18% gratuity

[pattytx]

Because of course the server is the only one who performed any kind of service for the customer. The bus staff, the cooks, the bar staff, the salad maker; they all sat in the back room and played cards all night while the server singlehandedly managed every aspect of the customer's care....

Tip pool.

 

[justalayman]

I just think it improperly infers it is a tip. It is not a gratuity by any stretch of the imagination. It is a service fee and should be titled as such.

I have an idea: let's simply abolish tipping. I have found too many waitstaff that believe it is mandatory and the restaurant folks want to keep raising what they determine to be a fair tip. 10% used to be a decent tip when I was young. If you leave that now, you might get cussed.

 

[pattytx]

I have an idea: let's simply abolish tipping. I have found too many waitstaff that believe it is mandatory and the restaurant folks want to keep raising what they determine to be a fair tip. 10% used to be a decent tip when I was young. If you leave that now, you might get cussed.

Best idea yet.

 

[JennK2009]

That would be my suggestion as well. Not ALL restaurants fail to give the servers any mandatory service charges, and you shouldn't have to tip twice as much for no reason.

Actually, if I asked the manager that question and was told anything other then "all of the gratuity goes to the server", I'd find another restaurant for my party.

Amen. Thank you.

As a waitress/server I was mad about this. As a guest/client, I am furious. WTF is "gratuity?"

After googling this, it appears MI is moving legislation to ban this practice.

(Peace, pattytx)

 

[JennK2009]

Rule #1: Abolish tipping
Rule #2: No tip pool

Rule #1; The bartender is always right.
Rule #2: If the bartender is wrong, see Rule #1.

Pay a fair wage and we would not be having this discussion. I'm mad as a server. I am really mad as a "customer"

What is "gratuity?" Legal definition, please.

 

[ecmst12]

Splitting the gratuity among the service staff (NOT the kitchen staff, they are not tipped employees, but the bussers and hosts etc) would certainly be acceptable. The restaurant assigning any portion of it to their bottom line would NOT be acceptable.

 

[justalayman]

JennK2009;2325526]

Pay a fair wage and we would not be having this discussion. I'm mad as a server. I am really mad as a "customer"

that is not my decision.

What is "gratuity?" Legal definition, please.

Not sure there is a legal definition but I believe at least one federal court has accepted the common definition of: a payment given voluntarily. That is why my argument that the use of the term is misleading and if nothing else, should be changed to "service fee" of some other term that does not imply is it voluntary.




In fact, there was a case where a patron refused to pay a "mandatory gratuity" and the restaurant filed charges. The man was not prosecuted partially due to a federal case that ruled that if it was termed a "gratuity" it could not be required to be paid. It had to be labeled a surcharge or a service charge or the like to be enforceable.

so apparently this has already been decided, to a point, for the customers perspective.

 

[JennK2009]

Mandatory gratuity? That is an oxymoron.
Mandatory is a must. Gratuity is a cordial "thank you."

 

[justalayman]

Mandatory gratuity? That is an oxymoron.
Mandatory is a must. Gratuity is a cordial "thank you."

and that was the courts reasoning as well.

 

[JennK2009]

Got it. Thank you.

Time to change this legality. Policy. Law? Petri and Feingold (WI reps) are gonna hear from me.

Let's make the gratuity a service charge. It is obviously, NOT a tip.

How the heck did this "gratuity" come to play? That will be a whole another thread...