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Super NYC Moderator Meet Up!
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Post by
ElhonnaDS
@ Patty- If waitstaff made a real salary, then I'd agree that tipping should just be a bonus. I don't know why it evolved the way it did. But right now the social contract is that waitstaff don't get paid much because the customer tips based on performance. I completely agree with you that you shouldn't tip well or at all if they sucked. But the pricing you're paying, and the entire restaurant economy, is designed around the expectation of certain tipping protocols. If they change that, then I imagine service will go down and prices will go up, but it would make it a more cut and dry topic.
@Doctor- I have worked at a couple of restaurants, and I have never once had or heard of a "mark up" for the server added, on top of the price of the food. The cost of running the facility, including staff salary, is part of the over all expenses, and the pricing of the food is calculated based on the costs of the materials + the costs of rent/labor + the profit they need to make. There is nothing on top of that that goes to the server. Unless it's how it works in another country- which could be why we have such a different view of tipping than the rest of the world.
EDIT: I'm trying to think of a comparison. Maybe like standing in line at the store. There is no law that says you have to go to the end of the line at a store. But it's how the store is designed, it's extremely rude and inconsiderate not to do, and if everyone started cutting lines they'd have to figure out a new way to make the check-out process work because it only works currently because there are accepted social conventions that almost everyone follows.
If they bumped up waitstaff pay to minimum wage, and made tips more of a bonus for exceptional service than a part of salary, then that would work fine. But right now that's not the way it works. And if you don't tip because you think that's the way it SHOULD work, you're benefiting both from the lower prices on the food from lower overhead, without paying the servers the tip that results in that.
Post by
asakawa
As a Brit it's a mostly alien concept. Most places give the opportunity to give a tip here now but it's not a "thing".
Glad you guys had a good time. NYC sucks, come to the UK next time
Post by
OverZealous
Did someone turn your good evening/Moderator Meet Up into a discussion? Oh u, Off-topic.
Post by
Patty
Did someone turn your good evening/Moderator Meet Up into a discussion? Oh u, Off-topic.
And guess who the someone happened to be. Ohu. :P
Post by
ElhonnaDS
Lol- back on topic that food looked delicious. I miss Ghenet, on Mulberry St. - they closed. That was my favorite place to eat ever :(
Post by
hatman555
gg topic hijacked by OT pirates.
Hat
Post by
Monday
Are you kidding me, hat. NO PHOTOS OF YOU WITH SQUISH?
My first thought.
Post by
ElhonnaDS
I think they're protecting their anonymity. I'd have been much more surprised if the HAD posted photos.
Post by
Monday
Hat's already posted photos. Squish hasn't, but I don't see why they couldn't have taken one or two together. *shrug*
Post by
ElhonnaDS
I don't peruse the photos thread, so I don't know. I like to imagine you all as various cartoon/CGI characters. It makes it more lively.
Post by
MyTie
gg topic hijacked by OT pirates.
Hat
AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
What are all of these mark-ups and hidden service charges you're talking about? Or are you referring to the fact that a business charges more for food than they pay for it because they're, well, a business? There is a price for the food, and an expectation of a tip for the service. If you order and pick up, you just pay for the food and no tip.
A plate of food that costs 15 bucks (tops) for ingredients/storage, and then pay the cook, and the server, and restaurant overhead, adds up to NINETY DOLLARS? Let's say that the plate of food takes 25 minutes of staff attention (tops), you are looking at paying the staff 170 dollars (ish) an hour, for a frigging 90 dollar plate of food. WTF! A tip... pffft...
Post by
Skithus
gg topic hijacked by OT pirates.
Hat
AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
What are all of these mark-ups and hidden service charges you're talking about? Or are you referring to the fact that a business charges more for food than they pay for it because they're, well, a business? There is a price for the food, and an expectation of a tip for the service. If you order and pick up, you just pay for the food and no tip.
A plate of food that costs 15 bucks (tops) for ingredients/storage, and then pay the cook, and the server, and restaurant overhead, adds up to NINETY DOLLARS? Let's say that the plate of food takes 25 minutes of staff attention (tops), you are looking at paying the staff 170 dollars (ish) an hour, for a frigging 90 dollar plate of food. WTF! A tip... pffft...
Plus all the costs of running a business, rent ( In NYC is prob 10k+ a month. Electricity, lincences. Also it was clearly a number of different items.
I understand it seems like a lot, but the average salary in NYC is also prob around 100k a year.
Post by
Squishalot
Well, that lasted all of... less than half a page? New record?
@ People demanding photos - there's a reflection shot in there (covering half of Hat's face).
@Doctor- I have worked at a couple of restaurants, and I have never once had or heard of a "mark up" for the server added, on top of the price of the food. The cost of running the facility, including staff salary, is part of the over all expenses, and the pricing of the food is calculated based on the costs of the materials + the costs of rent/labor + the profit they need to make. There is nothing on top of that that goes to the server. Unless it's how it works in another country- which could be why we have such a different view of tipping than the rest of the world.
If salaries were fairer in the first place, there wouldn't need to be the expectation of tips, and then the cost of running the facility will include what is currently a tip.
I'm not a fan of the tipping system, but when in
Rome
the US, do as
Romans
US people do. To quote my boss - "do whatever you have to to avoid getting beaten up!"
Also - when DoctorLore talks about hidden costs, I think he's referring to, for example:
1) Price
2) + random items you don't expect to be charged for like water (if you don't know to ask for tap water)
3) + sales tax
4) + gratuity
Did I forget anything?(##RESPBREAK##)8##DELIM##Squishalot##DELIM##
Post by
Skithus
Tap water in NY has been linked to increased cancer rates.
Post by
Nathanyal
After working at a restaurant and seeing several shows, most places want to get 33% over what it costs for the food for the plate. After working at McDonalds for several years they want us to run 16-17% labor, that means for every $100 the store makes, $16-17 of that is being paid to those working. The rest covers any type of bills as well as the supplies the store buys. Now I'm not sure if they want that same 33%, meaning they have 67% of the money being used for necessities.
So not using any real numbers, lets say a burger and fry plate comes out to 24.99 (maybe a little outrageous but bear with me). Costs about $16 for the meat, the buns, condiments and the potatoes for the fries. The extra $8-9 dollars is to cover the cost of the chef, the power/water bill, gas bill for cooking it and to make a small profit. May not seem like much, but over the course of a week it adds up.
Another big money maker for most places are the drinks and appetizers. Soda cost maybe $0.17 for a 20 oz. glass. But they charge you a couple dollars for it, including refills. That is where they make most of their money. Appetizers are also like this, they are relatively cheaper than the main courses but have a higher profit margin. Alcohol can also be included in this, most bars use a small amount of acohol and the rest is just 'filler' stuff. Soda, some type of juice, etc.
Now if the placer were to pay an actual wage to the wait staff and just bump up the actual price of the meals might be better. But like it was said, people like being able to pay less then it is up to them about tipping. I myself will tip at some places, I'll either do like MyTie says and be like 10-15% depending on what I have. Or I don't do anything if I feel the service wasn't worth it.
Post by
MyTie
Plus all the costs of running a business, rent ( In NYC is prob 10k+ a month. Electricity, lincences. Also it was clearly a number of different items.
I understand it seems like a lot, but the average salary in NYC is also prob around 100k a year.
Absolutely insane, from my perspective. I's jus a po fahmer dawn in da hils. I's don no bout no bihg sidee.
Post by
664366
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
MyTie
Aw, dude. We love new people to off-topic. Don't get banned. =(
Post by
donnymurph
I never tip these people, I just can't stand the lower class of society who have pathetic jobs like being a waiter, it's a form of slavery, I'm not going to pay for that
Actually, all employment is a form of slavery.
Post by
Squishalot
I never tip these people, I just can't stand the lower class of society who have pathetic jobs like being a waiter, it's a form of slavery, I'm not going to pay for that
Actually, all employment is a form of slavery.
Nope, there's no ownership, which is the only reason why companies are lying when they say their biggest assets are their employees, because you need control/ownership to have assets.
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