Earls.67 implementing a mandatory 16% hospitality charge.

[Minimalist]

Here is where we see who has worked in the food and service industry and who is cheap and tries to argue their way out of tipping. Your company bonus is a tip from your company, is it not?

[btimbit]

Originally posted by lilmira
tipping is so stupid. How absurd would it be to go buy grocery and tip the farmer and truck driver at the door because they don't get their fair cut? Figure out how much I am supposed to pay. It's not the customer's job to investigate how everyone is paid.

How much of our lives here can you actually compare to European or Japanese culture?

[Type_S1]

Originally posted by Minimalist
Here is where we see who has worked in the food and service industry and who is cheap and tries to argue their way out of tipping. Your company bonus is a tip from your company, is it not?

Ya. From my employer, not my employers customers.

[lilmira]

Originally posted by btimbit


How much of our lives here can you actually compare to European or Japanese culture?

I know, different culture all together, not just tipping and service industry, so not comparable.

No one is arguing that they shouldn't be paid fairly but why is it the customer's job. Imagine your employer cutting your salary, asking you to get it compensated by tip from clients directly, that's absurd right?

[btimbit]

Originally posted by lilmira


I know, different culture all together, not just tipping and service industry, so not comparable.

Yeah.

I do agree, ideally tipping would be abolished and simply rolled into pricing.

Especially now that we see "tip" options at fucking subway or a frozen yogurt place.

Yet, anyone that's gotten rid of tipping, loses money. People complain. Weirdly, people do seem to like it, even if it's for fucked up reasons like the studies that showed people like thinking they have control over their server.

But a major cultural shift is what'd be needed to make tipping go away. Despite what you read on the internet, people do seem to like tipping.

[NoSup4U]

Originally posted by lilmira


You don't tip in Japan and the service is excellent. Tipping has very little to do with it, fair wage does, the culture has a lot to do with it too.

Agree here, kind of....

Tipping has become an entailment in North America, as the people that serve us are of now of that "me generation" (18-22 years old) where as the think they deserve 25% no matter the service.

My best service has always been in Asian countries, where the food and service is usually always brilliant, and when you do tip them, they act like a child on Christmas morning.

But I will say fair wage doesn't always change the service.....Australia (Perth), they are paid $20-$25 an hour and give mediocre service (I would say equivalent to the Bro at Harry Rosen), but at a a premium price for beer and food.

But in retrospect, it is pretty equivalent for a night out here with tip, than there without tip....but how will that change when the minimum wage increases to $15??

[InRich]

this is just another reason for me not to visit earls

[max_boost]

Change the entire system

[Sugarphreak]

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[speedog]

Originally posted by InRich
this is just another reason for me not to visit earls

The bigger question though is "Will you be missed?"

[A790]

Originally posted by roopi
Sounds like a poor system.

Not really. It ensures that the back house, bar, etc. get a portion of gratuities. Because it's calculated on sales and not tips, they get it regardless of how the server performs.

[A790]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Canada and the US is a joke for service. Service is considered to be good if they come back once before you are finished your meal to see if "everything is ok". There are very few places in Calgary where I have found hostesses to be tip-worthy... I just tip by default because I know it makes up most of their income, not because I received good service.

I have been to many restaurants here in town and have had excellent service. In fact, I've had excellent service far more than I have poor service. Admittedly, it's usually "just ok" service, but still...

People such as yourself post complaints about how terrible the service is. I just don't see it.

[msommers]

The best service I have ever received was in NYC at a place called PRINT. Got checked on just enough, the owner came around and asked how everything was, our napkins got refolded when we went to the washroom...

In town, I'd be hard pressed to say I've had terrible service more than once. But it's been average at best now that I've had such an incredible experience to compare it to. Even at Calgary's nicest restaurants it's no contest compared to that place in NYC. Service in NYC wasn't that consistent but it was overall better than Calgary. Just my opinion but I think it's because people actually care about having a job there vs. here.

[Sugarphreak]

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[speedog]

Originally posted by A790

I have been to many restaurants here in town and have had excellent service. In fact, I've had excellent service far more than I have poor service. Admittedly, it's usually "just ok" service, but still...

People such as yourself post complaints about how terrible the service is. I just don't see it.

I truly believe that you, as a customer, bring something to the table as well when dining out - I've been to restaurants with my wife where we've gotten fabulous service and yet almost anytime we've gone to the same places with my parents it's been the absolutely shittiest service. Don't know if it's a vibe that someone carries or what but I just seem to get better service when my parents aren't with me.

[A790]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


Most of the time the service isn't bad, but like you said, it isn't exactly noteworthy either.

There are a few things I see regularly, especially in Alberta include, but are not limited to:
-Having to track down a waitress when you need something
-Long waits for them to come by for ordering or drinks
-The server not coming back for like 10 minutes after the meal has been served
-When they give a 5 minute high pressure sales pitch for drinks when you are just there to eat, and then a complete lack of interest in servicing you for the rest of the meal when you order a coffee or tea.
-The complete loss of ownership for guests after the bill has been delivered.

These are all things I see on a regular basis here.

I am not saying all servers are bad, so don't consider this a blanket statement.

Personally I like tipping people when they go above and beyond. It is nice to reward people for that. In North America however, it is just part of the bill... everybody gets a big fat tip no matter how mediocre the service.

I've experienced those service issues as well, though infrequently.

Originally posted by speedog


I truly believe that you, as a customer, bring something to the table as well when dining out - I've been to restaurants with my wife where we've gotten fabulous service and yet almost anytime we've gone to the same places with my parents it's been the absolutely shittiest service. Don't know if it's a vibe that someone carries or what but I just seem to get better service when my parents aren't with me.

When I served (for years) I found it much easier to provide good service to tables I "connected" with. If a table was cold or rude, it was hard to want to give them great service. It's not like I deliberately didn't give good service, but it's hard to be enthusiastic when you dread talking to someone... lol

[Amysicle]

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[btimbit]

Originally posted by Amysicle


Is it because of that or because the server does not see a direct reason to provide good service and subsequently alienates customers, ensuring there is no repeat business?

Could be. There are lots of studies out there showing that tipping actually does nothing to ensure a quality of service. Your average server essentially takes it as an average, one bad tip is offset by another fantastic tip, so they kind of psychologically say 'Fuck it" and just provide the same level of service they would anyway.

Not sure I completely buy into that myself, I think it more-so depends on the restaurant, their standards, and mostly how good their managers are. Tipping doesn't ensure a quality of service as much as a manager quietly observing and picking apart their every single word, sentence and physical action.

[Minimalist]

Originally posted by Type_S1


Ya. From my employer, not my employers customers.

Last I checked, your employer's customers were paying your entire pay and bonus. Different where you work?

I'll make clear, I do not support mandatory tipping where they add X$ to the bill. A tip is a personal thing, all that adding the %$ to the bill does is make it easier for the owner to get his hands in there and take a cut.

Tip, don't tip, whatever, your life. I do know who eats a little spit or has a nice nutsack impression placed in their cheesecake. What goes on behind the kitchen doors stays there.

[Sugarphreak]

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