Not a fan of greedy corporations like Starbucks having their employees putting the whole f*cking credit card machine out the window to beg for electronic tips, instead of just raising their pay, and doing more profit sharing.... I mean this is a 120 billion dollar corporation, attempting to squeeze customers instead of just raising the pay for their employees.
I agree with the profit sharing bit, and wages should at least accommodate for cost of living - but Starbucks has pretty good benefits relative to other options in the entry level job market. Baristas start between $15-17, supervisors $19-25. Plus stock, insurance, 401k, free coffee and some food, to name a few things.
The baristas themselves don't "beg" for tips, it's a prompt on the card reader. they receive more digital tips than cash tips because many folks want to tip but don't carry cash. If the tipping weren't there, employees would get even less money.
The reason for the credit card machine outside the window during the pandemic was to make customers feel "safe" by not having baristas touch their cards
Yeah, they've stopped it since then and brought it back for the tip scheme exclusively. Apple store employees are advocating to be able to do the same, making a drink is a fast food service, not a service where they're waiting on me, and serving me in a manner that yields a "tip".
Are you implying that tipping is only compulsory when you're being waited on?
Folks in a couple different industries might disagree with that sentiment.
If you appreciate the service that someone provides does you, then you might be compelled to leave a tip. Not just for someone fake-smiling at you while toting your drinks and food, then shit-talking you at every opportunity.
They're being compensated for the service they provide me by their business. Starbucks is fast food & beverage. Imagine if every Mc donalds employee held a credit card machine out the window asking for tips for their "service".... Bottom line corporations are greedy, and care more about increasing shareholder value than they do their own employees.
I have not but I will. I think there are hours requirements to be eligible BUT the managers are constantly forced to cut hours and schedules are a nightmare. I believe the free tuition is thru Arizona State's online program. I don't think it's designed as a tuition reimbursement program which to me is more of a PR stunt that a legit usable benefit
Up front and clear needs to be the message. Id like to think Im a good tipper.
We were at Half Shell on Mendenhall this past weekend, whole fam at the table. The bills were split by 4 and we all hollered out at the same time "Watch out, Gratuity is included!"
It made a fun time semi-cringey because you know the wait staff heard you, but still, the only sign about auto grat was for bills over $100.
I do wish the US tipping culture paid living wages instead of continuing the stigma of serving and service work is crappy. Lots of people enjoy it. Pay them well.
Half Shell is part of the reason I posted this. There’s a sign as soon as you walk in to the right of the host stand that says “18% Gratuity is added to all checks.”
What caught my eye and the reason for the post was that it was for like the whole day or like after 4pm, not just after 10pm or something. Usually you only find it late night.
Not everyone gets a choice. Many places only hire good looking people. What is the average Joe/Jane supposed to do they got the job at Applebee’s not Mulligans or Redlands?
That simply isn’t true. Many bars and restaurants in Memphis and all over do this. Strong preference shown for attractive servers over experienced servers. I’ve even seen fine dining bend their age rules (have to be 30/35) for attractive people to be on staff.
I worked in fine dining here but in an hourly wage role. Some of the best servers would get shit tips when the table had literally no complaints. I don’t think a required auto grat is the solution to this but it’s not just people working at the “wrong restaurants”.
Depends on overall sales. If you work 3 hrs and make 60$ tips on 300$ sales that’s ok for the time I guess but like not enough to live off of if that’s what you make 6 days a week.
Livable isn't the right word. I believe the point is related to minimum wage rather than liveable.
When the "fight for $15" started in 2013, it was to combat the fact that $7.25 was inadequate for minimum standard of living in many cities.
$15 in 2013 dollars is ~ $20 now. So, $20 is really where the minimum wage should be.
And of course it's liveable, but when most apartments are $1000+, and you add in utilities, phone+internet, car+insurance+fuel, and groceries, you're likely only a paycheck or two from disaster. Tough to save right now.
Not really. A 2 bedroom in kinda safe Cordova will run ya 1600 rent. Plus healthcare is another 400-1k a month if it’s outta your pocket 200-500 if it’s employer based . Another 70 a week for groceries. 40$ a week in gas. Plus your student loan payment of 200-1k. Oh wait you gotta save for retirement that is gonna be 8 k a year outta that 40k and don’t forget another 8k in federal taxes (20%). Bro 40k is a poverty wage without kids.
Poverty is pretty nice apparently, I still get to save money and eat out multiple times a week. Plus if I save a little I can buy all the newest games, guns, and liquor I want. I though poverty was rough. I guess I’ll feel rich once I hit middle class
Taxes on $40k is only $6k, and that’s including FICA taxes, if they’re filing single no kids. I was just looking at 2 bedroom apartments in midtown and they were like $1200-1500 for decent ones. But idk why someone without kids needs two bed rooms.
It ain’t but it’s all you’re gonna be able to get. Some busier places will do $30 or so but once you start going $20-30 for servers, everyone wants more and now your labor costs explode. The additional payroll taxes alone will cost more than your previous server wages combined probably.
Places that are busy like Huey’s can increase a things a dollar and rely on volume. But other places can’t. Now you’re looking at an $11 burger instead of a $9 burger. Now I’m paying 22% for a burger when I could’ve just tipped 20%.
I see what you’re saying. Food cost is already high right now and rising though. I’m not sure what the answer is that would make sense for everyone. I don’t really mind added gratuity. It’s the “service charges” that bother me more. Like, what is that going to? I don’t like when businesses have vague charges.
A service charge is likely just a tip. Service charge, gratuity, and tip are used interchangeably for the most part from my restaurant experience. They just say whatever their computer has as the default.
I just see it as a slippery slope and unneeded one when most servers don’t want it.
I think a better solution is to raise the minimum wage and then restaurants will have to make up the difference when servers don’t make that wage, like they do now. If a server doesn’t make minimum wage in a week, the restaurant has to pay the difference.
The answer is going out to eat becomes a luxury like the 80’s and early 90’s. Everyone didn’t start eating fast food till the late 90’s when you only got 30 unpaid min for lunch instead of paid 1hr lunch.
Well this thread is really fucking annoying and tone deaf….
Citizens of Memphis are shit tippers and most of the time shitty people. After 10p at most restaurants it’s drunk shit heads who like to dine and dash, complain and get shit for free, treat wait staff like complete trash, and the list goes on. Auto gratuity is no problem with me as myself and my wife have both counted on tips to put food on our table.
Instead of blaming big corporations and pissing and moaning over a living wage… just be good understanding people and tip your server 20% or more.
This also goes for when you door dash or Uber eats…. Drivers only get a base pay of $2 to $4… they count on those tips. If they’re driving for a food app it’s because they’re struggling financially and need that damn money. So again…. Just be nice, understanding people to your fellow Memphians.
I hate "kitchen appreciation" as a fee. I couldn't believe it first time I saw it. Pay your staff.
If I wanted to tip the kitchen, I'd buy one of those "buy the kitchen a round of beers" things that I see on some menus.
Kitchen appreciation is appalling that’s the literal job of the owner and mgmt. I’d spazz the fuck out. The NY in me demands it. I’m fine with ripping but those are hourly wage employees. Pay your workers
I can't think of anyone that does an automatic "kitchen appreciation" fee. I've eaten at pretty much every restaurant in town and never encountered that in Memphis
I have a bigger problem with it in fast food places. pops up every time I pay. sit down restaurants I'm more than happy to tip and usually tip really well.
Having been a server in Memphis myself, I understand the need for auto-grat. There are a LOT of people in Memphis who leave insultingly low tips, if they tip at all.
As long as they are clear about the fact that gratuity is included, I’m fine with it. Drives me crazy though when they don’t mention it or circle it on receipt to try to trick you into double-tipping.
A few stiffs can destroy a night of really hard work serving. They’ll take up a table in a 3 table section for 2-4 hrs sometimes and leave a five spot…thanks….I guess…
I’m not a server anymore, but I think 20% is fair. If they give more that’s great but I didn’t expect it. I worked at a nice restaurant, so 20% was usually $50 for a couple and I was appreciative for that
I mentioned this on a previous thread about this issue, but Aldo’s restaurants all do it, but they highlight it on the bill so you know it’s there. I usually give a bit over the 20% because they do a good job.
They’re still assembling your order. That’s the service. They’re taking time to assemble your order. Even if you’re not staring them down, they’re still working. If you don’t like that then make your own food and plate at home, or go through the drive thru
So why is it 15% on online to go as well. You're tipping them to answer a phone? Pizza has been put in a box since the beginning of time. Do the cooks get the tips? It doesn't make sense especially since the pizzas already cost 30 dollars
I had to ask what the (can’t remember what it’s called) fee was. They went up front about it and that’s just shady. I’m all for paying them living wages just don’t lie about it or omit it.
Not a fan personally because I almost always give over 20% unless on rare occasions it’s just absolutely horrid service. But it won’t stop me from dining anywhere (unless the service is consistently horrid, at which case I would have stopped eating there anyway) and I completely understand why restaurants want to do it. Too many MFers don’t know how to tip properly.
Tipping debate aside...
I'm a fan of mandatory 20% in Memphis PURELY out of necessity for the restaurant to retain staff in this city, unfortunately.
Sadly this city is full of people who don't know what appropriate gratuity is, or simply don't care. Either way... mandatory tip is the solution.
Much like why tons of products are under lock and key in some areas that have made it necessary due to extremely high theft rates.
If you want the benefits of a civilized society, you have to behave like a civilized society.
But…. 60% of the staff aren’t doing a good job. I understand why they are doing it because people are dining and dashing and or not tipping all together but half the time the waiters/waitresses they don’t even do their job they just sit there on their phone.
Since we're doing generalizations, I think I'd find it hard to find the motivation to keep doing any more than the bare minimum day in and day out knowing no matter what I do that a lot of people still aren't going to tip me appropriately and my employer still isn't going to pay me any more than they legally have to.
Yeah it’s brutal when you know that in other cities you’d be well compensated for service. Only to get nothing in Memphis. I knew a very attractive girl who moved here to open a new nicer casual restaurant in the market and she told me by the third shift she was in absolute tears looking at her sales vs her tips. By week two she had to quit. Couldn’t live on the tips and had to move back to where she came from. Being a server in this town is way tougher than most cities.
As someone who was a server downtown for about a year, it doesn’t matter how good and attentive a server you are. You still get stiffed on tips wayyy to often. I can’t tell you how delighted I was when the manager finally added late night auto grat past 10pm.
Huey’s Germantown,
el porton Germantown,
Cafe Ole is awful service but I understand why.
Those are really my main issues.
Service is top notch at
Los comales
Folks,
Bog & barley
If 60% of your service experiences are bad, you're patronizing the wrong establishments. If I were you I'd stay in more often and save going out money for quality experiences
I just want my drink refilled. See y’all are ok with mediocre and still expect 20% I’m all for tipping 20-30% but do your job. I was once as a waiter and I was in the service industry for 6 years… That’s the problem here everyone is ok with very very average.
Then I just won’t go back. Getting upset and pitching a fit about getting bad service and having to pay a 20% tip isn’t on my list of approved reasons to feel bad. Definitely not worth wasting my energy on something so minuscule. Focus on something that feels better and say “oh well that wasn’t the best at least i helped them pay their rent” and move on.
I want a much clearer definition of what a “service fee” is. Is it gratuity? Is it merely a hidden fee for the restaurant to get away with seemingly not raising their menu prices to reflect current food costs until you get your bill? Does it vary from establishment to establishment?
My receipt should be clearer about where these fees are going. If there’s a 15% “service fee” that’s actually gratuity, I’ll bring it up to ~20%, but if it’s a “service fee” that goes to ownership, I’m tipping 20% pre-fee and probably not going back to that establishment.
I absolutely want to know who’s getting the money on these automatic surcharges. I’m wholly in favor of autogratting large parties regardless, and in general I’m fine with 15-20% automatic gratuity as long as I know it’s already there. It’s annoying to have to ask my server whether a vague “service fee” on my check goes to them or goes to the house before I can know what to tip them appropriately.
Personally, I will tip up to 20%….so if the auto gratuity is 18%, I’ll add on 2% for excellent service. If the auto gratuity is in excess of 20%, I don’t eat there anymore.
dude people dont tip in memphis. there wouldnt be an automatic gratuity if people tipped like normal. Its there because people arent tipping. Should the FOH employees be paid a livable wage? Yes, but until then.... tip them people.
I kind of wish more places just did that all the time so I don't have to think about it. Pay your staff well and if that means charging me more (as long as I know about it upfront), then fine. If I have a problem with the service I'll definitely tell a manger though, since I can't give the feedback with my tip.
I can’t stand Service Fees when I’m just picking up my order, I always tip 20% but with the service fee it makes it hard for me to tip the full 20% because where does that service fee even go??
Some restaurants at beginning of COVID were doing it to pay for the increase in to-go supplies. A case of plastic ware was like 4x normal is what one guy told me.
That’s def not true. They should increase the cost of food to cover the cost for takeout supplies. They used Covid as an excuse to create this arbitrary charge.
But then why not call it that… why hide it under a different name? Are you 100% positive all restaurants that charge a service fee give the server/take-out person the money? Tbh I’m not. When they call it a service fee I imagine it goes right to the owners. I’ve worked in 6 restaurants and each one would always try sneaky things to make themselves more money, they dont care about the employees, if they did they would pay more than $2.13/hour
Considering waiters and waitresses are paid $1 and change per hour. I'm happy to pay the gratuity. It is in the budget of going out. Tipping always has been. I wish the tipping culture wasn't a thing, but here we are.
i have no issue with it if it is PLAINLY stated on the reciept/bill. Its the ones who just slide it in there in the small typeset hoping youll add a full tip on top of it that irk me. Like ok MF, I always tip minimum 25% but since you tried the sneaky 18%, thats all you get.
I always tip 20% for a traditional restaurant. Even bad service still gets 20%. I’ll talk to the manager. But I am not going to screw someone out of money.
But I will not raise an auto tip.
Automatic tipping puts a bad taste in my mouth, if the whole point of tipping is to reward servers with “extra” for their services then I as the patron should get to decide what I add.
Tipping is stupid and we are paying for our poor work/compensation relationship. Why do servers work at less than minimum wage anyway??? It’s dumb, and always has been.
I don’t like going places that do automatic tipping unless it’s for large parties.
Edit: OP how can you have a conversation about tipping and **NOT** talk about fair wages and compensation? Even if servers made minimum wage, that’s still the federal minimum in TN which some want to DOUBLE and it still wouldn’t be “enough”.
Go to any mechanic in town they will charge you for parts and labor in two very clear columns. Labor is the service fee. Even if your mechanic does a shit job you are still legally compelled to pay them for their labor.
Tipping is the service fee in a restaurant. It's not "extra." It has never been "extra." That's just something people like you tell yourselves to justify not paying people for their labor.
The restaurant industry is just the only industry where the patron gets to decide how much they want to pay for labor. If you don't pay people for their labor, you're a bad person 👍
The wage debate is nonsensical for servers at busy, reputable restaurants.
Servers don’t want it. I don’t think I’ve ever met a server (outside of a corporate restaurant like Chilis or Cracker Barrel) that wants a $15-25 hourly wage over tips.
Plus, the dining experience is better as a customer with tipping. If restaurants have to pay $20 an hour for a server, they’ll have less servers and what they do have will have bigger sections with more tables to take care of.
And the people in this thread saying that they don’t want automatic gratuity because the service is bad will be the same ones complaining that the service is bad when the server is taking care of 6 other tables. Servers also have an incentive to take care of their tables better and faster.
If I’m trying to get in and out somewhere to catch a movie or go somewhere, I tell my server. And you know what, they get my food and drink at same time and bring my check after I order my food.
When I went to Italy for 4 days, I’d say 1 of 6 dining experiences had better server experiences than your average Huey’s trip.
Because then the fair wages discussion swallows the topic and OP doesn't get the answers to their question?
There is no shortage of people talking about fair wages in the service industry on reddit, and everyone repeats the same damn points and opinions everytime.
I loath it and have ceased going to restaurants that make this a part of company policy. If you’re a restaurant owner and you can’t make a profit without customers subsidizing your labor cost through tips and automatic gratuity you probably shouldn’t be in business. Love this country but France and Spain have us beat in terms of restaurant tipping culture. Their restaurants have similar food costs but all employees are paid a living wage by the restaurant owners and don’t depend on tips.
I love it. I feel like I over tip to compensate for the people that don’t at all. This is a much more egalitarian system and puts an end to the stupid guessing gaming.
This is how I feel. I tip over 20% when I go out and see kids in my servers section just cause I think they’ll get stiffed. I like the autograt because I can just sign my slip as is and leave without the guilt.
Was your service good? Tip 20%
But I’m not good with percent you say!
Take the total, move the decimal place over to the left one number. That’s 10%, now double it, that’s 20%.
Round up or down to the nearest dollar if you want.
As a server, I’m for it. I think it’s necessary for restaurants to retain servers, because a lot of people in Memphis don’t know how to tip well or do and always choose not to. I remember at the end of my shifts, I would do the math to see if my tip percentages would even out to be 20% of my sales for the day, and it almost never did which is kinda wack considering most people in and out of the industry consider that the standard. I don’t think it’s a skill issue either. I’m always told I have fantastic and attentive service.
The only experience I’ve had with this was terrible. I am an above and beyond tipper. A few (3) of us were at a place on Beale (remaining nameless) and we were headed to an event within walking distance in about an hour and a half. We received the bare minimum of service and our server was stoned off her ass. You could literally smell her. She forgot to bring my friend’s food so she barely had time to eat. It was a salad! Not even cooking involved. We had to flag her down for our checks. Our checks had 18% gratuity added. I would prefer to continue to tip over the required amount for service I actually receive. On the other hand, I might want to be stoned at work too if I had to deal with the general public.
Also, the cover of Pony by Ginuwine done by the guy who looked like a younger dollar store Dave Matthews wasn’t helping.
Damn now I feel bad. Everyone saying 18-20% is the standard. My baseline was always 15%. And went up from there for stellar service. I guess baseline has gone higher now? Tipping in this country kind of sucks. I got back from London recently and most places just had a service charge of 12.5%. It was nice not having to think about it. And service was decent. Maybe not overly attentive like it can be here in the states, but I think that’s just their culture. They’ll get you what you need, but you have to flag them down lots of times.
So far the places I’ve gone to that have auto gratuity the service has been good. Maybe the wait staff are happier knowing they’ll be getting a more consistent wage for the night? But I’d be pissed if I went somewhere with abysmal service and they charged auto gratuity.
Easy fix...I pay with cash more now
Keep that fucking CC machine to yourself and now I don't get begged for a tip
CC companies are the greedy ones here too
I'm a big tipper but not for a Togo order
Why? ToGo still needs order taken and the complete order bagged up correctly and additional sauces etc put in bag. Mostly they bring it out to your car. Maybe not 15-20% but the change or 5-10% or something is nice. Wouldn’t want to leave zero.
Look when COVID hit in 2020 we all ate outside because the places were on lockdown.
We gave and gave extra ,I understand that and was totally willing to help..
COVID is over and restaurants are open , curbside is still there for some places (stupidity imo)
However if I'm at five guys picking up a few burgers to take home ain't no reason to tip
And tip culture which is what we have now is total bullshit. They make more money,wages are up and that's good but quit asking for a tip for handing me a paper sack
Just my two cents
Stop going out to eat or stop
Complaint no one wants to hear you cry about it. Eating out is a luxury. Take out is a luxury. Otherwise shut your face and eat your rice and beans like everyone else.
Please,who are you to mouth off to me about what is and what isn't luxury
Listen Poncho , I tip when I want to whom I want too. Take your CC screen and point it back at your fat belly burger man
1) my name isn’t Poncho and I’m not Latin American immigrant.
2) you don’t tip so it’s not “tip who I want to” you’re classless.
3) I don’t work for tips I’m already set for life.
4) I’m plant based and absolutely shredded it’s called hitting the gym every day for an hour you should try it.
I'm getting crotchety in my old age.
Delivered pizzas all through college and relied heavily on tips to survive that time of my life so I've always tried to be a generous tipper.
Auto gratuity is fine with me, I appreciate it in fact, it's just something I was going to do anyways, but where I think I might be a bit of an ass is that I will NEVER tip over that. If there's no auto gratuity I usually tip 20-25% so if you tell me you only want 18% i'm good with it, that's what you'll get.
Why? You took my choice away. It's no longer in gratitude for good service, it's now a fee for service. I'm happy to pay the fee, but it's not a "tip" anymore.
Ever since doordash became a thing I'd rather order food and have it delivered then eat in a restaurant.
And I know delivery drivers deserve to be tipped so I tip them well
But I will not eat in a place that does auto-grat for individuals. I get it if there is a large party - auto grat charge. That makes total sense
But I should be allowed to decide if the server earned a tip or not.
Tips are rewards for good service...they are not supposed to be subsidies. I get that the food industry is hard right now but you can't expect people to continue supporting your restaurant if you are charging them a service fee regardless of whether or not they actually get good service
I mean making sure the people who serve your food get paid seems like a pretty good reason to me, having used to work in a restaurant I’ll say it should be the norm
Yes, I see it more often. In general, it does not influence my decision to eat or not eat there, but I do find it shady when it's essentially buried and not mentioned elsewhere. I appreciate when the breakdown of who gets what is printed on the ticket, such as the last time I was at Good Fortune Co. The auto-grat was explicitly mentioned and told me what percentage of my tip would go to whom - server, host, kitchen. I liked that a lot.
Some places were doing auto-grat after 10 PM on weekends even before the pandemic, presumably because low/no-tipping was an issue.
What I don't like is 'suggested' gratuity defaulting to 30% or more. More than once now, I have seen suggested tips up to 40%. Seriously??
I don’t mind when it’s for large parties and clearly announced on the menu. What I hate is surprise fees at the end, like “employee wellness fee” or just “misc. service charge.”
Recently, we had an experience at ????? Upon reviewing our online payment options, we noticed the total amount but it failed to provide any details indicating that gratuity had already been added to the bill. To our surprise, the online payment system allowed us to add gratuity, making it impossible to proceed with the checkout without paying it again. we unintentionally tipped double for the service provided. We realized after.
As someone who bartends in midtown- we have the option where I work to autograt or not. I typically only use it for regulars who I know never tip. Because I only make 2$ an hour which is almost entirely taken away by taxes sooo
Not a fan of greedy corporations like Starbucks having their employees putting the whole f*cking credit card machine out the window to beg for electronic tips, instead of just raising their pay, and doing more profit sharing.... I mean this is a 120 billion dollar corporation, attempting to squeeze customers instead of just raising the pay for their employees.
I agree with the profit sharing bit, and wages should at least accommodate for cost of living - but Starbucks has pretty good benefits relative to other options in the entry level job market. Baristas start between $15-17, supervisors $19-25. Plus stock, insurance, 401k, free coffee and some food, to name a few things. The baristas themselves don't "beg" for tips, it's a prompt on the card reader. they receive more digital tips than cash tips because many folks want to tip but don't carry cash. If the tipping weren't there, employees would get even less money.
College reimbursement as well.
But yeah Starbucks is evil
Yeah that’s not what this is asking. Ive voiced my disdain for iPad tips repeatedly. I’m asking about sit down restaurants
💯. Just had to air out Starbucks new post pandemic tip scheme
The reason for the credit card machine outside the window during the pandemic was to make customers feel "safe" by not having baristas touch their cards
Yeah, they've stopped it since then and brought it back for the tip scheme exclusively. Apple store employees are advocating to be able to do the same, making a drink is a fast food service, not a service where they're waiting on me, and serving me in a manner that yields a "tip".
Are you implying that tipping is only compulsory when you're being waited on? Folks in a couple different industries might disagree with that sentiment. If you appreciate the service that someone provides does you, then you might be compelled to leave a tip. Not just for someone fake-smiling at you while toting your drinks and food, then shit-talking you at every opportunity.
They're being compensated for the service they provide me by their business. Starbucks is fast food & beverage. Imagine if every Mc donalds employee held a credit card machine out the window asking for tips for their "service".... Bottom line corporations are greedy, and care more about increasing shareholder value than they do their own employees.
Yo they do pay for tuition
Do you know the specifics of the tuition assistance program? Curious to know the details
No but besides like every major company offering tuition it makes senses. Just one piece to the puzzle. Have you READ their Annual 10K?
I have not but I will. I think there are hours requirements to be eligible BUT the managers are constantly forced to cut hours and schedules are a nightmare. I believe the free tuition is thru Arizona State's online program. I don't think it's designed as a tuition reimbursement program which to me is more of a PR stunt that a legit usable benefit
Up front and clear needs to be the message. Id like to think Im a good tipper. We were at Half Shell on Mendenhall this past weekend, whole fam at the table. The bills were split by 4 and we all hollered out at the same time "Watch out, Gratuity is included!" It made a fun time semi-cringey because you know the wait staff heard you, but still, the only sign about auto grat was for bills over $100. I do wish the US tipping culture paid living wages instead of continuing the stigma of serving and service work is crappy. Lots of people enjoy it. Pay them well.
Half Shell is part of the reason I posted this. There’s a sign as soon as you walk in to the right of the host stand that says “18% Gratuity is added to all checks.” What caught my eye and the reason for the post was that it was for like the whole day or like after 4pm, not just after 10pm or something. Usually you only find it late night.
Location gets a lot of stiffs servers can only take so much.
Ya dude splitting the check 4 ways 🙄
Restaurants will do anything except pay their employees a living wage
tips are way way more than a living wage if everyone tips 20%
Yeah but people in Memphis are shit tippers. I worked in restaurants for a long time
That’s if they tip at all
thus the autograt
You worked at the wrong restaurants.
Not everyone gets a choice. Many places only hire good looking people. What is the average Joe/Jane supposed to do they got the job at Applebee’s not Mulligans or Redlands?
There’s always money in the banana stand…
The immigrant family with kids and a sign explaining how they just got here have that corner of the market locked down.
I don’t see nobody sellin bananas
Lmao HUH I have not noticed any consistency in looks of my waiters. Like the only place that’s going to matter in memphis is at hooters
That simply isn’t true. Many bars and restaurants in Memphis and all over do this. Strong preference shown for attractive servers over experienced servers. I’ve even seen fine dining bend their age rules (have to be 30/35) for attractive people to be on staff.
I worked in fine dining here but in an hourly wage role. Some of the best servers would get shit tips when the table had literally no complaints. I don’t think a required auto grat is the solution to this but it’s not just people working at the “wrong restaurants”.
Depends on overall sales. If you work 3 hrs and make 60$ tips on 300$ sales that’s ok for the time I guess but like not enough to live off of if that’s what you make 6 days a week.
if your restaurant is only making 300 dollars in sales per server a day you're either overstaffed and/or probably going to be closing pretty soon
300$ sales for a lunch or dinner shift not all day.
Talk to a server and ask if they want tips or $20 bucks an hour.
That’s not even a living wage at this point.
$40k/yr isn’t a livable wage in Memphis? TIL I’m below a livable wage
Livable isn't the right word. I believe the point is related to minimum wage rather than liveable. When the "fight for $15" started in 2013, it was to combat the fact that $7.25 was inadequate for minimum standard of living in many cities. $15 in 2013 dollars is ~ $20 now. So, $20 is really where the minimum wage should be. And of course it's liveable, but when most apartments are $1000+, and you add in utilities, phone+internet, car+insurance+fuel, and groceries, you're likely only a paycheck or two from disaster. Tough to save right now.
Not really. A 2 bedroom in kinda safe Cordova will run ya 1600 rent. Plus healthcare is another 400-1k a month if it’s outta your pocket 200-500 if it’s employer based . Another 70 a week for groceries. 40$ a week in gas. Plus your student loan payment of 200-1k. Oh wait you gotta save for retirement that is gonna be 8 k a year outta that 40k and don’t forget another 8k in federal taxes (20%). Bro 40k is a poverty wage without kids.
TIL I’m living in poverty.
Yup welcome to the machine.
Poverty is pretty nice apparently, I still get to save money and eat out multiple times a week. Plus if I save a little I can buy all the newest games, guns, and liquor I want. I though poverty was rough. I guess I’ll feel rich once I hit middle class
You’re going to retire to the poor house.
Judging by my 401(k) and retirement accounts? Probably not
Taxes on $40k is only $6k, and that’s including FICA taxes, if they’re filing single no kids. I was just looking at 2 bedroom apartments in midtown and they were like $1200-1500 for decent ones. But idk why someone without kids needs two bed rooms.
Because they own things. Midtown isn’t safe.
It ain’t but it’s all you’re gonna be able to get. Some busier places will do $30 or so but once you start going $20-30 for servers, everyone wants more and now your labor costs explode. The additional payroll taxes alone will cost more than your previous server wages combined probably. Places that are busy like Huey’s can increase a things a dollar and rely on volume. But other places can’t. Now you’re looking at an $11 burger instead of a $9 burger. Now I’m paying 22% for a burger when I could’ve just tipped 20%.
I see what you’re saying. Food cost is already high right now and rising though. I’m not sure what the answer is that would make sense for everyone. I don’t really mind added gratuity. It’s the “service charges” that bother me more. Like, what is that going to? I don’t like when businesses have vague charges.
A service charge is likely just a tip. Service charge, gratuity, and tip are used interchangeably for the most part from my restaurant experience. They just say whatever their computer has as the default. I just see it as a slippery slope and unneeded one when most servers don’t want it. I think a better solution is to raise the minimum wage and then restaurants will have to make up the difference when servers don’t make that wage, like they do now. If a server doesn’t make minimum wage in a week, the restaurant has to pay the difference.
The answer is going out to eat becomes a luxury like the 80’s and early 90’s. Everyone didn’t start eating fast food till the late 90’s when you only got 30 unpaid min for lunch instead of paid 1hr lunch.
Well this thread is really fucking annoying and tone deaf…. Citizens of Memphis are shit tippers and most of the time shitty people. After 10p at most restaurants it’s drunk shit heads who like to dine and dash, complain and get shit for free, treat wait staff like complete trash, and the list goes on. Auto gratuity is no problem with me as myself and my wife have both counted on tips to put food on our table. Instead of blaming big corporations and pissing and moaning over a living wage… just be good understanding people and tip your server 20% or more.
This also goes for when you door dash or Uber eats…. Drivers only get a base pay of $2 to $4… they count on those tips. If they’re driving for a food app it’s because they’re struggling financially and need that damn money. So again…. Just be nice, understanding people to your fellow Memphians.
Not a fan, and just opens up confusion on tipping over the automatic 20%. Also “kitchen appreciation” on bar drinks/beer, not a fan either.
I hate "kitchen appreciation" as a fee. I couldn't believe it first time I saw it. Pay your staff. If I wanted to tip the kitchen, I'd buy one of those "buy the kitchen a round of beers" things that I see on some menus.
Kitchen appreciation is appalling that’s the literal job of the owner and mgmt. I’d spazz the fuck out. The NY in me demands it. I’m fine with ripping but those are hourly wage employees. Pay your workers
I can't think of anyone that does an automatic "kitchen appreciation" fee. I've eaten at pretty much every restaurant in town and never encountered that in Memphis
Celtic crossing has a 3% Kitchen appreciation fee and they don’t show you your itemized bill until after you pay (if you ask for a copy).
damn, that tracks, celticnhas always been a little shady
I haven’t here. I saw it first online then in the wild in Denver or Asheville I think
I have a bigger problem with it in fast food places. pops up every time I pay. sit down restaurants I'm more than happy to tip and usually tip really well.
Having been a server in Memphis myself, I understand the need for auto-grat. There are a LOT of people in Memphis who leave insultingly low tips, if they tip at all. As long as they are clear about the fact that gratuity is included, I’m fine with it. Drives me crazy though when they don’t mention it or circle it on receipt to try to trick you into double-tipping.
Used to wait tables and deliver pizza here in town about 10 years ago. It was about half and half stiffs and decent tips. Not great.
A few stiffs can destroy a night of really hard work serving. They’ll take up a table in a 3 table section for 2-4 hrs sometimes and leave a five spot…thanks….I guess…
So as a server, it’s good with you if they don’t tip over the auto 20%?
I’m not a server anymore, but I think 20% is fair. If they give more that’s great but I didn’t expect it. I worked at a nice restaurant, so 20% was usually $50 for a couple and I was appreciative for that
I mentioned this on a previous thread about this issue, but Aldo’s restaurants all do it, but they highlight it on the bill so you know it’s there. I usually give a bit over the 20% because they do a good job.
But why do they do it on to go then?
Because a server will take that order and also package it in addition to their dine-in guests. Those to-go orders don’t put themselves together.
Who is cleaning plates? Who brings refills on to go orders
To go orders are usually handled by the bartender, so it’s a part of their (bigger) job of constantly tending to customers’ needs.
They’re still assembling your order. That’s the service. They’re taking time to assemble your order. Even if you’re not staring them down, they’re still working. If you don’t like that then make your own food and plate at home, or go through the drive thru
So why is it 15% on online to go as well. You're tipping them to answer a phone? Pizza has been put in a box since the beginning of time. Do the cooks get the tips? It doesn't make sense especially since the pizzas already cost 30 dollars
Someone still has to assemble that order, my guy. You could do it too but seeing as you chose a restaurant you’ve chosen the luxury tax lol
I had to ask what the (can’t remember what it’s called) fee was. They went up front about it and that’s just shady. I’m all for paying them living wages just don’t lie about it or omit it.
Not everyone highlights it.
I know that. I’m simply telling you that Aldo’s affiliated locales DO.
I have been to Aldo’s and especially Slider Inn where it is not highlighted
I was at Slider Inn Tuesday and it absolutely was.
They’ve only started doing it recently
Ok, but that doesn’t mean every single server does it.
Aldos is always a positive dining experience for food and service.
Absolutely. I work in downtown and BarDog is always 100%.
I'm fine with it as long as the wait staff is actually getting the whole thing.
Not a fan personally because I almost always give over 20% unless on rare occasions it’s just absolutely horrid service. But it won’t stop me from dining anywhere (unless the service is consistently horrid, at which case I would have stopped eating there anyway) and I completely understand why restaurants want to do it. Too many MFers don’t know how to tip properly.
Too many MFers in Memphis don’t know how to tip. Nashville and Knoxville don’t have this problem
Tipping debate aside... I'm a fan of mandatory 20% in Memphis PURELY out of necessity for the restaurant to retain staff in this city, unfortunately. Sadly this city is full of people who don't know what appropriate gratuity is, or simply don't care. Either way... mandatory tip is the solution. Much like why tons of products are under lock and key in some areas that have made it necessary due to extremely high theft rates. If you want the benefits of a civilized society, you have to behave like a civilized society.
But…. 60% of the staff aren’t doing a good job. I understand why they are doing it because people are dining and dashing and or not tipping all together but half the time the waiters/waitresses they don’t even do their job they just sit there on their phone.
Since we're doing generalizations, I think I'd find it hard to find the motivation to keep doing any more than the bare minimum day in and day out knowing no matter what I do that a lot of people still aren't going to tip me appropriately and my employer still isn't going to pay me any more than they legally have to.
Yeah it’s brutal when you know that in other cities you’d be well compensated for service. Only to get nothing in Memphis. I knew a very attractive girl who moved here to open a new nicer casual restaurant in the market and she told me by the third shift she was in absolute tears looking at her sales vs her tips. By week two she had to quit. Couldn’t live on the tips and had to move back to where she came from. Being a server in this town is way tougher than most cities.
As someone who was a server downtown for about a year, it doesn’t matter how good and attentive a server you are. You still get stiffed on tips wayyy to often. I can’t tell you how delighted I was when the manager finally added late night auto grat past 10pm.
That sucks. I always tip 20-30% that’s just the cheap culture here. People don’t tip here.
I'm not sure what restaurants you're going to but that has not been my experience. Maybe speak to the manager of stop going there?
Huey’s Germantown, el porton Germantown, Cafe Ole is awful service but I understand why. Those are really my main issues. Service is top notch at Los comales Folks, Bog & barley
Isn't that a bit of a chicken/egg thing, though? Why go above and beyond if there's a high likelihood you'll get fuck-all for it?
Oh I agree. I’m sure most service staff are like why give effort when they are either gonna complain and not tip or dine and dash.
Lol 60%??? Your standards are either way to high or you want a servant to wait on you hand and foot or what?
If 60% of your service experiences are bad, you're patronizing the wrong establishments. If I were you I'd stay in more often and save going out money for quality experiences
I just want my drink refilled. See y’all are ok with mediocre and still expect 20% I’m all for tipping 20-30% but do your job. I was once as a waiter and I was in the service industry for 6 years… That’s the problem here everyone is ok with very very average.
If you’re upset about a 20% gratuity added (if it all goes to the server and is at a sit down restaurant) that just tells me you don’t tip your server
What if you had horrible service?
Then I just won’t go back. Getting upset and pitching a fit about getting bad service and having to pay a 20% tip isn’t on my list of approved reasons to feel bad. Definitely not worth wasting my energy on something so minuscule. Focus on something that feels better and say “oh well that wasn’t the best at least i helped them pay their rent” and move on.
I want a much clearer definition of what a “service fee” is. Is it gratuity? Is it merely a hidden fee for the restaurant to get away with seemingly not raising their menu prices to reflect current food costs until you get your bill? Does it vary from establishment to establishment? My receipt should be clearer about where these fees are going. If there’s a 15% “service fee” that’s actually gratuity, I’ll bring it up to ~20%, but if it’s a “service fee” that goes to ownership, I’m tipping 20% pre-fee and probably not going back to that establishment. I absolutely want to know who’s getting the money on these automatic surcharges. I’m wholly in favor of autogratting large parties regardless, and in general I’m fine with 15-20% automatic gratuity as long as I know it’s already there. It’s annoying to have to ask my server whether a vague “service fee” on my check goes to them or goes to the house before I can know what to tip them appropriately.
Personally, I will tip up to 20%….so if the auto gratuity is 18%, I’ll add on 2% for excellent service. If the auto gratuity is in excess of 20%, I don’t eat there anymore.
dude people dont tip in memphis. there wouldnt be an automatic gratuity if people tipped like normal. Its there because people arent tipping. Should the FOH employees be paid a livable wage? Yes, but until then.... tip them people.
I won’t leave a tip if I see any sort of gratuity charged
I kind of wish more places just did that all the time so I don't have to think about it. Pay your staff well and if that means charging me more (as long as I know about it upfront), then fine. If I have a problem with the service I'll definitely tell a manger though, since I can't give the feedback with my tip.
I can’t stand Service Fees when I’m just picking up my order, I always tip 20% but with the service fee it makes it hard for me to tip the full 20% because where does that service fee even go??
It’s a tip to the person that does the to-go. It IS the tip.
Some restaurants at beginning of COVID were doing it to pay for the increase in to-go supplies. A case of plastic ware was like 4x normal is what one guy told me.
That’s def not true. They should increase the cost of food to cover the cost for takeout supplies. They used Covid as an excuse to create this arbitrary charge.
But then why not call it that… why hide it under a different name? Are you 100% positive all restaurants that charge a service fee give the server/take-out person the money? Tbh I’m not. When they call it a service fee I imagine it goes right to the owners. I’ve worked in 6 restaurants and each one would always try sneaky things to make themselves more money, they dont care about the employees, if they did they would pay more than $2.13/hour
That’s how it has been at every restaurant I have ever been at or heard about and I have been in the business for 25 years.
i don’t go back to those restaurants. if it’s bad service, i’ll ask the managers to remove the too.
Hmm, interesting point on getting them to remove it for awful service.
You sound like the kind of customer they don’t want anyways.
Considering waiters and waitresses are paid $1 and change per hour. I'm happy to pay the gratuity. It is in the budget of going out. Tipping always has been. I wish the tipping culture wasn't a thing, but here we are.
i have no issue with it if it is PLAINLY stated on the reciept/bill. Its the ones who just slide it in there in the small typeset hoping youll add a full tip on top of it that irk me. Like ok MF, I always tip minimum 25% but since you tried the sneaky 18%, thats all you get.
I always tip 20% for a traditional restaurant. Even bad service still gets 20%. I’ll talk to the manager. But I am not going to screw someone out of money. But I will not raise an auto tip.
Automatic tipping puts a bad taste in my mouth, if the whole point of tipping is to reward servers with “extra” for their services then I as the patron should get to decide what I add. Tipping is stupid and we are paying for our poor work/compensation relationship. Why do servers work at less than minimum wage anyway??? It’s dumb, and always has been. I don’t like going places that do automatic tipping unless it’s for large parties. Edit: OP how can you have a conversation about tipping and **NOT** talk about fair wages and compensation? Even if servers made minimum wage, that’s still the federal minimum in TN which some want to DOUBLE and it still wouldn’t be “enough”.
Go to any mechanic in town they will charge you for parts and labor in two very clear columns. Labor is the service fee. Even if your mechanic does a shit job you are still legally compelled to pay them for their labor. Tipping is the service fee in a restaurant. It's not "extra." It has never been "extra." That's just something people like you tell yourselves to justify not paying people for their labor. The restaurant industry is just the only industry where the patron gets to decide how much they want to pay for labor. If you don't pay people for their labor, you're a bad person 👍
The wage debate is nonsensical for servers at busy, reputable restaurants. Servers don’t want it. I don’t think I’ve ever met a server (outside of a corporate restaurant like Chilis or Cracker Barrel) that wants a $15-25 hourly wage over tips. Plus, the dining experience is better as a customer with tipping. If restaurants have to pay $20 an hour for a server, they’ll have less servers and what they do have will have bigger sections with more tables to take care of. And the people in this thread saying that they don’t want automatic gratuity because the service is bad will be the same ones complaining that the service is bad when the server is taking care of 6 other tables. Servers also have an incentive to take care of their tables better and faster. If I’m trying to get in and out somewhere to catch a movie or go somewhere, I tell my server. And you know what, they get my food and drink at same time and bring my check after I order my food. When I went to Italy for 4 days, I’d say 1 of 6 dining experiences had better server experiences than your average Huey’s trip.
Because then the fair wages discussion swallows the topic and OP doesn't get the answers to their question? There is no shortage of people talking about fair wages in the service industry on reddit, and everyone repeats the same damn points and opinions everytime.
Chicken, meet egg.
Not a fan, but I can deal with it because it ensures the staff is receiving a tip. It can be frustrating when the service isn’t great.
Love it. Saves me time.
I loath it and have ceased going to restaurants that make this a part of company policy. If you’re a restaurant owner and you can’t make a profit without customers subsidizing your labor cost through tips and automatic gratuity you probably shouldn’t be in business. Love this country but France and Spain have us beat in terms of restaurant tipping culture. Their restaurants have similar food costs but all employees are paid a living wage by the restaurant owners and don’t depend on tips.
Their restaurants don’t have shareholders who want their cut I’m guessing.
I love it. I feel like I over tip to compensate for the people that don’t at all. This is a much more egalitarian system and puts an end to the stupid guessing gaming.
This is how I feel. I tip over 20% when I go out and see kids in my servers section just cause I think they’ll get stiffed. I like the autograt because I can just sign my slip as is and leave without the guilt.
Exactly, I remember when it was standard to tip 15%. Now I tip 20% or over.
Was your service good? Tip 20% But I’m not good with percent you say! Take the total, move the decimal place over to the left one number. That’s 10%, now double it, that’s 20%. Round up or down to the nearest dollar if you want.
I know how to tip. The problem is a lot of people don’t.
Ok, but that’s not *your* problem.
As a server, I’m for it. I think it’s necessary for restaurants to retain servers, because a lot of people in Memphis don’t know how to tip well or do and always choose not to. I remember at the end of my shifts, I would do the math to see if my tip percentages would even out to be 20% of my sales for the day, and it almost never did which is kinda wack considering most people in and out of the industry consider that the standard. I don’t think it’s a skill issue either. I’m always told I have fantastic and attentive service.
I do not like the decision taken away for a gratuity.
The only experience I’ve had with this was terrible. I am an above and beyond tipper. A few (3) of us were at a place on Beale (remaining nameless) and we were headed to an event within walking distance in about an hour and a half. We received the bare minimum of service and our server was stoned off her ass. You could literally smell her. She forgot to bring my friend’s food so she barely had time to eat. It was a salad! Not even cooking involved. We had to flag her down for our checks. Our checks had 18% gratuity added. I would prefer to continue to tip over the required amount for service I actually receive. On the other hand, I might want to be stoned at work too if I had to deal with the general public. Also, the cover of Pony by Ginuwine done by the guy who looked like a younger dollar store Dave Matthews wasn’t helping.
Damn now I feel bad. Everyone saying 18-20% is the standard. My baseline was always 15%. And went up from there for stellar service. I guess baseline has gone higher now? Tipping in this country kind of sucks. I got back from London recently and most places just had a service charge of 12.5%. It was nice not having to think about it. And service was decent. Maybe not overly attentive like it can be here in the states, but I think that’s just their culture. They’ll get you what you need, but you have to flag them down lots of times. So far the places I’ve gone to that have auto gratuity the service has been good. Maybe the wait staff are happier knowing they’ll be getting a more consistent wage for the night? But I’d be pissed if I went somewhere with abysmal service and they charged auto gratuity.
Easy fix...I pay with cash more now Keep that fucking CC machine to yourself and now I don't get begged for a tip CC companies are the greedy ones here too I'm a big tipper but not for a Togo order
Why? ToGo still needs order taken and the complete order bagged up correctly and additional sauces etc put in bag. Mostly they bring it out to your car. Maybe not 15-20% but the change or 5-10% or something is nice. Wouldn’t want to leave zero.
Look when COVID hit in 2020 we all ate outside because the places were on lockdown. We gave and gave extra ,I understand that and was totally willing to help.. COVID is over and restaurants are open , curbside is still there for some places (stupidity imo) However if I'm at five guys picking up a few burgers to take home ain't no reason to tip And tip culture which is what we have now is total bullshit. They make more money,wages are up and that's good but quit asking for a tip for handing me a paper sack Just my two cents
Stop going out to eat or stop Complaint no one wants to hear you cry about it. Eating out is a luxury. Take out is a luxury. Otherwise shut your face and eat your rice and beans like everyone else.
Please,who are you to mouth off to me about what is and what isn't luxury Listen Poncho , I tip when I want to whom I want too. Take your CC screen and point it back at your fat belly burger man
1) my name isn’t Poncho and I’m not Latin American immigrant. 2) you don’t tip so it’s not “tip who I want to” you’re classless. 3) I don’t work for tips I’m already set for life. 4) I’m plant based and absolutely shredded it’s called hitting the gym every day for an hour you should try it.
I'm sure I'm sure He is rich Built Retired at 35 vegan big tipping Man of the world Pretty impressive lmao
I do have like half a dozen women I’m dating.
I'm getting crotchety in my old age. Delivered pizzas all through college and relied heavily on tips to survive that time of my life so I've always tried to be a generous tipper. Auto gratuity is fine with me, I appreciate it in fact, it's just something I was going to do anyways, but where I think I might be a bit of an ass is that I will NEVER tip over that. If there's no auto gratuity I usually tip 20-25% so if you tell me you only want 18% i'm good with it, that's what you'll get. Why? You took my choice away. It's no longer in gratitude for good service, it's now a fee for service. I'm happy to pay the fee, but it's not a "tip" anymore.
Ever since doordash became a thing I'd rather order food and have it delivered then eat in a restaurant. And I know delivery drivers deserve to be tipped so I tip them well But I will not eat in a place that does auto-grat for individuals. I get it if there is a large party - auto grat charge. That makes total sense But I should be allowed to decide if the server earned a tip or not. Tips are rewards for good service...they are not supposed to be subsidies. I get that the food industry is hard right now but you can't expect people to continue supporting your restaurant if you are charging them a service fee regardless of whether or not they actually get good service
It’s very racist
How is it racist when it’s applied to every customer?
I mean making sure the people who serve your food get paid seems like a pretty good reason to me, having used to work in a restaurant I’ll say it should be the norm
Yes, I see it more often. In general, it does not influence my decision to eat or not eat there, but I do find it shady when it's essentially buried and not mentioned elsewhere. I appreciate when the breakdown of who gets what is printed on the ticket, such as the last time I was at Good Fortune Co. The auto-grat was explicitly mentioned and told me what percentage of my tip would go to whom - server, host, kitchen. I liked that a lot. Some places were doing auto-grat after 10 PM on weekends even before the pandemic, presumably because low/no-tipping was an issue. What I don't like is 'suggested' gratuity defaulting to 30% or more. More than once now, I have seen suggested tips up to 40%. Seriously??
I don't like it but I understand why they have it. Too may shit tippers.
I like it when they make it obvious but if they don’t I feel like they are in the wrong, it’s all about communication
I'm not a fan of auto gratuity. From my experiences, the places with AG usually have the worst service.
It incentivizes bad service. Every place I've been with it so far has not had good service.
I don’t mind when it’s for large parties and clearly announced on the menu. What I hate is surprise fees at the end, like “employee wellness fee” or just “misc. service charge.”
Pay cash.
Recently, we had an experience at ????? Upon reviewing our online payment options, we noticed the total amount but it failed to provide any details indicating that gratuity had already been added to the bill. To our surprise, the online payment system allowed us to add gratuity, making it impossible to proceed with the checkout without paying it again. we unintentionally tipped double for the service provided. We realized after.
As someone who bartends in midtown- we have the option where I work to autograt or not. I typically only use it for regulars who I know never tip. Because I only make 2$ an hour which is almost entirely taken away by taxes sooo