As a tipped employee who only makes a mere hourly pittance, is anyone else sick to death of the fucking tip jars at every possible place? Now I get it that everyone would like a tip. Who doesn't, but why is there a fucking tip jar at the grocery store? I know these women aren't making $20 an hour or anything, but I am sure they are making more than the $4.65 that I make. These dog-gone blasted tip jars all over the place are desensitizing the world to people who actually rely on tips to survive. Is Susan at the Starbucks claiming those tips that she makes and then paying taxes on them? Hell, no. Or is the dry cleaner? Why in the pudding pops do I need to feel obligated to tip the dry cleaner? Isn't it enough that I don't tip him at Christmas time but now I have to not tip him every week? Before anyone jumps all down my throat about how the lady at the grocery store isn't making enough money and the tips help her, let me say this. Nobody is making enough money, grocery store lady. She at least gets a paycheck, which I do not. My most recent paycheck was for sixty-eight cents. I had to walk my lazy ass all the way to the bank to deposit 68¢. It hardly seemed worth it and I almost tossed the check in the trash, but if it was two quarters, a dime, a nickle and three pennies I wouldn't throw that away so I deposited the check. But after customers tip the grocery store lady and the Starbucks bitch and the dry cleaner by the time they get to me at a restaurant they're all thinking "I'm sick of tipping these bitches all day. Fuck it. I stiff this one!" and I'm all, "But wait, my paycheck is only gonna be 68 cents..."
Tell me, am I wrong? Is this clearly not a desensitization (major points for the six syllable word, right?) of tipping resulting in less money in the pockets of those who rely solely on tips alone? I say revolt. Pocket your spare change and save it for something that really matters. When the bagel guy gives you two dimes back as change, don't put it into that styrofoam cup taped to the register. You save it and give it to the next waiter you see. The guy who only makes $4.65 an hour and gets paychecks for 68¢.
Amen.
20 comments:
i feel ya..i'm a waitress too and i get $2.25 an hour!
why is there a fucking tip jar at the grocery store? I know these women aren't making $20 an hour or anything…
Actually- at least in 2003 when I still worked at Cala/Ralphs/Kroger- a lot of them were. It wasn't the starting wage, but cashiers were topping out around $25 back then.
I've felt this for a long time... I'm like why am I tipping this person to do their Job! It's like giving a man credit for taking care of his kids and calling him a "good man". I'm tipping them for something they were going to do anyway?? it's not like they don't get paid hourly and also that they're doing anything exceptional!! boo!
Starbucks annoys me the most. They start at $7 an hour and I am the one walking up to the bar, ordering, taking my cup and cleaning up after myself.
They are simply doing what they get paid to do - MAKE COFFEE. But watch if you don't tip - they get surly, as if it is given they are to get my change. Um, no.
And I have yet to see a tip jar at a grocery store but I would laugh my butt off because [like the other person said] I was a cashier in college in the 1980s [lonnnng time ago] and I was making $12 hr/pt time and I made time and half on Sundays, double on holidays. Their job may suck [and it does] but they are neither needy or deserving of tips. [And we had full benefits] I know the store I worked for still has a great contract and they make even more.
Now the bagger kid that helps me with my groceries? If I have a ton I will happily slip him $2 for the help.
I agree with you whole heartedly.
You make an excellent point. The tip jars at a grocery store is way out of line.
Bullshit, if you ask me. I make 2.63 an hour. I have a friend who works at Starbucks and makes 11.00 an hour, only works there 24 hours a week and gets health benefits. I don't have health benefits and my paychecks don't cover the gas it takes me to get to work....People just don't get it....
put a little note on your FB page, but figured since it was cryptic I would expand here. Just some food for thought. I had to research the origin of tips for my comic, and well this may surprise you. Us, servers aren't the first to have the tip. The tip started in Medieval English COFFEE shops with Barista's because coffee had to pass through France and got huge taxes (hence the love for Tea with the Brits because it bypassed France). So to keep rioting caffeine addicts for murder it became simple, he or she who flashed the most got the Joe first. So considering we took the idea of tipping from someone else...we really don't have any legs to stand on when the same concept is taken from us. And as for the coffee people with the jars, the town I live and work in the server took the time to get laws passed that require everyone to report tips (which made a lot of those jar disappear). And if you live somewhere were those laws aren't in place; you can always point out to the store owners they are breaking the law. So I say complain to them, not your server. Cause that just makes you look like them in the end, and as server you are way better than that my friend.
I woulds have thrown the .68 check in the trash. It would cause the accountant great grief.
They say I should tip the mailman, like those overpaid cocksuckers don`t get enough already!
What about the people at Subway- They have jars saying tip your " sandwich artist". Oh really! Now its an art form to slap meat on bread. I make $2.63 an hour. I agree - these people are abusing their consumers by guilting them in to tipping for doing their job! And in doing so, hurting the professions that depend on tips. Most of these people are getting paid minimum wage (or more) and are asking for tips to do their job!! It pisses me off but since I am a waitress, I feel even more obligated to tip them because my luck they would come into my restaurant and say oh that lady didn't tip me so we don't have to tip her! Lol!
I just want to say, I always tip my waiter 15%. I don't care how "poor" I am, I will not gyp my waiter. He or she works so hard and pretends to be nice with a shit-eating grin on their face while serving a bunch of whiny people all day, so I think they deserve a little more than the minimum wage they get paid.
wow, this post stirred up some comments, right?
adelle, i'm a server, and i would consider 15% a shitty tip, just so you know. And we don't make minimum wage, we make far less because hypothetically we are supposed to make up for it with our tips. I make 2.13 an hour for instance, where the minimum wage is more like 7.50.
I agree that waiters/waitresses don't make enough but they are making at least minimum wage. So many jobs are only paying minimum wage and the employees deserve more in my opinion so this isn't a problem exclusive to wait staff.
And before anyone says waiters and waitresses don't make minimum wage... it is federal law that if the combined tips and hourly pay from employers does not equal or exceed minimum wage that the employer must make up the difference. If you are not making at least minimum wage after tips and employer wages then I highly suggest you say something about it because it is the law. (www.dol.gov)
I usually tip between 20-30% and I still feel like it isn't enough sometimes. Thanks for all your hard work!
-Guy who can't cook for himself
To those of you who complain about the lousy tips: have you ever thought of getting a job with better pay?
Just a thought...
I have two waitressing jobs because I just love it THAT much. I get paid $2.13 an hour at both. One is at a local beer/pizza joint and in the mornings they have me cashier during the lunch rush because I'm the only server even though I would rather just wait tables. I still get paid only $2.13 an hour, have to declare my tips and tip out the kitchen staff 10% of said tips. People pay at the cash register when they order and all they see me doing is typing on a computer so I understand why I don't get tips in my little cup. But what they don't see (or pretend not to) is me bussing all the tables, sweeping, getting drink refills who people who don't realize that the fountain drinks are self-serve during lunch, and delivering all the food to the tables as it comes out. Some people leave a couple of dollars on the table after seeing all this, but most don't feel obligated to since they've already paid out and gotten away with stiffing me.
The first time I saw one of these uncalled-for tip jars was in a bread store. I had to walk back to take a second look at it, I was so taken aback. I don't tip in the 7-11, nor Starbucks, nor anywhere I'm getting counter service, unless I am siting down.
A previous comment accused restaurant owners of being greedy - but every restauranteur has competition, and paying staff more makes him less competitive. The problem is the exploitionary laws that say the wait staff can be paid a pittance.
Lastly, a tip is a gratuity, not an entitlement, no matter how much you need it. An old taxi-driving partner I had used to get in fist-fights with poor tippers, which is a really bad scene!
You have valid points, and I would scoff at a grocery store tip jar, too.
I never even though about the "cutting in" effect, though.
Something to consider, fasho.
That said, I gotta tell ya, because I tip, my shirts look brand new, and the sleeves are like razors, plus, the girls at Starbucks frequently hook me up..For me, it's worth it, plus I like to see them smile when I throw fold-able money into the jar.
I agree with the person that stated a tip is a gratuity (gift) not an entitlement. No one will ever force me to give a gift. Also, if you are not making that much, then get a job that pays more or get a second job. It's the business owner's job to pay you and not the customer. I rather waiters get paid more and the cost of food goes up than the owner making me responsible for supplementing their incomes. Everyone has to start at the bottom. Being that this blog site is called "Bitchy Waiter," it sounds like you need a new job anyway.
It really bugs me to see so many people telling servers to just "get another job that pays better"...
That's way easier said than done, especially in this economy. Go ahead, google the unemployment rate in this country.
And also, not many other jobs (especially the well-paying ones) offer the same shift flexibility as serving. A lot of servers are either in school or have kids, etc, It really bugs me to see so many people telling servers to just "get another job that pays better"...
That's way easier said than done, especially in this economy. Go ahead, google the unemployment rate in this country.
And also, not many other jobs (especially the well-paying ones) offer the same shift flexibility as serving. A lot of servers are either in school or have kids, etc, It really bugs me to see so many people telling servers to just "get another job that pays better"...
That's way easier said than done, especially in this economy. Go ahead, google the unemployment rate in this country.
And also, not many other jobs (especially the well-paying ones) offer the same shift flexibility as serving. A lot of servers are either in school or have kids, etc, and need the kind of control over their schedules that restaurants provide. There is almost always a server looking to pick up or give away a shift, so if another server needs to study for a test, or their kid has an appointment/performance/is sick, or they need a little extra cash for expenses-- they are usually easily able to adjust their schedules accordingly.
Chew on that for a minute before you tell a server to just "get another (or a quote unquote REAL job as a lot of you non-servers say) job."
Post a Comment