Tipping is absolutely necessary. Some people don't want to go out out to eat because they don't want to tip or tip well because they believe that servers should just get paid more. Well in the state of VA servers on average make an hourly wage of $2.13 an hour. They, basically, only make that because their taxes must be paid each week. So, they are paid enough that taxes can be taken, meaning their pay checks are usually under $10 give or take.
Should we tip?
Abso-freakin-lutely. And here's why:
Let's say restaurants DID pay servers an hourly wage that would constitute about what servers could make in tips (around or at least): $12 an hour. Well what would happen? For one menu prices would rise, significantly. And honestly, food is already quite expensive in some places. However to make up for the difference restaurants would have to rise the price of food, and thus you would probably pay more for your meal, than you would have with the tip added.
Also, I will say that serving is a pretty physically and mentally strenuous occupation. If they didn't work for tips, I can honestly say that some of those things that most servers do to go the extra mile to bring the generosity out of your hearts, would stop. So for all those special orders you want to do, They will most likely say no. For all those ridiculous things you ask for, they wouldn't get them. You as a customer are able to get things exactly as you want them, even if the restaurant prefers not to do it that way, because the server is working for a tip. They hope that if they do something special for you, in return you'll show your gratitude when the check comes.
Servers do pay income tax. In essence they must claim that they are making a percentage of their SALES (not actual income) to be taxed on. If nobody tipped them that night, but they worked, they would still have to pay taxes. It could actually cost the server money to serve you. It wouldn'nt make much of a dent on small checks, but for checks $40 or more, it could make a difference because your meal could cost them money in taxes.
Some restaurants also have the glorious tip-out. Which means when you, the diner, leave a tip you are not only tipping the server, but the server, the bartender, and the bus boy. And in some places maybe the host. In some restaurants servers have to tip out up to 4% of their sales. So lets say that sold $800 that night and made $145, they would have to give boss man $32 that night. They would only go home with about $113, which doesn't seem like a whole lot of money. But night after night, that could cost a server hundreds of dollars by the end of the month.
I have quite a few other reasons why you should tip, but these four are my main arguments. If you enjoy your service please tip gratuitously, and even if you didn't you sat in that servers section. Their only way of making money is those tables. And you took up one, so you should pay rent. At least leave a minimal tip.
Why do you think we should or should not tip? For what reasons do you leave bigger tips? For feedback, please leave us a comment on RichmondTastebuds.com. Yours Truly, M
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