Is It Time to Revamp America’s Tipping System?
That's the question floated recently over at the Atlantic Food Channel, where Corby Kummer suggested that America's tipping culture is broken and needs to be fixed.
Y&H has understood for more than two years now what kind of animosity tipping can bring out in diners. For those who don't remember, or missed it altogether, check out this July 2007 edition of Ask Tim, which generated 70 comments, many of them quite nasty toward the idea of a required 20 percent tip.
It was clear then, and it's clear now: The whole process of compensating waiters and waitresses is totally messed up. It creates resentment on both sides of the table.
But what's the solution? Raise the price of a meal? I doubt that, in this economy, many restaurateurs would be inclined toward that idea. Automatically put the tip on every check? I doubt diners would cotton to the notion of stripping them of their right to tip according to the level of service.
Maybe we should try to professionalize the whole wait service industry and make it more like the French model? I think part of the problem is that Americans still view waiters and waitresses as second-class citizens, as artsy-fartsy actors and actresses (or writers or painters or just no-talent bums who think they're artsy) who're waiting tables while waiting on their big break.
I think professionalizing the trade would go a long way toward creating sympathy for one very difficult job. And believe me, I know exactly how difficult it is from direct experience.
Image by indip.dj via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution License
8:35 am
"Professionalizing the trade" solves the wrong problem. Not sure if this is a global phenomenon or not, but as a general rule, too many Americans seem to carry the belief that anyone in a service capacity is a doormat. This belief translates into behaviors such as talking down to service staff, ignoring them, blaming them for issues or mistakes beyond their control, and otherwise failing to recognize the service person as a human being.
Waiters and waitresses see this every day for certain. However, so do maids, taxi drivers, garbage collectors, and all other manner of service professionals. Not saying that everyone does this, but nearly every day I witness service staff becoming an outlet for someone venting frustrations and wanting to feel superior, especially if the abuser had a difficult day or week.
If we could instead alter the belief system that service people are doormats, restaurant staff would benefit. But so would all other arenas where people treat "the help" like sub-citizens.
So...where to start with game-changing the belief system?
7:54 pm
As a general rule, I do not tip. If you want money get a better job. If I was allowed to poor my own beer or retreive my food from the cook directly, I would. If your goal in life is to deliver food and drink to me, so be it, congratulations. I appreciate you fetching me stuff, but I would rather you not. Just let me pick which table or bar stool I would like to sit at. I can carry the menu to the table myself. I might pull out the chair for my date to sit in if I like her. I will then go behind the bar and pour myself my usual 5 fingers of warm bourbon and pour myself a 32 oz beer. I will carry these back to the table and drink about 3 1/2 fingers of the bourbon before returning to behind the bar to poor my date an ice water. After returning to the table I will read over the menu and decide on what my ddate and I would like to eat. I will finish off the bourbon and walk myself back to the kitchen and tell the chef that I would like a steak medium with a nice pink center and my date will bread and butter. I will give him my cell number so he can call when it's ready. To kill time, and enjoy my buzz a little more, I will go outside to smoke a cigarette hoping that their may be a hot girl with big boobs enjoying a smoke as well. After that I will begin to drink my 32 oz brew that I poured earlier, attempting to finish in 5 gulps or less. After doing this, the room is spinning a little and I ask my date how her day was and start tapping my fingers and looking around while she responds. At this point I am regretting even talking to her, and walk off mid sentance to get myself another drink. With all the alcohol I've already consumed I'm a little groggy, so I do a red bull and vodka. 8 parts vodka, 1 part red bull, 1 part ice. This is more of a sipping drink, so I sit myself down at the bar and intrude on others conversations. Maybe tell a couple jokes at the expense of my date who is now looking pretty upset and lonely. She can over hear us laughing and can see us pointing at her, but can't hear exactly what we are saying so it's not a problem. Around this time the chef finally calls to say that our food is ready, so I top off my vodka and stagger back to the kitchen to retreive it. After saying the cook took a long time and demanding some extra mashed potatoes, I return to the table to give my date her bread and eat my steak. I take out my phone and start texting while I eat. I don't want to get food on my phone so I clean my fingers off on my shirt. At this point I'm about 10 drinks deep and telling my date about all of my inner fears and anxieties. She seems more upset with me then really trying to help so I start berating her...very loudly. She wants to leave but I drove her here and haven't finished my steak. I start to eat even slower and texting more just to piss her off. After finishing my meal, which was delicious by the way, I return to the bar to pour myself a shot of grand marnier. Finally we can leave but I need to settle up my tab. I flag anybody over who looks like they might work at the place, and tell them I had a lovely time but my date found a hair in her bread. They question if I'm telling the truth so I tell them to piss off and leave without paying for anything. My date is unable so I cheer her up by letting her drive. I start polite conversation by asking what her sister looks like and how many guys she's been with. We get to her place and I invite myself in but she slams the door on my face. I get a little angry and start tearing up her garden and throwing it at her door. I can see her at the window, but she isn't responging to my yelling. I go back to my car and pass out for the night. I really hope we do a second date, I had a lot fun.
So, as you can see, tipping really necessary. I can do anything a waiter or bartender can do but better. - Frank Frankson