On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 20:56:48 GMT, Nellie Paris >
wrote:

>>When I receive bad (and I am talking distinctly _BAD_ ) service, I
>>leave no tip. If a server does such a awful job without seeming to
>>care, I think they deserve that. If a server performs satisfactory,
>>even if it is unremarkable, I leave 15%. Above satisfactory, 20%.
>>Excellent service, 25%.
>>
>>I would not mind a mandatory service fee if it were not a percentage
>>of my meal.....why should I pay more to a server because they brought
>>me seafood instead of chicken? Was the plate that much heavier for
>>them?
>
>If this tipping system is so great, why do we have such bad overall
>service? I do not think a low tip encourages a server to reconsider
>the quality of service he or she is giving. Do you? The servers just
>assumes the low/non-tipper is cheap.

Actually, yeah, maybe they do think that. When I ask other people if
they tip for bad service (or when they are with me and we get bad
service), they insist that it is required. Some even insist on 20%
for bad service!

I had an employee some years ago I had this discussion with; it was
right in the middle of the wave of bad service I mentioned, and he
insisted that even with bad service the server should receive 15% at
least. He said that was how they made a living.

I pointed out that they could at least do the minimum things for their
job to earn it (and described the horrible service I had the night
before - soup bowl landed on the table with a splash, no apology or
clean up, lots of other problems, no manager to talk to). He still
didn't agree with my not leaving a tip.

>It's of course a very imperfect system, but the cost of the food often
>reflects more work on the part of the restaurant staff. Not always, I
>know. Maybe a service charge could replect the time spent at the
>table, in an ideal world. I am not really for a percentage of the
>bill as a charge either. I would rather see service built into the
>menu prices, with no tip or service charge at all. If you don't like
>your chicken, you can't decide not to pay for it, so why do we get to
>decide what to pay for the service?

Well, actually, you can decide to send it back. And if things were
really bad still, not pay for it (or eat it), or switch to a different
item on the menu.

>I wonder what kind of management is going on in the places where you
>have such shoddy service. Why aren't these servers being disciplined,
>retrained, or fired? We need more managers like Jesse!

I'd like to know myself. I know two restaurant owners, and they both
tell me it is very difficult to retain help - and find good help. One
who has had restaurants for a number of years tells me the quality of
help has fallen dramatically over the years.

I agree with you about Jesse based on the stuff I've read.


MR