No no, not me. I was perusing The Pragmatic Chef and noticed he put up a post about some food critic changing shoes for a week and waiting tables. He’d been a waiter 20 years previous, but it’d been a while and sounded like a good idea. I read Frank Bruni’s article and it reminded me of my attitude towards people who take care of us in restaurants.
I remember many years ago when I was real little, maybe 5 or so and my grandmother and uncle would take myself and my little sister out to eat. Gramma always pointed out how hard waiters and waitresses worked. How many things they’d have to remember, who got what and what went to what table. Be kind and don’t make trouble. Sit still in your seat and don’t run around, it isn’t polite. If you knock something over, ask for a towel so that ‘you’ (meaning me) can clean it up promptly. Don’t open up the sugar packets and spread it over the table, it’ll make a mess. If you have a question, ask. If you don’t ask, you’ll never find out the answer to your question. Kinda makes sense huh?
I remember the meals usually went fine. If the kitchen was running a little slow, Gramma would lean over to me and say, “I’ll pretend to light up a cigarette and you just see if our food doesn’t come out right quick.” And it nearly always did, Gramma knew.
After we got the check, it was time to calculate the tip. The ever powerful way of showing your appreciation to those who matter. Or letting them know that something, wasn’t quite as you had expected it to be.
We always tipped whatever the standard percentage was at that time or more if we were exceptionally pleased. Or as I grew older, too loaded and caused a scene, that’s a 50% tip right there. Sorry to you and yours for that, and that, and that. Oh and there was that time at El Cabballo for Dave’s birthday. Does Speaking on Tongues mean anything to you?
Over the years I’ve dined with many people and have been appalled at the rudeness of some. One of which flat out refused to tip based on the fact they already get paid. They shouldn’t get a tip for what they’re already paid for. He doesn’t tip the grocery store clerk or the shoe salesperson, why the waitress? We didn’t go out much to eat together.
While I don’t go out to eat often, I always make a point of tipping well and not being rude, even if I am hungry and full of booze.
Here’s the article! My Week as a Waiter by Frank Bruni
MeatHenge
"If it ain't pork, it ain't sausage"
The Waiting is the hardest part
(Photo: Jim Galante, whose site is full of great photographs.) You have to give Frank Bruni, NYTimes food critic, four stars: I usually spend my nights on the other side of the table, not only asking the questions and…
I worked as a waitress (that’s what we were called back then; it was a BBQ joint in Virginia) for one evening. The place I had applied for a summer job didn’t really want to hire me but they were short on staff one night, and lied to me that I was “trying out” for the job.
I SUCKED! By the end of my shift, I was practically telling people to go get their own damn refills of iced tea.
So the other kind waitress on the floor that evening with me gave me the *entire* tip jar — she knew I’d been rooked, and I had worked my keister off.
BUT I SUCKED.
Tip your server. xx
I thought I was reading the begining of a Stephen King book. Sorry!
I also read that article. It was in the New York Times. It reminded me of my days waiting tables and tending bar. I’m of the belief that everyone should have to do exactly what Frank Bruni did: Do time as a waiter. Just like jury duty or getting vaccinated. It would certainly go a long way toward deterring certain people from acting like a horse’s behind when they go out to eat.
That picture looks familiar… The Embers in Pinole?
Rachel,
Bingo!
I may have posted this before, but oddly enough it was the only restaurant image I had of my own, handy.
Biggles
I agree with you completely!
The whole tipping thing to me doesn’t make sense.
I worked as a short order cook in a small pizza and subs place many years ago. Often times, it was just me and two waitresses working 8 hour shifts.
I was always expected to put out a superior product and change it according to the customer’s taste, which I did.
Back in the kitchen, I busted my ass standing in front of hot ovens, over scorching hot grills and deep fryers, using sharp knives and meat slicers, and trying not to slip on something and break my neck, all while working on 5 different orders at once.
When the waitresses would come back in tears or upset because of some asshole customer, I also played the role of therapist, boyfriend, coach, and/or venting post.
When the owner, in a cocaine/alcohol induced rage, would come back and start firing people and throwing pots and pans around, I was expected to just “deal with it”.
Did I ever get tipped?
And if the waitress/waiter gets tipped based on their service, fine. But food is what keeps a restaurant in business. If the food is good, shouldn’t those who prepared it also get tipped? And, going down a slippery slope, what about the person who plans and creates the menu?
Why are they not tipped?
Frankly, I say pay everyone equally and abolish the whole tipping system.
It’s just stupid and wrong.
k.
Ok.
One thing about the “the waitress already gets paid” thing.
No.
We don’t.
My hourly is $2.77/hr, and that’s the most I’ve ever made as a waitress. After taxes, my paycheck is never, ever above $0. Nothing.
So yes, please tip. It’s my sole income.
One thing about chefs- yes, you get paid crap. And yes, you deserve more. I’m sorry it’s that way. I just hope that waiters can do their parts not to be a pain in your ass. We depend on you.
But there are always odd and demanding people who come into restaurants, like the guy that came into my Greek restaurant with an allergy to olives/olive oil. It’s a little tough to work around that one.
One more thing about the tipping institution:
Thank god it’s there. For everyone. For the last 6 months, I’ve been living in London, and I have never had such appalling service in my life. Simply horrible. It’s the same in bars. I’ll wait maybe 30 minutes for my drink, because the bartenders just don’t have any reason to be quick about things. I’d rather have a system instilled where I can make a comment about the service that I receive.
Hey Alexadra,
Thanks for stopping by and offering this up. I’ll point my nitwit friends to this when they balk at me leaving 5 dollars instead of 3. Sigh.
Biggles
Yeah server (waiter) minimum wage is only about $2.90/hr and as a server I get paid $3.72/hr (which still sucks). So servers do not really get paid for what they do. They don’t even get paid minimum wage. Restaurants don’t have to pay them minimum wage because servers earn tips.
So please pay your server! They earn their living from the customers, not their employer.
Hey Jonathan,
Amen brother man. Tipped the pizza delivery guy 7 bux last night, that’s my standard. Man, the look on his face and he thanked me.
Our pizza arrived in 15 minutes (pre-tipped) too.
Biggles