkers on Facebook.

Church absolutely should have tipped. I would have been livid if I were her. But sometimes that kind of stuff happens. I was a server during the summer in college and got tipped $5 for a $200 bill once. The customers were demanding and left a huge mess. I was mad, but I knew that’s just the way some people are and there’s nothing I could do.

And I love the Outback :)
 
curious about this is that isnt it the job of the cook to Prep the meal and organization? Honestly, all the waiter should do is to do a quick transaction, hand the food over and that is that right?

was reading this on a different place... its like mcd right? they put the order in a bag and hand it to you, are we suppose to tip them?

Please read my post - #19
 
Complaining on social media is a big no no in the working world. As an employee you represent the company/entity and as such you have to watch what you say. Learning lesson for the individual.

While I agree with fault also lying with the management the information I read is the Church's rep they sent to get the food was newer and didn't know that in the past they have tipped take-out as a norm. Honestly if that's how the Church operates then they need to be clear to let anyone picking up orders to know that. Situation could have been avoided had they told the person picking up the order. On the other hand doesn't take away that the former employee of Outback felt the way to share their grievance was to air it as dirty laundry on social media and paid the price for doing so.
 

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